# Southern California Breeders



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

A friend had two rescued GSDs out of West German Show Lines. They were middle aged, around 7-8. One suddenly became ill last week and died. She's in shock and her remaining dog is grieving. In her words, he's a placid dog and she would like another one just like him as a companion. I know a lot about local rescue organizations and offered to help her locate another dog. Her faith in the rescue organization she worked with before is gone. She never worried about health until she lost her dog and is considering getting a puppy. I offered to help her sort it out. She wants a dog from a breeding that will have less likelihood of health risks like the illness she just went through with her dog.

I gave her the names of two local rescue groups that screen dogs better than the one she used. She wants to look at breeders before making a decision. If she gets a puppy, two neighbors can take care of it for her while she's at work. She gets off work at 3 p.m. and her teens are home in the morning. One is in college, so the dog won't be alone for extended periods of time. Her current dog uses a doggy door to go in and out. I told her a puppy would need more hands on attention.

Are there any breeders who might have older dogs for sale that have been returned? That could be a way to adopt a dog without using a rescue group. I also suggested she contact service dog or guide dog organizations that might have available dogs released from their program if there are any that use German Shepherds.

I'm making a list of Southern California breeders she can talk to. She has owned German Shepherds before these two and does well with them, but the dog will be a family pet, will go on hikes and vacations and long, daily walks. It won't go through more than basic obedience. She has three children and a lot of traffic in and out of her house.

Are there any other So Cal breeders I can add to the list? I would add working line if I could find a kennel with placid dogs that would sell to a family as a non-working pet. If anyone has personal experience or knows directly about any of these breeders, please PM me with the information. I've seen threads here get contentious, so I hope we can keep this calm and helpful for her. She's not online, so I'm going to relay the information to her. Thank you in advance. I haven't given her a list yet and would like to be able to add or remove names based on personal experience of others before I do. It's a short list based on location.

West Coast German Shepherds
Von Salerno 
Grunenfeld
Von Baltasar
Lundborg Land
War Cry


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## Bellagrl (Feb 9, 2013)

I have a Lundborg Land dog. He is everything I wanted in a shepherd. He's beautiful, intelligent, affectionate, and adored by many. However the biting as a pup was intense. But all pups are different. Thumbs up for Lundborg Land


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

I would contact Barbara at West Coast German Shepherds, she has a few puppies right now and Barbara has very nice dogs!!!


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

Westside German Shepherd Rescue also has quite a few puppies right now. If she wants to go the rescue route.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Thank you. I appreciate the information here and via PM. Larhage, do you know anyone who has a West Coast dog? I've seen posts from the breeder, which is helpful. It would be good to hear from someone who owns one of her dogs.

Trcy, I'll tell her. I was told by more than one person that Westside isn't always easy to work with. I've heard mixed things from people who have adopted or tried to adopt from them. In particular, whether they will take a dog back if it doesn't work out. I know the other rescues insist on it. I talked to someone who got a dog from them, had a situation where they needed to return the dog and they didn't have space so they wouldn't take it back. That's very different from the rescue groups I've worked with, who insist if a dog is given up it comes back to them. I helped another woman adopt a rescue dog. She had the dog for a while and it didn't adjust to her home, so the rescue group sent someone over immediately and they took the dog back. I looked at their site and they don't indicate whether the dogs are purebred or not. Some of the other So Cal rescues do mention if a dog is a mix.


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

LuvShepherds said:


> Trcy, I'll tell her. I was told by more than one person that Westside isn't always easy to work with. I've heard mixed things from people who have adopted or tried to adopt from them. In particular, whether they will take a dog back if it doesn't work out. I know the other rescues insist on it. I talked to someone who got a dog from them, had a situation where they needed to return the dog and they didn't have space so they wouldn't take it back. That's very different from the rescue groups I've worked with, who insist if a dog is given up it comes back to them. I helped another woman adopt a rescue dog. She had the dog for a while and it didn't adjust to her home, so the rescue group sent someone over immediately and they took the dog back. I looked at their site and they don't indicate whether the dogs are purebred or not. Some of the other So Cal rescues do mention if a dog is a mix.


Most of those questions would need to be presented to the rescue. I was approved to adopt through them. This was over a year ago. At the time they did not have a lot of puppies. I have two smaller dogs, so we wanted to start with a puppy. We ended up going with a breeder. 

My parents were approved to adopt and got their puppy in less than a week. It was very smooth. 

When I look at their available dogs I see where they indicate if they are mixed or not. My parents weren't as concerned about that. The rescue felt the puppy may be mixed. She looks pure to me. 










They did say if the dog did not work out in 2 months they could get another dog or something like that. I was their to read the contract.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Thank you Trcy. Your information about the rescue is more recent than mine. That's a good suggestion if she contacts them. She should be asking a lot of questions. I looked at two other rescues, GSROC and Coastal. Coastal has a lot of SL dogs and GSROC appears to have quite a few working line. I'm surprised at how many of their dogs look like they are pure bred.

I received information on several breeders. I also checked their websites and two have older dogs for sale. That will give her a variety of different choices. I appreciate all the suggestions and information.


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## Carriesue (Aug 13, 2012)

I have a Grunenfeld dog, can't really go wrong with her dogs. 

I will say that Jackie is very very old school and isn't always super easy to deal with but I've met several of her dogs and talked to many others who have dogs from her... They were/are very happy and many of her dogs live 12-14 years.


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## Katy1985 (Nov 16, 2013)

Hi, I have a 41/2 mos old grunenfeld dog. She is sweet, loveable, she was completely crate trained when we picked her up at 9 weeks. She has been easy to train, not too bity. Jackie is unique, opinionated but I admired her dedication to the dogs and puppy health.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

Katy1985 said:


> Hi, I have a 41/2 mos old grunenfeld dog. She is sweet, loveable, she was completely crate trained when we picked her up at 9 weeks. She has been easy to train, not too bity. Jackie is unique, opinionated but I admired her dedication to the dogs and puppy health.


TJ misses his friend, Liesl  :wub:


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

I read the adoption contract today. It states the rescue will take the dog back. I did not see a time limit in the contract. It did say it's up to the owner to bring the dog to the rescue. They will not pick the dog up. 

Their puppy is staying though. She is sweet as can be. They would never take her back.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Thank you, Trcy.

You have all been so generous and helpful. I appreciate it.


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