# Working Line - IL/Midwest



## JayRo (Apr 14, 2013)

Hi All,

I have been lurking on the board for awhile now and decided to sign up and make my first post. 

I am about a year out from getting a german shepherd and have started researching through this board. I would value your opinions and was wondering if anyone knew of a good working line breeder around IL?

This will be my first dog ever (somewhat intimidated) but I have ALWAYS loved german shepherds and always said I would get one. I know the working lines tend to have a lot more energy but are there some working line breeders that are more calm than others? I LOVE the sable look and from I've read, you find those mostly in the working lines. I would be willing to drive around the midwest to find the right breeder and would definitely want to visit and meet the potential parents of my pup. 

I have a lot more research to do but I figured this would be a good start. 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/recommendations.


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## mego (Jan 27, 2013)

I heard good things on the forum about Wildhaus in michigan but do not have one of their dogs myself, just bookmarked them for if I ever plan on getting another one
(Wildhaus Kennels, Working German Shepherd Breeder in Michigan)


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## JayRo (Apr 14, 2013)

mego said:


> I heard good things on the forum about Wildhaus in michigan but do not have one of their dogs myself, just bookmarked them for if I ever plan on getting another one
> (Wildhaus Kennels, Working German Shepherd Breeder in Michigan)


Thanks, I have looked at them. In the grand scheme of things it is probably a good thing, but for some reason I don't like the idea of not being able to pick out my own pup. I prefer a dark sable over black.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

JayRo said:


> Thanks, I have looked at them. In the grand scheme of things it is probably a good thing, but for some reason I don't like the idea of not being able to pick out my own pup. I prefer a dark sable over black.


 
Color should be the last thing on your mind. Wildhaus is a great breeder and most great breeders will pick the pup best suited to your needs and desires. They've been with the pups from the beginning and therefore know the pups temperments and personalities best. You can stipulate your ideal color choice as well as temperament desires but color should be the last thing on the list. 

Example is my ideal dog will be a dark sable with toe penciling but I also need the dog that can handle whatever training I'm interested in as well as whatever sports we try and be okay around small kids and other animals as I have other pets such as cats as well as several family members who also have cats. Most people are not competent in choosing the right puppy for them which is why good breeders will choose the pups that best fit your temperament/personality desires.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Well, in the grand scheme of things, I felt the same and told the breeder if there were no sables for me I would pass on a black pup from the breeding I was interested in(I already had a black GSD in the past and really wanted a sable for my next pup). I would have kicked myself bigtime if I passed up a pup from the litter due to color. Thankfully there were only sables, and I was blessed with a great pup. 
I'd suggest you go to some clubs and look at dogs. There are many breeders in a tri-state area and you can see for yourself what is more of a match to your lifestyle. 
I've seen dogs with rich sable color that are gorgeous, but over the top in their reactivity or drives...no balance. I would not want to live with one....same goes for a black of the same temperament. Look at the pedigree match and not the 'look'! If/when you go to clubs you'll see what I'm talking about.
And about picking your own pup, most breeders(WL) will match the pup to your criteria as they know the pups much better.


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## volcano (Jan 14, 2013)

My pup is good, and they have one available from her dark sable litter. And an upcoming ltter with her dams sister as dam.
Vom Herrn working dogs./


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## gsdlover91 (Jul 21, 2012)

Bill Kulla (vom Geistwasser) in Marengo, IL.


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## lcordova (Jun 4, 2006)

JayRo said:


> ....I don't like the idea of not being able to pick out my own pup..


Let a GOOD breeder pick the pup for you, you'll be making a mistake if you choose the pup; if a breeder lets you choose a pup it's a sign that you should look towards other breeders.

Good luck,


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

A good breeder will pick the pup (or puppies) that best match what you want from your dog.

It's no good getting the color you want if the temperament is wrong for you.

You can tell a breeder what your preferences are and they will try to work with those but trust them to pick the right pup for you.


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## JayRo (Apr 14, 2013)

Appreciate all the advice. Maybe this is something I will have to reconsider. I wonder if you can ask for a preference? Say they did not see a good fit for a dark sable, so we wait until the next litter...or something along those lines. 

I am beginning to learn to read pedigrees and what they actually mean for a dog.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Of course you can ask for preference, in fact the breeder will NEED to know your preferences of sex, coat, color, temperament, drive, size, etc. I bought a dog from Bill Kulla, gave them a list of my preferences and it was narrowed down to three based on temperament and sex (male). I said I didn't mind a smaller male and preferred sable, so I got the dark sable who was the smallest (and he's not a small GSD, just the smallest of those three).


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Yes, the idea of letting the breeder pick a pup for you is for you to get exactly what you want. There is a lot more discussion here on the subject:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...puppy-try-adaptation-volhards-puppy-test.html

Though just skim through the first post - that kind of puppy testing by members of the public is not recommended, as you will see. 

A good breeder will not give you a pup that they feel is not a good match for you. There were some items on my preferences that were non-negotiable, and others that were just nice-to have, but not required. Breeder took all things into consideration, and I'm very happy with the outcome. 

One of the tricky requirements that I had, was that I needed a dog with the drives, temperament, and hardness needed for Schutzhund, but at the same time, be an easy-going, confident, happy-go-lucky personality so that he will get along with my older dog, who tends to be somewhat a bully. A dog that would defer to her, but not have his self-confidence affected by her domineering personality. I thought I was asking a lot, but no, Gryffon is exactly like that, and a great match in personality to hers. Breeder was able to determine this by watching and observing him over time - not something that a person could very well 'test' for in a one-time only test.


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

Hi JayRo – What an exciting time for you looking for that future puppy. Take in all the knowledge you can right now. 

I agree with those who say you can ask for a preference. You may not always get your wish but it never hurts to ask. The breeder will want your input. I guess I actually got lucky. When looking for Sundance I wanted anything except a sable - and I got a very handsome dark black/tan.  

I know a few people (and have seen in person) who are happy owners of vom Geistwasser dogs. Definitely do put them on your list to check out. 

I’d also like to recommend Zu Treuen Händen Working German Shepherd Dogs in MI. And if you want to venture as far as MN you could check out Staatsmacht Kennel, one of the top working lines kennel in the world These are the 2 breeders our dogs are from and we have been very happy with them.


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