# Help me find a breeder?



## BuriedTreasure (Mar 15, 2015)

I'm looking for a gsd and can't seem to find enough breeders to consider. Could you guys help me out and post some breeders to consider please? As far as traits I'm looking for:

Must haves:
-Working lines, I want to train the pup as a service dog, I have PTSD and anxiety
-Straight back
-Price should be less than/around $2,000 (I will spay/neuter)
-Breeder that respects my choice to feed raw

Don't mind:
-gender
-age (up to 3 or maybe 4 years old)
-location (I'm in VA but will fly the dog out if need be)

Other preferences:
-I'm leaning towards short-hair but my girlfriend wants a fluffy dog. Middle ground we have decided is a short-hair with parent(s) who show fluff on chest, but this is not as important as the items on the "must haves" list.
-Girlfriend wants a white gsd but we're open to "colored" dogs. I personally love silver and blacks with dark faces.

Any help is much appreciated, thank you!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

What I did not see on your list of must have is "Temperament" that is of "extreme" importance "especially" for a WL "service dog!"

Yes they are capable of doing "that" job but not everyone with a disability can handle a WL GSD doing that job!

The "protectiveness" that make them the go to dog for protection/LE/military can make them "problematic" for service dog work if you are an owner subject to "stressing out!"

Choosing a Dog - Handi-Dogs

There are folks on here knowledgeable on the subject and hopefully they will chime in, looks like they were here:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...-my-service-dog-if-so-where-do-i-start-2.html


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I don't think finding a working line pup for a service will be an issue. My breeder has several pups as service dogs. A good breeder can match you with the appropriate pup. Many breeders feed raw. That won't be an issue either as long as it's balanced. 

But finding an adult for the price you list will be an issue. A dog that has 3-4 years of training. You won't get that for the same price as a puppy.

What will NOT happen is finding a white working line. You most likely won't find "silver" and black. Working line tend to be sables, blacks and bi-colors. There are black and tans but they are not going to be washed out to a silver. I have no idea what "a short-hair with parent(s) who show fluff on chest" means.


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## BuriedTreasure (Mar 15, 2015)

@ Chip18:
I added in the bit about wanting to train my pup to be a service dog as a hint to obviously needing a dog with good temperament  Sorry, my research on the correct language to use regarding the breed is not vast, I've loved the breed for ages and have only recently had the opportunity to look at actually purchasing one. When typing this I wasn't even sure if straight back was the same thing as asking for a working line dog. I'm trying to look into everything and correct my ignorance, but it may take some time. Would you mind telling me if a dog from working lines should even be on my list of necessaries if I'm mainly looking for a dog I can have trained for service work? Thank you.

@ Jax08
Oh heavens no, I meant that I'd be open to adopting a gsd up to 3 or 4 years old, not that I needed one that old or with any training. My girlfriend gave me the stink eye when I originally typed that up actually, she very much wants to see me get a puppy! And as for feeding raw, I have run across quite a few breeders who have it written in their contracts that they have the right to seize the puppy back (or in a lighter case the contract regarding a guarantee to the puppy's health falls null in void) if the buyer were to feed anything besides such-and-such brand dog food.

Also, color isn't a huge point, I just felt that I could list preferences. My girlfriend has few breeds she enjoys a view of, and German Shepherds are sadly not one of them. The only thing that seemed to change her mind was when we stumbled across a breeder's page who had white gsds who were producing service and police dogs. Needless to say, color preference falls behind the needs I have, but it would make it nice if my girlfriend could love the sight of my dog as much as I will. As a side note, are silvers less likely for me to find due to rareness of the gene or maybe a club's standard for the looks of the breed? Just curious.

Oh, and "short hair with fluff" bit essentially means my girlfriend would prefer a dog that looked like this http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Schweizer_Schäferhund,_9_Monate.JPG or http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/images/...te-long-haired-gsd-for-sale-51ada24b6a9e2.jpg to this http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...pherd_pup_chilling_at_the_Coker_Arboretum.jpg . As I mentioned its a middle ground between us and, silly as I think it may be, she wants the "benefits" long hair offers to make the animal not "appear like one of those fighting dogs" (ie, she thinks the snout makes it look like a bully breed somehow and would prefer a wolf-ish looking creature). It is also not actually important, just a small visual preference that would make her enjoy the dog more.

Anyways I hope I'm not making myself appear too unintelligent! I look forward to hearing any recommendations you might have.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

The first picture is a plush coat. the second picture is a long coat. the third looks like a tighter plush coat. You can tell by the ear fluffs. You never can tell. Seger has his grandmothers tight coat. So looking at the parents may not mean anything 

I would question any breeder page producing white police dogs. Never once have I seen a white police dog. Silvers are nothing more than washed out black/tans. There is no such thing as "silver". It's not rare, it's just not the standard. 

It sounds like you are physically able to care for a dog? You need an emotional support dog?

Absolutely a working line should be on your list. Why wouldn't it be? My breeder has dogs as service dogs, donated dogs to an organization for the blind as service dogs, has them in SAR, has them in sport, has them in pet homes. A good breeder can provide you with a dog suitable for you.

If you want a white, and are interested in adopting, look at Echo.  
Echo Dogs White Shepherd Rescue


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I fostered an amazing white GSD that was adopted/donated to local LE. He was number one in apprehensions in his department for many years. He was an amazing dog. 

Have you thought of looking at a rescue dog? VAGSR has a number of fantastic dogs that may suit your purpose. 

As for looks. I have no problem choosing a breeder that produces dogs that have the look you want. As long as they fulfill the other parts needed to ensure you get a good dog. Health testing/titles/yada yadda. I find my concern is more that your last post was a lot about getting a dog your girlfriend finds attractive. That's a red flag to me. It's a dog you are getting to help you through emotional trauma. Your girlfriend should love ANY dog that helps you. Sorry. You should not limit where you are looking because she likes a certain thing. I get wanting something specific, but YOU should be the one wanting something specific. It's YOUR dog, YOUR partner. Not hers. And not to speak to the strength of your relationship, but girlfriends come and go. Again sorry. But unless you are POSITIVE this is a permanent relationship....


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

gsdsar said:


> I fostered an amazing white GSD that was adopted/donated to local LE. He was number one in apprehensions in his department for many years. He was an amazing dog.
> 
> .


That is fantastic! I wish whites were not considered out of standard so they could be included in the gene pool.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Jax08 said:


> That is fantastic! I wish whites were not considered out of standard so they could be included in the gene pool.



I am not a fan of Whites. But this dog was impressive as heck. Tied to a tree when the owner decided to move in with a girlfriend that didn't like him. Had chronic UTI and slight kidney damage from that. 

When the LEO came to evaluate him, he and his K9 trainer took him to the local park, kids all over and did basic prey work and defensive testing. This dog rocked it!!! Then took pets from the kids. 

So it's totally possible. I have seen it. And he was gorgeous to boot. Solid bone, dark pigment. Just gorgeous.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I'm not a fan either. I like the black animals. I think we're missing out on a large untapped gene pool. Here, we typically see the working line in LE. I wonder if the whites are being used more overseas?


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

OP, have you ever trained a dog for service work or trained a dog for anything? If not, finding a dog with a good training foundation and working with an experienced SD organization or trainer would be what I recommend. The right dog with the right temperament is very important especially for PTSD depending on what your triggers are.


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## BuriedTreasure (Mar 15, 2015)

@Jax08:
Thanks for the info on coat types! I'll look more into that, I just thought there were long and short coats.

And yes, I am able to physically care for a puppy/dog. A emotional support animal might just be enough for me, as that is what I had until this last July, but I think I'd benefit more from a service dog now.

Thanks to the link for Echo, I'll look into them a bit, even though I'm looking more to buy from a breeder. There is a great gsd rescue group here in Va as well, but their current dogs don't seem to be for me.

@gsdsar:
I am aware of that group actually! I check their site fairly often. Sadly most of the dogs I "click" with seem to have been abused, so I think it might be unwise to adopt them if my purpose is to put them to work.

Also, I understand why what I said could raise red flags, but as I said a few times now: I'm looking for a dog that fill the list of "needs". Once I get a group of dog breeders who qualify its really just personal preference and finical limitations that weed it out from there anyways. If my gf gets to have a voice in my decision and its based on color it shouldn't matter much at that point as the breeders I would have shown her to choose from would have already passed my expectations anyways. As another example, Polarbearpuppies.com has everything I need and my gf finds attractive, but I think they are out of my price range so they are no longer on the table as a breeder I can buy from. And the only reason I talked about what she likes so much was because I was trying to explain it. The dog will be mine and the final decision will be my choice alone, don't worry. Sorry, I really hope it doesn't sound like I'm trying to scold you, I just really want that worry put to rest for anyone else who thought the same thing.

Also not everyone believes in marriage, or has had the opportunity to do so until now, so please don't assume that we aren't a deeply committed couple just because we aren't married c:

@Ihczth:
I have trained lots of animals (different breeds and species), and though I'm not a professional, I do know a great deal. I do plan to hire a trainer to work with however as I know its probably too big a task to undertake myself. I've put a lot more research time into this particular matter so I think I have more than a general plan.

Its silly, but when I started researching all the amazing things service dogs can do I got really excited and trained my cat to do a few things with me haha. I had her come when called (and meow as she came so I knew she was coming), search the house with me (I'd stand in the doorways of each room and she'd search the room and tell me with a meow if it was clear), she would warn me if someone was entering my immediate space/calling me, and attack/attempt to intimate things that made me uncomfortable or freak out (bugs on the end of my peripheral vision mostly). She was a wonderful kitty, one of those few who are almost as interested in their owners as a dog is. Its really what made her so easy and amazing to train. Sadly she had kidney failure and we had to put her to sleep. I really miss her and what she was able to do for me, and that's why I'm looking for a dog who I know I can train to be just as great.


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