# Alberta and general information



## meldy (Oct 23, 2013)

I will be looking for a pup come spring. I'd originally planned to get one this fall but with the flooding here I've had to revamp a my life a fair bit. 

In any event: Prior to the flooding I was speaking to Jan at Janzhaus a great deal. She seems an incredibly nice and knowledgeable breeder and owner. With a whole bunch of different options as far as pairings (my head sort of wants to spin off when I start doing pedigree research on her stock) 
I know I want a working line dog. I love the way they look as opposed to extreme slope of the show line dogs. I also love the steadiness of the working lines. 
In my fantasy world I'd get into SAR and would like to try schutzhund but how 'hard core' I'll go in either of those fields is an unknown at this point. 

My concerns are these: 
Well bred dogs without proven, titled parents concern me a little. We put little stock in the breeding of horses if all the good stuff is generations back. I'm not sure how this translates to dogs.
But then that concern is based on wanting a dog that is capable of doing high level sport/work and I don't even know if I want to do that for sure yet. 
I'm worried that I'll go overboard with the intent and end up with a neurotic dog with far too much drive for what I actually, realistically, end up doing with it. 
Or I'll fall in love with schutzhund and end up with a couch potato. 

Ive never picked a puppy. I haven't a clue how to work that out at such a young age. It feels like a bit of a crapshoot and I'm an academic...I don't gamble. 

There's a very good possibility Im way overthinking this. I tend to do that  
Advice? 
Ive already contacted the local Schutzhund club and intend to start attending some of their training sessions and meeting people over the next little while.
:help:
Thanks in advance for any and all responses!


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Meeting with and talking to the people in the schutzhund club should provide you with your best insight into the sport and what kind of pup is right for your expectations. A good breeder will pick the right pup for you, not the other way around. There are a couple members on the forum near you, they may have some info for as well. If you end up with a dog that won't go as far as you'd like, you can always bring home another!


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## fredh (Sep 10, 2013)

The Breeder that we got our Jake from is originally from Alberta and she has sold and shipped a lot of pups to Western Canada. Stormymagic Shepherds Home. Roxanne (Harker) European Working Lines. She has 2 pages of client references on the site. 
Here's a pic of Jake, he's 3. Father was West German and Mother DDR.


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## Clyde (Feb 13, 2011)

If you have contacted a club I would go out and talk to them about where they would recommend you get a puppy from. 

As you say you are not sure yet what you want so keep doing lots of research before you make any decisions.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

I have a dog from janzhaus and he is incredible! I really couldn't say a single negative thing about his temperament. But I do know several dogs bred by them in homes where they are just way too much dog. Not necessarily that the dogs aren't good, they are often just too much for an inexperinced handler. I do question the number of litters she has on the ground all the time and the seemingly lack of pre screening when she sells puppies. Would also ask for proof of OFA as I haven't been able to find my dogs parents on the OFA database.


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## meldy (Oct 23, 2013)

That's about my only hesitation...the sheer number of pups that are put out, very few of whom seem to have done much considering how many are on the ground. And the fact that the parents (and usually grandparents) haven't done anything.
In horse terms bloodlines way back are fairly useless but Im not sure how that translates into dogs. IE: I had a throroughbred who was famous on both sides a couple gens back but she couldn't run her way out of a wet paper bag (and she was half crazy)
Jan is awfully nice though...and some of her dogs are stunning (Im a softie for sables :blush

I have yet to make it to the schutzhund club but don't plan on seriously puppy shopping until spring so Im just doing homework at this point and have time. 
I also need to get in contact with the local SAR people. 
I cant seem to get anyone at Guardian Angel to return my calls or emails and most of the other breeders I'm seeing are show lines with the extreme slope . Or they're breeding the standard colour, blacks or whites....as bad as it may make me sound I do have my heart set on a sable but am not willing to sacrifice quality for colour.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

If you are in Calgary, see if you can Contact Jason Giso from the Chinook Schutzhund Club - he is a helper at the club there, and even though he is more of a Malinois guy, he might be able to help you find the right dog. 

Another resource in your area is Dave Gomme both are on Facebook), from E & E Kennels in the Edmonton area. E&E Kennels - both are experience protection and sport trainers who would know the local working-dog breeding scene. Tell them that Lucia from Prince George Schutzund Club recommended that you contact them (they'll remember Gryffon, if not me  ).


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## meldy (Oct 23, 2013)

Will do. Im excited to talk to Dan Waters at the local german shepherd club as well. Every von Daechsel (may have spelled that incorrectly! SORRY!) dog Ive seen is stunning.

On a side note I just realized the German shepherd club and schutzhund club were not the same thing >.< WOOPS!!

All the invites I spoke of previously regarding schutzhund were extended by Dan Waters so Im not sure if those are just GSD club events or Schutzhund events.


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