# Help narrowing down the field please



## jcotellessa (Nov 18, 2013)

Hello all,

Thank you in advance to anyone that has and then takes the time to help me in my search. Since I am here on the GSD forum site, and posting in Choosing a Breeder I am looking for help in narrowing the field of potential breeders to a more manageable size and trying to avoid the information overload that has plagued my early search.

*Who I am: *

Part of a happily married couple, currently petless (save a healthy multi-generational chichlid aquarium, currently childless (may change in the mid-term future with luck), living on the edge of the Shenandoah Valley about 30 minutes outside Charlottesville Virginia. We live on a few acres, and both very much want to add a German Shepherd into our family.

*Dog Background:*

I have had dogs in my world all of my life, both as pets and occasional fosters during my time as an all-breeds rescue volunteer. I am a confident trainer and handler, and have a good gift at reading, working with, and enjoying the company of nearly every dog I have had the pleasure to meet. My wife is slightly less experienced, but is looking forward to helping train and love our future dog.

*What we are looking for:*

A German Shepherd, female, 8-10 weeks of age. Prefer working lines rather than show lines, for a companion and possibly some SAR/Obedience/Herding/Schutzhund work. I live in an area where SAR opportunities and groups abound, and when our chosen pup reaches working age they will have something to do one to keep them fulfilled and happy one way or the other. This needs to be an active dog, with medium to medium high drive, and we would welcome any reasonable level of controlled protective instinct for our home and family that the dog cares to offer. 

We live a fairly active life, and I look for this dog to be part of all of our world from couch TV time to all the various adventures we take out in the great wide world.

Coat color is not a crucial factor, and we would love any option other than solid white which neither of us cares for. We both like solid black, tan, red, traditional saddle or more full blankets.

*Timeframe: *

We are ready to bring this dog into our family any time after Thanksgiving this year. Once home from a short trip out to California, we have plans in place to welcome the dog into our home. I am ready to take 2 weeks off from work for the start of our bonding, and will have a mid day caregiver lined up to make the inevitable away times for work tolerable for the pup thereafter. Our too short and not quite puppy ready fence will be replaced with a much more suitable solution on December 16th, and the area enclosed by the fence is sufficient for potty and training time, and backed up by a large grass and wooded backyard backed up only to a huge horse farm for off leash play and exploration once training allows for it. 

We have waited quite a long time since the passing of my last beloved dog for the right combination of time, place, situation, living conditions, etc and are committed to making this happen as soon as is reasonably possible.

*Where will the dog come from: *

Well this is the part for anyone that has read this far (thank you!) might I hope help us with. I am looking for a breeder that has the dog listed above, and with any luck somewhere as close to the Virginia/Maryland/Carolinas/Deleware/etc area as possible. If the right dog is in Colorado, so be it, but I would much rather have a chance to visit the breeder and spend some time with the pups and parents before taking a leap of faith myself. Anywhere within a 6-10 hour radius of the Central Virginia area is prefered, and I won't hesitate for a minute to hop in the car and come visit a breeder. We have identified through fairly exhaustive research some good local candidates, but have not yet found the right dog, in the right timeframe, and am frankly overloaded with information and would love anyone that has good information to pm me or post here and help me narrow down the search. We have the budget to acquire the right animal for our family, but as with nearly anyone else in the world each dollar counts and we are hoping to find the right dog at the right cost. If you can help us please let me know!

Thanks,

Joe


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Wow, great description! Make sure to send this to whatever breeder you are inquiring about. There are a couple really good breeders of working line dogs with pups on the ground right now, or with upcoming litters.

I feel confident recommending my breeder, Bill Kulla/Jennifer Acevedo to you because I am familiar with their dogs and have owned and worked a dog from their breeding program. I am bringing a second dog home this February, if that time frame works for you you can also send them a message or call. They are very helpful, kind, reputable people. :: BILL KULLA DOG TRAINING ::

Otherwise, a good starting point is having a look through the breeders directory I've been compiling for my website, German Shepherd Guide. I always send it to people as a good place to start, as all the breeders listed meet a min. requirement and have a great reputation in the community. If you wanna look, here it the link:

Breeder Directory - German Shepherd Guide

Good luck on your search!! Others will probably have great recommendations, too!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

http://workinggermanshepherd.com/index.htm at Eichenluft GSDs

May want to contact her...and while you are researching breeders I'd also be asking around for great puppy/dog classes. Be a HUGE help to have that in place to start up ASAP. Our GSD pups can be a bit of a handful and getting the socialization and fun puppy classes started ASAP is a big help.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

The dog in my avatar is an Eichenluft dog-she is awesome


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## Zahnburg (Nov 13, 2009)

Advertising is not allowed. http://zahnburg.com/available_and_planned_litters


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

*von Wolfstraum Working German Shepherds Schutzhund Sport is someone else to contact*

**


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## Rei (Oct 10, 2008)

Definitely a great (and very helpful) first post. You're in luck, and seem to be within a 1 hour vicinity of an excellent breeder - Blackthorn Kennels in Barboursville, Virginia. Here is her planned litters page. 

I do not personally have a Blackthorn dog but am a part of a Facebook group of over 400 members and it is a wonderful community to be a part of. Christine cares very much about her dogs _and _people, even after the dogs have left her home - you can really expect lifetime support from her. She is a fantastic person with a wealth of knowledge, and is always willing to share her thoughts with others. I think of her as a very honest and upfront breeder and would fully trust her to choose the right litter and puppy for me. 

That, and she does just have wonderful dogs, and produces well thought out litters.


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## kleinenHain (Sep 20, 2007)

I might know of someone that has a awesome littler on the ground now, I just got one of these pups to so SAR with.. she is located in NH. she only has females available and ready to go..i'll be doing a breeding with my SAR dog in the fall also but I live in KY.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Thanks Maggie - I doubt I will have pups before next spring...I breed for balanced dogs and not for hard hard hard competition dogs....and would caution the OP to do alot of research on this term, and what it means...too many pups go to pet homes and at 1 to 2 years old are too much for the owner....for a dog who will be a primarily companion dog with *maybe* some sport work, then look to a breeder who does keep their dogs as companions as well as working them.


I would say that the lines Christine is breeding would be very suitable for a home with the OPs stated desires! I would also recommend her as she has pups coming soon.

Lee


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

+1 for Blackthorn. I think that would be a pretty near perfect fit for what the OP has described.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

BlackThorn is a very good breeder. Give Christine a call.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

and there is Carolina & Dennis at Johnsonhaus / Maryland.


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## jcotellessa (Nov 18, 2013)

*And now to widen it back out*

My wife and I are on a trip to California over Thanksgiving, and will have a free day on Saturday November 30, and would love to check out a breeder or two on the other coast since we are all the way out there anyway.

Can anyone widen the scope out to breeders as discussed above in the general Bay area, within a few hours of Walnut Creek, Oakland, San Francisco area?

Still looking for the same dog, and hoping to soon schedule a chance to visit Blackthorn and Haus Juris back in VA soon but would love to pop in to a few options on our free day. Please post up good options so I might have time to contact them and setup visits if anyone reads this from that area!

Thanks,

Joe


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Witmer Tyson has a male I really like and would use if I could....also Adler Stein, Anne Kent MAY have something suitable...NOT SURE WHERE EITHER OF THESE ARE OTHER THAN IN CA!!!

Pop in visits are sometimes problematical - esp on a weekend when people may be training and on a holiday weekend to boot....not not consider it a negative reflection on the breeder if this is not convenient!

I have a dog/owner in SF ..... but not sure she is any contact with people in her area as she had to drop training due to work/travel requirements.

Lee


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Adler Stein is east of LA so would be a heafty drive. I think Witmer-Tyson is up in that area as is vom Patiala (Ajay Singh). 

vom Patiala German Shepherds | Breeder of Working-line German Shepherds

Witmer-Tyson Imports - German Shepherds, Law Enforcement Training, and Equipment


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

Another vote for Blackthorn


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## Ace952 (Aug 5, 2010)

In Cali I would contact Ajay Singh and also Cooperhausk9 if in the bay area.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

If SAR is high on the list, also talk to Kathy Holbert at Chiodo Kennels in Phillipi. I don't know what she has in the planning stages but she definitely knows working SAR and police dogs and has produced some very good dogs. She has worked with Johsnonhaus on one of her breedings and Blackthorn is using Beau's stud in some of her breedings. Beau is from one of Kathy's dogs.

Of all those, she is actively engaged as a SAR handler and spent a year in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Cadaver dog handler. 

If you really want to consider SAR, go ahead and get involved with a team NOW. It will open doors to you getting the best dog possible and you may have to wait to get what you are looking for. Many breeders are rightfully a bit skeptical about selling a dog for SAR if you are not engaged on a team because they know that dog will be miserable in a pet situation - though it sounds like you would explore other venues if not SAR.

My Beau is on her "upcoming litters" page as are several she has produced. She is not out to push a dog on you. Her dogs seem to be pretty pushy high drive dogs. I have had a couple of LE offer to "take that dog off my hands"

Chiodo Kennels North Central West Virginia?s premier Boarding and Training Facility


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Oh, I have personally met some of Blackthorne's dogs in Atlanta on a SAR team there and I would not hestiate to work with Christine.


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## jcotellessa (Nov 18, 2013)

Thank you all for the California info, but unfortunately this trip is more business than pleasure and the "free" Saturday got eaten up before I got a chance to schedule any visits.

I appreciate the advice about becoming part of a SAR team first, and indeed putting the cart before the horse might not be such a good idea. Either way I will find a "job" for whatever dog comes into my life, and look forward to sharing it with her/him.

I very much look forward to visiting Blackthorn, and we are all setup for a visit once Turkey Day and the Cali trip have come and gone. I love the strong recommendations from so many sources, and spent some time at least virtually meeting some of her dogs online. Great lines, INCREDIBLE looks, all the right particulars in place and to boot about 10-15 mins from my house. I hope I will be so lucky to find the right dog right around the corner, and will be Cali-dreaming about the day hopefully to come soon as I fly out tomorrow morning.


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## Renofan2 (Aug 27, 2010)

Contact Jim Kunze - Kunzwald german shepherds. He has a female left from his litter. 8 weeks old next week. Also Steve Lavalle has pups a few weeks younger. His website - google Real K9 Solutions. JIm is in North Wales, PA and Steve is in NJ.

Good luck.

I train with both so I know the sire and dams of both litter. Both great guys and good trainers.


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

JakodaCD OA said:


> and there is Carolina & Dennis at Johnsonhaus / Maryland.


100% agree with this! Carolina and Dennis are amazing and have top quality pups! My next GSD will be from them once my clan of 4 GSDs is smaller. :wub:shameless plug for Carolina!

http://www.johnsonhaus.com/

Carolina is GSDBESTK9 on the forum.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I know of a litter that will be done in the near future in Oregon . The dam is one of my certified SAR dogs with a background of police canine and detection dogs - including a bomb detection dog brother .
The sire is a black certified SAR dog , his sire is a working police dog -- a second generation Grunheide dog .


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

One of the challenges with getting a dog "right now" is knowing what you want to do. The best schutzhund competition dog may not be the best SAR dog because some of the drives for hunting are honestly not selected for in sport. Just as the best sports dog may not be the best protection dog.

You can probably get an all around general working dog that can do any job reasonably well, but it may not be "the best" tool for the selected job. All of the breeders listed have a good reputation. Some more than others in certain circles ......... 

It depends on if you want to get the dog and then find the best "job for the dog, or if you want to do a job and find the best dog for that job.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

that's funny you make this statement. your signature line is an advertisement.



Zahnburg said:


> Advertising is not allowed.


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## Zahnburg (Nov 13, 2009)

doggiedad said:


> that's funny you make this statement. your signature line is an advertisement.


I didn't make this statement. I mentioned that I had an upcoming litter and it was removed and that statement was put up.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Sent a PM


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## SpookyShepherd (Oct 12, 2010)

Another Blackthorn recommendation! I have two and they are both AWESOME dogs. We got Piper as an 8 week old pup and she's a worker for sure! Already done a LOT of Rally, Agility, and Herding... just started PSA. Super versatile dog. Strider came to us at a little over a year old. He's having fun learning agility and shows a ton of herding potential. We love our Blackthorn dogs and the family that comes along with them!


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