Welcome to our Puppy Page!

"Dog-breeding must be the work of a dog lover, and cannot be a profession, as is the case with other animals, and a means of acquiring bread and butter. If it once becomes that, then it will be dog-dealing that has nothing more to do with serious dog breeding." ~Captain Max von Stephanitz (founder of the breed)

At Faithful Shepherds, we take breeding very seriously and strive only to do what we feel is right for the breed. Although we do love our dogs and enjoy showing them, there is more to a good German Shepherd Dog than just pretty ribbons and beautiful movement. We feel that temperament and health are the most important factors when considering bringing puppies into the world. It is the responsibility of a good breeder to make sure that not only conformation and movement be important factors, but also the physical and mental health of the dogs they are breeding and how it will impact the breed and the society.

Here are some guidelines that we use when breeding:

All of our breeding dogs are screened for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and are checked for heart and eye defects, as well as DNA tested(if not known by parentage) for MDR1, Congenital Idiopathic Megaesophagus, and Degenerative Myelopathy. These are our minimum requirements.
We research the pedigrees of each dog and become familiar with the structure and temperament of the lines and make sure that we are aware of any genetic issues. If one of our dogs produces any genetic issues, we take extreme caution in deciding whether to breed them again.
Our dogs are monitored and kept under close watch by our veterinarians. They are examined before breeding and are routinely examined to watch for any health issues that may arise.
We will not breed more than 1-2 litters per year to ensure that each and every puppy has our complete attention, not just when they're here with us, but also when they're with their families. We give our puppy buyers lifetime support and guidance to make sure that they are enjoying their new family member!
Our stud dogs are only available to approved females that are registered as German Shepherd Dogs. We will not breed to White Shepherds, and if white puppies are to be produced, we ask to be guaranteed that the offspring will not be registered as anything other than German Shepherds.

Socialization and Training

Socialization and training are almost as important to a breeding program as selective breeding, in our opinion. Without proper training and socialization, puppies have a harder time reaching their full potential. Genetics play a role in determining the temperament of a puppy, but their environment and experiences do too. Our puppies will be exposed to everyday-stimuli including noises from the TV, vacuum, radio, doorbell, clapping, singing, appliances, etc. They will experience carpeted flooring, cement and linoleum flooring, and stairs. They will experience the coming and going of visitors, daily grooming (brushing teeth, clipping nails, cleaning ears, etc), and common daily routines. In addition to all of this, we will spend time teaching our puppies calm-submissive behavior through controlled relaxation, and each puppy will receive lots of individual love and attention. Our puppies will also experience ENS(Early Neurological Stimulation).

Socialization doesn't end with us, however. It is up to puppy owners to make sure their puppy continues to be exposed to different stimuli and sources of stress in order to maintain a healthy-minded pup. The more positive experiences a puppy has, the more relaxed the puppy will be. Socialization shouldn't stop when the pup reaches maturity. Lifelong socialization will limit any unpredictable behaviors and will aid in the happiness and mental well-being of the dog. Socialization should be done with a "fear-free" mentality, within calm and controlled environments. Correct socialization will result in a dog that can comfortably withstand changes in environment, accept the coming and going of strangers, react positively to various stimuli, tolerate being handled by the owner, and be a polite addition to society.