My first encounter with a German Shepherd Dog was a magnificent black and tan; 115+- male
that we discovered living in the woods in a cabin with his wonderful owner - on my step dad's
property that he finally decided to clear and build our house when I was in high school. Instead
of making him move, he rented the cabin to him. He worked at the pulp mill during the day and
Ceaser was outside while he was at work.
So when we started building the house, my mom and I would go out on the weekends and Ceaser
would watch us from a distance; he was about 4-5 yrs old I'm guessing and never been socialized.
So I decided to try to make friends; I would walk down to the cabin (which was literally right in
front of our foundation - 100ft away or so); and he would bark at me. If I crouched down he
would charge me and I would stand up in a hurry. He would stop barking and back away and we
would start over. I tried feeding him but he wouldn't take food from me or come close enough to
get it.
So this went on for a couple of weeks and I gave up. My mom and I are sitting on the edge of
the foundation one day and my mom leans over and whispers "don't move, Ceaser is behind
you" my heart jumped, I didn't know if he'd eat me if I moved or what so I just froze. He sniffed
me, came around to my side, checked me out and left. So this went on for a few days, then he
began getting comfortable with us milling around while we worked and one day I just decided to
pet him and he was okay; he was my buddy after that. So once the house was finished, I begged
my step dad to let me have a German Shepherd. We couldn't find any purebreds so I settled for
a German Shepherd mix; he looked like a dark brown golden retriever and in the sun you could
see a faint saddle; and he got about 110lbs.
He walked me to the bus stop every day and met me after school; we went to the beach rain or
shine every day. When he was 3 or 4 yrs old, I graduated from high school and went to a 6
month trade school; my mom said he got depressed; I came home for Christmas and we spent
two weeks together; then I had 3 more months of school left and a month before I graduated he
disappeared; we never found him; my mom and step-dad looked for two weeks before they told
me. I suspect he was shot getting into the neighbors chicken coop but who knows what really
happened.
So I knew after I got my own place one day, I would have a German Shepherd. It was about 3
years later after I moved to CA in 1986. I bought an alpha female (unknowingly) from the first
litter I found for $200. She was half working lines half show lines and ended up being the best
police dog trained female my trainer had ever seen (next to a female dobie who had long since
passed on); I bred her and kept a female - after they both passed at age 12 from cancer; I
thought I could never have another German Shepherd. So in 2003 when we moved to WA, my
husband started shopping for a German Shepherd for me. I resisted until 2004 and finally found
a breeder that I wanted a pup from - www.schraderhausk9.com. We got Baron and then a year
later my breeder got a two year old female back from a couple getting divorced. We got Ali and
Baron approved so we kept her and now we have their two kids Ruger and Ari.
Life is not complete without a German Shepherd.
Here is a link to German Shepherd articles written by Valerie Miller of Akron, OH:
German Shepherd Articles by Valerie Miller - Akron, OH
Valerie's web site: www.vomhausweinbrand.com
So you think you want a high drive puppy? Click here.
If you think you want a German Shepherd, or any other type of working breed, please consider
this:
If a properly bred German Shepherd Dog is too much dog for you, maybe you should consider
another breed but please don't search for a breeder who doesn't breed properly tested breeding
stock. Meaning, if you want a German Shepherd because you like they way they look, but do
not want to have to train, exercise, socialize or spend lots of quality time with your dog, DO NOT
get a German Shepherd. And more importantly, do not get a German Shepherd from a breeder
who does not a) health test their dogs b) put working titles on their dogs (to prove they are breed
worthy in the first place and c) stand behind their dogs and want a long term relationship with you.
I can't think of one breed of dog that was bred to be a couch potato or live in the back yard with
no companionship. The origination of all dogs (and I'm not talking about all the newer breeds
that have been added to AKC) were to help humans with something. IE: herding, protecting live
stock, hunting, getting critters out of holes and yes, companionship. Please do not support back
yard breeders or the selling of dogs or cats in pet stores. This is why our shelters are full of
dogs and cats who are in desperate need of homes.
If you are wanting to become a reputable breeder, compete or show your future dog, then by all
means find a reputable breeder with the above qualities. But if you are looking for
companionship only, please consider a dog from your local shelter. Yes, shelter dogs can have
issues, but they also make wonderful pets and just want a forever home. Shelter dogs can also
be great competition dogs in agility, obedience, dock diving, tracking, etc. I've witnessed some
great shelter dogs who achieved their protection dog titles. You don't have to have a registered
purebred to do most things with your dog. And if you are looking for a purebred, well, there are
lots of them at the shelter too! Which is also why we will only have litter when we are ready to
keep a pup for ourselves, not to mass produce puppies.
Thank you for reading my story!
that we discovered living in the woods in a cabin with his wonderful owner - on my step dad's
property that he finally decided to clear and build our house when I was in high school. Instead
of making him move, he rented the cabin to him. He worked at the pulp mill during the day and
Ceaser was outside while he was at work.
So when we started building the house, my mom and I would go out on the weekends and Ceaser
would watch us from a distance; he was about 4-5 yrs old I'm guessing and never been socialized.
So I decided to try to make friends; I would walk down to the cabin (which was literally right in
front of our foundation - 100ft away or so); and he would bark at me. If I crouched down he
would charge me and I would stand up in a hurry. He would stop barking and back away and we
would start over. I tried feeding him but he wouldn't take food from me or come close enough to
get it.
So this went on for a couple of weeks and I gave up. My mom and I are sitting on the edge of
the foundation one day and my mom leans over and whispers "don't move, Ceaser is behind
you" my heart jumped, I didn't know if he'd eat me if I moved or what so I just froze. He sniffed
me, came around to my side, checked me out and left. So this went on for a few days, then he
began getting comfortable with us milling around while we worked and one day I just decided to
pet him and he was okay; he was my buddy after that. So once the house was finished, I begged
my step dad to let me have a German Shepherd. We couldn't find any purebreds so I settled for
a German Shepherd mix; he looked like a dark brown golden retriever and in the sun you could
see a faint saddle; and he got about 110lbs.
He walked me to the bus stop every day and met me after school; we went to the beach rain or
shine every day. When he was 3 or 4 yrs old, I graduated from high school and went to a 6
month trade school; my mom said he got depressed; I came home for Christmas and we spent
two weeks together; then I had 3 more months of school left and a month before I graduated he
disappeared; we never found him; my mom and step-dad looked for two weeks before they told
me. I suspect he was shot getting into the neighbors chicken coop but who knows what really
happened.
So I knew after I got my own place one day, I would have a German Shepherd. It was about 3
years later after I moved to CA in 1986. I bought an alpha female (unknowingly) from the first
litter I found for $200. She was half working lines half show lines and ended up being the best
police dog trained female my trainer had ever seen (next to a female dobie who had long since
passed on); I bred her and kept a female - after they both passed at age 12 from cancer; I
thought I could never have another German Shepherd. So in 2003 when we moved to WA, my
husband started shopping for a German Shepherd for me. I resisted until 2004 and finally found
a breeder that I wanted a pup from - www.schraderhausk9.com. We got Baron and then a year
later my breeder got a two year old female back from a couple getting divorced. We got Ali and
Baron approved so we kept her and now we have their two kids Ruger and Ari.
Life is not complete without a German Shepherd.
Here is a link to German Shepherd articles written by Valerie Miller of Akron, OH:
German Shepherd Articles by Valerie Miller - Akron, OH
Valerie's web site: www.vomhausweinbrand.com
So you think you want a high drive puppy? Click here.
If you think you want a German Shepherd, or any other type of working breed, please consider
this:
If a properly bred German Shepherd Dog is too much dog for you, maybe you should consider
another breed but please don't search for a breeder who doesn't breed properly tested breeding
stock. Meaning, if you want a German Shepherd because you like they way they look, but do
not want to have to train, exercise, socialize or spend lots of quality time with your dog, DO NOT
get a German Shepherd. And more importantly, do not get a German Shepherd from a breeder
who does not a) health test their dogs b) put working titles on their dogs (to prove they are breed
worthy in the first place and c) stand behind their dogs and want a long term relationship with you.
I can't think of one breed of dog that was bred to be a couch potato or live in the back yard with
no companionship. The origination of all dogs (and I'm not talking about all the newer breeds
that have been added to AKC) were to help humans with something. IE: herding, protecting live
stock, hunting, getting critters out of holes and yes, companionship. Please do not support back
yard breeders or the selling of dogs or cats in pet stores. This is why our shelters are full of
dogs and cats who are in desperate need of homes.
If you are wanting to become a reputable breeder, compete or show your future dog, then by all
means find a reputable breeder with the above qualities. But if you are looking for
companionship only, please consider a dog from your local shelter. Yes, shelter dogs can have
issues, but they also make wonderful pets and just want a forever home. Shelter dogs can also
be great competition dogs in agility, obedience, dock diving, tracking, etc. I've witnessed some
great shelter dogs who achieved their protection dog titles. You don't have to have a registered
purebred to do most things with your dog. And if you are looking for a purebred, well, there are
lots of them at the shelter too! Which is also why we will only have litter when we are ready to
keep a pup for ourselves, not to mass produce puppies.
Thank you for reading my story!
| Baron |
| Ali |
| Ruger |
| Ari |
| Kriegshund German Shepherds |
| My GSD Journey |
| My GSD Journey |
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