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FAQs |
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A
good German Shepherd breeder puts personal opinion, personal goals and
personal feelings aside and does what is right for the breed.
We
assure you, that this is much harder to practice than it is to say, in
words!
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1.
Q-I asked my vet what he/she thought about my
choice of getting a German Shepherd, and he/she wasn't very
supportive...why? I've always wanted one.
A-Many veterinarians have seen poor examples of shepherd temperament.
Large dogs like the shepherd must not be nervous or aggressive in
ordinary situations, even when going to the vet. (police K-9's are
generally not a problem with the veterinarian) Temperament has a strong
genetic basis. Dogs used for breeding must have appropriate temperament,
or else they should NOT be considered as breed stock candidates.
That is why the German Standard has required ALL German Shepherds used
for breeding to obtain a working title like Herding (HGH), Schutzhund (SCH
or IPO is also appropriate), or Police/Military (DPO, WPO, PD1and2, ZFH
etc) These titles were developed in order to maintain the temperament,
specifically for the German Shepherd Breed. |
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2.
Q-What is Hip Dysplasia? I've heard that
Shepherds have this problem.
A-Hip dysplasia refers to an ill-fitting hip joint.
When a hip joint doesn't fit together properly, with rotation and
movement, wear occurs and calcification tries to repair the effected
area, also known as arthritis. On some occasions, dogs that are born
with such a poor hip joint, that they must have total hip replacement
surgery, be euthanized or live a painful crippled existence.
Most Medium
and Large Breed dogs are at risk for hip dysplasia, including Golden
Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers etc. German Shepherds
are not the only breed to be affected by this debilitating disease.
To prevent passing on this widely inherited condition, all breeding
animals must be hip certified through OFA, PennHip or other hip
certification accepted by the dog's country of
origin.
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3.
Q.-I don't want a show dog, all that I want is
a pet. Why should I spend so much for a pet?
A-In the U.S. there is no standard, that breeders are required to breed
to. Thus, many people breed dogs to make a little extra income. People
who breed dogs without the proper
health
certifications, proper knowledge of the standard, and are not selective
about breeding partners are considered "backyard breeders". Purchasing a
puppy from parents without the proper hip certifications will
undoubtedly increase your chances greatly of buying a dysplastic dog and
temperament that may be questionable. A Good Quality, Well-bred Animal
refers to a dog
that
shows normal temperament
(including no sound sensitivity as in, Thunderstorms) and is generally
in good health for the majority of
it's life. He/she should also carry the quality appearance as noted in
the breed standard.
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From what we've experienced, is you can pay now for a good quality dog
or you can pay the vet later, often at must higher costs.
From a
Breeder's standpoint, we selectively breed with a goal of producing
German Shepherds with Proper Temperament, Good Health, Longevity and
we're constantly improving structure. We know German Shepherd pedigrees
and what they produce, both positive
and negative attributes.
Our puppies are vet checked and vet vaccinated and wormed, Socialized,
Held, Played With, Taken for Walks, Exposed to the Great World Around
Them. They are quite advanced when they leave our kennel. From this
point on, it is up to the new owner, to develop the puppy, to become a
great example of the German Shepherd Dog!
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