Hi all, I was wondering if someone could reccomend a reputable german shepard breeder around the lower mainland or interior?
Thanks!
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Hi all, I was wondering if someone could reccomend a reputable german shepard breeder around the lower mainland or interior?
Thanks!
Both of my GSDs came from the Island and in the Colwood Langford area from two different breeders.
Both have been excellent in temperament, easy to train, very intelligent, gentle with children and adults, well behaved, and really physically solid dogs until they got some more years on them.
The first one got DM - degenerative myelopathy - later in life. The slow decline in physical health when they are 100% mentally with it is a terrible to have to watch and then care for the animal - carrying it down stairs, using a dog wheel chair to go on walks and so on. Avoid DM as best as you can. It's tragic.
The second one has had some auto-immune problems that must have started early on but that I didn't notice right away (sub threshold-ish) but my new vet (Heather Fraser in Kamloops) recognized them instantly and asked questions about things from her puppyhood that let me know that the issues were there since birth and could probably have been spotted by a really good vet.
Now that my second GSD is 10, it's sad watching the pain she's in, even while on prednisone, due to arthritic feet and other hard to nail down issues - like two different wounds that don't heal well (using Tacrolimus ointment) and perianal fistulae (higher dose prednisone fixed that quite quickly whereas immune suppressants did not), and digestive problems if shes not on pred.
At least the first dog did really, really well until she got much older and she lived to be a little over 15 years. The second one, it's both sad and frustrating watching the decline and the obvious discomfort that goes along with it - but she remains amazingly good natured the whole time.
Both dogs were purebred. In both cases I/we asked a lot of questions or the breeders and dug into their pedigrees as best we could, and did background questioning of others who knew of the breeders (who are good people, and do try hard).
My point is... GSDs are really, really wonderful animals and it is so very critical to make sure that you do your research on the breeders and the sire and dam's heredity.
All the normal stuff applies - like eyes, ears, joints and so on - but you have to dig deeper to sort out the more sneaky things that show up as these wonderful dogs age.
Good luck with your search.
NH3
Not bullinger or woodside is all I’m going to say here.
Good advice. Breeders now have the ability to screen their dogs for the disease and the better breeders will do so.Quote:
Originally Posted by Night Hawk 3
DM Testing
So are German Shepherds better suited for waterfowl or upland bird hunting? :wink:
I seen one eat a squirrel once. Maybe squirrel hunting with dogs could be a new thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by mastercaster
Our neighbour has one that's deadly on Rats. :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by mastercaster
There is a breeder on Vancouver island called Broomacres .They are located north of Courtenay.They have the best dogs you can find. We got ours from them but he is now 7 so have not been checking her pack. Great breeder, great dogs not cheap but good never is. We got ours at 8 weeks .He came well behaved more or less house trained. We took him to a vet for update shots when he saw our dog he asked did you get him from Heather? Yes we did I told him. He said good choice.