My experience with Jackie Athon has been stunningly awful, and I don’t wish it on anyone. Here is the experience in a nutshell:
I got two Grunenfeld Shepherds from Jackie Athon, a male as a pup in March 2008 , and then a 2 1/2 year old female about 18 months later in August 2009, who was a half sibling to my male. I have had a TERRIBLE experience with Jackie. I even flew out from VA to the San Diego area to meet her when I picked out my male as a 5 week old ahead of his subsequent shipping at 8 weeks old.
The adult female I got from Jackie that I named "Greta" was advertised as a "house-trained, house-mannered, well-socialized, with sensible protection instincts, and hip dysplasia free per preliminary x-ray (available upon request)". She was advertised at 2 1/2 years old, and said to be pick of her litter. Initially she said she intended to get a litter from her before selling her, but changed her mind and sold her to me a couple months later.
Greta was NOTHING that she described. She was NOT house-trained or any of the other description. She screamed bloody murder in a crate, refused to eat any dog food, ground meats, or anything other than raw chicken pieces for the first month I had her. She was afraid of a television, a toilet flush, a drink in your hand, stairs, and would submissively pee if you just looked at her sometimes. People constantly asked me if she had been rescued because of her behaviors. When she arrived, she looked like she'd never been bathed and her ears were beyond cruddy inside. This dog paced anxiously like she'd lived in an outdoor kennel run her whole life so far...
In addition, her rabies certificate had the wrong birthdate for Greta and her health certificate for travel stated she was a 4 year old dog (she was 2 years and 8 months at that time of shipping). I have a holding contract and never received a buyer’s contract.
I emailed Jackie approximately a half dozen times in the first two weeks I got her, and Jackie responded once after those two weeks with a short rude comment, and nothing helpful in her feedback. After I never received her original AKC registration (Greta was sold with a full registration even though I spayed her immediately), nor access to those x-rays she promised. Greta always sat with a sloppy puppy sit on her right hip....confirming 18 months later that she in fact, DID have bi-lateral hip dysplasia, left hip being moderate-severe and the right one mild.
One year after purchasing Greta, I sent Jackie a 7 page email that took me hours to write, detailing Greta’s fearful/anxious behaviors and very specific things I had issues and concerns about that Jackie misrepresented and failed to follow through. I also included any positives about the dog’s general nature and included several photos of her. I again asked for her AKC registration as well, and welcomed her feedback to this detailed email with an open mind. Jackie never responded to that email or content later.
For several more years, I sent NUMEROUS emails requesting those baseline x-rays and her AKC registration, and entered that title in her subject of the emails (that she claims to check daily). Jackie NEVER responded to those requests that I had a right to by the holding contract for SIX YEARS until I entered as the subject "Respond immediately or I go to social media and review sites"... I finally heard from her in OCTOBER 2015 and then her response was again rude and inaccurate. She frankly invented false reasons to have not sent me her registration, and conveniently waited more than the 5 years that her vet holds records. So I could never confirm that Greta was EVER x-rayed at all. The reason I am particularly suspicious that it never happened is that Jackie claimed Greta was x-rayed at 23 months----who does that when those x-rays could be submitted for OFA certification at 24 months?? Unless the dog was injured?
And when I replied to the email she finally wrote to correct her inaccuracies, I asked her why she waiting SIX YEARS to respond when she advertises "we are happy to answer questions for the life of your Grunenfeld dog." Once again, she refuses to respond.
Buyer beware. Unless you too want to spend $2500 for a neurotic, dysplastic GSD that you could never get her AKC registration or access to alleged x-rays, or potentially any other communication. Greta indeed WAS rescued---from Jackie Athon of Grunenfeld Shepherds who never cared one iota for this poor dog, before or after she sold her to me.
If anyone needs validation of anything I have shared, I am happy to provide it. Just feel free to ask, or call/text me at 757-753-4744.