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Newbie Looking for Input on Breeders in Northeast

16K views 35 replies 22 participants last post by  Prooney 
#1 ·
Although I've done a lot of reading on this forum, this is my first time posting. My husband and I live in central NJ and looking for the right GSD breeder for us. We both grew up with the breed and love them. Sadly, some of the dogs we owned as kids and early on together suffered from health problems, especially DM, so we are trying to do all the right research now to find a healthy dog with the right temperament.

We are open to considering both working lines and show lines, but ultimately we are seeking a dog to be an active family companion. We don't plan to show, breed, or do Schutzhund and actually would like to avoid a dog with super drives as we have two cats and plan to have children. We ultimately want a healthy, sound Shepherd with a confident, relaxed temperament. We are open to any coat color. We would also like to try to keep the price of our dog to $2,000 since it will be a companion.

These are the breeders I've narrowed my list to so far. Some I've visited and others I haven't. Do any stand out in a good or bad way? Also, are there any others in our area that you would recommend? Thanks!!

-Eichenluft: German Shepherd Breeder PA - Eichenluft German Shepherd Dogs Home - German Shepherd Breeder VA - German Shepherd Breeder MD - German Shepherd Breeder OH - German Shepherd Breeder DC - German Shepherd Breeder NY - German Shepherd Breeder NJ (working lines with some show lines and show line x working line crosses)
-Von Wyndmoor: www.vonwyndmoor.com (working lines)
-Hollow Hills: http://hollowhillsgsd.com (German and American show lines)
Vom Ledgemere: German Shepherds, German Shepherd Breeder MA, German Shepherd Puppies MA, NH, CT, VT, NY, ME, NJ, German Shepherds Massachusetts - Home (German show lines) out of our area in MA, but I liked the fact that they DM test all dogs
Jagermeister Shepherds: German Shepherd Breeder in New Jersey. Puppies and trained German Shepherd Dogs for sale. (working lines)
 
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#2 ·
I don't think you should be considering working lines at all with what you've told us. Had you not posted your price limits I would have said to get an adult. Maybe try adopting from a rescue. Better still, you should probably consider a different breed.

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk but it makes no sense that you would be looking at both show and working lines and then say you don't want a dog with super drives. Which one is it? You should really think about what you want and more importantly why you want it. You should also consider more carefully your family plans as a puppy won't be the dog you want for a couple of years.
 
#12 ·
High drive relative to what? Comparing drives within working lines is one thing but comparing drives between breeds is something else. A working line dog will have higher drives than a non-working breed. And obviously working lines can make good pets but they require more from an owner. She said they plan on starting a family. When? Are they going to wait a couple of years for the puppy to mature?

When someone says they haven't decided between show and working lines that says they haven't come to a conclusive assessment of what they really want.
 
#8 ·
Vom Wyndmoor is good. Jim has been competing with his dogs for years. Very good guy and honest.


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#11 ·
#13 ·
Between breeds? They're still one breed . GSDs ... different lines .. yeah. My primarily DDR working line pup is a medium drive dog with great temperament (not a great settler but hey he's still young). You can't paint them all with the same brush. Just like you can't paint all showlines the same.
 
#15 ·
I think the timing is perfect for them to get a puppy. Children in the future, when the puppy will be a dog and trained. You say you dont plan to show or do Schutzhund, but I think with any line of GSD, training is important. Even if it is only for the first year of the dogs life, the training lasts the life of the dog. Put a minimum of a CD on the dog, and you will have a well trained, behaved pet. Especially when it comes time to introduce a baby to the mix.
 
#17 ·
I also recommend Zahnburg kennels - Art Shaw. He has a litter now. Jim Hill - Von Wyndmoor kennel is also a good choice. He has a breeding planned in the spring with his competition male - Zwack as the sire.
 
#18 ·
NJ Girl....get an older dog - either from a breeder or a rescue....I breed working lines and I am loathe to sell any young couple a puppy who plans on children "soon"....dogs are just as big a commitment as a baby....

People are recommending breeders whose priorities are high drive, working dogs, hard dogs and who need owners with commitment and experience.

Read the links Maggie Lee posted....rethink your goals, lifestyles etc....working line pups are NOT for everyone!

Lee
 
#19 ·
As I shared in my original post, my husband and I grew up with working breeds: GSDs and Rottweilers. I'm well aware that GSDs are not Labradors and that whatever dog we choose will require regular excercise, stimulating play, lots of training, and socialization. I don't see a GSD being incompatible with a family either. We will likely try to start a family a year or more after we get our puppy. Being that GSDs are such a popular breed, there are MANY families out there with GSDs and infants and children. You are welcome to disagree with this plan, but I know my situation and what I can handle. I do know I do not want a dog that has a very strong prey drive or one with an overly dominant temperament. We've looked at both show line and working line dogs because I've received mixed messages from breeders. Some working line breeders have told me their dogs are ideal family companions while others have not. We also don't necessarily need to have a tan/black coat as some want. The show line dogs are also often over our price range. If I planned to show or compete with my dog, I would likely invest more but to me it just seems excessive to pay $2500 or more for a family companion. Ultimately, we want a healthy pup with a temperament suitable to our lifestyle. Thank you to those of you who gave input on these breeders and offered suggestions on others.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Hi NJGirl,

Welcome to the site!!! ;)

I think some folks are being sensitive to this because there are so many dogs being put into shelters because 'we had kids and don't have time for the dog'. Doesn't mean YOU and your husband will be that way but it's a problem and we are starting to see more working lines in kill shelters, so with that in mind I hope that you will stick around, lots of great info on this site.

On the working line vs showline debate. I think Lee said it best.

I was going to get a working line but ended up with a show line and turns out that probably was for the best. for me at this time. I've now spent time around working lines and they are different.

I think that working line breeders who express caution about the requirements of their dogs are being honest, they could give you 'a line' to try and sell you a dog, or they can be honest and care more about your needs and their dog's needs too.

I really suggest getting out there and meeting with good breeders so you can get a feel for the dogs. I know you're not getting into Schutzhund but try to get out to some trails in your area if you can. Then just observe and listen....you'll get better feel for the working lines that way. ;)

Same with show lines, go to some breeders, interact with the dogs and then you and your hubby will be able to figure out what will be the best fit for your family.

I'd say, in general, based on your description, desires and future plans for having a family a show line would stack the odds in favor of getting a dog that fits what you describe. You can find it in a working line but I think you'd need to make sure the breeder can help you select the right temperament (like avoiding high prey drive you asked about).

The next issue is the price. Good show line breeders are competing with their dogs, often all around the country in conformation and IPO, doing all the health tests for hips, elbows, DM. Those costs get passed onto all the puppies, even ones that aren't show quality. The costs are more about using proven breed worthy parents AND ensuring the health of the puppies, whether they are show quality pups or not. This applies to good working line breeders as well, it's just that the overall price is a little lower for working lines.

My suggestion is, if you do decide a show line is the way to go for you, save a little more money because what that extra cost really represents is breed worthy parents who produce healthy puppies overall. That's *mostly* what you're paying for from a good serious breeder. IMO it's worth the extra cost to get a dog that will be a good fit for you and your family.

You are on the right path doing your research, take your time and you'll find the right breeder/pup for you. :)

I wish you best of luck in your puppy search!


As I shared in my original post, my husband and I grew up with working breeds: GSDs and Rottweilers. I'm well aware that GSDs are not Labradors and that whatever dog we choose will require regular excercise, stimulating play, lots of training, and socialization. I don't see a GSD being incompatible with a family either. We will likely try to start a family a year or more after we get our puppy. Being that GSDs are such a popular breed, there are MANY families out there with GSDs and infants and children. You are welcome to disagree with this plan, but I know my situation and what I can handle. I do know I do not want a dog that has a very strong prey drive or one with an overly dominant temperament. We've looked at both show line and working line dogs because I've received mixed messages from breeders. Some working line breeders have told me their dogs are ideal family companions while others have not. We also don't necessarily need to have a tan/black coat as some want. The show line dogs are also often over our price range. If I planned to show or compete with my dog, I would likely invest more but to me it just seems excessive to pay $2500 or more for a family companion. Ultimately, we want a healthy pup with a temperament suitable to our lifestyle. Thank you to those of you who gave input on these breeders and offered suggestions on others.
 
#22 ·
Thanks very much, Gwen!

Your advise is very helpful! We've been leaning toward a show line dog but are sorting out whether American lines or German lines are better.. I'm finding that to find a good GSD breeder is so much harder than some other breeds since there are so many of them and so many lines. I certainly understand concerns about dogs ending up in shelters. We've been contacting and visiting breeders for over a year as we don't take this decision lightly. We truly want to find the right dog for us. Our decision to buy a dog rather than adopt one didn't come easily either. We do want a puppy or young dog and the fact that we have cats often makes adopting a dog hard since the majority of rescues I inquire about I'm told are aggressive toward cats.

I've seen some huge price differences among show line breeders. Is it bad that some offer pups that are health tested and DM clear for $2000 while others ask $2600 or more? Would the less costly pups be inferior pets? Also, many of the showline breeders whelp many litters a year from many females. Is this a bad thing? What are the major differences between American and German show lines? Thanks!
 
#23 ·
I've seen some huge price differences among show line breeders. Is it bad that some offer pups that are health tested and DM clear for $2000 while others ask $2600 or more? Would the less costly pups be inferior pets? Also, many of the showline breeders whelp many litters a year from many females. Is this a bad thing? What are the major differences between American and German show lines? Thanks!
Price is an imperfect proxy at best for quality. I think it's safe to say that you are probably not going to find an ethical, knowledgeable breeder of show line dogs (either American or German) who is selling their pups for $500 -- but that doesn't mean the breeder charging $3000 is automatically better than the one charging $2000.

My feeling is that you can set a floor and knock out everyone whose price is below that floor, because very probably those dogs have not been shown or campaigned in any working or performance venue. They may also lack appropriate health tests. All that stuff costs money, so breeders selling below a certain minimum value probably aren't doing it. The breeders who come in above that price point may be worth considering.

There is no way to say whether one line of dogs is "better" than the other. These are conformation dogs, so they are bred primarily to meet a certain physical appearance. The look of a German showline dog is distinctively different from that of an American showline dog, but really it just comes down to which one you personally prefer. It is a purely aesthetic choice, there's no "better" or "worse." Temperament, physical soundness, intelligence, working drive, etc. -- all of that can vary widely, so when evaluating those things, you have to look at each breeder's program individually.

Personally I would not buy a puppy from a breeder producing a lot of different litters every year. There are lots of threads in which people discuss the merits of such commercial operations; it's worth doing a search on the forum to see what the reasoning is behind those opinions and how you want to consider them yourself.
 
#28 ·
Do NOT buy a GSD from Vom Benza Haus...Sheila and Peter!!! Purchased a pup tha come to find out had a bone disorder in right rear leg. They mocked me when I attempted to discribe the problem as a hard muscle, etc. "That's not a medical term" is what they emailed me back! We took the pup to our Vet within 36 hours. He had a fever of a 104.5, would not eat, had the dry heaves, loose stool, lethargic...The Vet took xrays and found a very clear bone disorder in the poor pup's leg...which was also the reason he had a fever, etc. She said he more than likely had an infecction in there, which would explain the solid mass around his right rear elbow! They were extremely rude and condescending! And...they have refused to answer any of our calls or emails to discuss the vet bill...$312...which they said and I quote...We won't stiff ya!"...Save yourselves a lot of BS and get a GSD from one of many other breeders in New England. These people are weird to boot!!
 
#34 ·
Prooney - why don't you start your own thread and list where you are, range of miles you are looking within and what you are looking for in a dog.

Here is a list of breeders in the North and East

Jax, thank you. I'm in NY so this thread has actually been helpful. I am looking for a family companion pet. Looking for a young adult that is already trained and looking to spend around $4-5k. I have plenty of time to reinforce training, but I don't have time to actually train, nor am I an experienced trainer. I have been speaking with CT K9 Services. Has anyone dealt with them?

Thank you for all the info I have been reading. Very helpful. To those that have PM me I apologize as I am not yet permitted to PM back due to being new.
 
#33 ·
I bought a male puppy from Jim Hill at von Wyndmoor in January from the Zwack/mask a litter. Jim was very helpful and owns an immaculate kennel and training grounds. My puppy, Ziggy von Wyndmoor (we call him Bjorn), is absolutely beautiful. I will tell you as someone who owned American show lines before, this working line dog is a COMPLETELY different animal, pun intended!
He is now almost 5 months old and is a handful. If I do not wear him out during the day, there is no sleep at night. He is a good dog but he is relentless and strong as a bull at 45 lbs already. I would be lying if I said I didn't get frustrated from time to time but he has a lot of potential to be a wonderful dog. That being said, he is a lot of work and will "challenge" me at times. My wife is not able/willing to handle him when he gets crazy, so just know there is a lot to owning a working line GSD. Good luck!
 
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