Hello! Breeders in Michigan?

[CanineLove]

Hi, I am beginning my search for my new family member and wanted to know if anyone could direct me in the direction of some MI breeders?

Thank you!!!

[sagelfn]

It would help to know what you are interested in. showline? workingline? Any dog sport plans? etc..

[Lucy Dog]

What are you looking for in a dog? Is it going to be just a pet? Do you want to do agility? Any other dog sports?

What kind of look were you looking for? Here's a link to all the different "style" german shepherds there are out there.

Breed Types & Related Families

How far are you willing to go to get a puppy? If you want to go outside of michigan, it opens up a lot more possibilities, but i know there are quite a few good breeders in your state.

[CanineLove]

Originally Posted by sagelfn

It would help to know what you are interested in. showline? workingline? Any dog sport plans? etc..

Family inside pet

[CanineLove]

Originally Posted by Lucy Dog

What are you looking for in a dog? Is it going to be just a pet? Do you want to do agility? Any other dog sports?

What kind of look were you looking for? Here's a link to all the different "style" german shepherds there are out there.

Breed Types & Related Families

How far are you willing to go to get a puppy? If you want to go outside of michigan, it opens up a lot more possibilities, but i know there are quite a few good breeders in your state.

thanks for the link! I am really open....

[Lucy Dog]

Originally Posted by CanineLove

Family inside pet

When you say "inside pet", you mean it's just not going to sleep and pretty much live outside, right? Not sure what you meant by that.

German shepherds are extremely active dogs. They need to be both mentally and physically challenged on a daily basis or they can become destructive and bored. They are very smart dogs, but their intelligence needs to be utilized.

Have you ever owned a shepherd before? If you haven't, prepare to have your hands full, especially with a puppy.

[W.Oliver]

The questions being asked by the others all have to do with homework, and study. Having done your homework, and studying the GSD, you'll know not so much what you want, but more importantly, if you want a GSD?

German Shepherds are not like other dogs.

Read through some of the more recent threads from folks with GSD puppies;

dont know what to do with my dog

Puppy biting and it hurts....HELP ME!

Jumping and Biting

Puppy is going nuts, completely different personality, HELP!

Puppy cries ALL night...

If you don't already know the answer to what line of GSD puppy you are looking for, and why?....then do yourself a favor and STOP, don't rush out and buy a puppy. Invest the time to understand enough about what a GSD is, and what you want in a dog. You may discover that a Golden Retriever is a better fit for your lifestyle.

The most fundamental thing to understand is that a German Shepherd is a working dog. This translates to time. A GSD puppy will demand more time from you than many other breeds of dog. The line of GSD selected can either decrease or increase that time demand, and the temperament of the individual puppy within a litter can increase or decrease that time demand.

For instance, and very generally speaking, you will have less time demand if you were to select an American Show Line GSD, and within the litter, if you were to select the puppy with the lowest drive. At the other end of the spectrum, if you were to select a West German Working Line GSD, and within the litter, if you selected the highest drive puppy, you would have an amazing level of time demand to manage that puppy...you'd be living with a land shark!

Lets talk about breeders and time demand. Backyard Breeder and insufficient health screening, your time demand goes up, because more likely than not, there can be health issues to deal with. You buy from a solid breeder, and more likely than not, time demand goes down because your odds at a healther pup are much improved.

These are but a few modest highlights.....when considering a GSD puppy, know you're about to jump into the deep end of the pool, and be very confident you can swim before you step-off.

[CanineLove]

VERY well said and thank you for the links. I will be reading them. Being a breeder of a toy breed for many years I know the importance of doing ones' homework and that's def why I am here. I want to know the good , the bad, the ugly and make the right choice for not only myself, but for the new family member himself.

I research EVERYTHING before jumping in. This is a LIFETIME commitment....and would never be s spur of the moment purchase so I value all's opinions and advice!

Originally Posted by W.Oliver

The questions being asked by the others all have to do with homework, and study. Having done your homework, and studying the GSD, you'll know not so much what you want, but more importantly, if you want a GSD?

German Shepherds are not like other dogs.

Read through some of the more recent threads from folks with GSD puppies;

dont know what to do with my dog

Puppy biting and it hurts....HELP ME!

Jumping and Biting

Puppy is going nuts, completely different personality, HELP!

Puppy cries ALL night...

If you don't already know the answer to what line of GSD puppy you are looking for, and why?....then do yourself a favor and STOP, don't rush out and buy a puppy. Invest the time to understand enough about what a GSD is, and what you want in a dog. You may discover that a Golden Retriever is a better fit for your lifestyle.

The most fundamental thing to understand is that a German Shepherd is a working dog. This translates to time. A GSD puppy will demand more time from you than many other breeds of dog. The line of GSD selected can either decrease or increase that time demand, and the temperament of the individual puppy within a litter can increase or decrease that time demand.

For instance, and very generally speaking, you will have less time demand if you were to select an American Show Line GSD, and within the litter, if you were to select the puppy with the lowest drive. At the other end of the spectrum, if you were to select a West German Working Line GSD, and within the litter, if you selected the highest drive puppy, you would have an amazing level of time demand to manage that puppy...you'd be living with a land shark!

Lets talk about breeders and time demand. Backyard Breeder and insufficient health screening, your time demand goes up, because more likely than not, there can be health issues to deal with. You buy from a solid breeder, and more likely than not, time demand goes down because your odds at a healther pup are much improved.

These are but a few modest highlights.....when considering a GSD puppy, know you're about to jump into the deep end of the pool, and be very confident you can swim before you step-off.

[W.Oliver]

Originally Posted by CanineLove

VERY well said and thank you for the links. I will be reading them. Being a breeder of a toy breed for many years I know the importance of doing ones' homework and that's def why I am here. I want to know the good , the bad, the ugly and make the right choice for not only myself, but for the new family member himself.

I research EVERYTHING before jumping in. This is a LIFETIME commitment....and would never be s spur of the moment purchase so I value all's opinions and advice!

God bless you, you'll be ahead of most, including myself.

Should your research result in West German Show Line I can suggest;
Gail Bauer in Lakeport Michigan near Port Huron
Royale Shepherds

Should your research result in Working Line I can suggest USA registered breeders;
Chris Wild near Ann Arbor Michigan
(Working German Shepherd Breeder in Michigan, by Wildhaus Kennels )

Lisa Clark near Ann Arbor Michigan
Zu Treuen Händen

Should your research result in American Line, there are others who may be able to offer a suggestion.

Clearly these are not the only options, but three of my suggestions based on the fact that I have/will/would buy a dog from.

[EchoGSD]

I wholeheartedly agree with W.Oliver -- I have one of Gail Bauer's dogs (as do others in my dog training club) and couldn't be more pleased. Intelligent, beautiful, sound. Gail is a thoughtful, intelligent, responsible breeder who truly loves and understands the breed. My girl has obedience & rally titles, and is both CGC and Therapy Dog certified. I can, and do, take her everywhere with full confidence that she will handle herself beautifully. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to bring my next GSD home from Royale Kennels.