Howdy from MD!
 

Hey everyone!

Long-time lurker, first-time member and poster here. Amazingly, my wife and I haven't gotten a GSD yet, but we're getting really, really close. It's been a few months now of researching and prepping the house, and I think we're just about there.

I've been reading a lot on the forums about how to choose a puppy and the importance of avoiding backyard breeders and puppy mills (duh!), but my Better Half is still not exactly sold on the idea of spending a couple thousand on a dog. Personally, I don't think you can necessarily put a price on a companion animal, but after tallying up the cost of our wedding... lol

Anyway, any suggestions for breeders in our area? I already know to stay away from Puppies-R-Us type places, but there's a breeder I've met with at her farm in Woodbine, MD who seems... soooorta on the level. Certainly not as prestigious as Applejack K-9 or JohnsonHaus, but very few are that I've seen. I'm not sure if she has OFA paperwork, but otherwise she seems legit.

And before anyone gets worried, we've been visiting our local shelters (PG Animal Shelter and the Washington Animal Rescue League) with mixed results, and I have my heart set on a puppy or a young adult.


Any advice or suggestions for reputable breeders in the area would be very much appreciated. Also, thanks for reading - I tend to be a tad long-winded online.

Howdy from MD!
 

Welcome fellow Marylander!!! What kind if dog are you looking for? Sport, work, agility, competitive obedience, couch ornament, running partner?


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I should probably clarify a bit:

I'm looking for a reputable breeder, and eventually (ideally) a black-and-tan or sable GSD companion for a walking/jogging and indoor relaxing partner. The dog will sleep indoors and only be outdoors when closely supervised. We're not really looking for a strong drive; I hope to train our dog enough to get Canine Good Citizen certified, but beyond that I'm not sure - I'm on the fence about schutzhund, but my wife loves the idea of agility trials.

Welcome from Towson!

Welcome from Easton!

I drove all the way up to NJ to get my puppy recently, but visited a lot of breeders before then and feel like I learned a lot.
Anyway...here are my suggestions:
Zwingerhugelzumtal.com (where I got my puppy)
Blackthornkennel.com
Vonwyndmoor.com
Wolfstraum.net

Andy

I sent you a PM but I am getting my puppy from Haus Morrisson. Amy is top notch with everything and her pups are beautiful!

Thanks for all the welcoming and advice about breeders! I'm investigating Blackthorn at the moment, along with Haus Morrisson (thanks csandvik!). Has anyone worked with Karizma Shepherds (or Blackthorn, JohnsonHaus, or Applejack, for that matter)?