Buying in Texas. - Page 3

Texas is a very big state...  would just stand to reason that you could find unscrupulous breeders there.

I LOVE my Germelhaus dog.   I've been nothing but pleased with my Texas-bought dog!

i've been looking around preparing to buy and in addition to the texas breeders mentioned already there's van meerhout who looks very good; and running a search of this list they seem to have gotten good comments as well.  they're located just north of austin in hutto http://www.vanmeerhoutshepherds.com/index.htm

but you must remember that there is no way to remove all the risks inherent in buying a dog even when you take all the precautions you can think of.  a great example of some of the risks that can not be controlled by wise measures, like buying from a reputable breeder, was discussed here recently. it involved eurosport, who has a first rate rep and also got excellent comments on this list - btw they are on "my top 5" list   if you look i believe you will find all positive comments with only one exception.  one woman had a very bad experience.  she bought a great imported trained female that ended up with a very serious tick born illness (i believe) which was discovered during spaying done less than 2 weeks after purchase. not sure how it all ended i think the poster who had the problem was basically boo'ed off the list (that how much people here like eurosport) so i'm not sure if her dog survived or not. 

it's a complicated situation having to do with pre-existing condition vs contract being void after spaying, but that's a way over simplified summation.  anyway the last thing i read was this woman paid $5000 for a trained pp dog who ended up being too sick to work and who may not recover from her illness - very challenging situation for both sides particularly since it all happened in less than a month of receiving the dog.  talk about stress coming and going.  for me as an uninvolved observer this had really nothing to do with who was right and who was wrong but serves as an excellent example that 'shit happens' even when all practical precautions are taken. in the end with all the prep in the world, great rep breeder, blood work pre and vet ck post dog's arrival ... some very serious conditions can still remain hidden.  from all accounts it appeared buyer and seller both did everything right yet things still got ugly.

personally i learned a lot from the situation. namely buying living beings is always risky even when both sides know what they are doing. so you must protect yourself, be smart by taking all precautions you can then take a few more for good measure; then accept that there's still a chance things can go wrong.  once you're in the right mindset ask yourself: 'what if i have a similar experience to the person in the above mentioned situation, can i accept this level of risk?'  if you feel the gamble is worth it go to the best breeder you found via your research and buy the best pup for you.  but do it knowing even with the best guarantees there can still be problems that the contract does not address. do your homework, research individual breeders, not states but by what breeders are breeding the qualities you are looking for.  buying close to you so you can see the dogs and meet the people - get a gut feeling - can give you lots of good info but unfortunately isn't always possible so make a list of what you want , what your goals are for the dog, what you expect from both the dog and the breeder and ask lot of questions and don't be in a hurry best of luck.

Mine is a Timo son.

Vickie

www.PowerHausKennels.com

I have a lovely young male in one of my classes from Nobleheim, he is a very nice dog and the family had a good experience with them as well. Show line pup.

Just to second the information on Von Fenwald Kennel, AKA Stone Hill Pet Resort located in Luling, Texas.  This breeder is bad news and should be avoided at all costs.  Was located in Wonder Lake, IL and relocated to the Austin area about a year ago.  Zebra's don't change their stripes.

CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION

Scott Claybaugh
412 Creekside
Amarillo TX 27124
Phone: 806-433-9506
Email: sclaybaugh@prodigy.net

They bought a dog with a guarentee. The dog was severly dysplastic.

They sent back.

The have not recieved their money back even after lawyer's demand letter.

Its been almost a year!

I think that it is very difficult to find any State better than Texas to find either working or showlines.  We have some top breeders here that are very dedicated to the breed.  Many have been mentioned but knowing some personally I feel it is a must to add to this thread.  Jennifer Aguilar, the USCA breed warden is a must see, Shirley McMinn, Melodee Midleton, Laurie Tollifson.  What great addresses to begin with.  I think above all, in the State of Texas, there is a sense of cohesiveness and pride in what we are producing.  All of these people have impecable reputations.

Hi Sunshine:     ..is it cold down your way...got cold tonight here and froze all dog buckets night  before last.

Stay warm    Been missing your posting on here..good to hear from you.