Please recommend GSD Breeders within six hours of Pgh thanks! LOCKED - Page 1

Hi,

My wife and I have 30 years experience raising GSDs as pets and tragically lost our 2 yr old male last week due to complications following a routine neuter. We seek recommendations for highly regarded breeders based on the following (apologies if this is all over the place; I'm still struggling).

- Ideally we'd purchase a male and female litter-mate pair as puppies (our first two pets were male puppies from different litters)
- These are to be pets. We are not going to breed or show the dog(s)
- We have one child at home - a 13 year old son - and the pet(s) will be his companion
- The two factors of primary importance to us: temperament and health

- I don't know the various sub-breeds and mean no disrespect to anyone, but we prefer traditional colors (not all white or all black), not the longer coats, and while the dogs that have been bred through generations to practically walk on their hocks are beautiful, this isn't ideal for us. 

Many thanks. We moved to this area two years ago and have only now begun researching our options after suffering this tragedy, so your tips will be more appreciated than I can ever express.

You can do no better than Kirchenwald Kennels. https://www.kirchenwald.com. The breeder Gayle Kirkwood has been breeding for decades. She is highly knowledgable, honest and friendly, and she is in a suburb minutes out of Pittsburgh

Thanks. Yes, I have reached out to her prior! Awaiting her response.

Maybe you need to say what you're interested in...Showline or Working lines...?

~Bob~

Kirchenwald is showlines.

If you do not want a dog that walks on it's hocks, ....stay away from showlines..... not that all showlines do this, but you should not find it in working lines.  

Please consider getting a Rescue dog. I did a google search for GSD Rescue groups in PA and found this one. There are probably more.

http://germanshepherd.rescueme.org/Pennsylvania

Now I am not recommending this group, because I know nothing about them, but if you do some research, you should be able to determine their worth.  They have 21 GSD's that need rescued in PA.  For example here are 3 purebred GSD's

Mariah (female)
 

German Shepherd    Age: Young Adult
 

Compatibility:	Not Good w/ Other Dogs, Not Good w/ Cats, Good w/ Kids and Adults
Personality:	High Energy, Average Temperament
Health:	Vaccinations Current

    Purebred German Shepherd. High energy female. No know health issues. She does have issues with other animals but is in a home with another large Shepherd without any issue. She does have issues with the smaller Jack Russel, she becomes aggressive. Has never bit a human but has gone after the smaller dog.

     Animal Location:

Montgomery County Pottstown, PA MAP IT!   merlin (male)
  German Shepherd    Age: Senior
 

Compatibility:	Good w/ Most Dogs, Not Good w/ Cats, Good w/ Kids and Adults
Personality:	Average Energy, Average Temperament

    Merlin needs a home...He is healthy and very loyal... loves it outside or inside..good with other dogs but, not cats...my new job keeps me away too much and I would like if someone can give merlin a good home :)
 Adoption Fee: $20 Animal Location:

Snyder County winfield, PA 17889 MAP IT!   maxx (male)
  German Shepherd    Age: Young Adult
 

Compatibility:	Good with Most Dogs, Good with Kids and Adults
Personality:	Average Energy, Somewhat Dominant
Health:	Needs Vaccinations

    He's a great dog, I just no have very limited space for him.
     Animal Location:

Philadelphia County philadelphia, PA MAP IT!

Fantom: My opinion is that these guys look like muts'. Look for GSD's that look like purebreds. Sorry but thank you...

tedmarx38 is not looking for a showdog, they are looking for a pet. The idea of a rescue is not to get a dog for looks, but to save one and provide it with a good home. Many of the dogs on that rescue are mixes, but the three whose names I sent are purebreds, and they DO NOT LOOK LIKE MUTTS. There is no picture of Mariah,but Maxx and Merlin look like beautiful GSD's....certainly not mutts

If he wants to purchase from a breeder, let him purchase from a breeder.

Also, Blackthorn German Shepherd Dogs is a fantastic breeder in Virginia.

I'm in northern NY and I've sold two puppies out of the C litter to an experienced home. That being said, I'm wouldn't recommend two at the same time and only did it because those two pups individually go to work with each Spouse and build their own experiences rather than being stuck together all day and not being able to function without the other. :)

Well if you want to go the "rescue" route LA/San Diego/Orange County rescues have over 200 total available for adoption, some are currently being fostered. YES I would always consider a rescue as long as they fit with your particular situation. Best of luck; and goes without saying in good health. Nan

Also they have some available transportation.

Whomever told you to stay away from showlines like Kirchwald clearly did not know what they were talking about. It is probably true of the old American AKC style GSDs but not of the international German dogs which Kirchenwald breeds. Gayle Kirkwood personally titles her dogs in IPO sport and German showline dogs need IPO titles to be shown after the age of 2. They do not walk on their hocks and if whomever made that statement ever looked at them, they would know that at once. You can see that here on this website anytime you want, international style showline dogs are not on their hocks.

As for rescue dogs, you are taking a chance. It is a nice, kind gesture to take someone else's castaway. You may get a nice dog, you may not. But it is unlikely you would get a quality dog because these type of dogs almost never (I am not saying never but almost) wind up as rescues. There is a reason why dogs become rescues and the reason often times is a reason why one should not consider one, especially when it is going to be a child's pet dog.

As for working lines dogs, while some can make excellent pets, usually with an experience owner, generally speaking they are not a good choice for child. Showline dogs tend to have an easier temperament and fit into homes easier. Of course, this is a generalization. Some showline dogs are very difficult to live with.

As one of the above posters wrote, whomever you go with, tell them what you are looking for and for whom the dog will be.