Dutch Shepherd Forum

Just thought Id give a short intro(im not very good at em) to say hi and ask a few questions.
New to the forum, but been a dutchie fan/owner for years. Got my girl Izzi from a friend here locally that had a litter of MalXDS, and was instantly hooked!! Best dog I had ever had, and as many folks, Ive had dogs most of my life from childhood. She was by far the most awesome and really turned me onto the breed, as did her parents. Unfortunately, she passed at 10mo due to an accident...that was the only day we had been apart!

However, she really sparked a new love and interest in dog sports and training!! Really opened me up to what could be with such an amazing dog, and inspired me to start researching more work and training that we could do. We were about to start doing protection/scent work and possibly more, but then she passed and that really kinda took the wind outta my sails for the moment, and left me to process her loss/grieve.

Fast forward a year or two, and Im still looking at pics/kennels/training videos and more on a regular basis. Watching IPO, FR, etc videos. researching kennels and pedigrees and possible litters for my next pup. Realize, that Im still in love with the breed and the sport, that I am spending much time reading and watching and I didnt even have a dog! ha

that brings us to present day.... I finally feel like I am ready and committed to getting another pup again, and of course its gonna be a DS. Definitely planning on continuing the journey into protection sport, scent work and possibly a "fun" sport like dock diving, flyball etc. Theres a few local trainers and working dogs around here(super small town in NorCal), but Ive begun contacting and connecting with few in anticipation of getting a pup. Im looking for a pup from great working lines, but with a great social aptitude as well, being around children and families is a must. I know much early socialization is equally important, but finding the right kennel/litter is also a factor.

Ive been contacting a few kennels to get details on litters, breeding practices, pedigrees, health results and more. I've come up with a pretty short list of kennels that I am wanting to get a pup from, a few that I am avoiding and a couple that fall in between. Im new to the forum, so I didnt know if naming them was acceptable protocol, but if youre willing to discuss a specific kennel...PM me.

I know its a small community and most of you will know the names on the top of my list, but feel free to add to the list(or lists if ya got one to avoid), or point me in the direction of quality kennels with current litters.

Thanks for reading and commenting.
enjoy the day.
J

welcome! I think you can name the kennels you are looing at - but no bashing of a kennel - The mods can correct me if I'm wrong.

awesome, thanks for the input and response. Im not here to bash anybody, just to learn and gather more info!
the kennels that are on the top of my list are a very well regarded and I have heard nothing but great reviews/testimonials. Like i said, Im sure you know who im talking bout.... However, I could use a bit more input on the inbetweeners, specifically Vandalia, to name one. They seem to have nice dogs/lines, but the responses I have gotten back have left much to be desired. Very short, one sentence responses, a bit of a surprise.

Some of the breeders are easier to talk to on the phone. If I remember, Vandalia can be that way on email but are different on phone? Karenz I think has Xander from them.

I'm sure Cher Car and Vrijheid are on your list, as are Northwoods. Bunkerdogs is my preferred working dog kennel and Battle Ridge K9 is another I know members have been happy with. Logan Haus is another good (obviously) good kennel. There's a few others that I will remember as the day goes on.

yeah, i havent called them(vandalia) yet...only been through email.

Vrijheid, Northwoods are ON the list.

Bunker, BattleRidge, and LoganHaus are on the to be determined list.

CherCar is OFF the list.

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome and insights. greatly appreciated!

I have been very pleased with vandalia. Xander is an excellent dog. Betsy did a great job helping me pick a pup to fit me since I was looking a pet/companion and wasn't looking to do bite work, competition, etc... He has plenty of energy and lots of drive but it's definitely not over the top. I still send her pics once in awhile and she always responds back. She was very nice to speak to on the phone and was very friendly and helpful when I met her in person. If you have any specific questions about vandalia or Xander just let me know.

I haven't been active on here in a long time, but I wanted to chime in. I've been meaning to introduce Endeavor. I've had her for almost a month now. She's from Vandalia's Havoc/Soco- 2014 litter.
First, I had the very same experiences with them as you have. And, I've heard that she's awesome in person. Full disclosure; never met her. I happened into a situation where I was able to adopt Endeavor. From what I understand, they're a good and reputable breeder. Endeavor is healthy and working well with tracking for me

@karenz thanks for the input. I will send another email and try her on the phone, if I want to proceed. Glad to hear she placed a proper pup for you, that really seems like a huge part of the challenge when dealing with a kennel that is not local. Ill have to look for pic of Xander.

@Tim thanks for stopping by and for the response. I understand that some folks arent the best at email communication(I used to be terrible) and I suspected that may be the case. Glad to hear endeavor is healthy and working out for you!

Endeavor's previous handler/owner said she was very good with texting

TimLenert_168 wrote:Endeavor's previous handler/owner said she was very good with texting

Yes... I texted her several times with a some questions after I got Xander. She texted me back almost immediately. She still does the same now when I text her pics.

There are PLENTY of pics of Xander on here. Lol. Keep in mind he is on the long hair side but he was the only one I remember in his litter that was fuzzy. I've seen others from her that are longer hair but many short hair as well. I personally love Xander's hair.

TimLenert_168 wrote:I haven't been active on here in a long time, but I wanted to chime in. I've been meaning to introduce Endeavor. I've had her for almost a month now. She's from Vandalia's Havoc/Soco- 2014 litter.
First, I had the very same experiences with them as you have. And, I've heard that she's awesome in person. Full disclosure; never met her. I happened into a situation where I was able to adopt Endeavor. From what I understand, they're a good and reputable breeder. Endeavor is healthy and working well with tracking for me

I would love to see some pics of Endeavor!!!!

I'm working on it! Just finished up some tracking work. I think the photos I was trying to post won't go through because of my Facebook privacy settings. Going to try to work through photo bucket.
From what I can gather, CherCar has one of her litter mates to be a future stud.
Jlobes, were you planning on visiting a breeder if possible? That was the main reason I was looking into them a couple years ago.

I'd love to visit a breeder, but unfortunately most are quite far from me. I live in a pretty remote part of coastal Northern California, but I wouldn't mind a visit. I'm hoping to get a pup from the West Coast, so even if I can't visit before hand… I can visit the kennel and pick up the puppy, while meeting the breeders.

That was my goal, as well. I visited our Shiloh two or three times before I brought her home at 8 weeks. I think it's a great way to go, for multiple reasons. That said, there's definitely some advantages to getting a slightly older dog. In less than three weeks, I've become the center of Endeavor's world, so I wouldn't worry too much about an older dog not bonding- as long as you're doing things correctly for the dog. I follow just a couple rescue groups on Facebook, and there are a S-ton of GOOD dogs regularly available in California. A bunch of them I've seen are up north. Some are mixes. Some are from well regarded parents. The real benefit is that you can get a much better idea of the dogs adult personality& drives. I'm really happy I got a (kinda) green dog instead of a puppy.

Just re-read your intro. I should point out that I do regularly see pups on some of those Facebook pages, too.

whats every/anyones opinion on VonDerKing? just stumbled across them.....

Von Der King in MI? They have good stock. Twixx is my dog's mom. Kludde is a nice stud. Chris from Bunkerdogs would know more about them.

yup. VDK in MI. Looks like they have some nice dogs, but im unfamiliar with them. they have a litter at the moment, Kludde x Karma. May have females available.

just a quick update.....still looking and researching! vrijheid is still TOP of the list, with delasflores being an option. a few new things keep popping up, giving me more to read and research.

anybody know Bill/Ketchum Kennles?? Has a litter(Argos X Sacha) currently and considering it...but still learning.
thanks all for the responses and info. Ill start a few new threads with my pressing queries soon. have a happy hump day!

been a bit since the last update/post. Been doing tons of research and reading. Got some new training books and dvds. always a fun time! Still looking for a pup/litter. Been in contact with a few breeders/kennels, but still looking and learning every day. Founds a couple more possibilities, but still no commitments yet!

anybody have a pup or input on Emerald Wolf? theyll have a litter soon, Havoc X nikki.
still looking at Vandalia as well, possible Timo X soco litter upcoming.

Thanks all for the tips/help/input!