our job is to help you find the perfect pup for your lifestyle
Thank you for visiting Herzog German Shepherds! Our goal is to match you with your perfect pup and the following paragraphs will help you learn more about how we do that.
We take our job as a breeder seriously. We believe being a moral breeder isn’t necessarily the one who’s out winning shows, (although that kind of dedication to training is always impressive). Instead, we think a moral breeder is one who will not only stand behind their pup but also do right by you as the owner. We do this by learning what your needs and wants are in the perfect family dog. Then we provide as much insight as we can on the pup’s temperament as well as full disclosure on their health so that you can make a sound choice when picking your pup. We continue to be there if you need support during those rough puppy training years and in the event something goes wrong.
We choose our parent dogs carefully based on 3 criteria - Health, Temperament, Conformation. Here’s how:
Health - Our parent dogs are genetically tested. This minimizes the risk of a health issue with our pups, although it can’t altogether stop them. This is where our health guarantee and Herzog Hardship Fund come into play. Read about Understanding The Components of a Standard Health Guarantee and the Herzog Hardship Fund.
Temperament - Most of the people who come to us for a pup are looking for a low-medium drive temperament so we choose our parents based on that. We avoid parents with high drive so most of our dogs are not working lines. They’re dogs who are suitable to live in a family home so you as an owner aren’t tearing your hair out training or worrying that you can’t have company over, but you can still have the piece of mind that your pup will have a desire to protect your family and your home. Read more about What You Need To Know About German Shepherd Temperaments and Drive Before Choosing A pup.
Conformation - This is a broad subject because German Shepherds can vary so drastically within the breed. I love the West German Show Lines so most of my dogs are those lines, but I also have a love for how different the coats can be. There’s a lot to know about the genetic or temperamental defects that can arise with breeding for certain coat types so it’s crucial that a breeder is not only breeding for coat color.
When I use the word ‘we’ I’m literally referring to my husband, Matt, children (Madelyn, Triston, Brennon and Adrianne) and myself. We’re family owned and operated - literally. You’ll normally be working with me directly, but sometimes you’ll work with Matt. Our pups are raised to be very social - we’re social people in general so older pups accompany us to our regular outings that include daughter’s sporting events, hiking, kayaking, and more. Our younger pups are held by our family and friends who visit regularly. We believe this to be very important to a dog’s beginning in life and although that takes extra time throughout the day we enjoy it and we feel it results in you having a more well-rounded dog.
I hope this information helps answer some of your questions while you’re on your search to find the right pup. We’d love to be your breeder of choice and welcome you into the Herzog Puppy Family so please reach out to me directly if you have any questions.
Kate Dalman 779-800-5589 mdalman4@gmail.com
Herzog’s Heroes, Inc. Nonprofit
Breeder FAqs For Herzog’s Heroes
current Puppies
We believe that an ethical breeder has a responsibility to research potential breeding dogs to match the best possible parents. Our puppy breeding program is based on matching parents that have excellent conformation, temperament, and genetic background. We avoid breeding high drive parents as our homes are normally looking for pups that will be excellent family dogs.
Our Dogs
Our dogs are chosen based on 3 criteria. Health, Conformation (which means meeting the German Shepherd breed standards), and Temperament. We will not choose a dog that doesn’t possess all 3 of those traits, no matter how great the other traits are. The people who seek out our pups are normally families who are not looking for high drive dogs so we avoid high drive parents.
Past Puppies & Testimonials
"The puppy we got is a sweet, smart, loveable dog. Couldn't ask for a better dog. " — Leah B.
"Kate and Matt are great and always willing to answer any questions we have..." — Mandi K.
"I got my amazing, smart, loving dog from Herzog German Shepard and I couldn’t be happier..." - Kayla D.
In The News
“Even the most perfectly built dog is of no use if he does not possess the incentive to give of his best and uttermost”
