German Shepherd Dog letters of rec.

Kaiser is doin' just great. He's gonna be a great dog in all

respects. I'm thrilled that I got him from such a great kennel

as yours. Thanks again.

By the way, I'll bet that your Orry/Diamond combination

will produce absolutely stunning dogs!! She is just incredibly gorgeous.

Bye for now.

Dan Levin

Thanks Dari, I'll just forget about the yucca and stick with my

present supplement plan. Here's another quick update.

Kaiser's now been exposed to three trainers, and they ALL say

the same thing...GREAT dog!!! I had him weighed today because

He's only two days shy of 10 months old...77 lbs and lean

and muscular!

The other day while we were doing his initial bite work training,

I was required to hold him back as the decoy teased him with a tug.

This damn monster was SO strong, that I had to put on baseball spikes

in order to get the traction I needed to restrain hum! Had I not,

he would have dragged me 30 feet! It's scary to think what a

force to be reckoned with he'll be at full maturity. I for one would

not like to be on the receiving end of those glistening teeth!!

All else is well. Bye for now and my regards to John.

Dan

Hello Dari,

I know it has been quite a while since I've written so I thought I'd just send a quick update and pictures of Barghest. He is growing into such a wonderful dog!

I can't thank you enough for such a great puppy. He is exactly what I wanted. Granted, he can be a handful sometimes but I had forgotten how much fun it is to have a young, active, intelligent dog. He keeps me on my toes so that I can stay one step ahead of him...I love it! His temperament is perfect. He is great with everyone he meets-children, adults, other dogs, etc. It also amazes us how fearless he is-not in an aggressive way, but in a confident and stable manner. We are constantly introducing him to new situations and he handles them beautifully. Just last week we were on vacation in Savannah, GA and took him to visit Fort Pulaski. They happened to be having a musket firing demonstration so we stopped because I wanted to see how he would do. The gunshot didn't even phase him. Even the other people around us were impressed at his response (or lack thereof!).

We are going to be moving this summer to the central Pennsylvania area which will be much nicer for him than the Atlanta area. There will be far more opportunities for hiking/outdoor activities plus he'll love the cooler temperatures! I'm currently looking into search and rescue groups in that area as I've been interested in SAR since I was a teenager. I've talked to people in that area regarding the local groups and trainers. I think that Barghest would do well in that line of work. I know you mentioned that tracking would be an area of strength with him and his love of people would also be a benefit. Hopefully I can find a group that will be flexible (being in teaching, I can't easily take multiple days off). However, if that doesn't work out, he has the drive and motivation for schutzhund work as well. Even in playing with him, I've noticed that he has a nice full grip which is one of the things people in the clubs emphasize about protection work. So...we'll see. Since I've known we'll be moving soon, I have really focused mainly on obedience, attention/focus, and just letting him mature. As soon as we get settled I will be taking his training to the next stage. It is probably later than is ideal but I think he will do just fine. He is a very willing and eager worker who loves having something to do.

On a side note, I happened to get in touch with someone who has another male from Barghest's litter through the GSD Pedigree Database. It is amazing how similar the two dogs seem!

I have noticed on your web site that you have several amazing upcoming litters. If only I were ready for another puppy-the Cak/Zena litters still catch my eye! I do want to get another pup in the future but not until we get moved and have Barghest started in a training routine.

I will wrap things up for now. I'm sure with all the litters coming up you have your hands full. Thanks again for the wonderful puppy-he's perfect! I've attached a couple of new pictures of him. As you said before, his pigment is excellent-he has such a beautiful overall look.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Oakman

Dear Dari,

First off I hope your feeling better, I thought about you all weekend, so I hope everything is ok. We picked our new pup up saturday and she was perfect, she did'nt mess in her crate, she was a little out of it but seemed to be good ,considering the flight she had just had, and new everything. We took her home played with her, fed her, and took her to a friends house, where she played with a golden retriever, and a hand full of kids. She was more than what you said she would be, she so far is exactly what we wanted and what you said she would be. she's absolutely beautiful,very calm, loves to be by us, and snuggle, she has been great with other people and kids, she's perfect. All we have been doing since we got her is bond, and socialize her, and she has been perfect with everything all across the board. Thank you so much for everything, you are truly gifted at what you do, and you and your husband have been some of the nicest people I have ever talked to, and dealt with. I will keep you posted on her, and if you ever need referrals I would be more than happy to talk to anyone at any time. You and your family take care and I'll keep you updated with her.

P.S her name is Motsy

Todd

Dear Dari,

Beautiful Molly (her temporary name while I see if it fits) arrived safe and sound last night. She is a little firecracker (certainly not on the naturally submissive side), as you said, but also totally sweet and very secure, which doubtless comes from all of the socialization you have done with her. She is the first dog I have ever had who didn’t cry lots the first night – just a tiny bit of whimpering and then she lay next to the bed and slept. I got up twice during the night to take her outside, and each time she plopped down and went right back to sleep.

She is not the slightest interested in chasing the cats – a wonderful sign. She is more interested in making friends with the cats right now than the other way around, but that will change. My Lab is still trying to act grumpy about having a puppy, but already invited her to play this morning, so Molly follows her everywhere when she is not following me around. Very cute.

I will keep you posted. Thank you so much for choosing this one – she is totally great.

Mary

Hi Dari,

I just got home from a 3.5 hour church meeting. I took Whidbey, a bit concerned as it was an a.m. meeting and she was ready to get on with her day after sleeping in her crate all night.

I began by tethering her so she would be easier to control upon greetings (she will jump up if anyone uses baby talk, and EVERYONE uses baby talk. sigh). I put her mat down and gave her a bully stick.

Well, she fininshed the bully stick pretty quickly, looked around, moaned and rolled on her side and went to sleep. I brought her over to my chair area and put her mat down and was prepared to tether her if she became a pest. She just layed there watching and then groaned and flopped down to sleep again. Got to love those GSD groans. LOL People would pass by and scritch her and she'd offer her tummy, but didn't get all riled up (no baby talk then as they were trying not to interupt the meeting).

When it was finally time to go she was up and ready, full of spark. She has the most lovely off switch!

She had her first novice competitive obed class and did pretty well considering I'm all thumbs! :o) We'll continue with that weekly. I hope to get her CD, it will be a first for me.

She has done 7 weeks of foundation agility and is amazing. Great focus, willing and eager to work/play. She is able to work with me, off leash, while other dogs are doing jumps etc. It's a pretty wild and stimulating class with 11 dogs.

At first it was so very hard not to want to run and play with the other dogs, but she is able to resist and stay focussed on what we are doing together. When she does slip (she is still a baby after all) she is very quick to respond to her recall and get back to business. She seems to love it and fears absoulutely nothing: loves the wobble board and her first into to the teeter was great; she races over the dog walk with total confidence. I am not allowing any jumping or weaving as her growth is not complete yet, but there is plenty to learn on the flat as we become a team. I can look in her eye and see the same intensity of partnership that I value so highly in our first girl from you, Birkita. I am thrilled!!

Here are some pics at 10.5 months. Sorry that they are a bit washed out (she came shopping with us for pavers for our new patio). She weighs 51.4 lbs. She is nearly done her first heat; it was uneventful. She remains a very loving girl.

Take care,

Elaine

Hi, Dari!

Here are some photos of Zhiva (Hobby X Hilda), 10 mo. Her favorite toys are the Kong ball, an old 10 ft. Chinese rug, a car tire and a 55 gallon plastic barrel. She's a tough gal, with endless energy - I can take her walking/hiking for 4 1/2 hrs. and she's ready to play ball when we get home. I bought her a treadmill today, to use when I'm on my elliptical.

We're calling the 4 mo. black boy (Orry X Hafa) Berrin, which is German for "mighty as a bear," according to the baby books. Last night he attended his first Protection class. The trainer-owner of the school said Berrin was "awesome - no, he's much better than awesome!" This is the class with our favorite black sable, Streiten. (Rick said to tell you hello.) Berrin is 50# of fun-loving puppy and is easy to teach.

Hope all is well up your way and that you escape fires this year. Our season started early with three 9000+ acre fires just to the south and east of our home in town. Had to keep the pups inside for a few days, until the smoke cleared.

Best regards,

Gayle Nixon

Dear Dari,

I had not checked my email in a week, since it has been a little hectic here with Molly, so I just now found your email.

Molly is totally wonderful, but “Molly” is definitely not her permanent name – it is much too placid a name for this one. She has been a wonderful surprise in so many ways, including –

I had been told that German Shepherds are needy, always hanging around one’s feet. Molly is wonderful in that she loves the playing and petting, but she is also content on her own. During the daytime only (there are coyotes around at night) she has the option of coming and going through the dog door (which she learned how to do in 15 minutes), so she often is out on the deck by herself, even when the other dog is inside.

Did you by any chance send me the most determined puppy in the entire litter? I have spent a week trying to teach her not to chase the cats, but I was only able to stop her forward momentum -- never able to distract her brain from its intense focus on the cats. However, she has learned on her own that chasing the cats is counterproductive, since they run away. Now she is making friends with them by lying down when they hiss – very, very smart. It also helps that one of the three cats is her size, likes her a lot, and has taken it upon himself to teach her some manners.

I didn’t know I was getting a water dog. She jumps in the shower with me. She puts one paw in the (untippable) water bowl and skates around the kitchen with it, sloshing water everywhere. Very cute. I fought back by putting her inside water in the adult dog feeder, where she has to get on her hind legs to drink. Didn’t stop her for an instant – she gets up on her hind legs and shovels the water out of the bowl onto the floor. You just have to laugh.

With every other dog I have had, I needed to laboriously teach it to settle down in order to get what it wanted. But with Molly, it only took two instances for her to learn that barking didn’t work. Now I can put her in the bathroom in order to call the cats in for dinner (one of them is still mildly afraid, and another is still very afraid), and she is totally quiet the entire time – I can let her out as soon as the cats are inside, because she is never whining or barking.

We are just about to go out on only our fourth walk around the fenceline – we have been having a three-day heatwave here (imagine, at this time of year in Northern California!), but it has cooled down enough now to get some exercise.

I will keep you posted, but please be assured that Molly is very busy and very loved here. Again, thanks so much.

Mary

You're welcome. She is a joy. We feel very blessed and hope you plan on breeding for a long time to come!

Would Gayle mind if you forwarded the pics of Zhiva to me? Feel free to pass on pics of Whidbey. Out of curiosity: did we meet Zhiva? I know we met your very large girl and the one you thought of as a possibility for us (with the beautiful head). I'm sure they are all wonderful; but Whidbey is definitely the girl for me!

She did some sequences of jumps (no bar) and tunnels today. She also did the regulation size dog walk. I baited it 2x then sent her on with no bait and a reward at the end. As I expected: no fear and plenty of speed when she realized the treat was at the end. She is nicely balanced and safe on the equipment. She also did the chute and had no trouble with the fabric, just blasted on thru to chase her toy. She bends beautifully and when we do figure 8's on the jump she follows very tightly and slices the jumps at a nice angle.

Elaine

Hi Dari,

Thanks for the update – Wow – that’s a lot of puppies! We are doing great – Asia is wonderful of course – she is very good at “finding” her toy and she has an awesome refind even if she does almost knock me on my butt! I tried to teach her to come back to me and bark for her refind, when she was smaller as she barked naturally – but for some reason she decided running back to me and flying through the air as she bounced off of me was way more fun. She also got so excited that if I didn’t follow her quick enough she would double back and bite at me to follow faster!

Well, we had to work on that a bit and refine her refind – she has stopped that biting stuff but she still comes at me full blast – I have learned to step back a bit and that has helped some – she just so enthusiastic!!!! J She is a very good girl and pretty obedient – she likes to work. Here is a most recent picture of her. Isn’t she just beautiful?!

Hi Dari,

Just a quick update on our baby. She is doing wonderful! She is so smart and loving! She is trained to go outside. When she needs to she goes and sits by the door and if we don't notice she whines a little to get out attention.

When she came she seem almost was leashed trained already. (not a bit afraid - just curious about leaves flying on the ground) So we have been doing a little walking around the neighborhood.

Every one that meets her loves her. A friend asked for your web site - he was so impressed (and he has had German Shepherds for police work and just family ones).

So I just want to THANK YOU for such a wonderful family member! (Don't get me wrong she IS all puppy and we have to watch her all the time so she doesn't get into trouble - but that's part of baby hood and I'm glad she's curious) You have given us a very balanced dog!

I sign up for puppy training classes in August. I know them. They keep their classes small. I want to make sure I socialize her in all areas of life so we can take her everywhere with us. (oh yeah - she's also great in the car)

Thank you and I hope all is well with you.

Sincerely,

Aundra

dear dari and john,we are having so much fun with sniper our new baby.he's better than we expected.he has a sweet personality he sleeps in his crate all night he has not gone to the bathroom once in the house he allready knows to come ,sit and down.we spend lots of time with him.chuck myself and my daughter.i'm having him meet new people every day,just not other dogs yet.i'm following your diet to a tee making two weeks worth and freezing at a time.he seems to be thriving on this diet.he also eats watermelon everyday and a raw beef bone which he tries very hard to hide from us when he is finished,but we have to find the bone each night so the raccoons dont chew on it and give him something.chucks a little mad because sniper seems to favor me.oh well we will be sending the contract back soon have not had a chance.one question when do you think is a healthy time to have him fixed?let me know thanks again we love are amazing dog sniper.best regards chuck

and gina

Hi Dari

Just got home from California...Chic was absolutely amazing...my mom and her boyfriend Guy were SO impressed with her. Jessie and her boyfriend Bobby are upstairs "bonding with her" now. They took her for a short stint while I was at my dermatologist appointment in Calif. and Jessie has a pool.

Jessie exclaimed to me when she first saw me when I came to pick her up..."Mom...Chic can not only SWIM...she can DIVE! She not only just ran right into the pool...but she was playing with us around the pool and all of a sudden she DOVE into the deep end! I was thinking..this could either be great or a disaster! (My girlfriend's brother dove into the shallow water of a lake off a boat now and is a paraplelegic! So I was torn with emotions when she said that...not knowing whether to laugh or be concerned...(We have a pool too) the shallow end (has steps...) and is 3 foot..the deep end is only about 5 foot at most.

Then last night I took her for a walk on the boardwalk in Santa Monica...really it was pavement but along the beach...and there was a gang of...kids ...harmless ...laughing and cutting up...we weren't threatened by them...but as we were following them we came across a homeless person sitting on the park bench...I didn't expect her to do anything and she GROWLED BIG TIME! It was interesting....the homeless person just looked at us as if he was a little scared...then on our way home of re-tracing our steps she growled AGAIN at him BIG TIME. I just kept on walking but thought,

HOW INTERESTING!!!! Isn't that cool? n

Hi Dari,

I brought her to the pet store, & a walking trail, + neighbors farm, she was great every where. I decided to try a Flexi-leash on her to see if it would make a difference.

It made all the difference, & later on I put her back on the leather leash which she accepted so much better. But she was fearless every where today.

Recka really loved the chickens, turkeys, & goats at the farm. She was back to the puppy earlier last week. I guess she must have felt trap on the leash before.

I'm going to continue using the Flexi leash until she is completely use to the traditional leads.

I took some really great pictures of her playing in the pond today, she really loves the water. Also took pictures of her in the yard & inside the house.

I'll send them off to you this week some time.

I didn't take her to class today. I'll have her start next week after her 2nd 5-in-one shot. I was worried about taking her to a place that has so many animals & dogs

with only one shot so far. But I'll take some pictures of her in class also. I'm waiting to take her to the SCH club for the same reason.

Alrighty, take care - Carol

Hi Dari,

I am so glad Susan contacted you. I shared a dorm room with her at the SAR Conference this past April and I had Asia with me. Asia was free to roam the room before going in her kennel next to my bed at night. She gave kisses to everyone as they lay on their bunk and was perfectly well behaved. Susan asked about Asia and of course I just had to gush over you and how wonderful you all are. She gave me her card and I sent her your website. I would love her to contact me if she does get one of Asia’s siblings so I could maybe see it.

Asia is doing great and we just got back from our nightly training session at a park near my house. She has such a nose! Day or night she can work to find my husband or just her toy hidden in a tree. She works the wind and is very precise at finding – no guessing where it is – she barks when she takes me back. She looks forward to our training be it obedience, search work, cadaver work – I get out my fanny pack and she starts to bark up a storm knowing her “toy” is inside. She swims with our other 2 Shepherds everyday at 4:30 – and they let us know when it’s time! She jumps in the pool just like the others and swims for her “flippy flopper” Frisbee. Here is a picture of her I took tonight and one of our cat. Our house is like a zoo – or actually more like the funny farm – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Connie

Good evening James family,

LOVE THIS PUPPY!!! BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL . . . He is VERY MUCH LOVED HERE!

I took him for a long, long walk this morning at 5am. Probably around 10 acres (some here and some at the airport). He stayed right with me, the little trooper! He and I take naps together on the floor. He slept so hard this afternoon from all the exercise, thought I killed him. He bounced right back tonite, chewing on a bone now. Poor guy, is not used to our heat. Has been 85 or so in the afternoon and he can't get cool enough. I use a fan and a cold water bottle in the house, even with the air conditioning on. He LOVES the cool grass to lay on and avoids the sun like the plague. Rides in the car VERY well. Have not had him in the airplane yet. Will try that as soon as he seems adjusted here.

Went to a small get together and took Chris with us with their permission. Barked and growled at the hosts 3 foot tall mixed breed dog. Got adjusted and they were fine. Two couples there have german shepherds and were truly amazed at Chris's calm temperament, good looks and intelligence (Learns very quickly). They said your trainer will love this guy! They all said we had an excellent pup. When listening to what their dogs were like, it reinforced how blessed we are to have found your kennel and the standard and integrity to which you breed. Neither talked about being satisfied with their dogs even before meeting Chris.

Today Chris is venturing out on his own checking things out. As I write, he is barking at something new. Is asserting his dominance at our house. No matter who was here first, this is HIS house!

I have learned a lot in a short period of time about the german shepherd breed. Thanks to Marlene Wiggins who referred me to you and thanks to your family for the great german shepherd breeding! I didn't realize how poorly the german shepherd was bred here in the US until I listen to what few stories I've heard so far.

Will write later . . at it is late at our house and puppy gets me up very early!

Thanks to your family again for such a WONDERUL animal!

Lee

Omaha, NE

I'm sorry you miss her so much. I could totally understand why you loved her & would want to keep her. There is something very special about her, she just has that extra touch. We are going to rename her Recka. She knows her new name already. I re-read my email I sent you & realized I made a mistake, I meant to say she knows how to SIT! I've been working with her & can tell you put a lot of time into her development of her drives & socialization already. I'm so impressed how much she has learned already.

Last night I taught her; her new name - Recka, bridge word - Yes, basic targeting, how to walk up & down 3 stairs, how to sit, & go the meaning "good / go potty". .

She does truly seem to be happy, & has formed a strong bond with us already.

She slept almost through the night, but woke up at 4am. She had to go potty then was rearing to go, so I stay up with her. I'm very tired now.

We had her crate next to our bed all night. She is good in the crate if I'm within eye view, if not the crying starts.

She can excel in what ever work we have in store for her, as long as I don't mess up on the training & development.

Its suppose to train for the next few days here in CT. So I'm just going to continue working with in play, & lure / target training her inside the house.

Next week I'm going to start developing her already good tracking skills.

I'm excited for today & the future with her. My husband is totally in love with her also.

I'll keep you posted. I will give her a hug & kiss for you.

Yeah, I think she came out of the whole airlines experience just fine. I was expecting her to be stressed / traumatised but no she was fine.

It's too bad that happen, but I'm thankful it did. It would have been horrible if they never discovered the malfunction with the heat / air in the plane

& all the puppies were shipped out. My eyes are tearing up just thinking about it. I happier that I suffered a little stress, worry, extra gas than her

+ the other puppies losing their life over it. At least Northwest was very nice about the whole thing & glad that they check the cargo air flow.

I prayed for days that the puppies would have a safe transport, & thank God, they did.

Recka is sleeping next to me as I write this email. I never thought I would ever find a GSD as special + with incredible working talents as my previous GSD, Sireana.

But, Recka is almost just like her, except she is more focus on me, & not as independent. I think she is going to impress most of the people in the SCH club when they meet her next month.

Once again, thank you so much!

Carol+ Recka

We made it home safe and sound! The kids decided Jetta looks more like

a Bella, so Bella it is. Thought you would enjoy these pictures, the

smiles on Cole and Charlotte's faces convey the joy we are all feeling

having Bella as part of our family.

She was perfect on the plane ride home, there seemed to be a little

uncomfortable due to the vaccinations - however all has passed and she

is doing well. We took her to meet our vet on Thursday, and just as

John said they tried to set her up on a vaccine schedule giving her all

of the available shots. We said "no, not necessary", then he wanted to

give her some dewormer when we clearly have record of her having

received a series of those treatments already! I am grateful for having

you and Nancy to steer me in the right direction for what is best for

her. She is doing wonderful on the raw diet and is well on her way with

the potty training!

I enjoyed meeting both you and your family, thank you for everything!

Best Regards,

Anne

Dari,

Wow he is amazing! I was a wreck (with worry) at the airport as they could not find him. We waiting approx. 45 minutes for them to determine they shipped him on an earlier flight and he was sitting in his crate in a cargo holding area (quiet as could by)! I was really terrified during those long 45 minutes, as was Theresa! When they finally brought him to us, when I got him out of the crate I started bawling with tears of JOY! We have had empty hearts for the last few months since our dog died and Magnum filled them up again with such joy. When he came out of his crate he was wagging his tail and covering us with kisses (as if saying I LOVE YOU too)

He was such a good boy, no potty accidents in the house. He is not interested in our cats he just wants to be with us. He totally loves our daughter. We are crate training him, so last night he cried a bit but our daughter slept on the floor with her head at the gate of his crate and he slept all night. He did not eat much dinner last night and just a little this morning (I think he is adjusting). My daughter sat next to him so he would not eat alone and she ended up feeding him with a spoon. He got a bath today and now is just laying with her watching a movie.

I have a feeling he is going to be so spoiled he is going to STINK!

Thank you again for blessing our family with MAGNUM!

Smiles~

LaDonna

Hi Dari,

Well our baby is nearly a year old. She is the best!! We find ourselves refering to the "VandenHeuvel Girls" a lot. There are some wonderful similarities between them. They are both a joy to train and work with. They are both affectionate too, a nice bonus.

I uploaded some very short videos of Whidbey "working" for her ball in the yard. The were taken yesterday. She is a hoot! You will get a good sense of her size and athleticism. She weighed in at 52.3 lb last week at the vets. I think she is 22.25inches at the withers (I'm not a pro with the measuring wicket, but it's pretty close.

There are also pics of both girls. I haven't put too many new ones of Whidbey up yet. There are some wonderful agility pics of Birkita in an album labeled with her name and agility.

How were your recent litters? I'm sure they are fabulous.

Take care,

Elaine

Hello, We made it home without any problems, He really did not like the bag but I can't blame him. He happened to pee on the rug in two of the airports but he is so cute nobody seemed to mind. Tara and the girls are so happy with him, Sonora is in love and can't stop playing with him. He is so smart, at the hotel after you left when we got back up to our floor I walked past our room about fifteen feet and he sat down and refused to move, he then turned around and walked directly to our door. There is no need to be sorry about anything, I understand that you have a lot on your plate. I had a wonderful time with you guys and hope that someday we can do it again. Thank you so much for our puppy, we love him and he seems to be perfect for us. Please keep up the good work. If you ever get a chance to convert the Zutta film I really would like Tara and Sonora to see it as well. Once again thanks for everything and we will keep in touch. Chris

Hi Dari,

At long last I have a free moment to drop you a line and formally

thank you for the incredibly excellent choice you made in selecting

my dog for me. "Kaiser" is exactly what I had hoped my next Shepherd

would be.

The fact is, that my long career as a lawyer has afforded me ample opportunity to

encounter self described "professionals," or "experts" who fall far short of delivering

what they promise. I defy anyone to ever include Vandenheuvelk9 in that

catagory!!!

Candidly, when you first asked me to relate precisely which "traits" I desired in a dog ,

and then said that you preferred to make the selection for me, I was a trifle stunned. I had

never actually considered that a breeder wouldn't agree it was simply ok for me, the buyer,

to make the puppy selection on my own. However, after the extensive time it took

for you to educate me as to your professional breeding program and your own tried and true

specific method of selection, I left feeling quite comfortable and confident that the entire process

should indeed be placed solely in your capable hands. And the result is my beloved KAISER!! I just

couldn't be happier! You delivered exactly what you said you would and the perfect canine

fit for me!

I now have this gorgeous, affectionate, sturdy, confident, outgoing, healthy and social dog, who has

excelled at obedience training and who, from what we've seen, will also distinguish

himself in his ability to do personal protection. Kaiser is now nearly14 months old, and I just love him

to bits. Everybody complements me on my beautiful and enthusiastic pup! I certainly could have

never made such a perfect choice on my own.

I'm sure it's no accident that Orry, his grandfather, Billy his sire and Chiara his mom,

were the truly crucial components in having produced this terrific German Shepherd!!!

Finally, inasmuch as this brief note of appreciation is entirely unsolicited, should you ever need

a reference, simply feel free to pass on my name and phone number. It would be my pleasure to

share my experience with anyone who may be interested in securing a terrific dog. And, I hope

you'll find it possible to display Kaiser's photo somewhere on your website. It would indeed make

me a very proud papa!!! Thanks again Dari for all the joy Kaiser continues to give me.

Dan Levin

Scottsdale, Arizona

Hi Dari,

Hope all is well, and that you've had a chance to catch your breath!! I must say I am very happy with my little guy. He really has good nerves, is super outgoing, rambunctious, great prey drive, good grips, good nose, and smart. I really think he is the bridge between mals and your gsd. His retrieve is so impressive. I had a lighter near a candle on my coffee table, he grabbed it, so i took it and tossed it, and he went right out grabbed it, gripped it hard and brought it right to me. He will retrieve a little tennis ball over and over and over. No matter where i take the leather on a string on a pole, he chases it without getting distracted. He is a little otter too, goes right into the water and swims like he has been doing it forever. He was worth the wait, and i really appreciate you not pushing anything that wasnt what i wanted. I will keep you posted, and up to date on his training. My training partner, who will become intimately acquainted with my pup, took one look at him and said, "Ninja" cause it looks like he has a ninja suit on. I loved it, so Im pretty sure his name will be Ninja VanDenHeuvel.

Mike Lorraine

Dear Dari,

I promise this will stop soon and I won't overwhelm you with pictures. He is such a little showoff though. We had a good storm last night so I was able to take them on a nice long walk this morning while it was cool. He had a blast tearing around. I just feel bad that I don't have a better place for him to get out there and run in a nice back yard. He's almost doing a perfect off leash heel with me...staying right up at a brisk walk and his eyes on me. So much yet to come but I don't feel it hurts to get things planted in his little mind as long as it's positive. He doesn't forget a thing. He gets so excited when he hears 'Good Boy'. I've been in the office this AM and he's been exploring in the courtyard. I have an outside door to the office. He's out there barking and having a great time all my himself. He loves to stalk. I'll crouch down and walk slow towards him and he'll lower his head and not take his eyes off me and then zoom..he's after me and I run.

Anyway...hoping that you have a good day.

Blessings ~ Sandi

Dear Dari~

This E-Mail may be long... yet at this point I feel I could write a novel about this guy.

This boy of yours/mine is doing exceptionally well. Am enclosing a few pics. He does NOT leave my side no matter where I go. He has to lay on my feet all the time. Dari, he is the sweetest puppy. You should be very, very proud of him as well as all the other dogs you have brought to so many people. I just can't thank you enough. As soon as he arrived from the plane.....I sat right there on the floor and took him out and hug and kissed him and rubbed him over making 'pup-pup' sounds that I'll use to get him to come for a while. Figured might as well imprint from the very beginning. He certainly has bonded. I'll have to start breaking it slowly, don't him too dependent. But it's so hard not to kiss that little face all the time. He loves all his toys and yesterday AM he went into my bathroom and my jeans that I had on at the airport were on the floor. He went over and smelled them and wagged him tail. My heart melted. He also carries around my t-shirt that I sleep in. He doesn't chew it at all but just carries around it like it's another toy and lays on it. We have done a few tugs with it and he'll do a few re grips and gets a full bite everytime and I quit with lots of praise. Plenty of time for that. He certainly is a problem solver. I can see those wheels turning all the time. I have his crate (bumped him up to a 300) turned in a way and I keep the water dish attached on the inside door and leave it open all the time and he kind of has to go through a maze to get to it. It keeps him thinking and he's never given up trying to get to it. I'll turn it back around in a few days but want to give his mind a few activities right from the start. He's also a TV watcher.

It's just so HOT here. I think he was a little stressed from the trip. Phx was SO incredibly HOT.... even at 11:00 PM. It took them a while to bring him up and I was becoming concerned that he was stuck somewhere out on the tarmac. The cargo was closed and that's where they took him so they had to bring him back over to the terminal. I was right in there being as politely as possible demanding that he was a 7 week old puppy was out there that could not handle this heat! I'm glad I took the RV. I put him in the sink and cooled him off and gave him small amounts at a time of bottled water. Not one accident yet which is pretty good since he's in the house 24/7. It's hard.... because he's always thirsty and that means taking him out so much. His stools have remained perfect through all of this. Yet, this house I'm in now is NOT for a puppy to say the least. Rattlesnakes, a bobcat that hangs around, coyotes and those annoying River Toads. My big guys are all trained to stay away. Hopefully, I won't be here that much longer and get on my 20 acres in VA. We're doing small finger tracks around the house. I have 4000 sq. ft to work with so it's a good challenge for him. I can't wait to start getting him out so he can be around other dogs. Salsa (9 yrs) plays with him and is very gentle. My 13 yr. old female licks him gives him a bath. He picked up on the ice from the fridge in a heartbeat. I hit the button and they all go wild. He saw the cat for the first time and was a little leery at first but proceeded forward. Yet they did touch noses. She gave a hiss and he backed off and she jumped the gate into her room. He just sat there and tried to figure out what that was about. So no concerns there especially since she is declawed. By the way did you want a special name for him? I've been calling him 'Derek' (Shepard) and he's my McDreamy and McScreamy at the same time...which is already cut down to 'Derry'.

I just want to thank you again, Dari for this incredible puppy and thank Orry and Hilda for me also. I could tell you at least 100 more cute things that he is doing...yet will refrain for now.

Blessings to you all ~ Sandi

Dear Dari~

Well, he CERTAINLY does have great focus. He's amazing. I've seen a difference in him today wanting to get away from me just a little and wanting to explore the bedroom more. Yesterday, I had to be IN his sight at all times. I gave him an empty water bottle and now that's his favorite pass time to play with it and listen to it crackle when he bites on it. He runs through the bedroom and takes it on one of the dog beds and barks and barks at it and throws it in the air. He NEVER quits amusing me. The first week, I think is always the hardest. Yet, I love the way he's been able to settle in with EVERYTHING!!!! You PICKED the perfect one for me. I can't imagine at this point having any other. I wish I had used the movie setting on my camera when he played with his first ice cube. He slid that thing all over the kitchen floor and never stopped until it was gone and when it when under things..he was extremely determine to figured out how to get it out. He's quite the thinker. His collar is already getting too tight. I had to lengthen it just a little. I have the 400 crate already for when he needs to move in that one. Salsa has turned into my baby sitter. She plays with him and runs him down. They are in my office with me right now. I keep them in the room I'm in. I'm amazed how easy she is with him. Never really puts her mouth on him just flips her head around at him and he attacks her. This is the first one this young that she's been with. I still would never let them play in the same room together without me there. Did I mention that I LOVE him?

Keep in touch.

Blessings ~ Sandi

Dear Dari,

Derek is such a good puppy.....most of the time! My life has been devoted to him 100% the last two weeks. I think I can start slacking off a little. I just feel getting them off to a good start pays off in the long run. He's going out the dog door in my bedroom just to walk around on the deck so he's becoming more independent. I work in the office every AM and leave the door going out to the courtyard open and he plays out there by himself until he's exhausted and then comes in and lays in front of the fan. He weighs 15 lbs. and that was before a meal. His stools are still perfect as is his appetite. His favorite thing is stalking me. He hides behind the bush and when I walk by...he darts out and of course I have to run so I don't spoil it for him. He's so focused.

I'm also attaching a movie clip. It's not that good.... he's so hard to keep up w/...yet mostly I wanted you to see him moving around and how happy he is. What's not to be happy with....... I wish someone would cater to me like this. Yet at the beginning it's REALLY jumping around...he was stalking me and I was trying to sneak up on him and ready to run..... Ok...movie clip won't go through. I'll try send it by it's self.

Blessings to you ~ Sandi

Dear Dari & John,

Thank you for sending Evie. She made it through her travels in

excellent shape!

Once I'd signed for her, I took her outside, let her out of her crate,

and gave her some food and water. She was hungry and very thirsty.

After she ate and drank a bit, she explored and romped.

Then I put her back in the cage and drove her from LAX to Ojai.

She is so much fun: She's very curious and eager to please. We had a

little meal together (although we didn't eat the same food), then she

explored the yard outdoors and the inside of the house.

She likes to chase the ball, fetch it and bring it back. She's very

affectionate, which pleases me greatly.

She has the most beautiful markings. She is the most adorable little

creature I have ever seen. I look forward to working with her.

My apologies for not writing sooner. I didn't get back from LAX until

about 1:30, then spent some time getting acquainted with Evie. I think

we fell asleep a little before 3:00 a.m., and Evie just woke me up to

let her outside for a bit.

I think we'll take another little siesta now!

We're looking forward to talking to you soon. Please take care in the

meantime.

Very best regards,

David

Dear Dari & John,

I am grateful for your patience and faith. I promise to pay you every

penny I owe you for this most magnificent creature that has blessed my

life since the moment I opened her crate on the lawn outside the Alaska

Airlines cargo center in Los Angeles. It's only been a little over a

week, but already I can't imagine life without her. I spoke to Suzi

today, and she was in tears because of the situation I have put you and

her in. I am determined to ensure that she gets the puppy that was

meant for her, just as she made it possible for me to have Evie. I will

call you tomorrow (Thursday). Please keep up the good work. Thank you

for making it possible for such a beautiful spirit to bless this

neighborhood. I will do my utmost to see that she is nurtured and

encouraged to fulfill her destiny as an asset to the community. Already

she has met the local firemen at Station 22 (they let her into their

quarters where they sleep, and into their kitchen where they eat); the

pharmacists at Rexall Pharmacy and Medical Arts Pharmacy; a neighbor who

works for National Disaster Search Dog Foundation; all the folks in my

grid, including clerks at the local supermarket, joggers, bicyclists,

walkers, old folks, teenagers, bank tellers at Washington Mutual, even

the baby boy next door (who stopped crying when he saw the beautiful

puppy). How could I not honor my commitment to you? You have brought

such joy into my life. I know that this is not the way you are used to

doing business, but your faith will be rewarded. Evie will be a heroine

beyond belief. She will search for & rescue the poor motorcyclist who

misses a curve and drives off the road into Matilija Canyon. She will

find the little girl who gets lost on her way home from school. She

will do her job and by her integrity she will insist that I do mine.

Again, my thanks for your patience, and my assurance that you will be

paid in full. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Very best regards,

David

Hi Dari,

Wanted to get back to you and give you an update. "Ace" has addapted very well into the clan and for the most part the clan to him. He is a very well adjusted and self assured pup. He has now bonded with our 2 year old lab "Daisy" and she has now figured out that he's not a threat and is fun to play with so we're now getting to be best of bud's. He doesn't back down unless he gets knocked down and we have to keep an eye on the size and weight advantage Daisy has along with an unbounding amount of energy (typical lab). Unfortunately for her that size advantage will change out of her favor in a few months. Our older male sheapard "Cody" is fine with him when it's just 1 on 1 but bails occasionally when it's a threesom. The lab has his number and unfortunately when we say "daisy" in a any tone of voice I don't think he knows it's her name, but thinks it's a command to quite doing anything your doing. Oh well we'll keep working on that one. Also had a further thought and are mulling this around and wanted to bounce it off you. If we were to decide to get another puppy (female) do you see anything in the Hilda x Orry litter we were orrigionally aiming for? And I don't know what your commitments are for the litter either. If we did decide to go that way we would want to stay with a black or a black bicolor. It's not a sure thing at this point but my wife and I are talking about it and I wanted to check to see what the possibilities were. I told her what the heck, if your going to go throught the puppy stage why not double your fun and have it done for a few years, the pen's up and the rags are out. Thanks Craig

Everything is working out very well with Ace, he is a great pup. Very easy to work with and a good independent yet responsive personality. Got a black female like him handy? He's been great. Just starting the leash training and he is fairly quick to learn. He's making good progress on the "NO" training and is starting to learn his name. Beautiful pup. Let me know what things look like. Thanks Craig

Good Morning,

As you can see Ace and Porscha are starting to get along fine. Your comments on his possessiveness are correct. He is a bit possessive of both us and his lab. When we first go out in the morning it is the strongest. With my hand in the middle (and being softened on both sides) we are able to redirect him for a while until he backs down a bit. She will also redirect him if he goes too far. She is a good very self assured pup and is adapting very well. We had the first session this morning with all 4 dogs in the pen at the same time and things went very well. Porscha wanted to be friendly with both Daisy and Cody and they both took her in stride with Ace attempting to intercept from time to time. She has a very good temperament and at this point is a little more inclined to let you hold her than Ace. He likes to be with you and be held to an extent but she will more readily come to you and lay down next to you. He's a bit more independent. Must be a guy thing. She is not afraid to explore to a certain percent on her own being completly new and she is expanding her radius each day. It is hard to picture Ace her size but the 10 day difference is very apparent at this point. He has her by a good 4 to 5 inches in height and 8 to 10 lbs in weight. He was 25 lbs last thursday at the vet. He goes in to day for his next Parvo/Distemper shot and we'll see what he weighs. She goes in tomorrow for her 1st appointment and I'm sure back sometime next week for her next shot whenever 3 weeks is up. They grow fast at this age. Just thought I'd drop you another update. Thanks Craig

Hi Dari,

Hope you are doing well. Just wanted to send you a quick note to say how well my new girl is doing. I named her "Yza". I pronounce it "Yeeza".

. She is on a completely raw diet. She gets chicken every other day and the beef heart, liver, tripe, gullet (trachea) and spleen on the other days. No kidneys. She crunches up the chicken bones just fine. She loves to knaw on the trachea, that's her toy, it's so cute. My mom snapped pictures of me elbow deep in green tripe and all the other "guts" when I brought all 250lb of it home to pack up into daily portions. YUK!!!!! The house smelled like a slaughter house! That green tripe is NASTY!! The dogs LOVE it though. My friend gave me 100lb of hearts for free. I thought that was pretty cool. I had no idea a whole beef liver was sooo huge until I saw these livers. They are about 25lb each. Wow! Also, I just go and buy the bulk chicken leg quarters from Wal-Mart as far as the chicken goes. Of course they eat those whole.

Any way, she is doing great. She barks when anyone comes around. Even when I come into the room. I play tug of war with her, she always wins, lol. She has nice ball drive.

Well I'll talk to ya soon but since it has been a little while I really wanted to give you an update. Take care. You're always in my prayers!

Rhonda

Hi Dari,

Amber is growing like weed. She is totally terrific. She's smart, very laid back, and always wants to please us. We couldn't be more happy with her! Everyone we meet wants to know where we got her and all I have is gratitude and praise for your kennel!

I start puppy classes tomorrow. It's always good to start early and keep on going with training. (She already sits, downs, and stays(most of the time) and is good on the leash.)

Amber is getting lanky with tufts of hair around her neck and back of legs. It's quite adorable to see her running with her legs that can't keep up with her body. She's doing stairs, couches, and cars with no problem - she loves car rides and she is really good about riding.

As you can tell we all love her (my big, bad husband baby talks her and will lie next to her to cuddle).

So thank you again!

Sincerely,

Aundra

Dear Dari,

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! We will definitely be careful of her jumping off high places (like the couch, car, and bed). I'm sorry - I didn't know so thank you for that piece of info.

Thank you for letting me know about her age for getting spayed. I thought the vet was pushing it at an early age.

Thank you for all your wisdom! I'm glad I can e-mail and get an absolute honest and caring answer. (I promise not to bug you too much, but I consider you an expert on shepherds!)

Sincerely,

Aundra

Dear Dari,

Just thought you would like to see how we're doing. Here are some photos - "posing for pictures" "at the pool" and "duck hunting" - She is an absolute ball of energy - always "stirring up things or finding something to get into..there is never a dull moment with her around - She is super sharp - extremely intelligent and has things figured out pretty quickly - She is not intimidated by anything and doesn't give a second thought to taking toys away from Nero or Sierra. We are SO happy to have her..she really keeps us on our toes. I will be signing her up for training classes once the grandkids start back to school. We were also wondering about her registration papers and when you think they might be coming. I will continue to keep you updated on her progess with news and photos...Thank you Dari for letting me have her..She is the greatest! Regards, Linda

HI DARI~

CHIC IS WITH ME NOW IN SONOMA (CALIFORNIA) AT ANOTHER RACE. I DROVE THE MOTORCOACH ALL THE WAY HERE!

(IN ACCUTALITY MY FRIENDS HUSBAND DROVE IT WHILE WE JUST HAD FUN!) I WILL SEE MICHEAL ANDRETTI AGAIN THIS WEEKEND.

DID I SEND YOU THE PICTURE OF HIS CHILD WITH CHIC? IT'S ADORABLE! THAT'S ONE REASON HE WANTS ONE. "LUCCA" IS IN LOVE WITH CHIC!

TODAY WE WENT FOR A WALK UP TO THE CANYON WHERE SHE COULD POTTY AND I FELT LIKE THERE WOULD BE WILDLIFE THERE AND SURE ENOUGH IT WAS LIKE A GULLY WHERE DEER WERE HIDING AND RESTING. TWO TOOK OFF RUNNING UP THE HILL AND CHIC WANTED SO BAD TO CHASE THEM. SHE LOOKED AT ME AND I SAID "NO CHIC!" CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT HER RUNNING OFF AND NOT COMING BACK! AND SHE DIDN'T CHASE THEM! SHE CAME BACK TO ME AND I PRAISED HER...SO SHE FELT GOOD SHE PROTECTED ME AND I FELT GOOD SHE DIDN'T RUN OFF!

SHE'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL PERFECT DOG DARI! I LOVE HER MORE AND MORE EACH DAY!