The focus of our breeding program is to produce strong, healthy working dogs suitable for Police, Detection, Search and Rescue, top level competition and family/personal protection. A passion that is shared with others, we have also worked with internationally recognized breeders and trainers in an effort to expand our blood base and continue breeding quality working dogs to suit demanding areas. Through our selective breeding stock of Czech Border Patrol and West and East German genetics, and our commitment to holistic care, we strive to provide you with the ideal pup/dog for your working requirements or personal needs. 

The German Shepherd’s used within our breeding program are primarily of old Czech Border Patrol and East German (DDR) working bloodlines.  From these select bloodlines you will find German Shepherd's that are solid in temperament, structure, nerves, and have strong balanced drives. Something that has been seriously overlooked and bred out in this breed. This bloodline is renown for it's versatility in working ability, health,  solid character, dark pigment and strength of bone.

There probably isn't a long-time dog breeder alive who won't tell you that if they had it to do over again, they would start with better breeding females. With that advice in mind, we have attempted to obtain the best females for this purpose. Purchasing most of our foundation stock privately, from well respected breeding programs rather than through commercial sales. Our females are selected for health, disposition, trainability, conformation, performance and production history of pedigree.  From this foundation, we are now able to obtain our goal of hand selecting, raising and training our own offspring and bring them back into our breeding program. This is a great asset to our breeding program, prospective buyers, and the German Shepherd breed.  As we know without a question, what the parents are producing and are able to hand select the best offspring from a litter for breeding, having had complete control over  the healthcare and diet from conception.

Our breeding males are looked at just as closely. We also look for production records with low health problems, high/versatile trainability, great endurance, sound nerves and temperament. We believe all these characteristics to be most important to preserve the breed: courage, stamina, and great enthusiasm in their way of going.

Dedication to the production of quality working dogs has allowed us to provide pups and dogs to suit diverse needs: Police, Detection, Search & Rescue, top level Competition, service dog for hearing impaired and Dog guide for the blind. Most of our breeding stock have working progeny throughout the world.  Semen from some of our breeding males have been purchased by other well established, private working dog breeding programs to government ran police dog breeding programs. This alone, tells you allot about the quality of the genetics we are offering.

The pedigrees of our dogs contain strong working ancestry, including; police and or military dogs, and top level competition dogs.  It is interesting to note that in contrast to the 1000's of dogs yearly that attain the SchH3 title, there are only less than 10  in Europe who are awarded the prestigious ZVV3 title each year.  Sapphire Shepherds has been  honored to bring several stud dog's of this accomplishment into our program and the United States.

All breeding stock at our facility is built for work. We do not breed for huge, oversized dogs for several reasons. #1: It would not be too the breeds standard or benefit.
#2: Oversized dogs age and break down in structure quicker than a standard sized dog. 
#3: The majority of experienced/knowledgeable trainers/handlers who come to us for a true working dog do not want a giant.



                              LOYAL, LOVING,

COURAGEOUS, SAFE.

 

German Shepherd's the way they used to be.

 

 

 

We enjoy a wide variety of activities with our German Shepherds and have trained and/or certified our dogs in the following areas. Tracking, cadaver, protection work, search and rescue, agility, and water rescue, and simply enjoy with our children the love, companionship, and security they bring to our everyday lives.

 

Nutrition and care of the total dog plays a large role in our breeding program.  We feel this is as important, if not more so than great genetics. Our dogs are kept in top working condition and health using Natural Rearing methods.  This includes a diet of raw foods,  high quality N.R. Supplements, and  most importantly a non-kennel lifestyle.  Our dogs are holistically cared for, ensuring they are better equipped physically and mentally for life. We approach health care with preventative methods, attempting to treat the root of the problem rather than the symptom using Native American Herbs, Homeopathic, Glandulars and convention treatment when necessary.

Our puppies are thoroughly temperament tested not only by myself but occasionally by outside trainers and handlers.  Puppies are handled and observed on a daily basis, very detailed kennel records are kept on each pup and provided to the new owner if requested. We have a clear understanding of where each individual pups temperament and drives are before placement.  They are well socialized and raised with children.  At this time around 95% of what we produce is shipped out of Montana and we have a excellent record of working long distance with a client and picking out the right pup/dog for their specific working/personal needs.

 

 

We offer full customer support.  Written comprehensive health guarantees.

 

We thank you for your interest and hope that you enjoy our web site.

 

Ramona Helmer, owner Sapphire Shepherds