The focus of our breeding program is to produce strong, healthy working dogs suitable for Police, Detection, Search and Rescue and family.  A passion that is shared with others, we have worked with internationally recognized breeders and trainers in an effort to expand our genetics and continue breeding quality working dogs for demanding areas. Through our selective breeding stock of Czech Border Patrol, 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 Shepherds used within our breeding program are primarily of old Czech Border Patrol, West and East German (DDR) working bloodlines.  From these select bloodlines you will find German Shepherds that are solid in temperament, structure, nerves, and have strong balanced drives. Something that has been seriously overlooked and bred out in this breed. Our bloodlines are renown for 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, 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 work.

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.  Our breeding stock has working progeny throughout the world. Semen from some of our breeding males along with  our breeding stock, have been purchased by other well established private working breeding programs to government run police dog breeding programs. This alone, speaks much about the quality of the genetics we are offering.

The pedigrees of our dogs contain strong working ancestry;  SAR, police, military, 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 dogs of this accomplishment into our program and the United States for others.

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


We enjoy a wide variety of work with our German Shepherds and have trained, certified and titled our dogs in the following areas. Tracking, cadaver, protection work, search and rescue, agility, and water rescue.  We 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,  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 Mogan, owner Sapphire Shepherds