Our Mission
To breed superior German Shepherds by preserving and improving the breed within true German lines. By strictly adhering to proper breeding, health testing and training techniques we will be able to offer top quality dogs fit for certain jobs or family role. One of our goals is to donate at least one puppy or dog once a year. We have donated a total of nine puppies/dogs as of 2021. Shield Kennels has had the honor to work with Connor's Canine Behavior Academy and Bohdi Battalion to help many more families that are heroes in our book have donated several puppies to be trained as service dogs to Military men and women. Shield Kennels will also do private donation to military, EMT, firefighters, police officers who protect us every day. Please visit our Honoring our Heroes page. Health testing is a priority with our breeding program. All dogs are tested before being bred and over 2 years old. The girls also have to be mature enough to handle a litter of puppies. They may be 3 or closer to 4 before their first litter. We use OFA, SV and/or Pennhip testing. For our genetic testing we use PawPrints. For our puppies we use the Puppy Culture protocols and Avidog puppy aptitude testing techniques. We start by doing early neurological stimulation (ENS) allows a pup to be slowly desensitized with small doses to stimuli. A desensitized dog will be resilient. They will bounce back from and fearful situation and be more easy going. In the Beginning
We spent more than four years researching German Shepherds and breeders before deciding on our first breeding male. We decided to name our male “Fury” after “Director Nick Fury”. A litter from one of our favorite breeder/mentors was bred with all the qualities we wanted. When the litter was born there were four female puppies and no males. All four were great puppies which made it very difficult to choose but with the help of the breeder picked what we thought and what was considered the best of the litter and instead of starting with the male we planned on, Storm came home to Shield. Obedience and socialization training started immediately, which at five months old, included a three-week trip to Alaska where we all rode the eight-hour Denali bus to Mt. Denali and back. She received many compliments from fellow passengers and the bus driver who really enjoyed having such a well-behaved dog on the bus. Later that year, one of the top breeders we have known for some time had some adolescent male dogs that were thought to be a good foundation stud. We were impressed with the overall quality of every male there but one stood out. He was 4.5 months old import from Czech, born on the 4th of July and already started socializing and obedience in German. This little guy warmed right up to my husband and we knew this one was the one. This handsome German and patriotic male came home to Shield and has been our foundation stud of the Kirschental Legacy line. We now have a total of 3 Kirschental line studs. |
About Us In the 1990s, I was a dog breeder of wonderful Cocker Spaniels and Alaskan Malamutes and a professional groomer. One day I was working on a grooming appointment for an employee of a large cable communications company and was offered a job. After several years working a corporate job, I realized how much I missed working with dogs and realized the growing need for quality dogs for the home and workplace alike. My husband and I both loved the idea of working with dogs and because my husband grew up with a very well-trained and amazing German Shepherd and I have seen what amazing family and working dogs they are we decided to start a kennel to breed top German Shepherds true to German lines. In 2016, to further our dream of dogs we bought for a kennel property outside of Town of Elbert Colorado— a beautiful 15 acre property that would be a great place to train and breed our dogs and offer state-of-the-art boarding. At that time I was also going to dog training school. I passed with Honors with Animal Behavioral College and starting in 2018 hosting ABC students in their internships to become dog trainers themselves. In 2019, we broke ground on a custom dock diving pond created by LCM Landscaping. This pond is 21x44 feet and has a waterfall. Nothing but the best for our dogs and boarders. 2020 was the year of improvements. We added enclosures to the out door runs making them usable during bad weather and no more shoveling snow from the runs. We added 9 french doors to be able to open on our nice days for the dogs. We also started the first phase of the no mud play yard. The dogs are really enjoying this feature. In the summer of 2021, we moved to Rose Oklahoma. The Peyton property was sold and is now called Wild Loon Ranch at Bijou Basin and will continue boarding in Peyton. In Rose Oklahoma, we will be focusing on our dogs and building a new kennel with an indoor training area. Later on we will possibly be adding on luxury suites for boarding. We are enjoying the new area and excited to design my own dog building. On the Names
We knew we had to come up with a great name for the kennel and the great dogs we will raise. For us and everyone who has the chance to know these dogs will surely know, these dogs are heroes in their own right and deserve recognition; therefore, only the names and prestige of the heroes we all know and love would do. This is why the kennel is named “Shield” which many may remember as a peace-keeping organization and also symbolizes a protective and bonding element that each of our dogs can bring to their home and work families. Success
We our proud of our lines and what our dogs have become. We have 7 service dogs and 2 in training as of 2021, plus have several Champion dogs from Czech, IABCA and 2019 UKC CH in Ohio. Can't wait to see what 2022 brings for Shield Kennels. |