Yes, if a customer lives too far away, we will ship the puppy, and take care of all necessary paperwork and arrangements with the airline or transport. This will include a health check by the vet prior to shipment and crate. Puppies can be shipped pretty much anywhere, not just within the US, but to other countries also. Some countries have specific import requirements such as certain vaccinations, age requirements, or other requirements. It is up to the buyer, when outside the US, to research the requirements to import a puppy into their country. For international flights the buyer may also need to be involved in making the flight arrangements, sometimes it’s easier to do from the country the pup is being shipped to. The buyer is responsible for all shipping related expenses, including but not limited to the health certificate, crate, flight, and any other costs. At 8 weeks I make one trip to PDX airport to ship puppies from a litter, if a buyer needs special arrangements (shipping on a different date, or from a different airport) there may be additional costs.

Shipping cost for an 8–10-week-old German Shepherd puppy is about $450 anywhere in the US. This includes the crate that the puppy will be shipped in, which is yours to keep, and the cost of the Health Certificate. The cost of shipment of an older puppy may be higher due to increased weight or if a larger crate is needed.

We will confirm shipping arrangements with you 1-3 days before shipment and will inform you of the airline, flight number, confirmation number, and arrival time. You will need to go to your airport’s cargo facility where you will be picking up the puppy. We will stay in touch throughout the entire shipping process.

One of the first things that you should do after you get your German Shepherd and other German dog breeds is taking them for their first veterinarian checkup. The check-up is very important because you can get initial vaccinations and medications out of the way and it also provides you with an opportunity to schedule a spay or neuter, if you wish. Next, you should socialize your German Shepherd as much as possible. German dog breeds thrive off of these interactions and if you want to have a well-behaved dog that is comfortable in multiple situations, it is essential that you do this.

Yes, I will take back any dog that came from Vom Bergwald Kennel at any time in its life. I understand that sometimes “life happens” and people find themselves in a situation where they can no longer keep the dog. In these situations, I will be happy to help you find a new home for the dog or take it back and find it a new home myself. NOTE: I am not here to help you resale your dog, but find it a new home in the event you can’t keep it. Transportation to my house is the responsibility of the owner. Once it is returned to me it is mine. I will work with it to help fix any behavioral issues it has, get to know what sort of placement would be best, and then I will place it in a home that I feel is suited for it. I cannot guarantee that any information regarding the new home will be shared with you, that will be up to the new owners to decide.

The purchase process begins when you fill out the Questionnaire and contact me about a puppy. I receive between 5 and 20 inquiries a week regarding puppies, the questionnaire has been designed as a way to begin to get to know you, and also keep track of “who is who” until we get to know each other better. After reviewing your questionnaire, I will contact you with any questions I have, and answers to your questions. We will email or message back and forth discussing what you are looking for in a pup. If we decide that one of my litters is right for you, then you will be added to a waiting list. A limited number of deposits will be taken prior to a litter being born, usually 4 to 6, so it is important that you respond ASAP as the waiting list usually has more names on it than the number of deposits I will accept. After the litter is born, I will contact people in the order I received deposits regarding the number of pups born and their gender. If I have 3 males and 3 females reserved and 5 males and 1 female are born anyone with a deposit will be given the opportunity to switch genders. If nobody is interested in switching genders, then deposits would be held over to a future litter. I will send pictures weekly to those that have deposits and at 5 weeks you can choose your puppy. I like to give you and the puppy time to develop physically and mentally before you pick out which puppy is best for you. First to put a deposit down on litter will have 1st pick and so on.

Get a crate. They are safe, secure and it makes housetraining incredibly easy. Let your puppy sleep in your bedroom, at least for the first few nights. This whole experience is scary for a puppy, don’t make him/her sleep in the laundry room, put the crate next to your bed so you can reassure him/her. Keep your puppy tethered to you with a leash when in the house, doing chores or just relaxing. That way you can observe him/her and catch your puppy from going potty inside, out of trouble and mischief. Leerburg training videos are a fantastic investment and many are free on YouTube. Another great resource for training puppies is Ivan Balabanov (Training without Conflict), he has great approach to training that is easy to incorporate. His videos are on youtube as well as trainingwithoutconflict.com Pick a potty spot. To avoid the dog pooping all over the yard as an adult, pick one area and take puppy directly there when it’s potty time. Set a daily routine. House training proceeds more smoothly if your puppy knows what to expect from day one. Enroll in a puppy class. Your pup will learn some basic obedience, but the real benefit of puppy classes is socialization with other puppies and people. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Not all advice is good advice. Take everything with a grain of salt. Make sure everyone is on the same page. Discuss the puppy rules with your whole family. Figure out who will do what when. Pick one set of training cues and stick with them. Play some puppy training games. Don’t encourage behavior that you’ll regret when he gets big. Jumping up is cute when he weighs ten pounds. It won’t be cute when he’s 60 pounds. Get your pup used to handling from day one, touching feet, nails, tail, ears, mouth, teeth, and belly, with love. Start grooming early on. For the same reason as above. Take your puppy to the pet store. Great socialization opportunity. Keep him in the shopping cart and off the floor until she’s had all her puppy shots. Introduce your pup to all kinds of novel things. People in funny hats. Remote control cars. Kids playing. Agility equipment. Balloons. Cats. Car rides. Socialize, don’t traumatize. Introduce new experiences slowly and never let your puppy get overwhelmed. Invite your circle of friends and family to meet the puppy. Frozen wet washcloths and baby carrots make great chews for teething puppies. Reward good behavior; don’t wait for bad behavior. Reward the puppy when you see him doing something you like. Don’t wait until she’s misbehaving to give him attention. Feed 2-3 small meals per day. Don’t leave food out for him/her to graze on. Pick up anything you don’t want destroyed. If it’s on the floor, it WILL be chewed. Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. For example, teach your puppy to sit when greeting people. Don’t just yell at her for jumping up. Watch your puppy’s poops. Disgusting? Yes. But it could save your puppy’s life. If you notice anything like real watery diarrhea or blood, take your puppy for a vet visit ASAP. Provide toys. If you provide her with her own toys. he/she’s less likely to chew on yours. Make your own toys. Like kids who’d rather play with the box than with the toy that came in it, puppies are often happier chewing on an empty plastic water bottle than an expensive store-bought toy. Rotate through the toys. Let your puppy have two or three toys at a time. Changing up the toy selection will keep the pup interested If you think your puppy needs to go potty, don’t hesitate to take him outside! You’d be surprised how often puppies need to go. Practice separation. As tempting as it is, don’t let pups be glued to your side all day. Letting your puppy have time to himself in his crate or room will help prevent separation anxiety. Hellos and Goodbyes should be no big deal. Don’t make a fuss over your pup when you leave or come home. Again, prevents separation anxiety. Don’t get offended when your puppy chews on you. Puppies bite. A lot. Sometimes painfully. It is NOT aggression. Do not react by yelling, smacking him, rolling him on his back or holding his muzzle shut. Don’t use ammonia-based cleaners. Your puppy will think it smells like urine, actually encourages her to pee there again. Use an enzymatic cleaner like Nature’s Miracle. As a general rule of thumb, the number of hours a puppy can “hold it” is his age in months plus one. So a two month old puppy should be crated for a maximum of three hours at a time (during the day. When they sleep at night, puppies can usually hold it for longer). Leave the TV or radio on when you leave your puppy home alone. Teach good leash manners early. Better to teach your puppy to walk nice on leash than to teach your adult dog to stop pulling on leash. Remember that your puppy is a baby – don’t ask too much. Don’t worry about whether she’ll perform a perfect sit/stay or heel. Plenty of time for that when she’s older. Focus on socialization and having fun. Exercise. Slow, steady growth over 2 years is the healthiest path for your pup. At full maturity and in optimal condition, males will range from 75-90 pounds; females normally vary from 55-70 pounds. Over weight, or too sudden weight gain, is an enormous risk factor for orthopedic issues. A six month old pup who weighs 70 pounds is a grave source for concern. Growing bones are fragile. Growth plates do not fully close until close to one year of age. You must actively protect your pup. Moderation in all exercise is best. Too little exercise and too much (and inappropriate exercise) can be detrimental to your pup. No jumping exercises until after 12 months. No jumping in and out of automobiles. Always lift your puppy, use a ramp or stairs that are inexpensive and easy to use. No jumping down stairs. No excessive stairs. A few steps into the house is fine, but use a baby gate to keep puppy from going to other floors in the house. No hurdles, no tables, no long dog walks until after 12 months. No free play with older, larger, physically mature dogs.