Von Schwarzwald German Shepherds LLC

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

We have big news everyone!

Deja'vu is pregnant and due 09/26/26 with her final litter!!!

This came as a HUGE surprise to us as we had planned on her final litter being next spring. We had one, quickly stopped, "slip tie", on day 19/20 of her heat cycle after our toddler found out how to get Kairos' door open and apparently Kairos is insanely fertile. 😅

We waited to announce this litter because in all transparency we weren't sure she would have even taken from that quick slip AND we weren't sure that we would keep this litter IF she had. (A terrible thought and a VERY stressful decision I hope to never to have to consider, ever again!)

My main concern, as always, is the health of my dogs and their puppies. PERIOD. So, yesterday, we had an expensive and incredibly comprehensive appointment with the top repro specialist in the state to not only give Deja'vu a full breeding exam/check up, but to measure and examine her puppies, their size, possible number and EDD.

We also scheduled her for a possible same day abortion if the exam showed the litter or momma was not in perfect health and capable of moving forward to delivery SAFELY. Again, as horrible as that decision would have been, our responsibility is to ensure momma is kept healthy & safe and that her puppies can make it safely into the world as well. (Not a decision we ever have had to consider before in 16 years and one that I lost a lot of sleep over. 💔)

We were pleasantly surprised that Deja'vu not only looks to be in great health, so do her puppies! The vet assured me they have many repeated litters PURPOSEFULLY with a handful of their breeders (some actually breed every single heat cycle and has apparently been shown to produce healthy litters. Not something we are comfortable doing on purpose, but a relief to hear is considered safe with repro vets and other breeders who do so purposefully.) I was informed that the females are actually healthier for it with less risks of pyometra and other uterine infections when you don't rest them for periods of time as an intact breeding female. (I learn new stuff all the time folks! 😅)

Vet said depsite the timing not being what we wanted, there were no concerns at all from a veterinary standpoint if we decided to keep the litter.

Our other disappointment, is that while we LOVE our stud Kairos, and he is literally PERFECT, we had planned to do a repeat breeding to Basco (Cinder's daddy) so we could keep one more of his pups for our family. While it is disappointing to miss out on a full Cinder sibling, we also ADORE Kairos and will be thrilled to have one of his and Deja'vu's amazing pups in our home. ❤️

I share all of this because I appreciate transparency and I think it is important for people to see the true struggles and weighty decisions made while running an ethical breeding program and not just all the fun/cute puppy updates, videos and pics. (Which of course are the ABSOLUTE best part of breeding!)

This is only ONE of the many challenges of breeding these incredible dogs. I have lost so much sleep preparing for the repro specialist to possibly tell us we may need to abort the pups. It has been a brutal month waiting to know IF she was even bred from a single quick slip tie and if so, whether the pups and momma were healthy or not.

So, after seeking counsel from several professionals and a thorough medical examination, we have been happily reassured that there is no risk to mom or pups with this breeding 6 months sooner than we wanted/planned. In fact the vet thinks this is perfect timing since Deja'vu just turned 6 and can be spayed & retire with us once these pups are born vs waiting another 6 months and hoping she takes to an AI which would be a longer shot per the vet's experience with GSD females over the age of 5.

So while it wasn't planned and is a big surprise that she actually took from that SUPER late slip tie, we are BEYOND relieved and SO SO excited for these healthy, darling pups to arrive safely in a couple weeks! 🥳❤️🐾

Our beautiful Deja'vu will live spoiled with us in retirement for many many years, and her pups will hopefully carry on her beautiful legacy in years to come...

😭>>>Sadly, this will be our family's final litter until 2028 (when Cinder has passed all her 2 yr old health tests).

08/29/2026

KAIROS TITLED TODAY! 🏅

Earning his BH (German working/obedience title) and bringing home this beautiful, well deserved medal! 🥰

So very proud of my best boy and how far he has come at just 2 years old! He truly has it all, brains, looks, temperament, and best of all... he is a HUGE mommy's boy! ❤️

Congratulations big guy! 🐾☺️🥳👏

08/26/2026

So proud of my girls!

I say it all the time, because it's true.

Our keeper pup, (Sable on L) Cinderella A.K.A "Cinder", is the product of over 16 years of hardwork and dedication to my favorite breed. ❤️

Deja'vu, our 3rd generation female, (Black Czech on R) is Cinder's mom and is now 6 years old!

Cinder our 4th generation pup, (going back to my very first GSD!) and is now 6 months old! 🥰

In 2028, we hope to welcome Cinder's first litter and our 5th generation pups into the world! I can't even tell you how special it is to have been able to hold a piece of my first GSD "Maximus" in my arms all these years! (His daughter Paradox is now 12 years young and going strong!) I absolutely love that my own kids will get to grow up with his great, great grandpups beside them!

This isn't just "business" for our family, we love our dogs and they are a huge part of our daily lives...
I just can't imagine life without them. ❤️

08/26/2026

HAPPY NATIONAL DOG DAY!!!♥️🐾

Today and every day, we are truly grateful to have these beauties in our lives.

I am so grateful to each of our families for the love, care, and devotion they have given our pups. The many pictures and updates I receive as our pups grow up and grow old are so very precious to me, I love them so much and wanted to share a few with you all!

No matter what breed you have at home, I hope this is a reminder to give those fur-babies a hug and remember to appreciate what they bring into each our lives.

(I know my family and home would feel completely empty without our incredible dogs and their antics! 🤣🥰🐾♥️)

08/23/2026

Happy Sunday folks!
Our spicy lil Princess definitely keeps us laughing! 👸😍🤪♥️

08/21/2026

Sharing this post as a wonderful alternative to the traditional and potentially harmful spay/neuter option for our large breed pups. :)

Ask you vet about these alternatives! We did the OSS option on our last retired female and had zero changes or issues in her health or behavior as opposed to immediate negative health/behavior changes in our spayed and neutered dogs in the past.

We are big fans so far and are excited to share these new options with our families as they help preserve your dogs hormones vs removing them completely.

Happy reading! ☺️

Spay and neuter decisions are not one-size-fits-all anymore.

Today, pet parents have choices that:
• Prevent reproduction
• Preserve natural hormones
• Support long-term joint, metabolic, and behavioral health

Traditional spay/neuter removes hormone-producing organs.
Hormone-sparing options like ovary-sparing spay (OSS) and vasectomy prevent pregnancy while keeping those hormones on board.

This isn’t about right vs wrong.
It’s about informed consent and choosing what’s best for your dog’s body, age, breed, and lifestyle.

🔍 Want to explore providers offering these options?
Check the Parsemus directory:
👉 www.parsemus.org/vet-directory/

Save this post. Share it with a pet parent who didn’t know there were alternatives. 🐾

07/20/2026

Paradox of such a great representation of the breed. Versatile, unwavering, confident, INSANELY CLEVER, protective, patient with kids and every small creature, while still being top dog since BIRTH! Haha, When I picked her out of Maximus' litter, she was the dog who kept all her siblings in check, she still does it with our pack. If anyone is rowdy, she jumps in, if a pup is being pushy, she herds them out of our space or corrects their behavior. So fair, yet firm, and definitely an incredible animal. She has been to festivals, parks, restaurants, stores, malls, camping, hiking, kayaking, she has done some protective work, some herding, she has gone with me horseback riding all over the mountains and while I was starting young horses. (She has even jumped in with a couple naughty horses to get in between us and let them know that behavior was UNACCEPTABLE towards "her" human! 🤣)

She nursed and raised an orphan kitty, has cared for and raised our own kids as well as my nieces and nephews... there is literally no limit to the incredible ability of a working line German Shepherd! Her father was exactly the same! We are now blessed to be raising her incredible daughter and granddaughter! ❤️

Our incredible girl is 12 year old and going strong, but when this memory of her working as a pup popped up, I had to share it with you all! She was fully trained as a mobility assistance dog and most of her training was completely off leash so she had the freedom to move away, open doors, retrieve items etc. She never missed a beat, not with other "service dogs" lunging and barking in her face as they went past us, not when dealing with some dangerous encounters/violent people, she was my calm & confident girl and I have always been safe with her as my shadow (as are my own kids now). She truly is the most incredible girl and I pray she lives for years to come!

Here is to the wonderful grandma of many of our incredible pups! Love you forever Paradox! ❤️