Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located?
The Tuchscherer Kennels, breeders of top quality German Shepherd Dogs, are located in Kansas.
What are my obligation as a new owner?
Treat your new German Shepherd puppy as a family member and not left unattended in a kennel or backyard all the time.
To give your puppy/dog the medical attention they need and regular shots and check-ups as necessary. If at any time you feel you are unable to further care for you dog, please notify us and not send them to a shelter. If the animal is not of show quality, they will either be spayed or neutered and not bred.
How do I know whether or not I have contacted a reputable breeder and not a “puppy mill”?
Do your research and look for any complaints that have been lodged against a breeder. But please keep in mind that there could always be someone that thinks they were not treated fairly. Have there been numerous complaints about the same issue (not receiving paperwork; puppies are of poor health; etc).
Will this breeder allow you to visit their kennel and be taken around to see all of their dogs or will the puppy be brought up to you. What are the kennels breeding practices: do they breed 100’s of puppies a year or are they selective on how many litters their females have in a one year time frame.
What is the condition that the dogs kept in: are they all in crates stacked one on top of each other or are the dogs in separate runs and allowed to move about and interact with each other and the owners.
Do the dogs show fear of humans when you visit them or are they social and well adjusted.
These are just a few of the signs between a reputable breeder and a “puppy mill”.
Do the parents of the puppies have their hips either OFA’d or have an ‘a’ stamp from the SV?
First, if we have imported our female German Shepherds from European lines, their hips & elbows will have been certified before they are purchased. We do not breed German Shepherds until they are certified with either an OFA or ‘a’ stamp. We know that the German Shepherd is one of the breeds prone to hip/elbow dysplasia and we are striving to keep this out of our bloodlines.
What happens if my puppy gets hip dysplasia?
It has been determined by researchers that dysplasia is not only a genetic fault but can be caused by they way the puppy was raised. Puppies love to run and jump and we have so much fun playing with them; but did you push them to hard and for too long? During the first 14 months of a dogs life, there should be no consistant training in agility where they have to jump (even 6” is too high); weaving in and out; climbing up and down high staircases, or running for long distances and periods of time on concrete or pavement. These are all some of the issues that play into the owner induced dysplasia. Please remember that the puppy’s bones and joints are growing at a rapid rate and they can have problems not related to genetics. But, if you are vigilant and it is determined that this was a genetic issue, the puppy will be replaced. You then have to agree to either have your puppy spayed or neutered and if you decide to keep your puppy, show proof to the us that you have done so before we agree to a work with you on another puppy.
How will I know what kind of Puppy food to feed and how often?
When you take your puppy home, we send with you a detailed list of what kind of puppy food we are feeding, how often they are being fed and how much. We will also recommend certain supplements to help with your puppies continued good health.
Will I know what shots have been given and when the next ones are due?
We will give you a Health Certificate from our Veterinarian showing the dates and which shots have been given. We also provide a Puppy Data sheet that gives this information plus when they were giving any dewormers.
What happens after I take my puppy home, will I be able to still contact you and ask questions?
Please know that you and that your puppy are “members” of our family for life. We will always be available to answer any questions and if we don’t know the answer, help you research it. We also request that you occasionally sends us updates and Pictures are the greatest so that we can see how are German Shepherd puppies are growing.
The Tuchscherer Kennels, breeders of top quality German Shepherd Dogs, are located in Kansas.
What are my obligation as a new owner?
Treat your new German Shepherd puppy as a family member and not left unattended in a kennel or backyard all the time.
To give your puppy/dog the medical attention they need and regular shots and check-ups as necessary. If at any time you feel you are unable to further care for you dog, please notify us and not send them to a shelter. If the animal is not of show quality, they will either be spayed or neutered and not bred.
How do I know whether or not I have contacted a reputable breeder and not a “puppy mill”?
Do your research and look for any complaints that have been lodged against a breeder. But please keep in mind that there could always be someone that thinks they were not treated fairly. Have there been numerous complaints about the same issue (not receiving paperwork; puppies are of poor health; etc).
Will this breeder allow you to visit their kennel and be taken around to see all of their dogs or will the puppy be brought up to you. What are the kennels breeding practices: do they breed 100’s of puppies a year or are they selective on how many litters their females have in a one year time frame.
What is the condition that the dogs kept in: are they all in crates stacked one on top of each other or are the dogs in separate runs and allowed to move about and interact with each other and the owners.
Do the dogs show fear of humans when you visit them or are they social and well adjusted.
These are just a few of the signs between a reputable breeder and a “puppy mill”.
Do the parents of the puppies have their hips either OFA’d or have an ‘a’ stamp from the SV?
First, if we have imported our female German Shepherds from European lines, their hips & elbows will have been certified before they are purchased. We do not breed German Shepherds until they are certified with either an OFA or ‘a’ stamp. We know that the German Shepherd is one of the breeds prone to hip/elbow dysplasia and we are striving to keep this out of our bloodlines.
What happens if my puppy gets hip dysplasia?
It has been determined by researchers that dysplasia is not only a genetic fault but can be caused by they way the puppy was raised. Puppies love to run and jump and we have so much fun playing with them; but did you push them to hard and for too long? During the first 14 months of a dogs life, there should be no consistant training in agility where they have to jump (even 6” is too high); weaving in and out; climbing up and down high staircases, or running for long distances and periods of time on concrete or pavement. These are all some of the issues that play into the owner induced dysplasia. Please remember that the puppy’s bones and joints are growing at a rapid rate and they can have problems not related to genetics. But, if you are vigilant and it is determined that this was a genetic issue, the puppy will be replaced. You then have to agree to either have your puppy spayed or neutered and if you decide to keep your puppy, show proof to the us that you have done so before we agree to a work with you on another puppy.
How will I know what kind of Puppy food to feed and how often?
When you take your puppy home, we send with you a detailed list of what kind of puppy food we are feeding, how often they are being fed and how much. We will also recommend certain supplements to help with your puppies continued good health.
Will I know what shots have been given and when the next ones are due?
We will give you a Health Certificate from our Veterinarian showing the dates and which shots have been given. We also provide a Puppy Data sheet that gives this information plus when they were giving any dewormers.
What happens after I take my puppy home, will I be able to still contact you and ask questions?
Please know that you and that your puppy are “members” of our family for life. We will always be available to answer any questions and if we don’t know the answer, help you research it. We also request that you occasionally sends us updates and Pictures are the greatest so that we can see how are German Shepherd puppies are growing.
