The German Shepherd dog is a highly intelligent, high energy, highly ambitious dog. They are extremely loyal and try very hard to please their owners/handlers . They are highly versatile with an amazing aptitude. German Shepherds make the best family companions. They can be your best friend or your hiking or running partner. They can be military service dogs, police dogs used for bomb and narcotics, Schutzhund and protection dogs, or simply a Childs Teddy bear. 
      The attributes that all Humans should have....Honesty, integrity, passion, ambition, high intelligence, and the ability to both give and receive affection, all West German Shepherds have these qualities. Its not what we can teach these dogs, its what we can learn from them!!!! At Vom Zeder Haus we honestly believe that West German Shepherds, not humans, are the pinacle of mammal evolution.
      Originaly bred to herd sheep and protect lambs from wolves in Europe, these dogs are natural protectors of children. Ironicaly, Vom Zeder Haus is adjacent to one of the oldest and largest Sheep farms in the U.S. 
       The German Shepherd in Germany 
    German Shepherds are highly praised and very much a part of the culture in Germany. Its quite common to see a German Shepherd accompanying its owner in restaurants, dept. stores, café’s, bars, banks, and beer halls. Its very common to see German Shepherds with their owners on walking and running trails as there are miles and miles of very well maintained cathedral like forested walk ways in Germany. German Shepherds in their native country are always very well behaved as most owners there are members of Schutzhund clubs. Unlike America, Schutzhund clubs are very prevalent in Germany with practicaly one in every neighborhood. They are good for the dogs and for their owners because of the training involved. The Schutzhund clubs in Germany are also very socially oriented with nice restaurants and fully stocked bars. 
   The German-American Shepherd split
    Unfortunately, 99.9% of all so called German Shepherds here in North America are not German at all, only a distant cousin of the true German Shepherd. Until the outbreak of W.W. II , all German Shepherds in Germany and America were the same. The last dog imported from Germany before the war to have a major impact on the breed was ''Pfeffer Von Bern'' He was the 1937 German or World Sieger before coming to the States and being named the American Sieger. He returned to the U.S in 1938 to again be named the American Sieger. Pfeffer dominated U.S. bloodlines in the late 1930’s and 1940’s. It was very rare to see a German Shepherd pedigree without his name during that time period.
     During W.W.II The German Shepherd in America, cut off from its German roots and quite possibly subject to some German bashing made fashionable by the war, started to develop its own appearance, mostly thru repeated inbreeding. Around 1960, some American breeders recognized what had happened and realized the need to get back to the original or real German Shepherd and starting importing dogs again. By this time however it was too late, German Shepherds in America were now a completely different dog, only resembling a German Shepherd. Everything the breed stood for-intelligence, beauty, incredible instincts, temperment, and health had been sacraficed. During the 1950’s and 1960’s only about half of the U.S. Siegers were German dogs, the last being ‘’Arno Von Der Kurpfalzhalle’’ in 1969. For Several years now the Germans have held their own competition in America to name the U.S. Sieger. At such a show the American German Shepherd would not be allowed to compete as it is not even recognized as a German Shepherd by the Germans. Again, it is such dogs which make up 99.9% of so called German Shepherds in America, it is also this breed from which Hip Dysplasia, Cancer, poor color and pigmentation, and unstable temperament have become so prevalent.
  Don’t be fooled by breeders with kennels with German sounding names who are trying to pass their dogs off as being of German lines. Also be aware of what we refer to as Americanized or ''watered down'' German Shepherds.This is when a person aquires dogs of true German lines and decide they want to become a breeder. With no knowledge of breeding, identifying breed quaility dogs, or a knowledge of the science of choosing the correct match for a particular dog, or of the German Standerd,they just start breeding and producing puppies. The puppies will then be inferior to puppies produced in Germany, or produced in the United States by a professional breeder adhering to the German standerd.Such puppies lack the intelligence, insticnts and physical qualities required by the standerd. These breeders then post ads in newspapers or build a website trying to find buyers. These are Americanized German Shepherds and well on their way to being American German Shepherds. As long as there are people willing to aquire these dogs, there will always be an exploitation of this breed in the U.S.

        German Shepherd sub-species
    There are Three types of German Shepherds- The American or americanized-German Shepherd, East German Shepherds and West German Shepherds.
      American or Americanized-German Shepherds were discussed above and are not a true German Shepherd. These dogs lack the intelligence, instincts, working ability, coler and pigmentation, and good health that is required of the breed standerd. We also refer to these dogs as ''Watered Down German Shepherds'' Unfortunatly, American or Americanized German Shepherds literaly make up 99.9% of the so called German Shepherd population in the United States.
     East German Shepherds are excellent dogs!! However they are bred for their working ability only, and while they are very intelligent, many find them a little too hyper for the home environment. East German dogs are either black, sable, or black and tan in color.
        Many years ago, the West Germans felt a need to improve on their dogs and took the bred to another level....thus creating the West German Dog....Thru very select breeding, The West German dogs while maintaining all of the drive, working ability and instincts, evolved into a more refined, very elegant, more attractive dog, with better coler and pigmentation, being black and red-saddle back.The West German dogs also tend to be more level headed and more adaptable to various social situations. In other words, they know when to turn the drive off, thus making them better suited for families and non-working environments. Today, West German dogs, while very expensive to aquire from Germany, are a very versitile dog and assume many roles both in Europe and the U.S. ranging from Police work, to family companions. It is these magnificent West German Shepherds that Vom Zeder Haus is so privelidged to have in our kennel. There are other kennels in the U.S. who are also breeding these lines, however they are far and few in between. Whenever you are seeking a German Shepherd, remember what you have read on this page.    
                         Obedience Training
    We are frequently asked about our opinion on obedience training so we have decided to post a response....
     You need to have your dog obedience trained if the following applies....
    If you are going to persue a Schutzhund title for your dog, or your dog is to enter some type of working field.
    If you will not have much time to spend with your dog.
     Or if your dog is out of control, very hyper, poor temperment etc.
   West German dogs bred under the German standerd are very intelligent and want to please their owners. Unless you have much quality time to spend with your dog, don't purchase one. As long as you spend time with your puppy and young adult, he or she will naturaly learn what you expect of them. Of course there will be the so called ''Terrible two's'' and the unrulely backtalking teenager stage. But obedience training is simply not neccessary for a well bred West German dog that should have been temperment tested to match its owner. Vom Zeder Haus is avialable for hire to train your dog, but honestly, save your money, invest in a Schlagstock that we keep here.
     When You take your puppy or young adult to a complete stranger to be obedience trained, you are allowing this person to get up close and personel with your dog, this is interupting the bond and natural protection that he or she is developing with your family.  Furthermore, Young German Shepherds respond to their owners body language, voice tone, and demeanor more than words in the beginning. They just learn to correlate your words with your behavior, and ultimatly what you expect of them. If another person trains your dog for obedience, they still have to learn a high percentage of that from you!!
     If your dog is very unruley and a behavior problem, there was either a break down in the placement process, or you have a poorly bred dog. Call the breeder and ask for your money back!!!!