Stony Creek English Shepherds
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Quick guide to English Shepherds:

English Shepherds or ES's are a great breed but they are not for everybody. Most of the amazing stories you hear about these wonderful dogs are from owners that spent the time to train and work with their dogs. The more work you put into them the better they will be!

ES's are loving members of the family, but they were bred to be protective of the stock (family included). ES's will sometimes adopt the role of protecting the family, children especially. Socialization and training can help but some dogs are going to be more protective.

ES's can make great therapy dogs but not all of them. Some ES's can be more wary of strangers and more territorial (what they were originally bred for on the farms and ranches). We can't forget their original purpose and expect them to completely forget what is in their DNA.

We are not GOD and cannot fully predict what the puppies personalities will turn out like. The parents are a good indicator but just like people not every puppy acts like their parents or their siblings. We try to make the best matches possible but a lot can change from 7-8 weeks to 7-8 months and so on. A lot of the puppies personality can and is shaped by their new environment.

 ES's are a herding breed. There are some that are more laid back and have the "old soul" feel to them but most of them will have their energetic and rambunctious moments, especially while young. They need more physical and mental stimulation and exercise. They may chase things with wheels, your kids and people walking on the other side of your fence. These behaviors are usually exhibited by bored dogs or dogs that have not been taught any better.

 ES's are a watchdog and will bark. They typically are not excessive barkers but they will bark.
ES's are a very intelligent breed and some may challenge their new owners as they mature for "pack" leadership. ES's need a leader and direction, or they will take over the role.

No two ES's are alike, even full siblings. Do not expect your new puppy to act just like your previous ES or others that you have met. Their personalities vary as much as people do.


If you have read this over and are still willing to take on this amazing adventure you might just meet the best dog you'll ever own!



Deposit/Price

Our deposit policy:
The $200 deposit is non-refundable nor transferable between litters. By sending a deposit you are committing to us and to the current litter. If we, along with you, decide that none of the puppies in the current litter would not be a match for your family, the deposit would then, and only then, be transferred to the next available litter or possibly returned.

We ask $700 for our puppies. We occasionally get asked why are our puppies cost more than other breeders (though there are several breeders out there that charge more than we do)! We do not view breeding dogs as simply picking two dogs and throwing them together. We do our best to give the puppies the best possible start, which starts with the parents. All of our dogs have had their hips tested and have had their MDR1 test done and we are working on testing our dogs for CEA, PRA/PRCD and DM (which can be costly). Sometimes we use outside males and/or decide that an AI (Artificial Insemination) may be the best course of action for the breeding. After all this if our girl is expecting she receives special care. Once the puppies arrive raising the pups is a 24/7 job. Mom does do a lot of the work those first few weeks but we work on getting the puppies used to being handled, desensitized to various sights/smells/sounds/textures/etc. We also worm and vaccinate the pups AND all of the puppies are vet checked before they go to their new homes. All of this adds up quickly! Any good breeder will tell you that you do not raise puppies to make money; you raise them for the love of the breed and to let others experience the love and joy of owning an English Shadow. 

Registration

Our registration policy:
All of our puppies are eligible to be registered with the English Shepherd Club (ESC) and United Kennel Club (UKC). Due to increasing number of registration papers getting lost in the mail, misplaced, or unintentionally destroyed we are now asking for the registration fees ($17 ESC, which includes a beautiful collar tag, & $24 for UKC) on top of the final asking price. ESC is mandatory and UKC is optional. We will submit the registration forms and the certificate will be mailed directly to the new owners.

Things to remember:

We cannot stress how much of a commitment a puppy is. Puppies need time, work, love and understanding. It is just like having a new baby in the house, though these babies grow up quite a bit faster!

Our time is just as valuable as yours! Please truly consider your plans and schedule before contacting us about a puppy. Emergencies come up and we understand that but we ask that you don't contact us about a puppy now and then realize when the puppies are almost ready to go to their new homes that 6 months would be a better time for you.
When filling out your questionnaire pay attention to your answers. Don't answer it with short responses that are not thought out just because you want to get it back to us quickly. This is a HUGE reference for us when matching the puppies with the families. Don't add something that you don't really mean and don't change your mind after sending it in. Changes are natural are we understand that, but please don't say we prefer a Tri color female that would be a good family companion and then decide that you want a clear sable and white male to do herding with! There is a big difference between the two and not just in gender and color!

When looking at the pictures and videos you only get to see a small window of what we've been seeing for the past 8+ weeks. We do try to go along with your preferences but in the long run we make the final decision of what puppy is going to what family. We can't base such a big and life altering decision on what a family see in a video or if they visit for a short while.
 We are usually working with several other families, not just yours. We really do try to work with everyone to get the best dog possible for your family, but not every family can get that same cute puppy that takes the best pictures! We've been matching puppies with families for years. We have a minimum of 20+ years to over 60+ years experience with English Shepherds. Please trust our experience.
 All of our puppies will be sold under and spay/neuter contract unless previous arrangement have been made. You cannot decide when signing the contract that all of a sudden you would like the option to breed. Raising puppies takes a lot of time and hard work and is certainly not for everyone! There are a lot of risks when breeding and puppy raising. You could even lose your beloved family companion. So please do not think that you can get a puppy and let her have a litter or two so your kids can experience the joy of life. It would be traumatizing to have them watch their dog die because of your families inexperience in raising dogs. Emergencies do come up and if you don't know the signs... Also, it is a HUGE job finding the right home for all of the puppies. Even experienced and reputable breeders aren't always able to find good homes. Puppies have come back, been mistreated, and sometimes you have to keep a puppy because no one wanted it. So keep in mind that you could end up with 8-10 new dogs that you never planned on keeping. Watch YouTube videos if you would like your children to see the miracle of birth.
Visitation information:

Unfortunately we don't allow visitors to come meet the moms and puppies until the puppies have been vaccinated. The puppies are given their first vaccines at 7 weeks of age and require a week of incubation time for the vaccines to become effective. We do everything in our power to raise happy and healthy puppies and are very protective of our babies. There are several k-9 viral diseases that can be passed on from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact. They can be passed in the feces or vomit of an infected dog. They can be brought into our yard on the tires of your car, on your feet, or simply on your clothing after petting an infected dog. They can be passed from yard to yard by birds carrying the disease or by people going "kennel-hopping" and carrying the virus on their clothing or shoes. It is impossible for you or I to know what is lurking on your clothing, and for this reason we have decided to keep puppy buyers out of our nursery.   We want to make sure that our puppies are safe from these diseases so we ask that we have NO VISITORS until the pups are 8 weeks and safely inoculated.

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  • Home
  • Currently Available
  • Our Girls
  • Our Boys
  • News/Updates
  • About Us
  • English Shepherd Info
  • Future Puppy Owners
  • Previous Litters
  • Memorial Page
  • Nutrition
  • Contact Us