Hello! Welcome to Locherie Shepherds! My name is Trish Sansbury-Taylor. My husband and I raise our German Shepherd pups in our household. We start neurological stimulation on the third day of the pup's life, and socialization and training starts when they are 3 weeks old. They will be started on basic obedience, crate training, and housebreaking. They will also be exposed to a variety of people and situations. This helps build an exceptionally intelligent, confident, social and well-adjusted dog. These pups will make excellent family companions, as well as be suited to a variety of dog sports- including Schutzhund, competitive obedience, agility, search and rescue, nose work, agility, and personal protection dogs. They are highly intelligent and respond well to training, they are protective of their family yet affectionate, loving, and obedient.
I compete with my dogs in the sport of Schutzhund because I love training and working with my dogs and because it is such an important temperament test for the working dog. Dogs that pass Schutzhund trials must have certain traits. They need to be intelligent, trainable, protective, and confident. Schutzhund dogs produce puppies like themselves. The same traits that make good Schutzhund dogs also make great family pets.
Not only do I title my dogs in Schutzhund, but I also Breed Survey them. In order for a dog to become Breed Surveyed, certain criteria must be met. The dog needs to be titled, he must pass a 12 mile endurance test, his hips and elbows need to be certified free of dysplasia, and he must get a rating from a Conformation Show proving he is structurally correct. Once all this criteria is met, the dog goes in front of a Breed Survey Judge, who examines him carefully and observes him doing a protection routine. Only when a dog passes all this, can he be considered Breed Surveyed and be desirable to be bred. All my dogs are Breed Surveyed before being allowed to have puppies. This is why my dogs produce such high quality puppies, who become not only sport or competition dogs, but also loyal companions and enjoyable pets.