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Welcome to Forever German Shepherd Dogs where German Shepherds are family.

TESTIMONIALS

from our valued customers

This page was last updated: March 30, 2007

Date: 11/27/2005 7:52:16 PM Eastern Standard Time

Dear Tonya,

I just wanted to say it was a joy working with your dog Valdezz. He was so pleasant, I enjoyed taking his pictures. I found him to be very cooroporitive, and sweet natured. I am sure anyone that adopts one of your dogs will be very pleased, they not only receiving a pet, but a new member to their family. Good luck with your new additions soon to come. I am looking forward to seeing the little pups, and if you need anyone to take pictures of them, feel free to contact me.

Jo Bledsoe

2/10/2006 6:05:49 P.M. Eastern Standard Time

Hi Tonya,

Kero is doing great. He has fit into the family very well. He is one of us

now. All the children love him very much, as I do. Here are some pictures

of him relaxing in bed. I will send you a full body picture of him tomorrow

to put on his pedigree if you want. We will probably wait until he is about

a year old to get him fixed. So that he won't get our females pregnant, when

I get some. Which won't be too long from now. I would like for him to get

some maturety to him before getting him fixed. I will write you back

tomorrow with a picture of Kero for his pedigree. Talk with you soon, April

Kero - Valdezz/Kera Litter Whelped 12/15/2005

8 weeks old

Date: 2/12/2006 5:59:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time

Dear Tonya,

I just want to thank you again for everything. The children call him King Kero. Here is a wonderful picture of him, which I think fits his name quiet

well. Kero is the most wonderful pet anyone could ever have. He loves everyone and everyone loves him! He is great with all the kids! He is so

wonderful and we just love him being a part of our family. He is learning to mind our commands already. He will sit, stay, he is crate trained and almost house trained. Kero is extremely smart! I do not think I have ever seen a puppy as young as him learn so many things as quick as he has. He is the most gorgeous puppy I have ever seen. Everyone that sees him just goes on and on about how beautiful and smart he is. He lives in the house and loves to play outside with the children. I am sure all the other puppies from the Valdezz/Kera litter are as wonderful as our Kero! Thank you again for everything and I will be keeping in touch with updates of King Kero!

Sincerely, April and Family

King Kero - Valdezz/Kera litter whelped 12/15/06

8 weeks old

4/8/2006 7:04:05 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time Cash(Valdez)/Kera Litter Whelped 12/15/2005

HEY!

I keep meaning to e-mail you an updated pic but my husband keeps getting sent TDY and takes my laptop with all my photos on it!

SO! here is your update ...

Loki Vom Haus Welichko is his official AKC name, but we just stick with Loki... Loki is a Norse/German deity of Mischief , and others believe Loki is the Arch Angle of God's Wrath. I think the mischief one is much more fitting!

Loki had a weird start to life... about a week after bringing him home he got extremely lathargic and could barely hold his eyes open... he was showing all the signs of having an obstruction and we were convinced he got himself into something he shouldnt have... long story short... he had an exploratory surgery done and they found NOTHING! The vets are dubbing it as an idiopathic inflamation of his pyloric walls... He is doing wonderful however, so don't fear... My husband loves him, and can't get over how big his paws are... at 16 weeks he is pushing 40 lbs and everyone thinks he will be at least 90 lbs as an adult. Charlie (my other shepherd) loves him... she likes to pretend like she doesn't... but she can't fool me... she lets him beat her up and jump all over her with such patience and a big old wagging tail,,,, Charlie had Loki potty trained in two days... every once in a great while there is a little accident... but I'm not arguing... He loves comming to training class and we have him playing tug and are building his prey drive with what we call a "sissy stick", no we dont beat him LOL its a long stick with a rag on the end and he gets to chase it around and play tug.. I always get a laugh out of him... he is always just so happy. here are a few pictures for you... I'll try to e-mail you at very least once a month

Kristen

4/8/2006 7:49:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

idiopathic basically means.. We have NO CLUE what cause it...

End all be all... the walls of his tummy got very infalmed and wouldnt let anything out.... they went in for surgery convinced something was in there (like he ate a piece of stuffed animal or something) because we did 50 million x-rays, and a barium series, and it all looked like he had an obsturction... upon going into his tummy, they found nothing in there... they figured the antibiotics and massaging the walls of his tummy was what fixed it... all I can say is I am veru happy he is in good health.. he is just an absolute treasure :)

and you are more than welcome to post any pictures i send you of Loki now or in the future as well as e-mails that I send you... Im sure you'll definately want to put them up when he starts going for rally trials, and Schutzund titles! (although that will be a while from now LOL)

If I find anyone that is interested in her I will be more than happy to let you know...

have a good one

Kristen

Loki's 6/7 month old update

0/24/2006 1:01:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Hey! Just thought I would drop you a line and let you know how Loki is doing, and send you a few pictures. He is taking after his "big sis" Charlie and developed one heck of a prey drive. He goes bonkers for fetch and tug. His obedience in Schutzund is going great and we should be able to get him his BH in Schutzund when he hits 18 months old! He is an absolute attention hound and cracks me up every day. He is about 67 lbs and so awkward, poor guy can't seem to get acclimated to his body's growth rate. So none-the-less Loki is doing fantastic, just thought you may like to know your baby is leading the good life :) Here are a few pictures from a trip to a lake we took the other day! Enjoy!

Kristen Welichko

Lorki at 6/7 months

Big Sis and Lorki cooling it

Big Sis, Dad and Lorki

6/23/2006 2:27:21 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time Cash(Valdez)/Shanna litter Whelped 01/24/06

Hello!

Just thought I'd let you know that Justice has settled in quite nicely. He's become very confident and LOVES going to the dog park. In fact, we are headed there right now. Also, he starts puppy obedience classes next week. But, I've already taught him to sit, lay down, and shake hands without help. He also does very well on the leash, when we go for walks. Justice is an absolute delight to have around ... Thanks again so much!

~ Ashton

6/27/2006 1:55:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time - Cash(Valdez)/Shanna litter Whelped 01/24/06

Dear Tonya:

Sorry for the delay. I received your e-mail the other day but have been busy. Taboo is doing great and just passed 5 months the other day. He is 54 lbs. I will take some pictures this weekend. I was waiting for his ears to come up as it would look better in the pictures. They are fully up now but one of them still wiggles a little. He is very easy to train. He sits, stays, shakes paw and heals tightly and all on verbal command. I am slowly becoming disabled with my back problem so I am primarily training him to be a service (mobility assistance) dog for me. I will also train him for Therapy Dog work under the Delta Society pet partners program, but I don't think there will be too much training required on his part, as it all comes naturally to him. When the weather cools here in November I will take him for his CGC test. You can use any parts of this for your testimonial but I will be sending you a more exact testimonial along with pictures this weekend. Thanks so much for such a nice dog and friend.

Sincerely,

Wilson

7/4/2006 10:24:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

"Hi Tonya: Have been busy here but finally got around to updating you on how Taboo is doing. As I mentioned in my last letter to you, he sits, stays and shakes paw. He can also so do a a high five, all on voice command and without any hand signs. As I will be training him for service dog work (mobility assistance) I have been working with him to heal and follow other commands "off leash". He also been doing off leash training in public places, such as an outdoor mall. I was able to start this phase after I felt confident in his ability to follow instructions and ignore distractions such as other dogs and animals. Though this is not usually recommended I have done this before in training another service dog. At 5 1/2 months of age not many dogs can do this. When in public and off leash, he is wearing a service dog harness with attached handle. He heals tightly, usually no more than 12 inches away. Taboo and I have just begun working on climbing and descending stairs. He is doing very well. He is required to take one step at a time and to stay directly at my side. If I stop midway on the flight of stairs, he must also stop there until I move again. He is picking it up just fine and I am so pleased with him. Considering my age and how long Taboo will probably live, this will probably be my last dog. Since I am becoming disabled from my back problem, I couldn't ask for a better dog. When Taboo reaches maturity and is trained to assist me as a service dog he will have the ability and confidence to travel and work in public, unaffected by distractions. I also plan to train him for therapy dog work under the Delta Society's Pet Partner program as long as my disability will allow me to make visits to the local hospital. He is such a people friendly dog I don't believe there will be very much training involved. As he progresses I will keep you informed. Thank you for such an excellent dog."

Wilson Arcadia, California

7/6/2006 3:37:19 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Hello -

I just wanted to let you know that Justice is doing very well - In terms of socialization, he tends to still be a bit hesitant when he meets a new dog or person, but warms up to them quickly. He's still terrified of my hair dryer and the vacuum, but we're working on it. He also got his first bath the other day, after rolling in something smelly. He was a perfect gentleman! He didn't try to climb out of the bathtub or shake water everywhere - In fact, he seemed to enjoy himself. He just laid in the tub until it was over. I was, and still am, astonished that he did so well.

Justice is wonderful when we go for walks at the dog park - he always listens to me, even when he is off the leash - which is amazing! I've never met a dog who was so easy to work with and naturally well-behaved / mellow. He's learned many new commands, including sit, wait, heel, lay down, off (the furniture), out (of a room), rollover, come here, and shake hands. He does not seem to respond to treats as a reward while he is training (which is new to me, but actually more convenient). In fact, I think he prefers lavish amounts of praise or his Kong toy over any treats.

Justice even impresses my friends who own dogs! They are shocked when they see how obedient / intelligent he is. Some of them have had their dogs for 4 or 5 years and still have trouble getting them to come when they call. And, their dogs certainly can't be let off the leash, even at a fenced in park because there is no way to get them to come back when it's time to leave. I am so proud to have the privilege of owning such an amazing dog!

It might sound like I am overstating the situation. However, I was raised around dogs my whole life and my family never had one that was as much of a delight to have around as Justice is. It took a lot of effort to teach those dogs their "manners," but it seems to come naturally to Justice.

I will be sending you some pictures shortly ... Actually, I tried to upload them onto my computer just now - but, for some reason, it wasn't working. My friend took my digital camera and will be emailing me the pictures from their computer soon. I will forward them to you once I get them.

Again, I can't thank you enough!

~ Ashton

Subject: Hello!

Date: 8/3/2006 6:06:23 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Hi Tonya!

It has been awhile since I wrote, but I wanted to give you an update on Justice ...

He's been having a great summer so far! =) We go to the local dog parks frequently (they even just opened one up in my town!), so he can run around non-stop for a couple hours ... He's also taken to swimming pretty well, too! A lot of the local parks are near the Huron river, or a small lake ... He loves it when I throw a tennis ball in the water for him to retrieve ... We have had near record-high temperatures and humidity in Michigan recently, so it's a great way for him to keep cool in this stifling weather.

Also, I got new neighbors a few weeks ago that own a Jack Russell puppy (only about 6 months old) that Justice enjoys running around with ... He's very good with the much smaller dog and is careful not to be too rough.

Justice has also completed his basic obedience class with flying colors ... Since he gets out so much and has so many opportunities to socialize with other people / animals, I signed up with a dog trainer that comes to my house, to complete his training (all of the agility classes that I tried to sign him up for were already filled for the summer ... we have to wait until the fall to start that). Right now, Justice is working on personal protection, intermediate obedience, and trick training. By far, the funniest trick he has (sort of) learned so far is how to roll over. He gets confused sometimes halfway through the trick and simply ends up thrashing around on his back, like a fish out of water. He knows what he is supposed to do, but it seems that his brain and his big, rather clumsy body don't quite make the connection. It's EXTREMELY funny to watch him try, though.

I also take him to my old elementary school to run around sometimes ... He is good with any kids that might be there playing - always very gentle and calm. In fact, he enjoys the attention from them so much that he actually follows the kids right onto the playground! To my dismay, he even followed one of them down the slide before I could stop him! I was afraid he was going to hurt himself, but he had great fun and now does it regularly, with no apparent ill effects. He sort of walks and slides down at the same time. Even when Justice and I are the only ones there, he still walks all over the playground, even going to the very top occasionally. I will take some pictures at the playground soon and send them to you. It's so funny to see!

Justice has also learned to be around my two ferrets when they are out of their cages ... Although, I never leave them together unsupervised. He is always so gentle that it seems he does not have a mean bone in his body ... He especially likes Cujo (my albino ferret) ... Sometimes, it appears as though they are "talking" to each other. Justice will kind of whine a bit and Cujo will cluck back at him ... Justice also grooms Cujo, which pretty much just leaves a very soggy ferret. The only small animals that Justice will not tolerate for some strange reason are the bunnies that are all around the neighborhood. He won't chase them, but he will bark and growl until they run away. My friends joke that Justice is protecting me from the "big, scary, evil bunnies." He doesn't have a problem with squirrels, cats, ferrets, chipmunks, birds, or anything else - just those "evil" bunnies.

Anyway, I hope all is going well for you and I will continue to give you updates about how Justice is doing.

Best Wishes,

Ashton

Date: 11/17/2006 4:50:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time

"Hello!

Unfortunately, due to Anny's (the photography student) tight schedule, the photos of Justice have been postponed until mid-December. =( But, I will send you copies as soon as I get them!

Thanks for the suggestions about Justice's separation anxiety / howling ... I did end up buying the collar, and guess what ...?

I only had to use it once! He got the point after the first time I left the house. Smart dog. =)

And, you were right on the money in your assessment : I think it did only encourage the behavior when I told him "no." I think he was just relieved to see that I was home. You could tell that he didn't care that I was chastising him. His ears were up and his tail was wagging emphatically, every time I'd tell him to stop barking, haha.

Also, I thought he was too young to leave uncrated while I am gone, but I have started to leave him out when I make short trips (to my family's house for dinner, running to the store for milk, etc.) and he does very well. I think just having the run of the house allows him more access to things that can occupy him. Plus, he tends to stay right near the door and only focuses on waiting for me to return.

Normally, his crate is in my office ... Sort of isolated from the main part of my house ... But, he doesn't spend much time in there, either. He has always slept in my room with me ... Certainly not ON the bed, but he will curl up at the side of my bed, generally.

The first time I left him uncrated, one of my techno-savvy friends hooked up a webcam to his laptop, so we could watch what Justice did, once I left. Since he was isolated to the living / dining rooms, it was easy to watch him. I was "gone" for about 45 minutes and all Justice did was lay in front of the door and chew one of his toys. I admit, I still don't trust him entirely for long periods of time, but he's never really given me a reason not to trust him, either. I just want to make absolutely sure that he is safe at all times!

And, even though I am never really gone for more than 4-5 hours at a time (and that's only a few times a week), I also employed a daytime dog-walking service. Justice gets tons of exercise anyway, but he is always SO full of energy that I didn't think it could hurt. Also, since moving, he has befriended at least half a dozen dogs in the neighborhood - all of whom he runs around with on a daily basis. I guess when I make sure that Justice is truly exhausted, he does much better when left at home. =) But, that's a difficult task, even for me! I'm a pretty high-energy individual - I love going for walks and jogs and such - And, Justice definitely outlasts me, no matter what the activity.

As for the neighbors, I DID figure out that the beagle next door is a horrible influence!! The dog will start to howl, and (sometimes even when I am home) once Justice hears it, he starts to "sing along," too! So, I'm not too worried about what the neighbors think anymore - It's their dog who starts the commotion in the first place! =) And, it certainly is funny to watch ... Justice rolls around on his back with a crazy look in his eye, howling like a nutcase. If I had a video camera, I would record it and send you a copy ... I've never seen anything like it!! The first time he did it, I thought he was in pain, then I realized he was just being goofy.

On a VERY interesting note, I sometimes take Justice with me over to my Dad's house ... I go there every Sunday for a family dinner. My dad has a 12-year-old Labrador retriever, who is pretty much on his "last leg." The dog is almost totally blind and has a difficult time walking ... Until Justice comes over. Then, he acts like a big puppy. It seems to bring out the youth in him!

Justice and AJ (my dad's dog) always play very well together ... Until one day a couple of weeks ago, when I heard AJ howling and I ran out into the backyard, to find Justice biting (rather viciously) at a spot on AJ's side ... Appalled, I yelled at Justice and pulled him away. He didn't seem to have HURT AJ, only startled him.

2 days later, AJ had an appointment for his general check-up at the vet ... In the EXACT SAME SPOT where Justice had been biting at him, they found a cancerous tumor.

Have you ever heard of anything like that? I'm still in shock over the whole thing. It was very weird. But, pretty much, Justice saved AJ's life - since my dad had the vet examine the area where Justice had nipped at AJ.

Haha, every pet owner thinks their pet is special, but Justice saved someone's life! =)

~ Ashton."

New pictures of Taboo as adult

Date: 3/18/2007 10:54:27 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Dear Tonya:

It certainly took me some time to getting around to taking new pictures of Taboo but things were a little difficult for me here, medical wise. I found out that I also had Neuropathy of the legs and feet which is causing more mobility problems. The meds are good and take care of the tingling but don't correct the numbness. Taking physical therapy and that helps. It took me some doing, but I was finally able to get on disability. Taboo is doing just fine and I expect to have him custom fitted for his mobility support harness in June or July. Since it is custom made/fitted he needs to reach his full size. He is excellent on stairs, only taking one step at a time, in lockstep with me, which will allow him to provide excellent mobility support while going up and down stairs. The physical therapy tech is going to integrate him into my therapy program after he is fitted with his mobility harness, and up and running. The support harness that I tried out before was basically useless and he was way to young when I was trying it. The correct approach should be to put the harness on him, less the handle, until he gets used to it then the handle. He can spend a month or two getting used to it prior to actually beginning any mobility assistance training work. I will wait until he is fully acclimatized to his harness and used to working in it prior to taking more pictures. When that does happen I should be able to get one of the staff members at the physical therapy facility to take some pictures of us "in action". If they look good enough you might be able to use them for your own use. Hope you like the pictures.

Sincerely,

Wilson Parks