A: We will accept a $500 deposit to reserve a puppy from one of our planned breedings. The deposit is not refundable, with no exceptions, since we only accept a limited number of deposits. If we are not able to provide you with a puppy (e. g., you wanted a female, but only males were born) or if your circumstances change and you cannot take a puppy from this litter, we can transfer you to one of our future breedings or offer you an imported puppy.

A: Usually our puppies leave our kennel when they are 8 weeks old, after they’ve been tattooed in their right ear, wormed, and have received all necessary vaccinations according to their age.


A: We are always happy when our customers can come to pick up their German Shepherd puppy. We would love to meet you, show you around our kennel, and tell you about our dogs.


A: Puppies are very susceptible to disease and if a virus is introduced, an entire litter may be lost. Visitors may have been visiting animal shelters, or other kennels prior to coming to Kennels von Lotta, and could transmit viruses quite easily. Also, the mother of the pups is usually very protective at this point, and will get nervous knowing that there are strangers near her puppies. In addition, it is very difficult to evaluate puppies at this age, so the best time to come, look at the puppies, and pick up your puppy is after they are at least 7 weeks old. At this age they have received their initial vaccinations and their personalities and structure can be judged much easier.


A: If a customer lives too far away, we will ship the puppy. We will take care of all necessary paperwork and arrangements with the airline. This will include a health check by the vet prior to shipment.


A: Shipment cost for an 8 week old German Shepherd puppy is $400 anywhere in the US. This includes the crate that the puppy will be shipped in, which is yours to keep, and the cost of the Health Certificate. The cost of shipment of an older puppy may be higher due to increased weight or if a larger crate has to be used.


A: We will confirm shipping arrangements with you 1-3 days before shipment and will inform you of the airline, flight number, confirmation number, and arrival time. We will provide you with the phone number of your cargo facility where you will be picking up the puppy so that you can call for directions. We will stay in touch throughout the shipping process.


A: No. The paperwork necessary for obtaining an AKC registration certificate and a pedigree will arrive separately. We forward AKC paperwork to our customers as soon as we receive it, but it usually arrives when puppies are older than 8 weeks.


A: You should set up a cozy nest for your German Shepherd puppy in an out-of-the-way place. Make sure it has soft (preferably natural, not synthetic), easy to wash bedding. Have several safe toys, 2 feeding bowls, and food ready for your puppy. We recommend stainless steel bowls set up on a stand with adjustable height, so that your puppy eats and drinks from elevated bowls for correct posture development. An extensive brochure with lots of good advice on German Shepherd puppy raising will arrive with your puppy and hopefully will answer many of your questions.


A: There are two main things to consider if you want your puppy to develop well: diet and socialization. Please do not take them lightly! While your puppy is growing, you need to make a special effort to take him/her different places where he/she can meet people of different ages, other dogs, see traffic, hear different noises, etc – almost every day! Look at this as an additional responsibility that comes with owning a puppy. Making such an effort for a short period of time (just a few months) will dramatically impact the entire future life of your dog. As far as diet goes, I have an article on this website on how to feed your puppy – please read it.


A: To safeguard our puppies and kennel name, we have a special policy when it comes to breeding dogs from Kennels von Lotta.