We believe that the Shiloh Shepherd is an amazing breed being guided by a unique organization toward full AKC recognition. We'd like to share and answer some of our frequently-asked questions as you consider whether a Shiloh is the right dog for you and your family.

A: We are Anne and Zak Becker of Sparta Shilohs, listed as ISSR Licensed-Breeders-In-Training (LBIT's) with the Shiloh Shepherd Dog Club of America. We are located in Denton, TX and our website is Sparta Shilohs.com. We are being mentored by the Breed Founder herself, Tina Barber of New Zion Shilohs (New Zion Shilohs.org).

A: The ISSR registers all the dogs which are working toward AKC recognition under our Breed Founder, Tina Barber. We have strict rules and regulations that our Licensed Breeders and LBIT's must follow, and a Genetic Task Force that tracks and works to reduce genetic disease in our breed. When you buy a puppy from us you are guaranteed to be getting the real deal, continually developed by the original organization and the creator of the breed.

Other organizations and breeders claiming to sell Shilohs split off from us long ago for various reasons. They don't have any overall regulatory body and do not track diseases like Hip Dysplasia the way we do. Many of them introduce "outcross" blood (German Shepherd or other breeds) indiscriminately. You have no real guarantees when getting a puppy from a non-ISSR breeder that you are actually getting a real Shiloh instead of just a GSD (or other) mix.

A: LBIT's are a key part of our breeding program. Instead of having a host of large kennels, we rely on our community: normal families like yours who have chosen to help expand our gene pool by having at least one litter with their dogs. Gene pool expansion is a necessity for the future health of the breed, and is needed to obtain recognition with the AKC. All LBIT's study genetics, whelping, socialization, and more in our online Official Shiloh Shepherd Academy (yes, we have to go to "school" before we are allowed to have a litter!). All LBIT's are also mentored by one or more of our official Licensed Breeders throughout the time they are active in our program.

A: Not yet. We are a breed under development, and are on our final push toward applying to the AKC for recognition. We need to expand our gene pool and get enough dogs registered to meet AKC specifications, and are aiming to do this by 2014.

A: A Shiloh Shepherd is much larger than most German Shepherds. They have a gentler, more family-friendly temperament, and are lower energy than a working GSD. Many genetic diseases, such as Canine Hip Dysplasia, have been significantly reduced in the ISSR Shiloh. The Shiloh also comes in both a long-coated (plush) or a shorter German-Shepherd-type (smooth) coat. We recognize colors that the GSD standard does not, such as buff and white dogs and dogs with light instead of dark muzzles.

A: Though built around a selective German Shepherd core when it started forty years ago in Tina's Shiloh Kennel in New York, other breeds have been introduced to create the Shiloh Shepherd we know today. These breeds ("New Blood" or "outcrosses") were introduced to help reduce health issues, to increase size and bone, or to obtain structure needed to match Tina's vision (such as level, square build instead of sloping or roached backs).

The dogs used were: Samson-Woo, a giant Malamute cross custom-bred for Tina; Artus, an Altdeutscher Shaeferhund imported from Germany; and Orbit, a Canadian White Shepherd produced by Hoof Print kennels. All of these dogs fit stringent criteria established by Tina, including having at least six generations of extensive pedigree, health, and littermate documentation behind them.

Though they are very much a necessary component in the health of today's Shiloh bloodlines, pups with New Blood close behind them may exhibit traits more in line with the New Blood than with traditional Shilohs (higher energy, harder temperament, or smaller size, for example). Because of this, they are sold at a cost slightly less than the Non-NB (Non-New Blood) pups, which have nothing but Shiloh Shepherd behind them for at least three generations.

A: ISSR Shiloh Shepherds are not considered to meet the breed standard unless they hit the following size:
    Females: 26" or more at the shoulder, 75 to 120 pounds (the largest females today hit 30")
    Males: 28" or more at the shoulder, 95 to 140 pounds (the largest males today are over 32")

A: ISSR breeders aim for a softer, more family-friendly temperament. The breed standard describes this aptly as "a gentle giant with a heart of gold". Shilohs love to be with their people, and are not happy being chained out or kenneled away from their families. Though most are not "needy" per se, they do like to go places with you and to be a part of your life. They learn quickly and easily and pick things up extremely quickly—whether you make an effort to teach them or not!

A: Energy levels vary throughout the breed. This is necessary if we want the Shiloh Shepherd to be able to do a variety of tasks; a Shiloh working at Search and Rescue or being trained to do Agility or Herding trials needs to be higher-energy than one whose job is to just hang out with your family. When you fill out your puppy application, be sure to talk to your breeder about whether you are looking for a dog "on the go" or a "couch potato"!

A "couch potato" Shiloh (low energy level) is typically happy with a walk a day or a good long game of fetch or chase in the back yard. A more "on the go" Shiloh may be happier with a walk in the morning and evening, or going biking with you to burn off some energy. In general, though they may exhibit a lot of energy as puppies, once your Shiloh is a year old you will see them calm down quite a bit. Remember that Shilohs are a giant breed, and susceptible to over-exercising as pups--do not force your pup to wear a pack (bear weight) or go on long bike rides or hikes until their skeletal and muscular systems have matured, around a year old.

A: ISSR Shilohs have fantastic hips! In our last breed-wide health survey, Hip Dysplasia in our breed had dropped to only a third of what it was in the GSD foundation stock Tina started with forty years ago! That survey was done a decade ago, and we expect that the numbers will be even better in the survey we're working on right now!

The key to our excellent hips is our Breed Founder's LMX program, which stands for LitterMate X-Ray. In this program, not just breeding dogs but all their littermates have their hips rated. This information is tracked and used to make decisions about which dogs are approved for breeding, and has been for over thirty years.

A: The protective instinct is built into the Shiloh breed. As your pup matures, if you have socialized him well, he will be able to make a judgement call as to what is a safe situation and what is not. Many of our fellow Shiloh owners have been very surprised when their "mush" puppy—so gentle and retiring with their children—challenges a stranger with hackles raised and a deep, resounding bark!

Our Breed Founder calls Shilohs ".45 caliber water pistols". They are capable of acting scary when needed, and their size makes them very intimidating, but they are not inherently aggressive.

A: No. There are a couple of ISSR Shilohs which are trained in Schutzhund (bite work), but for them it is only play—and you can tell from the wagging tails! In reality, Shilohs love people too much to be real "attack dogs". Any supposed Shiloh breeder who tells you differently is either in grievous error or is not breeding real Shilohs!

A: The Shiloh Shepherd breed standard recognizes two coat types: plush (long coat) and smooth (shorter coat similar to a German Shepherd's). Some plushes have more profuse coats than others and some have coats only slightly longer than a smooth's, so there is some variance.

A: Both shed about the same amount, but in different ways.

The long coat tends to "catch" its own shedding hairs, and needs to be brushed once or twice a week—more often twice a year when they "blow coat". Because the discarded hairs are caught by the rest of the coat, not as much will end up on your floor if you are vigilant about the twice-weekly brushing. The plush coat, though very popular and attractive, also tends to pick up grass and burrs and such—and mud puddles are going to require a bath!

The smooth coat, on the other hand, requires very little brushing—perhaps once a week or once every two weeks to keep it sleek and attractive—more often twice a year, when they are "blowing coat". On the other hand, the smooth coat sheds effortlessly, and unless you brush more often, all that fur is probably going to end up in your vaccuum! The plus side to the smooth is that if you hike, all the grass and burrs brush out with minimum effort. Even muck will brush out, after it has dried. The smooth is the "wash and wear" coat for the active dog!

A: The Shiloh is a very colorful breed! In solid colors, we recognize solid black and solid white, and the buff (similar to a white, but with golden/apricot coloring on the outer coat). We have sables (a wolfy-looking color pattern) and duals (what the German Shepherd world calls "black and tan") ranging from silver, grey, and cream all the way through golden and tan to a deep reddish brown. The one color we do not have is the true clear "red" seen in many of today's German Shepherds.

A: Shilohs are notable not only for their intelligence but for their empathy. It is their ability to sense how their people are feeling, that uncanny "almost human" intelligence and connection to their families, that truly sets them apart. This characteristic makes Shiloh Shepherds excellent Therapy Dogs or Service Dogs.

A:You can find a complete listing of all our Licensed Breeders and LBIT's online at Shiloh Shepherds.org. We also link to a few of them here on our site--just click on the "Links" button on the left sidebar. Several of our breeders run ads monthly in Dog Fancy magazine, and our club does a large two-page photo spread (look for the yellow backdrop) in Dogs USA and Puppies USA magazines. All ISSR breeders and LBIT's will proudly proclaim their ISSR allegiance on their websites or over the phone if you ask!

A: All ISSR breeders use the same pricing to keep things fair for both breeders and consumers. Shiloh Shepherd Pet-quality puppies will run between $900 and $1550 depending on how much New Blood (see above) is in the pup. Breeding-quality pups cost more and are only sold with co-own or breeder's agreements. Most pups these days are Non-New Blood, which is the type of pup we need to produce more of to apply to the AKC for recognition. So, most Shiloh pups will cost $1550.

All ISSR Shiloh pups come with a guarantee backed by one of our Licensed Breeders and your breeder or LBIT will be available for any support you may need throughout the life of your dog. We possess an excellent online community forum (you can find it at Shiloh Shepherd Friends.com) and our local Chapters organize Meet and Greet events, shows, pet expo booths, and get-togethers for you to meet with other Shiloh owners and get some great socialization for your pup!

A: Absolutely! Because of our extensive puppy placement testing, we do not have as many rescues as other breeds, but they do happen. When a rescue becomes available, they will be posted on our Breed Rescue website at Shiloh Rescue.com.

More common are rehomes. As we reach for AKC recognition, gene pool expansion is paramount. In order to do that, our larger breeders need to find good homes for their males and females who have finished breeding, in order to make room for the new generation! Such rehomes are usually between three and six years old, and deserve a loving retirement with a real family of their own. Won't you help to give them one?

There are also rehomes from families who for one reason or another are unable to keep their Shiloh. Perhaps they've had to move to a no-dogs apartment, or have lost their job. These dogs are usually returned to the breeder, who cares for them while they look for a new forever home.

A: Take a look at our breeder listing (available at Shiloh Shepherds.org) and explore their websites. Contact them and talk to them about their dogs. When you have chosen a breeder whose dogs you love and who you are confident in working with, then ask for their Puppy Application. This is a questionnaire that will help them match you with a puppy that is the right energy level and temperament for you! If you are looking for a special puppy to be a Service Dog or Search and Rescue dog, tell your breeder that too. There are specific traits a puppy going into those professions needs.

Many breeders will also have a Puppy Agreement, which is a document for you to read and sign, usually dealing with the care of the puppy they will entrust to you. Be sure to ask for this, too. Our breeders care about the kinds of homes their pups go into, and they will probably want to know all about you!

When you are done with the Puppy Application and any agreements, you will want to send in a deposit to cement your position on the litter. The deposit is a portion of the overall price of the puppy, usually $400. This will be applied to the balance of what you owe for the puppy. First deposit on a litter gets first "pick" of the pups that fit their criteria, followed by second deposit, third deposit, etc. However, it is also possible to pre-pay the entire cost of the puppy up front. Pre-pays do go in front of deposits for "pick" positions.

Many breeders will only take deposits/pre-pays for the first four or six positions on a litter, until they see how many pups they actually have available. Also, there will be times when a breeding will not take or a girl has a split heat. If you are willing to be moved to a different litter or to wait until the next heat, be sure to let your breeder know.

A: ISSR breeders perform an intensive evaluation on every pup in their litter when they are eight weeks old. Called the LER (Litter Evaluation Report), it measures sociability, dominance/submission, pain tolerance (important for service dogs and for pups going to families with small children), noise sensitivity/gunsureness, play drive, retrieve drive, and prey drive (important if your pup is going to share your home with cats!), among other factors. This LER report is then agonized over by your breeder as she looks at your requirements and tries to get an idea which puppies in the litter suit your family best! When she has her likely candidates, she will call you up to tell you about the pups that fit your application and discuss which one of them is going to be your new puppy!

This is a lot more intensive process than what most of us are used to, where we see a puppy and say "that one!" However, choosing a puppy like that can lead to owning a dog that isn't suitable for your household—the pup might turn out dominant, or too high-energy, or aggressive with small animals. Our way, you get matched with the pup that is the closest we can get to exactly what you want. And this is the reason we have so few rescues and rehomes!

Thanks so much for reading our Q&A. If you have any more questions, please do contact us via our website here. We hope that you'll decide that the Shiloh is the breed for you!