XX Litter Background Information

Celhaus XX Litter (Lovely bred to Titus)
Whelped July 11, 2022:  one black and tan male

Lovely is from my LL litterTitus is from the OO litter (Hesed bred to Cantor).
Titus is a full, older brother to my Varoom! and the rest of the VV litter.

“Mr. X” went to North Carolina to compete in Schutzhund and to hunt for invasive plants.  He is now “Degen (Celhaus Xcellent Hope).

I am expecting some real live wires, full of the love of life, very social and confident, highly intelligent with super working drives.  I’m expecting them to train easily and enjoy working, and to have super noses and the desire to use them.   As for color, we can have black sables, bicolors and/or black & tans with extended black down the legs and body, and probably some solid blacks in this litter. 

pedigree

Sire:   Celhaus Octavius Titus
Whelped 8/22/18.  Titus is a Cantor/Hesed son

From his owners, March 2022:

“Titus holds certifications from Tri State K9 Search & Rescue in the following:

  • Live find 40 Acre
  • Live find 120 Acre
  • Wilderness Area
  • Cadaver 1
  • Cadaver 2

Titus is a remarkable K9 with a very high drive and dedication to source/re-find indication. He has excellent hunt drive and mental acuity for problem solving.

A very unique trait Titus has exhibited throughout his career is his ability to settle when he is over-stimulated or introduced to very stressful situations.  Time and time again when other K9’s will spin out and need to be removed from a situation Titis has demonstrated his ability to calm himself. This is particularly useful when handlers live with their K9’s and they are a part of their everyday lives and activities.

Once I took Titus to a “Locating the Dead” seminar. While there, Titus had to go between sitting calmly among a group of people and other dogs and working to locate the source in several different scenarios. He remained calm and composed while in close proximity to the other people and dogs but then immediately shifted into high-drive working mode when it was his turn to find and locate the source. After each scenario, he easily transitioned back into a calm state amongst the group. This demonstrates Titus’s ability to analyze new situations and act accordingly with ease.

Titus is a certified Wilderness Search and Rescue German Shepherd dog for both live finds and cadaver (TriState Cadaver 1 & 2).  He remains very focused when he knows he is actively searching in order to accomplish his goal and get his reward. Titus tends to stay within line of sight while searching but then barrels through the woods when he catches odor in order to lock down the location of his target. The people he trains with often say that you can hear Titus coming so much that you know it is either a bear or Titus. However, he is definitely cautious with his subjects and will often kiss them to ensure he found his target before returning to me with an indication that he had success.

Titus is also a very happy dog. Around the house, he loves to play tug and retrieve a ball thrown for him. When playing with our other German Shepherd dog, Titus will often submit to her, even though he weighs more than 40 pounds more than her and could definitely dominate. 

Although Titus exerts a determined and mighty presence while working, he is also very sensitive and flexible around the house. For the most part, Titus remains calm and close by at our feet as we go through our typical daily routines and only barks to signal when people are at the front door. If we are away for a few hours during the day, we trust Titus to have free reign of the house as he is calm and does not disturb anything in the home. When our nephew visits, Titus tends to protect him by herding him away from dangers, including the stairs. We recently had a baby boy and Titus has taken it upon himself to check in on the baby and protect him or stay close by when he is crying. 

Titus is the perfect combination between a working dog determined to accomplish a specified task and a family member who participates in daily routines around the house.”

OFA EXCELLENT hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Thyroid, OFA eyes, OFA Cardiac, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free, OFA DM (clear) – free of the spinal myelopathy mutation genes

Dam:  Celhaus Love Every Living thing PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, NE, AE, SE, NC, AC, NV, AV, SV, CGCA, ATD, THDN (Lovely)

whelped 3/16/16

OFA GOOD hips:  GS-99575G25F-VPI
PennHip at 1 year: 
95th Percentile!!!!, .25 left; .24 right
OFA elbows normal: GS-EL38181F25-VPI
OFA Cardiac:  GS-CA1887/33F/P-VPI
OFA Thyroid:  GS-TH854/33F-VPI
OFA Eyes:  GS-EYE527/26F-VPI
OFA DM (spinal myelopathy) CLEAR: GS-DM9373/21F-PI
free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) at 28 months
Free of hemophilia & von Willebrand’s (genetic bleeding disorders)

UKC Nosework Titles:  PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE (all five pre-tests), Advanced Containers, Superior Vehicles and Superior Exteriors.  Nosework is a fun new competition venue derived from narcotics dog training where dogs compete in searching for certain essential oils instead of narcotics.   There are five levels of difficulty (novice, advanced, superior, masters and elite) in each of five elements (exteriors, interiors, vehicles and containers).  Before a dog can compete for a title, it must pass a pre-test to show that it will search for and find that particular odor.  Lovely has passed all five pre-tests (Novice level is Birch, Advanced is Anise, Superior is Clove, Masters is Myrrh and Elite is Vetiver), and has her Superior Exteriors, Advanced Interiors, Advanced Containers and Superior Vehicles titles, despite losing all of 2020 to the pandemic. 

NADAC Agility:  Lovely was ready to compete for agility in 2020, but all trials were cancelled due to the pandemic.  She competed in April 2021 and got several qualifying scores but no title.  I did not enter the July 2021trials as we were in a terribly high covid surge and I wanted to avoid a lot of people.  Then our instructor quite giving classes and now no one in Sheridan teaches distance work, and my feet and back have gotten worse, so I may not do any more agility.

Lovely is first of all a tease.  I see it every morning during her ball sessions.  She is a two-ball dog, which means she won’t give me the one she has but must decide to drop it before I can throw the other.  She’ll retrieve for several minutes then give me a grin and sit there, making me wait until she decides she’s ready for more ball throws.   She has great hunt drive and natural desire to use her nose.  I see that during her ball sessions, too.  She seems bored if I throw the ball straight in a clear area but delights if it goes over trees and out of sight so she has to search for it.  I also see it in training, not so much in nosework other than she is Miss Gawky and will suddenly get engrossed in something and forget to search.  She’s getting better as she gains more experience and better understands that her job is to go in, search, find – and then she can be silly.  I definitely experience her humor in agility.  She makes me work every obstacle and will all of a sudden do some totally unpredictable, silly thing like acting as if she’s never seen a tunnel before and why would she go into that dark opening.  The instructor and my classmates get lots of laughs when it’s our turn to work.  She’ll be totally serious and focused and then all of a sudden give me a sideways glance with a twinkle in her eye and I know she’s plotting mischief.  In this she’s like her great-great-great grandmother, the original Glory, about whom people still tell funny stories. Life is never dull with Lovely around.

She has a nice social temperament and is full of the joy of life.  She has an endearing habit at home of coming up to me as I work on the computer, placing one paw on my leg and staring soulfully into my eyes until I quit typing and give her attention.  She soon figured out that the people we visit are extremely susceptible to this as well and thus is very popular as a therapy dog.

We actually did her therapy dog test in the Alzheimer’s Unit of one nursing home that I visit.  Before the pandemic, I went to the Unit every Thursday afternoon.  They are crazy about my dogs, so I had the brainstorm to ask if they’d like to help us do the test. Lovely knows Laurie, the tester, quite well so we need someone else to do the friendly stranger petting and exam as well as the walking erratically and running-past-as-if-in-an-emergency parts of the test.  The staff and residents were thrilled to be asked to participate.  One of the staff members did all those tests except one of the residents used her walker for the walking-erratically test and another helped us with the approach-someone-in-a-wheelchair test.  The rest of the residents watched avidly and had to be restrained from reaching out or approaching Lovely to pet her until we finished the test.  Then we went right into the first of her supervised visits and all the residents got to pet her.  In fact, we had to make the circuit of the room three times before everyone was satisfied that they had petted her enough.  She was a super hit and all of us had a ball.

Lovely is visiting nursing homes and doing Reading Dog at Tongue River Elementary.  She even has her own trading cards that we give out to the kids who read to her or write her letters (she has her own stationery) – and to the nursing home residents that I began writing to during the pandemic shutdown and continue to do weekly even though we’re visiting again, because they asked me to continue.  I guess the activity directors are greeted with huge smiles when they deliver my letters each week.

See Lovely’s trading cards

Lovely also does well in obedience.  She has her Canine Good Citizen and Canine Good Citizen Advanced titles. We wanted to work on the other titles but Laurie, who also instructed those classes, moved out of town and no one else has offered them.

Two of Lovely’s pups from her TT litter are service dogs and one is training for Search & Rescue.  All three of her WW litter are going to be trained for therapy dog workone will assist his owner in his counseling work.  Other of her pups are training in a wide variety of venues and some are already competing in Rally, Obedience, Agility and Nosework.  Others are companions for active families. Lovely’s cousin, Jamboree (they have the same sire – Quasi – and Jamboree’s mother is GloryToo’s litter sister), is the first (and so far, only) sworn-in Court Advocate Dog in Wyoming.  Court Advocate Dogs go with children when they must testify in abuse cases.  Before that, they will be present whenever the child has visitation from the non-custodial parent.  Lovely’s mother, GloryToo, is in training to be a Court Advocate Dog so that she will be ready if the program is expanded state-wide.

Lovely is sixth-generation my female line and shows so many of the good qualities from her great-great-great grandmother, Glory and those who followed her:  sound temperament, lots of drive, super noses, joy of life, willingness, the list goes on.  Breeding tells!!

See Lovely’s page 
See Lovely March 2020
See Lovely at 18 months
See Lovely’s favorite photos

Maternal Grand Dam:  Celhaus Gift of Glory PTE, AN, ME, MI, SC, AV, ATD, THDA (Glory Too)

whelped 6/7/13

OFA Hips GOOD:  GS-93516G28F-VPl
OFA elbows normal:  GS-E132026F24-VPl
PennHip at 1 year:  90th Percentile (Distraction Index .25 left and right hips,
in their excellent range, which is below .30)
DM (Spinal Myelopathy) carrier:  IGS-DM3153/6F-P|
OFA Eyes:  GS-EYE363/63F-VPI
OFA Cardiac:  GS-CA1434/30F-VPI
OFA Thyroid:  GS-TH802-46F-VPI
(2019)
OFA CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) DNA REPOSITORY:  GS-DNA-361/S
Free of bleeding disorders (hemophilia and von Willebrand’s)
Free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) at 29 months

Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance for Therapy Dogs (formerly TDInc).

GloryToo, named after her great-great-grandmother, whose call name was Glory, lives to use her nose.  She showed that drive practically from birth and as soon as I decided to keep her, I started allowing her to search for the nose work scents after I had trained the big dogs.  She was often quicker to find the hides in the house than the adults who had been training for months, so I knew I had a special pup here.  I’m hoping to get some nose work titles on her this summer.  I also plan to resume her agility training once she’s done with this litter.

She’s not extremely ball driven but enjoys her morning play sessions and really perks up if she has to hunt to find the ball where it has bounced across a fence or into the snow.

UKC Nosework titles:  PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, A/N, NI, AI, NE (all five pretests, plus Advanced Vehicles; Novice, Advanced & Superior Containers; Novice, Advanced, Superior and Master Interior titles; Novice, Advanced, Superior & Master Exterior titles; and Novice Vehicles).  There are five levels of difficulty (novice, advanced, superior, masters and elite) in each of five elements (exteriors, interiors, vehicles and containers).  Before a dog can compete for a title, it must pass a pre-test to show that it will search for and find that particular odor.  GloryToo passed all five pre-tests (Novice level is Birch, Advanced is Anise, Superior is Clove, Masters is Myrrh and Elite is Vetiver) and is doing very well in competition, though she missed several trials when she was either in heat, pregnant or lactating.  Now that she is retired from breeding, she should finish all her titles pretty quickly.

She’s a very social dog, very affectionate, and a great therapy dog.  She particularly enjoys the Reading Dog programs we do at Tongue River Elementary and did at Tongue River High School before covid hit.  She has an engaging, sometimes silly personality and just bursts with the joy of life.

She has her AKC Therapy Dog Novice (THDN) title, which requires a history of 10 therapy dog visits and her.   AKC Therapy Dog title (THD), which requires 50 visits.  She also has her THDA title, which requires 100 visits.  She visits nursing homes and participated in the Reading Dog program at the Children’s Library, which is designed to help children who are having trouble learning to read.  Children read to the non-judgmental therapy dog, which helps them to overcome feelings of embarrassment or inadequacy.  She particularly enjoyed the Reading Dog program at the Children’s Library and obviously missed it, so I began contacting schools to see if we could get any teachers interested in dogs coming to their classrooms.  In April 2019, we received a request to come to Tongue River Elementary School in Ranchester (about 15 miles for Sheridan).  She was thrilled to begin doing weekly Reading Dog sessions there.  We continue those to this day.  GloryToo also participated in a stress-relief program during finals week, where therapy dogs visit students at the local college, before covid and we hope it will eventually be reinstated. 

GloryToo also has her own trading cards that we give out to the kids who read to her or write her letters (and her own stationery) – and to the nursing home residents that I began writing to during the pandemic shutdown and continue to do weekly even though we’re visiting again, because they asked me to continue.  I guess the activity directors are greeted with huge smiles when they deliver my letters each week.

See GloryToo’s trading cards

GloryToo is in training to be a Court Advocate Dog so that she will be ready if the program is adopted state-wide.  Court Advocate Dogs go with children when they must testify in abuse cases.  Before that, they will be present whenever the child has visitation from the non-custodial parent.  A pilot program was conducted in the Gillette area and GloryToo’s niece, Jamboree, was the only dog that participated.  Jamboree is now is the only sworn-in Court Advocate Dog in Wyoming (Gillette).  

She also has her AKC Canine Good Citizen title.

See GloryToo’s page
See GloryToo March 2020
See GloryToo’s favorite photos

Maternal Grand Sire:  Quasi vom Geistwasser BH, AD, PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, ATD

whelped 10/24/10

OFA Excellent Hips, PennHip 90th Percentile (DI’s .18 & .23), OFA Elbows, OFA Cardiac, OFA Thyroid OFA Eyes, OFA DM (free), von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free

TLI Test normal at 47 months (free of EPI – Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency)

Quasi was a Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD, formerly Therapy Dogs Inc).

Quasi was nearly ready to try for his Schutzhund 1 title when I bought him.  I had hoped to get his title but an injury and then surgery made it impossible for me to travel 200 miles a lot of weekends to train at the nearest training club.

He had great hunt drive, loving to use his nose and searching very intensely when his ball took a bad bounce and he had to find it.  He showed that same desire to use his nose in nose work classes. 

Quasi did great in nosework and passed all his pre-tests.  I had planned for him to compete for nosework titles.  Since only one dog can be entered I each nosework class, the girls can’t compete if they’re in heat, pregnant or lactating, and we only have 2 nosework trials a year (spring and fall when often one of more girls are in one of those states), I concentrated on getting the girls’ titles and letting the males, who can compete any time, wait for their turn.  Unfortunately, he hurt an elbow and we were unable to fix it, so I had to put him down in November 2019.

Quasi had great retrieve drive.  He also enjoyed learning, showed a lively curiosity about everything new and was always willing to please.  He was fun in any kind of training and passed those traits to his progeny.  He also gave his pups a very sweet, affectionate nature and lots of personality and drive.  He was also a very social dog, with superb temperament that he passed on to his progeny.

Paternal Grandsire:  CANTOR VOM WENNER HAUS AT CELHAUS PTE, NI, AI, NE, CGC, ATD, THDN

whelped 3/24/16

OFA GOOD hips:   GS-99355G24M-VPI
PennHip at 1 year:  .37 left; .42 right
(PennHip no longer gives percentile ratings unless they’re in their excellent range, which is below .30)
OFA Elbows:  GS-EL37972M24-VPI
OFA Cardiac:  GS-CA1790-18M/P-VPI
OFA Thyroid:  GS-TH830/33M-VPI
OFA Eyes:  GS-EYE525/26M-VPI
OFA DM (spinal myelopathy) free:  GS-DM7517/18M-PI
free of bleeding disorders (vonWillebrand’s and hemophilia)
TLI Test normal at 18 months (free of EPI – Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency)
AKC DNA Profile:  V895816

Cantor is doing well in training.  He is amazing in agility; for instance, he learned the weaves in 6 sessions, including being consistent in finding the entrance to the set of 12 weaves from all angles and at great distances, no matter where I happen to be positioned, which is unheard of.  Unfortunately, my feet are becoming bad enough that I going to have to retire from agility. 

Cantor received his Canine Good Citizen title in September, 2017.  Unfortunately, the trainer who was offering classes for CGC Advanced and CGC Urban titles moved out of town and no one else has offered them.

UKC (United Kennel Club) Nosework titles:  PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, NI, AI, NE (all five pretests, plus both Novice and Advanced Interior titles and the Novice Exterior title).  There are five levels of difficulty (novice, advanced, superior, masters and elite) in each of five elements (exteriors, interiors, vehicles and containers).  Before a dog can compete for a title, it must pass a pre-test to show that it will search for and find that particular odor.  Cantor passed all five pre-tests (Novice level is Birch, Advanced is Anise, Superior is Clove, Masters is Myrrh and Elite is Vetiver) and last year began competing in classes, where he is doing very well.  He doesn’t like nosework as well as agility, but he enjoys using his nose and is getting more intense the more he trials.

NADAC (North American Dog Agility Council) Agility:  Cantor has participated in 3 agility trials.  He has some “legs” (you need three passing scores to earn each title) in several different classes.  He tends to go over the top with excitement at the trials and makes little mistakes, but he’s maturing nicely and hopefully he will earn some titles next year, since all three agility trials this year were cancelled due to the pandemic.

Cantor was a Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance for Therapy Dogs (formerly Therapy Dogs Incorporated).  He has a hard time holding still and being dignified, but he was gradually getting used to those therapy dog requirements when covid hit.  He was my best one for visiting through the windows during the pandemic, but once the nursing homes reopened in spring 2021, I decided it wasn’t worth it to start all over again working on inside visits and didn’t renew his certification in July 2021.

While he was certified, Cantor earned his AKC Therapy Dog Novice (THDN) title, which requires a history of 10 therapy dog visits.  He didn’t make it to his AKC Therapy Dog title (THD), which required 50 visits. 

Cantor is athletic and very well built for a working-line dog.  He has decent drives that go into overdrive when he’s doing something he loves, such as agility. 

See Cantor’s page.
See more Cantor photos
Playing in the snow, March 2012
Cantor at 18 months
Cantor favorite photos from birth

Paternal Granddam:  Hesed vom Spartanville at Celhaus PTE
whelped 1/30/15

OFA Hips GOOD:  GS-96739G25F-VPI
OFA elbows normal:  GS-EL35658F25-VPI
PennHip at 1 year:  .31 left; .33 right
(PennHip no longer gives percentile ratings unless they’re in their excellent range, which is below .30)
DM (Spinal Myelopathy) free:  GS-DM7515/32F-PI
OFA Eyes:  GS-EYE363/19F-VPI
OFA Cardiac:  GS-CA1681/26F-VPI
OFA Thyroid:  GS-TH802-57F-VPI
Free of bleeding disorders (hemophilia and von Willebrand’s)
Free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) at 24 months

UKC Nosework titles:  PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE
see favorite photos from birth and playing in the snow, March 2020

Many thanks to Constance Krebs of Spartanville Kennels, for this gorgeous girl.

Hesed is my fourth attempt over the years to incorporate more Eastern bloc bloodlines.  The dogs behind the Iron Curtain had to be very tough to survive the stark living conditions.  Generally dogs from those bloodlines have very strong immune systems and health characteristics because the ones who didn’t, didn’t survive in the old days.  That’s why I’ve tried to add those bloodlines.  Unfortunately, despite all the research I did, the earlier ones ended up not passing all my rigorous health screenings.  Hesed did, so I’m excited about seeing what she produces.  She is 3/4 East German (DDR) and 1/4 Czech.  Hesed is a very sweet, loving dog and very fun to live with, as she can be quite the clown at times and has an impish sense of humor. She also will do leaps for joy when she’s happy.  Her approach to life is very different from that of my female line (of which Lively is the 4th generation, Spirit & GloryToo are the fifth, and Mercy & Lovely are the sixth).  Hesed’s approach to life and new situations is much more conservative.  She doesn’t throw herself into new things like the rest of my girls do.  Typical of the lines she’s from, she is more cautious and wants to check things out before committing.  Once committed, though, she has the zest for life that I love in my dogs.

Once she decides to accept something – whether a new type of training or new activity – she does so with a fun sense of humor.  I never know whether, in a certain situation or even in one training session, I’ll have the serious, thoughtful Hesed or the tease.  When we attended a nosework seminar in 2016 and decided to change our whole approach to nosework training, Hesed fought the changes tooth and nail.  She would refuse to indicate the hide, even though she knew where it was and I knew where it was because she’d give a head check and swift, surreptitious glance at me before continuing to walk the area.  Finally, after several circuits, she’d give a big sigh, roll her eyes, and assume the new indication position (a down if the hide was low and a sit and stare if the hide was set high up).  It took months, but she now will do a quick indication, although she still gives a slight sigh and eye roll as she does.  Then, as soon as I acknowledge the indication, she’ll leap up bounce to me for her reward.  She has all five of her pre-tests for UKC Nosework and I may someday try for her Nosework titles, but she’s not crazy about dog shows so I may not. 

Hesed was doing agility and rally until she tore a cruciate ligament.  We did surgery and she’s back to moving beautifully, but I won’t do more agility with her and she seems, even after cruciate surgery, to be uncomfortable with fast sits so I won’t try for nosework or obedience titles.  She prefers to stay home.

From emails from Hesed’s breeder:

Your little girl (Hesed) stood out in the crowd.  Everyone liked her a lot.  She was so outgoing and confident with everyone that came here.  She was tugging, playing stick/ball with all, as were all of them, but she is a beautiful little sweetheart!!  You are going to be very happy with her.

We were to the vet today.  My vet says he has not seen a GSD puppy as nice as yours in a long time…he says…she is perfect in every way!  This vet is not a GSD fan, but he loved her 🙂  That made me very happy.   It seems like I hit a home run with Yzett…gosh…I love her and how she has produced for me in this litter.

For information on Hesed’s parents and grandparents, scroll down.  For photos, see Hesed’s page.

Paternal great-grandsire (Hesed’s Sire):  V Ajax vom Brandsteig BH, SchH3, AD, Kkl2, hips “a” normal, HDZW = 75, DM clear

 from Connie’s website:

Ajax is inbred on one of the best of the old DDR (East German) dogs, V Alf vom Kornersee 3-5.  Some of the greatest DDR dogs of all times appear in Ajax’s pedigree.  On the top side are Iran Tannenkrug, Confor vd Tonteichen, Neuman’s Jim, Zorro v Laager Wall, Don v Rolandreich, Quindt v Basruther Land.  On the bootom side are Meggy Gleisdreick, Mingo Rummelplatz, Lord v Gleisdreieck, Brando vd Marderklaus and Tapsi Parxhimer Land.

 Ajax’s Koer report:  Medium size, medium strength, very good pigmentation.  Normal structure and normal bone substance, flat withers, straight back, short croup, normal chest depth, straight front.  Short forearm, good angulated hindquarters, sufficient powerful gait in easy bounding increments.  Sound temperament, TSB pronounced, lets out.

Paternal great-granddam (Hesed’s Dam): Yzett Gymor CS ZVV1, 5JV1/P Kkl1 Hips 0/0, elbows 9/0.  DM clear

from Connie’s website and emails:

Yzett is a true black sable from the Gymor Kennel in the Czech Republic.  Her sire is Quino Chmelovy kvitek CS, and her dam is Irra z Breziny CS.  On the top side of her pedigree she has some of the top Czech producers from the Gymor kennel, and on the bottom side she has a combination of East and West German blood.  Yzett is medium sized, correct in working structure and has a gorgeous expression.  Her nerve and temperament are second to none.  She displays exceptional self-confidence and her energy for work and play seems endless.  She is proven in the work as well as in production.

Yzett is a gorgeous little girl….one of the prettiest I have.  She is more driven than any of my girls.  Her retrieve is fabulous and never ending.  Hunt drive is good, as well.  She loves protection work and is good at it.  She is an excellent swimmer, too.  She is good in the house…no mistakes at all.  As driven as she is outside, that is how nice she is inside.  I really like/love her a lot!

Maternal Great Grandsire (Lovely’s grandsire):  Jagerstadt Chaos von Celhaus PTN & PTA, O-EAC, OAC, S-ECC, S-TN-E, EJCOJCOWVS-NAC, S-NCC, S-TN-N, S-WV-N, S-NJC, S-TG-N, S-HP-N, ATD, THD-N, THD, THDA (Chaos)
3/23/06 – 2/25/18

See Chaos’ page

NADAC Agility titles: Superior Novice Regular, Superior Novice Weavers, Superior Novice Chances, Superior Novice Tunnelers, Superior Novice TouchNGo, Superior Novice Jumpers, Superior Novice Hoopers, Open Regular, Open Chances, Open Tunnelers, Open TouchNGo, Open Hoopers, Open Jumpers, Open Weavers, Outstanding Elite Chances, Outstanding Elite Regular, Elite Tunnelers

Chaos retired from agility competition and began training for Nosework titles.  Unfortunately, by the time UKC, which took over all nosework titling from United Nosework, began allowing nosework trials again, Chaos was aging to the point he didn’t like traveling and spending hours at a trial, so he never got more than the first two pre-trials. I lost him to cancer barely a month from his 12th birthday.

Chaos was a Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs (formerly Therapy Dogs Inc.)

OFA Fair Hips, PennHip 70th Percentile, OFA Elbows, OFA Cardiac, OFA Thyroid, OFA DM (free), CERF, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free, free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency)

Chaos had a rock-solid temperament and steady nerves. He was very social with all ages of people and was an excellent Therapy Dog. Chaos came from herding lines. Both his parents were working stock dogs on farms in North Carolina. I like to incorporate dogs from herding lines in my breeding programs because of their high bidability. They truly want to work with the handler, and Chaos was no exception. He was extremely fun to train because he checked constantly to be sure he was doing what I want.

See Chaos’ page
See Chaos’ favorite photos
See Chaos’ agility photos

For more information on the German Shepherd style of herding see
http://www.german-shepherdherding.com/herding-with-nicky/.
http://www.german-shepherdherding.com/large-flock-sheep-herding-ii/.
http://www.german-shepherdherding.com/the-large-flock-herding-dog/.

Maternal Grand Dam:  Celhaus Celebrate Life AE, PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, EE, SC, AV, AI, NR, NT, ATD, THDN (Lively)
whelped 11/3/09

NADAC Agility titles:  Novice Regular, Novice Tunnelers.   Unfortunately, the agility trials were moved from a site ninety minutes away to one that is 3 1/2 hours one way.  I have to drive back and forth each day since I have other dogs at home I must care for each evening, so we had no chances for more agility titles.

UKC Nosework titles:  Elite Exteriors, Elite Interiors, Master Containers, Superior Vehicles, PreTest-Elite (all 5 PreTests).

At our first Nosework Trial in May 2014, she received the first two titles in Exterior Searches, NNE1 (where they search for Birch Essential Oil) and NNE2 (where they search for Anise Essential Oil).  On July 1st, 2014, the United Kennel Club took over nose work from its originating United Nosework organization, so those titles are now NE & AE. 

Lively is a Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs.  She has her AKC Therapy Dog Advanced (THDA) title, which requires 100 verified visits.  She has done many more visits than that, but for several years, until AKC instituted the therapy dog titles, I didn’t record her visits to the nursing homes.  At 12 ½ years of age, she is getting arthritic enough that I will retire her when her current certification expires on June 30th, 2022.

OFA “fair” hips, PennHip 60th percentile (DI’s .39 & .35), OFA Elbows, OFA Cardiac, OFA Thyroid, OFA DM (carrier), OFA eyes, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free, free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) at 24 months

Lively produced three litters when bred to Chaos and two litters bred to Quasi.  She has produced some excellent Search & Rescue dogs as well as competition dogs (agility, nosework, etc), service dogs and therapy dogs.  She has tons of drive and will retrieve a ball all day long.  She’s a nice medium size and very athletic.  She’s also a fun dog to live with and, especially, to train.  Her pups typically excel in any kind of training and approach it with enthusiasm, yet they can also serve as service dogs, which asks for a much calmer, quiet dog that concentrates on assisting its owner with any disabilities the person has.

Maternal Great Great Grand Sire (Lovely’s great grandfather):  Kway vom Posthorn SchH3 (LGA) KKL1 High Protection (97 V) at the 2007 Americans

“a” normal hips HDZW 66
whelped 9/9/00 – lived until 14!
free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) and of the Degenerative Myelopathy gene.

According to his owner (Bill Kulla), “Kway participated in two research studies that are working to identify a genetic marker for EPI and DM, so that one day we may eliminate these devastating diseases from our breed.”

Other quotes from Kway’s website, www.kulladogs.com:

Kway (pronounced “Kwhy”) was the expression of his world class bloodlines: son of Asko von der Lutter and grandson of Aly vom Vordersteinwald.  Asko was the 1998 Bundessieger and 2000 WUSV World Champion and has proven himself as producer already. At the past three BSPs, Asko had more sons shown than any other dog. Aly was a close second.

Kway himself was a true all-three-phase dog: tracking is deep-nosed and methodical, obedience was fast and animated yet precise, and bitework was extremely strong with full, hard grips. Kway was balanced in the protection work and brought his natural aggression to the work for strong guarding. Through all three phases, Kway was a dog that was in true harmony with his handler, and their strong bond was evident on and off the field.

Always pronounced in courage; in Kway’s breed survey special mention is made of his exceptional temperament.

Kway was linebred 5-5 on Urs aus der Hopfenstraße, and he carried the black recessive.

Bill reports that Kway loved to retrieve and was good with everyone. He also was good with other dogs, including small dogs, and enjoyed nurturing puppies.  I really liked him when I took Quinta to be bred in 2009.  Kway had been retired for two years, but put on a beautiful obedience demonstration for me.  He was five days from turning nine years old but sure didn’t look it as he heeled, ran and jumped. 

Maternal Great Great Grand Dam (Lovely’s great grandmother):  Celhaus Quintessence NJ NR NTO NC TDInc

NADAC Agility titles:  Novice Jumpers Superior, Novice Regular, Novice Tunnelers Outstanding, Novice Chances, 2 legs towards her Open Jumpers title, 2 legs towards her Novice TouchNGo title, 2 legs towards her Novice Weavers title and 1 leg towards her Novice Hoopers title

AKC agility titles:  one leg in each of Standard, Jumpers with Weaves & FAST

OFA hips (good); OFA Elbows; OFA Thyroid; OFA Cardiac; CERF; also tested EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency), von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free.  In December, 2007, Quinta received her Health Award Certificate of Recognition from the German Shepherd Dog Club of America.

Quinta was a Therapy Dog, registered with Therapy Dogs Inc. (now Alliance of Therapy Dogs).

Quinta, commonly known as “Wild Thing”, was the character of the family.  She loved to work, begged to train, and got into all kinds of trouble when we didn’t.  She was crazy about agility.  Her biggest problem was remembering to listen to me and go the direction I indicated, rather than attack every obstacle in sight.  When she did remember, she was extremely intense and concentrated, a joy to work, and nearly always took 1st place.  She also did extremely well in obedience and tracking but we never tried for titles since trials are few and far between.  Quinta was very much like her mother, Jubilee, and grandmother, Glory.  She was quite dramatic, very fast and athletic, loved to tease, and had trouble being a “good” girl.

Maternal Great Great Great Grandsire (Lovely’s great great grandfather):    Bianko vom Leerburg (Comanche)

OFA GOOD hips, OFA elbows

Janet Wilt’s Comanche was a Search & Rescue dog, certified in Avalanche, Water, Tracking, Wilderness Rescue and Cadaver.  He was also certified as a narcotics dog (4 odors), evidence and building search.

Maternal Great Great Great Granddam (Lovely’s great great grandmother):  Celhaus Jubilee CGC CD NA NAP TDInc.
7/19/98 – 11/20/12, made it to 14 1/3 years!

OFA GOOD hips, OFA elbows, OFA cardiac, OFA thyroid, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free, CERF

Jubilee was a Therapy Dog, registered with Therapy Dogs Inc.

She had her Companion Dog title and her AKC Novice Agility titles and only needed one more qualifying score to finish her Novice Jumpers title, but she developed spurs on her back (from being such an athletic, body-slamming, hard-playing dog all her life), so her jumping and competing days were over.

Jubilee was the most athletic GSD I’ve ever known–unless it’s her daughter, Quinta or granddaughter, Lively.  At 14 1/3, she was still healthy, though arthritis from bridging in her back had slowed her down considerably.  When she was just a pup she would jump into the back of a 3/4 ton pickup from which I was shoveling wood shavings, trudge to the top of the shavings pile, and get on top of the cab. She would climb, jump, drill through incredible obstacles to retrieve her toys (the favorite of which is the Frisbee).  She loved obedience, tracking and agility.  Her tracking was very intense and only needed proofing to be ready to try for her Tracking Dog title.  When she hurt her back, I retired her.

Maternal Great Great Great Great Granddam (Lovely’s great great great grandmother):  Roche Jaune’s Triumph of Celhaus CD, TDInc (Glory)
9/14/94 – 9/9/02

OFA GOOD hips, OFA elbows, CERF, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free

Glory was a Therapy Dog, registered with Therapy Dogs Incorporated (now Alliance of Therapy Dogs).

I originally began in American-line German Shepherds, the old lines with lots of European influence – before they were ruined by the fad for extreme side gait.  When the breeder from whom I got my dogs for years retired in the late 1980’s, I decided to switch to European working lines.  Unfortunately, the first several breeding prospects from those lines that I bought failed all their health screenings.  In fact, they introduced me to new problems in the breed – genetic eye and bleeding conditions – so I increased the number of health screenings that I did before passing a dog for breeding.  Glory was the first one who passed all the tests and whom I could breed, and she produced so well that I have continued her line for six generations of females.  With her first litter I adopted the German system of having an alphabet letter for each litter, beginning with the A litter of 1997, from whom I kept her daughter Ashi.  That was such a great litter that the next year I drove her all the way to Toronto to breed her to a German import there who was closely related to Ashi’s sire.  That only resulted in one pup, whom I kept.  I didn’t use a litter letter for her but instead named her Jubilee because the Catholic world was in the middle of a jubilee year of prayer to prepare for the millennium. 

Glory was a mix of German show and working lines and was absolutely beautiful.  She was also a tease with an amazing sense of humor and would drive me crazy when I tried to get her serious enough to train and to compete for obedience or tracking titles.  I always bred her to working-line males and she generously threw more serious working dogs than she was but also her correct structure AND sparkling personality.  Her progeny were just plain fun and continue to be so to this day, including an occasional one who is a big tease like she was (though more easily trained).  The latest tease to liven up my life is her great-great-great granddaughter (a Lively granddaughter from the LL litter of 2016), Celhaus Love Every Living Thing (“Lovely”).  I still miss Glory a lot but I enjoy the vivacity in all her children and their enthusiastic enjoyment of life.