Frequently Asked Questions

General

What are your puppy prices?

Our puppy prices depend on who their parents are. It also depends on if you want limited AKC registration (pet) or full AKC registration (breeding rights). Our prices range from $2500-$3500



What forms of payment do you take? Payment plans?

We accept most forms of payment. Cash, cashier's check, money gram, Paypal, Venmo, & Zelle. We do not accept personal check when you pick up your puppy at 8 weeks. We only accept personal check for the $500 deposit. We can also work with you on a payment plan! Please contact us for more information on payment plans.



What is included with buying a puppy?

AKC Registration UTD on all shots (6 weeks & 8 weeks) UTD on all deworming (2,4,6, & 8 weeks) 2 Year Hip & Elbow Guarantee Health Guarantee Microchipped Samples of NuVet Supplement Puppy Care Package (surprise what's inside!) Lifetime Breeder Support



How much is a deposit and what is the process?

We ask for a $500 non-refundable deposit in order to hold your pick of the litter. You must pick either female or male when putting a deposit down. Deposits will be taken in the order that they are received. First deposit on a male will receive first pick male of that particular litter. We will email you a deposit contract to sign and send back to us. If you put a deposit down before a litter is born: **In the event that there is a false pregnancy, your deposit will then be used on another litter at Hughston German Shepherds. Deposits are NON-REFUNDABLE. **In the event that you put a deposit down for a male, and there are only females in the litter, your deposit will then be used for another litter at Hughston German Shepherds. Deposits are NON-REFUNDABLE. **Your pick of the litter must be made between 5-6 weeks old of age. This can be made either pictures/videos or you may schedule a time to come see the puppies AFTER they receive their 6 week old shots. Appointment times are for 30 minutes only.



When can I take my puppy home?

We keep the puppies until they are 8 weeks old.



I live out of state but would love one of your puppies! How would that work?

We have sold numerous puppies to buyers out of state. We can send plenty of videos and pictures daily to help you pick the perfect puppy! We know professional USDA certified ground shippers that can bring your puppy to you! We only use the best of the best and can ensure your puppy with be taken care of along their journey!



What is the best way to contact you?

The best way to get in contact with us would be to message our Facebook page, Hughston German Shepherds. If you dont have Facebook, you can either text us or send us an email. Unfortunately, we live in the middle of the woods and the service here is not the best for phone calls! Cell: 989-390-9294 E-Mail: HughstonGermanShepherds@outlook.com



Limited AKC Registration vs. Full AKC Registration

Limited Registration or PET registration means that the dog is registered but no litters produced by that dog are eligible for registration. This is frequently the option if you plan to only have your dog as a pet. Full Registration means that you have full breeding rights and litters produced by that dog are eligible for registration. This is used if you plan on breeding your dog in the future. If you buy limited registration from us, full registration can be purchased at any time from us. Send us a message for more information.



Do you allow visits to see your dogs and puppies?

We don’t allow visits as we cannot guarantee that someone won't unknowingly bring any sickness, parasites, diseases or anything harmful into our home that could compromise the health, wellbeing and safety of our puppies and dogs. Until puppies have their first vaccinations at 6 weeks old, no visitation is allowed. We can provide video conferences where you can see the living conditions and get a feel for the environment that our dogs and/or puppies are in. We will send pictures and videos of our puppies and dogs upon request. We also update our page with weekly/biweekly photos of every puppy from birth and until they go to their new homes. We have detailed informaiton of each adult here at our place under the "Our Dogs" tab on our page. Please take the time to read through each adult and if you have any questions, please ask. We can provide references from our previous puppy parents, other breeders and personal references. A long with veterinary references upon request, and proof that our dogs are up to date on vaccinations upon request.



What are titles?

There are three IPO titles: IPO1, IPO2, and IPO3. IPO1 is the first title and IPO3 is the most advanced. IPO stands for: “Internationale Prufungs-Ordnung” Basically 3 categories: Tracking, Obedience & Protection Before a dog can compete for a IPO1, he must pass a temperament test called a BH. The BH tests basic obedience and sureness around strange people, strange dogs, traffic, and loud noises. A dog that exhibits excessive fear, distractibility, or aggression cannot pass the BH and so cannot go on to IPO. Tracking The tracking phase tests not only the dogs scenting ability, but also its mental soundness and physical endurance. In the tracking phase, a track layer walks across a field, dropping several small articles along the way. After a period of time, the dog is directed to follow the track while being followed by the handler on a 33 foot leash. When the dog finds each article he indicates it, usually by lying down with the article between his front paws. The dog is scored on how intently and carefully it follows the track and indicates the articles. The length, complexity, number of articles, and age of the track varies for each title. Obedience "The obedience phase is compiled of several different exercises and done in pairs with one dog working and the other doing a long down under distraction. A very precision based off leash healing pattern with out of motion sit, down, stand and recalls. Three retrieve exercises one on the flat ground, one over a meter high hurdle and one over a two meter high A-frame scaling wall. The dog and handler team is judged on the precision, speed and enthusiasm of the dog while preforming the routine. The complexity of the obedience routines vary for each title." Protection "In the protection phase, the judge has an assistant, called the “helper “/decoy, which helps him or her test the dog’s courage to protect himself and his handler and its ability to be controlled while doing so. The helper wears a heavily padded sleeve on one arm. There are several blinds, placed on the field that the dog must be directed to search. When the dog finds the helper, it indicates this by barking. The dog must guard the helper to prevent him from moving until recalled by the handler. There follows a series of exercises similar to police work where the dog guards the helper and transports him to the judge. At specified points, the helper either attacks the dog or the handler or attempts to escape and the dog must stop the attack or the escape by biting the padded sleeve. When the attack or escape stops, the dog is commanded to “out” to release the sleeve. The dog must out or it is dismissed. At all times the dog must show the courage to engage the helper and the temperament to obey the handler while in this high state of drive. Again, the dog must show enthusiasm and the willingness to engage the helper. A dog that shows fear, lack of control, or inappropriate aggression is dismissed. The dog and handler team are judged on precision, intensity and willingness to obey the handler. The complexity of the protection routines vary for each title." So I explained what IPO and BH titles are in the posts below. Now I'll talk about the "V" and the "SG" titles you may see on our website by the dog's names. These are their show ratings. Puppies up to 12 months: Very promising (VP): The highest rating available to dogs under 1 year of age when shown at a show. Promising (P) Less Promising (LP) Youth or Young dogs from 12 to 24 months: Sehr Gut or Very Good (SG): Very good structure. It is the highest rating a dog can get in a show until it has met all the requirements listed to receive a V rating. Gut or Good (G): This is the lowest rating a shepherd can have and still be allowed to breed in Germany. Ausreichend or Sufficient (A) Mangelhaft or Faulty (M) Ungenugend or Unsatisfactory (U) 24 months or older: Note: Dogs must have a IPO title or other recognized working degree Vorzuglich or Excellent (V) Vorzuglich-Auslese or Excellent Select (VA): The Excellent Select rating is only awarded at the annual National Sieger Show.



Puppy Care

What kind of dog food do you feed?

We feed Purina Pro Plan to our adult dogs and puppies.



What do you recommend for potty training?

We highly recommend incorporating crate training with potty training. We have found that in doing this method, potty training is done in a quicker amount of time. For further info on crate training / potty training, visit the links below: https://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/815-crate-training-housebreaking-easy-hsus



Do you recommend any joint or health supplement for the puppies / adults?

Yes! We recommend using NuVet Plus for puppies and adult dogs. It has natural human-grade ingredients, USA-made in an FDA-registered pharmaceutical laboratory, and has a 60-day money back guarantee! You can order here: www.nuvet.com/75047 (save 15% with AutoShip at checkout!)