REGALWISE SHEPHERDS
Here is some background information that I hope will answer most of your questions. At the end of this page you will find the procedure for adopting a Regalwise puppy or dog.
Thank you for your interest in white German Shepherds. In addition to puppies, I have several OFA certified stud dogs to choose from, and an occasional adult for sale. I (Ronda) started in dogs with a white German Shepherd pet puppy in obedience classes in 1978. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS. in Animal Science in 1979. During that year I got involved with the White German Shepherd Dog Club International (WGSDCI) and established the Minnesota Chapter. Since then I have held many officer positions in both the national and local clubs. Current club affiliations are the American White Shepherd Association , United White Shepherd Club, and I am on the board of the No Place Like Home local animal shelter. I train and show extensively (and successfully) in conformation at UKC shows. I have also done some obedience, tracking, herding, agility, pet therapy, and schutzhund training. My kennel name is "Regalwise". In the spring of 1994, I moved from Minnesota to Indiana to join Jonathan Peck and Tumbledown Kennel.
Then in April of 1999, my
Regalwise dogs and I moved to a place of our own
just outside of Abilene Kansas, about 3 hours west
of Kansas City. I have a couple of acres of
land with a heated/air conditioned kennel building with
6 indoor/outdoor runs with doggy doors for moms with puppies and 6 long dog runs, each measuring 300 feet
by 15 feet for plenty of running exercise. I also
usually have a couple of dogs or puppies in the
house with direct access to a large fenced
yard. I am currently office manager/vet
assistant at the Abilene Veterinary Service.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A BREEDER YOU CAN TRUST?
Regalwise dogs are regular competitors in conformation and obedience competitions and have accumulated an impressive record of achievements as the attached list of titled and pointed dogs attests. I urge you to compare this list with the achievements of other breeders. In addition, when raised well they are wonderfully loyal, impressive looking family companions. All of my puppies are AKC registered. They have some of the best bloodlines available. They are almost always easily trainable, versatile puppies with good conformation, movement, temperament, and working instinct. They receive excellent care and are individually socialized. If you are interested in a White German Shepherd with better structure, temperament, hips, and correct size, with titles in the pedigree to prove they are good quality, I can help you.
I offer rebates for
titles that you earn with your Regalwise puppy, up
to your total purchase price. You will
also get your dog's name and picture on my
website! Send me a picture and a copy of the
certificate and I will rebate:
$100 for a Schutzhund title, each level!
$100 for a conformation championship from most
organizations
$50 for each NEW obedience, tracking,
herding, or agility title
$20 for additional titles at the same
level, OFA certifications, herding instinct
certified, canine good citizen, and things like
that.
I breed to better the breed, not to sell puppies. Consequently, I do not try to produce what puppy buyers think they want, I try to produce what's better for the breed. I do not have ANY puppies that will get over 27 inches for a male, 25 inches for a female. Females will usually weigh 65-80 lbs, males 80-100 lbs. I try to breed dogs with structure, size, gait, and temperament as close to the Breed Standard as possible. That is the official description of what the ideal White Shepherd should be. (The AKC breed standard for German Shepherd Dogs lists White coat color as a disqualifying fault in the AKC conformation show ring. The American White Shepherd Association (AWSA), the United Kennel Club (UKC), and White Shepherd Club Of Canada (WSCC) standards say basically "whiter is better" and this is where I show in conformation to earn White Shepherd Club Champion Titles.) The size specified in the breed standard is a MAXIMUM of 24 inches tall for females, 26 inches tall for males. All RESPONSIBLE breeders use the breed standard as a "blueprint" for producing better dogs. Anyone can breed big white dogs, it takes no special experience or knowledge! Breeding for better temperament, health, and good conformation takes more knowledge and experience. Would you rather adopt your next family member from someone who takes the responsibility of breeding seriously, or from someone who ignores the breed standard, has no clue what health and genetic problems may be in their dog's pedigree, breeds for whatever they think will sell, and claims to be producing "just" pets? Puppies for family companions should be bred even more carefully for health and temperament!
All of my dogs are hip X-rayed before breeding and only dogs free of hip dysplasia (and OFA certified when old enough) are bred. I am also X-raying elbows for OFA certification. I make no wild extravagant guarantees, but I honor the ones I do make! I represent puppies honestly and my guarantee is one of the best around. All puppies come with a 72 hour health guarantee. They are guaranteed free of crippling hereditary defects, including heart defects and crippling hip or elbow dysplasia. In addition, breeding and show potential puppies are guaranteed to pass OFA hip certification, and guaranteed free of any AKC disqualifying fault except white color, (ears will go up and testicles will come down <grin>).
I have a kennel with indoor/outdoor runs for the moms with puppies and the pups learn how to go out the doggy door to go potty starting at about 4 weeks old. By the time they go to their new homes, they are mostly house trained. My kennel has a radio on 24/7 so they are exposed to lots of voices and music. I play with them, teach them a few manners, trim their toenails and brush them. They go for short walks, exploring new places (including in the house), get new toys, large strange objects to investigate, and they get to meet visitors with kids. I begin crate training them at 7 weeks of age to prepare them for shipping. I take them for a couple of rides in my van. People who raise puppies in the house train them that it's OK to relieve themselves indoors, because they have no choice. In my experience, the difficulty in retraining them to go outside when they get to their new homes outweighs the slight advantage the pups may get by being constantly in the house. Feedback from puppy buyers over many years tells me that my puppies adjust easily and quickly to a home environment and are almost housebroken from the first day they arrive. This has convinced me that this early environment is not a disadvantage for the puppy.
Before leaving at 8 weeks old, the puppies are well socialized and temperament evaluated, vet checked, wormed, vaccinated, microchipped, and tattooed in the ear for permanent identification in case they should get lost or stolen. Each puppy comes with pictures of the parents, a 5 generation pedigree, a health record, guarantee and contract, lots of puppy training instructions, small bag of puppy food, and a week's supply of NuVet supplement are supplied. The litter is AKC registered, and the application to individually register your puppy will be givin to you when you have returned the signed contract. Here are instructions for naming the puppy. All puppies that I ship come with a veterinary health certificate. Research has demonstrated that 8 weeks of age is the best age for a German Shepherd puppy to make the transition to his new home. This is the minimum age that I will let a puppy go. By 11-12 weeks old, puppies may be bonding with their littermates and owner and it may take a little longer for them to adapt to a new home. This will vary with the temperament of the puppy and will also depend on how much socializing they have received.
I am a responsible breeder and take lifetime responsibility for all the puppies I produce, therefore my contract requires the return of any puppy or dog that a new owner can no longer keep, for whatever reason. No refunds (except for things covered on the guarantee of course). They may not be sold, given away, or especially not dropped off at a humane society. I hope that no dog bred here ever puts a burden on the self sacrificing people who work hard with breed rescue organizations, or contributes to any humane society euthanasia statistics! I know some people will object to this, but I think a person who breeds dogs should take LIFETIME responsibility for them. That means tattoo or microchip each puppy before selling them. That means having buyers understand and sign a serious contract that REQUIRES the dog to be returned to the seller if there is any reason the buyer can't or won't keep the dog. The dog may not be sold, given away, or abandoned where they could be euthanized just because someone doesn't want them. It also means if a "breeder" doesn't have space to handle the occasional dog who is returned until a new home can be found, then they shouldn't breed. Before you object, I will point out that I do this, so I know what's involved. If all "breeders" would do this, there would be no need for rescue organizations, except maybe to provide a central listing of those older dogs that breeders had available. If there are others reading this who breed, PLEASE consider this your responsibility for bringing more pups into the world.
What are the puppies eating and what should I feed?
The
puppies are eating Canidae (For all life stages).
This food has all natural human grade ingredients,
probiotics and digestive enzymes, is naturally
preserved, and has no corn, wheat, soy, or
by-products. Read more about it at their
website http://canidae.com/dogs/all_life_stages/dry.html.
I can buy a 40 lb bag for $32. In the
beginning they will eat 1 1/2 -2 cups per day, so
a 40 lb bag should last at least 6 weeks.
The Lamb & Rice variety is lower in protein
and fat for puppies and dogs who are enthusiastic
eaters (and might be too fat from
overeating). The Chicken & Rice variety
does not have the probiotics included and I feel
they are beneficial so I don't recommend that
variety unless your dog has allergy issues and
needs a hypo-allergenic diet. Check the
store locator link to see where you can get
Canidae. If there aren't any stores near you, Many
stores will ship it to you or try www.PetFoodDirect.com.
If you can't find a store near you that
carries it and don't want to pay for shipping,
here is a list of other all natural kibbles with
human grade ingredients that you may choose from:
http://www.leerburg.com/all-natural%20kibble.htm
I DO NOT recommend most regular puppy foods
because they are too high in calories and cause
German Shepherds to grow faster than is healthy
for them.
Warning! Are you prepared to raise a White Shepherd puppy well?
Is a (white) German Shepherd the right breed for you? Here is an excellent, easy to read article about White Shepherds. The time, emotions, and financial investment needed to raise a puppy to be healthy and well mannered is considerable, and is not to be taken lightly. Please read these ten commandments for responsible pet owners. Puppies without adequate supervision may be very destructive. They may become territorial, protective, and aggressive. They may dig, chew, bark, jump up, and poop in the house! They may wander off (or actively seek to escape!) and become lost and/or injured. These behaviors can be prevented by careful planning, supervising, and training. Before you buy a puppy, visit my bookstore to see and buy from the list of books I recommend on raising and training puppies. The time spent learning and preparing for a new puppy is an excellent investment! Here are some ways to prepare for your new puppy.
FYI: Here are some reasons people get dogs and
then later give them to an animal shelter.
1. Please make sure that no one in your house is
allergic to dogs
2. Will your landlord allow pets, or are you
planning on moving in the near future?
3. Do you have time to train a dog not to bite, to
be house trained, to be obedience trained, to walk
it, play with it and exercise it during the day?
4. Are you going to spay or neuter your pet so you
don't bring unwanted animals into the world that
will be put down in a shelter?
5. Do you care if the dog sheds hair all over the
place, drools water and messes up the car windows,
are you prepared for some (hopefully minor) home
damage?
6. Do you have other pets that the dog must get
along with and how are you prepared to deal with
it if they can't?
7. Are you willing to make a lifetime commitment
to a dog....they can live up to 15 years or so.
These are all important questions to find answers
to before you get your pet.
In addition, the purchase price of a pup is a small fraction of what you can expect to pay for food, vet, and other expenses during the typical 10-14 year life span of your dog. During the first four months alone, you can expect to pay $150-250 a month for food, NuVet supplement tablets, booster shots, and flea and heartworm prevention to insure that your puppy stays healthy. Please consider carefully whether you are able to make this kind of time and financial commitment. If you are, I'm sure that you will be very happy with the results. The rewards of owning one of these intelligent, loyal and beautiful white German Shepherds far exceeds the effort invested.
Prices of White Shepherd puppies, adults and stud service.
Each puppy is priced individually according my estimate of their show and breeding potential after they are carefully evaluated for structure and temperament at 7 weeks of age. Until they are that age, I cannot quote an exact price on any puppy, only a range. Pet puppies sold with "limited" AKC registration will usually cost $700-800. By contract, these puppies MUST be spayed or neutered! Breeding and show potential puppies with full registration and additional guarantees will usually cost $900-1100, with an occasional top show prospect up to $1200. Adult brood bitches and stud dogs rarely available, starting at $1500. Spayed, neutered, or retired older dogs sometimes available for a very reasonable price starting at $100. Stud service is available to approved bitches only and will cost $500, payable at time of service, live litter guaranteed. Reservation deposits are applied toward the puppy's purchase price. Reservation deposits of $200 are non-refundable if you change your mind. Payment by PayPal, cash, Money Order, bank wire transfer, certified check or western union is preferable. Personal checks will have to be cleared before shipping. I also give a 10% discount for picking up a puppy here.
Here are the charges in addition to the price of the puppy: I charge just $20 for the tattoo and microchipping. If your puppy will be shipped, the crate and shipping charges must be pre-paid to me. I make the airline reservations for the puppy. There will be an additional preparation and handling charge for puppies to international destinations. Fees you must pay to the AKC are the $20 registration application basic fee and the $12 "lost and found" fee on the AKC registration application to register the tattoo and microchip numbers with the Companion Animal Recovery System.
WHY DO THE PUPS COST SO
MUCH? Producing good quality, well
socialized, completely
guaranteed puppies takes some skill and
experience. It is also expensive.
For the parents before they are bred: Hip
x-rays, elbow x-rays, dog shows to prove they are
good examples of the breed, food & vet
expenses raising them to breeding age, time spent
studying bloodlines to select the best available
mate to complement each dog, supervising
breedings, preparing proper facilities for the
whelping & rearing of pups, etc.
For the pups: Supervising whelpings, care
of newborns (including supplemental feeding if
necessary), frequent daily handling of pups to
insure their bonding with people, worming,
vaccinating, evaluating temperament &
structure, advertising, crate training,
socializing pups with new people and in new places
(includes taking them for rides in the car),
excellent quality puppy food, etc.
Customer service before and after a person buys
a puppy: Time spent acquainting puppy buyers
with what to expect from a new puppy, what to
do and not to do when raising a puppy, potty
training advice, health and training advice, etc.
Additional costs of being an ethical,
responsible breeder: Having the time and the
room to take in dogs that come back because
someone can't keep them. Making the
hard decisions (accept the the loss of
invested time and effort) when a puppy who was
kept for breeding doesn't meet the high standards
I have set for breeding dogs, and have the dog
spayed or neutered and find a suitable home
for them. Honoring a generous guarantee
when something goes wrong. Offering
substantial rebates for the new owner's
accomplishments with their pup.
It's not hard to find a cheap pup from a less
conscientious breeder. People who appreciate
the added value that a responsible breeder offers,
will not hesitate to pay what that added value
costs. I generally have a waiting list for
available pups.
WHY DO SOME BREEDERS CHARGE MORE? Buyer Beware! You do NOT always get what you pay for! A more expensive puppy from another breeder is NOT necessarily better! Unfortunately, some breeders with a great sales pitch will charge as much as they can get from unsuspecting shoppers. If you are interested in a White German Shepherd with better structure, temperament, hips, and correct size, with titles in the pedigree to prove they are good looking and easy to train, I can help you. I breed to better the breed, not to make a living. Consequently, I do not try to produce what puppy buyers think they want, I try to produce what's better for the breed. I do not have ANY puppies that will get over 27 inches for a male, 25 inches for a female. Females will weigh 65-80 lbs, males 80-100 lbs. With the outrageous prices that some other breeders are charging, and their irresponsible "Bigger is Better" attitude, it seems as if they are selling dogs by the pound!
WHAT IS "LIMITED" VS "FULL" AKC REGISTRATION? When they are 7 weeks old I will be evaluating their structure, personalities, coloring, and other characteristics for show and breeding potential. At that point I will assign prices to each pup and I decide whether each one will go with full AKC registration (for breeding & show) or limited registration (for companions).
Those pups who in my opinion would be less suitable for show or breeding purposes will be sold with "limited" AKC registration. The AKC will not register any offspring from a dog who has limited registration. The pups with limited registration will be sold only with a spay/neuter contract, and they must be spayed or neutered by the age of 1 year, then I will send you the AKC registration certificate for the puppy. Some litters have several pups going with limited registration, and some smaller litters may have none. The price for these pups will be at the lower end of the price range for each litter.
Puppies who in my opinion have show and breeding potential will sell with "Full" registration. These puppies come with additional guarantees. After the dog has reached the age of 2 years, if they are still show and breeding quality and they've had hips and elbows x-rayed, then full registration allows the dog to be used for breeding and the pups registered with the AKC. I do not require that you show or breed a pup, even if you are paying top price for a show and breeding prospect. You are still free to spay or neuter them.
Shipping Puppies, questions answered.
Research has demonstrated that 8 weeks of age is the best age for a German Shepherd puppy to make the transition to his new home. This is the minimum age that I will let a puppy go if a person comes here to pick up the puppy. I prefer the puppy to be at least 9 weeks before shipping. At this age a puppy will fit nicely in a 24"x16"x14" shipping crate. The crates I use are a little larger (26" x 19" x 17") so that people can use them for housetraining for a while before the puppy outgrows it. Most of the time, the airlines will charge a flat rate for up to 50 lbs. for shipping a live animal. If you already have a crate of that size or slightly larger, you can ship it ahead to me by UPS for just a few dollars. If you don't have one, you can buy one from me for $30. If you mail it back in good condition and clean, I will refund $20. If the puppy is older and bigger, they need a larger crate and the shipping will cost more.
I have found the airlines to
be very careful and reliable in their treatment of
my pups, and have shipped puppies for 25 years
with no major problems. Most airlines do not
allow a person to make a flight reservation for a
puppy more than 3 days in advance, so they can
check the weather forecast. So I usually
can't give exact details about flights and cost
until then, but here is some general
information. The airlines offer
a special service for animals
whereby the puppy would depart from the passenger
terminal ticket counter and arrive in the
passenger terminal baggage claim area. This is
called "counter to counter" service and
usually results in a shorter connecting time for
any transfers and a shorter wait for the puppy at
the receiving end of the
trip. During especially hot or cold weather, this
service may be the only way the airline will
accept a live animal. It usually costs around $200
and must be prepaid by the shipper (which means
you must prepay to me the cost of the shipping).
Of course international shipping costs more.
I will schedule flights providing the shortest
possible trip for the puppy. Puppies
are already accustomed to being in their crate and
traveling by car by this age and they do not
require tranquilizer. They generally handle
shipping better than people do! They don't
know that they are up in the air, as far as they
know it's just a noisier van! Reports of
airlines mishandling live animals are like reports
of plane crashes: they never mention the several
million who get where they are going without
mishap.
STEPS TO FOLLOW TO ADOPT ONE OF THESE PUPPIES OR DOGS
Not only do you have to
trust that I will provide the quality of puppy you
expect, I have to trust that you are responsible
and committed to providing a good lifetime home
for the pup. So here is what I require:
1) Read this entire page and think seriously
about it if you haven't already. Join the
American White Shepherd Association to learn more
about White Shepherds and if this is a suitable
breed for you. See info about the club and
get a membership application at www.awsaclub.com.
Subscribe to free dog email
lists to ask questions and learn from other
owners of white shepherds. Find a local
puppy pre-school and talk with the
instructor. Study the articles on the
training page so you have an idea how much
time and effort it will take to do it right.
You can buy books that I recommend on
raising puppies and obedience training from my
bookstore page, or check some out from a
library. (You might be quizzed on what
you've learned!) If your yard is not fenced, do
it. Or install invisible
fencing.
2) Then read the contract
& guarantee if you haven't already, and
make sure you can agree to the conditions. If you
are approved, I will be sending you a completed
copy of this contract for you to sign and return.
Tell me that you have read it and that you agree
to it when you write back.
3) Look over the upcoming litters, older
pups, or adults pages for the sex and age dog you
prefer. Make sure the timing is correct for
you to be receiving a pup or dog. Will
someone be home during the day? Do you have
any extended trips (more than a week) planned for
the next few weeks? Will you have time for
training classes and homework? Will you have
the finances to pay for the pup, shipping, crate,
food, vaccinations, heartworm & flea control,
etc. and still have enough to cover any health
emergencies or other unexpected expenses without
relying on credit? Check the prices of these
supplies on my Pet
Supplies page.
4) Email me and tell me about yourself, home,
family, and previous experience with German
Shepherds if any. You must include your address
and phone number. I have to trust that
you are responsible and committed to providing a
good lifetime home for the pup. I won't
consider it to be a serious inquiry without this
information. Please put White Shepherds as
the "subject" of your email so it
doesn't get lost in the junk mail. (tip:
good spelling, punctuation, and grammar show
respect for the reader and are often indications
of a person's education & character.)
Ask me about the litter, pup, or dog you are
interested in and I will describe them to you
further if they are still available. I will
ask you questions. If the pup or dog that
you desire is available, and if you have
convinced me you will provide a good home, and
that you are ready for a pup/dog, ONLY THEN
can we proceed to the next step.
5) If I have approved you as a
potential adoptee, and If the pup won't be ready
for a couple of weeks, I will invite you to send a reservation by
e-mail with a NON REFUNDABLE $200 Pay Pal
payment or mail a money order deposit made out to
Ronda Beaupre. Specify whether you prefer
male or female, what color, long or short coat,
show & breeding prospect with full
registration or limited registration to be
spayed/neutered. Include your full name,
address, and phone as you wish it to appear on the
AKC registration, shipping documents, health
certificate, and contract. Here is the
address: Ronda Beaupre, 1700 N Washington
LN, Abilene, KS 67410. For several
years I have used the Paypal service that allows a
person to send money by e-mail without giving the
seller your credit card number. Click
here to read more about it. Tell me if
you plan to come to pick up the pup. I give a 10%
discount for picking up a puppy here. Or
tell me which major city I should ship him to. The
larger the city, the more likely I can get a
shorter flight schedule for shipping him.
Tell me if you want to send a crate for the
puppy or buy one from me. If I do not have a
suitable puppy for you within a couple of months
of the expected date, then I will refund your
deposit. If you change your mind about
getting a puppy from me or do something that
un-qualifies you, then you forfeit the
deposit.
6) Choose a registered name for the puppy for the AKC registration application. Here are some suggested names to help you think of one that starts with the letter for that litter. I now require people to pay for the $12 AKC "lost and found" option on the AKC registration application which registers the microchip and tattoo numbers with the AKC Companion Animal Recovery System.
7) When the pups are
about 6 1/2 -7 weeks old I evaluate their
structure and temperaments, and assign
prices. I post a picture, description and
price for each puppy on my website. Then I
will discuss the puppies by email or by phone with
each person. I allow people to choose from
the litter in the order in which I received their
deposits. Some people choose the cheaper pups with
limited registration (who must be spayed or
neutered) for family companions. Some prefer to
pay more for a show and breeding potential pup
with full registration and additional
guarantees. About a week before shipping, or
If the pup or dog is ready to go now, I will give
you a total price and you may send the full amount
for pup, $20 tattoo/microchipping, $200 shipping (if applicable), and
$30 crate (if applicable), plus answers to the
questions in step 5. No personal checks
accepted. I prefer Pay Pal, Money Order, Bank
Draft, Western Union or bank wire transfer for
payments. Ask me for the bank account
information for a bank wire transfer. If you
are coming here to pick up your puppy, be sure to
bring cash, no checks.
8) I will check with the airlines to see
what flights are available and discuss with you
when the pup will be arriving. I am 2
1/2 hours from Kansas City and it ends up being a
6 hour round trip, so I refuse to do it more than
once a week. If I'm shipping more than one
pup, you may not have much choice of day/time of
arrival so plan to be flexible. Most pups go
out on Friday so people have a weekend to get the
pup settled if they have to go back to work during
the week.
9) Call me when you get home with your new
puppy to let me know he arrived safely.
These things will come with the pup: about 2
lbs of Puppy food, 1 week supply of NuVet
Plus supplement tablets, pedigree, parents
pictures, puppy's health record, health
certificate (if puppy is shipped to you), lots of
reading on puppy training, and two copies of the
contract/guarantee. Sign one copy of the
contract and send it back. Send the crate
back also if you want the $20 refund. You
will NOT get the AKC registration certificate
until the signed contract is returned.
Order more NuVet
Plus supplement tablets.
10) Take your pup to your vet for a checkup
when he arrives if you choose. You have a
week to decide if you are happy with the pup.
During that time you may return him for a full
refund or exchange if you are not happy for any
reason. When the signed contract is
returned, I will send his AKC registration
application to you.
11) Please call or email with
any questions or problems that come up.
I am always available for advice on any
puppy behavior or health questions. After
almost 30 years of raising pups, I've seen almost
everything so please call. I have gotten reports
of 2 dogs who actually died from the
veterinarian's use of high dose ivermectin to
treat mange mites. This would not have happened if
the owner contacted me or had read the health
information supplied with their puppy and also
posted in the Health Topics section of my
website.