Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Tomorrow, I will return to discussing our young German Shepherd Dogs and the future of Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels, but for today I cannot allow the month of August to pass without discussing a small miracle on our behalf and a horrible tragedy to over 400 families in the Mannford, Oklahoma area.
Last year on Thursday August 2, 2012 a fire was started nine miles South of Mannford, OK when Billy Cloud threw his lit cigarette down on the ground just outside his trailer.The summer of 2012 brought most of the Midwest including Oklahoma a continuation of severe drought that started in 2011 with record high temperatures of 110 degrees to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
The lit cigarette ignited a wildfire that burnt over 90 square miles and burned down over 400 homes. Throughout August 2 and 3, 2012 the wildfires raged several miles from us at Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels.On August 4, 2012 my wife and I had lunch in Mannford and had a false since of safety against the fires since they raged so far away.Upon returning to home and the kennels, the wind shifted and the fires started burning straight toward us. Late that afternoon we lost electric and could see the fires approaching us.Roads in and out of our area had been closed, and while we had several wonderful clients and friends offer to come out to pick up our dogs and then drive them to safety, they were not allowed in.We were ordered to evacuate, but we would not leave our dogs so we stayed to fight the fires.We thought that we could save our kennels and house by manning several water hoses around our property.However, as the fire approach, we lost all water pressure.The Creek County Rural Water District water well pumps went out just as the fires approached our property.Without water we became very concerned for our own safety as well as the safety of our dogs.
Fires at 5:30 PM approaching Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels Property
At the time that we had lost water pressure a small fire truck came roaring up our driveway and told us that they only had 5-minutes of water and that they would not be able to save our house.He pointed to the woodlot that was 100-yards away from our house and said once the fire gets into the canopy of the trees the heat would be so intense that our house would just explode into flames.The firemen yelled for us to let loose the dogs from their kennels and to get ready to jump in the pond to save our lives.The fireman said they would be in the pond right behind us.
I was never so proud of my German Shepherd Dogs, as we let them out of their kennels, they remained calm and none of their normal squabbles or barking took place.They all knew that the situation was serious and they all stayed around but out-of-our-way. With the gates open they would be able to escape and return after the fire had passed.
At this time the smoke had grown thick with very little visibility.While only about 5:30 PM, it appeared to be twilight just after sunset.After burning down our neighbors’ houses, the fires jumped Highway 48 and started raging up our property.I will never forget standing in the driveway watching the fireman raise his helmet and start scratching his head.The fires had hit our forest and then began to die down and go out.The fireman was befuddled because for three days he had watch these fires hit woodlots and then just roar out-of-control.
I yelled down to the fireman that I had burnt my property earlier that year in March, burning all the leaves and fallen branches on our twenty-acres.He said that controlled burn had saved our home and kennels because the fires did not have the fuel to reach the forest canopy.We returned the dogs to their kennels, and watched the fires burn around while burning more of our neighbors’ homes.
Fire As It Burned Down Our Neighbor’s House and Approached Our Woodlot before Dying Down
We were saved from the fires, but due to loss of power, we did lose over 2,000 pounds of frozen venison meat for our dogs, most of the contents of our refrigerators, all four-corner fence posts, and suffered two-weeks without power with record high temperatures of 110 degrees and above.The Water District did restore water service on the 5th of August so we only had to haul potable water one day.
We were spared by providence because I was led to burn my property, which I had not done in about three years. Due to the senseless act of a drunk thousands of people suffered the loss of everything that they owned, and while no human life was lost several animals and even a customers Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog perished in the fires of 2012. Even though I am an experienced ecologist and have been trained in fire management and prescribed burning methods, I learned given the severe environmental conditions that we experienced in 2012 that wildfires can become extremely dangerous and unpredictable. I would most likely move our dogs much sooner and not stay if ordered to evacuate if ever faced with similar circumstances.
Please continue to check out our web page as we post updates on this litter and future available litters: https://kgsd.inventivehorizons.com/PuppiesForSale.htm. We currently have Walker, a male puppy left.Walker is a wonderful highly intelligent and a very quick learner.Walker will be perfect for a family looking for an obedient and loyal companion that will provide home protection.Families with existing pets such as dogs and cats will be a good fit for Walker.Walker is very sociable.Remember that we do ship puppies.
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
When watching Heidelberg’s Daphne Oklahoman (Daphne) yesterday, my first thought after saying to myself she is perfect was how blessed I am.I do not see myself as particularly talented and to consistently have such wonderful and nearly perfect German Shepherd Dogs, I can only be thankful to God for his blessings upon me and my family.Daphne is a Daughter of Grand Champion (GCh.) Champion (Ch.) Best in Show (BIS) winner Heidelberg’s Oklahoma Natashac (Kay) and Ch. Heidelberg’s Bogie v Charisman.Kay is a Ch. Heidelberg’s Natasha Cheyenne and Ch. Heidelberg’s Dargo v Angeliq daughter.
This Picture Taken In February of 2012 Shows Daphne’s Perfect Gait
The wonderful thing about Daphne is that she is an exact copy of Kay, but where Kay was a little bit too small at approximately 65 pounds, Daphne is going to finish out at approximately 85 pounds.With the size of her Grandmother Natasha and the movement and structure of Kay and the energy and Charisma of Dargo there is little doubt that Daphne could be campaigned to be the number one German Shepherd Dog in the country.Will that happen probably not because of the expenses related to such a campaign, but maybe if we can find a sponsor for her in the next couple of years it could possibly happen.
Daphne (left) Playing In Pine Bluff, AR Feb, 2013
Daphne already has 3 champion points from the puppy class with me showing her and when we start showing again this fall, I suspect that she will finish quickly like her mother, Kay. Kay finished in three weekends going breed every day and winning several group placements.Kay is our first BIS Winner and multiple-Group winner.In 2009 at Kay’s first competing show, I showed her in the 12 to 18 month class, I won the class, but Kay was jumping and playing not showing well at all because she was too happy to be with me.Brian Livingston, one of the best professional handlers in the country, saw Kay with me in the show ring.After I won the class, Brian came up to me and said, ‘if you will let me show her for the rest of the weekend, I’ll show her for free, and I guarantee that she will go Best of Breed and win in the Groups’.Kay won Best of Breed and took Group 1 and just missed out on winning Best in Show.The next day she won Breed and took Group 2.Kay is a superstar that rarely comes around and Daphne is in the same class as her mom.
GCh. Ch. BIS Multiple-Group Winner Heidelberg’s Kay at age 15 months
Please continue to check out our web page as we post updates on this litter and future available litters: https://kgsd.inventivehorizons.com/PuppiesForSale.htm. We currently have Wally and Walter, two male puppies left.Both are wonderful puppies and Walter has developed in to quite the show prospect.Remember that we do ship puppies.
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
Today, I am going to discuss our wonderful Heidelberg’s Patriot v Atlantan (Patriot) a Grand Champion, Champion (GCh.) (CH.) Heidelberg’s Kodiak v Queirdad (Kodi) son.He is also the son of Heidelberg’s Atlanta Natashac, a Daughter of Champion Heidelberg’s Natasha Cheyenne that produced GCh. Ch. Best in Show (BIS) winner Heidelberg’s Oklahoma Natashac.
A Two-Year-Old Patriot playing in Pine Bluff, AR at Dog Show in February 2013
Patriot is 2.5 years-of-old and is finally maturing into a fabulous dog.He is sweet and smart and extremely confident.He is the perfect size German shepherd at the top of the height standard at 26 inches and at around 100 pounds he will be a trim solid dog.
Patriot does very well at the dog shows, and as he matures he is starting to get a lot of second place and reserve wins.I suspect that he will reach a point in his maturity where when he starts winning, and once he starts winning he will fly through to his championship.He will be finished, and we will look back and say, ‘wow that was fast’ as it has been with most our great male champions.
Patriot is a true joy to travel with.He never has an accident in his crate and when he really needs to be let out of crate he has whine that is distinct.When he needs an unscheduled bathroom break all we have to do if we are driving is find an exit let him out and he immediately takes care of his business and then he wants to get right back in his crate.
When we are at scheduled breaks, he is great to let out with our girl German shepherds because he romps around and with his playful nature he encourages everyone to run and play fight.When Patriot is at the shows everyone gets good exercise breaks.
Patriot Playing (left) With Daphne at a Dog Show in Wichita Falls, TX in February 2013
Please continue to check out our web page as we post updates on this litter and future available litters: https://kgsd.inventivehorizons.com/PuppiesForSale.htm. We currently have Wally and Walter, two male puppies left.Both are wonderful puppies and Walter has developed in to quite the show prospect.Remember that we do ship puppies.
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
We register all our German Shepherd Dog puppies with the American Kennel Club (AKC) because it provides the highest possible protection for those puppies throughout life.Registering all pure blood dogs with AKC adds intrinsic value to those registered dogs.Dogs that are valued through their pure blood registration are less likely to be dumped, discarded, abandoned, used for fighting, etc.Even the worse examples of certain breeds have an increased chance of a good and loved life if they are registered through AKC.
Newman and Nelson Noah Puppies
We have no idea what the future involves in our life, and any of could find ourselves through life circumstances unable to care for the puppy in the future that we purchase today.If your puppy is registered it is going to much easier for you or your breeder to find a new home for that puppy that you can no longer keep.Therefore, when a customer purchases a puppy from us, we collect the AKC registration fee from them and have the customer fill out the registration before leaving with their new puppy.We then mail in several registrations via certified mail to AKC, thus making sure all our puppies are registered.
We have several customers each year tell us that they do not care about registering their puppy because they are not going to breed or show their new puppy, nevertheless, we insist that these puppies get registered.Throughout the year we get back a few puppies, teenagers, and adults because the family has had a life changing event where they can no longer keep their German shepherd dog.These life changing events have included divorce, loss of job, severe illness, death of a spouse, and relocation out-of-the-country.None of these events were foreseen or anticipated by the new puppy owners.
Puppy Playing In The Yard
We at Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels always take our dogs back and try to rehome our German Shepherd Dogs if the former family cannot keep them any longer.Our task of rehoming and potentially reselling these German Shepherd Dog, puppies, teenagers and young adults is much easier if these dogs have been registered with AKC. Upon reselling these rehomed dogs, we refund the former owners original purchase price less our expenses. In addition, we transfer the registration of these rehomed German shepherd dogs to the new owners.
If you are purchasing your German shepherd dog from someone other than Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels, please take the time to register your new puppy with AKC.This will help add protection to your new puppy if something happens to you where you can no longer take care of your dog.
A Happy Puppy
In addition, ask your breeder if they offer the added insurance of rehoming your dog if you are unable to take of it any longer.If they are unwilling, unable, or sound hesitant about providing this service, perhaps you should consider a different breeder.Backyard breeders would be less likely to be able to provide this service because they do not have the facilities to take care of a dog that is not a part of their two to four dog pack in their backyard, thus, another reason for someone that is looking for a quality German Shepherd Dog puppy to avoid backyard breeders.
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
I have not posted in almost a month.I am hoping to be able to post on more frequent basis.Well, we returned and have recovered from our fabulous Yellowstone trip.Were we did nine hikes out of 11 days in Yellowstone.Our shortest hike was 3.5 miles and our longest 7.5 miles with most in the 5 mile range.These were not flat strolls, but up and down the mountain hikes at approximately 7,500 to 8,500 feet elevation.We returned very fit and very tired!
Bison Calve and Mom
Mountain Pass Trail Called the Picnic Trail
A badger on the Lost Lake Trail that Was Determined Not to Let Us Pass
An Antelope on Another Mountain Pass Trail
A Very Rare Close Encounter With A Rocky Mountain Sheep Ewe
Upon our return, I had grass two to three feet high, which took me a week to mow because both mowers decided to repeatedly breakdown.This week, the start of July, we will be spending time grooming and heart worming all our dogs. Being the July 4 weekend we are also filled with boards, which are customer’s dogs that we are kenneling while customers are on vacation.These are some of my excuses for not posting, but as promised, I will post more frequently.
We did miss our dogs in Yellowstone and many times while hiking, we wished that Grand Champion Kodi could have been with us.However, given that there are wolves and grizzly bears in Yellowstone, it is far too dangerous for the wildlife and dogs to have them come into contact. Even Service dogs in Yellowstone are limited to parking lots and hotels.
We have a wonderful new litter that will be ready to go home July 13, 2013.This is both young parents first litter, but they have produced solid temperaments and big healthy puppies.The dam Heidelberg’s Carlie is from Champion Oliver and the Sire Heidelberg’s Texoma is from Grand Champion Heidelberg’s Kodi.Crossing Grand Champion Kodi with Champion Oliver lines has proved to be a good breeding and match. Look for these puppies to be posted with pricing on our web page sometime after July 6, 20013.We are currently accepting deposits on this litter.
Sandy, Our Volunteer Holding a Male Puppy From the Carlie and Texoma Litter
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
German Shepherd Dogs, adults and puppies love to swim.Even young puppies are fearless when it comes to water.My daughter loves to walk our new litters around a little trail that goes around one of our ponds.One day while walking a six-week-old litter in late Fall she heard a splash and turned to see a little male puppy that jumped in the cold water and was swimming to the middle of the pond.She panicked and was afraid that she would have to jump in the freezing water to save the puppy.However, she started clapping her hands and calling at the puppy and he turned and swam straight to her and the shoreline.He was cold but okay once she dried him off.
Over the years, we have on occasion heard the bad news that our customers’ German Shepherd Dog, puppy or adult had drowned in their pool because the dog did not know where the shallow end was located.The shepherd had either jumped or fallen in the pool when nobody was around and then drowned when they could not get out.
Practice Pool Safety With Your German Shepherd Dog, Puppy or Adult
If you own a pool, you can safely own a German Shepherd Dog, but you must get them in the pool and show them the shallow end and the steps.If you purchase a puppy or adult in the winter when the water is too cold to get in with them, you either must show them the shallow end by you staying outside of the pool or do not allow them unsupervised access to the pool.If you decide to show them how to get out when the water is cold have a long pole with a net to scoop them up if they panic before finding the shallow end.
Having a pool with a German Shepherd Dog can be fun and safe.However, take the time to make sure they are safe.
German Shepherd Dogs Love the Water
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
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