I know I haven't been on in a while but I have been very busy with my wonderful puppy and also the fact that I am 3 months pregnant.  We didn't know we were expecting when we picked up Sheena.  But it is a wonderful surprise.  My husband and I have been trying for over 2 years and the doctors were doubtful we would suceed so needless to say we are excited.  Anyway back on topic.

We have had Sheena now for a month and a half and she is the most wonderful puppy I have every had.  I will never go back to owning a mix agian.  I have worked with hundreds of dogs and puppys and have never known one like her.  She is so quiet.  She maybe barks once a week and then only when she is playing with our one cat Tippy.  She is so quiet and gentle with kids.  She doesn't have what I thought was the normal puppy exerburance with children.  When children are around she will sit or ly down by them to be petted or so will play fetch with them which is her ultimate favorite game and will play this for a good half hour.  She never jumps on them or us.  She learned in a week to not nip us.  She potty trained in 3 days and learned my daily routine quickly.  She figured out her toy box and will go there to get her toys out every morning (now if we could only teach her to put them back) LOL.  She will meet people with what we call her quiet dignity.  She will sit and wait for them to approach, sniff their hand and then she will wag her tail in invitation to be petted.  She has been nicknamed the little queen.  But it is meeting people that is the problem.

Everyone and I mean everyone who sees her asks us if we are going to breed her.  Some even think she is a cross because they have never heard of a white german shepherd and even thinking that ask us if we are going to breed her because they want a pup of her looks and personality.  My husband and I try to tell people that we research for a year before we settled on a breed for us and then found a breeder that followed all the criteria.  Then we explain that to breed her she has to have her hips and elbows check and the scores have to be out standing.  Then on top of that she has to do exceptionally well in the show ring and in her canine good citizen and other tests.  We are not going to breed a good scoring or well scoring dog, she would have to be exceptional in everything in my eyes and her breeders eyes for me to breed her.  Yes she was pick of the litter and the breeder almost kept her for herself.  But I wanted the best because she is going to be my service dog and not just a pet.  We try to tell people that breeding her is not a priority and that it will take so much thought on me and the breeders part.  I see it as doubtful. 

It just amazes me that after saying all this and trying to promote people researching and everything almost all of them say the same thing which is "I would breed her just because of her wonderful quiet personality."  And then they walk away.  I have had this conversation with well over 100 people and I am at the hair pulling point.  Am I just to uptight like some of them have said or Should I be this responsible?

I've always thought white sheperds are gorgeous, but I've heard they're not very good at agility because their long, hooked tails tend to knock the poles off!

Sorry this has nothing to do with anything but I thought you might like to know!

People are annoying aren't they!We can't educate everyone but it is still worth trying. When I had my first Dane people used to stop me in the street and ask me if they could use him on their bitch, I was never stopped by anyone with another Dane! You can't educate everyone ( but keep trying)  and from what you have said in your post I am sure you and yoyr husband will do the right thing. Best of luck.

The only reason why I won't fix Sheena until she has had all her tests, been proven in the ring and else where and so on done is because if she is exceptional for her breed and proves to excel at service work then I would breed her in hopes to produce a litter with a chance to be service dogs.  If I do breed I plan to donate the pup or pups that show the most promise to an assistance dog training facility.  So as you can see I wouldn't be making any money.  I am in it to better the breed and help people that need it.
Nicole & Sheena

Thing is if people want a pup from your bitch, or one like yuo bitch, then why not put them in contact if the breeder of your bitch.  This way they get a white shepherd puppy from someone who is experianced and wants to breed and you don't have to do something you don't want to!

Rox

Congratulations on your pregnancy, Nicole :) Sheena sounds a lovely little pup. Id just smile and tell em Sheena's one of a kind and they broke the mould when she was born. Im sure shell learn to pick up her toys quickly plus anything else that takes her fancy. Ive found teaching dogs to retrieve can bring odd surprises when out a walk, old shoes, bones, knickers and stale bread being just some.

You can also point out that, as she is an assistance dog, it would make life very difficult for you when she couldn't work for a couple of months due to maternity duties!