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"Cali" Cali vom Tal der Sterne Cali’s demeanor is nothing short of wonderful, embodying the ideal family companion. As the proud offspring of import Ramsey vom Valenhaus and Tinka vom Tal der Sterne, a granddaughter of our V Qairo von der (VA Randy vom Leithawald), Cali carries an impressive lineage. A true testament to her heritage, Cali is a cherished member of the family, embodying the spirit of loyalty that defines the German Shepherd breed. She enjoys life with our co-owner Judy and her family on their Nevada Ranch, her puppies come here to us in California prior to meeting their new families. We look forward to her first litter arriving early 2024. OFA Fair Hips Normal Elbows DM Clear N/N MDR1 Clear N/N Color: Black/Red

About Us 'Remembering Our Past, Living in the Present and Looking to the Future...Always with Our German Shepherd Dogs.' My name is Barbie DiBernardo and I would like to tell you a little bit about our family, our goals and our commitment to the German Shepherd Dog here at West Coast German Shepherds. Together with my husband Kip and our son Alden we strive to provide the best quality German Shepherd to you with an outstanding temperament that will in turn make a lasting impression on you and your family like they have in ours. I have so many customers that have been lifelong fans of the German Shepherd, that have grown up with German Shepherds and long for that companionship again with the dog of their childhood. ​ My husband Kip, our son Alden and I all share a great love for the German Shepherd having owned them now for over 25 years, started for all of us as children. Mine began with a wonderful dog I met at the age of six that was owned by my two adult brothers, I was fascinated by her and how quickly we became attached to each other while on that short vacation to visit my brothers. She was a great dog and I dreamed of having one of my own someday. Once I was able to have a dog the only dog I wanted was a German Shepherd, there was never a question. Already a mother by this time I wanted to be sure that the dog I got would be good with our son Alden. My husband Kip had the great fortune of being raised with a wonderful German Shepherd named 'Dina', she was the family protector and was a wonderful babysitter for Kip and his three siblings, so the choice for us was clear. ​ We adopted a ten month old bi-color male we named 'Touchdown', and yes at two years old my son was a major football fanatic! Touchdown was the best, he was so great with Alden and never even had a bad thought cross his mind about him, no matter how many times Alden took his ball or tried to tackle him like a football player, Touchdown took it all in stride and was perfectly sweet. We then added an adult black and red male we named 'Irish', yes, we had 'Touchdown' & 'Irish', and yes we are Notre Dame fans. Irish and Touchdown became the best of friends to both each other and to Alden. During our two years that we lived in Ohio, they would pull him on his sled through the snow in the front yard and entertain us catching snowballs. They were great dogs and we still miss them to this day, they both lived to the age of thirteen and we consider ourselves blessed for having them in our lives. They will always be remembered with love and we miss them dearly. ​ It was a dream of mine to someday be able to raise German Shepherds with great bloodlines and temperaments for other families like ours to enjoy and love. That dream became a reality in January 2007 and we have enjoyed every minute of it. We actively show our dogs in the German style show ring on a national and international level and therefore we strive to breed dogs of quality bloodlines and structure that adhere to the German SV standard for the German Shepherd dog. ​ Health is of utmost importance to us and we know it is to you as well, all of our dogs are hip and elbow certified through either the German SV a-Stamp Program or through the OFA. Additionally all of our dogs are tested clear for Degenerative Myelopathy. I am fortunate to have a very hard working husband that enables me to be a full-time dog mom. In keeping a small number of dogs we have time to give plenty of love and individual attention to them and the puppies when we have them. Our dogs are not kept in kennels, they live with us as part of our family, with room to roam outside on our one acre property and they always have a warm spot inside to sleep. We make every effort to continue to learn and to improve our bloodlines by importing dogs of superior quality with top German VA bloodlines to both further our own show and breeding program and to bring you the highest and best quality puppy for you and your family to enjoy. We look forward to providing you and your family with the dog of your dreams. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Next I would like to tell you a little about our partner Jes Osusky from Granada Hills, CA. Dogs as well as horses have been a passion for Jes since her childhood, she began showing horses and cattle and working dogs while growing up in Indiana and she has trained many service and detection dogs through the years. We feel fortunate to have someone of Jessa's experience and knowledge as part of our West Coast family, not only is she great with the dogs she is also a very good friend. Jessa takes outstanding care of our puppies and dogs and we know they are safe in her care. Jessa and her husband Greg do a wonderful job of socializing and handling the puppies, which is continued once the puppies are brought to us at 6-7 weeks of age. Our female Xasha lives with Jessa and her family. ​ Our puppies that are raised by our two partners are brought to us at the age of 7 weeks old. At this age they are no longer nursing except for maybe once a day if at all, as their mother is quite over the addition of their sharp little teeth a few weeks prior. The important part is that the litter stay together until the age of 8 weeks here at our home. Their adult dog lessons are lovingly taught to them by our matriarch Malibu as well as some of the other members of the pack. They are health checked by our veterinarian, microchipped and vaccinated once they arrive to our home. Both of our partners implement our feeding and deworming schedule while the puppies are in their care. They also send us photos of the puppies so we can keep you updated on their growth. ​ We want you to feel secure in knowing that whether your puppy is raised in our home or our partners, they are getting the very best in care and socialization. I would like to tell you a little about our two partners that we co-own some of our girls with. First I would like to introduce you to our partner Judy Baker from Nevada. We met Judy through Andre, she had purchased E Sissy vom Paukenschlag from Andre as a puppy. Judy lives on a gorgeous 1500 acre ranch in Nevada and the dogs and puppies get to enjoy ranch life and everything that comes with it! Judy's four year old son Dillon is our puppy socializer extraordinaire! His dogs and the puppies are his very best friends! Judy kept a female puppy from our first litter with Sissy and Zamp, and Anna and Dillon are inseparable, playing in the mud and the snow together and keeping Judy very busy of course! Dillon got to show Anna in December earning the top rating of Very Promising, Judy and Dillon ran their hearts out in the ring and Anna got a perfect critique from the SV judge. Having years of experience in raising livestock as well as puppies in the past, Judy does an outstanding job raising our West Coast puppies and we know they get the best in care and socialization. When the puppies are 6 to 7 weeks of age they travel to our home in style and the comfort of Judy's RV, this way they are able to take their time driving, thereby making the trip stress free for the puppies. Our male Kiro and our girls Anna, Cinder, Ruby, Oli & Blossom live with Judy. Dillon & Sissy Our Co-Own Families

Contact Us Click Here to Read Our Policy Regarding Puppy Reservations Please contact us to be added to our waiting lists for our 20 24 Litters. Placing your name on a waiting list or placing a holding fee with us tells us that you have chosen us as the breeder of your choice for your future family companion. Fill in this form to receive information on how to join our Waiting List or to Reserve a Puppy. Please send any specific information about your request so we can answer your question in the best way possible: Barbie DiBernardo westcoastgsd@gmail.com 951-775-2534 ​ ​ VIEW Our FAQ's Page for Puppy Pricing Prior to Ma king a Payment Payments Click to make payment here for -Waiting List -Holding Fee First name Last name Email Phone Interested in the following litter *Disclosure Statement: We will contact you within 48 hours of payment being received. Puppy placement approval is an important part of the process when finding homes for our puppies. We will ask questions about your living space, previous breed experience if any (not required), and any other pets in the home. We want to ensure that each puppy is placed in a home that is prepared to provide the best possible care along with our guidance when needed. All payments/applicants will be reviewed. Upon acceptance of payment a contract will be sent to you, please return via email or postmark within 48hrs of receipt of contract. ** Applicants not accepted will have payments refunded within 48hrs. Name * Email * Phone Subject Message Puppy Gender Choice Male Female Open to Either Gender Choice Puppy Color Preference - Choose One or More Black/Red-Tan Sable Solid Black Puppy Coat Length Preference Stock (short) Coat Long Coat Open to Either Coat Choice I want to subscribe to litter notifications. Send Thanks for submitting!

"Meggie" Nutmeg von der Westküste ​ OFA Fair Hips & Normal Elbows @ 14 mos. DM Clear N/N MDR1: Clear N/N Color: Sable - Long Coat Presenting our stunning long coat sable female "Meggie", Nutmeg von der Westküste, a daughter of our own V Qairo von der Westküste, IPO2, granddaughter of our three time VA Randy vom Leithawald, SchH3 and out of our beautiful import V Verona vom Frankengold. "Meggie" has a fun loving temperament and is proving herself to be a wonderful, attentive mother. She is the spitting image of one of our favorite dogs ever, her grandmother V1 Mousy von Dakota from the highly esteemed von Arlett bloodlines, through one of the highest placing sable showline females, her exquisite great grandmother V10 Emily von der Bastille, and her excellent producing and well known mother V Frisbee von Arlett.. She has many other greats in her pedigree such as VA Randy vom Leithawald, VA1 Vegas du Haut Mansard, VA3 Yukon von der Bastille, VA2 Hill vom Farbenspiel, and her paternal grandmother V Ubi vom Leithawald, a top producing daughter of the great sire V6 (BSZS) Idol vom Holtkämper Hof and a granddaughter of VA1 Bax von der Luisenstraße. V Qairo von der Westkuste, IPO2 V Verona vom Frankengold, IPO1

Solid Blacks, Sables & Black and Reds/Tans German Shepherd Puppies Now Available - German VA Bloodlines Page Updated 5/1/2024 Please enjoy your visit to our site, please note, our site is updated as soon as there are changes, so everything you see is current. Located in beautiful Southern California, we strive to breed superior quality family dogs that will not only make great companions and protectors for your family but that also represent the German Shepherd breed well with the exceptional temperament the breed is known and loved for worldwide. We breed the classic black and red/tan, red saddle patterned sables, and solid black German Shepherd puppies. We breed only top German V and VA bloodlines that possess superior health and temperament through generations of hip and elbow certified and temperament tested dogs. All of our breeding dogs are hip and elbow certified through either the German SV a-Stamp Program or through the OFA. Additionally all of our dogs are tested for Degenerative Myelopathy to be sure we are producing puppies safe from this disease. Additionally all of our dogs are DNA tested Clear for the MDR1 gene that can cause mild to severe reactions to a variety of medications. Please visit our testimonials page to read review from many of our clients through the years. ​ Puppies Available Now! You can click on the Puppies For Sale page to view our AKC Registered German Shepherd Puppies we have for sale and our upcoming litters. Also be sure to visit our Dogs For Sale page to see retired females and males we currently have available to the right homes. Check back often as we are always updating photos of our available puppies. Our puppies come to you with a written 5 year Health Guarantee, a Veterinarian Health Examination, a AKC Reunite Microchip, Vaccinations, Dewormings and our 'Forever Have a Home Promise'. Please visit our FAQ's Page for More Information. With keeping a small number of dogs we have time to give plenty of love and individual attention to them and the puppies when we have them. Our dogs are not kept in kennels, they live with us as part of our family, with room to roam outside on our one acre property and a warm spot inside to sleep. All puppies are raised inside our home in a clean and healthy environment. All whelpings are supervised by us and assisted as needed to ensure the best start and to protect the health of the mother and her puppies. All puppies are well socialized with small children, cats and our other dogs. Temperament is very important to us, our breeding dogs have wonderful temperaments that they pass on to their puppies. Puppies are temperament tested so that we can help you to find the perfect fit for your family and your needs. We actively show our dogs on the local, national and international level thereby striving to breed dogs of quality bloodlines and structure that adhere to the German SV standard for the German Shepherd dog. We make every effort to continue to learn and to improve our bloodlines by importing dogs of superior quality with top German VA bloodlines to bring you the highest and best quality puppy for you and your family to enjoy. Our hope as breeders is that we can provide the best quality German Shepherd puppy with an outstanding temperament that will in turn make a lasting impression on you and your family like they have in ours. I have so many customers that have been lifelong fans of the German Shepherd, that have grown up with German Shepherds and long for that companionship again with the dog of their childhood. I look forward to providing the dog of your dreams to you and your family! Call today to begin your future with a great German Shepherd Dog of your own. ​ Located in Southern California, just north of Temecula and minutes off the 215 Fwy, we are an easy drive from Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino Counties. Call or email for an appointment to visit us and to meet our dogs and puppies. Please be sure to visit our past litters page to view photos of our previous puppies raised here at West Coast German Shepherds™. Did My Dog Have A STROKE? 11 0 Post not marked as liked Register Your Dog’s Microchip TODAY! 36 0 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Focus, focus, focus…Training eye contact. 178 0 Post not marked as liked Proud to be an AKC Bred with H.E.A.R.T. Breeder

"Brooklyn" Brooklyn von der Westküste OFA Good Hips & Normal Elbows DM Clear N/N MDR1: Clear N/N Color: Black/Tan Born: 1/19/2019 Presenting Brooklyn von der Westküste, our beautiful daughter of our special black import female Messi and sired by the European bred male Bolt vom Tal der Sterne. She carries many VA dogs in her unique pedigree such as 2 time VA1 Vegas du Haut Mansard, VA2 Quenn vom Loher Weg, both of those VA dogs have been a part of our program before through Vegas' grandson our VA Randy vom Leithawald and Quenn's son our V1 Zamp von der Urbecke. Brooklyn is our little angel, sweet as can be just like her mother Messi. She is a g reat companion to our family and excellent guardian of the ranch too. She has excellent structure and movement, is very straight in her back and has beautiful, correct angulation in the rear with no exagurration. Both of her parents are rated with OFA Excellent hips, so she brings a strong hip line to the table, along with her beauty and temperament. She is DM clear and her MDR1 gene testing is currently pending. We are so excited for her first litter this spring of 2022 with the imported "Nitro" Neycore from Georgeland. Can't wait to snuggle these puppies! Sire: Bolt vom Tal der Sterne's Pedigree

"Kiro" V Kiro vom Königsadler, IPO1, Angek. Owned by Judy Baker Hips SV Rated a1-normal / Elbows a-normal DM Clear N/N Color: Black & Red Owned by Judy Baker "Kiro" is an impressive large black and red male with a strong, beautiful head, and distinctive male characteristics. His deep red coloring is passed to his puppies, as well as his wonderful temperament. Purchased as an adult he quickly adapted to ranch life and life with his young friend, Judy's 8 year old son Dillon. He loves to run with his pack alongside Judy on her four wheeler over their expansive ranch and especially enjoys his snuggle time back in the house with his little boy. A wonderful protector for their family, he was the perfect fit to bring a male into Judy's small pack of all girls!! Full brother to top male, VA1 (Can) Kerry vom Königsadler, he possesses the excellent genetics and pedigree to bring all the right qualities and the perfect German Shepherd look and temperament into the West Coast family. Health Certifications, Titles and Breed Survey Kiro's German SV file DM Clear Results Clear for Long Coat

Tyra's Progeny SG Tyra von der Westküste Show More

"Lemon" Lemondrop von der Westküste OFA Hips & Elbows Pending DM Clear N/N MDR1 Clear N/N Color: Black/Red Lemondrop is a daughter of one of our favorite females, Blossom who is a daughter of V1 Kiro vom Konigsadler and Anna aus dem Elch Wald. Blossom's bloodline has some of the very best temperaments we've ever produced. Great, solid family dogs and we expect the same from her daughter Lemondrop. Lemon has a super outgoing personality and is the class clown! She is a daughter of our stunning import 'Nitro' Neycore from Georgeland. We and our good friends have had this mother line for many, many years and there have been some outstanding dogs that have come from this line. Stemming all the way back to the beautiful Fanny vom Stoppelberger Wald from our good friend Bernd's kennel in Germany. From Fanny, to Molly, to Sissy and her excellent full brother E-Titan vom Paukenschlag, these dogs have had only excellent temperaments and that continues today in the offspring of Blossom & Shadow. We look forward to Lemon's future puppies here at West Coast German Shepherds. ​ ​

"Winter" Winter von der Westküste OFA Hips Good & Elbows Normal - 14mos DM Carrier A/N MDR1: Clear N/N Color: Red Sable w/ Saddle - No Long Coat Gene Winter is a daughter of our first West Coast bred sable female, V Goody von der Westküste, IPO1, Angek. Her sire is our very own homebred Jeronimo von der Westküste who is a son of our V1 Zamp von der Urbecke IPO3 daughter UKC Champion SG Merlot vom Paukenschlag and sired by the German import V Haribo vom Steierwald IPO1. Winter is also the granddaughter of our very special sable import female V1 Mousy von Dakota, IPO1, Angek. Mousy was bred in Germany to Goody's sire, the well known and highly rated V1 Geromino vom Team Panoniansee. Geronimo is known for his exquisite head, excellent structure and type, and most importantly his excellent protection work scoring 5/5 in the courage test at the German Sieger show. Winter is a sweet girl who loves to be with her best friend Nutmeg guarding the property from intruders, they make a great watchdog team! Sire: Jeronimo von der Westküste Dam: Goody von der Westküste

"Becca" Becca vom Haus Gilice - European Import SV Hips a-normal & Elbows a-normal DM Clear N/N MDR1 Clear N/N Color: Black/Red We are thankful to have "Becca" a beautiful European import female join our breeding program here at West Coast German Shepherds in late 2021. Sired by 2 time VA Symon di Casa Massarelli, IPO3, grandson of German VA Furbo Idegli Achei, SchH3, IPO2, one of the top producers in Germany with hundreds of winning offspring, Becca's mother is a granddaughter of the world reknowned multi time German VA Hill vom Farbenspiel, Schh3, and with yet another famous male VA Yasko vom Farbenspiel on her maternal granddam's side. ​ Becca was imported by a breeder friend that recently passed away in late 2021, we adopted a few of her dogs and added a couple of them to our breeding program since they were such nice examples of the breed in temperament, structure and pedigree. Becca's temperament is second to none, she has a fun loving, stable temperament, correct and balanced structure, and a classic, beautiful head. We just had one litter with Becca with Ramsey vom Valenhaus in early 2022 and she is now retired, we have kept two daughters from that litter, a long coat female named Orbit for the future of our West Coast breeding program and Ramsey's owner has kept her sister Orchid for her own program. I would like to thank her previous owner's husband for the opportunity to have Becca and to our late friend for choosing such an exceptional female to import from Europe. She was a stickler for pedigree's and well structured dogs with good work ethic and it shows in her pick of Becca.

Frequently Asked Questions ​ What is the Price of a West Coast Puppy? How Can I Reserve My Puppy? What Does My West Coast Puppy Come With and When Can My Puppy Come Home? UC Davis German Shepherd Study Finds Early Neutering Poses Health Risks for German Shepherd Dogs Anchor 1 What is the Price of a West Coast Puppy? Our puppies are generally priced at $3,500. Older puppies may be priced higher as training progresses and if they are shown. Prices on puppies imported directly from Germany with German Pink SV Papers will vary according to pedigree/training/etc., German Import puppy prices start at $5,000. Holding Fees for puppies under 12 weeks old are $500 and are non-refundable, they can be transferred to another litter only if the current puppy on hold is less than two weeks old. Holding fees for puppies over 12 weeks of age is 50% of the price of the puppy. The only vaccinations that are included are the Distemper, Parvo, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza Virus, any additional vaccinations including rabies beyond 4 months old will incur additional fees for vet visit, vaccine and transport to vet. Please Call or Email for pricing on a specific puppy or litter . Anchor 2 How Can I Reserve My Puppy? If you are interested in a puppy from one of our planned or upcoming litters you can contact us to place your name on our waiting list. ​ Beginning in 2022 we have changed the way we take reservations for our puppies. We take a $500 holding fee to reserve a puppy from West Coast German Shepherds. An initial holding fee first payment of $250 will reserve a place for you on our waiting list for a certain litter or expected litters until pregnancy is confirmed and/or born at which time the second $250 payment of the holding fee is payable to in order to reserve a puppy for you in a specific confirmed litter/litters. We will move you to a specific litter based on what is born and how it fits into your timeline and what color/sex/coat length you are looking to get. Holding fees are $500 to hold a puppy in a litter and are non-refundable except in the case where there are not enough puppies born to fulfill the wait list for each sex/color, they are however always transferable to another litter if transferred by the time the puppies are no more than two weeks old. Holding Fees for puppies under 12 weeks old are $500 and are non-refundable, they can be transferred to another litter only if the current puppy on hold is less than two weeks old. Holding fees for puppies over 12 weeks of age is 50% of the price of the puppy. The only vaccinations that are included are the Distemper, Parvo, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza Virus, any additional vaccinations including rabies beyond 4 months old will incur additional fees for vet visit, vaccine and transport to vet. ​ Click Here to Make a Payment to be placed on our waiting list or to place a holding fee for a current litter. You are welcome to set an appointment to come and meet any available puppies once old enough or the parents and our other dogs. Please feel free to call or email for further explanation of this process. A copy of our guarantee/contract is available upon request. **Placing a holding fee with us tells us that you have chosen us as the breeder of your choice for your future family companion.** ​ We enjoy the time spent waiting together with our clients for their new puppy to be born and the excitement of watching them grow with their littermates until they are ready to join their new families at eight weeks of age. We send photos of the litter at birth and individual portraits at three and five weeks of age. We will also sneak in candid photos of the puppies in between those portrait times when time allows. We also will take photos upon request in order to fulfill any needed puppy fixes!! Puppies are normally chosen between the ages of 6-7 weeks old. We do not allow puppy visits prior to the age of 6 weeks. Anchor 3 What Does My West Coast Puppy Come With and When Can My Puppy Come Home? Each puppy bred here at West Coast German Shepherds can go home no earlier than 8 weeks of age and will come with the following: ​ 5 Year Written Hip & Elbow Guarantee and a 2 Year Written Congenital Health Guarantee. We do not require you to give back your puppy/dog in order to receive a replacement puppy under our guarantees. We also do not require special supplements or foods be purchased in order to keep your guarantee in effect. Please email us for a copy of our guarantee/purchase agreement. AKC Individual Registration Application First Puppy Vaccinations Veterinarian Health Check Up to Date Dewormings International ISO Microchip Hip & Elbow Certified Parents with a rating of no less than the German SV rating of "a" Fast Normal (a2) or OFA Fair Hips & OFA Normal Elbows. Degenerative Myelopathy Free - Each litter we produce will always be from parents that have been DNA tested for Degenerative Myelopathy, one parent from each litter will be CLEAR for DM, we will never produce any puppies that would get two copies of this gene making them susceptible to this crippling disease according to the current research. Click Here to read more about Degenerative Myelopathy. MDR1 Clear - Each litter we produce will always be from parents that have been tested Clear N/N for MDR1 Lifetime Support - We encourage our puppy owners to call or email us with any questions or concerns regarding their West Coast puppy or dog. There is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to your puppy or dog. These questions when asked can sometimes save you both money and heartache, so please ask. "Forever Have A Home Guarantee" - If you ever have to give up your dog for any reason our door is open and we will take them in and spend the time necessary to find them another loving family to call their own. Anchor 4 UC Davis German Shepherd Study Finds Early Neutering & Spaying Poses Health Risks for German Shepherd Dogs Quick Summary Neutering before 1 year of age triples risk of some joint disorders Urinary incontinence risks elevated in female dogs spayed before age 1 Previous studies also found early neutering risks for golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/early-neutering-poses-health-risks-german-shepherd-dogs-study-finds/ ​ Renowned for their intelligence, obedience and loyalty, German shepherd dogs are often the preferred breed for police and military work, as well as popular service dogs and family pets. But as most handlers, breeders and veterinarians are aware, joint disorders are a big concern in these animals. A new study in the journal Veterinary Medicine and Science finds that neutering or spaying these dogs before 1 year of age triples the risk of one or more joint disorders — particularly for cranial cruciate ligament, or CCL, tears. “Debilitating joint disorders of hip dysplasia, CCL and elbow dysplasia can shorten a dog’s useful working life and impact its role as a family member,” said lead investigator Benjamin Hart, a distinguished professor emeritus in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. “Simply delaying the spay/neuter until the dog is a year old can markedly reduce the chance of a joint disorder.” Dog owners in the United States typically choose to spay or neuter their dogs prior to 6 months of age, in large part to prevent pet overpopulation or hoping to avoid unwanted behaviors. In Europe, however, neutering is generally avoided by owners and trainers and not promoted by animal health authorities, Hart said. During the past decade, some studies have indicated that spaying or neutering can have several adverse health effects for certain dog breeds. For example, a 2014 study published in PLoS ONE and also led by Hart, examined the health records of over 1,000 golden retrievers and found a surprising fourfold increase in one or more joint disorders associated with spay or neuter before 1 year of age. In the same paper, joint disorders in Labrador retrievers were found to be increased by just twofold in dogs spayed or neutered in the first year. For this current study, researchers examined veterinary hospital records over a 14.5-year period on 1,170 intact and neutered (including spayed) German shepherd dogs for joint disorders and cancers previously associated with neutering. The diseases were followed through 8 years of age, with the exception of mammary cancer in females, which was followed through 11 years. The dogs were classified as intact (not neutered), neutered before 6 months, neutered between 6 to 11 months, or neutered between 12 to 23 months and 2 to 8 years. Joint disorders and cancers are of particular interest because neutering removes male and female sex hormones that play key roles in important body processes such as closure of bone growth plates. Seven percent of intact males were diagnosed with one or more joint disorders, compared to 21 percent of males neutered prior to a year of age. In intact females, 5 percent were diagnosed with one or more joint disorders, while in females neutered prior to 1 year of age this measure was significantly increased to 16 percent. Mammary cancer was diagnosed in 4 percent of intact females compared with less than 1 percent in females neutered before 1 year of age. (The occurrence of the other cancers followed through 8 years of age was not higher in the neutered than in the intact dogs.) Urinary incontinence, not diagnosed in intact females, was diagnosed in 7 percent of females neutered before 1 year of age. “In addition to dogs suffering pain from joint disorders, the condition may also disqualify the dog as a working partner in military and police work,” Hart said. “We hope these findings provide evidence-based guidelines for deciding the right age to neuter a puppy to reduce the risk of one or more joint disorders.” Other researchers on this UC Davis study were: Lynette Hart and Abigail Thigpen, School of Veterinary Medicine; and Neil Willits, Department of Statistics. The research was supported by the Canine Health Foundation and donors to the Center for Companion Animal Health.