Located in Fort Jennings, Ohio

419-969-9962, call or text

albeebug@yahoo.com

https://www.facebook.com/shannon.holtzapple/

We specialize in creating healthy purebred German Shepherds in a variety of coat lengths and colors! Bringing happiness and love through puppies!!

Some of my story…. I have been in love with german shepherds ever since i was 20 and got my first German shepherd dog named Elsa. I decided about 13 years ago to start breeding and found I really loved it and was passionate about it. I work hard on breeding only from the best lines. I breed for health, temperament, workability, beauty, and many other things. I try to stick to long coats because those are my favorite. I NEVER breed without doing full DNA panels and hip and elbow xrays! Our goal with our breeding program is to promote healthy, sound dogs, who are suitable for any situation and be gentle enough to able to be handled by families as well. I have a variety of drives and energies although I strive for more laid back. I have full West German Showlines and mixed working/show lines, I dont do full working lines. I do not promote the extreme roach back shepherds. Mine either have the proper gentle slope or a more straight old fashioned back. We have livers, blues, blacks, black and reds, black and tans, sables, and white.

All my dogs are part of the family. We take them on vacations with us, and i take them anywhere I can with me whenever i leave, there’s usually always at least a couple, sometimes all, with me when I run errands or do things. We do not have kennels, and I will never keep my dogs in kennels. That would make them very unhappy lol. Every dog i own lives in the house with us and is part of our family. I have recently built a nursery shed! It was bought as a shell and I have built the whole inside into puppy rooms (with dads help lol), and after the puppies are raised indoors in my bedroom for the first 3 weeks, they are then moved out to the nursery shed! They will still be in the house all the time, but they will be in the shed and also outdoors when nice for a majority. I am so excited for the addition and have been waiting a long time for it!!!

Some other random personal info about me. We are a Christian home and love God and Jesus very much! Everything we do revolves around this simple fact 🙂 Me and my husband Josh have been together over 13 years and FINALLY got married October 11, 2026 lol. My heart dog Kookie died 12/28/24 from labor problems and I almost lost the will to breed anymore, she was my everything, and I still cant think of her without crying.😢 We live on a farm with 2 cows named Mac and Cheese, and a welsh pony named Frodo, as well as numerous chickens and ducks. Cheese will be kept on as our dairy family cow and I will learn to make cheeses and butter, etc from her milk after she starts having babies. So that’s a very exciting venture i’ve been waiting for a long time to partake in! We do everything as organic as possible here. I like to can veggies and fruits from our gardens and trees. I love to take family vacations with my whole family, parents, kids, sisters, nieces and nephews, etc. We all go at least once a year someplace, usually in Michigan for my side of the family, and Joshs side, we go to his dads cabin in PA. I love to play video games. I love to travel and am usually transporting my own puppies as well. I have been raising my 2 year old grandson since birth, so thats been an adventure to add onto running a full time business from home lol. Animals are my favorite in general but bats and owls are my most favorite. But then again… I have ALOT of favorite animals haha. I dont watch tv. But, we have started watching The Chosen and its wonderful. I am very crafty and love all sorts of craft things- Candle making, soap making, painting pictures, making resin cups and snowglobe cups, just anything I can get my hands on really. Glitter and bedazzling everything is my favorite. I am so thankful the Lord has blessed my life so much! And thats enough for now! 🙂

I implement the Puppy Culture Program into our litters! Its amazing, and so much fun! I love being able to give puppies the absolute best start in their lives which will impact their whole life! Its an amazing program! Puppies are raised for the first 3 weeks in our bedroom. During the first 2 weeks, we do the Early Neurological Stimulation with them as well. Then we move them to their bigger whelping pens (which will be in the nursery shed) where we play jazz and reggae music (there was a study done where dogs actually love reggae music lol) and other varieties (including thunderstorm), all the time except bedtime when its lights out and quiet time. They learn to use the litter boxes and play with toys and do puppy things. We introduce to new sounds, smells, and textures daily. They are raised in our home and underfoot most of the time still, and are handled all day everyday, so they get the full family setting and used to daily family activities and noises and such.

I am making plans in 2027 to start my golden retreiver lines! I have been waiting for MANY years to make this happen and finally everything is falling into place and I have started my search this year for the base dogs of my program for these lines. It has been my dream for forever to have goldens for therapy dogs and I’m so very excited it will finally be happening next year! I would also love to show them and have those titles on them as well. But the main goal is for therapy dog work and i’m so blessed that I finally get to start this new venture in life!

This is all a huge learning process for me. I do my best and try my hardest at all times. I do not claim to be perfect but I always strive for perfection. I want to produce the best quality dogs I can and I want everyone to always be happy with their lifelong companions. My goal is to provide happiness and love to everyone thru my favorite dog- the German shepherd.

I also provide transport for my puppies and others as well. I charge 50 cents a mile up to 75 cents a mile (depends on gas prices at the time for delivery!) And if flight is needed, I do flight nanny with puppy in cabin. Costs are not known until destinations and days are discussed. Cargo is also available. If transport is needed to meet you someplace or take a puppy to meet you at the airport, it is the same, 50-75 cents a mile round trip. 🙂

Also, i have lots of references for reputable breeders i will share if I do not have what your looking for. I’m all for supporting my fellow breeders who work hard and health test and are doing the right things! I will start a list in the menu at the top, of websites, or breeder names, whom I feel are deserving of recognition. If I miss someone, I apologize lol, chances are I just haven’t had a chance to put you down yet! Ill try to update this list whenever I think of someone or something I may have missed! – Breeder recommendations