FRAMHEIM SHEPHERDS is located twenty miles east of Columbus, Ohio on eighteen rolling acres of native forest. We have indoor and outdoor training facilities. Our home was designed with dogs and puppies as high priorities. The facilities feature quiet whelping rooms, puppy nurseries and large secure play/exercise areas. We are surrounded by hundreds of acres of woodlands and farms for tracking, search/rescue and hiking.

Each litter is planned so the puppies can have the socialization and individual attention that will enable them to lead active and fulfilling lives with the families they eventually will join. We plan litters so we have plenty of time to play ball, groom/handle, socialize (we have Puppy Parties regularly!) and lead the curious pups on outings through the woods as well as into town. Our goal is to see that each pup begins life with pleasurable and confidence-building experiences.

Our dogs have excelled at earning schutzhund titles, A.K.C. obedience titles, top placements at S.V., U.S.A., I.A.B.K.C.A. and A.K.C. shows, therapy work in hospitals and schools, agility, fly-ball, support dogs, tracking/search & rescue, police service, herding, ring sport and, most importantly, as loving and loved family members. Breeding dogs with robust health; intelligent, incorruptible character and correct, balanced structure without exaggeration are our top priorities.

We have produced: 1990 USA National Youth Vice Sieger, 1990 Canadian Young Dog Sieger, USA Regional Top Placements in  Conformation, 1999 USA National Open Sieger, many International Championships, many AKC ranked dogs in obedience and agility, therapy dogs featured on T.V., newspapers & 1996 Science Diet/Delta Society Calendar, high in trial and first place scores for schutzhund, obedience and agility (USA, Canada, Germany) and even a dog who competed in retriever field trials!

We believe the German Shepherd Dog can and should be versatile and we are proving it! Our V Falk v. Mons Tabor was chosen to represent the GSD breed in Brian Kilcommons & Sarah Wilson's book, Paws to Consider. Joan authors articles for several national publications and has been consultant on articles for Dog Fancy's - The German Shepherd, Dog World, and The Whole Dog Journal. Joan is a moderator for www.goodpaws.org  which is a respected resource in everything for pets!

After years of having a vet-referred practice of training and behavior problem solving, we place a great importance on proper rearing and placement of puppies. We begin at birth with meaningful handling of puppies so they are biddable and very social. We provide new and varied experiences for pups so they easily adapt and accept changes and new environments when they leave us. We build trust with our litters so they accept our human leadership rather than to enforce dominance. We feel that much of a pup's personality and how they handle stress is developed before they leave the breeder. For this reason, we want our pups to be ready for the changes in store for them.

We are happy to help with training and rearing questions and problems. We also will help you with:

1) handling dogs from our breedings at conformation shows, advice and help with all training.

2) Lifetime support and advice for your Framheim Shepherd. If you are unable to look after your dog, we want to help locate appropriate homes and/or accept 'our' dog back to our home. (We urge all dog owners to make these arrangements for care of their dogs clear in their Wills and/or Trusts and with family.)

3) For people with the knowledge and experience in breeding and for our dogs who are breed-worthy, we offer advice on breedings for your dog and referrals of potential puppy buyers on your litters. We urge most dog owners to spay and neuter their dogs. Breeding is an activity to be entered into with the utmost care and responsiblity!

4) Guidance for training, showing and titling your dog by yourself or with professional trainers/handlers.

5) Joan is available for puppy testing of litters for anyone wishing for an experienced, honest evaluator. E-mail for details. Seminars on training, motivational techniques, tracking, building a training curriculum for clubs and private trainers as well as the 'how-to's' for building successful breeding programs are available.

 (our training and visitor facility)