Hello Julie,

I am reaching out to let you know that we purchased our GSD from your kennel, and we are proud to share that Sherman just turned 14! He has been an amazing companion these past 14 years, and we have had no major health concerns. We call him our “old man” and he is all love–so sweet and loves to give kisses. Our 3 children adore him, and he has had several canine siblings that have also helped to keep him young.

All the best,
Erica Cifrino

P.S. As we were searching way back through old e-mails to find your contact info, we came across the original communication you had sent us. We are so fortunate that our 10-12 year relationship has lasted 14 years so far and still more to come!!

Hi Mittelwest-

Wanted to let you know that today is our beloved Diezel’s 11th birthday! It seems like just yesterday we picked him out (green collar Titan/Dezi pup)! That was the best decision we ever made! And here we are 11 years and numerous Sieger show awards later and we couldn’t be prouder parents of our boy! He still has the mind of a 2 year old, not to mention the blood work up of a 2 year old! We just wanted to say “Thank You” for blessing us with our best buddy ever!

Gregg and Erin Nagl

Good morning Julie,

I hope you are doing well during these crazy times.

I am very excited to inform you that yesterday Lucy obtained her Novice Scentwork title after receiving two first place awards for Novice Interior at a Scentwork trial in Staten Island NY. This gives her the Performance Award of Merit title from the German Shepherd Dog Club of America. I am so proud of Lucy! She is really an exceptional dog!

I am looking forward to obtaining her Master’s titles in agility- should be soon as she only needs one more Q in Standard and 4 in JWWs. After that we will be working on her MACH. She also was awarded the 9th fastest 20″ agility GSD for all of 2020 by Bad Dog Agility Power Breed Score.

Lucy qualified for the Rally National Championship in July and I am planning on entering her. It is a Random draw- so I don’t know if we will actually be able to compete but we will try. I am also planning on competing with her at the GSDCA Nationals in October.

I am having so much fun with Lucy! Thanks again for this wonderful dog!

Linda

Hi Julie,
We are the owners of Sochi’s pink baby from her September litter – I wanted to share with you a story about our Rexie puppy ….. on Sunday morning my husband collapsed in the back of our house – unbeknownst to me as I was up front – Rexie went crazy running between Bob and I until I followed her and found Bob on the floor unable to get up – Bob had had a stroke and I was able to call for help timely and he is now in recovery – if it had not been for Rexie our story would have had a very different ending. Thank you so much for breeding such intelligent and loving dogs. All of this and she is only 5 months old!!!!

We will always be grateful to you

Bob and Kathy Metcalf

Hi Julie,

I wanted to touch base with you and say thanks again for all that you did during the puppy selecting/purchase process. In case you don’t remember my wife and I purchased Maggie’s pup (Heidi) and one from Kimba (Greta). We have had Heidi and Greta for about five weeks now and it has been a blessing. I wanted to let you know that not only have the girls checked out healthy with the vet, he said they are without a doubt the best looking German Shepherds he has seen in his career.

Training is going really well. The girls have all the basic obedience commands down well. We are doing a lot of training and drills to keep them focused on us, too. We have visited a local Schutzhund club that seems like a good fit for us. We hope to introduce the girls there soon. Their drive, temperament, etc., is more than we could have hoped. We are careful to not let the girls out too much together at this stage, but when they are out together they play SO well (and hard) together. Heidi is substantially larger than Greta, but she still lets her little sister get on top and play. I’m attaching a couple pictures and a video we took while the girls were out downstairs.

Again, thanks for working with me for so long. I think from the time I sent my first e-mail to you until we picked up the girls was almost 7 months. I’ll continue to recommend Mittelwest to everyone.

Finally, if you ever want to check in on the girls we have an Instagram page “Bickerton_Haus” that they share. It is kind of boring inside stuff right now, but we hope to get more working pictures as they get older (and the weather cooperates).

Very Respectfully,

Brandon

Hans turned 1 year yesterday. Hans is doing GREAT! He is still Rox’s favorite dog ever. We had a large party on the 4th of July (over 50 people) and Hans and Schatzi mingled with the guests the entire day. People were amazed at how friendly and fun both of them were and several people wanted to take Hans home with them. A couple of them have decided that they want a German Shepherd now.

Both dogs ran free during our party with no direct control of them. The majority of the 50 people were strangers that just entered our yard through the gate and Hans and Schatzi just greeted them. Our 4 grandchildren (ages 5-9) were running around the party as well. Both dogs were awesome.

You know that I have had many German Shepherds over the years and, of course, all have been socialized and are expected to behave around people but the Mittelwest Shepherds have been exceptional. Rox even commented after the party that, while she trusted all of our dogs, she is just amazed at these two. I know some of this is how they are raised but a huge part is due to your breeding. I can’t stress enough how beautiful and wonderful your dogs are.

Thank you so much.

Dan, Rox, Schatzi & Hans

My daughter had been asking for a German Shepherd pup (non-stop mind you) for the past 3 yrs. As a Veterinarian, I was hesitant… knowing there are a number of German Shepherds that need homes. (I have had several dogs in my lifetime and they have always been rescues). I also know that GSD’s bond quickly to their primary care taker and make the most incredible, loyal companions, something my daughter needed, so, a puppy was the ideal choice. They also had to be good with other dogs and cats, but, it was difficult to find one with all that we required. My daughter has had a lot of loss in her young life – her father, her favorite kitty and her best friend – Mickey (a mixed breed – passed away 4 yrs ago). That dog was never far from her side. As she is now 15 yrs old, I knew she could handle the responsibility of a young pup. After doing a lot (and I mean a LOT) of research on breeders, I came across Mittelwest German Shepherds. They have an incredible line of the solid, thick boned, true bred GSD. These dogs are gorgeous. Their website is informative and show you beautiful photos of the pups and their Parents. They offer multiple services from grooming to personal dog training. Julie and Grant were easy to talk to and responded to my emails without delay. When it finally came time to get our puppy there were no flights available due to COVID. We would have had to wait another week to get our lil pup – which to a kid is F O R E V E R! (and for me too!). They knew how excited we were to get our pup and that waiting was torture… so, that afternoon, Grant graciously drove 11 hrs to deliver our handsome boy. Talk about customer service! He was so kind and even called us later to make sure all was good. My daughter was beyond happy and my heart was full knowing she had a well cared for, well bred, adorable and intelligent pup to have as her best friend. He has fit right into the family – full of confidence and learning “the ropes” quickly! Knowing GSDs and the multiple anxiety issues they can possess, it is a testament to Mittelwest that their pups show this level of calm, non-aggressive type of confidence at such a young age. Thank you so much Julie and Grant and all those that help them put in the hard work breeding and caring for all Mittelwest GSD. But, I thank you most of all for making my girl (and our family) so happy!

– Dr. Sylvie Scrivner, Veterinarian

Hello friends! It’s Freddy on Cape Cod. Maverick is one years young today 🎂! He is such a wonderful German Shepherd! Very obedient and warm. He’s great with people and other dogs and loves our Yorkies, Maine Coons, and chickens 🐓 💕

Hope you guys are doing well!!
Freddy

Hey Julie just wanted to send you a picture of Jez, she is 2 yrs old and so adorable.
Couldn’t ask for a better pup!

Thank you,
David Cutter

Hi Julie,

Just wanted to give you an update on Lucy. She is doing fabulous!! In just 3 months of very limited showing she has earned her Novice and Open Agility titles – this with placement ribbons in all but one qualifying run. Lucy loves agility and gives it her all in the ring! I get so many compliments not only on her work ethic but her stunning beauty as well. People tell me it is nice to finally see a good working shepherd doing agility- and she is beautiful too!! She is quite young to accomplish this- she will be turning two this Sept. I am looking forward to an exciting career and have many plans for her.

Thank you again for this magnificent girl. I will keep you posted.

-Linda

Hi Julie and Grant,

I wanted to give you an update on Frankfurt Khal Doggo, formally known as Melania pup. He’s doing great and growing fast. His temperament is amazing, he’s so calm and layed back, people really notice that. He not aggressive at all. We are still working on potty training and chewing but that will come in time as he’s still a young pup.

We have him enrolled at Dog Star Ranch and will be starting puppy training soon and he loves the doggie day care they provide. He is socializing with other dogs and has made many friends. All the ladies that work there love him. He gets so many compliments from everyone. They take pictures everyday and I see how much fun he has. It’s quite enjoyable to see.
I’m really pleased that we chose Mittelwest for our puppy. You raise beautiful dogs and great puppies. I couldn’t be more happy. Thank you very much!

-Mike Olson

Hi Julie,

I was curious if you could give me a stack of your business cards to keep with me. I have kept the one that grant gave me when I purchased zayne with me since we picked him up, and today I took zayne to a cute, old, little city with a waterfall, and quite the fun adventure we had.

He did wonderful with all of the motorcycles, all the pple, crutches, wheelchairs, bikers, dogs of all kinds and sizes. He was perfect, he laid at my feet and watched everyone. So many people ask to pet him, their were several people with shepherds that had to come talk to me and ask how old he was and to tell me how well behaved he is for his age and how good I do with him. (and these are from people I’ve never met before)!! Everyone loves his gorgeous coloring, his temperament, his ears, his personality. My friend I met a few weeks back with zayne was with me today, we spent the day together, got a coffee, walked everywhere with him, lots of talking lots of pictures lots of laughs.

Even with strangers wanting to know about him and who the breeder was. We sat and talked with a South African couple for probably 2 hours about him and they were gushing over him, the husband especially. They were impressed with him so much they asked for your information. I gave them my only business card of yours I had. Could u please send me some ❤😁 or anything to promote for you guys other than Mr popular? I would greatly appreciate anything.

Their were alot of shepherds there and all of the puppies were pulling their owners everywhere and he was just laying at my feet looking around. Even people with adult shepherds had to come over and ask about him and say how well behaved he is. One guy sat on the park bench just behind us, with his shepherd laying on the ground next to him, as I was talking with my friend, he was still laying there watching everything, kids came up wanting to pet him, their was a baby crying and he did his head tilt with concern. I told the mom he could see zayne. Zayne kissed the crying boys face all over until he started laughing. After they left the guy that was on the bench came over and was like I was watching you with him, and asked me how old he was. He couldn’t believe zayne was only 5 months and congratulated me on how wonderfully behaved he was, and told me how beautiful he was. Everyone wanted to know about his breeder. So if you can spare some business cards or anything promotional I would love to be a spokesperson for you guys via my wonderful zayne!

-Shannon

Hey Julie!

Check out Romeo!! He is everything I could have hoped for and more!

My best friend!

We are over the moon and back with Romeo. He is the “O” litter Figo-Mardi Gras. He has 2 beds indoors, an outdoor lounger for visits and his “big” brother is a 3 pound Yorkie that he looks up to! Strong Yorkie by the name of Boo Radley. We get compliments daily for his handsome looks but mofe importantly for me his incredibly solid disposition. He has passed Puppy 1, basic, intermediate and training for his CGC before advanced off leash obedience. He is a family member so my goals are excellent manners, health and longevity. Thank you so much for making this possible for my family.

Kirk, Ella Kate, Kelly, and Thomas Hardy

Hi Julie,

Wanted to share a recent picture of our beautiful Tawny, who turns 7 years old today. I have also attached a picture of her at 7 weeks old. My, how she has grown into a beautiful, long coat shepherd! She is the sweetest!! Full of kisses for everyone. Such a happy girl. She has the perfect temperment. Not to mention, she just had her routine, yearly blood work up done and the doctor says she has the results of a puppy, they are so perfect!!

Thank you, Mittelwestm for breeding such a perfect girl. She has brought such joy to so many who are associated with her on a routine basis. In fact, the receptionist at our vets office told me the other day that Tawny is the reason she is able to trust german shepherds again after having a bad experience with one. That spoke volumes to me and also speaks volumes for Mittelwest. I encourage anyone looking for the most wonderful companion in a german shepherd to consider Mittelwest.

They are the best without a doubt!!!
Gregg and Erin Nagl

Hi,

I’m the one who adopted the gold collared long haired shepherd from the Nami/Kondor litter born on 6/3/18.

I decided to name her Luna. I have to say she is perfect for me. She’s beautiful and has the best temperament as well as intelligent, she learned her name the night I got her! She gets so many compliments and so much love.

Thank you for working with me on finding the perfect shepherd. I have been referring you to my friends, family, and passerby’s who are interested in German Shepherds. In the future when the time comes, I will come to Mittelwest to adopt another pup 🙂

Regards,
Darcy Schober

Hi Julie;

Hi Julie! Here’s some pictures I can’t help but update you every so often. I can’t possibly think that there’s a more gorgeous shepherd out there. He gets more attention than any dog I’ve ever seen! This weekend we went upstate and he tried the boat for the first time and loved it! In lake George I think about 100 people stopped us to compliment and let him <3

Thank you for sending us the sweetest boy in the world.
Lauren

Hi Julie;

Thought I share a few pics of Maggie in her 13th week and say thank you for such an amazing spirit. (Utah and Kondor March 2, 2018 litter)
She is so calm and friendly and learning so quickly it’s amazing.
Marita and I are very happy and can’t say enough about how happy we are.

Thank you,
Christopher and Marita Cool

Hi Julie;

Wanted to let you know that Diezel just had his yearly blood work up and urinalysis done, and at 8 years old, 78 pounds, ALL of his numbers are in NORMAL range!!! He is in PERFECT health. The Dr. even said most dogs his age don’t even have the great muscle tone that he has. Thank you, thank you, thank you for breeding such a beautiful dog. Not only is he beautiful on the outside, but, apparently on the inside too! He’s such a joy to be with everyday. We are so blessed to have him in our lives. We will only own Mittelwest German Shepherds! We tell everyone who compliments him(and believe me, it’s all the time) to go to Mittelwest! We look fwd to many more Mittelwest Shepherds to own in the future!

Thank you again,
Gregg and Erin Nagl

Hi Julie;

Quick update: Nik is four and a half. A trim 115.
Walking with Nik in Durango this morning and a tourist looked at us and said, ‘Mittelwest?’
This is at least the tenth time this has happened in the last 4 years.
It’s really a testament to what you guys have done so I thought I’d share.
Smartest companion I’ve ever had; he knows at least 50 people by name, and when the 5 grandkids come we get in a big circle and Nikko goes to whoever’s name I call.
In return, I’m trying to give him the best life I can; we swim in mountain streams, paddle board, etc.
He loves chasing the bears, deer and elk away…and watches the kids carefully when they’re outside.
I know you must get thousands of these emails, but I try to update you every year or so to say Thank You!
Honestly, part of it is living in a tourist town, but we never, ever walk a full block without being stopped; he’s that handsome!
Or, like the guy today, someone knowing the breeder.
That amazes me every time.

Hope you are well.
All the best;
Tara Wright

Hey Julie !

They are doing so well, and I want that to continue. I know I’ve already said this, but I absolutely love these two monsters..they are everything I imagined they would be.and more. I couldn’t be happier. I’ll send you some updated pictures as time passes, and as Bixie grows up. They had their initial vet check yesterday, and they made a huge hit at the clinic. One of the vets there, who is the vet I specifically see when I go in, used to have a working German Shepherd kennel years ago when he was younger, and he was completely enamored with them when he saw them. From across the room, his first response to seeing them was, “Tara, I didn’t know you went to Germany over the weekend”…saying their quality was undeniably obvious even from a distance. Every doctor came in to admire them, and they didn’t disappoint. But you already knew this…they are near perfection 🙂

Anyway, thanks again…and I’ll be in touch. Take care 🙂
Tara Wright

Hey Julie !

Hope all is well! Just checking in. We got a pup from your Nashville /Idol litter in January 2017 (Jackson). He is doing awesome ! Great with kids and excelling at training . On his way there becoming a Canine Good Citizen! The vet told me he is the most confident and friendly shepherd he has seen and  thinks I should do therapy work with him.

Thank you !
Shannon Kamieneski

Hi Julie,

Tony and I just wanted to thank you for your excellence in breeding German Shepherds. We could not be more pleased with Ranger, who will be 2 years, next month. Wherever we take him, it is rare that we do not hear, “Wow, gorgeous dog,” or “He’s beautiful!” His conformation, natural show prance and stance, always seems to lead people to ask who bred him. We never fail to tell them about Mittelwest. Thank you for such an amazing dog. I am so glad we were able to obtain a male from Yoshi’s first litter.

Best always,
Mary, Tony and Ranger

Hi Julie,

Just wanted to let you know that Kona, our pink collared beauty from Rocco and Tesla is an absolute joy. From the moment we started our drive back to Houston from your place I knew she was going to be the perfect fit for our family.

She is extremely bright. She was so easy to house train. She has about 6 commands and we are starting puppy school in a couple of weeks. During our recent hurricane, she didn’t even wake up during the most intense thunder and lightning we have ever experienced.

We are out and about daily meeting new people and going new places. The city is slowing recovering from Harvey. Police are everywhere. I cant tell you how many cops have pulled up next to me to ask to pet the puppy and tell me their favorite story about a shepherd they knew through the police force.

So it’s all good. She is growing and her coat is turning the most brilliant colors of red.Her ears are up. If we could just finish teething……it would be a perfect world!

Hope all is well in your world.

Terri

Hi Julie,

Got a little behind in following up with you. I just posted a review . Attached are two pictures of Kona. I tried to get the regal, dignified picture – I sent two, I love the head turning. My first shepherd used to do that all the time. I swear she was understanding every word I said. Kona continues to delight us. We started puppy school and I do have to say she is the fastest learner and the most attentive. Lol! You promised me a good temperament and I have to say this puppy is remarkable. I take her to the elementary school every morning. Kids mob her and she just enjoys the attention. I am converting a lot of people to the breed. Just in the last week she has started to really keep watch on us as her herd and she has started to alert when she hears something out of the ordinary outside the house.Not a big barker – just a little alert noise to let me know I need to check the front door.

The weather is finally cooling off here so we can take longer walks. She is starting to enjoy the swimming pool. She was a bit hesitant at first but once I got in…she followed.

I was thinking about your property today and how beautiful it must be when the leaves start to change. I do not miss the northern winters but I do miss fall.

Hope all is well in your world.

Terri

Hello Julie,

I wanted to share with you what an awesome dog Bruno (Likor) has become. He is super smart and has begun service dog training with Custom Canines (for Grace) He is very,very handsome at 75 lbs. and loves his jute! His coat is coming in beautifully and we get compliments wherever we take him. Here are few photos of him with Zorro (who is 105lbs.). Thank you for all you and Grant have done for us.

Larry and Grace Niles
New Berlin, Wis.

Hi Julie,

Just wanted to send you updated pictures of dolce and give you some updated information.  Dolce is from the February 2012 Ola-Titan litter.  She is now 4 years old and like wine she really gets greater with age. She is amazing with our toddler.  Just adores him, even in the terrible two stage!  She is so patient with our son, we tell her she’s such a good girl all day long.  She even plays fetch with our son (he is two years old) and obeys his commands to sit before he throws her toy for her to retrieve.  She readily lets him grab balls and toys right from her mouth.  It’s a blessing to have a dog so wonderful with a child.  Our son hugs Dolce all day long, kisses her, sits next to her, falls asleep on her, you name it.

We just had our second child three weeks ago and it was very neat to watch Dolce become a sister for the second time. I kid you not, from the second we brought the baby home, Dolce instantly became mommy #2.  Anytime Audriana would cry or grunt, Dolce would start crying and appeared very worried.  We kept reassuring her that the baby was ok.  Till this day, three weeks later, Dolce still stops whatever she is doing and runs to the baby and cries whenever the baby cries.

Thank you for making such a wonderful dog!

Natalie M Zizzo-Diedrich, M.S., CCC-SLP

Julie,

I wanted to share with you an update on Arya. She is now 12 months and doing very well. Attached are some pictures. One is out on a walk off leash and the other is Arya eagerly waiting for the school bus!

She is a wonderful dog. Her temperament is exactly what we were looking for in a GSD. She is very social but calm. She is doing very well with basic obedience, so much so we have her off leash when walking around the neighborhood. She is starting to be more protective however with the right balance…. will bark once if someone is at the door but then sit calmly at the door. She likes to keep the kids in her sight and will want to be within 10 ft of them when they are out on their bikes etc.

We have been extremely happy with Arya and hope you enjoy the photos.

Nicole Varela

Hi Julie,

These aren’t the best pics and were taken during our run and tracking training yesterday! But they will give you an idea of her beauty! She is an outstanding German Shepherd girl in every way! Extremely smart, willing, really sweet and kind, loyal, medium to high energy level- not extreme – simply perfect, never been sick a day! Good ball drive! At 8 months she weighed 67 pounds… all muscle and bone, not skinny and not fat – just perfect!

Increased her training time in small amounts of time! Always carry her water bottle, but when she is on the job she is all serious about it! I ask her to stop and take a few sips! At the vets the other day they asked if she would lye down for them to trim her dew claws, I said Ava down as the vet turned to get the trimmers, she turned around and saw her completely still on the floor stretched out, did not move or fuss as the vet trimmed her nails! The vets love her looks and temperament! I do too! Really a perfect girl for me!

You did great in picking her out for me!

Thank you!

Owner Of Ava

Hi Julie and Gang,

What can I say but thank you again…here are Rika (2yr) and Xerxes (1yr) enjoying the late afternoon sun on Nevis. They have become fast friends as I knew they would. They are a bit of a novelty here in the Caribbean, as the only GSD seen are on the police force. Needless to say their stunning good looks causes a great deal of attention!!

They both are so well adjusted and have amazing temperaments, as were my other pups from you.

Thank you for all you do.

Clients for life!

Owner Of Rika & Xerxes

Hi Julie!

Well, Nikko is two and a half, and truly spectacular in every way.

We have never walked a single block without someone commenting on not only how magnificent he is, but how calm, loving and approachable as well. It takes forever to get anywhere, we’re stopped so often, and I’m asked for your contact info at least 3 times a week.

We’re in the country 9 miles north of Durango, surrounded by thousands of acres of forest, and Nikko goes from protection mode (bears, mountain lion, Bobcats) to house pet in a nanosecond. We’re together 20-22 hours a day, and he has grown from unruly pup to mature companion in these last six months.

As my second Mittelwest companion, he has truly exceeded all expectations, and I cannot even begin to thank you for that.

Forever grateful!!!

All the best,

Jon (Also Owner Of Gabrielle – Idol’s Son)

Sorry this took so long. I’ve been ill.

Jimbo is now licensed in NC as a service dog. I have two trainers – one in NC and one in FL. He is about 6 mo from being done with training. He’s really good. He is a mobility service dog. He does “Stand” and we are still working on “pull”. I call him to “help me” he then comes and on stand command lets me lean on him for support. He is 17 months now so we are still limiting the weight I put on him. He is perfect on: front, heel, side, come, sit, stay, bring, drop, down, place, wait and of course …. Kisses!

He’s amazing. He knows left, right and turn while I’m on scooter with him. And of course – watch your feet.

He LOVES children and people in general. He comes to nursing home with me (visit my mom), to doctors, restaurants and grocery store. We go to the mall frequently.He bought rugs with me. I take him to the arboretum with me. We will be going to a zoo soon. His trainers have much experience with shepherds and other breeds they train for service work and are continuously impressed with his character, intelligence and trainability.

He is a perfect, amazing, shepherd!

J. Beau (Formerly Jimbo)

Thanks for the reply, I just wanted you to see these pictures of Bogey I took today, August 15, 2016….feel free to use the pictures and my email as you like … he will be 10yrs old this fall.. Just did a full vet check, xrays and bloodwork too…everything is perfect, hips, kidneys and liver, no arthritis…..couldn’t be happier……I will go to your facebook page also…..Bogey is trained in personal protection, he does a great job…my vet always said he is a very well bred and balanced German shepherd…never had any problems ….I use the raw diet and only minimal core vaccinations….I will definitely be getting another Mittelwest German Shepherd.

Thanks again for breeding great dogs.

Joel M Hayes
Downingtown Pa

Good morning!

I’d just like to thank you again for my outstanding dog. I have had 3 German shepherds before him and have never encountered such a great temperament or yearning to learn. I thought you may enjoy a couple pictures of our hiking adventure a couple weeks ago!

Jazmynn Jarlsberg
(Sochi male puppy “Gunther”)

Hi Julie,

Its been awhile so I wanted to let you know how Maila is doing. She is 3 years old now and turned out to be very pretty dog. Our older son is her best friend and vise versa. Attached is the recent picture of my whole family.

Thank you for providing such as great dog for our family.

Family of Maila

Julie,

I wanted to send you an update on Ronin, son of Albert and Pia. At 10 months old now, he’s already proving to be just what we were looking for in a German Shepherd.

Although my prior experience with shepherds was very positive, it was limited more or less to 3 rescue dogs over 13 years. When we decided to look for our next GSD puppy, we needed one with the best chance of becoming a very balanced family dog, since we have two young children in the home now. At the same time, I wanted a dog with good “working” potential. So, I spent a lot of time researching various breeders before choosing Mittelwest. Given everything I learned about your breeding program, I had very high expectations from Ronin. And so far, he has not disappointed in the least! Everything from his structure and proportions, to his gate and coat are beautiful, drawing compliments from family, friends and strangers all the time.

Even more impressive to me, his temperament has been just what I hoped for. He has perfect energy and yet is very responsive and trainable. Not only is he wonderful around our two kids, but he’s also great with their friends, and with strangers in general (both human and canine.) There hasn’t been a trace of the aggression or fear issues I’ve seen in other dogs– he seems quite the ambassador for his breed in fact! And although he’s still young, there haven’t been any of the congenital health problems that some of my other dogs already had by this age (musculoskeletal, stomach, and eye issues.)

In other words, we couldn’t be happier with him. I also really appreciate how helpful you’ve been right from our first conversation. Most of all, thank you so much for Ronin!

Best wishes,

Tom Hansen

After losing my beloved, rescued husky this February, I had lots of time to research breeds, rescue organizations, and breeders. I live 90 minutes from Mittelwest so I was able to schedule a tour.

Upon arriving at those lovely iron gates, we were welcomed by the staff and taken on a walking tour of the buildings and grounds. We had the opportunity to see mothers with their puppies, new owners getting 1:1 training with their puppy, and adult dogs in training as well as meeting several staff and dogs. I was very impressed with how the mothers and puppies were treated as well as how clean the dogs and kennels were kept.

I wasn’t planning to leave with a puppy that day, but I was introduced to a four month old puppy from Idol and Nashville. After I made my decision to take her home that day, Grant brought in her father Idol so we could meet him too. Idol is a gentle giant; my young niece and nephew rubbed his belly and pet him which he loved!

I took advantage of the board and train program where my puppy was exposed to many trainers and different situations making her transition to living in Chicago easier. Julie sent updates and photos which was very thoughtful and very much appreciated.

Marta socializes very well with other dogs at day care where she plays with dogs of all breeds and sizes, and she is loved by everyone in the neighborhood. She is excelling in her obedience class and is growing into her ears!

Thanks again especially to Chris and Julie!

Best, Kathy and puppy Marta

Good Morning Julie,

Hope you are well! I just wanted to give you an update on Bentley now that he is 18 weeks old 🙂 We are absolutely IN LOVE with him! He is the star in puppy class and loves going to the dog park! Playing in the water is his favorite 🙂

I have attached an obnoxious amount of photos/videos to this email of Bentley! We just wanted to show you how great he is doing and just how spoiled he is 🙂 He has 17 toys….. 🙂

Thank you again for the best puppy we could have ever dreamed of!!

Sincerely,

Brittany Fox

Hi Julie,

Thought you might like to see how Miro  aka Xarus is doing. He is growing into a beautiful dog and his temperament is just perfect. Here he is at 10 months (left) with my daughter and our 8 year old shepherd Megan.

Hope everything is going well.

Thanks again,

Dale and Samantha

Hi Julie,

Just wanted to send you an update on Dolce (Ola-Titan Feb 2012). She is now 3 years old and a best friend and loyal companion for my husband and I and our 1 year old son! She is loyal, beyond intelligent, patient, sweet, and has an amazing temperament.

I am definitely her person and she never lets me out of her sight. Even as I type this, she’s lying on our bed watching me. She spends her days living the Florida lifestyle: lounging, going for runs/walks, swimming in the pool, going for car rides, going shopping, etc. Everywhere we go, people instantly think she is a service dog and immediately run over asking to pet her and give her many “oohs” and “ahhs” as she walks by.

She has even won over the hearts of my parents, whom have had Yorkies their whole lives and were terrified of German Shepherds…it’s all because of her great temperament. I’ll attach some pictures so you can see how beautiful she is and the joy she brings to our lives.

Thanks for all that you do and I will be contacting you soon to add another addition to our family!

From the Diedrich family,

Matt, Natalie, Dominic, and Dolce

Dear Julie & Grant,

Four years ago, my husband Steve and I brought home a beautiful 4 month old pup named Kayla (we changed her name to Kate since our old cat’s name was Kayla). Kate is a gorgeous GSD who lives to play, can track anything, and is an “Air Jordan” Frisbee catcher. Not as dignified as Schutzhund, perhaps, but remarkable in her ability.

Well behaved, smart, sweet, strong, protective…I could keep going. Just an amazing animal in every way. Sadly, I lost Steve to cancer last year. Kate was by his side during the long illness and stayed by the back door listening for any sound of him for weeks afterward.

She accepted my new role in her life without hesitation. I have been blessed with great animals my entire life, but this beauty stands above them all.

What a companion and friend!

Thank you for Kate.

Sincerely,

Anne Meagher

Hi Julie,

I hope all is well with you. I just wanted to give a quick thank you for breeding such wonderful German Shepherds. Dinozzo (Jocose Vom Mittelwest, parents Anadja & Idol) is my first shepherd and he has been such a joy to own. I actually ended up losing 40 lbs as he keeps me quite active. He’s my personal trainer! 😀

When we are out on walks there have been multiple people who pull over to pet him and ask about him. He is constantly complimented on how well behaved he is and how beautiful he is when we are out an about. He is 15 months old now and is growing every day into a very well behaved, confident boy.

I’m including some pictures of him for you. The poor boy is subjected to having his photo taken a LOT, but I don’t think he would have it any other way as he clearly enjoys exploring all the beautiful parks I photograph.

Thanks again!

Kathy 🙂

Hi Julie!

We hope this email finds you doing well! We just wanted to send a little note to let you know that our boy is 10 yrs old now and still amazing!  He is the best family pet and protection dog we could have ever hoped for!

We took this photo just a few days ago!

We just wanted to send an update on Idol and Addie’s puppy Blaze who will be turning 6 months next week.

Blaze gets a ton of compliments about how beautiful he looks and how well mannered he is. He has a a fiery personality with a lot of drive. He is very brave and always up for an adventure. He has now graduated from his 2nd puppy class and is always excited to learn new things. He is eager to please and is just a wonderful addition to our family.

Thanks again,

Brian and Karen

Picture this, a German Shepherd wonderland! This is what I call Mittelwest. When you arrive at the grounds you are greeted with a Giant Steel gate which protects the precious contents of the property. Inside there is a long winding road that takes you back to multiple buildings. When I arrived to view puppies I met with Grant who is the husband of Julie Martinez. He asked what we were looking for and brought out a few puppies for us to view. Then he gave us a tour of the property which included seeing multiple litters of multiple ages.

All females have a very large area that they are in with their pups. They can go in and out as they please which is nice to see. All of the Stud dogs are proudly on display too. I got to see my dogs father Marco who is just as friendly and gorgeous as he is in his picture. The property also includes a large barn that is used during bad weather for training that is literally filled to the rafters with trophies, and a clean pond that the dogs can swim in on hot summer days.

Pretty impressive if you ask me. But what was more impressive is the puppy I purchased. Julie told me that he had a great temperament but you really never know what you are getting with a puppy. I have to say she was right.

We left with our 12 week old puppy and he was a complete gentlemen on the ride home. We got home and he used the potty outside and came in to his new home where he enjoyed his new toys. He was pretty pooped from the move. When he woke up he was ready to play. He turned on his switch and was highly playful and highly driven.

We took him to Bass Pro shop and he walked on a leash and greeted children and happily liked everyone. He came home and ate played napped and hasn’t had an accident in the 3 days I’ve had him. Just this morning I left for work and foolishly forgot to crate him. Luckily he is contained to 2 rooms with nothing dangerous.

When I came home at lunch to let him out I was scared that maybe he got into something or damaged something. But nope he just slept on his bed. I won’t do that again with a puppy but my point is that he is everything we wanted. A great family dog that we plan on training to be our protection dog and if he would like a competition dog.

I’m proud to say I own a Mittelwest dog. Breeding is key especially in a GSD. He is healthy and temperament will definitely help in all of our long happy lives together.

We love Our Xen.

Happy to give my recommendation!

Katie Ahern Daughton

Hi Julie,

I would like to take up some of your time to let you know how wonderfully Gunther is settling in. His 2 legged and 4 legged family adores him.

Not only is he beautiful, but confident and brave. Oh and of course a genius. Along with his basic training, I have begun to introduce him into the world of Alpine Search and Rescue that he will become a part of. At 15 weeks we have road up several chair lifts and introduced him to the skiers and snowboarders that will be a great part of his life.

He would have preferred to have me ski down with him ( I think he thinks the lift is boring) but I told him he needed a lot more training. Fifteen weeks was a little to early, even for my firecracker. I will keep you posted on how his training is going.

Thank you once again for Gunther, he is wonderful and what a pleasure it was doing business with you. (Although I have to say, it was more like working with family).

The picture you have is with my daughter, I will send more.

Thanks again for such a wonderful experience.

Jean Daly

Merry Christmas to mittelwest from the Bendickson’s!

Elsie is getting to be a very big and beautiful girl! She is the happiest and most enthusiastic girl! she TALKS all of the time…she makes us laugh every day with her antics and her pure joy!

We love her and thank you!

Merry Christmas!!

Mimi, Mark, Mac, Adie Bendickson
Elsie and Gracie

XJada (pronounced Jada) is an awesome shepherd!

She is extremely smart and very protective of the family and the property with very little training. I would definitely recommend buying a dog from Mittelwest.

We are very interested in buying another German Shepherd, but not sure of the timing with a current six month old dog.

When we do decide to pull that trigger, we will definitely be calling Mittelwest.

The Lachey’s

Niko is a wonderful puppy. He is so smart and a loving boy. He loves to greet new people. He has been so easy to train. He learned his sit, platz, foos early and caught on so quick. He loves everything and really enjoys it all. He is a quick learner. He loves to play and then he loves his down time too, on the couch watching tv.

I feel we got the best of both worlds, he loves to train and is a great house dog. He is a joy to take anywhere and everyone we meet loves him. I can’t thank you enough for such a great dog. He is my best buddy. I will keep you posted on his training as we go. I think he could do it all from schutzhund, to search and rescue. I would definitely purchase another puppy in the future!!

Thank you,

Lori Ash

OK…here’s my story regarding Julie with Mittelwest German Shepherds:

I handled 2 Schutzhund trained German Shepherds with a Sheriff’s Office and retired as the K-9 sergeant. Working closely with a German Shepherd for 10 years, I was amazed with the intelligence and capabilities of this breed. After retirement, I continued to maintain a strong interest in working with the German Shepherd breed.

When my second working dog died, I was on the Internet for hours every night for years, in search for the ideal German Shepherd to complete my retirement. I came across several dogs that sparked my interest, but nothing materialized until I came across a Mittelwest, black and red, Schutzhund III German Shepherd. I contact Mittelwest owner, Julie Martinez. I spoke with her in length regarding the dog she had for sale.

When I told her exactly what I was looking for she informed me that the advertised dog was not for me. She had a much less expensive dog that she thought would be much more suitable for me. I secured the purchase about 2 weeks later, I had my newly purchased shepherd sent to Spokane, Washington for training. I won’t go into detail as to what happened after that, but to sum it up, I didn’t get possession of the dog until about 8 months later and was being charged $6,000.00 more than what I was told the training would cost.

When my beautiful Mittelwest dog finally obtained his Schutzhund I, I then contacted Julie to inform her of all of this. She was shocked at the time frame and additional money that I was being made to pay. She immediately contacted the trainer and was able to make arrangements for me to pick up my dog without further payment.

I am grateful to Julie for the way she immediately intervened and helped me out tremendously in dealing with a not so honest trainer. I found her to be very honest and up front with me. I would not hesitate to purchase another Mittelwest dog from Julie.

I recently took my dog to a reputable trainer in San Jose, CA. After showing the pedigree to the trainer, he said, “He’s a Mittelwest dog. Mittelwest produces some of the most beautiful black and red German Shepherds in the world!” I agree…she does!

I have owned a German Shepherd since I was 14 years old and none of them made me happier than my recent Mittelwest GS.

Steve Gong
Proud owner of Nick vom Mittelwest

“Kane vom Mittelwest” – Son of Yada and VA1 Odin

I know you all must be very busy but just wanted to share that Kane is the love of my life and a great friend to me. He’s doing very well and loves to hang out at my mom’s daycare center (he is EXCELLENT with kids!!)

He is, the greatest dog everrrrr!

Thank you Mittelwest!

Courtney Randolph
Phoenix, AZ

“Elsie” Q litter from Idol/Ginger at 6 months of age on September 2

We adore this stunning girl and thank Mittelwest and Julie for breeding such solid and gorgeous dogs! Elsie is extremely outgoing and happy and confident and social! She loves everyone and shows it with her vocalizing “Talking” and exuberant greetings!

She has a passion for water…swimming laps daily in the pool and playing for hours with the hose! We cannot get her to come out of the water…she thinks she is a lab!

We adore her!

Thank you!!

The Bendickson Family Wayzata, MN

It’s been nearly 3.5 years since we received “RoJo” from you and I thought you might like an update. As you know he is from the liter of Titan and Dezi. He is simply an amazing GSD who brings joy to my wife and I, our children and grandchildren.

I can’t tell you how many compliments we receive regarding, not only his appearance, but his obedience and drive as well. We started early with basic obedience by receiving the Canine Good Citizen Certificate. From there I entered him in a Confirmation Show where he took 1st Place. Not long afterwards I started learning about Schutzhund training and he has received his BH title.

We are going to continue training with the hopes of receiving his Sch I IPO title. I’ve enclosed a photo of “RoJo” relaxing in the yard. I just wanted to thank you for breeding such wonderful GSD’s and wish you continued success.

Be Well,

Rick Fitzsimons

As first-time prospective GSD owners, we did our research before choosing Mittelwest. We talked to other GSD owners and dozens of breeders looking for the right fit for our family.

Once we narrowed our search to two breeders, then the challenge was finding the right dog. We were looking for a young adult that would meld with our large family and 11 year old hound dog, Gus. Julie spent a lot of time answering our questions. She was thorough, thoughtful and honest in her work with us and in her description of the available dogs.

It was with a high level if confidence that we decided to, at her recommendation and my daughter’s insistence, check out Wixie — a 9 month old female GSD.

Wixie is everything the Mittelwest team described and more. She’s smart, even tempered, playful, sweet to my small children and all those that she meets, loyal, healthy and a charmer. She stays in the yard, is open to training, and barks at the appropriate times. She and Gus took a few weeks to get to know each other and now are good friends — Gus even puts up with Wixie herding him at times (and she puts up with his sometimes grumpy attitude).

Most of all, Wixie has become an integral part of our family. Our kids adore her and she is always there watching over us all.

Thank you SO much!

Dave Sousa & Family

“Elsie” (from Ginger & Idol’s litter)

This girl LOVES ALL water!!!

She has found the toilet and spends a lot of time emptying the toilet by splashing and then running through the kitchen!! The hose is her friend!

Every puddle is a place to pounce and play..And now the bird bath has captured her attention!! She is a fun girl!

Elsie is just wonderful! She has been to school, to sporting events, to puppy class and has met many new friends! She is always happy and enthusiastic and yet she is sweet and very well behaved!

We can’t thank you enough!

Mimi M. Bendickson

I was just writing you to update on Bailey AKA Kalli vom mittelwest! She is such an amazing dog! We decided to just do weekly obedience classes with a few privates every week. We use treats, a clicker and praise to reinforce good behavior. She is such a good listener!

I am also impressed at the bond she is forming with our children, she is already becoming protective of them! She stays inside with us most of the time but I do let her stay outside and play on the pretty days when its not too hot, but when she wants to come in she will just paw the door to let us know shes ready.

She also has become great at going into her crate at night, we will just say time for bed Bailey go to bed and she will go inside her crate and lay down. She is a whopping 30lbs now at 21 weeks, she has a vet appt today and the vet couldn’t stop saying how beautiful she was! By the way, we did decide to change vets and we are so glad we did! But Bailey is the kind of dog everyone dreams of having, she is so loving and so obedient!

She just loves to be worked as far as the training goes, she’s always watching us to see what she needs to do next! We are so glad we chose to get a GSD from you and look forward to coming to you in the near future for our next GSD. Unfortunately, we have had some problems with our older GSD, who was a rescue dog…. she has gotten where she growls and lunges at the kids!

Even with the trainer working with her, they think she just shouldn’t be in a home with kids or another dog. So she will be going back to the german shepherd rescue for a better fitting family..I think Bailey may become lonely after that so I think we will be looking for another one sooner than originally planned. Not sure if we want another female or male though!

Please keep me in mind as the other litters are arriving… I want one that is as dark as Kalli or darker and that has a great personality! Take care and thank you again for our amazing GSD!

Sincerely,

The Bethea Family

Hi Julie,

Here’s a picture of Blade with some of his “loot” from a few weeks ago :-). He won “High In Trial” at both trials on Saturday…the large ribbons attached to the gifts!! He finished his “United Rally Obedience Championship”!!

He is now:U.R.O.C. U.R.O. 3. U.R.O. 2. U.R.O. 1 U.U.D. U.C.D.X. U.C.D. Falke’s Blade vom Mittelwest U.D. C.D.X. C.D. R.E. R.A. R.N. F.F.X.O.P. H.I.C. T.C. A.A.T. T.D.I. H.A.M. C.G.C. CHIC#67469

Blade is, for the 2nd year in a row, in the “For the Love of German Shepherds” Calendar. He’s the March photo in the 2013 calendar and the photo for the extra 6 months (18 month calendar) in the 2014 calendar!
We are also an active “assisted animal therapy” dog team at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington :-). Blade is a FANTASTIC partner!!! Look for more updates as we continue our exceptional journey!!!

Blade was also awarded the German Shepherd Dog Club of America “Health Award of Merit” for passing all of his health screenings. He has also been assigned a CHIC number for meeting the GSDCA health and temperament requirements:-).

He also passed his Herding Instinct Test with a perfect instinctual response to herding sheep :-). He continually makes me very proud!! I could not ask for a better canine partner!! He has such enthusiasm for anything and everything I ask him to do!!! I cannot tell you how many people have come up to me at dog events and asked if he is a “Mittelwest” dog 🙂 I can assure you he is a wonderful ambassador for your kennel, and we will continue to try and make you proud.

Thank you again for breeding such a great dog!!!!

Bev Mills

Hi Julie!

First, I just want to tell you how awesome a dog Izzy is. We bought her from you last May and she is doing great. We get so many compliments and questions as to where we got her so hopefully some of those referrals have come your way! I’m pretty proud of her too!!! And she is very smart. We enrolled her in basics class and an agility class last year and we are taking her to a different place to do some more advanced basics in 2 weeks.

Hope all is well with you and the business. We are definitely buying another dog from you in the future!!

Regards,

Tina & Tom Broidrick
Antioch, IL

Letter from the Doyle family when they first arrived home after picking up their lovely VA Addie/Idol daughter, “Mercedes” from the airport:

We are home and happy. She’s so smart and social. Loves water. She went in our pond!! I’m in LOVE!

I will send plenty of photos. I cant actually get that many photos because she’s stuck on my side already. That’s why I love this breed! The pond is actually off limits to dogs. But I’ll let her slide today. I loved her boldness. She will have many chances to swim in the sound when it gets warmer! We are so happy with her. You are right. She is perfect!

Silvia Doyle
Photographer

Hi Julie,

Thought you might like to see a picture of Falen, she turned 11 on Saturday and is still going strong! She is truly my best friend, she goes EVERYWHERE with me, she has a bed in the car, my office and at home so she’s always comfy. I work very long hours and she keeps me company through every one. She likes the snow so for her B-day she and I went to Northern Wisconsin for some snow.I hope you’re well.

Mike Dorfman
Trick Percussion Products, Inc.
17 E University Dr. Arlington Heights, IL. 60004

Dear Julie,

Zar has developed into a very good dog. He is big for a 15 month puppy, very good looking and has a good temperament.

I take him everywhere for lunch, dinner and walks on Ft. Lauderdale beach, Las Olas Art fairs and on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach where he behaves very well and is admired by all my friends and others. While Patty travels 2-3 weeks out of the month, Zar keeps me company and without him I would be very lonely or as I told Patty I do not have to look for a 2nd girlfriend for company or lack of affection/attention. Thank You Julie for providing such an awesome GSD in our lives.

May God bless you and the Mittelwest family. PS-More recent Pics to follow in my other emails.

Sent by Bill Jilla
Intl. Food & Wine Editor

Hello Mittelwest,

I just wanted to let you know the status of the puppy I bought from you.

Her name is Cleopatra (Sire: Idol Von Der Zenteiche and Dam: Bali Von Mittelwest), born on September 17, 2012. I don’t know where to start, but first of all let me tell you that Cleopatra has been a complete joy and a wonderfulsurprise that has filled my life and a broken heart. I have 2-other dogs at home they too are also wonderful and very loved, yet Cleo has this personality about her that just completed my family and filled the hole I had from the loss of another dog that I thought could never be filled. For this I can’t thank Mittelwest enough for breeding such wonderful dogs.

So, with that let me tell you how Cleo is doing, we first of all brought her home at 9-weeks old, she is now just about 5- months. She is very healthy and weighs in at 52lbs. We had just completed her first 8-weeks of obedienceclasses, of which there were 11 dogs in the class. At her graduation they rated each dog and handler on a score of up to 200 points. Cleo I am proud to say came in at a total of 198 points and won 1st place, she received a blue ribbon, certificate of completion and I received a handlers leash.

I wanted to share this with you because not only am I the proud owner of this dog, I also wanted you to feel this joy. I want you to know that quite often I am asked, where I had gotten Cleo, I always tell people Mittelwest German Shepherds in Wonder Lake, IL. I hope that the word is spreading because there are so many breeders out there and I found the Best of the Best! Please keep doing what you are doing and know that in the future when it’s time for me to get another dog I will be coming back to you.

All my thanks and gratitude!!

Note: Attached is the picture of Cleopatra with her 1st place blue ribbon.

Sincerely,

Rosa Cantore
Midlothian, IL

Julie,

I wanted to share some pictures of Hogan vom Mittelwest “Hogan” (VA Tito x Lenna) and thank you for a wonderful dog. Hogan has been an absolute dream of a dog. We purchased him from you back in 2002, when we were a newly married, childless couple. He’s gone from being the only child to being the oldest of five. He is amazing with our four children and the crazy, hectic house that comes with four kids. His character is rock solid and is a true ambassador of the breed.

I’ve had four GSDs before Hogan and I can’t say enough about his drive, loving family temperament and physical attributes. We are planning on getting a puppy in the near future and will DEFINITELY be calling you soon. Here are some pics of Hogan…at 10 months, 8 years and almost 11.

Thanks again.

Take care,

Mike Harrington

Hi!

I just wanted to give you a little update on Brewsky!

So far she is doing really well! She LOVES my twin boys who are 16 months old today. She will sit very calm and still while they climb over her and sit on her back and bounce like she is a horsey. 🙂 She is so gentle and kind but when she goes out to work she is a DEMON DOG!!

I noticed she is very good at focus training so I have been teaching her to guard items and control herself and stay with the item. I will be on vacation later this summer and will be sending her to Joel Monroe for boarding and training. I am hoping his expertise will help Brewsky and I make a better working team.

I have attached a picture of her with my boys. She is such a joy!

Thank you so much for having the perfect family/working dog. Brewsky is AMAZING!!”

Corina Andariese

Pushkin, male offspring of Ginger vom Mittelwest, is our second German Shepherd; our first Shepherd was from a different breeder and we had a difficult time with this shepherd with strangers and other dogs.

We contacted Julie Martinez and asked her to recommend a puppy with a friendly temperament and we could not be happier with Pushkin. He is an easy going dog, very social and friendly with other dogs and with our friends. He is very gentle with children and puppies, which is a good thing as Pushkin weights about 130 lbs at 13 months.

Pushkin is very playful, he loves company and he greatly prefers playing with other dogs or kids to playing alone with toys. Pushkin is an excellent swimmer, and goes in the water even in winter, like a polar bear. Pushkin responds very well to obedience training, and would have made a great working or show dog had we had the time to train him more.

We are very thankful to Julie for Pushkin, and for her ongoing support and expert advice, whenever we have a question about dog care.

Yana Nedvetsky and Axel Vargas,
Wilmette, Illinois

Hello Julie and Mittelwest,

The latest on Didi!! We are starting her open CDX and UD titles at Red River DOC training facility on Jan 9th so I’m pretty excited I think she will be trained a little better than they are expecting. We have three mini dachshunds and Didi and we are going to email a video of them playing together. I have had two German Shepherds from Steffen-Haus in Wisconsin awesome dogs but there temperament was never as impeccable as Didi they were always tolerable but not flawless like Didi.

Amy asked me what do you think is difference between Steffen-Haus and Mittelwest and simply its Didi is 100% reliable. I see it in the way she executes all her obedience commands, when she sits she sits and when she stays she stays and etc. That wasn’t that way with Klaus and Fame Vom Steffen-Haus. By the way I probably shouldn’t say this but I feel your not charging enough for your dogs.

I have had two people now ask me Didi’s price tag and I said, “guess”, and both of their guesses were well over 5k, they said “you probably paid more, I would have”. Well LOL I didn’t have the heart to belittle Didi so i said to them “do you think she was worth it?” “OH YEAH” they said and the one guy even asked if I’d be willing to sell her. That’s when I said “no way !”

Well that’s the update hope everything is well for you and your family. Again THANK-YOU for Didi or as everybody knows her as “D-girl ” she truly truly is awesome I can’t wait until you meet her again and see what I have done with her.

Thank-You,
Rick and Amy Loerzel & family
Pelican Rapids, MN

Everyday Hero

A true story of how a German Shepherd Dog named Nike helped save my life.

By Jill Haunold

It was the perfect morning to go for a short cross-country ski. My husband was at a ski race for the day. I dropped the two boys and their friends at the down-hill area and parking at the end of the area lot, skied off with Nike the German Shepherd Dog and Moxie Java the Parson Russell Terrier puppy…

**“Nike” SG, Int CH, BH, AD, RN, CGC, OFA good H/E**

Nike is a daughter of V Jezzi v. Mittelwest ~ Nike is a full sister to our 3x VA Olly v. Mittelwest

Nike is owned by Jill Haunold

Mittelwest to me has the finest German Shepherds in town. They have great temperament, the finest German bloodlines, and great bone structure. Julie has sold me a great puppy named Caesar who is show quality and willing to please his master.

When I take him to the field to work, other breeders approach me and tell me how great he looks. They always ask me what breeder did you get him from and I say proudly Mittelwest. I will buy all my GSD dogs from Mittelwest because they do honest business.

Thank you,

Malik Johnson

I just wanted to touch base with you. Almost 10 years ago, I purchased Urico vom Mittelwest from you. He was my first German line dog and I could not have been happier with him. I have owned many American line shepherds, but never had one with this type of wonderful temperament, upbeat attitude, easy to work with, train, etc. (but I am sure you know, you bred him :-))

He has constantly surprised me with his great temperament. My elderly parents had to move in with me 2 years ago and I was very apprehensive because they had a cat, which Rico had not been exposed to before. He is great with the cat and with the kitten they just got last year.

To me, Rico is a older dog who has no clue he is getting up there in years, except for some stiffness and arthritis, which I give him glucosamine / msm for. When he first got a little stiff and limped a bit, I took him to an orthopedic vet, just to make sure and catch any problems early and get him on joint treatments. He was 9 at the time, and they did x-rays. You could have knocked the vet over when the hip x-rays showed that even at that age, the vet bet he would have still OFA’d Good at that age.

He constantly makes me laugh with his goofy ways of pleasing me, my best friend, never lets me too far out of his sight. Unfortunately, due to health issues, which only recently improved, I was unable to really do Schutzhund with him, but I did have him tested by a club when he was young, and they LOVED him, thought he would be great. I did obedience train him, and he was one of those dogs that loved it, and had great eye contact (still does). I had a police department that wanted to buy him for their K9 program, NOT taking my boy from me. He adapted to a move to Georgia 5 years ago without a hitch.

I have contacted you a few times over the years to update you, but wanted to just again tell you how happy I am with him. Sorry for the rambling, but I can’t help but brag about him.

I worry, of course, because he will be 10 in June, but hope he will stay with me a few more years. Anyway, I constantly have kept track of your breeding, more so now as he is older, and want you to know that I will definitely be looking to you when I am ready for another puppy (okay, I am ready now, ha ha, but will wait a bit). I just wanted to get with you in advance and hopefully you would be willing to work with me in the future to find another wonderfully temperament, and gorgeous puppy.

Lynette Loeffler
Urico vom Mittelwest

Hi Julie,

I thought I’d send you a note to let you know how Irok is doing with us. He is absolutely wonderful and has blended right in with our family. The kids wanted to call him Dozer, so that’s his call name. He picked it up immediately and has been great. Trips to the store, the dog park, walks with the kids on their bikes and meeting new people. He has been awesome.

His newest venture starting today, is going to the bus stop when Colton goes to school. This morning was the first day and he LOVED getting all of the attention from the kids (about 20 of them) at the bus stop. He was very polite and pleasant. So that will be part of his daily routine.
He is a very mellow guy with such a goofy personality. Right now he’s sleeping next to me. He’s become my shadow and is by my side every minute possible.

We are very happy.

Cindy Fink

Just wanted to share a quick photo of Haddie with my daughter, Riley. They have become best friends and she couldn’t be a better dog with her. Haddie is just under a year old in the photo and is taking a short break in the photo to chew on her wishbone. Overall she is very active and could play all day. One of the smartest dogs I have known and great addition to our household.

Hey Julie,

Thanks so much for reaching out to Sis and I, we both wish you and your family a very Happy Independence Day. Hope this July 4th is fantastic and everyone stays safe and cool.I can assure you that I will make the trip up to see all our friends at Team Mittelwest sometime this summer and have lunch with you guys. I love being with people and my beloved GSD’s.

Julie, I have had GSD’s for over 60 years, all from reputable kennels and all were fantastic dogs, beautiful, intelligent, and great temperaments. You might recall some of these kennels from when you were a kid and you and Dan were just starting out with your kennel. All of my previous dogs portraits hand proudly in our sun room with plaques noting their accomplishments. All had AKC titles and on two of my boys, Sis and I were able to Sch2’s on by ourselves. We were young, didn’t know much, but we did it. Now I have to tell you that Ecko Vom Mittelwest, aka Nicklaus (named after my Klaus), aka Nick is the most fantastic GSD I have ever been privileged to have as my best friend. He is gorgeous, intelligent, has a terrific personality and charisma, and above all a great temperament and disposition. Thank you for breeding him and picking him out for me.

Also please feel free to give my name out as a reference, or use me as a testimonial as a proud and happy Mittelwest dog owner. I always tell people, who ask or approach me, that if they want beautiful show lines, together with strong working lines, they have to check out Mittelwest Kennel. On a good note, Ecko got a 193.5 in a recent AKC Show, and no doubt would have gotten 200 if I hadn’t screwed up and lost him 6 points. Our 9 year old boy, Kip (a Sharan Vom Gamsetal son) has been diagnosed with small intestinal lymphoma and is being treated at Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove. I am happy to report that he is responding to treatment, has gained his weight back, and enjoys running and playing with his buddy Nick.
I am looking forward to seeing you all soon and wish you and Team Mittelwest much success in all the upcoming shows.

Please stay in touch.

Love,

Ron & Sis

Hi, Julie.

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, Oliver is certainly a good boy. Though I’ve been told he has the Mittelwest temperament, he probably is a bit more laid back than most of your dogs. That fits our lifestyle fine anyway. I can tell you he’s handsome and striking enough that he actually stops traffic when we go out to public places.

Funny to have a dog that can simultaneously clear sidewalks and draw people and picture takers. I’ve met more people with him than I would probably meet in my lifetime without him and everyone wants to know about his breed and breeder. I’d love to get another longcoat from you for sure in the coming years. He likes feisty tough youngsters that are 4 – 5 months old at least – females preferred.

Thanks again and talk to you later.

Mike and Eri Huchel

Julie,

Kalen & I just moved to Palm Springs, California. Here’s a few pictures I took of him at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs. One of the many beautiful parks here that we enjoy. He’s doing just fine & is just as gorgeous as ever. Everyone that sees him is just amazed at how beautiful he is. I can’t tell you how many people have stopped & come up to us wanting to pet him.

They are all so amazed on his gentleness as well as his beauty. So many have said: ‘that’s the most beautiful dog I’ve ever seen’ & one gentleman said: ‘ now that’s what I call a dog’. When we go to the off leash dog park & I take him out of the car you can hear everyone in the park say ‘AWE’ as they point & stare at Kalen. It always makes me feel so good & so proud.

And Kalen is such a sweet dog as he goes up to all the other dogs & kisses them right on the mouth. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, but he most definitely stands his ground when necessary. He’s strong, powerful & fearless and it shows, but he’s the most gentle & friendliest dog I’ve ever seen. Must be a sign of good breeding: alias Julie Martinez!!!

My brother & his wife back in Georgia are seriously thinking about buying a dog from you. They think Kalen is just a magnificent animal & of course I’ve always told them as well as anyone else that’s interested in a GSD about Mittelwest Kennels & to look you up. In my opinion they just won’t find a better breeder than you as well as being so honest & trustworthy. Hope all is well with you & your family.

Gary & Kalen

Owner update on Axsel vom Mittelwest – this update was sent just 3 weeks after they purchased Axsel. (Axsel was sold at 10 months of age)

Julie,

Axsel went to his first group advanced obedience session last night and he did great. 5 other dogs in the group and about 20 other dogs in other groups doing basic. He was initially amped up and excited and a bit hard to manage but slowly settled in as we started to work all the dogs. He played with a 10-mo old female GSD at the end and no problems there. All appropriate puppy play.

He does an awesome finish to heel. I mean he pops around and sits fast in the most cool way. Stuff I’ve only seen on videos and at shows. He is getting much better off leash with moving sits and downs. He heels very well off leash too. His stays are solid but he got confused with the multiple voices giving commands that it sometimes made him break. But he was outstanding on this first time out around other dogs. I was very pleased. He loved every minute of it too. I only expect he will continue to learn and enjoy the training as he matures. I am thinking about agility or tracking. I suspect he will really want to have a job to work at.

His house manners are exceptional. We are steadily and patiently working the cat in. The kids love him and enjoy walking him on leash in the yard and throwing the balls. He likes to be where we are and he is fine at just plotzing in the living room. I even took a nap with him on the floor today, something I could never do with my last 2 dogs.

I can’t tell you how happy we are with this guy. Axsel is a pure joy.

Chris