Callie von Hügelblick
Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin

Hi Carrie,

Good news! Callie and I got voted into the Schutzhund club in Hazelhurt on Sunday. Because of Callie. Certainly wasn't because of my handler skills. All thanks to YOU and the excellent job you do with your breeding program! Callie took to training like she had been doing it all her life. I was told we had to go 10 times before they would decide if we could join or not and they voted on us at 6 times. All the credit to you, Beika and Atze.

She can be calm and the sweetest little girl but when its time to go to training she knows what to do. High energy and doesn't back off. I could not ask for a better dog. I'm totally thrilled with her. She is everything anyone could want in a German Shepard.

I wouldn't even think of buying a dog anywhere else. Thank you Carrie you are the best.

Warm Regards,
Mary Wahlgren

Ali Hemyari
Nashville, TN

I’ve had the opportunity to train Hillview German Shepherds over the years and they’ve been proven to work, are highly intelligent, and very well balanced. Their rigorous search process of finding quality and titled dogs from Europe, importing them into the United States, and implementing them into a breeding program is unmatched in the South.  If you’re looking for a QUALITY German Shepherd puppy, I highly recommend Hillview Kennels.

Ali Hemyari, Owner
Nashville K-9, LLC
NashvilleK9.com

Ali Hemyari is the only civilian K-9 trainer in the state of Tennessee that has completed and graduated a police mandated S.W.A.T. K-9 School that is recognized by the National Tactical Officers’ Association (NTOA K-9). His vast experience and knowledge comes from a variety of disciplines including  Schutzhund, French Ring, and KNPV with the integration of government K-9 applications. As a Police Officer, he directs three municipal governments canine teams for Pollice K-9 and Search & Rescue with a total of fourteen dogs and handlers under his supervision.  Ali is also a certified AKC Evaluator, a Red Cross Pet First Aid Instructor, and a FAA licensed pilot.

Jim Alloway
Columbus, Ohio

I’ve been involved with German Shepherds nearly 38 years.  When our first dog Pilot prevented my Dad from spanking me, I knew I’d found a breed for life.  Over the last 30 years I’ve met and discussed breeding with hundreds of breeders, been to Germany 10 times, bought and sold over 200 dogs, competed at National level competitions, and have helped many clients find their ideal dog.  Of all of the breeders in our country, Hillview Kennels is one of the select few that combines exceptional bloodlines, excellent client attentiveness, and genuine care and concern for every puppy they breed.  Over the last 2 years, every puppy sold to Columbus has been a perfect fit for their new homes.  Great dogs and great people to work with!!!

Caine "Drago" von Hügelblick and
Calla "Khaleesi" von Hügelblick
Columbus, Ohio

Hi Carrie,

My apologies for not getting in touch sooner. Our GSD's are great. We are taking it slower on our training and doing so we have had little to no negativity so the bond is becoming strong as a family. Thus far Khaleesi and Drogo are proving themselves to be everything that we desired (and my list was not small). Smart, (very smart!) and willing to please. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't comment to my family on how much I love and am glad that we decided to get two. As I am sure you are aware, we have started our training with Jim Alloway which is going very, very well. Khaleesi and Drogo are doing better than I am at times as I am learning a new way to train and trying hard not to revert to my old ways.

You might remember that when I first contacted you I told you about Soze (A GSD out of a breeder in Missouri that my wife and I had years ago, who was the best and I do mean best. She was so smart (almost human-like) and was fully trained in protection and of course obedience. How could such a perfect dog ever be duplicated? Well, I never thought that I would ever get close to a dog like her again. I am rethinking that now, I just might have two of them! We will keep working hard with Mr. Alloway and having lots of family fun together. I will try and send an updated picture of Khaleesi and Drogo - maybe one from the Smoky Mtns when the whole family goes for spring break.

Until next time,

Robert Temple

Xyta "Ellie" von Hügelblick

Hi Carrie,

After owning this wonderful puppy, I feel like I can adequately give feedback. Ellie is just over 14 months old now with a great temperament; a quality, as you know, that was most desired. When we looked into purchasing a German shepherd, we learned how important a stable temperament was versus the "look" of a show dog. She has proven that children, bikes, roller skates, cars, loud sounds, dogs, and other animals can't rattler her nerves. She does, however, run and bark like a mad dog when someone knocks on the door when the family is all in our home- as though she knows someone, other than her family, wants in. The vet has given her a clean bill of health from the first day we brought her in, and even commented how proud and confident she was. He said that he has seen may GSD cower in the corner with fear. She sat there proudly and took the shots that were given; even licking him!

Although she is a calm and attentive dog, we enrolled her in dog obedience classes to channel her energy and teach us how to challenge her. She knows the difference between a "casual" walk on command and the "heel" command, and adjusts her position and pace accordingly. She knows all the basic commands but now can sit for a long period, her "place" command, in a room if we have guests over, so to not nudge them for affection.

We take her regularly to the dog park where she plays great with all the dogs and loves chasing after her tennis balls. She really isn't too concerned about the dogs large or small around her. She is only interested in my first throw… to my fiftieth. When she is running after a ball, she is only looking at her ball and nothing will stop her from catching it-mostly in mid air. At home we play with old soccer balls; we have gone through about 6 soccer balls -her passion! After about 20 minutes of this hard exercise, she is looking for some water, rest, relaxation and of course petting.

She has not exhibited any bad habits-chewing, biting, barking etc. At first she would sneak an abandoned, lone sock, but has since figured that a good, stern look and the command "drop it" will make her spit it out quickly. We have allowed and trusted her to roam the house at night while we sleep to keep an eye on everyone and everything. She waits patiently for me to wake up and know that she then can go outside. I have never been awakened by her to tell me when she needs to go outside.

At about the age of 9 months, she had figured out how to escape from her double, two-dimensional locked, crate. We haven't figured out how she does it. And she doesn't do it all the time- just when she feels like it. Matter of fact, we were greeted by her last night at the door. We got home about 10:00pm and had been gone for over 4 hours, and not a shred of evidence that she was concerned or worried. On a side note, she has perfected an interesting "trick". She can unlock the crate from the outside to reach her treat taunting her in the inside.

I don't remember if you recall talking to me on the phone when I mentioned that all I wanted was the "perfect dog". Well, I think you have delivered. We have all grown to admire the strength and beauty of this breed. Her intelligence is far beyond our expectations, her loyalty is striking, and her temperament cannot be overstated for such a dog that commands respect. Thank you for offering to us such a wonderful family dog. Atze deserves another "attaboy"!

Tricia and Gary Lallo

Izzy von Hügelblick

Carrie,

I would like to thank you so much for matching me with the perfect dog. Izzy has exceeded my expectations in more ways than you can imagine. You picked me out Izzy from the litter and told me that he would be great for me. He has been everything that you said he would be and much, much more. He has been a loyal companion as well as a strong working dog. He does everything he can to please me. He has done great in our home with princess (teacup Yorkie) and now Boss von Hugelblick! Carlie and I both came to you when we decided to get into the great sport of Schutzhund. Without prior knowledge in the sport, we could have easily been misled. Thanks to you and your kennel I am now very involved in the sport and plan to be for the rest of my life. I have seen many people get their first SchH dog and not get the chance to enjoy their dog because it was not the right dog for them. When you were describing Izzy’s litter, you gave us all of the details on what the dogs’ temperament would be like. All of these characteristics match exactly what you said they would be.

I can remember when we came to pick Izzy up like it was yesterday. When we arrived at Hillview Kennels we first got to meet Baghira. She is such a great dog and I now see where many of Izzy’s traits come from. Izzy was a great puppy and so very easy to train. Since he is my first dog, I was completely new to dog training in general. I had no idea how complex Schutzhund was until I got a little more involved. Despite my lack of training knowedge, Izzy still stayed right by my side and did everything that I asked him to. It has been such a journey with this dog and it is far from being over. Izzy just earned his BH title last weekend at Coal Mountian Schutzhund Association. I plan of taking him all the way to IPO III and I am sure he will take me there. He is a very happy dog and always brings a smile to anyone who is around him.

Thank you again for everything that you have done!
Steve & Carlie Miller

Yessy vom Welzbachtal (Hillview's 4 time SchH3 lady)

We are very thankful that Carrie has given us the opportunity to give Yessy a home. After the loss of our Labrador Retriever due to age, I was a little skeptical about getting another dog. My oldest daughter, Hannah, was going off to college in the fall of last year and my youngest daughter, Haleigh, was fast approaching the "high school years". I have come to realize it was one of the best decisions I made.......welcoming Yessy into our family. Learning the German commands was a little unusual but Yessy immediately responded to Haleigh, my youngest daughter and took her as her own. She is the welcome that Haleigh needed coming home from school each afternoon when neither myself or Hannah was home. She is her protector and her companion. I did not realize how dependent Haleigh was on Yessy until she went back to Carrie's for a few days when she was breeding and I came home from work one day to find Haleigh with a baseball bat out thinking she "may" have heard a noise and she just looked at me with a sad face and said, "I miss Yessy".

Originally I was concerned that when we had friends over, Yessy would be overly protective and not so friendly with our guests. She proved me wrong. As "ferocious" as she looks being a good sized Shepherd, she was very welcoming yet very aware of newcomers. Our friends have grown to love her and enjoy watching her so intent with her ball playing and her unusual swimming habits, such as her yelping as she swims and splashing with her paws. The sprint and sprawled out jump that she makes into the pool keeps us smiling. She is just like a child getting out of the pool and then jumping right back in....over and over and over.........

Thank you Carrie for giving us the joy of Yessy! She is our protector, our companion and our much loved best friend!
Heather

Sirko "Ares" von Hügelblick
previously Phnom Penh, Cambodia and presently in Nairobi, Kenya

Hi Carrie,

Here are a couple of photos with the family and Ares and Vesta in front of the King's Palace in Phnom Penh. I wanted to let you know that we have been offered a promotion within my organization and have accepted it. Our family will be moving to Nairobi, Kenya, in the next week. Of course, the dogs are coming with us. We have heard that the crime is high there but that we will be safe with the dogs. Of course this comforts us much because we don't just have any old dogs, we have Ares and Vesta. So you can now add Africa to the list of continents where Hillview Kennel dogs are serving.

We will wait a while before introducing them to any lions!

Best,
Shawn Kohl

Juno von Hügelblick

Carrie,

Juno is four months old now and it's been an exciting first two months with her. She is a great puppy. The first amazing blessing was that she had no problem getting comfortable in her crate from the first night. I had prepared myself for two weeks of sleepless nights and was pleasantly surprised that she barely made a peep the first night and by the second night she wasn't crying at all for her mama or siblings. She was incredibly easy to potty train as well. Don't get me wrong she had accidents but I really thought it would take longer to train her to go outside. She is doing well on her obedience training as well. Juno picks up things quickly because she is constantly watching and alert. Her bark is already very strong but we rarely hear it. My 16 year old daughter Sienna jumped over the fence and Juno quickly let her know that is not the way we enter the backyard. Even when resting in her favorite cool spot on the fireplace hearth she is keenly aware of what is going on. I got up one night to lock the front door and she heard the door knob jiggle. She immediately began to bark and sound the alarm.

Everywhere she goes she makes friends. Everyone comments on how beautiful she is and love her beautiful colors. Her favorite people by far are the children. She loves all the neighborhood children and is always watching what they are doing. She is also very protective of them. Recently while walking with Juno my seven year old daughter Madeline decided to quit the walk early and turned back for home. Juno would not continue the walk. Her only concern was where Madeline was going.

Juno loves riding in the car because she knows it means we are going somewhere new. She is a little adventurer and loves to explore. She goes nuts on hikes using her nose to take in all the new scents. She has tons of energy. We go on a short walk in the morning before I leave for work and a long one in the evening and it really helps to calm her. I am sure that her favorite place to be other than by my side is outside.

She is absolutely an amazing dog by any standards. All the traits anyone could desire in a dog she displays. When I look into her eyes I can see she is thinking and looking at me to for what to do next. I credit all this to the outstanding breeding program at Hillview Kennels. The dedication and attention to preserving the best traits of true working breed German Shepherds are evident in the puppies you produce. Additionally, I am impressed and very appreciative for all the communications during the entire process. You have been there to answer questions, give advice and help with challenges. I truly feel that we are part of the Hillview Kennels family!

Thanks for everything! I will be posting pictures of Juno on facebook as usual.

–Donna

Ryan, Raleigh, NC

(Stella is from the M litter)

UPDATE

Hi Carrie,

Figured it was time to send the good folks and hounds and Hillview an update on Stella as well as seeing how things are going out there with you guys. First of all, we have moved to FL within the last 6 weeks as I am now stationed down here. Stella made the trip with me the whole way riding shotgun in the Penske truck, looking and acting bored the whole time. (See picture) She loves it here FL as she immediately let it be known that she was in charge of the neighborhood and all things including other dogs and children must go through her first. Once again, very alpha female. She is still obsessed with chasing the ball, especially when it is launched from the Chuck-It! Even the neighborhood kids get involved and ask to play ball with Stella. (picture) She is incredibly patient and now that she is older, she has started to be very aware and motherly to the little ones that come by and hang out. On several occasions, one curious child will start to wander off and Stella goes and starts to herd them back to the safety of the "pack" with gentle nudges and face licks. I have been asked by parents were she learned to do that, my only reply is that's Stella and she's awesome.

She has gone through another heat which was much more mild than first one, she seemed to realize that it was a natural deal and just rolled with of course it did nothing to slow her down or burn off an energy, very little does these days. Her constant curiosity and willingness to go anywhere is fantastic. She loves riding in the car,(picture) and loves to howl, literally howl, when fire trucks go by. It is so funny it makes me laugh to the point of tears. I don't know where she got the idea, but for some reason Stella loves my motorcycle(picture). She goes and checks on it every morning and loves to "escort" it up the driveway when I come home. She will plop herself down by it constantly and gets nothing but sheer joy from barking at it when I rev the engine. However, Stella has discovered the Gulf of Mexico and the waves it produces are the most fun she has ever had. She usually goes to the beach once a week for a couple hours and she chases the ball into the Gulf, down the beach, under the water, and all over the place. All with a gigantic grin and boundless energy. And of course, I get asked every time where I got such a well behaved and pretty dog and of course every time I extol the awesomeness of Hillview Kennels.

Anyway, hope all is well with you guys, always enjoy the newsletter and seeing how the program is going. Take care, and don't be surprised when Stella runs the state of Florida

--Ryan

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •

Carrie!
Great to hear from you, and thanks for adding us to the newsletter mailing list. Its pretty cool in my opinion. I should have returned your email much sooner however the last 6 months have been crazy busy for Noel and I. But enough nonsense about the dumb humans, lets get to the point of the email, Stella. Stella is friggin awesome! She is so much fun to have around, all 200 pounds of energy packed into a 55 pound body. At 9 months she is really starting to come into her own in life and settling into her role and the alpha female, big boss, leader, and all around hot stuff. You weren't joking almost a year ago about how Kometa's puppies have a high prey drive. There is not much that moves in our yard, much less the neighborhood that Stella isn't aware of. She still terrorizes the cat a little bit, but her favorite targets to run down are the chickens. Every morning there is 1 or 2 that have hopped the fence and Stella witnesses this egregious violation through the window and immediately wakes me up with a flying leap to my head begging to be let out. The even cooler part than her ridiculous fast speed and lightning fast reflexes and turn on a dime coordination, is when she finally runs down the chicken, she has a pretty soft mouth when corralling them. Stella is in no mood to kill the chickens, just chase them, and once she catches them, they are immediately released to go scurrying off again for her enjoyment. Its and absolute riot to watch, its actually brought tears to my eyes a couple times.

Stella loves to play tug of war, she and I have trained each other into a little game we call "Rocket". I have a 2 foot piece of climbing rope with knots tied in it that I walk away from her with, all the while she stays put. At the "Rocket!" call she assumes the characteristics of a missile and comes flying across the yard after the rope in my hand. She attacks it with unrelenting vigor and enthusiasm. We can play for hours until she gets too hot and jumps in her pool and calls it quits. However,"Rocket" pales in comparison to chasing tennis balls, good grief she loves to chase tennis balls! Indoors, outdoors, at the pond, in the yard , wherever. Our house has probably a dozen tennis balls and ropes laying around. She thoroughly enjoys running all over, on top and in between the kids playground equipment at the park by the house. Up the stairs on the slide only to sit for a quick moment and pose regally then back down again to run between the swings in a serpentine style, we just do 3 out the 4 swings for some reason. She loves to go flying and leaping over the teeter-totter and making 4G turns in the mulch as she accelerates past the slide. I am always impressed with her agility, balance and natural curiosity to try new things.

Her obedience is coming along very well, I get compliments on how well behaved she is all the time. But those compliments are out numbered easily 4-1 by all the compliments I receive on what a gorgeous dog Stella has become. Of course my response, is "duh". We usually go running at least 4 mornings a week and she finds nothing but joy in the activity. She loves to get in water, up to a point, and the fun of playing with my sisters yellow lab Wyatt who is just a couple months younger is probably her favorite social activity.

All in all, Stella is fantastic and is becoming a more and more wonderful dog every day. Not a day passes that she doesn't make me laugh out loud. I have attached some pictures from the last six months, hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Take care, always good to hear from you and Hillview gang

Ryan, Raleigh, NC

Xeta "Tor" von Hügelblick

Hi Carrie,
After we last we spoke Tor has had several exciting adventures. He went on his first hike in the hills behind our house as well as his first day at the river on my best friends farm. I have some pictures from the beach attached. Also some pics I took yesterday of him resting and relaxing in is favorite chair by the fire place that I will send in a separate email I need to download from my IPad.

Duke and I could not be happier with this beautiful boy. His intelligence, conformation, stamina and good nature are above and beyond what we have experienced with GSD's in the past. Although I will always miss my Shamus (135 lb. Black GSD) and was amazed by his intelligence and ball drive, the bloodlines and qualities we experience with Tor are just beyond our expectations. He is so responsive to commands, absolutely wants to please. He is displaying some protective characteristics at 4 months that we did not see with other dogs until almost a year old. I have said to Duke over and over again what an amazing police dog he would make. He has a very firm grip but absolute ability to let go and take direction within seconds. His favorite thing to do is hug. He makes lots of funny little nuzzling noises whenever you wrap your arms around him as if to say, "more more more hugs please....." What a dog! After a day at the beach he was already a champion swimmer and we can't wait to take him right back for more water sports.

He has two friends he plays with quite frequently- another GSD male and my niece's 8 lb. male chihuahua! LOL what diversity! Although he likes to chase the 4 house cats he knows not to bite or hurt them and they all sleep very peacefully together on the bed with us at night. He is by far the smartest, most loving, loyal and amazing dog we have ever been blessed to have in our lives. We cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to be his family.

Hope you are doing well and talk to you soon!

Mar'ia, Seattle, WA

Tessa von Hügelblick

Tess joined our family August 2010 shortly after our home was burglarized. We looked at German Shepherds to add another layer of security to our home. We have three children ages 8, 6, and 4. At first I had concerns of how a large dog would fit into our family. I addressed these with Carrie and other Hillview Kennel German Shepherd owners. After conversations with them I felt at ease and up to the task of adding another member to our family. Carrie understood our situation and picked the perfect puppy for us. Tess is a excellent personality match for our family. Tess loves our children as her own. She loves our 2 year old cat and treats him like a litter mate. She has a tremendous sense of what is "normal" at home and is quick to alert me or other family members when she notices something different. While Tess has never shown aggression, she has a natural protectiveness towards everyone in our family. Tess has surpassed all expectations I had for a family dog; so much so that we may add another member to the family in the future! I can testify Hillview Kennels will provide the best German Shepherd for your family. We are the proof.

Heather

Tailypo von Hügelblick

Please click here to view the video testimonial.

proud owners Jenn and Kevin Flynn, Wheaton, IL






 

Holly Hankins, Pikeville, TN

(Winston "Kayne" von Hügelblick)

Hey Carrie!! Just figured I would give you an update on Kayne! He is doing very well. . He got his check up with the vet and all is well. He is getting used to his crate (somewhat) and he knows how to sit, fetch, shake and lay down! He hasn't mastered them but he will almost always do them when asked.! He is a great dog and he and Marlie play well together....most of the time. Lol.

Potty training is going great! Only one accident in the last few days and it was my fault. He goes to the door and sits when he has to go outside!

Kayne has actually started herding the horses into the lot!!! He is so smart.

Holly Hankins, Pikeville, TN

Leslie, Nashville, TN

(Prestonia "Kaylie" von Hügelblick)

Hi Carrie!

I saw the newsletter you just sent. Your dogs from Germany are gorgeous. The female looks a lot like my Jude. The puppy pics are awesome as well. It sounds like you and the family are doing great.

I just wanted to touch base and let you know that Kaylie is doing really good and everyone just loves her! She is just the best girl and as you know she just turned a year old. She is a wonderful companion and that really is what I need. I love that pup more than anything and want to thank you for letting her come into my life. She is a very happy dog and that is very contagious.

I'm attaching a couple of pictures from Christmas, one with her and my daughter's dogs and one with a silly Santa hat (I couldn't help myself).

Take care.
Leslie Nashville, TN

Martin, Shanghai, China

(Roy "Ben" von Hügelblick)

Hi Carrie,

It is great to hear from you.Ben is great and become more and more steady. He is fine with other dogs and cars. Ben loves to stay with us. Whenever we go anywhere, he always follows us and see what we are doing. But most time I have to admit he is a smart, loyal and friendly dog especially in home with us. Right now he is over 48 pounds.

Best wishes,
Martin

Todd, Florida

(Quay Copper von Hügelblick)

Hey Carrie!! I just wanted to check in with you and say hello. My boy came from the vet today and he is 77 lbs. He's pretty lean but eats a ton, he has so much energy. We have worked up to 3 mile runs and he loves to be out and active. I still walk with him in the woods as well, he loves to pretend to chase things. He figured out how to bark about 2 weeks ago and is starting to lift his leg to pee.

The vet says he is the friendliest German Shepard she has ever seen. My boy is definitely a people pooch. I hope all is well with you too.

--Todd- Florida

Janet and Dave, Illinois

(Asha is from the J litter)

Hi Carrie,
Glad to hear from you. When we came to you we had lost our Siberian Husky (Madison) and our German Shepherd (Haley) in a house fire earlier that year. We were devastated at our loss and when our home was ready for us to move back in we were ready to look for a puppy. My husband found your web site. I am certainly glad he did. You picked the perfect puppy for us.

Asha has brought so much love and happiness back into our home. She is a very intelligent, confident, happy, loving and everything we were looking for.

You were right when you said she could be a loving pet but the drive is in her. She is very protective. Always wants to be with you. I love that about her.

There was a day my husband was going to meet me at the bike path after work. We were going to go opposite ways around the path so we would meet up. I had Asha. I noticed from a distance a man with a hat coming towards us. The man went behind a tree and as we got closer he went further behind the tree. I said to Asha who’s that and she immediately was focused on him. As we got closer the man came out quickly towards us and to my surprise Asha started growling and quickly went towards him and then she discovered it was her dad. I never expected that being so young but she is everything we could have ever wanted. Thank you for helping us bring happiness back into our home.

Janet and Dave - Illinois

Corey and Bonnie Slovis

(Holle is from the R Liter)

UPDATE: Only good things to report.

What a great dog you picked out for us. Friendly, sound, good drive but not over the top, still with incredible focus, no fear but no aggression, the perfect mix. She plays well with all dogs, she can even usually seduce those that are aggressive. She temporarily backs up while maintaining eye contact and then slowly reapproaches. We take her to Camp Bow Wow several days a week since we work so much. She loves people, children and adults, the yard men, the painters, our friends and family. We had a party with 150 people at our house Friday. We kept her in the cage upstairs until most had arrived and then took her down on a leash and she wandered though the whole party saying hello and being petted. She alerts us if someone is at the door but usually calms down and if she doesn’t calm down goes to her cage on command. Still opening doors. She has a memory like an elephant. If you put a favorite toy away she does not forget where it is. She is the dog equivalent of a gifted child. She loves Frizbee. She does amazing leaps into the air which we are trying not to encourage until she gets older. She has many of her mother’s characteristics: the stubbornness, vocalization, opening doors, love of water. We had them Xray her hips and they said they were good. Nothing official since she was only 6 months but we are happy they look good so far. They love her where she goes for day camp and where we have boarded her twice for long weekends. I know it is their job to make us feel she is special but I get the sense that they truly think she is.

Hope all is going well at Hillview. We really enjoy the newsletters.
Bonnie

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •

Carrie,
we cannot thank you enough for Holle ( R Liter). It has been a year since we lost our beloved GSD, Nell, and we came to you looking for a truly special puppy. You had been recommended to us by friends in both the Fire Department and Urban Search and Rescue. Holle is exactly what we asked you to try to find for us. Being patient and waiting for you to match us with the right dog was worth every minute. We asked you for a intelligent, people oriented animal with a sound temperament, that loved both other people and other dogs. Holle at 14 weeks is truly amazing. Not only is she friendly, she is alert, attentive, already loyal and follows basic commands. She has also apparently inherited her mother’s ability to open closed doors and is quite proud of her “trick”. Carrie, having a dog that can be like a best friend is of utmost importance to me. Thank you for giving Bonnie and me our perfect little friend. We will cherish our time with her as she grows and matures

Corey and Bonnie Slovis from Nashville

James & Laura Matthews

(Midnight)

Dear Carrie,
I wanted to send you a letter to give you a little feedback on our Hillview experience.
As you know, we have owned Shepherds for 10 years, and lost our solid black male, Coal in September. We also have a 4 year old silver and black female. We felt that it was important to find a companion for Nikki, and so began our search for a breeder of black German Shepherds that would provide the best possible solid black male to join our family. We attended some regional Shepherd shows, received recommendations and began contacting various breeders. We had also selected a few breeders from websites, Hillview was in fact one of these. As the research and selection process proceeded, it became very clear that Hillview was our choice.

There were quite a few contributing factors that brought us to Hillview. Here are the most significant ones:

• Excellent communications / responsive, personal, accurate and educational.
• Professionalism / Accurate timelines with frequent updates and flexibility when necessary.
• Philosophical Integrity / We found that the philosophies of Hillview Kennels that were outlined on their website to be completely accurate.
• Puppy selection / we provided a history and profile of our family. Two young daughters, a four year old female Shepherd and experiences. She took family profile into consideration and selected the puppy that would best fit into our family.
• Breeding and Documentation / The absolute best bloodlines, with frequent introduction of new bloodlines into the breeding program.
• Training resources / Hillview provides a full menu of optional Training Programs, including personal protection.

In summary, we have found our Hillview experience to exceed our expectations. They truly are committed to the highest standards in providing very high quality German Shepherds that are an expression of their love of the breed.
Our local trainer in Columbus has been very impressed with his intelligence, disposition and ability to learn quickly. He has indicated that Midnight is showing attributes that will make him an excellent candidate for Schutzhund training.
We are exceedingly happy to have Midnight join our family, but at the same time feel that we have become a member of the Hillview Family. We will definitely remain in touch for our future Shepherds, it has been a truly rewarding experience.
Sincerely,
James & Laura Matthews

Richard and Pam Ivey, Boiling Springs, SC

(Pancho & Sadie Von Hügelblick)

Carrie, We would like to take a moment to thank you for our two puppies . These are truely great puppies to train for Schutzhund. Pancho Von Hugelblick is a natural for protection training and is progressing well in tracking and obedience.Everyone who sees him in the sport praises his ability, attitude, and fortitude. Our female (Sadie Von Hugelblick) is for sure growing into a competitive dog also.We are waiting impatiently for her to become of age to begin Schutzhund. You have a fine breeding program and we will certainly return to your kennel when ready to purchase our next German Sheherd Dog !

Sincerely, Richard and Pam Ivey Boiling Springs, SC

Melody Snelson, Virginia

(Maline aka Zeta is from the M litter)

Hi Carrie. I just thought I would let you know that Zeta had a wonderful first week as a Snelson. She has adjusted really well to our family and we are enjoying her so much! Our daughters have started setting their alarm clocks 30 minutes early in the morning so they can spend some time playing with her before school. Our married son who lives in the area, came by several times last week just to get to play with her and our other son, who is at Virginia Tech, is making a special trip home this weekend so that he can meet her. She certainly gets no shortage of attention here!
Her house training is going well. She actually whined yesterday to be taken outside when she had to go. Obviously, we still keep a close eye on her for the signs and take her out very often, but she is beginning to understand what we want her to do.
She has spent a lot of time trying to make friends with our two cats, which has been really entertaining. Sally, the one in the picture, is starting to warm up to her a little. Well, she is letting her curiosity get the better of her and she is allowing Zeta to get closer to her from time to time. Scooter, our other cat, has made every effort not to let his feet hit the floor since Zeta arrived. He merely observes her from as high a perch as he can find.
Zeta is fascinated with our chickens. She bounds across the yard after them, but when they stop and look at her, she puts on the brakes. Apparently, the thrill is in the chase – not in the capture.
She goes back to the vet tomorrow for her next set of shots. I am interested to see how much she weighs now – she is getting big so fast!!!
I hope all is well with you and your family!

Penny Moeller, Mississippi

(Jakiva aka Akiva is from the J litter)

Carrie-
Sorry it’s taken me so long to update you on Akiva. She is doing wonderfully! We think she’s up to 32 lbs. now. I’ve attached a recent pic for you.
We have started doing some training with her. She can now sit, lay down, stay, come, bark, growl, and even play dead when we pretend shoot her (stupid pet trick).
Akiva is incredibly smart, very protective, beautiful, and really different than our golden retriever. It’s very obvious that she’s a working dog, so we do our best to work her. One of our favorite games is hide and seek. With a large yard and house she can really get some exercise and stimulation. You can tell that she’s starting to use her sense of smell to locate us. She’s actually become very good at finding us and seems to have caught on to what we’re doing. It is a challenge to hold her back though when one of us is trying to hide!
Thank you again for all you’ve done for us. Akiva is such a joy and we are thrilled to have her in our family. Hope you have a blessed new year!

Tim Moreau P.E., Louisiana

(Ignaz is from the I litter)

Dear Carrie,
I bought a Zidane female a couple of years back with the hope of getting her titled in Schutzhund. After many trials and tribulations, and a few more dollars than I care to admit, I came to the conclusion that she was not Schutzhund material. Plan B was to put a deposit with Carrie for a puppy for my grandchildren and yes perhaps a puppy for me that could be titled. Out of the blue one day, Carrie calls and offers me Ignaz. Ignaz was four months old at the time, a male sired by V Falk van den Wolven with SG Baghira von der Riesling Route, the “I” litter. What an amazing pedigree! Why would Carrie sell a dog with such a dream pedigree? Oh well, I decided the bloodline was simply too good to pass up. What a dog! Strong prey drive, of course, solid temperament, athletic and a sound mind. With all these great attributes I was satisfied with a great prospect.
It was only a few days back home until I began to appreciate that Ignaz had something special. Ignaz has that special connection with his owner that we usually just dream about. He is totally in tune with you, anticipating every move, command even thought. His friend or foe instinct is truly unbelievable. His ability to anticipate what’s next is truly amazing.
Ignaz is currently with a professional trainer who is confident he can achieve Schutzhund III. He may even be good enough to move on the Competitive Schutzhund Trials. For me Ignaz is a once in a lifetime type dog. Thanks Carrie for allowing me the privilege to have a great dog like Ignaz. I have dreamed of owning Schutzhund titled dog for years. I am certain Ignaz is the dog that will make that dream come true. I hope to give each of my seven children a puppy from the Ignaz line, once he is titled. Hopefully they will continue the line for many generations to come. A bit of a dream perhaps, but more of a reality today than just a few months ago. Thanks Carrie.