Von Hiestand Shepherds

I missed a birthday yesterday. These little boogers turn 10 years old. I know so many have already crossed over. But I know Orange Boy is still with us. He lives with one of Nymeria's pup's.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – Winnie The Pooh

You forget how small they are when their bodies are failing them in old age. I told myself I wasn’t going to cry even though I was fighting tears but when I pulled up her week old photo, I had to get up from sitting next to Brian. He asked me what was wrong I just broke and said “we lost dog”.

I grieve for the family because I know the pain. I grieve with the family because they’ve been close to my heart having got a second pup from me out of Nymeria and even 3rd pup that was rescue. I consider this family to be friends. But I also grieve for myself because I love these babies even if I don’t ever see them in person again. It has been a privilege to see Sammy girl make it to old age with a great family.

Sammy (Light Pink Girl - Jenna June.20.2012 - April.03.2024) out of Carmon and Zeus

Sometimes I call him Funyun instead of Fenrir. I love the evolution of dog names. 😂 January 6th 2024

I wish I was cool enough to be part of this gang.

Red is a cartoon character. She’s truly an amazing dog. Goofy, sweet, spunky, and protective (in a non-aggressive way. She always vigilant like she’s watching over a flock) She’s a rescue. Half German Shepherd, half Anatolian Shepherd. Brian literally picked her up her and her brother out of the road. I’ll never understand how people treat dogs like they’re disposable. Dogs are better people than people.

Cooper (name I have him and the name the second owners kept for him) is a very special puppy for me. Not everyone does the right thing and returns a puppy they don’t want back to the breeder (even when they sign a contract saying they must), but in Cooper’s case his first owners did the right thing. He was maybe around 16 weeks when he was returned. It wasn’t long before the perfect family wanted him and he’s still with them today. Cooper is 9 years old.

Opie the solid black (Black Boy - Sandor) from Steel and Nymeria June.28.2021. And Major the black and tan (Orange Boy) from Carmon and Zeus’s April.06.2014 Litter

Opie curled up on the bed like a fox reminds me so much of how Nymeria sleeps. And Major is exactly like his siblings and parents were, so regal. I’ve been told Opie is a total goofball just like Fenrir and they get that also from Nymeria.

It’s amazing how personality is genetic in dogs. The little quirks and mannerisms get handled down in them, no different than people, simply by the genetic code that gets given to them. Dogs are the best people I’ve ever met. ❤️

I shared this one on Facebook but forgot to share it on instagram.

Fenrir going for his teeth cleaning November.13.2023

Going to try to catch up on posting photos. Nova (Nymeria x Steel litter - Originally yellow girl Yara) October.20.2023

Katla doesn’t even look like herself with the cone of shame on. 😢 Little Kitty Kat has been licking her incision a little too much and though it’s day 6, the vet recommended a cone (glad I had a couple on hand) and I’m going to pick her up some antibiotics, to be on the safe side. She’s the first female I’ve had to cone after being spayed. Both her and Sig are going absolutely stir crazy but I keep reassuring them that after they heal, they’ll be so much happier never having to be put up because of heat cycles.

Wishing these little bubs a Happy 9th Birthday today. Carmon and Zeus's 12-13-14 litter.

(I had a really long post written up but when I went to post it, Facebook froze and I lost everything I wrote 😭)

If you have photos of these babes you'd like to share please do so in the comments. Even if I forget to post the photos on here, I save every photo shared with me of my babies. They'll always be my babies.

I have three old toddler that I needs to find a new forever home. Our life plans have changed and we’re planning on getting another dog. One dog and one child was a handful, so I know the child will suffer with two dogs in the home, especially one being a puppy. The puppy will take up too much of our time and attention. Therefore, I think it’s best that we find our child a new home. One where he will receive better attention and love than we can provide him.

He’s great with dogs, cats, and people of all ages. Still has some accidents but for the most part is potty trained. No special dietary restrictions or allergies. Up to date on vaccines, comes from a good bloodline, so he’ll definitely be smart and healthy as an adult.

We will be very picky who we let our child go to because we care about him so much. Serious inquires only. There will be a small rehoming fee. This is just to ensure he goes to someone that will take care of him.

…………………………………………………

Sound appalling doesn’t it? That’s what rehoming dog posts sound like to me. I can’t stand them. I think it’s one of the cruelest things someone can do to their pet. They made a choice to get the animal and they are making a choice to get rid of it.

It’s not my problem but it does hurt my heart. And therefore I’m asking for people to stop tagging in me in posts about people getting rid of their dog(s). Having German Shepherd Dogs personally, they are a breed that is particular close to my heart and so when you tag me in German Shepherd posts specifically, it actually makes me mad. I don’t want to see it. I don’t have the time or emotional energy to spend on someone being cruel to their pet.

“But they don’t have a choice.” We ALL have a choice. I would live in the woods with my dogs if it meant having to chose between them and ANYTHING ELSE. If you think that for any reason your life plans could change where you have to find your dog a new home, don’t get one. It’s that simple.

I see dogs as children, and I see my dogs as MY children specifically because I don’t have human children. I have 10 dogs, 4 of which are mutts & strays that we’ve rescued. I’m in no position to take in other. I don’t have enough time in my day to even read a post about a dog finding a new home and I don’t want my heart to hurt for another animal I can’t help. I don’t even have the time to spare to write this post but I needed to get this off my chest.

So I’m asking for people to stop tagging me in posts about people getting rid of their dogs. Or stop contacting me directly to help you get rid of your dog.

If you’re someone that has got rid of a dog or treated a dog poorly like keeping it a kennel 24/7 or close to it and this post strikes a nerve about me comparing dogs to human children, I don't care.

Opie the solid black (Black Boy - Sandor) from Steel and Nymeria June.28.2021. And Major the black and tan (Orange Boy) from Carmon and Zeus’s April.06.2014 Litter

Opie curled up on the bed like a fox reminds me so much of how Nymeria sleeps. And Major is exactly like his siblings and parents were, so regal. I’ve been told Opie is a total goofball just like Fenrir and they get that also from Nymeria.

It’s amazing how personality is genetic in dogs. The little quirks and mannerisms get handled down in them, no different than people, simply by the genetic code that gets given to them. Dogs are the best people I’ve ever met. ❤️

“Not the least hard thing to bear when they go from us, these quiet friends, is that they carry away with them so many years of our own lives.” – John Galsworthy

We lost another baby today. Cain Wolf from Zeus and Carmon’s November.09.2011 litter. He got to see his 12th birthday. If you ever wonder the reasons why I don’t churn out pups, another one on my long list is how I love each one so much and how much it hurts to lose them. Whether I got to spend time with them as they grew up or simply see their lives through photos and videos shared with me. I grieve with their owners because they’ll always be my babies, too. I am the first human to touch them and I am the first to love them. It was a honor to watch him grow and be loved by such a wonderful family. Each loss is a stark reminder of the inevitability of the grief I will still suffer as each one passes from this realm to whatever exists beyond.

If there is a heaven for any creature that exists in our universe, it’ll be a heaven for dogs, and may we ever be so worthy as to be permitted to join them.

Cain Wolf (Teal Boy - Aquilo) November.08.2011 - November.14.2023

Bought a couple of really cheap beds last night because Red tore up the last two $40 beds we bought. I figured if anything Zylie and Jack would definitely fit them since they’re on the small side. As you can see Jack loves it. As for the other one, Red, Pax, Fen, and Mag keep taking it over. And yes they’re all too big for it ,including Red. But I guess if it fits it sits, best it can. 😂

This 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

This family in Indiana has two of my babies also. These are some happy puppers.

Major (Orange Boy - Carmon KvS X K. Zeus †GvH
April. 06.2014) and the solid black shepherd is Opie (Sandor - Black Boy - K. Nymeria AvH X K. Stahl
"Steel" deWvH June.28.2021)

I see this pupper nearly everyday on my Snapchat. A close friend of mine has Nova (Yellow Girl - Nova) from Nymeria’s litter.

Back log of photos I’ve been sent but keep forgetting to post. 3 of my babies: Sammy (Light Pink Girl - Jenna June.20.2012), Remi (Grey Girl - Arya June.28.2021), and one of my rescues pups Odin (Darrow) living the good life.

These people are the perfect example of what I expect out of my buyers. Not necessarily the inside the house part but the “my dogs are truly my family” part.

Chilling in yard while I pick up their piles 💩

I received an update from Maggie “Eva - Burgundy girl” June.20.2012

She’s doing great. I enjoy seeing these updates. ❤️

“The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

“Calli” Lady Callisto Grace vom Drohnenhof March.23.2012 - July.12.2023

This was the last photo update I got of Steel's brother Rudy (Teal Boy - Odin). But I just received a new and unfortunate update that he has passed over the rainbow bridge. I know I don't post updates as much as I used to. Birthdays and such, it's actually become very painful for me. I love them all even if I haven't seen them in years. They'll always be my babies. I have every litters birthday in my phone. They don't go unnoticed, I just don't post them as often anymore. It's also so difficult to acknowledge the passing of my pups, as it brings back to the surface the ones I lost personally and knowing that time is edging closer for the ones I still have.

Until we meet again handsome Odin. 🌈

Haven't had an update from this puppy in a while. It's great to see him. Teal Boy - Odin (Steel's brother) now known as Rudi! Look how dark he stayed.