Hi Cindy,

I want to send you a picture of one of your dogs, his name is Gast von Fenwald.

Let me tell you that he is 10 and a 1/2 years old, and he is still the main dog in my kennel.

He was still competing when he was 8+ years old, he was the Mexican Sieger in 1997 and Vice-sieger 2000, in the adults category title.

He has produced a lot of very excellent dogs, males and females, which have been placed in the first places most of the times.

I am sending you some pictures of his puppies, Fedor and Hillary, both from the Von Der Droberics Kennel.

Greetings from Mexico City and keep up breeding the way you have, up to this day.

Juan S.

Hi Cindy,
I just wanted to give you an update on Wanni. She is AWESOME!!!
She is everything that you said she would be and much, much more. She is such a part
of our family- I can't imagine life without her. I may just have to get another one!!
I would like to begin a little showing with her soon. There is a local show coming up
that I believe she will be ready for.
The new pups are adorable!! I'll be talking to you soon about another pup.
Hope all is well.
Wanni and Family sends their regards!!
Kim M. from New York

Finding the right breeder is like the search for the Holy Grail. I first started to research GSDs about 5 years ago. I learned what to look for in a dog and a breeder and what questions to ask. I subscribed to Dog World and read the ads for GSD's in the Midwest area. I decided I wanted a dog from German show lines with both parents rated KKL1. I went on the internet for at least 20 websites of GSD breeders. I thought Fenwald had the best website. She explained the difference between working and show lines and gave a lot of useful information such as the pedigree of all the dogs.

Last summer after looking at websites for 3 years I decided to check out some breeders. Fenwald was the only kennel that I was given a tour of the entire grounds. The other kennels kept their dogs in crates or small pens. I read a reputable breeder should show you the dogs everyday living conditions, Cindy was the only one that did. She showed me every dog I asked to see and I was able to pet everyone of them, over 10 dogs in all. A week later I took home the last dog out of the D Litter. He was well socialized and we bonded by the time I got home. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

My dog Duffy turned 15 months today and I am very happy with him. He is healthy, has a great temperament and drive, and is a great retriever. I am training him with the Schutzhund club with whom she referred me.
He is doing extremely well in all phases of the bitework, obedience and tracking.

Breeders aren't always what they appear to be on the internet, but Fenwald is! I got the dog of My Dreams and he the last dog of his litters. In my opinion being a GSD breeder is Cindy's vocation not just her occupation.
She truly loves her dogs. I feel that I was lucky to get one and am writing this Testimonial in Gratitude.

Brian M.

Hello Cindy,
I just wanted to tell you THANK YOU so much for the best friend a person could ever have. Urban is that friend. He goes everywhere with me. If I walk out the door without him he sits there and cries. When he is outside with me and I go to get in my truck he is right there jumping in to go with me and he wants to sit on my lap when I'm trying to drive and lick my face, so I'm trying to get him to sit in the back seat or in the center between the front seats. If I get on my 4 wheeler to go for a ride he wants to follow me or he likes to ride (he will lay on my gas tank and ride around the yard with me), of course we go very slow. I don't know how I'll tell him when is full grown that he can't ride there any more but for now he loves to ride so he can. Urban also sleeps in the bed with us at night or at least until I need more room HA! HA! Urban is for sure the best dog I have ever had. He loves our kids and mommy too but he is 100% daddy's boy. He is so fun he has learned to sit, come and I am working a little with him to bite the arm pad which he does very well and when I tell him to release he does. Which is too cool. I can not wait to show him in AKC and to do Schutzhund with him. I think or should I say I know he will do GREAT!! I would recommend your shepherds to anyone, they are so awesome. They can call me or e-mail me and I would tell them that your dogs would be a great friend and for sure a great family pet. Thank you so much for Urban and we can not wait to get a female puppy from you early next year. I will keep you up to date on Urban and we will send you some pictures of him soon.
THANKS AGAIN CINDY!
Bob & Heidi B.

Sire: Isko vom Klebinger Schloss Dam: Lena von Fenwald

Hi Cindy,

It’s been another year since I’ve sent pictures!! And, yes, Yasson (Jax) and I have been very busy!!! Over the course of a year, we have completed 4 obedience titles and placed 11 out of 12 times!! We now have 6 first place ribbons, 3 second place ribbons, 1 third place ribbon and 1 fourth place. We completed our AKC/CDX at the German Shepherd Dog Training Club of Chicago the end of August and took first place!!! Yasson now has his UKC/CD and CDX and his AKC/CD and CDX. We are ready to start trialing for our UKC utility title later in the year and then work on finishing our AKC utility title once we have earned our UUD. I’m also planning on starting to track with him in the spring and in our spare time (ha,ha!) we will try our hand (paw) at Rally and also get our therapy dog certification. I have been told that I “have to” put at least a UDX on him and that I SHOULD go for my OTCH!! As you can imagine, we are having a terrific time and the ribbons, plaques, trophies, etc. are indeed icing on the cake!!! Yasson is such a wonderful dog to work with….he learns quickly and is always trying hard to do everything I ask of him. At the end of August I started training a beginner’s class at Northwest Obedience and Yasson is my demo dog….all of my students are VERY jealous of the way Yasson works and LISTENS!! I do hope that at least a few of the handlers in my class have the opportunity to experience the satisfaction I have enjoyed teaching my dog and seeing him “strut his stuff” in the obedience ring!!! Again, thanks to you for breeding such a wonderful companion….he is simply the BEST!!!!

Bev M.

Hi Cindy,

I just wanted to drop you a line to tell you how Paco is doing....Well.....Cindy.... You've done it again....This dog is exceptionally wonderful!!! He is VERY well behaved!! He Sitz on command...He Plotzes on command....he is Pottie trained.......He is EXCELLENT with the Kids, Cody and us...unlike that other vicious animal we had from another breeder from Bolingbrook...He is BEAUTIFUL!! He really looks a lot like Cody if you put them side by side....he has awesome deep red color and stands so beautifully...what a dog!! Can you tell if we are happy yet? Oh...he also fetches a ball if you throw it to him and brings it back ...he really is a ham too...loves to sit in your lap...he is going to be another 90 pound lap dog!!! He walks very well on a leash and does his business on a leash too. Cindy...hands down...YOU HAVE THE BEST GERMAN SHEPHERDS AROUND....AND WE CAN PROVE IT TWICE! ...Your dogs really put other breeders to shame...we get so many compliments on your dogs....it is unbelievable, they are like walking billboards!! LOL!! Oh another thing I forgot to mention....Paco has not destroyed anything in the house at all!!! That last dog from that other breeder....destroyed a hose reel , a hose, a central air conditioning fuse box...ripped that right off of the wall , a dryer vent...ripped that off of the wall too, our yard, our dog...bit him , knobs on our entertainment unit. What a nightmare that was...still have not heard from her about a replacement dog...I think we should just taker her to small claims court?? Anyway Cindy...Thank You for another Great Dog and just wanted to let you know how Paco is doing...he is about 54 pounds now and is just really a great dog...very smart and very loveable!! Ok, if you ever have any time give us a ring at home!! Julie would love to chat with you or we could drive up your way with Paco one weekend and you can see how awesome he is!!

Talk soon!!
Mark and Julie!

Hello Cindy,

I am finally getting some pictures to you of our girl Sophia.

We made some recent changes in our lives: moved from the city to the burbs, engaged...
married...started our family. Sophia with us at each step. She is one happy dog!
She gives us more enjoyment than ever. She's always been a smart dog but once we brought
home little Tommy, she changed. It seems as if she understands what her role in life is...
to protect and love little Tommy.

My favorite is when we have company come over. She circles around Tommy to make sure
he is safe, then when the company leaves, she circles around him again to make sure no
one has harmed him.

Many people warned us about dogs getting jealous when the baby got home from the hospital.
We took many precautions and watched Sophia closely to see her reaction. Right away she
was interested in the baby. We knew very early on that she loved him. When Tommy was just
a few weeks old, Sophia propped her head on his lap while he was sleeping. Attached is the
picture.

Thanks so much for such a loving friend!

Love - Tom, Heather, Tommy & of course Sophia..

Hi there Cindy,
Debbie and I had a baby girl! Here's a picture of Dixie and our new
baby girl Elise Kathleen. Both Dixie and Kalif are better than
we could have ever imagined with the new baby. Kalif must check on the
baby whenever she's crying and Dixie guards the door to the room where
Debbie nurses her. Dixie is hilarious, I don't think she's been more than 10ft
from the baby since she came home.

Hope everything's going well! Thanks for the great dogs!

Carl, Debbie & Elise, Dixi von Fenwald & Kalif von Fenwald

Hi Cindy,

I thought you might like another picture of Chopper…The most Awesome dog in the world. We love him. Thank you for breeding such great all around dogs. He is so smart and inquisitive and sensitive I am sure you know what I mean I just can’t exactly explain what a great dog he is.

He has lots of dog friends and people friends. He is attracted to kids like you would not believe. The neighbors come over to see if he can come out and play. (don’t worry though, we never let him out of our sight, all visits are supervised and all of his dog friends are fixed)

We are really trying to expose him to many things while he is young. Mark came to his senses about certain training facilities and we are concentrating our efforts on training him ourselves. He knows all the basics of course… he can stay with distractions and he comes excellent… even when he clearly doesn’t want to, he is such an easy dog to teach.. he can bring us pops (or beer) from the refrigerator and he loves to play with those soft Frisbees. That is his ultimate in rewards.. he is definitely not a food hound dog. He will not take treats from strangers, but he really doesn’t care about treats at all.. the ball or the Frisbee is what he really loves.. He loves to swim. He will go in the water all on his own and just swim around. We introduced him to the water about a month ago, we did not force anything he was a little tentative at first, but tried to swim. His front paws were all over the place, it was very cute. Since then he just decides to go for a swim and is a great swimmer now.

I hope you like the picture I can certainly send you more if you wish. I think he looks exactly like his mother.

Thank you

Joanne & Mark B.

Hi Cindy,
Just got some pictures yesterday of Empress von Fenwald (Sina's daughter) with
the donkeys. I had to include a similar pose from her baby days. This is an
unbelievable dog. The spotted donkey has been her buddy since she was about
10 weeks old. She can "read" a horse or donkey's body language.
She is the Smartest dog that I have ever met. In addition, as you can see, she
is Beautiful! We couldn't be happier!

It’s been about a year since I last checked in, so I thought it was time that I brought you up to date!!! As you know, we lost Rommel a year ago last May. With only one dog in the house, I decided it was time to get back into some “serious” dog training!!! I enrolled Yasson von Fenwald in the novice class at Northwest Obedience Club (N.O.C.I.) which conveniently re-located its training facility less than 5 minutes from my house!!!! Classes went well and we quickly moved from novice to advanced novice to pre-open with my hope being that Yasson would be ready to show in obedience this summer. Because N.O.C.I. sponsors shows under both A.K.C. and U.K.C. registries, I had Yasson dual registered with U.K.C. in June. Last weekend N.O.C.I. held a U.K.C. obedience two day show/4 trials and I decided to enter Yasson to see how he would do!!! Well, he did REALLY well!!! We took 1^st place in our first trial with a score of 195 ½ out of a possible 200; 2^nd place with a 188 ½ in trial 2; and 2^nd place with a 192 ½ in trial 3!!! We earned our U.C.D. in one weekend with an average score of 192!!! I was SO PROUD of Yasson!!! He worked so well that the judge called us back to the ring after our first trial and told me that Yasson was the best working shepherd she had ever seen in a novice class!!!! Everyone commented on what a beautiful dog he was and he has the unbelievable temperament to go with the looks!!!!!

We are currently training in 3 classes a week (advanced novice/open/utility) with the hope of being ready for open trials in the not-to-distant future. He has also been started on scent discrimination for utility work and is doing amazingly well!!! He is definitely a dream to work with and I have no doubt that he will make me proud at whatever endeavor I choose for him!!! I’m also planning on showing in Rally obedience when it becomes an A.K.C. titling event in January.

I’ve attached a photo of Yasson with his ribbons from last weekend. The plaque was in recognition of his C.G.C. certification which he earned last October!!! Hopefully this is just one of many such photos that I will be able to send to you!!!!

Needless to say we couldn’t be happier with Yasson!!! A big “Thank You” for breeding such an exceptional German Shepherd Dog!!! He is definitely an asset to the breed!!!!

Dear Cindy,
We Love Our Dog Aro von Fenwald so much!! We will NEVER Buy a dog from anyone else for the rest of our life. And our friends will Never Buy a dog from anyone else but you either. Rest assured...we Love our Aro so much we cannot even explain it to you. We Love You! We Love You! We Love You!
Thank you so much!

Kenny Myers here from Knoxville Tennessee. I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you about how Xabine von Fenwald is doing. I am enjoying her so much. She has excellent ball & prey drive & a fantastic personality. She is so outgoing with people & other dogs that she amazes me. Everywhere I go people stop me and comment on her Beauty! Then once they meet her they can't believe what a great personality she has. Everyone at Dog Club call her The Xabine Thang cause she has all the right drives. Thanks for producing such a wonderful dog! Keep up the Great Work!

Hi Cindy,

My wife and I got a puppy from you in April, 2001, Dutch von Fenwald, born Feb 3, 2001. He just turned 5. We love him like crazy. He's a truly fantastic dog. We live in Columbus, Oh and take him to several city parks to play. There are quite a few German Shepherds that go to the parks, too. None of them hold a candle to Dutch. I almost feel bad for their owners when they see Dutch, you can see a look of "holy cow, now THAT'S a German Shepherd!"

We had our first baby, little girl named Rita, back in April and Dutch has been fantastic with her since the day she came home from the hospital. He sniffed her over and licked her feet to say hello and has been interested in her from the start. He spent her first week at home barking at us every time she cried. It was as if he was telling us to tend to the baby. They've been good buddies right from the start. She pets his nose, grabs his ears and scratches his head and he seems to love it. Rita recently started sharing her Cheerios and crackers with him, surely that will further cement their friendship.

This morning, the two of them were lounging around on the living room floor and we had the camera handy. Here's a picture of Dutch and Rita at Christmas time. Very cute.

Thanks again for breeding such fantastic dogs! When Rita's a bit older, we'll be back to get another puppy!!

Chris, Rachel and Rita B. from Ohio

Hi Cindy,

Wanted to take a moment to let you know how well Sadie (Questa Von Fenwald) has been doing. Believe it our not Sadie is now a year old. She has grown into a magnificent looking German Shepherd. When I took Sadie through basic obedience training the looks and comments from the other German Shepherd owners were incredible. Comments about her beautiful coat, strong build and intense focus on all that was going on around her.

At home Sadie is the life of the house. A constant companion to my wife, rarely is Sadie not at her side. Always providing us with one of her many toys, always crawling onto our laps. Sadie’s favorite sport is catching the Frisbee. She is now up to 80+ percent catching them on the fly. Jumping three to four feet in the air to make the catches. This sport will go on for hours if we could only keep up with her. When I can throw no more, it is off for a walk or run around the pond.

We are constantly amazed at her speed and agility. Covering several acres of land in literally seconds. Able to stop and turn on a dime. All of this comes into good use at keeping the wild geese off the property. Her facial expression are always keeping us wondering if she really understand all that we say to her. Conversations between both Sadie and I go on every night when I return from work. Sadie apparently has a lot to tell me about her day and it is a great time watching and listening to her.

Every where we go we see the looks that people give Sadie. All the strangers who come up to us and ask to pet her. How they tell us how beautiful she is and then notice Sadie seems to be hanging onto every word they are saying. Sadie has had a strong impact on our lives and with the last of our children leaving soon Sadie is sure to keep us busy.

Sadie says HI!!

Rob K.

Hi Cindy,

I know we've only had Warko ( Logan ) for a little over a week now, but I have to tell you how much we love him!!!!!!!! He's the cutest, smartest and sweetest puppy ever! We have him on a schedule so potty training is going extremely well. He's great with the kids and knows when to be gentle. We have invested in plenty of toys to keep him occupied, but he just loves hanging out with the kids. We're in the process of having a screened in porch put on the back of the house which I'm sure he will enjoy during the summer. Our 15-year-old Siamese is even warming up to him. The first few days she hissed at him, but now she's very curious and keeps hiding behind corners to get a better look at him. Tony's taking him to the Vet tomorrow morning for his second set of shots and the doctor who will be seeing him specializes in large breed dogs. We will keep in touch. Thank you, thank you thank you!

Laurie, Tony & the Kids

Update....

Cindy,

Logan went to the Vet today and everyone had wonderful things to say about him. Tony stayed in the car until they were ready for him and made sure they sprayed the table again. Logan was weighed on the "cat scale" and he's already 19 lbs.!!!!!!!!! He was given a thorough exam, but as you instructed us, we told him the ears were to be left alone for a couple of weeks because the the tattoo. He just looked inside them and gave Tony some cleaning solution to use next week. I shot a roll of film today and will develop it tomorrow. Hopefully there's some good shots to forward to you. He's just the best and we couldn't be happier.

Laurie

Sire: Isko vom Klebinger Schloss
Dam: Vita von Fenwald

Hello Cindy,
    It has been quite some time now since I bought V Rated Xaver von Herzbach,
SchH2, KKLI"a" from you and I thought you would like to know how he is adjusting.
    First of all, let me thank you for so accurately describing his character and temperament. He is exactly as you portrayed him. He is a delightful companion, always ready to play ball or go for a walk and yet is equally content to lie down and watch while I work in the house or yard. He seems to enjoy being brushed and I was delighted when he let me trim his nails without making a fuss. In addition, Xaver has been perfect in the house both at night and when I go out during the day. In short, he has Exceeded My Expectations! In a few more weeks the grass in the pasture will turn green and I am anxious to see how he does at tracking. I will keep you updated.
    In the meantime, thanks again for your honesty and for all you do to make these fine Shepherds available to the public.

Take care and keep up the good work.
With best regards, Frank H. (New Mexico)

Cindy,

Things are going very well. Vena is really growing and learning something new each day. She is almost completely house trained, and stays in the crate all night without accidents. She is really a great sleeper at night since the beginning. She is fitting in perfectly. She loves to play fetch with any ball she can find. I'm not sure what we did before her arrival. Thanks for all your help. We adore her!!!

John W. (Illinois)

Vena von Fenwald (Isko Klebinger Schloss x Lena Fenwald)

Hi Cindy,

Just want to give you an update on Uzzy (Pan x Alanna). Uzzy is a sweet little guy. My female is really good with him and now my male is warming up to him real well. Uzzy got a hold of Bo (my adult GSD male) and was biting him and Bo just stood there and yipped and didn't do a thing to him. I had to make him let go. He is a little stinker. I think he is totally adjusted to us now and his little personality is really coming out. I just love him. He has such a perfect little face. Uzzy went all night without an accident for the first time last night. And he has been jumping at the door to go out already. He is so smart. He is going to rule the roost. I just love him so much. I love all my dogs.. He weighs 24.5 lbs now. He is a little stinker. He picks on my big dogs. He isn't afraid of anything. Well, maybe a little, but he doesn't let anything bother him. He has nerves of steel. I dropped something from sink height into his metal feeding bowl that he was standing by and he didn't even budge. Jasmine ran outside and Bo went the other way. It was hilarious. He takes on those two like he is a big old dog. I have to rescue them from his teeth sometimes. He is a bit of a nipper now that he is teething. I have scars to prove it....just joking.

From two weeks that I had him he has gotten the housebreaking pretty well. He definitely knows to go out and how to let me know. My son goes and lets them all out at lunch time so he isn't in there a terrible long time. He knows in the morning when I am getting ready to leave so he hops into his cage and waits for his "cookie." He learned that word real quick. Faster than his name. Of course it took over a week for him to get a name, my fault. Uzzy keeps me busy not to mention Bo and Jasmine. He has grown a lot. He isn't tiny anymore. I don't know what I would do without them.

So here I am rambling on as usual. I just love him so. He's my baby. And of course Bo and Jasmine are sweethearts too. Everyone thinks I am insane but I am thoroughly happy with my three "puppies." Who knows, there might be more. I am insane!

Anyway, I can't seem to get away from your website. How exciting....Two new litters. I just keep looking at all the new puppy pictures and they are so adorable. I want another. Of course I have just found out that you are only allowed 2 dogs per house in my city. Too bad. My neighbors won't complain so I should be alright. I need to find some place else to live with a bigger yard. Gosh I just envy you your job. I would love to get into something dealing with dogs. I like your super bowl puppies. Cayla looks big and beautiful! Of course I like all of them and I visit your website all the time.

So I'll hush up now

Shirley K. from Ohio

Uzzy von Fenwald (Pan v.d. Jahnhohe x Alanna von Fenwald)

Cindy,
Everything is going great with Valentina! She is a Dream! I can put her to bed at night and if I get up after five hours she stays dry in her crate! She is a pleasure to have in our house and my husband is really in love with her too. When I went to work on Friday she of course went on the papers, but other than that she still has not had an accident in the house. I have gone out to run errands for a few hours and she stays clean and dry. Of course I have been taking her taking her outside after naps, play, and meals. She goes to the bathroom right away when I take her out! She is so cute with the big dogs, how she wants to lay near them! I am really enjoying her. The only problem is I really don't want to be bothered with much else, including work for school! I only want to be with her!

Thanks so much, talk to ya soon!
Connie S. , Illinois

Update....

Hi Cindy,
Valentina continues to amaze me every day with her sweet and calm nature. Thanks for doing what you do, You made My Dream of Owning an Exceptional German Shepherd Come True!

Connie
P.S. I would be glad to provide references to potential clients if you need it.
Thanks again.

Another Update....

Hi Cindy,

Just wanted to let you know everything is going very well. The Vet was Very Impressed with little Valentina and he kept going on about how gorgeous she was and said they don't see many like her! She is in perfect health. She is doing great with housetraining and crate training. She loves her crate and will go in there and take a nap sometimes when we leave the door open. I really am enjoying this puppy!

Thanks again, talk to ya later
Connie

Valentina von Fenwald ( Isko Klebinger Schloss x Lena Fenwald )

Hi Cindy,

I’ve tried to send you pictures several times, but have not quite figured out the scanner. I might have to let one of my girls do it for me. Wibke (aka Nina) has changed so much that she doesn’t look like her first pictures anyway.

Wibke is definitely a member of our family now. She loves to ride in the car, go for long walks on her leash (brrrrrrr), play fetch, make snow angels, roll around on the floor with Emily (actually – all of us) and just hang out with her new family.

We can’t get over how sweet and INTELLIGENT she is. She knows so many words that it is unbelievable (her favorite word is cookies). I was sad, yet glad, to see that Hanna found a home. We were debating on giving you a call so that Wibke (Nina) could have an older sister. Although Nina seems to quite enjoy being the PRINCESS of our household (she quickly dethroned her teenage human sister, Natalie).

We would like to schedule some formal training for her. Let us know if and when you have time available. If you don’t have time, could you give us the name of a local school or trainer? In the meantime, we will continue with simple leash training, coming when called and having lots of FUN.

Talk to you soon,
Lesley P. (Illinois)

Hi Cindy

Sadie says HI!!

Rob & Nancy K. (Illinois)

Questa von Fenwald (Jupiter vom Monchberg x Xya von Fenwald)

Hi Cindy!
I just wanted to write and tell you that Markus is everything you said he would be and more! We love him so much! It seems like he has been a part of our family and in our hearts forever. I still can't believe how quickly you managed to get him to us so that he would arrive on my birthday, Dec. 20th! He is my best birthday present ever! I have never bought a GSD from a breeder on the Internet before, but I will definitely be back to you for our next one! I want to thank you for all the time you put in writing and answering all my questions, and for taking the time to talk by phone so many times while we were trying to decide if our family is where Markus was supposed to be. And thank you also for the three days you insisted you spend putting Markus with your kitty to see if he would fit into our household of 4 cats! He is exactly what we hoped for! His temperament is outstanding, his rich red and black coloring is gorgeous, he gets along beautifully with Amber, our 4 year old GSD female, and he gets along with the cats! He seems to love everyone on 2 or 4 legs. Everywhere we go, people tell me how stunning he is and ask where we got him! I should get some of your cards and start passing them out! Plus he is chock full of kisses! We walk him around the lake every morning, play ball with him, he and Amber romp and nap together, and he sleeps on our bed. Next week we start novice obedience and pre-agility classes. Thank you so much for doing all you do to breed such wonderful dogs and making it possible for us to have Markus!

Julane and Greg, (Houston, TEXAS)

Markus von Fenwald (Isko Klebinger Schloss x Perdi Herzbach)

Cindy, How's it going?

Kora is doing really well. She now weighs in at about 75 lbs and is quite a powerful and strong little girl. It's funny, I get constant compliments about how beautiful she is - cars actually stop to look and ask me about her when we go for our walks through the neighborhood. More importantly, however, is that she is such a good, and affectionate dog. She is so smart - it becomes more and more evident as her out-of-control puppy excitability slowly gets replaced by more mature alertness and attentiveness. She's an amazing girl, and Claudia and I both love her to pieces. Claudia even says now that she can't imagine not having her - they have really bonded.
Anyway, just wanted to say hello and let you know about Kora. As I mentioned to you before, I would really love to have another one of your dogs some day. Of course, I would have to get Claudia's blessing before even considering anything, but I think it would be awesome for Kora to have a buddy to play and hang-out with. Especially since she loves other dogs so much and plays so nicely. Even though I spend a lot of time with her, and she gets tons of attention and affection from both of us, I think it would be really great for her to have an equally well-tempered K-9 brother or sister. I saw Markus' personal ad (very cute) on the website and wanted to ask you about him. He looks like a really beautiful dog - I can't imagine that someone would have voluntarily given him up. What's his story? I'd love to know more about him … maybe I can talk Claudia into the idea!

With Best Regards,

Dirk F. , Illinois

Kora as a puppy

Sire: Isko vom Klebinger Schloss
Dam: Ora vom Eichelborn (Pan daughter)
Kora at 1 year

Cindy,

I e-mailed you sometime ago about the puppy we bought from you, Marlene. We call her Harley. People have stopped their cars to tell me what a gorgeous shepherd she is. Several of them have also asked me who I took her to to get so well trained and when I tell them myself they think I'm the great trainer. Little do they know how easy it was. She was housebroken in no time. She stays on our property and comes when she's called (I don't even recall teaching her that). The biggest feat was to train her to walk at my left, to heel on command and to stop and wait for me when a car is approaching- all of this is now done without any leash or training device. It took 2-3 weeks with a leash to completely train her, after less than a week she was trained to heel and stay to the left. The people who have stopped are people that have seen me walk for the past 15 years and they've never seen me with such a well behaved dog.

She's great with other dogs and with my cats. She loves to ride in the car, but never jumps all over. She is a super dog and I love her dearly.

She does get over excited when first going outside, only with Dave, my husband, and runs around barking. The more he tries to keep her quiet the louder she gets. She very seldom does that with me, but I don't know how to stop her with him. He also loves her, but doesn't really take the time to train her. I think she thinks I mean business, but he's a push over.

Anyway, I was thinking of teaching her tracking, but haven't the faintest idea how. We went to a German Shepherd tracking event last year and spoke with a trainer, who knew who you were and the great quality of dogs you have. I never followed thru because he was towards the city and I don't travel that way much.

I hope you can bring up the attachment. She is an absolute beauty although in these pictures she was pretty muddy after swimming in the pond. You should see her when she's clean.

Thank you so very much for this precious dog!

Ann S., Illinois

Marlene von Fenwald (her Dam is Xya von Fenwald)

Hi Cindy,

Cindy:

I was looking at your website today and thought I would give you an update on Payton von Fenwald, as you know him. (We call him Hank!) He is doing wonderful. I can't believe how he's grown! He is absolutely the best dog we have ever had! Here are some pictures of Hank that were taken in July 2003 with the girls. He was about 7 months old here.
Feel free to post this message and the pictures on the Testimonials Page of your website. I want everyone who is considering your kennel to know that you are absolutely the best around. I'm so glad that we chose your kennel for our new puppy!

Thanks for everything.
Maribeth A.

Cindy,
I can hardly believe that Falko (Jupiter x Tatra) is 2 years old already. We had his hips X-Rayed for OFA Rating and are awaiting the results. I'll update you as soon as I know. We have started training again after moving from Pennsylvania and having a baby. We are currently living in Georgia near Atlanta. Hope you get the pictures of the handsome boy. He is very smart and he has so much raw instinct. And talk about high drive, the more I do with him, training or play, the more he wants to do. The training he likes best is the Rubble Piles (Search & Rescue), Agility and Tracking. He does lack a little discipline when it comes to obedience. It just isn't as fun and he really has to think about what he is doing. He is also an Excellent Guard Dog. He almost went out the window screen after someone that wasn't supposed to be in our yard. So far he has never had a false alert so I know if he does alert, something is wrong! But he is also such a Lovable boy. I always wanted a dog who would give kisses and hugs. He is so gently with the baby. I know they will be best pals. After the Baby came I still made sure that I spent alone time with the dogs and they never seemed to get jealous. Falko can also be very silly and act like a nut. Maybe that's why we Love him so much! Also, he and the cat love to play with each other. The cat, that used to HATE dogs, actually seeks out Falko to play!!! As far as his hips. They looked great. We sent them about 2 weeks ago. I'll let you know.

Take care,
Tracy (Georgia)

Hi Cindy,
The results came in the mail yesterday. Falko received an OFA 'Good' rating on his hips!! YEAH!
Tracy

Hi Cindy,
    I haven't gotten back to you before this but I have always intended to send you a short note of thanks! I purchased a male pup from you born 6/10/2000 from Hafran's Cimon and Trina. He was from your X litter, a red and black. His name is Xzar and I'm the electrician who never got back to you.

    I had raised three other German Shepherds before Xzar. All were AKC. None of them were from a true breeder and all were American stock. When I went looking for Xzar I was determined to get another Shepherd . I love the breed and I wanted a red and black. I was also determined to search out a professional breeder even though the cost would double or triple. I figured the cost over the years of having a loyal, healthy, intelligent companion was really minimal if the dog proved to be a step above the ones I've had before.

     I felt like I was going out on a limb a little there but at three years old he has continued to be the most intelligent, phenomenal dog I have ever owned G.S. or otherwise. He's trained superbly and he's a quick learner. His temperament is unbelievable. I'm a firm believer in how much the breeding counts now. Originally I wanted to train him Schutzhund but I also wanted to train him as a therapy dog. Funny thing is a lot of people won't allow a dog trained in that manner to be allowed as a therapy dog. They don't understand the training is more like a guarantee on the dependability of the dog. He is almost a fully licensed therapy dog now. My divorce slowed the process but there's a hospital by me requesting a large dog for physical therapy sessions and he'll be outstanding.

     Sorry, told you this would be a short note and would love to tell you of the things that have proven his temperament or of the many compliments I've gotten on his looks, trainability, etc. I'm going to look into a class I found on search and rescue to keep him occupied. Think it would be interesting for both of us. I did want to thank you though for your work and patience in breeding these animals. I remember that you were pretty much tied to home and the dogs . Hope this note makes you smile for a sec. If I had more time now I'd love to get another pup. Xzar's been such a treasure to have. If the opportunity arises though we will definitely be contacting you.


Thanks Again, Scott & Xzar

Dear Cindy -

I was looking at your web page and saw a picture of Jango & thought I'd give
you an update. He is great in all ways! Beautiful, great with our family and all
people, as well as an excellent protector. He is always "on patrol" on our property,
but off property and in crowds, he is calm and gentle and relaxed. He gets compliments
wherever we go. We love him!

Best Regards,
Kelly S. (Illinois)

Dear Cindy,
Here are some recent photos of Princess Gracie....
At 2 years old, her first real interaction with a small child (my 1
year old niece)...

No one should ever question the soundness of your dog's temperaments!

Enjoy, Bob and Tricia (Illinois)

Sire: Jupiter Dam: Feri

Hi Cindy

Lea is doing great!! She's playful and eating great. She'll play and play and then just drop and take a nap. It's so cute. My husband and sons have fallen in love with her too. And she's doing amazingly well with the potty training! We all just love her and so does the rest of the neighborhood! She's a great dog.

Lea met our vet yesterday and he thought she was wonderful too. He's a big fan of German dogs.

Anyway, thanks for asking about her. We'll keep in touch.
Jan Z. (Illinois)

Subject: Hi! from Hetta to Xya von Fenwald & Cindy

Hi Mom! Well, I'm now one year old. I just love my new home and my
parents treat me like a "queen". I am totally in charge. If you have
any doubts, here are some photos of me on my birthday. My steak was
medium rare, I was allowed to play with my green teddy bear I brought with me a year ago, and after all the hoopla, I napped with Teddy on the ac vent. What a day! Hope all is well back in IL. Love Hetta.

Cindy,
I'm attempting to send photos, let me know if you get them.
He's doing great! Alex is his favorite toy!
He's a very happy little boy and of course we get tons of compliments.
We had family over last night that complimented the way him and Maggie get along.
Barb

Hi Cindy,
Thought you might like to see how we've grown!
Hope you enjoy this picture, I think she may resemble
Perdi. What do you think?
Wish I could have another one!
Thanks Leslie (Illinois)

Misha von Fenwald (Magdalena's sister)
Sire: Isko v. Klebinger Schloss Dam: Perdi vom Herzbach

Hi Cindy,
    Kaiser is nine months old as of the 8th, and I'd thought you might like a picture or two. He's doing fine, healthy and strong and as your website stated, I get complimented daily on what a good looking German Shepherd he is.

   He is a fanatic for frisbee. goes till I make him stop and rest.. otherwise he'd keel over. He did very well with obedience training.
He's my bud, and I can't imagine not having him!
Andee says hi. Hope things are well with you.
So here's the pictures..

Bob S. (Ohio)

It’s with a very sad and heavy heart that we have to announce the passing of our beloved Gunda von Fenwald. Words cannot express the depth of our loss and the special place she will always hold in our hearts. She was a beautiful, healthy vivacious dog with a really spunky personality and great attitude. We are truly grief stricken and are still in shock. She was truly a pleasure to own and we will really miss her! Thank goodness we still have Hetty von Fenwald & Odin von Fenwald to help us through our grief.
My sincere thanks to Cindy Hiemenz for selling us such a fabulous German Shepherd . . . she truly has the finest dogs and a deep commitment to maintaining the breed.