I'm Christina D., the breeder behind Off The Hook Kennels located in West Rutland, VT. Our dogs live in our home with us and are our companions first and foremost, so when we place our puppies it is according to the temperament and energy that best matches the individuals/families applying for them. We want you to have a long healthy relationship with your dog.
Q. & A. with Christina
Why did you start breeding?
Our love of the breed led us to find lines that would be versatile in a variety of venues. The search for those lines showed us that attention to health and temperament was not a priority for a lot of the pups that were out there. Having prior experience with finding desired genetics while farming we moved forward with a program that prioritized health, stability, and versatility.
What makes your program special?
We work our dogs and make sure they are healthy both physically and mentally. A healthy dog leads to healthy pups. We handle our puppies from day 1, starting with ENS for the first 2 weeks then introducing them to new sounds, textures, environments as soon as their eyes open. Pups stay until they are 9/10 weeks old and are placed according to the personality of the pup and prospective owner.
What are the different breed coat colors in your program?
Our puppies are sable. Colors will vary depending on the parent dogs.
Where do your breeding dogs live?
They live in my home.
Matched dogs
These dogs are already reserved or have gone home.
Boy 2
Went home
Male
Boy 1
Went home
Male
Girl 2
Went home
Female
Girl 1
Went home
Female
Getting a puppy from Christina
Christina has been certified by Good Dog’s screening team for responsible and trusted breeding practices. When you’re ready to reach out, feel free to ask any questions about the breed, their program, or specific puppies.
Together, you’ll choose the puppy that’s right for you, stay in touch with regular updates, and plan how to bring your new puppy home.
Price
Puppy prices include a $750 non-refundable deposit and $1,750 final payment, before taxes & fees.
“All of our puppies are the same price regardless of sex, deposits are only accepted after the application has been filled out and we have had an interview. We require a deposit to secure a place on our list. Why? We spend a lot of time getting to know our prospective owner as well as temperament test so that our puppies are matched to the best homes.”
Contract & health guarantee
Christina may provide a written contract or
health guarantee when you purchase a puppy. This helps
protect both you and your breeder, ensuring that you
both have a clear understanding of the terms of your
puppy purchase. If Christina offers a contract
or guarantee, the details will be personalized by them.
If you have any questions or want to know more,
don’t hesitate to reach out to Christina directly.
Off The Hook Kennels meets or exceeds our community standards in these areas:
Responsible breeding practices
Health of breeding dogs and puppies
Puppy environment and enrichment
Buyer education and policies
Parent dogs
Karma, mom
German Shepherd
About Karma
Karma is a female German Shepherd. Carefully selected as a great representative of her breed, Christina decided to make her part of their program. Christina has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Mercy, mom
German Shepherd
About Mercy
Mercy is a female German Shepherd. Carefully selected as a great representative of her breed, Christina decided to make her part of their program. Christina has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Cham, mom
German Shepherd
About Cham
Cham is a female German Shepherd. Carefully selected as a great representative of her breed, Christina decided to make her part of their program. Christina has passed Good Dog’s screening process, which involved a review of their breeding practices, environment, and the mental and physical health of their dogs.
Parent health testing
Breeder-Reported Testing
Great level
Off The Hook Kennels reports to performing the health tests below on their breeding dogs. Ask your breeder about the tests performed on the parents of your litter. Learn more about health testing for German Shepherds.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip testing reduces the chance of passing down hip dysplasia, which is primarily found in large breed dogs and can cause hip pain and the eventual loss of the function of the hip joint.
Elbow Dysplasia Finals (OFA, BVA, SV, FCI)
Elbow testing reduces the chance of passing down elbow dysplasia, which is primarily found in large breed dogs and can cause arthritis in the elbow joint and front leg lameness.
Multiple Drug Sensitivity (MDR1), Degenerative Myelopathy (DM; SOD1A)
Genetic testing reduces the chance of passing down a wide variety of hereditary diseases of differing prevalence and severity such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (an eye disease) and Von Willebrand's Disease (a blood disease).