Von Hoffen Shepherds

Chester S.

Breeder of German Shepherds

  • Kalamazoo, MI
  • Responds within a few days

Meet the breeder

I'm Chester S., the breeder behind Von Hoffen Shepherds located in Kalamazoo, MI. I have owned German Shepherds all my life, and thrive to breed health, well-balanced dogs, that will be a joy to their families.

Q. & A. with Chester

  • Why did you start breeding?

    When I went to my cities local dog show I fell in love with a black toy Poodle and the Great Danes. Now some 30 odd years later I am still in love with dogs and showing.
  • What makes your program special?

    My desire to breed the best dogs I can, healthy and temperament. I know how important it is to have a pet that you can spend many happy years with.
  • Where do your breeding dogs live?

    They live in my home and a kennel on my property.

Getting a puppy from Chester

Chester 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 $300 non-refundable deposit and between $900 - $1,500 final payment, before taxes & fees.

“I require a deposit once puppies are born, the pick of the puppies per required sex is based on how the deposit is received. My deposit is nonrefundable and go towards the total price of your puppy. Deposit are required once the litter is 2 weeks of age and is nonrefundable unless seller is unable to provide the puppy.”

Contract & health guarantee

Chester 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 Chester 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 Chester directly.

Always communicate and pay on Good Dog.Learn more

What’s included

    • From Good Dog
      • Lifetime support from Good Dog’s Care Team
      • 10% lifetime discount on Figo pet insurance
      • Puppy Training Program & private community
    • Puppy health practices
      • Vet check
      • First round of shots and deworming

Location & pick-up

You can drive or fly to pick up your puppy from Chester.

Breeder’s location

Meet in Kalamazoo, MI

481 miles away

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Map data ©2025 Google

Other pick-up locations

Meet at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Airport

477 miles away

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More about Chester

  • Chester has been a member of Good Dog for over 5 years

    Chester was screened for responsible practices and has been a member since 2020.

  • Chester’s links

Chester is a trusted Good Dog breeder

Von Hoffen Shepherds 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

Parent health testing

Breeder-Reported Testing

Great level

Von Hoffen Shepherds 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.

  • 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).

Health testing is one key piece of responsible breeding and is performed on breeding dogs to prevent the presence of heritable conditions in their puppies.

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