Von Kunstlerisch

Donna V.

Breeder of German Shepherds

  • Claysville, PA
  • Responds within a day

Upcoming litters

Puma
Whisper

Expected German Shepherd litter

Due Mar. 2026

Ready May 18
Puma
Trash-Em

Planned German Shepherd litter

Due May 2026

Ready July 2026

Meet the breeder

I'm Donna V., the breeder behind Von Kunstlerisch located in Claysville, PA. I import, show & title the dogs. My dogs are SV and/or OFA Certified Hips/Elbows plus DNA'd on DM, HU, VWD1 & MDR1. My puppies are in Law Enforcement, SAR, Schutzhund (IPO, IGP), Celebrities and as Family Companions. OFA used one of my pups as their Logo! One of my pups was used in a recent MOVIE.

Q. & A. with Donna

  • Why did you start breeding?

    I always loved the German Shepherd and wanted to promote the breed as best as I could.
  • What makes your program special?

    I show and title my dogs. My dogs are Fully Health Certified with OFA and/or SV on Hips, Elbows. DM, MDR1, HU and VWD1. I participate in the AKC Bred with H.E.A.R.T. program pledge to uphold the program values of health, education, accountability, responsibility, and tradition. All of my dogs are temperament tested by a professional trainer that is recognized in magazines & books. I give Breeder advice 24/7. I give a Money Back Warranty on my puppies. My puppies come with a "Loss Warranty" which means I will give you a FREE puppy if you lose your original puppy prior to the puppy's 2nd birthday due to any reason other than abuse. You must provide me with a Certificate of Death from a Licensed Veterinarian, with Microchip number noted, before a Free puppy will be granted. To my knowledge I am the only breeder to offer this type of Warranty. I have a small selective breeding program. German Shepherds are the ONLY breed of dog that I breed!! ALL of my puppies are raised in my home then moved to a kennel with a LARGE grassy yard to play!
  • What are the different breed coat types in your program?

    Our puppies have stock coats. Coat types may vary depending on the parent dogs.
  • What are the different breed coat colors in your program?

    Our puppies are black and red. Colors will vary depending on the parent dogs.
  • Where do your breeding dogs live?

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

Matched dogs

These dogs are already reserved or have gone home.

Getting a puppy from Donna

Donna 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.

Donna partners with buyers to find the best match as the puppies develop and their personalities take shape. Typically, matches are finalized when the puppies reach about 7 weeks old.

"I take great care in placing each puppy with the right family. Puppies are matched once they are old enough to evaluate their temperaments and personalities which is usually around 7-8 weeks. I am an AKC Judge for the AKC Temperament Test and Breeding German Shepherds since 1979 gives me the experience to choose the correct puppy for the family. Example: An elderly couple that may not be able to handle the "Tasmanian Devil" puppy from the litter whom at the time of pick up, the puppy is "tired" so appears "very calm" to later be rested and ready for action! You don't have time to evaluate a puppy in an hour as I do for the eight weeks.. "

Price

Puppy prices include a $535 refundable deposit and between $3,215 - $5,465 final payment, before taxes & fees.
Pay over time with Klarna.

"The puppies are priced according to parentage. A Refundable $535.00 deposit is required to be on my waiting list. A Deposit can be moved to the next available litter. A deposit is refundable ONLY if you arrive to pick up a puppy at 8 weeks old and decide you don't like the puppy or the environment it was raised."

Contract & health guarantee

Donna 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 Donna 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 Donna 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
    • Enrichment & socialization
      • Various sounds
      • Car rides
      • Surface & tactile stimulation
      • Socialized with children
      • Socialized in new places
      • Scent introduction
      • Daily handling
      • Socialized with other dogs
      • Introduced to people of different ages and appearances
      • Socialized with other animals
    • Puppy health practices
      • Vet check
      • First round of shots and deworming
      • Vet records
      • Microchip
    • Extras
      • AKC registration
      • Registration
      • Toys
      • Basic obedience & manners
      • Puppy starter kit
      • Food & treats

Location & pick-up

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

Breeder's location

Meet in Claysville, PA

Other pick-up locations

Meet at Pittsburgh Airport


Meet in Wheeling, WV

More about Donna

  • Club memberships

    Donna is a member of Crosswinds K-9, SV Germany, United Schutzhund Clubs of America, and German Shepherd Club of America.

  • Certifications & recognitions

    AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, DNA for Dog Breeders (Institute of Canine Biology), Canine Nutritionist, AKC Judge, American Kennel Club Canine College, Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, AKC Breeder with H.E.A.R.T..

  • Donna has been a member of Good Dog for over 6 years

    Donna was screened for responsible practices and has been a member since 2019.

  • Donna’s links

Donna is a trusted Good Dog breeder

Von Kunstlerisch 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

Excellent level

Von Kunstlerisch 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.

  • Temperament Test

    A breeder may perform additional tests on their dogs that do not fall into these general categories. These tests may be more uncommon or very specific to a particular breed.

  • Hyperuricosuria (HUU), von Willebrand Disease I (vWD I), Multiple Drug Sensitivity (MDR1), DNA Profile, 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).

Verified owner stories

Hear what other owners say about working with Donna to bring home their puppies.

  • Kate L.

    Verified owner · Jan. 2026

    We love our German Shepherd puppy from Donna! She is everything we wanted. We appreciate Donna's communication and the way she cares for her dogs. She also set us up for success and gave us great recommendations for caring for her. Would recommend!

    BM

    Beverly M.

    Verified owner · Jan. 2025

    We thoroughly enjoyed our communication with Donna! She was more than a pleasure to talk to while getting all of our questions answered during the adoption process. If you are looking for a well qualified breeder who is experienced and knowledgable, look no further...we highly recommend going through Donna from Von Kunstlerisch! We couldn't be more grateful for the little addition to our family...she is AMAZING and we are so in LOVE with her. Donna recommended our little one from the litter, based on the type of temperament we thought would be best for our family. She totally nailed it, lol. Our little girl, who we named Riley, is PERFECT for us! Looking forward to giving her a thriving, happy, healthy, loving life. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING DONNA!!!

    VS

    Vikram S.

    Verified owner · Jan. 2025

    We got to know about Donna through a neighbor whose dog looked very impressive. From the beginning to the end, the process was very smooth. Donna has been very helpful and communicative. She reached out to us frequently with progress about the litter and has been very responsive with all of our questions (we had umpteen questions as first time dog owners) both before and after we brought our sweet little girl "Curie" home. We highly recommend Donna.

    Ginny F.

    Verified owner · July 2024

    Our experience with Donna Varner from Von Kunstlerisch was nothing short of extraordinary. After an exhaustive search for a female German Shepherd to train as our son's diabetic service dog, we were incredibly fortunate to be connected with Donna. Her reputation as a legendary breeder in the German Shepherd world is well-deserved. Our Josie is a stunning example of the breed, possessing intelligence, loyalty, and a protective nature that perfectly suit her role. Beyond her exceptional dogs, Donna's kindness, generosity, and unwavering support have been invaluable to us as first-time dog owners. She has been an incredible resource, always there to offer advice, referrals, or simply a listening ear.


Donna’s photos

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