AKC Registered Working-Line GSDs
Health, energy, agility, and love.
Why the Classical, Working Line?
The pictures say it all - love for play, ambition (we can fit a ball AND a stick in our mouth!) and hanging out with the family.
Working line German Shepards have classical anatomy and don’t suffer from the same genetic osteo defects as their American show-line counterparts that sport more curved backs that can more commonly result in hip dysplasia. In contrast, working line GSDs are built well, mentally and physically, for a variety of uses from service work and all-around family dogs to protective work, search and rescue and farm work. In fact, Max von Stephanitz, the breed’s founder, believed the dog should be bred for work. We seek to restore that ideology with our litters by breeding only working dog lines, which have very low risk of dysplasia or other genetic issues that have popped up in show lines.
Bucala’s Greta (dam) has been owned and raised by us since she was 11 weeks old. A highly trainable (and trained) dog, Greta has the unique athletic ability, intellect and temperament to babysit a small child or children - as well as the strength, discipline, and courage to chase, catch, and take down large prey such as deer. On our farm, she distinguishes well between the expected delivery driver or utilities contractor whom she greets pleasantly from the suspicious, unexpected vehicles that she alerts us to. She fears nothing and is highly sensitive and attentive to her humans’ needs.
Our litter’s sire is Nilo’s Storm of Straight-Backed German Shepherds VA by Denise Mazzan. He has an excellent Penn Hip rating and was bred out of 20 years’ expertise in searching for the healthiest working-line GSDs that are dysplasia free and DM negative.
Our dam and sire’s AKC lineage and orthopedic certifications are available in our FAQ section.
Greta
Storm
Greta and her brother from the same litter, Lincoln
Our Puppies
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Summer 2025 Puppies
Our summer 2025 litter is expected mid-July with puppies available to go to new homes in September. Puppies are fully AKC registered, vaccinated, health certified, temperament tested and de-wormed. We will interview you on your intended usage of the puppy to ensure best fit.
Inquire for pricing. Puppies can be reserved with a non-refundable deposit.
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Pre-Trained Puppies
We provide four weeks of foundational training to jump-start your puppy’s journey to adulthood. We start with basic commands like sit, down, climb/place, and familiarize the puppy with daily routines like eating, sleeping, bathroom and crate. We do not expose your puppies to dogs outside our home for their safety and health during this time.
Inquire for pricing. Pre-trained puppies can be reserved with a non-refundable deposit.
CONTACT US TO RESERVE/ADOPT A PUPPY
If you’d like to adopt a puppy from our summer 2025 litter, please put “Puppy” in the message and include your email and phone number to arrange a time to speak.
We will reserve puppies with an adoption fee deposit. Greta’s litter is expected on July 15, 2025 which means puppies will be ready to go to their new homes in September.
We do interview new owners to ensure our litters are going to great homes where dogs will have rewarding jobs and loving families.
We can be reached at firelightfields@gmail.com
FAQs
Will my puppy be AKC registered? Can I transfer them to my name?
Yes, we breed and offer only purebred, AKC registered dogs. We will provide you with the information necessary to register the dog with the AKC in your name.
What sort of training and exercise does my GSD need?
Working line GSDs love to run and hike. Daily walks, runs, or exercises with a frisbee or ball will keep them fit and happy. They are very smart and love training. Because of their strength, we do recommend you train your dog on the basics of sit, stay, down and heel.
How do I get a well-behaved dog?
GSDs are very smart and easy to train. They do need consistent training in their early days. We have referrals to several expert trainers who specialize in GSDs including Ashley Medeiros and Andy Krueger. Here are a few videos showing them working with Greta!
I’ve heard GSDs can be aggressive. Is that true?
All dogs, if not properly handled, have the potential to be aggressive with people. However, aggression in GSDs can be an unfair characterization, perhaps brought about because GSDs have been used in police forces and militaries worldwide, given their great intelligence and strength. Greta and Nilo are specifically excellent with children and are great family dogs.
What is the significance of hip and elbow ratings?
OFA and PennHip offer orthopedic ratings of GSDs hips and elbows. Taken together, Greta and Storm have excellent hip and elbow ratings, meaning the risk of dysplasia in offspring is low.
Storm’s excellent hip rating. Storm’s AKC registration is DN59453201.
Greta’s pedigree and OFA ratings
What is the temperament of a GSD?
Temperaments can vary with any dog, but generally speaking, the breed is known for its high intelligence. It is a moderately active breed, that loves to have a job. GSDs are curious, brave, and obedient. They are known as excellent workers due to their ability to focus well. GSDs have been employed in many tasks such as sport, search and rescue, narcotics detection, disability service and guide dogs, child protection, family protection and more.
Will my puppies be vaccinated and dewormed?
Your puppies will be dewormed and vaccinated.
Can I visit the dogs?
Yes, you can visit puppies and interact with puppies by appointment only for serious buyers. For adult dogs, you may view them only. You may contact us using the contact form or at firelightfields@gmail.com to schedule a phone call and subsequent visit.
What’s the short history of the German Shepherd?
Max von Stephanitz originated the GSD in the late 1800s. His goal was to produce a working dog of supreme intelligence. They are also known as the Alsatian. The GSD was popularized after World War II, with many American soldiers bringing the dogs home to America. GSDs were popular for much of the 1900s, and following a short decline are growing again as a popular breed post-COVID.