Litter Information! Be informed about our practices!


The German Shepherd Dog suffers from many health issues such as hip and elbow dysplasia, spondylosis, degenerative myelopathy, bloat, and torsion. Because of this, Marcato Shepherds thoroughly screens and studies the bloodlines of all dogs used in the breeding program.

As a general whole, we sell four "types" of dog:

  1. Pet: A dog that does not meet the structural or aesthetic criteria as laid forth by the American Kennel Club German Shepherd Dog standard. There is nothing inherently wrong with the dog. It just may have a disqualifying fault (such as improper coat color) or a fault severe enough to prevent it from finishing in the show ring. The dog is still capable of being an active happy member of the family.
  2. Show prospect: These are dogs 8 weeks to 12 months old that at the time of sale do not have any disqualifying or serious faults that would prevent them from finishing. They are not deemed show quality because so much changes between 8 weeks and 12 months. It is acknowledged by us that these puppies may not turn out as hoped.
  3. Finishable: A dog 12 months or older that has no disqualifying or serious faults and would be able to finish in the conformation ring if given time and proper handling/conditioning.
  4. Performance: A dog that exhibits good drives in various areas and would be happiest in a home that was willing to train it in various venues of sport (agility, tracking, herding, etc).
All of the dogs we produce are guaranteed to be more than suitable as happy, healthy, friendly, family pets, and all dogs, regardless of what they were initially sold for, should be willing and able to be trained in various performance events.

We will not send puppies to their new homes before 10 weeks of age.

Hip/elbow Guarantee:
    • The dog is guaranteed to be free of congenital hip and severe elbow dysplasia for 28 months
    • The dog will pass OFAs with a minimum of OFA Fair for the hips, or a replacement puppy will be offered at no charge with the exception of any shipping charges (buyer has the option of keeping the affected puppy).
    • It is mandatory for all Marcato bred puppies to be OFA'd at the age of 24 months (2 years) and no later than 28 months, regardless of what the puppy was purchased for (show, performance, or pet).
Your puppy will be started in:
    • Housebreaking
    • Leash walking
    • Crate training
    • Socialization
Before you receive your puppy, it will be:
    • Wormed
    • Vaccinated
    • Bathed
    • Vet checked for any congenital defects
All the proper paperwork documenting the vaccination and worming schedule will be provided to you.

In order to qualify for a Marcato German Shepherd Dog puppy, we require the following:
    • A completed puppy application form (will be provided to you after initial inquiry)
    • A fenced yard or other suitable outdoor containment
    • The understanding that breeding these dogs is the result of intense study of bloodlines and health on our part, and we do not sell them to the first person with money in their hand.
While we encourage potential puppy buyers to come to our home (by appointment only), we do ship.

If you wish to have your puppy shipped, please be aware of the following:
    • All shipping expenses are the responsibility of the buyer.
    • Airlines have temperature embargos, and thus animals may only be flown in certain temperatures, which can delay the delivery of your puppy.
    • The puppy will arrive with a veterinarian's certificate of health (required for the dog to be able to fly), as well as their registration certificate and a puppy packet.
In regards to the registration of puppies, all Marcato German Shepherd Dog Puppies will be:
    • Given registered names using a theme. This is in order to keep track of all the puppies from each litter. You will be allowed to choose from a list of preselected registered names, though you may call the dog anything you like.
    • Registered online BEFORE they are sent to their new homes.
The price of our puppies is determined by many factors such as:
    • Location of the stud dog (in house vs. across the country)
    • Method of breeding (natural vs. artificial insemination)
    • Availability of bloodlines (some bloodlines are more valuable than others)
Contracts:
We try to keep our puppies under $2000 as we want our animals to be affordable for the average buyer. Our projected prices are $1500-2000. We charge the same price for each and every puppy, regardless of sex or quality (show vs. pet). The reason we do this is that we believe regardless of the potential of the dog, all dogs and buyers are equal. We also do not find it fair that a buyer preparing to purchase a show prospect puppy should pay $300-500 more and be out that money in the event that the puppy does not turn out.

Strong preference is given to performance/working homes and junior handlers. Discounted prices are a possibility for juniors. We wish to kindle a love for the breed and all that it does through new, young handlers.