FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
At Southernwind Kennels, breeding is far more than a business—it’s the expression of a lifetime of love, science, and devotion to the German Shepherd breed. For over five decades, we’ve dedicated ourselves to producing dogs that represent the highest standards of health, temperament, intelligence, and versatility.
Our foundation is built upon knowledge, ethics, and purpose.
We don’t breed for numbers or trends; we breed for excellence and character. Each litter is carefully planned after studying bloodlines, health data, working potential, and temperament compatibility. Our goal is to consistently produce sound, stable, and noble German Shepherds—dogs capable of excelling as family companions, emotional support partners, service dogs, or working athletes.
Every puppy born at Southernwind is raised under our Early Neurological and Sensorial Stimulation Program, a developmental system we’ve perfected through years of professional experience and scientific understanding.
This protocol ensures each puppy is exposed to early sensory, tactile, and emotional exercises that build confidence, resilience, and problem-solving ability. We also integrate controlled environmental and social exposures, laying the foundation for emotional balance and adaptability.
Beyond training and genetics, what truly sets us apart is our heartfelt philosophy: we see every puppy as an individual soul with a purpose. From the moment they are born, they are handled with respect, patience, and love. We carefully match each puppy to its future family based on temperament and lifestyle, ensuring long-term success and harmony.
Southernwind Kennels is also proud of its international reputation. Having started in Puerto Rico in 1974 and later relocated to Florida, we have decades of collaboration with veterinarians, mounted police units, working dog programs, and service-dog organizations. This experience allows us to understand every aspect of canine development—from breeding and behavior to public work and emotional support training.
Our breeding stock descends from elite West German show and working lines, known for their anatomical correctness, stable nerves, and loyal, trustworthy character. Every parent is health tested, DNA verified, and temperament evaluated before entering our program.
And our commitment doesn’t end when a puppy leaves. Every Southernwind family becomes part of our lifelong support network. We offer ongoing education, mentorship, and guidance for as long as they own their dog.
At Southernwind, we believe that breeding is the art of shaping lives—human and canine alike. Our legacy is written not only in pedigrees but in the countless stories of love, healing, and partnership shared by our Southernwind families around the world.
Temperament begins with genetics but is developed through environment. From birth, our puppies experience structured exposure to sounds, textures, and controlled challenges to build confidence and resilience. We carefully match each puppy to the right family or handler, ensuring harmony and long-term success.
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Our breeding decisions are never random. Each pairing is the product of extensive analysis based on decades of successful bloodline combinations, structure, temperament, and health history. We study multiple generations and emphasize compatibility to enhance stability, intelligence, and workability. Our results are not left to chance—they are intentional, proven, and focused on long-term success.
Longer explanation-
At Southernwind Kennels, selecting a breeding pair is a meticulous and soulful process—one that combines science, instinct, and over 50 years of hands-on experience. Every pairing begins with a clear goal: to preserve and enhance the noble essence of the German Shepherd—a dog with intelligence, balance, structure, and heart.
We approach breeding as both an art and a responsibility. Each potential sire and dam is evaluated through a multi-layered process that includes:
1. Genetic and Health Evaluation
We only breed dogs that meet the strictest health standards. Each parent undergoes:
Hip and Elbow certifications (OFA/FCI)
Genetic DNA testing for inherited diseases
Full veterinary screenings to ensure physical soundness and breeding suitability.
Our priority is to reduce hereditary risks and promote long-term health, sound structure, and functional anatomy.
2. Temperament and Character Assessment
We spend extensive time observing our dogs’ daily behaviors—how they respond to stress, new environments, children, and other animals. Only dogs with stable nerves, confident yet kind dispositions, and strong emotional intelligence are chosen.
This ensures our puppies inherit balance, courage, focus, and loyalty—the hallmark traits of a true Southernwind Shepherd.
3. Pedigree and Bloodline Compatibility
We deeply study pedigrees to preserve the best qualities of the West German lines—their beauty, courage, and steady temperament. Each pairing is planned for complementarity, not convenience. We look for balance between drive and composure, structure and agility, ensuring the offspring carry forward consistency, harmony, and genetic predictability.
4. Performance and Working Ability
We select breeding dogs that not only have beauty but purpose. Many of our dogs and their ancestors have excelled in obedience, protection, search and rescue, therapy, and service work. We believe a true German Shepherd should embody the versatility and working instinct that made the breed legendary.
5. Emotional Connection and Intuition
Beyond tests and titles, there’s something that can’t be measured—intuition. After decades of living, working, and breathing dogs, we’ve developed a deep sense for recognizing “the right pair.” The energy, chemistry, and balance between two dogs tell a story. We trust that wisdom as much as the data.
Each litter is born from careful thought, not chance. We don’t breed to sell puppies—we breed to continue a legacy of dogs with impeccable genetics, strong nerves, and gentle souls capable of fulfilling many roles: family companion, protector, partner, and friend.
At Southernwind, every breeding decision is a promise—to the breed, to the puppy, and to the family who will one day call that puppy their own.
At Southernwind Kennels, we proudly work with some of the most respected and proven German Shepherd bloodlines in the world.
Our breeding program is primarily based on West German Show and Working Lines, carefully selected for their exceptional health, structure, temperament, and versatility.
These lines have consistently produced dogs that embody the perfect balance of beauty, intelligence, stability, and drive—traits that make them equally suitable as devoted family companions, service dogs, or elite working partners.
In addition, we maintain a separate East German (DDR) Working Line program, which we never mix with our West German lines. Our DDR dogs are prized for their impressive bone structure, solid nerves, focus, endurance, and strong working character. They represent the old-style German Shepherd—steady, powerful, and loyal—ideal for demanding working roles and advanced training environments.
Both programs have been refined through careful selection and decades of experience. Our breeding choices are guided by proven genetics, health, and temperament, ensuring that every Southernwind dog—whether West or East German lineage—reflects the true nobility and purpose of the German Shepherd breed.
Our breeding program has been carefully developed and refined for over 50 years, now spanning more than eight generations of dogs. Each generation has been evaluated for health, anatomy, and psychological balance, allowing us to preserve the most desirable traits while continuously improving stability and adaptability.
Many of the dogs within our extended Southernwind gene pool continue to appear in European working and show competitions, achieving top placements and excelling in performance, obedience, and temperament evaluations. This is a testament to the strength and consistency of our genetic foundation.
Our mission has always been to produce German Shepherds with true breed essence—dogs that represent courage, loyalty, versatility, and grace. The Southernwind bloodlines are not just pedigrees on paper; they are living legacies of our passion, dedication, and the timeless bond between humans and their dogs.
Yes. We offer the Southernwind Puppy Starter Star Program, which continues each puppy’s development with early obedience, leash manners, socialization, and exposure training.
We also offer connections to our Southernwind Family Trainers, including specialists in behavior correction and service dog preparation.
Visits are by appointment only, ensuring the safety and structure of our dogs. We encourage scheduled Meet & Greet sessions, where families can learn about our philosophy, observe training, and meet our dogs in a professional, educational environment.