Kiesthaus German Shepherds

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The German Shepherd Dog breed was established by Max Emil Frederick von Stephanitz in 1890 as an all around working dog with emphasis on size, intelligence, strength, and strong herding instinct. Committed to the utility aspect of the breed, Von Stephanitz
created a series of tests which became the forerunner of the present day Schutzhund program, as a way of determining that the dogs he was breeding were indeed of the physical and mental caliber he strived to maintain. With this display of both physical and mental prowess being the primary focus in the foundation of the breed, it is easy to see why the German Shepherd quickly became the darling of the police and military, as well as all manner of businesses, families, and individuals requiring a working dog in their native country, and throughout the world.

As the breed developed and became popular in the show ring, many changes in the physical appearance of the dog took shape in various countries. In the U.S., the 1960's saw some of the first dogs heavily exhibited by professional show dog handlers, amassing large numbers of impressive show wins despite having structural exaggerations previously unknown in the breed. The type became the accepted "show type" in the U.S., and those who wished to have their dogs be competitive in the ring bred their dogs accordingly.

One breeder who believed strongly that the ideals of
von Stephanitz should be upheld through a breeding program based on a more balanced structure, with a continued focus on increasing size and maintaining high intelligence and working ability, set out to establish her own breeding program. That breeder was
Judy Kiest, and her Kiesthaus traditional, old style, giant and oversized (by current AKC standards) German Shepherds have become the foundation dogs for all of the breeders who similarly embrace these ideals. Because of Judy's willingness and even eagerness to share her beloved breed in it's "Old Style" glory with others, there are now a number of breeders maintaining this type throughout the U.S., and even internationally. Some have used the Kiesthaus dogs is their own establishing of other breeds, notably the Shiloh and King Shepherds, and others have simply come to Kiesthaus in search of a family pet and protector of a type they grew up with and hope to provide their own children and grandchildren.