Tyson

I wanted to drop you a note to tell you how Tyson was doing. Tyson is now 4 months old and displays all the characteristics of an excellent dog. He already knows sit/stay & down/stay. He is very confident, outgoing and strong willed. House breaking has gone well. I have introduced new environments, people, animals and situations regularly and his response has been tremendous. I have yet to see any sign of apprehension or stress in him, he steadies very quickly and firmly. As expected his prey drive is strong, and very tenacious. He takes it all in stride, with a proud gait (some would say a strut) and a wagging tail. It's just amazing. He is so smart it is scary. I especially love it when you speak to him like a person & he tips his head and REALLY tries to understand what you are saying. It is cute.

My friends were out front with their 'bikes' last week & he was close to them when they started up & rode off & he just watched & didn't make a move. Not too much seems to bother him, as far as loud noises & such, he can really focus well also. It's amazing what he is capable of at such a young age. It really IS all breeding, breeding, breeding.

I'll do my best to keep you updated. Thanks for the great dog, I hope I can do my job training him as well as you did your job in creating him.

~Edgar Urban,
St Petersburg, FL

Brax

Hi guys,

Well this was our 2nd day with Brax. He's awesome, he slept through the night. He's just a joy.  We took him today for his first walk, he did great. The cat and he are slowly getting to know each other. I think they will be great friends.

Everyone who has seen Brax all have the same reaction, what a good looking puppy and they are amazed to see how well behaved he is. I take time in the am when the kids are still in bed to maintain the training you have done with him.

He's an amazing addition to our family.

Again thank you sooooo much, for you have given us a little sunshine in our lives, even though, we live in the sunshine state, he makes our day that much brighter.  And we will come and see you guys, once Brax is a little older.

Thanks again

~Lagana family, Davie, FL

Bogey

Wanted to let you know that Bogey is doing very well. He graduated from sub novice obedience class today and got first place. We plan on starting the novice class in October. He is becoming such a great dog and we are enjoying watching him grow and mature. I have sent a pic that they took for class about 4 weeks ago.

Thanks,

Wendy Thelen

I wanted to send you some pics so you could see how handsome Bogey is. Took him for his 16 week check up and he weighed 42 pounds. Growing so fast. His big sister Savy and him love to play ball and rough house together. I think she is happy to have another dog around again. The cats just aren't the same.

Take care and thanks again,

~Wendy Thelen

Just wanted to show you some new pics of Bogey. He is so handsome!! He is such a character and thrives on attention. He loves when we have people over because they will throw the ball for him as long as he wants. He is so big and looks like a grown up doggie now.

~Wendy Thelen

Lily

Hi Carol,

Thanks for the newsletter. Lily is doing great, attached is a photo of graduation from Puppy STAR, and also her favorite pool spot. She lies on the first step but is not interested in swimming. She started her obedience one classes and is such a great dog. Everyone comments on her temperament and how friendly and loving she is which is a credit to your breeding.

She is doing great with her commands sit, down, stay, come. Overall she is heeling pretty well, she of course has her moments of puppy exuberance and is very social and I am OK with all that. I have taught her paw and high five and I am at about 70% with her on turning on a light.

Hi Carol,

I wanted to update you that Lily is doing great! This photo was taken last week, she is getting so big so quick and her neck/shoulder area is getting very silver. Everyone who meets her comments on how beautiful she is and her temperament is just wonderful nothing fazes this dog.

She has finished 4 group STAR puppy classes and begins a fun agility class in a week. We love her!

~ Michelle Krause, University Park, FL

Alex

Hey Carol, Chris- I had to write and brag on Alex, what a girl! Last weekend, after my filly was born (who is beautiful, by the way) several friends came over, one of them with her three year old son. I was a little worried because this was the first time Alex had been around a small child, running around and very active. It was immediately apparent that they recognized each other as "puppies/kids" and were very excited. Because a couple of times when I've been playing ball or tug of war with Alex, her teeth have accidentally grazed me, and I know how strong her jaw is already, I was concerned that she might nip him or knock him down. But nope, as hard as they played, in the wading pool, in the yard, and even in the house, Alex never used her strength against him. If we spoke to them, Alex would sit right down and wait- she was really amazing. The little boy loved going in and out of her crate, and of course, playing with her toys, and while she seemed curious about seeing him in there, she didn't mind at all. I was sooo proud of her.

~ Jamie Leier

Arabela

Here are a couple of pictures of Arabela (Bela). She is such a joy! She went on her first road trip (240 miles) and she did wonderful. We can't wait to go on vacation with her. Thank you for the wonderful addition to our family.

~ Craig and Laurel

Tanner

Tanner is a wonderful addition to our family. He is very loving, playful, confident and smart. He is the best dog we ever had. He is due for his last vet check up soon and our vet has been amazed with his progress and the size of his paws. Tanner is very social and plays well with other dogs and loves to meet people. He is very obedient and a fast learner. Tanner is doing wonderfully.

Thank you to Carol and Chris Borden for taking such good care of Tanner and giving him a great head start.

Sincerely,

~ Josh and Helen Arbit

Erich & Eian

I just want to say thank you for breeding such wonderful German Shepherds. They are so intellegent and very easy to train.. They are doing things that most dogs of their age would not do until older. They are the best we have ever had, and will continue to do business with both you and your wonderful farm.

Kindest Regards,

~ Gene and Rosemarie Hueber
Ocala, Fl, 34481

See how they grow:  Click to watch these pups grow up

Ely

Hi Carol,

Ely has been a part of our family for 1 week now and has added life to our home. He is a calm, confident, and intelligent boy. His willingness to please and his eagerness to learn is unsurpassed by any German Shepherd that I have shared my life with. He is my 6th.

Although I did not get to see his litter-mates, I feel that indeed the best was saved for last!

He is an absolute joy and a perfect example of a well bred German Shepherd Dog!

Thank you

~ Kelly Cioffi

Hello Carol

Just a quick note to let you know that Ely has been doing great in his puppy class. Smart boy :)

I have also been taking him to work with me.  He calmly greets people and then lays down and waits until we go. Really a fantastic boy!

~ Kelly

Hello Carol

Hope you are doing well and staying warm!

This is Ely sneaking a nap in the recliner. He is not normally allowed to do that but since he was I took his picture. He looks guilty doesn't he LOL! He is doing good. I have started walking him on the trails with his pack on. No weight yet. Eventually he will carry his own water and food. He loves the pack and struts when he has it on. I will send a picture soon.

Take care,
~Kelly

Dijon ("Zeli")

Congratulations to Zeli!  At 13 months, she started her career with a 2nd and a 4th place finish in Rally Novice at the AKC Trials in Ocala, FL on November 14th and 15th, 2009.

Hi Carol,

I took Zeli to the vet for her first checkup.  The vet takes care of the police K-9s in Jacksonville so really understands and appreciates working line dogs. As soon as he came in the room he said "Wow - that's what a German Shepherd should be built like!"  He was quite impressed with her character, too, remarking that "Someone must have spent a lot of time with this litter for her to be acting so calm and self-confident in here."  I am very, very pleased with this combination of genetics and expert puppy-raising.

~ Anita Gard, Jacksonville, FL

p.s. Yesterday I was cleaning my tile floors and set my wood dining room chairs upside down on the table.  When the floor was dry I let the dogs back in, and Zeli managed to knock one of the chairs off the table.  It landed with a crash two feet away from her.  She hardly even blinked.  This little girl isn't afraid of anything!

See how she grows:  Click to watch this pup grow up

Dante

Hi Carol,

Here are some pictures of Dante, he loves to swim! He is presently attending Schutzhund classes, and this summer he will be taking obedience courses. He is such a smart little boy! He knows how to play dead, give paw, bark on command, stay, sit, down, come, go around, roll over, and of course all of his German commands too. It's such a pleasure having him and the kids enjoy him so much! They love to take him in the pool and take him for walks in the woods. He's getting along much better with the cats, and he can now be in the same room with them and be calm. We're not yet ready to trust him alone with them yet, but he has made some great progress! He usually goes for two walks a day with his friend Katie a wired haired fox terrier and Lady a springer spaniel. He loves people so much, he doesn't even bark when someone knocks on the door and during the weekdays he gets to play with the middle school children down the street. This summer he's going to be going to the beach with us some more, and during the winter he will get to travel with us to Pennsylvania; maybe he will get to see his first snow!

~ Regards, The Hinnershitz Family

Hi Carol,

We took Dante to the vet, the one that specializes in K-9 police dogs and the vet was very impressed with him! He couldn't find a thing wrong and when he gave him his second set of shots, Dante didn't even notice;  he was too busy giving everyone kisses. He seems to be adjusting very well. He loves to play with his toys and run around in the back yard. The first day he had an accident, but we caught him as he was doing it and told him "no" and then took him outside and praised him when he went. Since then hes been going to the door and crying when he needs to go out. We've been working with him on his tricks, and wow is he a fast learner! He already can sit, lay down, come, and now we're working on stay. The only issue we have had with him is the cats. He seems to like them a little too much, and chases them. So far we're keeping them separated and we're going to try to introduce them when he's on a leash. Otherwise he's been a very good boy and we're very happy with him! We'll keep you updated and send you some more pictures soon!

~ Heidi Hinnershitz

PS: The vets first response when he came into the room to examine Dante was "There's good blood in here!" The vet said he could tell that he was of sound genetics because of the way he reacted to him; he's been assessing and treating German Shepherds for over thirty years. The name of the vet's office is Underhill Animal Hospital in Orlando.

And another update:  We were at Petsmart this weekend with Dante, and this man gave us his business card after seeing Dante: He said he was one of  the best looking pups that he has seen. He told us to put him in Schutzhund class. He said that he is a judge, and has been judging shepherds for many years.

Zeus

I had a German Shepherd growing up and he was stolen. I didn’t think I would ever get another, but then I saw my Zeus. We researched many sources for about a month before we chose Carol and Chris Borden. They were recommended the most and always with the greatest praise and now I know why. Her German Shepherds are beautiful and perfect examples of the breed. My vet has expressed on more than one occasion that Zeus is very healthy and a great example of what kind of Shepherd you can get if the breeders do it right.

Thanks so much Carol…and you too Chris.

 Sincerely,

~ Kim Eisnor

Dalen

Congratulations to Dalen!  At 13 months, he started his career with a 1st place finish in Rally Novice at the AKC Trials in Ocala, FL on November 15th, 2009.

From the moment I brought Dalen home, he has been a star. At 13 weeks, he is house trained, well mannered, and going above and beyond my expectations in obedience and with his food and toy drive. He takes life on with a confident stride, outgoing personality, but controlled calmness. For a pup of his age he is outstanding, and I attribute it to the great care and puppy program he received with Chris and Carol.  My own vet stated that he was a compliment to his breed, and a fantastic example of a German Shepherd. I will be back to purchase another puppy from them.

~ Louise Ballinger, Ocala, FL

Hi Chris and Carol,

Just wanted to give you an update on Dalen and let you know how wonderful he is. He is by far the greatest dog I have ever owned. At 7.5 months old he is already a healthy trim 82 lbs, and had hip/elbow x-rays done that came back wonderful!!  Everyone who sees him compliments me on how gorgeous and well-behaved he is, and can't believe he is still a puppy. Even the vet who did his x-rays asked if I would leave him behind for him to keep. He is a wonderful addition to our family, and while he will gently play with my 12 lb Min Pins, he will also be the first to alert me if anyone comes on to the property. He is excelling in obedience, tracking and protection, and loves every phase. He's a natural with amazing ball drive. At the same time, he is so level-headed with the ability to switch off when needed, that he is also doing excellently in his service dog training. He is very protective and loving, but never meets a stranger while out and about. He is the perfect example of a German Shepherd. Thanks again for such a wonderful companion !

~ Louise

Donner

To my Foster Parents Carol & Chris Borden

Just a little note to say Mom & Dad that I'm doing fine.  I must say that your brochure on me is quite impressive.  I can show those of interest my great documents of not only WHO I am but WHERE I come from (my roots) and of course, you two who gave me such a great start in life.  The brochure I came with is quite impressive - so much so that even my new Veterinarian said - "WOW - your dossier is really impressive and your ears and coloring are second to none".  I'm not sure at this age what that actually means, but I have a feeling that I am a special dog.  I have to say Mom and Dad, my parents, Ed and Mary Jane Abbott are not only ecstatic with me, but are sooooooo impressed that I learn German so quickly.  I now "sitz", "platz", "shake hands", "stay" and say "MaMa" (that's English for "MaMa and how 'bout a biscuit").  I just want to thank you for giving me such a wonderful beginning and finding such a loving and warm family to take care of me as I grow into this HUGE guy!  Even the size of my paws amaze me!  My new parents have many loving bite marks on their arms to prove that I truly love them.  Please don't forget me - I will always recognize your voices - thank you again for such a caring start.  Yours, DONNER.

DANZIG

Carol & Chris:

Danzig is Awesome and has fit right into the family. He is doing very well with his training, but still likes to be mischevious like his human brothers..Dane and Drake.
Whether it is my 90 year old Dad or my 4 year old son, he is gentle with all, but has shown a side of protection which not only has given me confidence in his abilities, but allows me to feel secure when I am away or at home.
We hope to see all of you and I am sure your 70 plus pound baby wants to give you a big hug!

~ Doug, Dayna, Drake and Dane