Keelo

Keelo Von Dem Bauernhof from the ZVDB “K” litter is an unbelievably well-rounded dog. His drive to work and compete in IGP is something that as a handler, I take very seriously. These dogs are bred in order to preserve their inherit working abilities and I believe Maris does just that. At under two years of age, Keelo is showing a considerable amount of promise in terms of his natural tracking capability, his engagement and willingness to please in obedience and his ability to switch between drives in protection work at a competitive level.

Off the field, he is extremely loyal to his handler and can’t seem to get close enough for a quick snuggle after a long day of work. This balance is what I desired most when purchasing my second competitive GSD. He is the type of dog that my extended family can enjoy visits with yet instantly turns into a beast when were on the field. His health and conformation are correct, and we have had zero issues concerns related to his health, hips and elbows. He is everything I wanted in my competition dog and more importantly Maris is everything I was hoping a breeder would be. She genuinely cares about EVERY dog she produces and ensures that she is available throughout the lifespan of the dog. I love everything she stands for as a handler, competitor and breeder. I look forward to watching her kennel grow with her up and coming dogs and new prospects.

Thank you, Maris!!

– Nancy McEachern

Heckler

If you at all are playing with the idea of getting a GSD, you should just stop here. This kennel truly has it all. Working dog, pet dog – medium to high drives, amazing biddability. The thing I got with the purchase of my puppy that I never even took into consideration until I found this kennel, and now I consider a top priority for all my future dogs, BREEDER SUPPORT! No matter where we are in life, I know Maris has my back and my puppy’s best interest at heart. Could not have asked for a better experience than with Zwinger von dem Bauernhof. My life has forever changed because of my puppy but more so by meeting Maris. Having a support system to help us grow as a family and team is just something I didn’t expect but I am so very grateful to have it. Thank you, Maris!

-Nicki Fowler

Mystique

My first experience with getting a german Shepherd from a breeder was a disaster. Maris offered as much support and advice as she could as I went through that experience. When I smartened up and decided to get my next dog from Maris.. wow! I couldn’t believe the difference!! She has answered every single question I have ever had which has been approximately 10 trillion. From before the dogs were even bred, to while she was raising the puppies, to me picking my puppy up from the airport, and even now as we work towards IGP titles. She answers every question, she celebrates every victory along with us, and shows unwavering support every day. I told her what I was looking for in a dog; a sport prospect who could also be an integral part of our family, as my fiancé and I intend to have children in the near future. And she delivered just that!! Mystique von dem Bauernhof (Maisel) is perfect! She’s a spitfire, she’s smart, she’s driven, she’s sweet, let’s not forget cute!! She’s the whole package, seriously. But perhaps the most impressive thing about Maris and her dogs, is that she knows her dogs and their lines so well that she can tell you things about your dogs personality long before you ever see those traits come through. We’ve had such a positive experience that I am already itching to get another dog from Maris… kidding!! (Kind of!) she will forever be my go to for not only dogs, but also advice, support, training assistance. Everything! She also has this incredible community of people who also have Bauernhof dogs and they’re so welcoming and helpful and I am so happy to call some of them my friends and watch our dogs grow together!

-Kelsey Pickering

Omen

I am so beyond happy with my puppy from Bauernhof. We have Omen from the Carnage/Goofy and she is honestly just amazing! We do everything from Schutzhund, to mushing to just hanging out on the couch. She’s never met a stranger and she walks into new places like she owns it! I also love my relationship I’ve built with Maris no matter what question I have she has an answer! I highly recommend this kennel so much so we’re actually getting a second puppy! I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us!

– Taylor Kurth

Pistol

When you get a Bauernhof puppy, you don’t just get a puppy but a supportive, lifelong family. Maris has been wonderful to work with since day 1! She was very professional and patient when I first inquired about puppies she had. She got to know me, my lifestyle, family, and goes for my dog. She then made a recommendation on which pup was going to fit me best and planned a day for me to meet her and her puppies in person. At her home, she explained more about who she is, her breeding practices, introduced me to the puppies and the parents of the puppies. She sent me home with the next 2 rounds of vaccines for my vet and the food he was currently on. Since that day she has been a wonderful mentor and resource. She has answered many questions I have had about raising and training my puppy. She has welcomed me back to her home for training and been available for follow up training via video.

I whole heartily recommend her to anyone looking for a breeder who is responsible, honest, and caring.

– Kaylene N.

Owlet

I purchased a puppy from Maris’ O litter in February of 2020 with the intention of training her as agility dog and ended up getting delightfully more than I ever planned for! While my agility instructors and I are highly impressed with Cava’s intelligence, resilience, drive, and gorgeous movement; I also became hooked on bitesports after just a few sessions because she is absolutely the most fun, versatile puppy to work! She been a joyous addition not only to my dog sport life, but also my home life. Cava is truly the most whimsical, happy dog and makes me laugh every day.   Another added and unexpecting bonus in purchasing a Bauernhof German Shepherd has been the support network of other puppy buyers. Many of Maris’ dogs work in schutzhund, agility, or as police K9s, and I love following them and their progress on social media. It’s been highly enjoyable to connect with other owners and compare similarities between puppies.   At the heart of this network is of course, Maris. I believe her puppy buyers are so encouraging of each other in great part because of Maris’ unmatched breeder support. She is invested in seeing all of her dogs be highly successful in whatever they do. My experience working with Maris and her dogs has been fantastic, and I would highly recommend it to anyone in search of a great shepherd!

– Mary Strous

Photos of Owlet by https://www.barkingdogimages.com

Khan

Maris is extremely passionate about her dogs and it shows in everything she does. I couldn’t think of a better breeder to go to in order to find everything you could want in a German Shepherd.

– Samantha Enright

Havana

From the first time I contacted Maris about potentially getting a dog I could tell how passionate she is about her dogs. She is very informative about any and every aspect of her breedings. Havana Von der Bauerhof (Maya) has been everything I wanted and more. Energetic, lots of drive, and stable temperament. Maris is a wonderful breeder. I definitely know where I’ll be getting any German Shepherds in the future.

– Matt Milligan

Dexter

Dexter (Anubis von der Bauerhof) has been everything I could ask for and more! He is extremely loyal, intelligent, confident, and loving. He has a wonderfully silly personality, but when it comes time to work, he leaps into action. He is a natural at tracking, has very high drives, and shows great courage in protection work. He is a highly intelligent dog and is extremely willing to please, so he has been a true pleasure to work with in obedience. He has an amazing temperament; he loves kids and lets them climb all over him without flinching a muscle. I bring him to work with me everyday, and customers always comment on how beautiful and well-behaved he is. I cannot wait to see how he will mature and what he will achieve!

Maris has been an absolutely wonderful breeder to work with, answering every question I have with great expertise. She has been truly an indispensable part of Dexter’s upbringing. I have never once regretted my decision to go with Zwinger von der Bauerhof, and if the first litter is any indication of future success, neither will you!!

– Corinne Smith

Jax

I was in my senior year of college, living in an apartment when I decided to purchase a puppy from Maris. I brought Jax (Blitz Von Der Bauerhof) home during Thanksgiving break and only had a few days with him to practice crate training before I returned to school. From the moment I picked him up it was evident he was very confident, eager to please, and a very quick learner. I was shocked when it only took Jax a couple of days before he was crate trained and did not whine while sleeping in his crate. This was a huge relief upon arriving back at school.

In less than a month, Jaxson had already learned all the commands and tricks that I was familiar with and I had to resort to looking online for new tricks to challenge him. His determination really became evident on our hiking trips. Whether it was crossing water, climbing an embankment, or clawing his way over downed trees, Jax would only whine momentarily about being left behind (if only by a few feet) before his determination would lead him to find a way over or around every obstacle.

Other than Jax’s intelligence and biddability, his personality can be summed up as that of an instigator. He enjoys nothing more than antagonizing the other dog and is a glutton for punishment. If he isn’t flicking his tail from across the room to taunt, he is barking in the other dog’s ear, nipping his ankle and running for cover between the nearest persons feet. If his previous attempts do not result in the desired wrestling match, he is more than content entertaining himself by dribbling tennis balls around the house or bucking around in circles like a bull until he gets too dizzy to go on.

I spent a lot of time looking at breeders all over the Midwest when I knew I was interested in getting a German Shepherd puppy. I encountered breeders who would not respond for weeks at a time, who could not give specifics about how they socialize their puppies, who could not explain why they selected the pairing that they did for that specific litter, and breeders who could not describe what the goals of their breeding program were. I was starting to get disgruntled when I finally contacted Maris. She had no issue answering any of these questions and all of the others that I had. I bombarded her with questions up until I purchased Jax. She also made it clear that she was there for the lifetime of her puppies. This is an easy thing to promise, but another thing entirely to follow through with. I was skeptical at first, but after a year with Jax I can say with no hesitation, that there has not been a single time I have asked her for help or advice with Jax that she did not get back to me promptly and helped me through whatever the situation was or whatever questions I had. To me it is very clear that she cares more about the well being of her pups and the future of the breed than she does about breeding her dogs to make a quick dollar. For this reason alone, I plan on going back to Maris at Zwinger Von Der Bauerhof for all of my future German Shepherd puppies, of which there will undoubtedly be more.

– Jake Trullinger

Bliss

Not only did we add an exceptional dog to our family when we purchased Sage (Bliss from the Zwinger Von Der Bauerhof B litter), we have learned so much about responsible and professional breeders. You will rarely find a breeder with as much invested in the integrity of their program as ZVDB. Maris is committed to the integrity of the breed, and maybe even more importantly, the happiness and well being of every puppy bred into the program. She has made it clear to us that she is here for us for Sage’s lifetime should we need advice, training, or anything related to Sage’s well being. Her pups remain part of her extended family and I appreciate knowing she is always there for us.

About Sage… she is everything we wanted in a dog. She is intelligent and beautiful. She is energetic and athletic. (She loves to swim and run. Her stamina is amazing.) She is protective and loyal. She is brave and fearless. She is also sensitive and affectionate. She is sweet and loving. She is easily trained and loves to please us. She is good with kids and the rest of our “pack” (another dog, 2 cats, and horses). Sage is a great companion to all of us and an important member of our family. And we are very thankful to be a part of the ZVDB family.

-Debbie Srna

Luna

Luna is the perfect companion dog for an active person like myself. In retrospect I had no idea what I was getting myself into upon my acquisition of little lady Luna other than she was a beautiful puppy and very affectionate. It did not take me long to realize that I had my hands full. You see, Luna has near inexhaustible stamina, can jump or climb about any fence I have put her in, and she opens doors. I’m talking doors with door handles. She pushes the handle down and then opens the door. Luna is super puppy. I’m thinking about putting a puzzle in front of her to see if she will solve it. Did I mention she talks? Imagine chewbacca with worse enunciation. She speaks none the less. I’m convinced I just don’t understand it quite yet.

The original purpose for Luna was to guard my house while I was away at work and possibly come to work with me on some days. This did not work out. Luna can houdini out of any fence, but this really wasn’t the problem with leaving her home. I could always build a taller fence. What is that saying? “Hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn?” Yeah that statement applies triple to Luna. When I would return home, Luna would literally bitch me out in her quasi-chewbacca dog speak for leaving her there all day. I had little tolerance for this verbal abuse and so began Luna’s 60 hour work weeks. This dog is remarkably complex. And her complexity, as an owner, is so fun and rewarding. She can learn the basics of a trick within a few hours and have it down solid in less than two weeks. Complexity aside she also has that whole gorgeous thing going on. She looks like a wolf. She scares some adult males already and most women are uncomfortable when she approaches. I don’t really need the protection but her inherent intimidation factor is a bonus.

Luna has encountered a lot of different people through my job and every single person compliments Luna’s appearance. Maris has bred the perfect dog! The government should buy her dogs and train them as navy seals as these dogs are beyond tough and love the water. Just don’t try to sweep with a broom or run a water hose around her. Apparently Maris trains these dogs at birth to kill those two beasts on sight.

– Hoyt Banks

Apollo

Apollo’s intelligence, stamina, drive, confidence, strength, obedience and loyalty are unrivaled. This is what I’ve always looked for in a dog. If the term “right hand man” ever applied to any dog, it would be Apollo. His energetic attitude is infectious! When I feel worn out from long days at work, he manages to re-engerize me. Whether it be long games of fetch, hiking, swimming, dock diving…he’s game.

When I say that he’s outsmarted me more than a few times, I’m not exaggerating. Despite the sheer power of Apollo, I’ve been more than impressed with how gentle he is when around children. He enjoys playing ball with my four year-old nephew, instinctively gentle around him without a word from me. He even listens to the commands given by my nephew! I have a second German Shepherd Dog that came from a less than reputable breeder. As a result, I will say Athena has poor nerves and sometimes erratic behavior, and can be challenging. Apollo’s calming demeanor with her has helped her immensely. She will get up to do her normal pace and whine routine for no reason, then Apollo will step in and throw calming signals at her. Immediately she relaxes and will lay down with him. I’ve never quite seen a sense of humor like this in a dog. He is fueled by my laughter. He enjoys pretending to be a cat and hiding in snow piles laying in wait for Athena. When she walks by he will burst out of the snow and play-bow at her. He is also a huge fan of getting his toys and teasing other dogs with them, just in case they forget he’s better than them because he has a toy.

The list of reasons I’m thankful for Apollo grows daily. I’m so thankful for Maris and Zwinger Von Der Bauerhof German Shepherds for the opportunity I’ve received with this wonderful, loyal, loving companion.

– Justin Blankenship

I do not recommend Maris dogs if you are not prepared to fall in love with such beautiful creatures, Javie (we kept his name) has been nothing but joy to our family, and I think he listen more than my kids do. (but he knows how to push my button I think he picked that up from my kids though) I have no words for Maris, all I can say is Thank you, Thank you for being patient with us. Maris you sure pick the right dog for us and I hope everthing keeps going good for you and I hope that when I am ready for another puppy you are still doing your thing.

– Munoz Gus

Roxi

Roxi (Coraline Von Der Bauerhof) is a fantastic dog. This puppy has done nothing but impress everyone and myself around her. From the moment I brought her home, she adapted quickly and has been a great contribution to my life. The reason I chose to take on such an incredible breed of dog was to have a companion whilst completing my Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I picked her up at the end of December 2013 so that I could crate/potty train and socialize her before heading to college the following fall semester. Roxi is a remarkable dog: she learned within days of bringing her home that sitting by the back door meant I would let her out to potty. She is confident and has learned to even hold her own with her older sibling Remi, who is a Great Dane.

Roxi is a looker and an extremely intelligent dog. Maris Ewing, the breeder, has done a fantastic job being a responsible breeder and taking care of her dogs. Maris goes through extensive procedures to ensuring she breeds the best dogs. Her dogs all have great nerve, good structure, desirable temperaments and loveable personalities. Her passion for animals and intensity about breeding and training shows when you meet her puppies or her own companions. Maris is also very sensitive about who she sells her puppies to. When Maris chooses the right owners, she goes above and beyond and ensures the owners know she is there to answer questions and provides information to her owners if they have questions. Maris wants what is best for her dogs, which is to live happy lives and to be treated with respect.