Being a kennel of longstanding history, it is important for us to keep the traditional standards when it pertains to our breedings. One question we are often asked about is why we have limitations on the naming of our puppies. This rule is in place for several reasons. 

The Verein für deutsche Schäferhunde (SV)

In Germany, our puppies are bred under the SV. It is a breed club founded in Germany in 1899 by Max von Stephanitz and his colleague, Arthur Meyer, which set forward the standards of the German Shepherd dog breed.

In order for our puppies to receive the Pink SV Pedigree, there are numerous requirements we must follow. One strict requirement is the naming of the puppies in each litter. 

  • Each dog is given a name followed by the name of the kennel
  • The breeder is able to choose the name, unless it already exists in the stud book for the breeder’s kennel. 
  • A name cannot be used more than once. 
  • You are not allowed to use numbers, additional letters, or similar additions to distinguish a similar name. 
  • The name cannot be more than 15 characters. 
  • All names in the litter must start with the same letter. 
    • IE. “A” litter, all names must start with the letter “A.”
    • IE. “B” litter, all names must start with the letter “B.:
  • Only permitted names are allowed. The SV’s office reviews each name and approves or denies the name choices. 
  • No inappropriate or offensive names may be chosen.
  • A change of the nickname once entered is not permitted under any circumstances.

This rule is based on the breeder’s kennel, not the particular breeding female. After a breeder has cycled through the alphabet, A-Z, they must start from the beginning with the letter “A.” You can see why this naming process can be a bit tricky, and therefore we choose the name of your puppy to avoid confusion and to streamline the process. 

Any professional breeder will abide by these standards. Over the years, we have found that this alphabetical naming system works well for us in keeping track of our litters, and we have since adopted the practice for our AKC litters, as well. 

Since the AKC does not have such restricting rules, we do allow our AKC puppies’ names to be selected by the owner, however with two requirements. 

  • The puppy’s name must be selected based on the letter of that litter. For example, an “A” litter, all dogs names must start with the letter “A.”
  • Our kennel name is a required part of the name.