If you would like to learn what others who have worked with us, have to say about Solace Shilohs, please read the testimonials below.

Zorro

Hi Laura,
As we enjoy Zorro each day, you are never far from our minds and hearts. Zorro is a wonderful reflection of your breeding program. He turned EIGHT in July... a huge shock!

I've wanted to share with you an episode from last spring:
Zorro and I were playing frisbee while on a hike. I tried to fake him out, and we collided during a toss... Zorro running at full speed. I broke my wrist in the fall and Zorro cried that he was hurt, too.

He was taken to a fabulous emergency clinic to be checked out. They did a spine and hip x-ray. Zorro was fine... a little sore from the collision, but nothing that showed up the next day. What the doctor did say was that he couldn't BELIEVE how clean the x-rays were! He was literally amazed at the health of Zorro's skeleton. I just smiled.

Your program produces wonderful dogs. Zorro is one of those. We love him!

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Kaylar

I contacted Laura Kathryn in August 2011 when I decided to get a companion dog for my 9-year-old Czech Shepherd, Kona. I was already familiar with Shilohs, and I knew this would be a good addition to my dog family. Laura and I talked about upcoming litters, and we agreed that a Lolly/Aslan puppy would be a good fit. Before long, the breeding was announced, the litter was whelped on February 20, 2012, and I knew that I could expect to receive my four-legged bundle of joy sometime in April.

As it turned out, my Kona passed away in March 2012. I gave serious thought to whether it would be fair to bring a new puppy into the house where she would have to spend time alone and without other human or animal companionship, but I felt I was up to the task. I had had six Shepherds before getting this puppy, so I felt confident in my abilities to be an appropriate owner and effective trainer.

Imagine my surprise when, four months later I found myself frustrated, short-tempered, and completely out of my depth with trying to train THIS puppy not to nip me – HARD. To say that she was the mouthiest puppy I have ever raised was an understatement. Every technique I had used previously on my Shepherds had absolutely no effect on Kaylar, and I was THIS CLOSE to returning her to Laura.

In one last-ditch attempt to get this right, I contacted Laura for advice. I told her honestly about my concerns and what I had tried, and that I was at my wit’s end. Rather than making me feel like a failure or questioning my commitment to owning a dog or my ability to train one, she was supportive and understanding. She assured me that, if I tried just two more things, this would turn around: put Kaylar in Doggy Day Care where she could get daily companionship and stimulation; and get help from a professional trainer who could work with me to improve my skills and show me how best to train Kaylar.

So fast-forward to today, 4 days shy of Kaylar’s first birthday.

She's now 28 inches at the shoulder and weighs 92 pounds. She's the absolute darling of her Day Care providers. She's very affectionate, always ready to play with other dogs, completely trustworthy when she’s alone in the house, open and friendly with strangers, and everyone's favorite cuddler. She passed her Canine Good Citizen Certification when she was only 6 months old, and I continue to work with her trainer to keep her obedience training "crisp." She's slated to test for her Therapy Dog Certification in the next three months, and then we can begin hospital and nursing home visits. Her trainers and I think she’s going to be a wonderful therapy dog -- she already knows instinctively how to match her energy level with the person she's interacting with, and she's especially good with toddlers, despite how big she seems to them (and to everyone else)!

Hard to imagine that just a few months ago I thought Kaylar was untrainable when it came to the biting and mouthing. The best two things I did at Laura’s recommendation were to get her in Day Care and get her professional training. Now, like her mother, Lolly, she's becoming the poster dog for Shiloh Shepherds.

I wanted Laura to share this on her website so that those of you who are experiencing similar challenges, or who are just concerned about whether you are up to the task of raising a puppy, know that your wild puppy will emerge into a nice and manageable Shiloh if you just stay the course!

I could not be more proud of her! Kaylar instinctively understands the person she's interacting with, and she adjusts her energy to match that of the people around her. She goes for her Therapy Dog Certification testing next week. I think she's going to make an extraordinary Therapy Dog, and she's becoming a great ambassador for the breed. Keep your fingers crossed!

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Atticus

My experience with Laura as a dog breeder and as a person has been wonderful over the years. I am a first-time dog owner, and at the time I was a junior in college searching for a reputable and honest shepherd breeder. I discovered Shiloh Shepherds by chance (or fate maybe) and after communicating with Laura via e-mail for a few weeks, I could immediately tell she was different from the several other breeders I had been in communication with. She honestly answered all my questions and concerns that I had as a potential first time dog owner. I love how open she is in that I was allowed to come up to Bothell and visit her facility as well as meet her lovely dogs. Upon meeting her in person, I could see she loved her dogs and took great pride in how her facility was run. The kennel run was spotless and everything was clearly organized with plenty of space for dogs and puppies to roam. My dog, Atticus, was out of Pica and Aslan. After meeting Pica for the first time, I knew I wanted a puppy from her litter; she was such a beautiful dog and I could see she had a laid back personality. Aslan was very friendly and handsome as well! When it came to the litter evaluation process and how Laura matches puppies to homes, this was another part of the process she is extremely skilled at due to her experience over the years breeding Shilohs. I always remembered during the litter evaluation how she said Atticus would be a “Velcro dog” always glued to my side; the kind of dog hanging out while I work on schoolwork in the evenings. In retrospect, this has been very very true. Laura is very keen when it comes to identifying the key traits in puppies.

Atticus is such a good dog. He is my Velcro dog! He loves my family but I am his one true sole owner. He greets me when I come home from errands or work howling with his stuffed animal buffalo in his mouth (which he has had since he was a puppy). I went on a weekend trip and came home and he ran around the yard and howled with joy. If I am away or gone somewhere, my mom will ask him, “Where’s your momma?” and he begins to look around and look outside to see if my car is back in the driveway. He gets along with my cat, Mario and is very laid back. He loves to hang out with my family while we watch TV or movies. He is very keen and perceptive. From what I have seen from other Shiloh owners as well as my own experience, Shilohs are very smart. My mom and I have taught him different words so when I tell him to grab his blue ball or his tug he knows what I am talking about. And as a puppy, not soon after I brought him home, I had already taught him to sit. When I took him to puppy class he was leaps and bounds ahead of the other dogs. Atticus will be turning two years old at the end of this month and I could not be happier with Atticus as well as my experience and friendship with Laura. The bottom line is, I would gladly go back to Laura in the future for another puppy or companion for Atticus because she is knowledgeable, honest, and a good dog breeder that puts her dogs and puppies first before any sort of profits. 

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Enzo

Our family has been blessed with the gift of a true, loyal, loving family member in Enzo.  He became a part of our family almost two years ago as an adorable large ball of fluffy fur! 

I have grown up with pets and without hesitation can say that my experience with Laura Kathryn and Solace, was the most educational, interesting and personal experience I have ever had selecting a puppy.  Laura’s personal touch and her passion to match the right puppy with the right owner made my experience exceptional!

Enzo is everything we were looking and hoping for in a Shiloh.  One look in his big brown eyes and you know, without a doubt, you have a friend for life!

Thank you Laura!

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Aspen

Well,  as I write this, my Shiloh is laying at my feet.   We are really surprised at how sweet she is and just how gentle and loving she is with everything from small children to adults.  She is very scary looking, but definitely not scary acting.  She has really fit into our family and we love her very much.  Much to our shock and delight, our black lab has taught our Shiloh to be a water dog.  I haven’t tried it, but I am convinced I could take her duck hunting.  She spent the entire summer swimming all day long with anywhere from 5 to 15 kids, everyday.   Friends and neighbors loved to watch our lab and Shiloh racing for balls and sticks and just about anything else you could throw into the water. 

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Danzig

Our Shiloh Danzig is a big part of our family and we couldn’t be happier with him.  We lead a very active lifestyle and Laura took care to place a dog with us that would be able to keep us with us.  We hike, camp and travel a lot with him and he pretty much goes everywhere with us.  He’s been a healthy and happy dog and our vet has become a big Shiloh fan since getting to know Danzig.  Danzig is by far the smartest dog we’ve ever known.  He learns quickly and we like to say he understands English.

Danzig is also a great companion for our 2 cats.  Our older cat enjoys sleeping with him and our new addition enjoys playing with him.  They play for hours on end and Danzig is a like a Mom to the kitten, making sure he stays out of trouble.  It still amazes me how gentle he is with the cats.

We got Danzig from Solace Shiloh’s back in 2007 and the support and guidance we have received from Laura, before he even came home with us, has continued through to this day.  We highly recommend anyone looking to add a Shiloh to their home work with Laura of  Solace Shilohs.

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Tiger

Solace Shiloh 's and its owner/breeder Laura Kathryn are what every breeder should be. She is extremely well informed about the breed, has a 1rst rate facility, is accessible and willing to spend time with potential customers and her dogs are not only in great condition physically, but are really nice dogs that are ambassadors for the breed. She obviously cares about the breed, where it is going and her customers.
We were going to visit some other breeders before making a decision to buy a Shiloh , but our visit to her Kennel convinced us that we wanted one of her dogs. Her Kennel is cleaner than most peoples homes (no kidding) and she is very attentive to her dogs and friendly to her customers. We met all her dogs and they are well socialized, gorgeous looking and any of them would be a dog you would be glad to own.

When she picked our puppy for us, she took a long time analyzing the puppy (after the LER exam) and talking to us to make sure we got the perfect dog for our family. It was a great experience for us, and it was reassuring that getting a puppy was NOT simply a matter of writing a check and walking away.

Laura is a person who cares about the breed, her dogs and where they are going. And, she cares about her customers. She has maintained contact with us and is always willing to talk about how our dog is doing and hear stories of how he is growing up.
Shiloh Shepherds are not cheap. But, you get what you pay for, and to me, our dog was a bargain. First, because he is a wonderful dog, family member and friend and second, because, given the level of care that Laura devotes to her dogs, if you measure the cost of the dog versus the hours she spends caring for them, her dogs are dirt cheap. And, in the end, we measure our dogs’ worth in his value as a family member, friend, protector and companion and his worth is immeasurable if that is what you consider.

I would recommend Solace Shilohs without hesitation to anyone who wants a Shiloh Shepherd or to anyone who wants a wonderful dog combined with a great experience with a first rate Breeder.

 Now, about our guy, Tiger. He is from Zeke (dad) and Pica (mom). He has his dad’s height, coloring and presence and his mom’s sturdiness and friendly personality.  His general attributes are that he is large (32” at the shoulder, 110+ pounds at 15 months and still growing), active (requires at least 1 long walk a day), friendly, intelligent and handsome. People have literally stopped their cars to come and ask what kind of dog he is and pet him. Talking to other Shiloh owners, this is not uncommon. Most people after meeting Tiger want to know where they can get a dog like him. 

 He is a very people oriented dog and just loves children. With small children who are afraid of him, he will lie down next to them and let them explore him until they are comfortable with him. And, that shows the intelligence f the breed. When you talk, he looks directly at you and actually seems to understand exactly what you are saying. 
 
We have never had to show him anything more than twice to get him to do what we wanted.  He was very easy to potty train – he had just one ‘accident’ and that was the first day we had him, never after that. He learned very quickly what he could play with and what he had to leave alone. At his obedience class, he was learning the commands by watching the instructor’s dog demonstrate how to do the command, it made us look good, but it was really his intelligence at work.  We often joke that we need to teach him how to read so that he will have something to do when we are at work and school during the day (he has the run of the house).

And, his personality is the best. He is the happiest dog I have ever seen. He always has a smile on his face (no kidding) and is curious and engaged with everything that goes on around him. He likes other animals, but does like to chase squirrels and cats in our yard --- he never tries to catch them, he just likes to chase them. He is really attached to his family. He is happiest when we are all together in the same room and he can play with us.  He loves to greet our guests when they come and is happy just to be a part of the group. 

The great thing about him is that is that Tiger is not an isolated super personality. All the Shiloh ’s we have met are large, handsome (or pretty), intelligent, friendly and totally people focused. They love attention and thrive when they can be around people. They are easily trained, make great pets and watch dogs (Tiger is really vigilant around the house) and companions.  The downsides, if they can be called that, are an outgrowth of the breed standard: they require a fair amount of exercise; they HAVE to be in the house with the family, they are not solitary dogs; they have to have something to engage their intelligence or they will find ways to amuse themselves and they are pretty soft temperamentally, i.e. if you are the harsh type of owner, these are not the dogs for you.  But, if you are looking for the best family pet ever, a dog that loves attention, wants to be a integral part of the family, is intelligent, loyal, gentle, stunning looking, and has a great personality, then a Shiloh Shepherd and especially a Solace Shiloh Shepherd would be the perfect choice. If you tour the facilities you will fall in love with the breed and recognize the commitment that Laura Kathryn has made to her dogs and to the breed and want to have a puppy join your family.  

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Sam

I need to praise Laura for being a wonderful, conscientious breeder.  It's not like me to gush, but I need to, now. I took my new Zora/Gunny pup to the Vet yesterday for just a check up. My vet said that we just made her day. She was a little familiar with Shilohs from reading the Monks of New Skete.  She was so impressed with the health, and conformation, and temperament of this guy. She was so impressed with Laura's breeding program and how she cared for the puppies.  The Vet was grinning and smiling the whole time. She is looking forward to watching this fellow grow. As am I.  I guess we did make her day.  My puppy's name is Sam. And he continues to be a very polite and sweet boy.  Thank you Laura.  

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Meika, Meika

It was a hard decision for us to get a dog from a breeder. We have always gotten our pets from the Humane Society, or from the area in which they were dumped. Actually buying an animal was a real stretch for us..HOWEVER.....
About 6 months before we got our puppy from Solace, we had gotten one from a rescue group.  It wound up being a huge mistake, as we knew nothing of the pups parents temperaments, nor of the pups. He was a pit bull/boxer, and his first day of puppy kindergarten was a disaster. We trusted our trainer, and she let us know that this dog would require far more work than we had anticipated, and could actually wind up being a dangerous dog. We had to return him.

Along comes Shilohs!! Yay. I had been researching them for about a year after having met one at a local video store. Laura Kathryn was the closest breeder I could find ( after searching fruitlessly for a rescue group for Shilohs). I kept returning to her website over and over and finally decided these dogs were for us. And I was NOT disappointed in the least.

Things that impressed me the most.
1. The cleanliness of her kennels and the great love and care she shows for not only her breeding dogs, but all dogs..
2. Her knowledge base and enthusiasm for the breed.
3. Her thoroughness in helping us through the process. 
4. Her willingness to continually answer questions, before, during and after the adoption process.
5. Her ability to match puppy with family..
 
We got our pup at the end of June of 2009 and we could not be happier. She is everything we had hoped for and more. She is calm, loving, courageous, smart ( sometimes too smart),funny, and absolutely gorgeous.
Having the opportunity to visit the kennel and observe the LER ( a way to assess temperament) was a lifelong learning experience, and I will never get another dog without a thorough temperament testing. Of course, now that I have a Shiloh, I dont know if I will ever get any other kind of dog again. They are the perfect match for us. They are HUGE creatures however, and its important to realize this. Her tail has taken out quite a few knick knacks with her enthusiastic wagging. She loves everyone.
 
There is not enough space to really go into how impressed I was by Laura's kennel. She is HIGHLY organized and knows her animals, as well as her business. If you are considering buying a shiloh, she is definitely the one I would choose to use over and over again. 

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Ryker

We purchased our Zora/Gunny Shiloh named Ryker from Laura in September of 2008 and could not be happier!  My husband and I went to Solace and took a tour and saw Ryker when he was just two days old.  Laura has such an amazing love for the breed and wants nothing but the best for the puppies and the people taking them home.  She has helped us every step of the way by phone or email no matter what we need, no matter how busy she is, she responds quickly and is willing to spend the time it takes with you during and after the purchase of your pup to answer any and all questions. 

The temperament test is unlike anything I have seen before and after seeing the entire litter of Zora/Gunny pups test I know the importance of it.  They were right on with Rykers temperament, mouthy (he is very verbal and likes to mouth things, also likes to work by carrying things in his mouth), showoff (he drug the tug toy over for the audience to see and shook the heck out of it), very intelligent and a good problem solver(he was out of the maze in a few seconds), fine being alone and followed very well.  He was our favorite out of nine boys and that was the dog Laura picked for us.  Ryker needs and gets firm guidance, boundaries and limitations and a lot of love time.

Ryker is a BIG 16 month old plush coat boy, 110 lbs and 32", and full of love, energy, and silliness!  He is our only child and we love everything about him.  The situational and emotional intelligence of this breed will blow you away.  He loves meeting new people so we take him where ever we can, he especially loves to put his big wet nose nose into the hands of children and give them kissses-he is such a lover.  We have people stop us every time we are out to ask questions about him (now I know what Laura means if you are in a hurry to get through Lowes you'll have to leave him at home!).  Ryker is very protective when he senses he needs to be, he is always on high alert and very aware of his surroundings, and when I walk him alone it intensifies which is exactly what we wanted for when my husband is gone for 24 hour shifts for work.  He can get along with any dog no matter the size or breed and he loves to go to dog parks and blends in well with all the other dogs (even as an unuttered male-he is breed quality).  We exercise Ryker two times a day religiously so he has come to expect an hour long Chuck-it session in a field and a 2 mile walk in our neighborhood, we figured out he can tell time due to the regularity of his schedule he will sit by his leash and cry if we are not paying attention to the time.  He has a dog sitter that adores him that comes to see him two times a day on the 4-6 days a month we are both working and gone from home, he is an inside dog and has always been well behaved and and respectful of the house, at 9 months we were able to let him be free inside the house (I only lost one roll of toilet paper and a corner of floor trim board).  He enjoys the mental stimulation he get from the food/puzzle toys I have for him and they always get put out around the house any time we leave. 

I feel our family is complete now, Ryker was the last piece of the puzzle we needed.  Our lives are so full of love and laughter because of him and each day I think how lucky I am to have him in my life.  I am hopeful that in the future we can get a little sister for Ryker!  I love taking care of him and he takes such good care of me, the love and companionship I get from him makes it all worth while.  Shiloh's will change your life for the better and fill your heart with forever love.    I have included a link with pictures of Rykers 1st year-enjoy!  http://www.flickr.com/photos/kymnaho/sets/72157621799857978/ 

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Sabre' (as a puppy)

As owners of one of Laura Kathryn's Shiloh Shepherds we would be glad to share our thoughts and experiences about our new puppy. Sabre is now 13 weeks old and is out of the Pica/Zeke pairing. Being amateurs, but yet avid dog lovers, we had searched many months for a special dog that would fit into our unusual lifestyles. I am a firefighter and Kristy is a surgical technologist. In addition, we have an entertainment farm, where the public comes in the fall to pick apples and pumpkins. The kind of dog we were looking for needed to protect us, but, at the same time, be friendly to our customers. At this time, we don't know if our search was successful, as Sabre has not gone through an apple season with us, but there is certainly reason to have high expectations of him. I'd like to describe a few things about Sabre that makes him unique and I'm assuming is characteristic of the ISSR Shiloh Shepherd breed.

All puppies are cute, that's for sure, whether its a Shar Pei with wrinkles all over or an English Bull Dog puppy that sits in the palm of your hand. But no one matches a Shiloh Shepherd. When we walk into Petsmart we're suddenly surrounded. Children and adults alike are mesmerized by his cute face, his trusting eyes, his huge paws, his soft fur, his antics, and especially his easy going, quiet demeanor. We'll often drop the leash and let him follow us, step for step around the store, letting us know what chew toy he has to have next. He likes to go to the outdoors shopping center with us, where lots and lots of people want to pet him. He never misses a beat. He'll often lie comfortably and unconcerned on the floor soaking up the attention. When he meets other dogs, big or small, yappy or quiet he remains unnerved, humble and hospitable. The other dogs' expressions suggest reverence for him; though still a puppy, he projects a regal presence. Sabre, with his black muzzle, understanding eyes, and thick puppy coat is truly the most beautiful puppy I have ever seen.

Sabre will sit and talk to you for extended periods of time. Unlike, other puppies or children, his attention span seems unlimited. During our "conversations", his ears prick up and he tilts his head this way and that, as our voice inflection varies. His eye contact is so intense you would think he's about to answer you. This type of focus is indispensable during training sessions. From the first day that we went on our first walk, he stayed next to me, rarely ever tugging at the leash, constantly looking up at me. Walking with him is pure pleasure. Already, at 13 weeks, he is house trained, (done through crate training), and can pretty much go the entire night without asking to "go to potty". He lies quietly next to us, on the floor, when we watch TV. He knows how to sit, stay, down, leave it, come, and can work at fifty foot distances without breaking. It's all child's play for him. That's how smart he is. We're hoping to soon get his "goodcitizenship" designation and enlist his help visiting nursing home shut-ins. We're also investigating clicker training to develop some tricks that visiting children to our farm might find fun.

One thing that I would like to make clear, at this point, is that this kind of pup needs direction and lots of stimuli. He craves it. Sabre's purpose in life is to be Kristy's and my best friend. Family is everything to him. To relegate him to the backyard and dismiss him with the occasional pat is an injustice to something as intelligent as him, and a loss of an special family member to you. In addition, without proper training, there possibly could be king-size problems as a backlash. These dogs are huge. They're powerful. At 13 weeks, Sabre is about 32 lbs. Yes, he is a huge puppy. His legs look like they're three sizes too big for him. Yesterday, he made me laugh. Kristy let him out of his crate at the same time I was opening the treat jar in the adjoining room. (Nothing gets by him.) Merrily responding, he pranced through the house looking for his due. It sounded like we were boarding a Shetland pony as he walked on the hardwood floor.

One other thing I'd like to share about Sabre is his temperament. If you like to cuddle, (and who doesn't, especially, when you have one of the cutest puppies ever), Sabre is "El Primo Magnifico". Often times, when he is at a low energy level, like when riding in a car (Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, he's the greatest passenger), or perhaps when we're relaxing with candlelight, he'll crawl up in our laps and just melt. Tummy rubs and muzzle stroking turn him (and us), into butter.

So..... with that said, I hope we've helped you to decide if Laura Kathryn's Solace Shilohs are for you. Understand, Sabre's not always perfect - he's a puppy and he makes mistakes (like mauling the kittens) - but all in all, he's magical. If you're fortunate enough to work with Laura you will find, above all else, that she is a true professional. Her breeding dogs are exceptionally well cared for, her kennels are clean, she has extensive daily interaction with each of her dogs within a family setting, she is unwavering in her support of prospective puppy buyers and above all she is honest and forthright. She is passionate about her dogs and she's committed to delivering the highest quality puppies. If you would like further information in regards to our experience with "Solace Shilohs", we would be glad to talk to you and Laura is welcome to give you our phone number. Good luck, have fun with your new Shiloh Shepherd puppy. 

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 If you  read our testimonial when Sabre was three months old, you might be interested to learn how the high hopes we had for him, at that time, have panned out, now that he is nearly three years old. 

Sabre' (as an adult)

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Sassy

 Sassy is a magnificent looking girl who gets compliments wherever she goes because of her stunning looks and behaviour.  I had a Shiloh before, but I had adopted her when she was older, hence I had not experienced raising a Shiloh puppy.  

 When we decided on a Shiloh I knew of Laura’s kennel and approached her about purchasing a puppy and from the first step she answered all our questions promptly.  We liked the way Laura was close to her dogs and included them with family activities.  We couldn’t help but notice the cleanliness of the kennel and the condition of all the Shilohs there.  We especially loved walking into Laura’s house and being greeted by a bevy of gorgeous dogs.

 When we went to watch the temperament tests once again we appreciated Laura’s attentiveness to our comments and questions.  Laura shares her knowledge willingly and has been available to us whenever we have had questions or concerns (even on New Years Eve).  Now that I have gone through parenting Sass I am really ready for a puppy! 

 Some parts of Sassy’s early life were easy; housebreaking was a snap, but I was a novice with a Shiloh pupster and had no idea of the changes that would occur as Sassy passed from her absolutely sweet eight week old self  to a piece of work for me because of my naïveté.  She challenged my authority as she grew into a teenager, but with her high drive she loves obedience.  Sass has many of the qualities that would make her a candidate for schutzhund. Her exuberance also makes her a willing exercise partner. In addition to daily runs, twice a week she does a shift to herd and chase the Canada geese from the local community park. On her quiet and lovey side Sassy is an excellent household companion devoted to family and friends.

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If you would like to share your experience with us or share anything about Solace Shilohs, please send it to us and we will post it here.