Von Waldberg Kennels German Shepards

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We got a puppy from Kate (new owner/manager/breeder) last February. I was impressed with her knowledge of each pup's temperament and the commitment she shows for placing pups with the right family.
We have a gorgeous one year old shepherd who is a perfect representative of the breed in intelligence, attachment to our family, as well as in his massive needs for obedience training, play time and exercise. There is no doubt in my mind that the trainers working with Kate have been crucial in making our experience so wonderful. Frank's puppy classes are tons of fun (puppies from the same litter often show up to the same class) and really helpful.Eli's classes are great with older puppies, who need to learn manners and basic obedience. Zack is a very experienced trainer who is clearly involved in the immediate and long term evaluation of the puppies behavior and mental health. There is a sense that the whole team invests huge amount of time in getting to know and taking care of each pup (ours enjoyed bath time to a degree showing that it was routine for him to be bathed and groomed).
Once you are committed to the work it takes to live with a well balanced, high drive German shepherd, Kate is the breeder you need.

I am writing this after 3 years and half of owning a puppy from this breeder.
Overall I had a good experience. My dog is superb in personality and she is a beauty. Of course I love her and I also loved her right when they showed her to me a month before I could even touch her.

My dog has what we think is just a "broken tail". The vet (I go to the vet Von Waldberg recommended - Northcreek hospital in bothell, WA) is not sure what it is. When I first discovered my dog was about 3 months old. Her tail didnt grow, she has a "fox" looking tail instead of the long with tip going up that german shepherds have. I mentioned this to Phil, I even sent a video of her running away, and he said it was hard to see. I was not asked to bring her in to check what was off.
I mean, what are you going to do? you bought a puppy and you love her, you are going to return her? obviously not.

I feel like they should have at least let me come in or give me some sort of refund (I paid same price as others did for puppies).
If they pride themselves from breeding dogs that can be working and show dogs, then they should at least admit that my dog could not be a show dog. She has a fault.

To me, she means the world, but to them its a business. And as such, they should reimburse for their products. Let alone their quality check is poor. They did not know about this when they first checked out the puppies?

I want to think they did not hide this from me on purpose.

I have always owned german shepherds, and I am definitely not recommending neither buying from these people again.

I also went to their training, and everyone was asking me what was wrong with her tail (not the trainer of course).

Von Waldberg are a part-time breeder and a full-time salesman for other breeders' puppies. I bought a 3 month old puppy from Von Waldberg in December 2013.  Puppy was advertised to have the best of lineage and ancestry.  Paid $4,000 plus tax for it.  3 months later, in April 2014, puppy was diagnosed with Panosteitis and vets suspected elbow dysplasia and recommended additional x-rays.  Vets also said that puppies with Panosteitis are predisposed to other orthopedic problems in the future.  

I contacted the seller, Phil Skoog from Von Waldberg, and he said it was a bunch of garbage from the vets that puppy has elbow dysplasia.  He said they only want my money for more x-rays for nothing, and Phil Skoog convinced me that there is no way puppy has dysplasia. At the time I thought Phil Skoog was an honorable man, who genuinely cared for the dog and my family.  I was so wrong.  

Puppy never really recovered from the limping, and in May 2015, I spent the extra money to do an extensive study on his elbows, and again, he was diagnosed with dysplasia in both elbows, no doubt.  I went back to the breeder/importer Phil Skoog, and this time he acknowledged the diagnosis, but didn't agree with the vet that this is an inherited disease. Phil Skoog insisted that my puppy was fed poor diet and had experienced trauma that caused him the elbow dysplasia.  He wouldn't accept the fact that dysplasia is a polygenetic inherited disease.

So, now I have a puppy, 18 months old, who can’t run and play fetch, who can't go for walks more than 10 minutes long.  

Phil Skoog imports whatever puppies he can get his hands on, but doesn't care about their health and well-being, and this will only leave you not only with an empty wallet, but will break your heart to have a young, beautiful animal that can't act like a happy pup.

I am suing him in court.

Beware of Von Waldberg German Shepherds and the family that runs it.