Preparing for Your Puppy — A Final Note: The Part That's Up to You!

Hello Flood Farm Family,

Over the past several months, we've walked through quite a bit together. Getting your home ready. Building your knowledge before your puppy arrives. Thinking about the full arc of your German Shepherd's life. Understanding the protective instinct that defines this breed — and the remarkable dog who embodied it so well. And most recently, those critical first hours and days at home, when the habits that will shape your dog for years are quietly being formed.

That's a lot of preparation. And if you've been reading along, you're genuinely more ready than most people who bring home a German Shepherd puppy.

Now we want to talk about something we haven't addressed directly in this series: what it actually takes to become a Flood Farm family.

The Application Is the Beginning of a Relationship

Cindy doesn't review applications to check boxes. She reads them to understand people. Your lifestyle, your home, your experience with dogs, what you're hoping for in a companion — these details matter because the placement decision she makes at 49 days old, after the Volhard Aptitude Test results are in and she knows each puppy's temperament, is one she intends to get right for the life of that dog.

Some families are a clear match for a higher-drive puppy. Others need the steadier, more easygoing pup in the litter. Some have children, other dogs, small spaces, or specific roles in mind. Cindy considers all of it. Which means the more she knows about your family going in, the better she can serve you — whether that's in this litter or the next.

That last part is worth saying plainly: placing a deposit does not guarantee a puppy from Valkyrie's current litter. Litter sizes vary, and Cindy's first obligation is always the right match. But families who are already known to her, who have already taken the time to apply, are the ones she turns to first — every time.

If a Flood Farm shepherd has been on your mind, this is the step that moves you from hoping to being considered.

What Comes Next

Valkyrie is doing beautifully, and we are looking forward to sharing updates as this pregnancy progresses. We'll be posting along the way on Facebook and Instagram, and you can always find the latest here on the blog.

Thank you for following this series. It's been a pleasure sharing what 40 years of breeding has taught us — and we hope it's made you a more confident, better-prepared future dog owner, wherever your puppy comes from.

If it's going to be from us, we'd love to hear from you.

Thank you for being part of the Flood Farm family.

We truly appreciate your continued support and are excited to watch this next generation grow.

Warmly,

The Flood Farm German Shepherds Team

  Click here to submit an application!