We bought our gorgeous full black, male, 10 week old AKC German Shepherd puppy, "Koa," from Delta K9 Academy on June 27, 2022. The owner, Mike, was very informative and answered all my questions prior to making our final decision. He takes his business seriously and loves all his dogs. He's definitely one of the very few in all of California that will actually provide you with all their vaccination documents and AKC registration info. Delta K9 Academy was one of four breeders we contacted in CA. He'll even take your/his dog(s) back if you change your mind [ex: in case you didn't do your research on GSDs & had no idea what you got yourself into or life's been a beach].
Downside: Koa came home that day with Giardia, a very common intestinal parasite that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and inactivity in some breeds. We took him to his vet for his first check up within his first week home with us and Dr. prescribed some metronidazole tablets that he easily digested after eating his food in a Pill Pocket or you can wrap it in cheese (ask your vet for tips - make sure you have a good veterinarian prior to buying a puppy). Giardia was off/on for a couple weeks until his third fecal test came back negative. I've cleaned up a lot of his diarrhea and vomit in my SUV during that time.
Upside: Koa's now a healthy large 10 month old puppy. We boarded him at Delta K9 Academy from 1/12-1/21. Koa's very *dog* reactive and didn't have his Leptospirosis shots or his canine flu vaccines prior to hubby surprising me with our hotel stay (all his other puppy vaccines were up to date though). None of the nearby dog boarding facilities would take him. So, I contacted Mike again and he was happy to board him.
I hate the commute on the 405. If Mike ever opens up a boarding facility in southwest LA, I'm there! Knowing he'd be returning to his birthplace and first home in their care was quite comforting. I'm a full-on dog lover so Koa's the baby boy I never had (I have two young daughters). He stayed there for 9 days. Their booking process is easy online. Their new receptionist was friendly and assured me that Koa was being well taken care of even though I bugged her for some videos and photos of my boyeee.
Suggestion: Hopefully, Delta K9 Academy can add live web cams in the main play area (astro turf with obstacles outdoors) and/or Premium & VIP rooms in the future. I don't trust people in general because of my childhood trauma and well into adulthood, so please don't take offense to that. It would be cool to access the live web cam through a private YouTube link or directly on the Delta K9 boarding webpage.
Tip for Pawrents: Make sure to add the raw beef to your boarding registration online and as many details you can if your dog has any medical conditions, allergies, and/or specific feeding requirements. Koa eats raw beef with his dry kibble (Science Diet). Delta K9 makes their own food too! Request your pup get a bath prior to pickup too. Parking's very limited on the street directly out front of Delta K9. Someone's always there to greet you at the door upon knocking. Just be sure to notify them that you're on your way and select the times you'll be dropping off and picking up for boarding.
Thanks again Mike, Vinny, Jose, and Adel! We'll likely be boarding Koa there again in early June. I'm always open to learning more training tips too.
Behavior update, 1/30/23: Koa's doing a bit better around other dogs. Instead of being the first to bark, he usually barks *after* the other *smaller* yappy lesser/untrained dogs start sht. Sometimes, he doesn't pay them any attention at all as long as I keep redirecting him as Mike them instructed. We're a constant work in progress, but I have no doubts we'll succeed together. He's the most loving, loyal, protective, intelligent dog I've ever owned. If only random people and their kids would stop trying to pet him when he has his "DO NOT PET" and "IN TRAINING" patches on his vest. You can ask, but I'll say, "No. We're training." LOL.
