Joseph & Christina Clark

It has been a sad time at the Clark household with the loss of Xay, also know as "Shay vom Argohof" or for short "Shay".

To her new owner: You have a very special and loving little girl. We had expressed our desire many times to her breeder that we wanted to allow Xay (as we called her) to join our family. Unfortunatly for reasons we do not understand our request was never fulfilled. I hope her new owner loves and pampers her as we once did.

As short as I can possibly make this story...

Sunday, April 29, 2012 we drove to Xay's breeder's house to visit the current litter. The puppies were 5 weeks 5 days old. We had our choice narrowed to the Lime Green Girl or the Yellow Girl, and we chose the Lime Green Girl who we brought home that day and named Xira.

Around the time of their 1st birthday Xira's littermate, Yellow Girl or “Shay vom Argohof”, was returned to the breeder by her original owners. We offered to foster "Shay" for the breeder, and with the breeder's time & space being limited our the offer was accepted. On Saturday March 23, 2013 we drove to Knox County to pick up "Shay" who would stay with us until Tuesday June 4, 2013. In those 73 days of providing for "Shay" we fell in love. She is a sweet girl who needed alot of physical & psychological rehabilitation. We fed her the same amazing diet & suppliments our five German Shepherds are provided, we paid for her medical & chiropractic appointments due to her crying out when getting off the couch or bed, we paid for her heartworm & flea preventative, we paid for simple supplies such as collar/leash/tag/bowl/toys/blanket, we took her out places to socialize her, took her to flyball practice, took her hiking & swimming, consulted a behaviorist for her social deficiencies, and above all we gave her our hearts.

{Photo Caption: 03/23/13 - The day we brought Xay into our home. She was very skinny, very little muscle, and a very very dull & flaky coat.}

{Photo Caption: 03/23/13 - You can see the poor physical condition she was in when she came to us.}

The breeder encouraged us to think of a better name for "Shay" causing us to have hope we may be able to adopt her. We thought of Xayvian which means 'New Home', hoping we would be that new home for her, and we called her Xay for short. It fit nicely. It rhymed with "Shay" so there wasn't a transition for her, it helped her match Xavier & Xira, and it had a meaningful message. And so that is how her name Xay was born.

{Photo Caption: 03/31/13 - Xay's first hike. Here she is getting some love from Christina.}

{Photo Caption: 03/31/13 - Xay's first family photo. - Left to right: Xira, Mirage, Xavier, Dorado, Amiga, Xay}

{Photo Caption: 03/31/13 - Xay's first family outing.}

Friday, April 5, 2013 Christina texted the breeder regarding how she felt about the possibility of allowing Xay to join our family. The breeder responded, “I just told a guy $1500 for her today (he won’t pay it) because I want to keep her but don’t have the room…but I am worried about the yipping…” So the question this raises is if the breeder wanted to keep her why did she never do anything to support Xay. We were offering a roof & our time. The breeder should have been providing for all her other needs, but that was never the situation. Another sign that gave us hope we’d be allowed to adopt Xay.

{Photo Caption: 04/07/13 - Xay's on her 2nd hike. She is clearly thoroughly enjoying herself!}

{Photo Caption: 04/07/13 - She's still such a skinny mini!}

{Photo Caption: 04/07/13 - Xay's first swim!!}

{Photo Caption: 04/07/13 - Xay having the time of her life!}

{Photo Caption: 04/07/13 - Xay on her third hike (two in one day) SPOILED! Left to right: Xavier, Xay, Mirage, Xira} 

{Photo Caption: 04/07/13 - Left to right: Mirage, Christina, Xay, Xira, Xavier}

On the night of Thursday, April 18, 2013 we fell asleep while watching TV. Joe woke first and groggily, not thinking, let everyone outside from the living room for one last nighttime potty. Christina woke to Joe calling for her to find Xavier & Xay had bred. This was the night 12 precious puppies, 4 boys & 8 girls, were conceived.

{Photo Caption: 05/19/13 - Xay is looking better & better!! - Left to right: Amiga, Mirage, Dorado, Xavier, Xira, Xay}

{Photo Caption: 05/19/13 - Everyone wading the creek with dad!!}

{Photo Caption: 05/19/13 - Yeehaw!!}

{Photo Caption: 05/19/13 - Xay loves to swim!!}

{Photo Caption: 05/19/13 - Xay is so gorgeous!!}

{Photo Caption: 05/19/13 - Xay looking good!!}

{Photo Caption: 05/19/13 - I love this group picture!!}

All we could do was wait. On day 32, Monday May 20, 2013 we took Xay to our vet for an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. Christina left from that appointment and immediately called Xay's breeder, and left a voicemail apologizing all over herself. She felt so horrible! Xay was in our care, and we got her pregnant. Christina left a voicemail asking for the breeder to call her so they could figure things out, and said we would do whatever she wanted. That morning the breeder texted Christina saying these things happen to all of us, it's happened to her, and that she wasn't mad. Phew! What a relief, but sadly this was the only positive moment of all that was to come.

After this the breeder would only communicate by text or facebook, and it was few & far between, and when the breeder would communicate she seemed irritated. On Saturday, May 25, 2013 the breeder seemed very irritated so Christina tried calling her to actually talk. The breeder ignored her call & voicemail, and messaged Christina she couldn't talk. By Tuesday, May 28, 2013 there was still no solid communication from the breeder, so Christina typed a private message stating we would whelp the litter, that we loved Xay & wanted to keep her but only she could decide whether we could adopt her and to please decide by the time the puppies were all placed in new homes, and to please figure out Xay's AKC paperwork since the breeder has previously indicated she didn't have ALL the paperwork. Christina explained she could find homes for puppies with hip clearance on the sire and maternal grandparents, but it would be more difficult to find homes for non-AKC pups.

On Thursday, May 30, 2013 the breeder called & left Christina a voicemail, which Christina called the breeder that afternoon to speak about what they wanted to do. The breeder explained she had another female she thought was pregnant, and she didn't want to have two litters at once. She also explained she did not want Xay & Xavier's litter under her name or her kennel name. The breeder explained she would lease Xay to us and we would be the breeder/owner of the litter. Christina asked the breeder how she wanted to price and divide the litter. The breeder said no less than $500 per puppy, and that she wanted half the litter. Christina agreed to these conditions.

Just four days later on Monday, June 3, 2013 the breeder called Christina at work on her lunch, and said her other female's pregnancy fell through, so if we wanted she could whelp Xay's litter. Christina said she didn't want to make a rash decision and would like to speak with her husband Joe that evening. We talked and decided we still wanted to whelp the litter. The next morning we woke to find a message from the breeder stating...

"Hi Christina, after re-reading our exchanges I really need to get Xay back, SHE is my first concern in all of this, I brought her into this world and I need to take care of her.
I will give you pick puppy in exchange for signing off on Xavier as sire of the litter. I apologize for not making this decision the day you called, but you guys had an extra month to think about it and I didn't think I could devote the needed time to two litters, now I know I have time / space to whelp her litter.
Let me know when I can pick her up."

We wrote back... "What would be best for Xay? I know you have a bit of guilty conscious since you brought her into this world, but she is established here with the family & house, and is only two weeks away from delivering.

Joe & I talked last night and we want to continue with the plan that we whelp the litter. Xay has been with us since March and is comfortable here. We feel psychologically her remaining here is in her best interest. She's on an amazing diet, gets lots of play time, and has a fantastic environment to have her pups.

What happened to not wanting your name as breeder or your kennel name associated with this litter? I kinda got the impression this was a "black-listed" litter among your circle of the dog community.

Obviously she's yours and you can do as you please. If you really want her tell me where to meet you. Please remember these are Xavier babies too, and he's my best boy. If you can stand to be around me I really would like to be able to visit & snuggle them at least once before actually taking one home."

And so the heartache began...

{Photo Caption: 06/04/13 - Giving Up Xay - last picture of Xavier & Xay}

We said our good-byes, and drove Xay back to Knox County to hand her back to the breeder. It was absolutely heart wrenching. The day we got Xay from the breeder she immediately jumped on Christina and licked her face. The day we took her back to the breeder there was no such greeting in return. She hung very close to us, kept pressing her body into ours, hid behind us, came back to us for comfort. She clearly did not want to leave us. Christina tried to stay strong for Xay but once the breeder led her away Christina bawled. We went home flabbergasted that this was actually happening. We couldn't understand how the breeder didn't see that we loved Xay, and she loved us, and that this would all have worked out for the best if she had stayed with us. We could have whelped the litter, found good homes for the pups, gave the breeder her half, and adopted Xay. Easy peasy! Right?

We didn’t understand why someone would treat us this way. Christina posted a picture that night on Facebook announcing how different the house felt with the absence of Xay. Friends & family expressed their concerns and questions. Christina never called out the breeder’s name, but she did speak the facts of what happened, and in the process has written proof of lies told by the breeder.

As of today, Monday June 24, 2013 we are aware that Xay has had 12 puppies, that the breeder has entrusted a stranger to Xay to be in charge of the litter, and that this woman contacted Christina to sign off on the litter as sire for AKC registering offering us pick puppy. Of course this woman spins it on her facebook page saying... "Stud owner was offered first OVERALL PICK. and has refused AKC litter registration signature unless she receives half the entire litter. Never especially when dam is not owned or should have been bred, does the stud owner receive half the litter. She apparently has no remorse for breeding a one year old pup nor intends to do the right thing to rectify the damage done while in her care. I understand the shock the dam owner must have felt when first told her one year old was bred. (now damaging her OFA and possible breeding future)".

{Photo Caption: 06/23/13 - Xay with her Xavier babies.}

I can only hope after reading our story that there are people who can understand why we are not signing the papers. Please know there are two sides to every story. This was a gigantic accident, but one we have taken responsibility for from the beginning. We love Xay. We want her to be a part of our family, and it hurts that we will never be a part of our grand-puppies lives. I have a huge sadness on my heart that I will never snuggle & kiss my Xavier babies, that I will never be able to meet & be friends with their new owners, that we won't have a 1st Birthday Cookout Party, that I won't be allowed to be there for their questions, and help them with whatever they need. This is never how I imagined his first litter to be. It hurts alot. ALOT. Xavier & Xay are our children, and I don't understand why the breeder ripped Xay from our family only to give her to a woman living in another state. The breeder is still not taking any claim to this litter, and has only passed on her troubles to, from Xay's point of view, a stranger. Shouldn't that be a red flag? We are actively saying we want Xay. The breeder is actively saying she does not. So why was she taken from us??? What happened to the breeders statement "I brought her into this world and I need to take care of her."? Is this "taking care of her"?

And yes normally stud fee is one puppy. But this whole situation isn't "normal". And for the whole five days we were going to be allowed to whelp the litter the breeder wanted half and we were going to give it to her. That's not "normal" either, but we were going to do it. When you lease a female, the owner doesn't get half the litter. And these puppies are more to me that some signature on a piece of paper. I'm serious when I say these German Shepherds are my children, and therefore these puppies are my grandchildren. I'm crushed I'm being deny to be a part of their lives; that there are Xavier babies that exist in this world that I will never get to meet. So yes, you are darn sure that after everything you have done to me, Xay, Xavier, and my family that I'm not going to allow you to bully or use me one last time. If having my signature was so important you would have treated our family with respect instead of spitting in our face, stomping on our hearts, and tearing our family apart!!

There are twelve puppies and one wonderful mama who need forever homes. If you know of anyone looking for an amazing German Shepherd for a great price please look into this litter!!

Who to contact to adopt Xay or one of her puppies:

If anyone is interest in a puppy you may contact the woman who states her name & kennel name in the text message displayed below, or you may contact us directly.

Per the woman who currently has Xay, she states we are not allowed to share her public info such as phone#, email, website, or kennel name to assist prospective puppy buyers, unless it is a copy/paste of something she herself typed, despite the fact that all of her contact information is out on the World Wide Web and can be "copy/pasted" by anyone. So we have removed her info has requested and only kept documented information as she has stated is allowed. If she decides to abide by our original request of fully removing all information pertaining to our family from her facebook, website, etc, we will then return the courtesy.

July 9, 2013

Then after threatening us with "Do not text me again, or i will file harrasment charges.", despite the fact that she texted us first, she continued to text us the following day..... which has been her M.O. from the beginning where she could post on our facebook but we were not allowed to post on hers.

July 10, 2013

In my opinion, her elevator does not go to the top floor, she is not playing with a full deck, she is not the brightest lightbulb, or the sharpest tack.

We Miss You Xay!!

- Xay - 4 weeks old

- Xay - 8 weeks old

- Xay & Joe on a hike -

The story of Xay is a rather sad one. First she was returned to the breeder by her first owners around the time of her 1st birthday. She then came to our family where we worked on rehabilitating & socializing her. What happened next is why we feel so horrible and are forever sorry... she and our male accidently bred and conceived 12 puppies. Next she was forcefully removed from our family by the breeder despite us expressing our wish to adopt her before the breeding occured and again after the breeding only for her to be shipped off to Iowa to have her babies in a strange place with a person she never met, and all of this has happened to her in only a short 15 months. And her journey isn't over. Once all her puppies are placed in their homes she will still need a home. And despite the fact that we have told the breeder we wanted her to join our family that wish will never come true. The breeder won't allow it.

We are very sorry the accidental breeding occurred. I don't know how many times or ways I can apologize, but our mistake was just that... a mistake. We have done nothing malicious, and we don't understand why we have been treated so poorly by the breeder of Xay. Why was she ever removed from our family & placed with a stranger. She should have stayed with us to have her babies. None of this makes any sense!

I'm very sorry Xay you are the one caught in the middle. I wish we were together!

I LOVE YOU!! XOXO!!