Testimonials

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To have found a breeder that combines professionalism and unwavering ethics with kindness and a true passion for the breed was an absolute godsend for our family. Val and Shawn communicated with us every step of the way, which allowed us to feel as though we were a part of the process even though we were thousands of miles away. They took the time to learn about us so that we were matched with the perfect puppy for our family, and we received photos, videos and texts so that we felt we knew our little one before she even arrived! Val is an encyclopedia of knowledge about GSD’s, and has always been willing to tirelessly answer my questions to help us be the best possible home for our beloved girl.

Our pup is not only traffic-stoppingly beautiful, but has the incredible temperament and robust health that are hallmarks of Centennial’s breeding program. I am constantly stopped by people in awe of my well-behaved, stunning dog, which is a compliment to Centennial’s decades of meticulous bloodline development. Quality pups at Centennial are not “one offs” or rarities- they are the standard.

Superior dogs are not what truly distinguishes Centennial from the vast majority of other breeders, however- it’s their integrity and commitment to dealing with clients in a fair, transparent and ethical manner that really sets them apart. I have purchased elsewhere, as well, and to say the experience was not even in the same ballpark would be the euphemistic understatement of the century. Val and Shawn put the well-being of their dogs first and foremost and truly care that the best possible outcome for both their animals and the families that purchase from them is achieved, and we are immensely grateful to them that this compassionate attention made our GSD dreams come true, as well!

Beth M.

North Carolina

November 2022

I’m fortunate to have had two of Val’s von Scotlynburgh and Centennial GSD pups in my life, first Corinne (Niki) in 2006 (Windy von El Tous x Rio de Casa Nobili) and now Astonia (Shatzi) in 2020. Both have been world class GSDs, healthy and beautiful, intelligent and caring.

With both dogs, I trusted Val to choose for me; she knows her pups better than I ever could. She chose the perfect dogs for me both times. Val and husband Shawn love and understand their pups; nothing is more important to Val than being certain her pups go to the right homes.

Niki was my companion dog during a complex overseas geologic development project; as a youngster she adapted to life in a small coastal village in Haiti, with the entire village adoring her. She flew into Haiti with me in a 50-yr old DC-3; 12-hour flight, never even got airsick. The local kids took her swimming in the Caribbean and taught her basic obedience in French and Haitian Creole, following my English examples. Niki was functionally trilingual :)

Back home in the Colorado mountains, Niki qualified as a backcountry SAR (Search and Rescue) K9. Later she trained as an explosives detection K9. As a senior, she worked with me as a K9 Reading Support dog, helping K-3 kids with their reading in a small Colorado community charter school. She was a popular member of the local volunteer Fire and EMS Dept, while I trained as an EMT. I lost her a few months short of her 13th year.

Shatzi came to me in 2020, firstborn of Capo and Gucci; two extraordinary European GSDs. She looks like a smaller version of Capo, but has Gucci’s eyes and mischievous ‘live wire’ nature. Val told me as soon as she was born, she knew this was my pup. She was right; Shatzi has taken possession of my heart in a way only Niki did before. Energetic and intelligent, stunningly beautiful and friendly, she has won over everyone I know and work with.

The world class quality of these two dogs is not accidental. Looking at Val’s dogs over the years, she clearly knows how to select a strong breeding pair. But every bit as importantly, Val and Shawn know how to raise and socialize their pups during the critical first 8-10 weeks. They whelp their pups in their living room; the whelping box stays there. These are not kennel dogs. Val is interested in quality, not high volume. The pups learn to live in a loving home family environment from Day 1.

Both Niki and Shatzi were well on their way to solid socialization when they left Val for life with me. Both were housebroken within 2 days if not immediately; Niki at 12 weeks old was joining me in conference rooms for hours long business meetings.

Again, I credit these successes with Val’s understanding of her dogs, and choosing the right pups for me. Both better dogs than I deserve. I can’t imagine life without them.

John Walker 

September 2022

We began looking for a breeder after losing our GSD to DM last Fall. Our house was simply empty without a GSD after years of having a true companion. We found Centennial German Shepherds after conducting a lot of research in the Rocky Mountain region. The Centennial GSD website was packed with stunning pictures and information on their European Shepherds.

Our initial call with Valerie was positive and she was very responsive to our questions. She inspired us with her knowledge about breeding, training, and showing GSDs. Valerie took the time needed to understand our household interests and needs in order to make the best match for both the puppy and our family. 

Once a decision was made, Valerie kept in touch with us by sending pictures, videos, and texting updates on our puppy and her litter mates. She is quite proficient with with her camera and perfectly captures the mood of the day and the personalities of all the puppies. It was such a treat to meet the entire litter. Months later now, Valerie continues to periodically check in with us to see how things are going. She's a great resource to us and we appreciate her support.

We highly recommend Centennial GSD! We are fortunate to have found the right breeder at the right time and have the right dog. Versace is a beautiful, healthy, intelligent, energetic, and confident GSD. 

Thank you so much Valerie. We couldn't be happier with Versace!

Kevin and Marla S.

Colorado 

June 2022

We had been looking for a companion for our 7 year old long coat German Shepherd for over a year. Luckily, I found Centennial GSD! From the initial email contact all the way to the pickup of our new family member, Valerie was amazing. She updated us every step of the way and quickly responded to any questions that we had. 

She will send as many photos or videos of your puppy as you want. Valerie constantly communicated with us and provided all of the documentation needed to feel comfortable that we were getting a healthy puppy. Some day we will get another long coat German Shepherd and we will 100% use Centennial GSD!

DJ and Samantha B.
Albuquerque, NM

June 2022

German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) are not the dog for most people. However, having been involved in GSD rescue activities for many years, I know how important it is to have someone like Valerie involved in the breed. Most people want a dog that is more of “a rug that licks,” but GSDs require much more than love. They must be socialized, rigorously and adequately trained, and given lots of physical exercise. Otherwise, a purebred GSD may become one of the millions of dogs that end up in rescues, or shelters, or worse. 

Valerie is an exceptional breeder of exceptional GSDs. If one wants a quality German Shepherd, there are few quality breeders in Colorado where one can choose a pup, knowing that the breeding has been carefully planned. The parents of all litters are selected from the best bloodlines on earth and are among the best examples of the breed. They are also free of crippling diseases. The pups who come from such a mating are not simply sold for the money they can bring. Instead, new owners are carefully chosen from many who apply. I have long been a fan and owner of GSDs, and when it was time to get two pups for the last phase of my life, there was no doubt about where I would go to choose them. I consider myself fortunate to own two of her pups.

I have known Valerie for many years. I know she loves and cares for all her dogs and puppies as if they will be a part of her family forever. She assures that they are veterinarian checked and treated as required and appropriate for their age. She carefully chooses any new owner and home for each pup. She stays in touch with the owners of her puppies to check up on progress and health. She is available to offer advice to those who are less experienced. She honors her commitment to take back a pup that, for some rare reason, can no longer remain with its initial home. 

She is also a fine photographer. Her website and the many photos of dogs from her family and matings are displayed there. One need only look carefully at each image to see how beautiful and how loved each dog is and to see that when Valerie takes photos, she tries to capture the essence of dog and owner. 

There are few quality, ethical, and moral individuals who care and love the breed so much that they will turn down a given home and the sale because it is a poor fit. Valerie will. Few individuals care about the breed so much that they will give a dog away if that is right. That, too, is who Valerie is. All of these are reasons why I chose my present and last two GSDs from her beautiful litters. Enzo and Dax give me hours of pleasure, and I love them very much. I am thankful for someone like Valerie, who helped me to find the last two GSDs I will likely ever own in my life. Thank you Valerie for the dogs, and for your friendship.  

Sharyn B.

Colorado

November 2021

Centennial GSD is an ethical, highly experienced, and loving European German Shepherd breeder.

Owner and breeder Valerie Hannah, pays impeccable attention to best breeding practices, insuring clearances for hereditary diseases, pedigree, and excellent parentage. All documentation was bound in an organized and helpful manner.

Valerie's priority is the health and wellbeing of mother and puppies during the eight weeks they are in her care. When she shares the dogs are family, she really means it! She is very intentional about socializing the puppies and because of this, our puppy Colt, arrived well balanced, happy and very capable of interacting in many different social situations. Simply put, Valerie's puppies are her priority, and she does and excellent job of vetting potential parents - I appreciated that very much. For Valerie and her husband, the goal is providing the best fit for puppy and new owners. After getting to know Valerie for eight weeks as puppy grows and after a puppy temperament test, she will pair you with a puppy that will be a lifelong friend and companion.

In closing, I can't help but share the most touching experience I had watching Valerie and Colt reunite for the first time after we took Colt home at 8 weeks old. We arranged to meet Valerie at the vet clinic one month later. Watching Colt greet her and with all of the excitement of a puppy and watching her respond with love and affection, I realized a very special bond had been forged between the two which only could have happened due to Valerie's commitment.

I can't thank you enough Valerie, for bringing up such a beautiful German Shepherd on all levels!

Janet Confer

Guffey, Colorado

November 2021

Noah and I were impressed with Val from the very first conversation we had with her. We had some very specific questions and she was extremely knowledgeable about the breed.

Even before the litter was born, Val kept in contact with me, updating me on Gucci and answering all my questions as a first time GSD and puppy owner. When they were born, she sent videos and photos, updated us on how they were doing. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Even now, at almost 5 months old, I speak with Val at least weekly. She has become a great friend of ours. Chief is the best dog we could have ever asked for—great temperament, healthy, eager to learn and work, and so so happy. We cannot thank Val and her program enough.

All of our future shepherds will come from Centennial German Shepherds.

Maggie and Noah B.

Columbus, Ohio

November 2021

Valerie is a passionate breeder. An expert in her practice. It was of utmost importance to me to find a pup with a personality that matched my lifestyle. And from our first conversation, it was clear there was no one better than Valerie to guide me on that journey.

Constant and clear communication through the entire process, from pre-birth to pick-up of a wonderful 8 week old puppy. And her support didn’t stop there. Always available to answer my new parent questions or just share pictures and stories. 

Not only am I the proud owner of a healthy, happy pup, but I’ve made a human friend in the process. If/when it’s time for another family member, Centennial will by my first and last stop.

Aaron A.

Oakland, California

November 2021

Having never bought a dog from a breeder before, I called one of my best friends who is a dog “expert” and asked her how to find a reputable breeder. Her response: just call them. You will immediately know. And boy - was she right!!!

We knew we wanted a German Shepherd, and I started calling various breeders in Colorado. The first handful of conversations left me feeling empty. I felt like I was just another number on the breeders' list. I felt like they had so many litters and were just placing their puppies with anyone who called. And then I dialed Valerie’s number. And the minute I started speaking with her, I knew what my friend meant. I just knew she was the right breeder. She listened. She cared. She asked all sorts of questions about our family, our home and our lifestyle. She took the time to understand the temperaments of our existing dogs to figure out if she’d be able to find a good match for us. In short, she interviewed me. To me, that showed she cared.

Throughout the dog’s pregnancy, she sent us pictures of the mom. From the minute the puppies were born, she started sending us photos. We could see she was raising them in her family room; not in a shed somewhere on her property. We could see how she and her husband were holding them and taking care of them. I am not sure how, but it seems like they were raised on a white sheet that was ALWAYS clean and white. (Valerie - I am still not sure how you maintained that with a liter of puppies!!!!!!!)

Once she understood the puppies’ personalities, she picked the right one for us. We told her we were gender indifferent, and just wanted the dog with the right temperament for us - and she picked a male, long haired puppy who is AMAZING. Herzl is now eight months old, and I still share pictures and regularly communicate with Valerie. We call her “Mom 2.”

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Valerie, her dogs and her as a breeder. She cares. She doesn’t run a puppy mill. And you’ll be lucky to get one of her dogs!!!!

Tamara Totah

August 2021

We got our puppy from Centennial German Shepherds.  Our puppy picked me.  I was invited to come meet the females to see which I wanted and our puppy picked me.  I met the parents and was given updates on my puppy until I took her home.  

We still keep in touch and I cannot recommend a better breeder.  Every day I am thankful for our puppy!

Andria B.

August 2021

Centennial German Shepherds is an absolute joy to work with and very professional. Valerie answered all of my questions before, during, and after my puppy came home.  

She truly loves and cares for each puppy as though they are her own and part of her family. The type of care she gives each animal is top notch and truly impressive.  She does things the right way the first time and what is truly best for the animal.

My puppy "Milo" and I love meeting up with Valerie and her dogs for play dates.  Valerie went above and beyond to match me with the puppy to ensure an easy transition and happy future.  She truly listened to all of my wants and needs in a German Shepherd puppy and did a fabulous job matching Milo with me.  

Thank you Valerie for all that you did and continue to do for Milo and myself.  You are truly a blessing in our lives.

Adam Uhernik

July 2021

Centennial German Shepherds and Valerie Deac-Hannah,

My Husband and I have been in the breed for a combined over 90 years.  He is an AKC judge and former professional handler of 45 years.  I have been training dogs since 1973.  We have been showing, training, GSDs from every imaginable venue for so many purposes.  We own both import lines (all of which incorporate Kennel Casa Nobili) and AKC Champions.

For us there are very few people to whom we would reach out, for a show or performance prospect.   Not only are compatible pedigrees essential, but breed type, movement, structure and of course temperament/ trainability, mandatory.  On top of that, we want to make certain that a puppy or adult comes from a caring, loving situation, that doesn't do breedings like some assembly line.  It is critically important that young dogs get the best possible start, mentally and physically in order to achieve their best.  Enter Valerie Deac-Hannah, Centennial German Shepherds... 

Valerie, is first a tremendous person, and cares deeply about her dogs.  She spares no expense, no effort in ensuring they start and grow with love and caring.  She is clearly committed to giving her dogs/puppies the best life possible.  Their vigor, health and happiness, reflect her commitment.  Valerie is also very forthcoming with answers to your questions, photos and videos, which is so greatly appreciated!  She really does take the time to help, for the sake of potential owners, receiving the "best match" that they can.  We purchased "Gioia di Casa Nobili" from her, in Sept 2019.  She is lovely, with great bone, structure, movement, and sweet, loving temperament.  (Pictured here at 9 mos)  We adore her.  We look forward to seeing what her future holds, whether in the show ring or performance, or both!  

If you are looking for a great puppy, of excellent quality, that has been given the best possible start, give Valerie a call.  You won't be disappointed.  We look forward to many long years of friendship and sharing our deep love of German Shepherd Dogs, with Valerie.  

Ken and Kathy Tank

California  

March 2020

Cutter is an amazing dog!  His is so good with everybody and especially little children.  He is very smart and I love to play and walk with him.  My favorite thing about Cutter is that he is so loving and affectionate.  He follows me everywhere.  Thank you for letting me become Cutter's owner.

Sincerely,

Vince Zador

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to open our home to Cutter.  Cutter is truly magnificent he has beautiful markings and has a wonderful disposition.  He has made our family complete.  It has been a great experience for Vincent.  He is establishing a great bond between a boy and his dog.  They are inseparable.

We look forward to many years of happiness and can't thank you both enough. We are so happy to have found a breeder that is very knowledgeable and cares so much about raising exceptional dogs!  

We would highly recommend you to anyone.

The Zador Family

Pennsylvania

Valerie,

I cannot begin to tell you how much we love Renzo (Cobra). Having owned both German and American German Shepherds over the last fifteen years, I can definitely see the difference when a puppy is well socialized and loved by the breeder. After Tyson, my five year old male who died from cancer in April, I knew I had to immediately get another puppy as a companion for my three year old female shepherd, Ziti. 

Valerie you couldn't have been more helpful and at the same time sympathetic than you were. Even though I was still a little leery to purchase a puppy over the internet, the minute I picked up Renzo at Delta and heard from the employees how great he had been and his reaction when he saw me, I knew I had made the right choice. 

Thank you so much for being the kind and considerate person you are and you and your family's love for the German Shepherd breed. I can't wait to purchase my next puppy from you!

Dorothy

Our relationship with Valerie and her Kennel has been seamless from the beginning.  When we found her we already had a beautiful 2-year old female, Harley, and had planned on getting a male from the same breeder.  Our previous breeder reasurred us her litter would be ready around Thanksgiving.  When the pregnancy didn't take, however, she failed to tell us until early November.  Because of our lifestyle we have a very limited time every year that we can devote to a new puppy.  This was it.  We saw our plans for another puppy slipping away.  

Out of desperation my husband, Ross, took to the internet and stumbled across Valerie’s website and fell in love with "Blue Boy".  Living in Charlotte we were unsure if we it was feasable to deal with a kennel so far away.  Valerie reasurred us that many of their puppies traveled long distances to be with their new families.  But first, she needed to know a little bit more about us...  Ross was so nervous he actually wrote out rough drafts before replying to Valerie.  It turns out he worried for nothing; Valerie felt she'd found the perfect home for "Blue Boy".  And so, one cold Novemer morning she loaded him in his crate, said goodbye and put him on a plane to us.  

Ross and I found ourselves at the cargo building at the airport.  It was after midnight and we were excited but certain we'd be greeted by a shell-shocked, anxious and tired puppy.  We couldn't have been more mistaken.  After spending the day in the cargo hold of 2 airplanes (he had a lay-over in Atlanta) our little 10- week old puppy bounded out of his kennel into our arms and said hello with excited licks and yips, with absolute faith that we would love him as much as he already loved us.

Blaze has fit perfectly into our home and lives.  Harley and he are constant companions and the cat, Jax, has actually accepted him now too.  He's playful and sweet, loving and fearless; he's had no qualms about taking Harley on even when she drastically out-weighed him.  He's 6-months now and we couldn't imagine ourselves without him.  We wonder what we did with all the extra room in bed when it was just Harley and us.  We laugh as he sits and drools while he waits for his food.  We've collected and labeled his baby teeth as he's lost them and picked up what feels like endless amounts of toy stuffing.  He's nearly 60 lbs. now and just growing into his feet.  His collar needs to be adjusted nearly every week. We've bored our friends to sleep with the piles of pictures we've taken.  We thought ourselves so lucky to have found Harley because she was so quick to learn and such a good dog from day one.  

Blaze has been just as easy.  We love him with all our hearts and are so thankful Valerie felt we'd make a good home.  We couldn't have hoped for a better dog, one that fit into our lives so well or one that would find a spot in our hearts so easily. 

Ross and Elizabeth 

Dear Valerie,  I am looking for a good German Shepherd pup or young dog, primarily as a companion and working dog.  Growing up, my family always had German Shepherds and now it's time for me to have one of my own!  Perhaps your litter from Windy and Rio born March 11, 2006 might have a pup for me? 

I am a Colorado geologist working on a large development project in the Caribbean.  The dog will be our 'Chief Executive Dog' and an important member of the team.  I need a well-bred GSD with the good nature of the breed, from parents known to be good with both children and adults.  Strong shepherd instincts will be helpful since we have a lot of goats to herd off our airfield from time to time.  I do not have kids but my chief engineer and his wife do, 4 and 7, plus the local village of ~3000 people has a lot of children and other dogs. 

I enjoy running, not at race speeds but usually do a 2-3 mile morning jog so the dog will get good exercise; will want to be certain hips are OK.  I will obedience train the dog for good off-leash abilities so intelligence is also highly important.  Best regards,  John W. 

UPDATE

Niki is just doing great!  What a wonderful GSD puppy — actually a young strong dog now.  Confident, fit, tremendous drive, strikingly beautiful.  Not afraid of anything, yet clearly highly intelligent.  She could easily make Schutzhund 3 (if I had the time).   She will be a superb companion dog to me and a wonderful Community Relations Director for the Haiti project!  Niki has Rio’s looks, with his mask, eyes and strong color but I see Windy’s easy grace when she is relaxed.  She looks very feminine to me but most people assume she is a male because of her strength and drive.  As you said, Niki is a little Tomboy at heart.  

So far this morning we have done two good trots on the beach, ~3-4 km each time; Niki loves the ocean and is already a strong swimmer.  She races right into the big waves and then body surfs to shore, swimming in if the water is too deep.  I have an 18-ft rowing dory being delivered today so she will get some boat time this weekend.  I took her out on Lake Dillon in a little rowboat before leaving Colorado and she also got some water time in the mountain streams before we left. So she has been used to water almost from the beginning. 

What I am most happy about is her socialization. She does great with kids, not overly interested in them but if they show any interest in her -- wanting to pet her etc...  -- she just loves the attention and is very gentle with kids now, after the initial puppy thing of wanting to jump up on them.  She also does great with adults, not extremely outgoing which is fine, but if I introduce someone as a “New Friend” she immediately makes friends with them.

What a lot of new experiences for a young puppy, from the mountains of Colorado to the Indiana farm country, Florida Keys — where she first discovered the ocean, on the quiet side of Islamorada; she loved it there — and now the real ocean. Niki is just adapting wonderfully. Medically the vet here says Niki is doing great.

Thanks for staying in touch,

John

Hi, Valerie!

I was searching a lot of websites and checking out a lot of breeders in Canada and US. I was looking to get a puppy with the special bloodlines, for showing and sport. As soon as I saw Windy von el Tous (the mother of my puppy), and found out that Valerie just bred her to Rio di Casa Nobili, I made up my mind. 

From the very beginning Valerie was very professional and scrupulous about every little detail. I was getting a pick of the litter female. 

My communication with Valerie started before the puppies were born over the internet (I live in Toronto, Canada). Some people said that it is too risky to get a dog from a long distance like that, but not in my case. I got exactly what I was hoping for, Valerie helped me to make up my mind to pick a female (I was stuck between two). Everything she said about the character of the dog and her looks was exactly right. Also every week I was getting tons of photos of all the puppies, sometimes twice a week, with the detailed description of each puppy’s character. 

At the airport the puppy came flying out of her cage, the only thing she cared for was food. She  was not disturbed by a long trip at all (she had to come with 2 planes and was in the cage for about 10 hours). She has the best temperament and the best looks I was hoping for. This fall we are going for her first show and I hope we will do very well. 

Thank you, Valerie, for sending Carrera to our family.

Olga

Toronto Canada

Valerie,

Well, we've had Ginger (My girls won the name debate) one week now, and I almost can't remember life before her.  I never imagined that we could love a dog as much as we love Anja, and now I know I was SO wrong!!!  She is a perfect fit in our family- although Anja might have a thing or two to say about that!  So far, I would say Anja tolerates her more than she enjoys her, but I've definitely seen some progress in their relationship.   Ginger is an absolute dreamboat.  She sleeps through the night in her kennel, she does her business every time we let her out- she's even working on asking to go out, but as long as we stay on top of taking her out frequently, she doesn't have any accidents.  She follows us everywhere, she snuggles, she's relaxed, she chews but not excessively and is totally satisfied with her toys.  She's come to work with me every day this week and just laid at my feet.  She's happy all the time.  She's adorable- people are stunned by how beautiful she is.  And I can't get enough of her!!!  And John is smitten too!  We are just amazed by how GOOD she is!

UPDATE

I wanted to check in and let you know that Ginger has been an absolutely perfect addition to our family.  Anja passed in January of 2011, only 3 months after Ginger arrived, and left some massive shoes to fill!  But Ginger has been more wonderful than we ever could have imagined.  She is extremely intelligent and trainable, obedient, loyal, and just the right amount protective.  She adores our children and listens to them.  She loves to run with me.  She's OBSESSED with a ball.  She's faster than any dog I've ever seen.  And perhaps the most endearing thing about her is that she greets her family as though she's been missing us for years every time one of us comes home.  Even my mother, who you may recall lives in NJ and picked her up from the airport.  Ginger has never forgotten that my mom "rescued" her from the airplane, and does the craziest ritual dance every time she comes to visit.

Thank you,

Petrea

When we first decided on a dog for our family including cats we researched different breeds.

We looked up many websites and spent months searching for the right combination of breeder and quality.

All of the qualifications were met when we discovered Valerie’s kennel. We wanted a top breeder that not only had excellent communication skills but truly loved what they were doing. The knowledge and years of experience educated us and helped us make our final decision.

Our dog " Justice" is not only beautiful but highly intellegent. The moment we first received her she came right out of her crate and wrapped her paws around our neck and gave kisses. She is even tempered, outgoing and is fitting in well with our lifestyle.

It is not only an important decision but a serious commitment. She is a member of our family. We thank you for choosing our family to receive one of your special Shepherds.

Sincerely, 

Bebe & Peter (Florida)