About Us
I received my first German Shepherd when I was just 13 years old, and I've been passionate about the breed ever since. Clanrillon Ursa was my first companion, and we spent countless hours on the show circuit in the Bay of Plenty. Later, after getting married, I welcomed another Shepherd into our lives from Clanrillon Kennels—Clanrillon Ella, affectionately known as Kimba. She became a beloved part of our family, teaching my children the deep love for dogs. I am truly grateful to Jeanne Allen of Clanrillon Kennels for her unwavering support and guidance throughout the years.
As a Registered Nurse working shifts, I have the opportunity to dedicate plenty of time to my German Shepherds. Living in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, we are fortunate to have numerous beaches and open spaces where our dogs can run freely and enjoy daily playtime.
Shephaven German Shepherds is a small kennel located in Whakatane, nestled in the sunny Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Our focus is on fostering temperament, health, trainability, and beauty, coupled with strong working ability. I pride myself on maintaining a family-oriented kennel, dedicated to enhancing the breed through carefully planned and limited breeding programs.
We believe that when you bring a German Shepherd puppy into your family, it's essential that the puppy comes from healthy parents with sound minds and temperaments. That’s why we ensure our dogs are health tested, and our puppies are raised in a home environment alongside a variety of other pets to promote proper socialization.
All our breeding dogs undergo thorough vet checks, including hip and elbow x-rays, which are assessed and scored by the German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia's Hip Dysplasia (HD) and Elbow Dysplasia (ED) Control Schemes, along with DNA testing.
