1968 Getting Jamie

When we moved to Bernardsville, NJ, from Paris, we had my mother’s dog, Benjamin, a beautiful golden Cocker Spaniel.  In Bernardsville, we had a huge yard and woods all around, and I wanted my own dog very badly.  My dad said I could get a dog as long as it was a "real dog", a "big dog".  So I decided to get a German Shepherd.  I admit, my dad influenced me to some extent.  As a kid he had had a 1/2 coyote-1/2 German Shepherd and he said she was the best dog he ever had.  

So my mother and I went on a GSD search.  We found my puppy about 50 miles away at the home of a GSD breeder who, it turns out, was quite well known.  At the time, I knew nothing about breeding, and even less about showing.  I just knew I wanted my puppy.  

German Shepherd puppy

When we went to see the litter, they were about 3 weeks old, too young to come home.  The breeder, Mrs. Lochner, spent a lot of time with us, explaining how the female was a German import, and about how the quality is controlled in Germany by limiting the size of the litters, etc.  The mother's side was filled with conformation and obedience champions, as well as other titles.  The dad was an American dog who was a reputable show dog.   But I didn't care; I just wanted my puppy.

There were 5 puppies, and they all came at me at once, just like in the movies.  But there was one who just seemed special to me and I chose him right away.  I was so incredibly excited, but then I realized that he wouldn't be able to come home with me, not for weeks and weeks.  That broke my heart, and my mother said maybe we should keep looking for one who was ready, but I couldn't do it.  That was my dog.

German Shepherd Puppy

So we left without him.  I called Mrs. Lochner several times a week to see how he was doing.  She said he could leave at eight weeks.  Eight weeks?  That was five weeks after I first saw him.  After two weeks of calling, Mrs. Lochner asked to speak to my dad on the phone.  When he was done, he turned to me and said, "How would you like to go get your puppy tomorrow?"   I was ecstatic.  Apparently, Mrs. Lochner decided I was responsible enough to get him so young.  She realized how much I wanted him, and what good care he would get.  There were rules that we had to follow (not going outside before shots, etc). but that was easy.  

When we finally brought him home, he was just a bundle of black and tan fur.  It was instant love.

He was already registered when I got him:

Arnim von Haus Lochner 

(Arnim of the House of Lochner)  

I named him Jamie after a character in a book called "The Well of Loneliness".