Frequently Asked Questions

All seminars that are open to the public are listed on the Seminars page. As soon as the hosting group says "go!" the information is posted here on our website. If you need more information on any seminar, please contact the hosting group.

Suzanne is glad to go wherever she is invited. Wendy Herkert is Suzanne's seminar liaison -- contact Wendy and she'll be happy to provide you the complete details of hosting a seminar with Suzanne.

Most groups book Suzanne 12-18 months ahead of time, so be sure to contact Wendy early if you're interested.

Yes, Suzanne is available for telephone consultations. Where it is important for Suzanne to see the dog & the behavior(s), clients may send video on CD or posted on YouTube or other sites for Suzanne's review. This approach allows for discussion of everything from structure & gait to resource guarding, fear, performance problems, aggression, etc.

For complete details, please see the Consultations page.

In-person consultations are available here at the farm. These 2 hour sessions allow for an in-depth assessment and work with you and your dog(s). The home setting and large fenced area permits us to duplicate many problem behaviors you may be experiencing at home.

A friend, family members or even your instructor/trainer may attend these sessions. Videotaping for personal use is permitted. You may bring more than one dog. Some clients have literally brought their entire family, human and canine. Rescue groups/shelters may bring multiple animals for evaluation.

For more information, please see the Consultations page.

NOTE: Many seminars do offer an associated day of private lessons - check the seminar schedule for details, but understand these appointments may be open only to seminar attendees and do book quickly.

Sorry, but no - Suzanne does not offer training classes on a regular basis. Her travel & work schedule keeps her very busy. From time to time, she may offer classes, if so, these will be noted on the Seminars page.

There are currently no internship opportunities at the farm. Sorry!

Yes, John does offer tracking & scent work lessons based on his Following Ghosts approach. Lessons are held here at the farm in St. Johnsville, NY.

He also is glad to travel to your club or group to teach a Following Ghosts tracking/scentwork seminar. Participants are amazed to discover their novice dogs doing multiple leg, variable surface tracks after only 1-2 days! For more information, please contact our Seminar Liaison Wendy Herkert for more information.

Suzanne is very careful where her puppies go. The first step in being considered for a puppy is to fill out the Puppy Buyer's Questionnaire. There is usually a waiting list of about a year for a puppy, though sometimes things work out much sooner or may take longer. A great dog is well worth waiting for!

We're in the process of rebuilding the Hawks Hunt German Shepherd website. Till then, enjoy the info provided here on this site.

For several years now we've been using and recommending wholeheartedly this wonderful product. I can't say enough good things about it. 

System Saver made a life & death difference for our dear donkey Shrimp. Shrimp was sent home in Dec 2006 to "die at home" by Cornell. The dedicated vets & staff there did all they could, but had nothing left to offer her. System Saver was a critical key to saving Shrimp, who had stopped eating, had horrific blood values, fatty liver disease and was on a downhill spiral. I began giving her System Saver, and by day 5 of receiving that in a paste form I made for her, she began eating again, and never stopped since! As I write this on March 10, 2011, Shrimp continues to do enjoy her life at age 29.

This great product has helped so many animals here at the farm, from our elderly donkeys and pig to so

Give it a try - your animals will thank you. Be sure to tell Judy at System Saver that Suzanne sent you!

Here's the easy answer:  a great dog is one of the best investment anyone can possibly make, and with luck, one that will last you 14-15 years. If you can't be bothered to invest a bit of time answering a bunch of questions, no way will Suzanne entrust a puppy to you.

Additionally, life is about taking risks without guarantees of success. If anything defines the art of breeding, it's probably that:  lots of risk, no guarantees.  If you'd like guarantees of success before you bother to invest in the process, then another GSD breeder is a better choice for you.

Because she works with trainers from all over the US and internationally, Suzanne is sometimes able to make recommendations based on personal experience with a trainer.

But, you must provide details on where you live. It's surprising how many people email to ask for a recommendation, but never give a tiny clue about where they live.

Future plans include certification of Relationship Centered Trainers, but that's in the distance. Until then, one starting point is www.apdt.com where you can do a Trainer Search. Be careful & thorough in doing your research on any potential trainer. Some look good on paper but may not have the skills you need.  Ask a lot of questions, and wherever possible, get solid recommendations from people you trust. If you can, watch the trainer in action with someone else's dog(s) before allowing them to handle yours.

While Suzanne would love to see dogs and people in their home environment, it is rarely practical for her to do so. Most consultations take place at her farm in St. Johnville NY (between Syracuse & Albany) or in conjunction with seminars she teaches throughout the US and internationally.  For special cases, she is available for in-home consults within 2-3 hours driving time of her farm but this is costly as you are buying a full day of her time.