Preview Review

Next Review

Omega Shepherds Consumer Reviews

Most Popular | Newest | More Options >
More filter options:
Mt GSD Rescue No Longer Taking in Dogs From Omega Shepherds in Clancy, Mt
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

CLANCY, MONTANTA -- Montana German Shepherd /Belgian Malinois Rescue will no longer take into rescue, any Omega Shepherds from MT. All the dogs we have gotten in have had major health issues. Pannus, thyroid, hips, heart murmurs, and even double ears on one ear, yup that is right folks, I have photos to prove it from 2 different dogs. I have also had many phone complaints from people that have purchased a puppy or dog from this kennel. People, Please, Please, Please do your homework and check out this kennel before you purchase a dog from these people. Research, research, research before you buy!!!

Replies
I Wouldn't Purchase Another Dog From This Breeder.
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

CLANCY, MONTANTA -- In 2004 I purchased a male GSD from this kennel. I thought I had done my homework before I chose this kennel. At the age of 5 1/2 my boy Harley winced in pain so I took him to the vet. After exam, xrays, and lab work he was diagnosed with left hip dysplasia, damaged right knee (mostly likely injured because of him compensating for the left hip dysplasia), spinal degeneration, spleen and bowel issues. For reference, he was also born with an umbilical hernia (which the breeder had repaired before I brought Harley home). My vet assured me that these issues were all mostly related to poor genetics as Harley was born with these problems.

None of the issues were a result of my care of him. Harley was given a premium quality dog food and spent several days a week in doggy day care while I was a work. We went on walks all the time. He was well loved and cared for. In June of 2018 (at the age of 12) he lost his ability to use his hind end. I bought my boy a rear wheel cart so he could be mobile. His disabilities grew worse and in September (one day after my birthday) I had to put my beloved boy down. Harley was my heart. I'll never forgive this kennel for having such a lousy breeding program that my boy had to go through this hell.

Replies
DO NOT Buy From Omega Shepherds
By -

CLANCY, MONTANTA -- I purchased my German shepherd from Omega Shepherds In February 2009. Within the first few days I noticed my puppy would make a very odd gurgly noise in her throat, it sounded as though she was preparing to vomit. When my puppy was making this noise her throat also would appear to be extending out, it reminded me of a frog when they puff out their throat. I contacted the breeder and explained my observations and inquired as to whether there were any issues with other littermates or the mother or father of my puppy. They denied any health issues with their puppies.

In the coming weeks the issue became more apparent and would cause my puppy more issues after she was eating. After several tests (to include x-rays and a barium swallow test I was informed my puppy had a severe case of esophageal dysphagia. The veterinarian explained that this issues was sometimes seen in a much older dog but had never been observed in a puppy. The vet further explained the concerns I noted (the throaty, extending throat, and issues after eating) was a result of this condition. In essence my puppy had a lack esophagus muscle which is what allows a dog to push their food down from their mouth to the stomach.

This also leads to issue with digestion, vomiting, possible choking on food, and bloat issues. Because that we were dealing with such a young puppy the prognosis was not good. I was informed in older dogs a surgery can be done which is basically a surgical scraping of the dogs esophagus which then forms scar tissue and helps tighten up and decreases the looseness of the esophagus. This procedure was not an easy fix as in older dogs it sometimes has to be repeated after time.

I was informed a dog suffering from this condition will require lifelong care to help in the ingestion and proper digestion of food and water. (Such care was needed to help make up for what the esophagus was not doing which was pushing down and holding down the food, elevated feedings, soft food, and limited amounts of food and water at a time.)

The veterinarian informed me the puppy would have a very poor quality of life and could likely choke on its own food and water if not always supervised. I called the breeder after learning such terrible news and after she adamantly denied any health issues with her dogs her answer was to have the puppy put down. My daughter had already begun to bond with the dog and I could not bring myself to euthanize such a young puppy that could have a chance at life. The next night I was up all night with my puppy and realized the condition she was suffering from was not only problematic but caused her to suffer.

I came to this realization after she was done eating and she was having difficulty getting the food down. You could see a bulge in her esophagus where the food was stuck and would not push down into her stomach. She appeared to be in pain and was restless and uncomfortable. She was pacing uncontrollably, panting, and attempting to vomit repeatedly. I frantically called the vet and was informed this was to be expected due to her diagnosis and if the puppy was having such difficulties the incidents and issues would only increase with time.

When I spoke to the breeder her answer was again to euthanize the dog and she would "replace" her with a new puppy. I consulted with my vet the following day and determined the puppy had such a severe case of dysphagia that euthanasia was the "best option." (This was a traumatic and emotional decision but it was either this or allow the puppy to suffer and possibly die from choking at anytime.)

Although the breeder did "replace" my puppy with one from another litter she was difficult to work with. It was obvious the recent events had caused me and my daughter to be emotionally drained and she still refused to bring the new puppy to me (approximately 4 hours away). I explained I did not believe I should have to drive the 4 hours again since I had just made the trip less than 3 weeks prior to pick up my sick and now euthanized puppy. I explained I had a young child and was unable to make another trip to pick up the puppy. She refused to make the trip.

After receiving my new puppy I immediately took her to the vet for a check. At the check-up I was informed the puppy had a severe overbite which would cause her issues in the future. The vet informed me this was a major defect and would require her bottom canines to be shaved down to prevent them from protruding into the roof of her mouth.

When I called the breeder to explain the recent discovery at my vet she again denied any such issues with her puppies. I asked what the odds were that I would have gotten the only 2 puppies with health issues... of which were from 2 separate litters. The breeders only answer to this was to offer to exchange my puppy for yet another. I explained this was the 2nd puppy I had received from her with health issues and was certain another puppy would only have further issues. She refused to return my money. I further explained that the recent veterinarian visits with the previous sick puppy had cost me over $500 on top of the $1500 I had just paid for the puppy.

The breeder eventually agreed to return $500 of my money but under the agreement that my new puppy would not be allowed to be registered and would have to be spayed. As I was only interested in a family pet this was easy for me to agree to. I had to make other arrangements for the puppy to be brought back to me as the breeder still refused to bring her to me. My "puppy" is now 2 years old is a part of family and is very much loved but there are ongoing issues. Her bottom canines were shaved down and are approximately half the size they should be. She has difficulty eating and drinking due to the gap between her upper and lower jaw.

She also has a significant limp in her right front leg, which started over 6 months ago and will continue to cause her pain and issues throughout the rest of her life. At times she carries the leg as though it is broken and is unwilling/unable to bear any weight on the leg. At such a young age she should not be suffering from any such ailments and I only hope she will not have further health issues to endure.

When I decided to purchase a german shepherd, it was because I was looking for a breed of dog with the protective and guard characteristics of a shepherd. I was living on my own with my young daughter and was looking for a dog that would be a good guard dog and protective of not only my daughter and myself but our home. I felt a purebred german shepherd would have the "truest" temperament and characteristics of the breed without making the characteristics I was searching for "overemphasized."

I really thought a purebred shepherd would help ensure the temperament was truest to the breed and did not consider the additional health issues that often accompany purebreds due to the breeding process and limited gene pool which often only emphasizes and exaggerates the health conditions and issues of the breed. I do understand purebreds also have the higher likelihood of health issues associated with their breed but not to the extent, variation, and severity as I have had with my 2 puppies from Omega Shepherds.

Like my vet said an 8-10 week old puppy with Esophageal dysphagia has never been observed by him and is only a condition he has only seen in a much older dog. And the issues with my second puppy from Omega had the issue of the overbite which is not at all a characteristic common with the breed but is a result of 'overbreeding' and the issues with her front right shoulder is very severe and she is just over 2 years old.... not an issue a young 2 year shepherd should be struggling with!!

Replies
My Omega Shepherd; the good news/bad news
By -

CLANCY, MT, MISSOURI -- My Omega Shepherd; the good news/bad news version: I purchased my German shepherd puppy from Omega Shepherds located in Clancy, Montana approx. 4 yrs. ago. I spoke to the breeder, via telephone, and she was pleasant and patient in listening to my requests and answering questions. They requested $2500 up front and I agreed. My pup became the love of my life and one of the most gorgeous shepherds I have raised to date.

Unfortunately, for me and my best companion, yesterday was one of the saddest days of my life as she was euthanized in my arms just as she was settling down into her 4th year with a vocabulary of about 50 words/commands. She was the smartest/quickest study of a dog, she was obedient, eager to please, social towards people and other dogs and yet protective of me and extremely watchful of my every move. I adored her as she did me and in these short 4 years we became the very best of pals. I will miss her forever and still cannot imagine how I will get through these days and months ahead of me.

The bad news: my Omega shepherd developed Pannus (chronic superficial keratitis, is a condition and ongoing inflammation of the cornea - the surface of the eye) that eventually leads to blindness if not treated with eye drops/ointment every single day of the dog's life. Pannus is exacerbated by constant exposure to living in areas of snow, bright sunlight, high altitude areas and exposure to ultra violet sun rays. I do believe she was born with this auto-immune disease but it cannot be confirmed. She lived with me inside the home, slept in my bed and was only outside to watch me garden and for her beloved "fetching"€ sessions with the tennis balls.

She developed Pannus about a year ago and we had it under control with daily eye drops (actually the ointment worked better for us) but it is expensive and treatment is a life-long process but one that I was more than happy to accommodate. I live in a desert climate at about sea level with no snow whatsoever. About 3 weeks ago she was diagnosed with Lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system) and unfortunately we did not discover this sooner as I was willing to treat her w/ chemo therapy.

It became apparent to me and my vet, after 3 treatments of chemo, that her "bad" days were out-weighing her "€œgood"€ days and it was inhumane to continue this process at her Stage 5 level of prognosis. Lymphoma can be successfully treated with chemotherapy but it is a very fast growing cancer in dogs and we did not discover it soon enough.

The good news: my Omega shepherd was stunning in all respects, otherwise. Her markings and coloring were remarkable and everyone commented on her beauty. Her coat was as soft as cashmere and her energy level was almost over the top. She pranced around the perimeter of my large back yard like a 1st class stallion. I have never seen a dog so alert and beautiful in confirmation. Her bark was like a machine gun battalion and she was everything I have ever wanted or expected from a GSD. No one ever entered my yard when we were working in the garden because of the respect she commanded.

I felt so safe and secure taking her with me in the car or wherever we traveled together. She was highly trainable and learned commands with not much effort on my part. Potty training her as a pup was instant. She was very "vocal"€ and learned to say, "€œI woof you€". She did numerous tricks and was motivated by praise rather than by treats.

With all of the above medical problems (I think I have invested over 10K in my beloved Omega shepherd), I would have paid twice that amount to keep her alive if it was possible. I loved her so much and am writing this so that others will know that there is good news/bad news as it relates to this kennel. In all fairness to the folks at Omega Shepherds, I did not contact them to discuss any of her medical conditions because I was not willing to "trade her in"€ if that was even offered.

My focus and goal was to help my beloved girl stay as healthy as possible and continue our lives together for as long as possible. I am devastated by her loss. I can be reached at ** for any questions or comments regarding my experience with Omega Shepherds or general questions about my dog'€™s medical experiences as related above.

Replies
Advertisement
Omega Shepherds ARE Liars & Cheats
By -

CLANCY, MONTANTA -- This is a dog breeder from Montana. My mum, and I tried to purchase a German Shepherd puppy from this breeder to train as a service dog. We ran into nothing but problems! I picked out my $1,000 puppy, and he was supposed to be "smart", and friendly with perfect markings.

She told me she was training him, and he was learning all the basics. He was 6 months old at this time, but since we wanted to train him as a service dog that is what we wanted. We had never bought a purebred dog before, and had No experience in this area! Now I know I will never search the internet for a breeder. Not ever!

Right before he was supposed to be shipped, we got this call. The breeder was really upset, and said she was horrified to discover that the pup had a "slight heart murmur". He shouldn't have any problems, and would still be a perfect "pet" but shouldn't be breed. (We were never going to breed him anyway.)

The breeder said she would sell him to us at $500 because she just KNEW he would be perfect for me, and "he was meant to be yours". I didn't know what to do. So I did the dumbest thing in the world. I said, yes. Now I see we were suckered by that famous, "Appeal to their heartstrings," type of Sales Pitch! Our pup was shipped out, and we picked him up. He was beautiful, but didn't listen to a word we said. Wouldn't walk on a leash, and seemed to have never beed walked on a leash ever! I didn't know what to do.

We called the breeder because this was a German Shepherd, but his ears were NOT standing at SIX-Month-Old!
She told us that it was "normal", and to feed him gelatine. At this point we knew something was up. (We should have known way before, but we were naive!) Then I complained that he didn't walk on a leash, and I couldn't handle him. He also WASN'T housebroken at 6-months.

We called the breeder two more times, and wanted to send him back she tried to refuse, and we told her THAT wasn't an option at this point. We shipped him back, and guess what? A call came from the airport at her end, she refused to pick him up! Would we surrender him to their local animal shelter? NO!

Then we got a bombshell :: The airport told us, "This is normal for this breeder. They buyers send these pups back, and she refuses them so she can say she doesn't have to refund the money. Then she picks them up at the animal shelter." "This is what she used to try. But most shelters had caught on to her." The man still wanted to warn us anyway. We were heartbroken!

Needless to say we shipped the pup back, and found him a good home for free on our end! (It was to a professional dog trainer who thought she could work with him.) There was NO way we were letting this innocent pup back to that horrible woman! He didn't need to be in her "care" anymore. This was more than 10 years ago now. But I'm horrified that this person is still in business. So I need to get this information out there about my experience. STAY AWAY FROM OMEGA SHEPHERDS IN MONTANA! The breeder is a liar, and a cheat.

Replies
BEWARE--Irresponsible Breeder Selling Compromised German Shepherd Dogs
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

CLANCY, MONTANTA -- We purchased our German Shepherd puppy in May 2007 from Omega Shepherds, without reviewing prior online complaints. I should have known there was a problem from the beginning when the contract stated there was only a guarantee IF we purchased an expensive vitamin supplement for one year that Omega Shepherds is the distributor for! This is not stated on the website. When our new puppy had blood in her first stool with us, I called ** of Omega Shepherds and incredibly she claimed there were no parasites in Montana so our puppy had not received the typical dewormers. Our puppy DID have parasites and was treated appropriately by our vet.

Our dog was also diagnosed with HIP DYSPLASIA at 3 years of age when she started limping. I was naïve and did not realize I needed to view X-rays and that ** had lied about the hip dysplasia certification. Her back legs also point outward in an abnormal position. I recently found online another Omega Shepherd dog with this "frenchy" position of the forelegs. She was also diagnosed with PANNUS when my son noted a growth on her eyeball and requires daily steroid eye drops. I have since noted online that many Omega Shepherds develop this debilitating eye disease.

Starting at around 9 months of age she developed SEVERE ALLERGIES. Even with a grain-free diet, multiple dietary elimination trials and environmental allergy shots she continued to gnaw mercilessly at her anus and lick her paws until they were raw and bleeding or infected. We are unable to lower her daily steroid medication so she is STEROID DEPENDENT and she subsequently became HYPOTHYROID requiring daily thyroid medication. Earlier this year she developed SKIN CANCER on her tail.

Our vet calls her our "million dollar dog" for the cost of all of her ailments which we recognize is due to the IRRESPONSIBLE BREEDING PRACTICES of Omega Shepherds. We love our dog but it is heart-breaking that this breeder is producing such sick, compromised dogs. I hope this review helps someone else avoid Omega Shepherds like the plague. More than the financial aspect, their irresponsible breeding and selling practices have caused us tremendous heartache with what our wonderful dog has had to endure.

Replies
Omega Shepherds is Wonderful!
StarStarStarStarStarBy -
Rating: 5/51

DENVER, COLORADO -- I have been watching Omega Shepherds site for years and was finally ready to purchase a puppy from them when I saw some of these complaints online about them. I became nervous and almost didn't buy a puppy, but I was so in love with their dogs that I decided to research some of these comments about them. After reading many of the posts I started to realize that so many of them sound like they are posted by the same person with different user names - the more I read the stranger they sounded. I read all of Omega Shepherds references on their site and didn't see how all these comments on line could be true.

I decided to see what would happen if I put in other reputable breeders like - Fleisherheim and Mittelwest who are always in the tops at the Sieger Shows - and I was shocked that ALL of them have the same type of complaints - and ALL of them sound exactly the same, bad hips, bad health, dogs died, etc. etc. etc. I have a hard time believing ALL of these breeders are producing "Bad" dogs and treating everyone badly and it sounds like someone has a problem with "Breeders" per se, or maybe it is smaller breeders - I don't know.

I went ahead and purchased a female puppy. She has been the most wonderful pup from day one. The first night she wanted to be cuddled several times - the next night she slept clean through! She is my 18 month old son's shadow. She doesn't let him out of her site and she is just 9 weeks old! We just came from the vet were she got a clean bill of health and he proceeded to say that this was one of the best mannered and well adjusted German Shepherds he has seen in years.

I am glad I did my research and didn't let the internet stop my wonderful decision to buy the most wonderful - well adjusted - well socialized - puppy I could imagine. Omega Shepherds is wonderful!

Replies
German Shepherd Puppy with Severe Hip Dysplasia
By -

CLANCY, MT, MONTANTA -- We recently purchased a German Shepherd for $1,500 from Omega Shepherds. We were looking for a good pet, not a dog to breed, but would possibly perform Rally or Agility. We were told they have very good quality companion/ working dogs. Unfortunately, at 6 months old, this supposedly well-bred dog has been found to have SEVERE bilateral hip dysplasia and will most likely need surgery before she is 10 months old. This problem was found because she started limping. We contacted the owner of Omega who said she was shocked to hear this news and wanted to know if we were going to put the dog down.

Of course we are not going to put her down as she is now part of our family. We asked if we could have some of our money back to help pay for her surgery, but she said she was not able to do that but could send us another puppy. We already have one dog with a crippling genetic disease, which is very costly, so why would we want another one. We are very disappointed with this breeder and feel they need to have their dogs evaluated for this problem and stop breeding dogs who have hip dysplasia. I guess we were stupid to purchase a dog knowing that it was not OFA certified but we were assured by Omega that none of their dogs have had hip problems.

Upon searching for complaints regarding Omega Shepherds, we have found that there have been several complaints regarding dogs from Omega with hip dysplasia, so apparently they know they are breeding dogs with bad hips but obviously they do not care. How sad! I wish I had thought to search the Internet for complaints before buying from Omega. I did check with the Better Business Bureau before purchasing a dog from Omega but no complaints had been filed against them.

Replies
Advertisement
Omega is in it for the money and the 100% satisfaction is a scam!!!
By -

Do not believe the good posts you see about Omega Shepherds. It is them posting lies trying to salvage their name.
First off, the 100% satisfaction contract is a scam. They do not ensure the dogs ears will go up, if the dogs ears do not go up the contract is void!!! What kind of 100% satisfaction is that? They also require you to keep the dog on NUvet and Nujoiunt by Nulabs. A supplement company. That is because Omega make 1/2 of the money you send to Nulabs. If you do not keep them on it which will be an additional $130 a month... the contract is void! Supplements are bad and a healthy puppy should and does not need them!!!

Secondly, they lied about the parents of a puppy I was going to buy. The pictures of the father was not the same dog they showed me. The dog they showed me did not look like a german shepherd. He looked like some kind of medium size mix breed. I could not believe they had a dog like him in their breeding stock!!! He was only about 50 lbs full size, almost all black, he had long curly tufts of hair behind his ears!!! The mother was spastic and out of control. She had a bad personality. She whined out of control, and jumped up and down on the kennel door and ran in circles around the kennel trying to get to the breeder.

Even though her supposed puppies were only 5 weeks old she did not even recognize them at all. It was very weird!!! You could tell by the condition of the kennels and the behavior of the 20 dogs on site that they were not well cared for and hardly let out. It was very sad. They were all either whimpering and crying or barking. They seem nice on the phone but act weird in person. Like they can't get their story straight and the niceness was only a show on the phone. Once you but the puppy they are nasty and ignore your calls!

My males ears did not go up, he is not a standard german shepherd. People always think he is a mix breed. His coat and color is not like good quality german shepherds should be. They also breed dogs with bad personalities. They are either fearful or too friendly. They act like a crazy out of control like they are nervous. Or they are mean and do not bond with their owner. I have had a breeder and several people tell me this. One breeder told me they saw 2 females from Omega and they were squirrel like in personality. And the breeding did not take.

My shepherd whom I love to death looks and acts more like some kind of mix breed. Not standard at all!!! Beware, they are in it for the money!!!!

Replies
Do Not Buy From These People!
By -

CLANCY, MONTANTA -- On 08/02/05 I contacted Omega Shepherds about purchasing a dog from them. I was told they did have one available and went to look at the dog. We were informed the price was $4500 and was worth it because of the dogs pedigree and training. We were told the dog was good with people and kids, was house broken, and had basic obedience training. We left without the dog that day. We called ** and ** on 08/03/05 and told them we would like to purchase the dog, however we only had $3000. They agreed to take the $3000 and take payments on the remaining balance.

We signed a contract to that effect and met them in Helena at Valley Farms to complete the transaction. The next day the dog barked at my oldest son and kept him from coming upstairs. The day after that he did the same thing to my youngest child. We called ** and she said "we must have done something to the dog." We informed her that we had not and asked for a refund. She said she would take the dog back, but would not refund our money. We contacted a dog trainer to help us and did get the dogs to leave the children alone, but the dog continued to have problems with people around town. This whole time the dog had "accidents" on our carpet 4 times a day everyday.

This dog would not stop jumping on people and would not come when called. We once again complained to Omega Shepherds and were told it was our fault. We had only had the dog for a week and every behavior this 6 month old dog had was our fault. We came to find out that the only "obedience" training this dog had was heel and sit. Other than that it knew nothing. We were lied to about the dogs demeanor, training, and social level. Nothing they told us was true.

We have since had to give up and give the dog back to them for the safety of our family. We were threatened that if we told anyone anything by ** that she had a friend who was a lawyer and a judge that had one of her dogs and they would sue us. Every phone call we made we were told we were stupid and treating the dog badly.

Replies
Top of Page | Next Page >

Omega Shepherds Rating:
Star Star Empty star Empty star Empty star
2.0 out of 5, based on 7 ratings and
20 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
Omega Shepherds
160 Elk Trl
Clancy, MT 59634
406-443-0477 (ph)
www.omegashepherds.com
Compare Miscellaneous Companies