Quality You Can Trust
Our Passion for Shepherds
At Forest Home Shepherds, we are a family breeder in Colorado devoted to preserving the legacy of the European working-line German Shepherd.
Our dogs descend from world-class imported pedigrees, including WUSV World Champions and National Champions of Belgium and the Czech Republic. We raise each puppy with intentional care, prioritizing health, temperament, and a lifelong connection between dog and owner.
Our focus is on producing exceptional, well-socialized, and intelligent German Shepherd puppies from limited, high-quality litters. Raised in our home with care, structure, and daily interaction, each puppy benefits from a safe, enriching environment that nurtures confidence, resilience, and balanced development.
Every one of our adult dogs has been personally hand-selected by us not only for their outstanding temperament, proven health, and world-class European pedigree, but also to become a lasting part of our home, life, and purpose-driven breeding program. These dogs embody the qualities we value most — making them ideally suited for family companionship, protection work, and competitive sport.
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Reviews
Marisa and Shawn are dedicated to making their lifelong dream of breeding German Shepherds a reality. They are truly a family breeder committed to providing a high level of integrity, offering excellent communication, and nurturing, wonderful, and well rounded puppies. We are blessed to have the first puppy born from their first litter--and we couldn't be happier! Mark and Nancy owners of Sophie
I recently had the pleasure of working with Forest Home Shepherds when purchasing our German Shepherd, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. From the very beginning, Marisa was professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly attentive to our needs. She took the time to answer all of our questions, provide detailed information about the breed, and ensured we were matched with the perfect puppy for our family.
One of the highlights of working with Forest Home Shepherds was the regular updates and pictures they sent us from the time our puppy was born until adoption day. It was so special to see our puppy grow and develop, and it made the entire process feel very personal and connected.
Forest Home Shepherds raise their dogs on a beautiful piece of land, which provides an ideal environment for the puppies to thrive. These dogs are East German working dogs, known for their strength, intelligence, and loyalty. While they are absolutely stunning, they also require a lot of socialization and training to reach their full potential. Marisa was very clear about this, and provided excellent guidance on how to properly care for and train our new family member.
Our German Shepherd is everything we hoped for. It’s clear that Forest Home Shepherds are deeply committed to the well-being of their dogs and take great care in raising puppies that are not only beautiful but also well-prepared for their new homes.
We are so grateful to have found Forest Home Shepherds and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a top-quality German Shepherd. This has been a truly positive and rewarding experience, and we couldn't be more thrilled with our new family member! Whitney - owner of Hunter
My family and I lost our beloved German Shepherd last year, and we felt like he would have wanted us to provide a good home for another pup, so we started looking. We found Marisa and her family with a litter of pups, and we fell in love with a young male pup we eventually named Trooper. The best part of our experince with Marisa and her family was that once we picked Trooper out and were waiting for the right time to bring him home, she kept us very involved in his "daily routine," sending us pictures while playing or on walks, his first bath, and a full report on his first physical at the vet's office. Marisa was quick to return messages and was always available if we needed anything. We've had Trooper for about eight months now, and we are still sending Marisa pictures of him! We would wholeheartly recommend Marisa and Shawn as breeders and true dog lovers." Jim and Julie owners of Trooper
I purchased my little/big sable German Shepherd, Luna, from Shawn and Marisa. Luna has a great temperament and is a healthy dog, almost a year old. The breeder was very accomidating during the process of picking up Luna. They took extra time out of their life to hold Luna for two weeks after she was ready because of a scheduling conflict. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a puppy. Thank you Shawn and Marisa, when I want another one, you are my first choice! Thank you, Troy owner of Luna
We got our adorable boy Kovu from them last May, and he has been such a wonderful addition to our family. Forest Home Shepherds were great about keeping us updated during the adoption process and made the whole ordeal easy and stress-free. They even gave us a bag of puppy food and a blanket that he still cuddles with today. If you're looking for a good breeder in the Colorado Springs area, I highly recommend these guys. Zach and Alissa - owners of Kovu
I got one of Forest Home Shepherds female dogs about six months ago. She is an amazing well tempered dog. We love her so much and would definitely recommend them . Dogs are well taken care of and their home is perfect for what they do. Lots of space to run and a really nice kennel setup! Thanks guys for brightening our lives with Armina!!! Joseph - owner of Armina
Luna is just the sweetest girl. She loves to snuggle under a blanket and thinks she’s a lap dog. She was so easy to train basic commands and loves to run with me. Forest home shepherds made the adoption process as easy as possible and we still send updates on Luna. If you are looking for a great family German shepherd, then talk to Marisa and Shawn and meet their wonderful dogs! Kacey - owner of Luna
My Wife and I had lost our German Shepherd and we had felt like a piece in our home was missing. We knew we needed to make an addition to our family and we knew we wanted a quality breeder. By luck we found Marisa and Black Forest Shepherds. We saw a puppy on the website we loved and Marisa encouraged us to come out to their home and meet Ranger. From the moment we met Marisa and her husband we knew we had found the perfect people. They were both so knowledgeable and you could tell they both have a true passion for this breed and what they do. From leaving their house the first time to when we picked Ranger up Marisa was in constant communication with us, updating us with vet visits and just fun videos of him being a puppy around the property. Since bringing Ranger home he has been the perfect puppy, he has amazing temperament and training has been a breeze with him. We are still in communication with Marisa almost a year later. She loves getting update pics and videos of the puppies, just another way you know she truly cares about what she is doing and cares about the puppies and people that pick them along the way. We are a German shepherd family and Black Forest is the only breeder I will ever go to and the only breeder I will recommend to anyone wanting a German Shepherd from amazing people. Brandon -- owner of Ranger
From our very first conversation with Marisa, we were impressed. To hear the amount of research and thought that occured before the breeding even began was impressive. As promised, there has been periodic follow-up to how she is doing now. Poppy is now 12 months old. Owners of Poppy
Marisa and Shawn are great breeders, whether you’re looking for a family dog or you have always dreamed of having a German shepherd! I found them through a website and I’m so glad I did! They made the process of getting my best friend Thor so easy; whether it was letting me visit him even when he wasn’t ready for pick up, explaining his whole pedigree to me, and what his parents background is. These are kind of breeders you strive to have! But not only are they great breeders Marisa and Shawn are great people very nice understanding and helpful! Isaiah - owner of Thor
I found Shawn and Marisa through the Good Dog website, at the time I was just browsing to kill time on the way to Loveland and saw their adorable sable pups. I inquired about them and Marisa responded right away, and the next thing I knew were on our way to look at their pups. That’s when I purchased my sable boy Murphy and I am so glad found him! He is a very active and spunky guy love him to pieces, love his personality. He is so smart and has been so easy to train in obedience. I have enjoyed every moment of it, he was valedictorian of his Intermediate Class with a perfect score! Can’t be prouder, he has also tested and received his titles for Canine Good Citizenship and Trick. I feel if I put more time in with him he could do some pretty neat stuff he is very motivated and eager to learn. I send pictures and keep Marisa updated on how Murphy is doing. She has always been great at answering any questions or concerns I may have. They are great people to work with. They have a nice facility and there dogs all look very healthy! I would highly recommend them as a breeder. They were great they let us take our time mingling and playing with the pups until we decided which one we wanted. I know I will go back to Forest Homes again when I am in need of another sable boy. Murphy has been the best love him so much!
Thank you Shawn and Marisa for my Murph is the best! -- Jacqueline, owner of Murphy
I cannot speak highly enough of your breeding program. Anastasia is now a year old, and she is truly exceptional. Even her trainer’s comment on her intelligence — and note that it's high even by German Shepherd standards. She weighs around 70 pounds, all solid muscle, and she absolutely loves her daily 3–5-mile walks. Even on the days we do two of them, she still has energy to spare. She’s in training to be a service dog and is already well ahead of the curve. She learns incredibly fast and responds beautifully to coaching. Her desire to please and serve is something I don’t have the words to fully describe. She enjoys exploring off-leash but never lets me out of her sight, and she returns immediately when called. She also draws attention everywhere we go because of her stunning appearance. Friends and family are always surprised by how often people stop us — literally multiple times a day — just to compliment her. Her sable coat, black mask, and bright, intelligent eyes speak of a noble heart and sharp mind. Her beauty and presence are truly remarkable.
I sincerely hope to breed her one day — she is such an outstanding example of the breed that her line deserves to be continued. That said, I’m not sure there’s a sire worthy of her! It’s hard to imagine another dog with her combination of striking looks, loyal temperament, high intelligence, and joyful personality. She is, in every way, the perfect dog. --Dave, owner of Anastasia