Breeding Mission

Before consideration may be made of the worth of any animal, particularly a dog, since they are domesticated and live with us, any one should be interested in the breeder. The breeder is responsible for every aspect of the dog produced. Look and get to know to the person responsible for a particular breeding program. There is absolutely no question at Misty Ridge, the breeder and driving force is Joyce Burdette.

Joyce is an excellent horse person. Here she gives her granddaughter, Jessie, her first lesson. Joyce grew up country.

Joyce of course enjoys the companionship of a good dog, like Lewis.

Joyce is very proud of her family. She enjoys Christmas with granddaughter Jessica, daughter Kelly, veterinarian, and Granddaughter Andrea first row. Third granddaughter was born February, 2004, so she missed this picture.

Only one word comes to mind to describe Joyce - Unique. Joyce has an affinity with animals, particularly dogs. She is truly a women of vision, possessing a very high degree of personal integrity. She strives to be the best and to produce the best German Shepherds, without qualification or question.

Simply a visit to Misty Ridge will provide testimony to Joyce’s talent, vision, drive, and integrity. Joyce bought a piece of property that no one wanted. After it sat, vacant and vandalized, the property was listed for sale. What others saw as useless bottom land, with dilapidated buildings, Joyce saw as the perfect property for a Kennel. A place where a dog could bark and no one would complain. A place where a dog could run free ,walk, swim, or merely lie in the shade without human interference.

Though Joyce’s sheer determination and hard work, she turned this unwanted piece of property into a showplace, totally devoted to animals. That’s why it is called Misty Ridge Animal Resort. As Joyce says, "My dogs have given me a lot, I want to give them something in return." What she gave them is a kennel built to the highest specifications to insure the safety of all dogs and cats, a training facility to rival any other in the world, a Schutzhund club, acres of manicured lawns, three ponds, and lots of total serenity. The kennel was built after Joyce consulted with Veterinarians from the University of Pennsylvania. She did this to protect her guests from physical dangers (nothing to impale themselves. i.e., protruding screws, metal parts, etc.) and to insure the most germ and virus free environment possible.

The training facility and Schutzhund club are necessary since Joyce breeds to German Standards, rather than to non-exiting American standards. German standards require a breeder to actually work with the dogs and title the dogs, this process normally takes two years before you are allowed to breed and register the dog as a pure bred German Shepherd.

Joyce has been breeding German Shepherds for thirty years (actually longer but the truth would give away a woman's age and that would be a bad thing). The objectives of Joyce's breeding program are Size, Intelligence and Temperament. Joyce’s dogs may be larger than what most people would expect , if they are familiar with only American blood lines. Joyce produces a very intelligent dog, which is very important since confidence and courage flow from intelligence. All of Joyce dogs possess a very even temperament, one that an owner can rely upon. Their disposition is such that any owner can have these dogs in any environment, urban, suburban, country, and not fear that these dogs would harm anyone indiscriminately. At the same time, their intelligence enables them to discern a real threat from a perceived threat, offering protection for you and your family. In most cases merely their imposing presence is a sufficient deterrent. Joyce’s dogs offer a second form of protection, especially to children and the elderly. They are compassionate and prevent their charge from falling into harm's way.

One characteristic of Joyce’s dogs that surprise most visitors is their gentleness, a trait which Joyce believes is a mark of a well bred German Shepherd. Size, Intelligence, and Temperament are the objectives, and Gentleness, Courage, and Confidence result.

Joyce sold dogs of her breeding in forty nine of the fifty states, Hawaii being the sole exception. Some of these purchases were based on word of mouth or Joyce’s reputation alone. Most customers from other states called to say that they saw a dog from Misty Ridge that was simply beautiful and that the owner had wonderful things to say about Joyce. For some reason, this happens very often in New York City and San Francisco, California. Their request,based just on a telephone call, results in a dog equally as beautiful.

In addition to the US, Joyce sold dogs to customers in Brazil,Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Guam, South Africa, Turkey, Italy, England and Germany. Joyce is the only breeder in the U.S. to have exported a German Shepherd to Germany. With the exception of Germany, all purchases resulted from people asking an “expert” find the best German Shepherd. Each found their way to Joyce. The two dogs exported to Germany resulted from Joyce having shown and competed her dogs in Germany.

German standards also require dogs be titled, and thereby prove they possess the highest desirable characteristics of a German Shepherd, before they are allowed to breed. Because the training program is a prerequisite to breeding, Joyce competes her dogs in Germany, Austria and Belgium, as well as the US. Her desire to be the best and produce the best dogs drives her to compete against the best in the world in order to evaluate her training and breeding programs. Judging from the results she achieves her goals, but Joyce never stops trying to improve. Rather than visit these countries to have photo opportunities with officials of the various registration organizations, Joyce is in the field (literally) working with the very best trainers, learning more about German Shepherds.

As is the case of most breeders of German Shepherds, Joyce started training and showing her dogs under the auspices of the AKC. She titled many dogs both in conformation and obedience trials. Presently, Joyce shows her dogs in international competition under the rules promulgated by the SV, Schafferhund Verein, the original club exclusively devoted to the German Shepherd. Through National competition, Joyce qualified for the FCI Championship in Nitra, Slovakia. Joyce and her dog, Dachs von Lister Tor, competed against 250 other competitors from approximately 49 other countries.

Joyce (center) with other members of the FCI team

Joyce (once again in the center), with Dachs von Lister Tor

In the most recent competition, Joyce and her female, Francis, took first (high in trial), against thirty other competitors in Rosstal, Germany. She titled many other dogs to the Schutzhund III level, in fact, Joyce is a member of the Schutzhund III club, whose membership is restricted only to those individuals who start with an untitled dog and train it to the Schutzhund III level. Very few individuals in the US are members of this club.

Joyce is a member of the SV, USA (United Schutzhund Clubs of America), AKC, and is President of the Johann Platt Schafferhund Verein. She favors participation in those organizations which exist to foster German Shepherds, as Joyce says, there is no other breed of dog.

Many of the dogs bred by Joyce have competed successfully in AKC as well. In fact, some have earned the title of Dog of the Year. Some individuals visit Joyce’s kennel after having attended an AKC competition and remarked about how many of Joyce's breedings were entered into the trial, how many did well, but that they looked so much better than the other Shepherds. Also, many have now earned Schutzhund titles and have qualified for the nationals.

Anyone interested in puppies, or stud services, may select from the dogs and bitches shown on our German Shepherd page. Complete pedigrees are available upon request.