14 years ago my son and I purchased a Shepard from Suzie. He was a whiny cowered practically afraid of his own shadow. But as time went by he grew into a proud, intelligent, intuitive and confident 105 lbs almost human dog. I think he was the only pup of 8 not bought by the CHP. I can't say enough about how Rudy has always grounded our lives. He is always by my side. Now all these years later his time is running out. He is older and wiser and sleeps most of the day. I like to think I got the best dog ever but I get the feeling there are many best dogs ever at Hinterland I think Rudy will be my last canine companion. If I change my mind I will call Suzie and reintroduce myself. No place else I would ever go. You can't just replace a great dog and I could never just replace Rudy. But I know that I would get a fine companion from Suzie. No need to look elsewhere. Suzie if you ever find yourself reading this Iwant to thank you from my heart. Rudy has given me countless days of loyalty and love. I'm so glad I made that drive . The investment made that day will never stop paying dividends read more

The negative reviews on this page seem to be from competing breeders who have their own agenda. First of all, you cant criticize a breeder for the actions of the people who purhcase a dog and then dont take care of it. That has nothing to do with a breeder. Giving a 1-star review to a business for something that has nothing to do with the business, these kinds of reviews should be removed by Yelp. And saying a breeder "lies" about their dogs background and certifications does not even make sense when the dogs are AKC registered. Thats like lying about playing for the Denver Broncos. Its easy to find out. If you are going to make claims like this about someone who has been in business for decades, at least have something to back it up. We purchased a male German Shepherd from Hinterland in 2010. The dog is amazing. Everywhere he goes everyone stops and stares, he gets treated like a celebrity when he is out in public. He is perfectly healthy, beautiful, fast, powerful, intelligent and playful. He is easy to train, an excellent guard dog, menacing to intruders who come near our property, but submissive and playful with our 2 year old daughter. You could not ask for a better dog than the one we got from Hinterland. read more

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We got our "son", Vino, from Susan Solari at Hinterlands 12 years ago. She took time to get to know us and matched us perfectly with our puppy. He is the best thing that ever happened to our family. He is beyond smart, just silly enough, and the soul who galvanizes our family. I can't imagine life without my very special companion. Thank you, Sue! read more

1) Sue has 60+ GSDs on her property, most in kennels or crates. I find it unlikely she has time to make sure that each gets the adequate attention and exercise they need for this to be a humane situation. 2) Lies about her dog's health background / certifications. Be weary. **EDIT** There is a recent comment that suggests I need to back up my claims regarding Sue lying about her dogs' health background and certifications. I will gladly do so, as I hope to prevent others from experiencing the pain that I did. I'm happy that Gianna had a positive experience with Sue/Hinterland. I was not so lucky. Specifically, Sue claimed in-person, over the phone, and on her website that her dogs are OFA-certified for hips and elbows. Given how common elbow and hip dysplasias are for German Shepherds, the OFA certification was critical to us to feel comfortable that we'd be getting a healthy puppy. We asked Sue about the OFA certifications on the phone multiple times-- she insisted that the sire and dam had them. We showed up to pick up the puppy, and again she insisted she had the OFA certifications but that they were "buried somewhere." Given the few other positive reviews I had read about Sue on some GSD forum along with a seemingly extensive record of breeding based on her website, I took her word for it, and purchased the puppy without seeing the OFA certifications in person. I later found that you could actually search for OFA certifications online. When I did so, I found that Sue had lied about the OFA certifications of BOTH the dam and sire, and that both were missing their certifications. When I called Sue angrily upon finding out, she was at least gracious enough to admit that she lied, and then proceeded to go and get the dogs certified by a vet to send the x-rays to OFFA. When she did so, the OFFA came back and said that the sire had elbow dysplasia. I was heartbroken by this. We paid $1800 for a pure-bred GSD, only to find out that one of the parents had elbow dysplasia. Sure enough, our dog, now 1 years old (and who I love) is experiencing elbow pain. At the end of the day, I trust that Sue is a good person and that she truly does love German Shepherds. However, her breeding program has gotten out of control, and it's resulting in things falling through the cracks. If you do decide to get a GSD from Sue, please do your diligence first. read more

I am a repeat client of Sue's Hinterland GSD! I purchased my first in July 1995 and now have my second that I purchased in May 2015. My first was a female, she was my running partner, my roommate, my best friend. We did everything together. Her instincts, her protectiveness was beyond what I could have ever imagined. She was very easy to train and I was very impressed by her. Her playmates were a pair of my sister's wolf cubs, that she used to teach and educate at the local schools. A very confident girl, balanced and wonderful temperament. She was very intuitive to me and very obedient. My vet was extremely impressed with her and said she was his favorite GSD that he ever had the privilege to help me with. A very healthy girl that stayed by my side until her ripe old age. My second is turning out to be a very wonderful girl as well. Her intelligence has blown me away and is superior to my previous shepherd. She is my 3rd dog and fast in potty training I ever had!! At 3 months she was completely potty trained in a week, WITHOUT ACCIDENTS! She is a sable and is BEAUTIFUL! I'm often asked if she is a Belgian Malinois! She loves to swim in our pond, responds to my commands without hesitation. Her intelligence is far superior to my previous GSD and is EXTREMELY protective! I trust the family health genealogy as well as Sue. I purchased from her both times because health and temperament in my GSD is very important to me! In fact, it was my dog trainer and vet technician who also competes in agility that helped me find the right GSD breeder: which pointed to Sue! It took me 1 1/2 years between the 2 us to find the right breeder, after much searching and homework. Which was BEFORE the Internet became commonplace in the homes! I don't understand the negative comments on here. Again, I have purchased 2 GSD from Sue in 20 years and have never been disappointed! She warranties her dogs on health, gives their charted heritage and it's been confirmed online. If I'm able to purchase another GSD, it will be from Sue!!! read more

We have purchased two dogs from Hinterland. One has severe hip dysplasia. The doctors at UC Davis(I know you still won't believe them Sue) have confirmed this. They said that the dog is not even a candidate for a hip replacement because of deterioration of the whole pelvic region. Had he been one it would cost $8000 per a hip. The second dog we purchased prior to our knowledge of the first's disposition. We love all of our animals but she does not even look like a GSD. She also has gastric issues and a recurring cyst inside the roof of her mouth that have incurred over $4000 in vet bills to treat. A lot of Hinteland's dogs are amazing. You can see for yourself. Keep in mind that hip dysplasia can be detected when a pup is extremely young. Make sure you see the certification. Let's sum it all up with: BUYER BEWARE. read more

Our dearest Rocky was purchased from Hinterland in 1999. He passed on to the rainbow bridge at the ripe old age of 14. He had no health issues, guarded our twins unfailingly and was BY FAR the most intelligent and discerning dog we have ever had or known anyone else having. He spoke English, it seemed and could reason and make good decisions! Really! He was a talker and would bark to communicate. Also, his conformation was wonderful. He was absolutely beautiful. Today, we are going to contact Susan again to start LOOKING for our new dog. If you love this breed, you should purchase a Hinterland. read more

Sue is good people. Treats her dogs like gold. Her dogs are just the best, & she stands behind them after the sale. She started as a breeder to buy a great GSD from, & ended up a good family friend. Love her, & her dogs! read more

First let me qualify myself as a critic. I've owned working dogs all my life. Even so, there were time line stretches I did not keep a dog in my household for dog and human concerns. I have never thought this was a bad idea, like having a breed specific or a mixed breed around children. Handlers on the other hand can be the problem. Some do not often pay enough attention to a canine's needs too. Dogs are like children and must be watched. If you're not read to do this, then dogs are probably not for you. That being said, let me make this critique of Susan's business as brief and factual as possible. I've known Sue Solari and her business since we acquired El Lobo von Hinterland (eight weeks old) from her around September 2007. Lobo's average weights now is about 105. He has zero health issues. He is promiscuous and his curiosity often gets him into a little trouble at times. Luckily he is healthy and trains easily, this is especially true in respect to new situations. Again, his limitation is as long as his handlers know they must work with him to keep him focused on life. They key words are focused, focused, focused, He has a great talent helping him to find objects like his ball or squeaky snake. He uses his strong scent orientations and his sharp hearing to locate objects which also makes him an excellent sentry dog. He is not easily fooled by intruders. Like one cannot just sneak past him through the garden gate into his yard without a loud yet single bark which is his warning for them to LOOK OUT!. Those kinds of challenges are meant as a good alert not a vicious one for us to investigate. Otherwise his universe is like where are the children? He acts like they were the Universe's design to be his personal buddies and playmates. Kids that do not know him, friend him easily in minutes. He feels like he is their permanent protector. When they are not around, like on a school day, he will lay at the door watching for hours, watching and studying the end of the gravel path that brings his buddies back upon returning from school. What makes this dog habits so special? If you say the owners I'd say maybe Yes. Probably training and communicating with him helps too. But it really starts with the breeder, Susan Solari. That kind of DNA doesn't just happen by accident. It takes years of careful control of her dogs lineage passing it down the line and that takes years more of hard work. Beginning with the whelping box would be the first stop. To a pup, it is probably their most important startwith their mom and their litter mates. While Sue may not always have the whelping box on the property, she does monitor the dogs until they are old enough to be put in her kennels. They have clean spacious and well protected kennels. True some dogs don't make it to permanent homes yet, they are not forgotten either. Still they wait for the right human to come and claim them. Others may be returned because a good match with humans can be difficult. Again, this is not good for dogs or humans but it happens. The dog who does find the good life like Mister Lobo are the dogs we keep for life. They are not the brought back dogs because they didn't fit our lifestyle. They are the dogs you never hear about again except in critiques like this one. that is because they are loved until one of us dies. Those are called "forever dogs" because our love for Lobo will last forever. An where "until dogs" are not loved it is not their fault or Sue's. It's Yet, Sue is good hearted enough and takes care of those dogs too. They are not wasted but waiting to go home. Lastly, Lobo has a litter mate here before he came home. She is Raven El Cuervo, an all black German Shepherd. Raven is also a retired working dog. Even so, she is still registered with Therapy International Dog, Inc. When she worked, she has spent time in Kaiser's hospital wards soothing children and their families while everyone was distraught themselves often days over the reasons that brought their loved ones to the wards in the first place. Today, Raven and Lobo are best play buddies. Both prove that the GSD line is still the greatest breed for any family, small or large that love big dogs. These dogs go everywhere like into the military, or police K-9 Corps, or rescue-recovery teams, and farms, and I would probably bet even space flight too some day. Sue's line are the best and greatest of our GSD line. I'd choose another one from her in a hot second. I would not hesitate to recommend another from Sue's ranch. Good luck Sue. See you soon. read more

My experience with Hinterland GSD has been nothing but positive. I am a former member of the 10th special forces group USA Army MOS 180 Alpha, Fort Devens Mass. I served our country active-duty 1979 to 1984. 1984 to 1991 National Guard, I worked in law-enforcement from 1983-2010, it was at this time I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I am bringing this point up for a reason which I will get to in a moment. During both my military and Law Enforcement careers I was a canine handle. I was promoted to Kennel Master prior to my retirement. I hold a bachelors degree in criminology. I currently train German Shepherd dogs for disabled veterans who are in need of service dogs. Please see my LinkedIn page for my endorsements and experience Robert Schuette. I received a GSD from Susan a few years ago. I had no plans of using this dog for any training I just wanted a companion. When I arrived at Susan's kennels I was impressed with both the cleanliness and her knowledge and experience surrounding the breed. This woman was so compassionate and understanding (I had to put down my K9 Ranger) as I was still going through the process of my diagnosis and loss of my best friend Ranger. My oldest son wanted to surprise me with a Father's Day gift, the problem was he did not understand the expenses involved with purchasing a fantastic German Shepherd dog from a reputable breeder like Susan. Susan allowed me to take the dog home, trusted me to make payments on the canine. I have personally had six full bred GSD's. Tonca from Hinterland has been phenomenal by far the best. The Contra Costa sheriffs department has utilized him several times when they have had a shortage of canines. This breeder is exceptional, caring and her canines are nothing but the best bar none. You may contact me for further information Robert Schuette read more

I got my shepherd, Sadie, from Hinterland/Susan and she is turning 8 next week. She has been such a great dog to train. She is super sweet and eager to please. Everyone in town says she's the best dog they've ever seen. She has also been very healthy. We have been lucky to have avoided digestive problems, knock on wood, because that is not fun. All in all, I recommend this breeder and will return for my next dog. read more

My Hinterland GSD is now 15 1/2 months old. She is an energetic, robust GSD. She seems to fondly remember every person she has ever met and makes friends easily with other dogs. This morning, she and a 5 year old male Boxer took turns chasing each other around bushes in the park. Her obedience skills are very good and she is learning noseworks. GSD people comment how solid my dog is. I am 100% satisfied with my Hinterland GSD. read more

Sue is a great gal. She knows what she is doing and if you want help picking out your puppy she is more than willing to help.. she is a great breeder. Better than most with more info since not only is or did she used to work schutzhund and protection.. She has champion dogs, sires and bitches.. And any negative comments are definitely coming from jealous breeders or people who dont know how to handle german shepherds properly. If you want a german shepherd.. PLEASE DO YOUR HOME WORK. As they mature they can be quite the hand full. Learn about the breed before buying. The dog I got from her.. was absolutely magnificent. read more

I was just thinking about my experience with Hinterland shepherds about 4 years ago and it left such a bad note in my mind and thought it's my duty to share with all. I went to purchase a 7 month puppy from Sue years ago. We fell in love with this gorgeous girl at first sight, so naturally we took her home! Upon coming home, I realized this puppy is extremely skittish for being so old. The girl could not even walk on the concrete of our rural community. After a lot of patience and working with her for about a week, I hired a K9 trainer who I trusted to come evaluate my new puppy. When my trainer took her on a walk, she could tell that the puppy had never been around a community of homes, concrete or other dogs simply taking a walk. This puppy she said was NEVER acclimated as most puppies are by their breeder. Sue had told me that she was going to be breed, but I had no clue that she was not brought around city life, kids, adults or even walked for socialization. My trainer told me to bring her back to the breeder, as this dog is strictly a high strung working dog, and NOT the family dog Sue had promised. There are two types of shepherds and she was not the type of dog right for our family! As a breeder she knew that I'm sure. After speaking with Sue she told me I could return her, but would not give me back my money. I paid $1600 for her and got nothing in return! She took her gladly and told me that I could pick the next puppy of my choice after she decides to breed again...but she lost my trust with this experience so who would ever go back for another puppy to fall in love with only to find out she will never be the dog you expected! So disheartening and still no contact from the breeder to make things right over all these years! I ended up adopting a beautiful boy from a local rescue and our family is fulfilled. Do not trust this breeder! read more

BEST dog ever!! Beautiful, trainable, loyal, protective, ... and did I mention beautiful??!!! LOVE my Hinterland Shepherd.