Have You Met Arlo?
This post is wildly overdue! I know!
It’s like when you run into a friend and forget to introduce them to the other person you’re with. Poor manners, I’m sorry!
So, without further ado, this is my sweet sweet friend, companion, and working doggo – Arlo Grace!
Arlo and I became inseparable when I picked her up from Carin Shilohs this May.
Over my lifetime, I’ve had many pets, lots of them rescue animals. However, Arlo was different. There were three specific jobs I wanted my future dog to be capable of doing, which is why it took me 8 months of searching to find her.
Not only did I need a companion, but I also needed a working dog.
Arlo’s jobs (current and future):
- Act as a surrogate dog for our summer camp kids
- Pull a grocery sled in the winter months
- Become a certified therapy dog
Arlo is already a star at her summer camp job:
Many kids refer to Arlo as their “summer dog”, helping them when they miss their own dog(s) back home.
She’ll start pulling a sled when she’s big enough. And as for her therapy dog certification, we’re getting there one step at a time. Our biggest goal is to volunteer in chemotherapy treatment rooms.
As you read more about Arlo’s breed (below) you’ll understand why she’s such a good fit for all her jobs and why it took me so long to find her.
On to the basics – Here are the questions I get every day:
Is she a German Shepherd?
Close! She’s a Shiloh Shepherd.
I’ve never heard of that. What is she mixed with?
Technically, the Shiloh Shepherd is a breed of its own that has been recognized by the American Rare Breed Association since 1991. However, they’re not recognized by the AKC.
That being said, the breed originated in the ’70s from Tina Barber at Shiloh Shepherd Kennels in New York. Her goal was to develop a giant shepherd dog with a soft “family-friendly” temperament, high intelligence, and a flat back. (As opposed to the sloped back so many shepherds have, therefore lowering the risk of hip dysplasia.)
To make this “dream dog” a reality, the breed was based largely on multiple Shepherd breeds and Malamute.
Is she full grown?
Not quite. Miss Arlo still has some growing to do. When she’s fully grown she could be anywhere from 80 to 120 lbs and between 26-29 inches tall.
Arlo’s mama, Maggie, from Carin Shilohs weighs 100+ lbs (with the most amazing massive paws).
Her papa, $terling, from Ridgewood Shilohs weighs a little less than Maggie but stands almost three inches taller at 29.75 inches.
Hopefully, Arlo will get her mama’s weight and super sweet temperament and her papa’s height and killer nose for nose work!
Time will tell but right now she’s 70lbs of puppy fluff.
Oh, she’s just a puppy?! She’s a biiiiiig puppy.
Yes! She is actually seven months old today!
This was Arlo at only a few weeks old:
And this is her today:
Those ears! Please tell me they’ll always be so floppy?!
People are always commenting on her goofy satellite dish ears. They’re so lovable but, as she grows up, her ears will most likely straighten out.
Hopefully, her listening skills will straighten out with her ears too.
Why is she so calm?
I get this question a lot when we’re out in public. People tend to ambush her with affection and her means of handling it is to usually lay down and bask in the compliments.
Shilohs are meant to be a good fit to work as therapy dogs so this makes sense. She has also grown up at a summer camp for kiddos – meaning she’s used to people hanging on her.
That being said, she is still a puppy and she has her moments. If you catch her at the beginning or end of the day, she’s likely a wild child…something about dawn and dusk, it’s like her witching hours.
OR if she’s had too many people pet her she’ll go a little bonkers. I took her to an art festival the other day and then a sporting event after the festival and then to a brewery after that. She probably had close to 100 people come up to love on her and that was her limit.
She’s so wooly! Do you sheer her?
Nope. I just brush her. But I swear you could spin her fur into yarn and make a really warm hat.
**Note: Shiloh Shepherds shed and then shed some more.
Why is she making those noises? *question accompanied by laughter
If you ever meet Arlo, she’ll probably chat with you. She makes these “wooooruuuu” noises (imagine Chewbacca) and she loves to howl in unison with people.
Why? My best guess is it’s the Malamute side of her genetics.
Where can I find a Shiloh Shepherd?
I would highly recommend Carin Shilohs in New York to anyone in search of his/her own Shiloh. Karen is really wonderful at maintaining the integrity of what a Shiloh Shepherd is meant to be. (And she’s super sweet!)
Island Shilohs is another breeder I would highly recommend. Augusta has been breeding Shilohs for a long time and has been a mentor to me.
That being said, Shilohs can be tough to come by and waitlists can be long. Check out these two lists to see upcoming litters:
You might also stumble upon Shilohs to adopt on the above websites, which would be an amazing opportunity if your timing is right!
Either way, do your research and get to know the breeders!
Breeders want to get to know who you are and what your lifestyle is like because typically, they match you with a specific puppy based on your lifestyle. The Shiloh Shepherd world is a whole different ballgame!
That’s Arlo in a nutshell! I’ve never had a friendlier dog in my entire life (or a bigger one) and I’m so happy to share her personality with you!
If you ever see her out and about she’ll probably make the first move to say hello but you might have to be the one to ask for a handshake!
Leave Arlo a message in the comments below along with any questions if you still have them!
Happy Trails,
This post is wildly overdue! I know!
It’s like when you run into a friend and forget to introduce them to the other person you’re with. Poor manners, I’m sorry!
So, without further ado, this is my sweet sweet friend, companion, and working doggo – Arlo Grace!
Arlo and I became inseparable when I picked her up from Carin Shilohs this May.
Over my lifetime, I’ve had many pets, lots of them rescue animals. However, Arlo was different. There were three specific jobs I wanted my future dog to be capable of doing, which is why it took me 8 months of searching to find her.
Not only did I need a companion, but I also needed a working dog.
Arlo’s jobs (current and future):
- Act as a surrogate dog for our summer camp kids
- Pull a grocery sled in the winter months
- Become a certified therapy dog
Arlo is already a star at her summer camp job:
Many kids refer to Arlo as their “summer dog”, helping them when they miss their own dog(s) back home.
She’ll start pulling a sled when she’s big enough. And as for her therapy dog certification, we’re getting there one step at a time. Our biggest goal is to volunteer in chemotherapy treatment rooms.
As you read more about Arlo’s breed (below) you’ll understand why she’s such a good fit for all her jobs and why it took me so long to find her.
On to the basics – Here are the questions I get every day:
Is she a German Shepherd?
Close! She’s a Shiloh Shepherd.
I’ve never heard of that. What is she mixed with?
Technically, the Shiloh Shepherd is a breed of its own that has been recognized by the American Rare Breed Association since 1991. However, they’re not recognized by the AKC.
That being said, the breed originated in the ’70s from Tina Barber at Shiloh Shepherd Kennels in New York. Her goal was to develop a giant shepherd dog with a soft “family-friendly” temperament, high intelligence, and a flat back. (As opposed to the sloped back so many shepherds have, therefore lowering the risk of hip dysplasia.)
To make this “dream dog” a reality, the breed was based largely on multiple Shepherd breeds and Malamute.
Is she full grown?
Not quite. Miss Arlo still has some growing to do. When she’s fully grown she could be anywhere from 80 to 120 lbs and between 26-29 inches tall.
Arlo’s mama, Maggie, from Carin Shilohs weighs 100+ lbs (with the most amazing massive paws).
Her papa, $terling, from Ridgewood Shilohs weighs a little less than Maggie but stands almost three inches taller at 29.75 inches.
Hopefully, Arlo will get her mama’s weight and super sweet temperament and her papa’s height and killer nose for nose work!
Time will tell but right now she’s 70lbs of puppy fluff.
Oh, she’s just a puppy?! She’s a biiiiiig puppy.
Yes! She is actually seven months old today!
This was Arlo at only a few weeks old:
And this is her today:
Those ears! Please tell me they’ll always be so floppy?!
People are always commenting on her goofy satellite dish ears. They’re so lovable but, as she grows up, her ears will most likely straighten out.
Hopefully, her listening skills will straighten out with her ears too.
Why is she so calm?
I get this question a lot when we’re out in public. People tend to ambush her with affection and her means of handling it is to usually lay down and bask in the compliments.
Shilohs are meant to be a good fit to work as therapy dogs so this makes sense. She has also grown up at a summer camp for kiddos – meaning she’s used to people hanging on her.
That being said, she is still a puppy and she has her moments. If you catch her at the beginning or end of the day, she’s likely a wild child…something about dawn and dusk, it’s like her witching hours.
OR if she’s had too many people pet her she’ll go a little bonkers. I took her to an art festival the other day and then a sporting event after the festival and then to a brewery after that. She probably had close to 100 people come up to love on her and that was her limit.
She’s so wooly! Do you sheer her?
Nope. I just brush her. But I swear you could spin her fur into yarn and make a really warm hat.
**Note: Shiloh Shepherds shed and then shed some more.
Why is she making those noises? *question accompanied by laughter
If you ever meet Arlo, she’ll probably chat with you. She makes these “wooooruuuu” noises (imagine Chewbacca) and she loves to howl in unison with people.
Why? My best guess is it’s the Malamute side of her genetics.
Where can I find a Shiloh Shepherd?
I would highly recommend Carin Shilohs in New York to anyone in search of his/her own Shiloh. Karen is really wonderful at maintaining the integrity of what a Shiloh Shepherd is meant to be. (And she’s super sweet!)
Island Shilohs is another breeder I would highly recommend. Augusta has been breeding Shilohs for a long time and has been a mentor to me.
That being said, Shilohs can be tough to come by and waitlists can be long. Check out these two lists to see upcoming litters:
You might also stumble upon Shilohs to adopt on the above websites, which would be an amazing opportunity if your timing is right!
Either way, do your research and get to know the breeders!
Breeders want to get to know who you are and what your lifestyle is like because typically, they match you with a specific puppy based on your lifestyle. The Shiloh Shepherd world is a whole different ballgame!
That’s Arlo in a nutshell! I’ve never had a friendlier dog in my entire life (or a bigger one) and I’m so happy to share her personality with you!
If you ever see her out and about she’ll probably make the first move to say hello but you might have to be the one to ask for a handshake!
Leave Arlo a message in the comments below along with any questions if you still have them!
Happy Trails,
Want more? I've got you covered ↓
So fun to learn more about Argo! I think you have a keeper!!
Thanks, Aunt Susie!! I think I did too 🙂
Arlo is our favorite! Thanks for sharing! ????
Ahhh thanks so much, Amanda! 🙂
Thank you so much Ashley! Arlo Grace has a wonderful young lady for her forever home! You are doing a fantastic job with her. She’s gorgeous.
I really appreciate that, Karen! Thank you so much for choosing me to take care of her!!
We loved seeing how much Arlo grew from week to week this summer. She is truly an awesome dog! Of course we loved seeing you and your dad at VCO, too! We will miss you! Have a greater fall and winter. May see you in Feb. ’20!
Ahh I’m so sorry we missed your exit this summer, Jill! But I have a feeling we’ll see you again! 🙂
Thank you so much for always chatting with me and loving Arlo! Have a fantastic fall and winter!
Love! Love! Love Arlo!