I don't know about the reasons, but I worked with a group of engineers from London on a project several years ago, and they ALL called German Shepherds "Alsatians." One of the guys from Texas had 2 really great, friendly, healthy bitches--they were sisters but not littermates--and ended up working with his breeder to choose a stud and breeding both of them because there were like 30 people on the project begging for "Alsatian pups." I don't know why--I thought that they were as popular in the UK as they are here, but maybe they're harder to find??
Yes, all the puppies were fixed! That was actually the deal before he ever agreed to get a stud and have the litters--that the people GETTING the puppies would come over and help keep his rented yard/house clean in the 8 weeks before the puppies went home, and the puppies would all be fixed by his designated vet before they were 6 months old, or he would take them back. Jim's breeder trained him well!
