TheDOGmagazine_issue-08/2016-GreatDane by thedogmagazine

EDITORIAL

THE DOG MAGAZINE NO. 08

August 2016

EDITOR Ewa Larsson LAYOUT DESIGN Snežka Kuralt ADVERTISING DESIGN Ewa Larsson Giota Bouranta Snežka Kuralt INFO: info@ thedog-magazine.com www.thedog-magazine.com

HI, Our goal with this magazine is to promote responsible breeding and dog ownership and to encourage ethical conduct and responsible breeding of purebred dogs. Our vision is to help promote responsible pet ownership and improve the quality of life of every dog show dog or pet. We make it our goal to provide the most up to date and honest

information every dog owner should know.

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THE DOG MAGAZINE

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LONGEVITY HEALTH

PEGASUS GREAT DANES BREEDER

DANEHILLS BREEDER

NORDIC GIANT BREEDER

KENNEL BOARHUNTERS BREEDER

TREASURE BREEDER

DE LA BENJAMINE BREEDER

IVO INGRAFFIA JUDGE

16 PEGASUS GREAT DANES

MARIA GKINALA

BY NORBERT SCHAUB

BREEDER

JUDGE

STORIES

48 KENNEL BOARHUNTERS BREEDER

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CONTENT

DANEHILLS

NORDIC GIANT

BREEDER

TREASURE

DE LA BENJAMINE

BREEDER

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CONTENT

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THETEAM EWALARSSON

SNEŽKAKURALT

I first started to be seriously involved in Cynology, when I bought my first Rhodesian ridgeback (Cubo) from breeder Mr. Andrej Fister – Kyala kennel. Since I had had a ridgeback, I wanted to spent some time and communicate with people who own the same breed. So I became involved and was one of the founding members of Club of Rhodesian ridgeback Slovenia. I was chief of organization of our first special show for Rhodesian ridgebacks in Slovenia. The show entered more than 50 dogs, which was a very nice number for such a small country. We even got Mr. Hans Mueller as a judge, for our first club show, even though the show was not CAC awarded. Soon after, I began my apprenticeship for a Cynology judge, and in January 2011 I acquired a license to judge Rhodesian ridgebacks. My name is Ewa Larsson, Britisher Show Bulldogs we are situated in Canterbury, England. My kennel was established in 1992. My bulldogs live with me inside my house and are raised in a loving environment as one of the family. I believe this approach is reflected in the behaviour of my dogs. Health, a correct temperament and dogs of the highest quality are my goal. Between Spring 2006 and Autum 2015, I was on the Bulldog Club Inc committee. The Bulldog Club Inc is the oldest Bulldog club in the world, and holds the prestigious Bulldog of the Year Show. I am a Bulldog Breed Specialist Judge currently on “ B” list.

I currently own two Rhodesian ridgebacks Cubo and Cana. Cubo, his pedigree name is Myollnir Kyala, is one of the most successful show ridgebacks in Slovenia and has always makes me proud. He is eight years old now and he is calm and mostly a gentleman. Cana (Dikeledi Ayaba) is our female ridgeback, 6 years old; she brings joy to my life with her silly stunts and happy nature. Cana was imported from Croatia, from Ayaba kennel. In my free time I make small products for dog owners, mostly for Rhodesian ridgeback lovers and do different graphic designs for all breeds.

GIOTABOURANTA

I am member of : The Bulldog Club Incorporated, The London Bulldog Society, The South of England Bulldog Society, The Junior Bulldog Club. My affix “ Britisher” is derived from a noun Brit·ish·er which stands for: “An Englishman- a subject or inhabitant of Great Britain”. Since 2001, I work as a graphic and web designer. Please feel free to visit my websites. www.britisher.co.uk || www.designbyewa.co.uk

My name is Giota Bouranta and I live in Athens, Greece. I have studied photography at AKTO, Art and Design college. For more than 12 years I work as a professional Dogs photographer. I cooperate with Kennel Clubs, breeds Clubs, working clubs, breeders, trainers and pet owners. A special part of my photos and my heart belongs to the Dobermann breed. It is a great pleasure and honor for me to photograph as a member of the authorized photographers' team 8 times the IDC Sieger Show (the World Championship of Dobermanns) and 7 times the Italian Dobermann Championship, the prestigious Campionato AIAD. Dogs' photography for me is enthralling, capturing wonderful moments of the relationship between humans and their best friend, highlighting in all its glory the beauty and charm of the dog, reminding its contribution to humanity and how respectfully dogs should be treated.

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Health

Longevity By Maria Gkinala

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Name Lina Petsiti Maria Gkinala Country Greece Affix Fainomenon Great Danes Affix www Alma Libre, GR 017/08 http://fainomenon.webs.com www www.kennelalmalibre.gr

Whenever the subject of longevity comes up, the most common responses are: • Feed them raw • Don’t vaccinate • Pollution • Chemicals / preservatives / additives • Regular worming • Crappy dog food • Modern way of life • Living in cities • Stress • Antibiotics/ medication • Chlorinated water • Passive smoking • All of the above (causes cancer) • Other that I’m forgetting right now Well, that worries me, I have to confess. I’m not sure it’s really helpful. I think it’s leaning towards laziness and excuses for poor choices, in fact. After all, we breed them. We are making the executive decisions. And I don’t mean, more health-testing and DNA-testing to exclude more dogs from the gene pool. That certainly doesn’t work. We should be breeding from more individuals, not fewer; we should be throwing fewer precious genes away, not more. If more and more dogs develop ‘special needs’, that’s really counter-productive. In breeding animals the goal should be less is more; less disabled and more resistant to illness, that is. There are so many dogs in the world, and ‘perfect’ homes are limited; so all these ‘special needs’ and conditions are not really helping dogs find the best homes or be rehomed if the need arises. Better to prevent that cure. Then again, the pet industry profits from sick / special needs / disabled dogs just like the health industry profits from sick humans. And the sad thing is, we’re actually, actively and willingly, enabling this…

Although I’m not disputing that some or even all of the above reasons may play a part in reducing pure-bred dogs’ lifespan (because I don’t have valid studies to back-up a blanket dismissal); what worries me is the frequency of such reasons put forward for all breeds and especially breeds where longevity is an issue, and where we see average lifespan going down instead of increasing; so I do wonder. I wonder why, if some or all of the above are the main reasons our dogs die younger, why doesn’t that also apply to us? We do eat more fast / junk food; we are able to afford much more alcohol and harmful substances; we are more urbanized and less exercised, we drive more and walk less; we are more exposed to increased air and water pollution (which also goes into the sea and the soil and therefore the crops and the fish and the meat we consume); we eat products from intense factory farming that are poisoned with growth hormones and toxins; we consume more meat and dairy than is good for us; we live in far more stressful environments, we commute more and we do stressful jobs; we use a lot more drugs and vaccines, antibiotics and medication. Cities are very bad for our health too and our mental health is suffering. Yet humans live longer and our lifespans are increasing; so why is the life expectancy of our dogs decreasing? Are we more ‘hardy’ than pedigree dogs? Why is that? What’s the single factor that differentiates between human and purebred dog (or other animal) populations’ genetic health? Can we really blame all the canine cancers on passive smoking and city pollution? And why some do get cancers and heart disease, wobblers etc while others don’t?

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It’s almost like some dog folk would rather blame everything else – every environmental and external factor possible, often without scientific evidence to back it up, rather than causes from within; internal, genetic, inherited factors. Why are breeders so reluctant to admit the same facts that every parent accepts about the health of their children, that every human being takes as a given regarding our own genetic health? Less frequently do you hear about the dogs’ compromised immune system as a major cause of reduced longevity – and when you do, it’s usually to blame, again, the autoimmune breakdown on external factors: bad diet, vaccines etc. Same about their digestive system. Same about allergies. Blamed on bad commercial diets. Many dogs have sensitive stomachs though, from the day they’re born – and their parents before them – why ? The elephant in the room is not willingly mentioned. I mean, it’s very, very reluctantly that dog show folk come around to actually say it. And talk not using the line-breeding euphemism, but what it is: Inbreeding, and what it does. Because it does terrible things. And if it was such a good idea, eugenics, we would be practicing it ourselves, wouldn’t we? Why is there such a strong social taboo in human societies about incest? Irrespective of where you think this taboo came from (God, if you happen to be religious, or from evolutionary mechanisms, if you are not) the fact is that Nature does not favor inbreeding; there must be a reason for that. There must be a reason nature favors genetic diversity and mechanisms evolved to ensure it. And we know there is a very good reason. Yet in dogs, cancer is blamed on the

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environment. Bloat is ‘one of those things’ (well, it actually turns out, it isn’t). And so on and so forth. “You can’t select against everything” – and while that’s very true, maybe there’s other ways you can make sure those horrid sneaky recessives don’t double-up, isn’t there? Yep, there is. It’s what we’ve been doing, for ourselves, since Adam (just a manner of speech), and we didn’t need geneticists to tell us. And we all know by now that it’s the same with dogs – their genes behave the same way (that’s why research into their health and disease is so useful for finding out facts about our genetic health); we don’t live way back then, in the Dark Ages, in the good old naive days, when genetic science didn’t exist; so less conspiracy theories and blaming the external factors; large size is blamed for short lifespan. Yet large animals are not necessarily shorter-lived than small ones in the wild. Size is not the real issue. Weight is. We don’t hear it often admitted that selection pressure for dogs to grow faster and faster, and be bigger and bigger, and heavier and heavier, and more and more angulated, might actually have something to do with them dying younger and younger. And developing chronic and debilitating and eventually fatal syndromes and skeletal / spinal problems and arthritis, issues that cripple and kill them. Way too young. Yes there is good reason to believe that fast growth and increased weight are directly linked to loss of life span. And joint problems are one major cause of premature death. What we accept becomes the norm. If we accept that big dogs can’t possibly live more than 8 – 10 years, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we accept that they are to be old at 6, that’s how

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we shape their world. Their lives. And their early deaths. Yet there’s plenty of evidence that Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds can live to be 20, or 18, or 16, 15, 14 years old. And other ‘giant’ breeds also. That’s about half the age reached by the world’s oldest dog, that died recently. I can live with that, considering the size difference. I would be deliriously happy with Danes that lived to be 12, on average. But not 6. And sadly that’s where we are at the moment. Six to seven years of age, average lifespan. For a dog, dammit! Which is pathetic. Which is a huge failure on our part. As we supposedly love them. And breeding is supposed to be about improving them. Breeding for dogs that look mature and have reached adult size at 10 or 12 months in giant breeds, is not OK. It’s wrong. And it’s not worth it. Just for ambition and bragging and convenience and record-breaking, for getting their championships early and breeding them young. Which in itself, doesn’t promote longevity – does it ? It’s quite the opposite of what we should be doing if we valued their lives. If we valued our time together more. I realize that many people today are city-born and raised. I’m city-born and raised too. Yet in my upbringing I was lucky to have spent a lot of time staying with family in the country and traveling in rural areas and getting to know a different way of life, helping with sheep and crops and hunting and fishing. Maybe some city folk have never been near farms, livestock, farm dogs. Or village dogs. Maybe some young people today don’t have a clue where potatoes come from and that they don’t grow on trees. I’ve seen many farm dogs and village dogs and herding dogs, hunting dogs

and livestock protection dogs. And I know how harsh their lives were and still are in many parts of the world. Even here, in the civilized West. In Europe, no less. They were/are fed crap. They were/are fed very little. In many instances their subsistence was/is only bread and milk – as they were never, ever given meat, especially raw; herdsmen (erroneously?) thinking that giving them meat could turn them savage and that they would then kill sheep. Right or wrong, that’s how these dogs lived. If they got sick, tough – they either got better or died. If they harmed a child, or a lamb, or hens, they were shot – if they were lucky; some country folk wouldn’t even waste bullets on such dogs. These dogs didn’t have comfortable beds. They lived outdoors in all weather. They had to earn their right to reproduce. They had to earn their living because conditions were harsh and the people were poor and thrifty. These dogs worked all day, every day. They had to catch the prey to be fed; or they had to fight off predators and lick their wounds and keep up and cope. And still managed to reach a ripe old age. Why ? I’ve said it recently –here– any nutritionist saying that dogs can’t possibly survive on such diet, is most welcome to solve the riddle. Because live they did and live they do, to this day and age, when their meager feeding regime has been replaced by the cheapest commercial complete kibble available on the market. Garbage, that is. Dog food that no caring owner or breeder would ever dream of giving to their pets. Yet they still manage to outlive pedigree dogs, well-bred and well-reared and perfectly fed with pristine barf diets and kept happy and supremely looked after and with regular veterinary care. Why?

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Maybe their genes were/are better, or better selected; maybe their illnesses were purged; maybe they came from a long line of dogs that were capable of digesting oats and corn and rye bread and ewes’ milk and eat very little and work hard and live long, thank you very much. Maybe they were “good-doers”. Maybe their fitness levels were way better and they were not carrying an ounce of fat. Maybe they were not bred to be too big for their type or too heavy for their type, or too fast-growing, but just right; maybe they are not so well-angulated, and not so ooohhed and ahhhed for being rolly-polly ‘chunky’ as puppies, and not reared on linoleum and smooth whelping boxes – so they don’t get hip dysplasia and they don’t break down with arthritis as much. Maybe they were not ‘linebred’. Maybe they didn’t carry X amount of lines going back to the same famous ancestor that had a stunning head but dropped dead at three from something that was never disclosed.

Molly the 15 year old Great Dane

Maybe, even, just maybe their immune system was toughened up by natural selection to withstand more. Maybe those with sensitive tummies weren’t bred from no matter how good-looking they were. Maybe they were selected by performance to be almost indestructible. Aren’t we supposed to admire that? Aren’t we supposed to try and imitate that? Isn’t that what selection for improvement stands for? What else does “breeding better dogs” mean? I meant to write something about this for a while. I recently read the views of a couple of Great Dane owners online; which prompted me to think that what they’ve actually come to terms with and accepted as normal, to me, sounded outrageous, even obscene; I guess their way of thinking was informed by the breeders they bought their dogs

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from – and that makes it even more pathetic as an attitude to have when keeping and breeding dogs; as breeding, of course, apart from being a personal choice, is also a service to other people; the breeder shapes their expectations and impressions; he or she is their educator; the one who sets up standards and influences the prevailing ethos within a breed and social group and the general public. What this couple said in a public interview with a lifestyle webzine was that, in their opinion, “it’s better for Great Danes to live just seven or eight years with a good quality of life, instead of living longer with health issues”. They didn’t find it strange or unusual that their beloved pets’ life expectancy is so short, as “this is the limit for these animals” in their words. “Other life-forms have a lifespan of a mere 24 hours”, they said. That profound. I found it shocking, sad and absurd. This is a young couple that seemingly love their dogs. And it didn’t cross their minds, in fact they sounded conditioned to believe that it’s inconceivable for Great Danes to live longer and be healthy. They bought their dogs from two well-known Italian kennels of hyper type Great Danes. And the most astonishing fact is that both these well educated, worldly people, are biology teachers… I guess they’d be well and truly shocked -maybe even feel cheated- if they ever found out that there are Great Danes out there who live almost twice as long. I presume that the breeders of these dogs are duly clever not to raise their puppy buyers’ expectations about the life expectancy of their dogs too much… Perhaps then you can think a little more next time the subject of longevity comes up and you read the inevitable list of external causes that are killing our

dogs younger and younger; and ask yourself: are we honestly doing all we can to maintain or even increase our dogs’ lifespan? Are we using the oldest, healthiest sires, are we making the most of frozen semen technology ? are we breeding healthy, athletic, sound, fit for purpose dogs ? And how are we evaluating their fitness for purpose? Is the show ring a good enough test of vitality? are the conformation judges selected, trained and given enough incentives to function responsibly and efficiently ? are they monitored well? can this simulation ever replace performance testing ? can we devise breed-appropriate aptitude tests to improve athleticism ? can we learn more from livestock breeding methods like Estimated Breeding Values ? Or are we perhaps feeding our puppies too much, selecting the sires and dams that were ‘made up’ in record time and are dripping with substance and size and bone and suffer from allergies and upset tummies if they even catch a whiff of corn or starch from the next county or not fed the absolutely top quality hypoallergenic diet we think is best for them? Can we really blame the environment for our dogs having small litters and high puppy mortality or being sterile? Can we really blame external factors for their sensitivity to anesthetics? Is it really good practice that a high percentage of litters is conceived artificially and so we are reproducing sires and dams without actually knowing or testing if they are keen and capable of mating naturally or not? Is it good practice to breed from only one or two ‘show quality’ puppies from each litter and throw the remainder of the genes carried by the others to the rubbish heap? Is it really clever to not look beyond our own noses when searching for stud dogs, in case we “lose type” ?

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Are we really doing our best for our dogs? Or are we instead creating populations that are too small, too weak, too fragile and too sensitive and too shortlived, too sickly, too deformed, too nervous, too disabled and too inbred to survive unless they are constantly connected to a life-support system of intensive special care ? No I am not advocating to feed your dog crap. I am not actually advocating to not vaccinate them, to not protect them from endoparasites, to not take good care of them. But I do wonder why dogs that were not so well looked after lived to be 15 and 16 and 18 years of age. Why their digestive systems were more capable of digesting the starch and the corn and the grain and the gluten we are excluding from our pedigree dogs’ diets nowadays. They didn’t have fully ‘red’ pedigrees with famous champion names in them – but they had something far more precious. They lived twice as long, external factors withstanding or not. And they were hardy, healthy, able-bodied and with the temperament to match. “Ready to go anywhere and do anything” as good dogs are. I guess I’m advocating the uncommon value of good old common sense in animal husbandry. So next time a discussion on longevity comes up, maybe this question can be sowed in the back of some fertile brains, like a seed that might grow and produce some food for thought; and instead of joining in the blaming of the high-power energy stations and the chemtrails and passive smoking and mobile phones and cosmic rays and everything else under the sun, some might actually choose to give the issue a bit more teasing. And put forward some realistic causes and start some

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valid discussions, about the way we breed dogs. We need to ask the question, sincerely: are we really, truly and seriously doing what we can so that our dogs live longer, i.e., as long as the species is (or was) biologically able? Do their lives actually matter to us? Or just their looks?

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INTERVIEWED BY Ewa Larsson

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Name Lina Petsiti Bianca Gonzalez Country Greece Country Unites States Affix Email Alma Libre, GR 017/08 pegasusgd@me.com www www.kennelalmalibre.gr

Pegasus Great Danes AN INTERVIEW WITH A BREEDER

» Please introduce yourself and your kennel to our readers, and tell us why this particular breed. I am Bianca, the owner of Pegasus Great Danes, that produces Quality Champion fawn and black Great Danes. My focus is showing, and limited breeding of health tested dogs. I believe in only breeding and raising dogs with the best temperament, who have substance, size, and the true working dog mentality. I do not hold on to my show quality litters other than my pick and or show homes. Most of my placements are in loving companion homes that receive a show quality puppy. I have many qualifications for someone to be approved for a Pegasus Dane. If they qualify, I have no problems placing a show quality puppy in a companion home. I have recently brought in a blue which will be a new color for Pegasus.

» What made you want to be a dog breeder in the first place? I had purchased some Great Danes that died from health reasons. I had lost a lot of invested time and was devastated with the emotional effect it had on my family. I wanted to create my own dogs, to ensure that they have a bomb proof temperament and a line of health testing. I want to have quality dogs that people can purchase and feel confident in a lifelong investment. I

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want to place my dogs in solid homes that don't mind a huge qualification process and agree to my lifelong interactions as the breeder and friend. I want for my owners to have a breeder that they can contact 24/7 for life for any question or concern. Most of my owners attend puppy parties at my house for the first few years. I want for people to have a breeder that is truly committed to bettering the breed, and who is there for life who offers support and assistance for any training and or crop care. I have heard so many horror stories about other breeders and I strive to best breeder and friend to every member of our Pegasus Family.

» How did you get introduced to this breed?

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My parents best friends owned a pet fawn Dane. We were at their house at least 2-3 times a month for many years. I was amazed at their dogs size and sweet temperament. I asked my mom for a Dane but she said I would have to wait until I moved out. I found a show breeder and assumed that if they showed and had an expensive fee, they were healthy. I was not educated at the time about what key things I needed to inquire about. I purchased this puppy a week before I moved out of my house. This dog died before age 2 of DCM. Devastated, I then took in two rescue Danes and assisted a Dane rescue for a few years. I decided after loosing those two rescues that I wanted to produce healthy dogs that

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people could enjoy for years. I needed a hobby and decided to start interviewing show breeders so I could be learn how to show and then ultimately breed Danes that were a step above, who would never be placed in a rescue from a breeder who was less than worthy.

» Please tell us about your past and present dogs. I started out in harls. My harl was shown for a 8 months and then had to be spayed from an accident at a boarding facility. My dreams ended there as I couldn't show her any longer. The breeder that I purchased her from about 6 months later had done a breeding to another friend. That friend had offered her a puppy in lieu of a

stud fee. This fawn bitch was out of a well known top 20 dog. My best friend need colors, so since I attended shows and assisted her with setting up and breaking down for shows, she offered me this fawn. At the time- I was a bit irritated with the fawn color since harls at the time didn't place much over them. I fell in love with my fawn, and I gave it my all. This fawn bitch became my foundation. She is a dual CH and was health tested and eventually bred. She produced a few litters. I placed a bitch that I held back due to not being able to get her showing due to financial reasons. I then kept my first dog from her breeding, Angus. He was owner handled to single out, then shown by handlers for his majors.

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I took him out after his championship and after a few shows, he ranked number 5 for owner handling. He then was pulled out of showing for 8 months due to an injury. Since recovering, he was placed on a handler and finished his Grand Championship. He is a multi Best of Breed Dane and completed his health testing, and has sired 3 litters. The first litter is now 18 months and 2 of them have completed their CH. I kept a black bitch from his first litter. Karma will start showing soon. I recently purchased a blue bitch from another breeder. Prada will start showing in a week. Willow, my foundation bitch, is now 8 years and still runs our pack. She is enjoying the retired life. Angus will retire after nationals this year.

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» What improvements do you want to bring to the breed with your breeding programme? I want to continue to produce healthy Danes, with a bomb proof temperament, that represent the breed standard that many times is lacking.

» Which dog do you consider to be the foundation of your breeding program? Willow, my dual CH fawn bitch is my foundation, and all my dogs go back to her. She has produced consistently, and still has no issues running around and rough playing with our younger dogs at Pegasus Great Danes.

» How does Great Danes differ from other breeds?

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Great Danes are people dogs. They always want to be with their family and will not protect the family unless it is warranted. They are good readers of people, and can always make you laugh. They absolutely don't think they they are too big to sit in your lap or snuggle in bed. I have not been around a breed that mimics their mannerisms.

headpieces.

» Do you see any difference in Great Danes of today compared to Great Danes of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see?

I believe Angus, my bred by GCH is the best Dane that I have produced since I have started.

The Danes now are definitely bigger and with more substance. The dogs from years ago are more refined with a refined headpiece. Dogs of today are heavier boned, and with bigger

» What in your opinion makes a perfect dog? Good conformation, and a bomb proof temperament and personality make a perfect dog.

» What is the best example of the breed that you have bred till now?

» In your opinion what dog is/was the most ideal breed example? And why? Angus, in my opinion, is the best example. The handler has told me that she has taken care of many working

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breeds and that Angus, hands down is the best working breed mentality that she has ever seen. I have used him to train aggressive Danes and he has even been bit by one and did not react. He trusts me 110% and never questions what I ask him to do. He is always mellow and loves any animals. He has produced some amazing consistent puppies.

» What do you consider to be your greatest achievement as a breeder? My greatest achievement is that every owner of mine has said the the entire experience of them purchasing and raising a Pegasus Dane has been the best, most comforting experience. They always say that they never expected soo much from a breeder, and that I have been soo different from any

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dog breeder they have ever bought from.

» What advice would you give to those who are starting breeding? Health test every generation of dogs/ bitches that are going to breed. Also, if you have a dog or bitch, no matter what amount of money you have invested, pet it out if you do not like the personality and or the dog does not have a perfect temperament. I have return led 2 dogs with a huge investment for reasons that did not have anything to do with temperament or health. Their personality was not perfect, and I know that this bitch would teach her puppies to act just like her in the 8weeks of raising them. I did not want that so I cut my losses.

» Who has been your greatest influence or inspiration in

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breeding/as a breeder and in what way? The breeder that I purchased my first show Dane from educated me in what is important in the Dane world. She taught me the importance of health testing and mentored me into showing. She also had numerous requirements for breeding and the other breeders I had inquired about didn't seem very invested into their program. I could tell that she valued her investment in her program.

» What is the biggest highlight in your career as a breeder? At one point I had 2 of my bred by Danes in the top 10 for owner handling. Owner handlers know the value

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of being selected to win, and this recognition that two of my dogs were in the top ten was amazing.

» You actively show your dogs. What qualities do you admire most in a judge? Qualities that I admire is the judge selecting the best representation of the breed instead of their favorite color or worse, a dog that is campaigned yet obviously not the top dog in the ring. Another quality is when a judge selects the best dog regardless to whether the dog is on a professional handler or not. This seems to be a common thing. I love judges who pick based on the best dog that day.

» To these who think of starting

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breeding .What advice you would give to someone who wants to become a breeder? Invest at least 2 years of researching prior to buying your first dog. Know that the dogs you select may not turn out. Know that if done right, you do not ever come out ahead. A ton of money is spent on showing and testing, and whelping/ raising litters.

» What are your efforts put into in order to build a great reputation (besides the dogs)? I pride myself in superceeding all expectations of the owner. I do not just go by the contract for replacements. I have replaced pups that have died from accidents and or food recalls. I help my owners by having an online group for all my owners to discuss needs or issues they are going through. I also require ongoing pictures and or communication for the life of the dog. I require all my dogs come back if they can not keep the dog. I also offer a replacement health guarantee. I have given away free puppies to friends and or other breeders, as well as well deserved families. Answering questions and or being there to genuinely help all my owners makes me different, and also has built my reputation. I have had multiple repeat owners due to their great experience with me as the breeder.

pictures to show that you are active in showing and winning. Facebook has taken over and I also have a Facebook group for my owners so they have up to minute information on my dogs, as well as all littermates and relatives. They can post pics of the silly things their dogs do as well as pics of areas or things they are concerned of. The online website and Facebook are easy access points to look at the way my dogs live, and ways in which my puppies are raised.

» Would you like to add something? I would like to thank you for offering me the time to discuss my breed. This breed is wonderful, and provides years of love, but can also be overwhelming to a new Dane owner. This is why I strive at being different, and a step above.

» How important is it for a breeder to have an online presence nowadays? The world revolves online nowadays. I believe it is of high importance to have a website that is informative but not overwhelming with information. Contact information should be easy to find, and the website should show information with health testing links, and win

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INTERVIEWED BY Ewa Larsson

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Name Gauri Nargolkar Country India Affix Danehills Email www.danehills.com / reachdanehills@yahoo.com

Danehills AN INTERVIEW WITH A BREEDER

» Please introduce yourself and your kennel to our readers, and tell us why this particular breed. My name is Gauri Nargolkar and my kennel is “Danehills”. I am based in India. Since childhood I have been enamoured by this breed, by their majesty and nobility and always wanted to have a Dane. I am also a Kennel Club of India licensed Great Dane Specialist Judge.

» What made you want to be a dog breeder in the first place? My mother is an avid dog lover and in 1986, she bought a brindle bitch puppy from one of the famous Great Dane kennels in India then - Danedom Kennels. Our kennel “Danehills” was registered with the Kennel Club of India in 1988. I was in school at that time and we bred our first litter in 1989 when we bred this bitch to Ch Clausentum Jasper who had been sent to India from the world famous Clausentum Kennels owned by Ms Jean Lanning of England. The very first puppy born went on to become a Champion – Ch Danehills Velvet. The passion for breeding started then.

» How did you get introduced to this breed? I got introduced to this breed through my mother and the first Danes I saw were those imported into India from U.K. and U.S.A. from Clausentum and Dundane Kennels.

» Please tell us about your past and present dogs.

There are quite a few. I have bred / owned 53 Indian Great Dane Champi-

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ons, 7 American Champions (Co Bred with Ms Francette Lass, Lagarada Kennel – USA), including 2 American Grand Champions and 1 Canadian Champion who finished her title at 6 ½ months of age. A puppy bred by Ms. Francette Lass and me, Am Ch Lagarada Danehills Winds of Change was also Best Puppy Bitch and Reserve Winners Bitch at the Great Dane Club of America’s National Show in Phoenix, USA in 2011. Another co bred Dane Am Gr Ch Lagarada Danehills Star Struck Titan was the No.1 Owner Handled Dane in the U.S. in 2015. He is being specialed this year and is currently in the Top 5 in USA. Danehills bred Great Danes have won All Breed Best in Shows 12 times and Best in Specialty Show 5 times with multiple Line-ups, Best Puppy and Best in Show BI awards. Danehills has won the Bhat Trophy for the Dane of the Year – Bred in India on four separate occasions and for Dane of the Year twice. Am Gr Ch/BIS BISS Ch Lagarada Danehills Starman was Dane of the Year in India for 2015-16 and BIS Ind Ch Danehills Zen Master was Dane of the Year for 2014-15.

» What improvements do you want to bring to the breed with your breeding programme? I would like to breed typical, healthy Danes that are sound in mind and body. I think front assemblies need to

be improved in the breed overall. » Which dog do you consider to be the foundation of your breeding program? Amasa Regent Dvine Rite, a bitch imported from Amasa Kennels,

Australia. » How does the Great Dane differ from other breeds?

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Am Gr Ch BIS BISS Ind Ch Lagarada Danehills StarMan

The Great Dane is the Apollo of dogs. Their size and their majesty, their ability to guard the house yet be gentle companions and the unique combination of substance and elegance.

» Do you see any difference in Great Danes of today compared to the Great Dane of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see? I think the breed has changed for the better on the whole though some areas do need more improvement, like front assemblies.

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Danehills

» What in your opinion makes a perfect dog? An ideal Dane is one that is the illustration of the Dane standard. The Great Dane is the Apollo of dogs. A Dane that has breed type, balance – both static and dynamic, correct conformation and soundness in mind and body. There should be a combination of strength and elegance with a look of dash and daring.

Ch Danehills Daenerys Stormborn Top Dane Bitch India 2015-16

» What is the best example of the breed that you have bred till now?

BIS BISS Ch Danehills Rave Review

Two bitches called Ch Danehills Mystify Me and BIS BISS Ch Danehills Rave Review come to mind. Mystify Me was not shown much but she was extremely well put together. She had just one litter and produced very well with 4 champions in the litter. Rave was a showman and commanded attention in the ring. Amongst the best I have co bred, I would consider Am Gr Ch / BIS BISS Ch Lagarada Danehills Star Man, BISS Am Gr Ch Lagarada Danehills Star Struck Titan, Am Ch Lagarada Danehills Wind Ryder, Am Ch Lagara-

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GDCA Brood Bitch BISS Ch Lagaradas Forever More ROM

da Danehills Winds of Change and Am Ch Lagarada Danehills Written in the Wind. So difficult to name just one.

I would always rate a dog that produces as good or better than he/she looks higher than a dog that only looks good.

» In your opinion what dog is/was the most ideal breed example? And why?

» What do you consider to be your greatest achievement as a breeder?

Again, very difficult to name just one. I can name a few – “Travis” – BISS Ch Lagarada’s Aspen Gold HOF, a beautiful dog and a top producer, Ch Lagarada’s Forever More – Mora, BIS BISS Ch Lobato’s Anything Goes – Emmie and BIS BISS Ch MJM Maitau’s Eye Candy – Eva. All these Danes, in my opinion, embodied breed type and displayed soundness and balance.

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I would say the biggest achievement till date has been winning Best Bitch Puppy and Reserve Winners Bitch at the Great Dane Club of America’s National Show in Phoenix, Arizona in 2011 from amongst a huge entry with a bitch called Lagarada Danehills Winds of Change (co bred with Lagarada Great Danes, owned by Fran Lass & Suzie and Bruce Johnston). The other major achievement would be Am Gr Ch

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Danehills

Lagarada's Forever Winter Gold

Lagarada Danehills Star Struck Titan ending 2015 as the Number 1 Dane in the USA in the Owner Handler Series. He is also in the Top 5 Danes in the US at this moment. In India, handling my Danes to BIS wins and winning Dane of the Year with Am Gr Ch /IABCA Int Ch/ Ind BIS BISS Ch Lagarada Danehills Starman (2015-16) and BIS Ind Ch Danehills Zen Master (2014-2015).

» What advice would you give to those who are starting breeding? To the novice breeders and I would say please do your homework if you want to be serious, ethical breeders of any breed. There are no shortcuts to success, one has to pay their dues. Find a good mentor who would be willing to guide you and stay with them. Follow the standard and not fashion. Always remember that the Danes you see today are the result of endless hours of

Lobato's Lagarada Indigo Blue

blood, sweat and toil put in by breeders before you so do your best to preserve the breed as it took the breeders before us years of hardwork to bring it to the level it is today.

» Who has been your greatest influence or inspiration in breeding/as a breeder and in what way? My greatest inspiration has been my mentor Fran Lass, Lagarada Great Danes. The Danehills breeding program has been based to a large extent on Lagarada Danes and Fran has taught me, guided me and advised me for many years on the finer nuances of breeding. She has played a major role in my life as a friend and breeder and continues to inspire me.

» You actively show your dogs. What qualities do you admire most in a judge?

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The quality I most admire in a judge is the recognition of breed type and the preference for the standard over just flash or fashion. And, of course, integrity.

» To these who think of starting breeding, what advice you would give to someone who wants to become a breeder? To those who are thinking of starting as breeders I would say don’t go for short term gains. That never works. Learn the standard. Don’t breed to a dog just because he is winning but do your research and breed accordingly.

Gauri &Travis

Am Ch Lagarada Danehills Winds of Change

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Danehills

Please strive to preserve the future of this beautiful breed.

» What are your efforts put into in order to build a great reputation (besides the dogs)? We have strived to establish a good work ethic and to breed with integrity keeping the preservation and enhancement of the breed type in mind. We are always available for our puppy parents whenever they need us.

» How important is it for a breeder to have an online presence

nowadays? An online presence is extremely important with a well designed and easily accessible website, combined with a strong social media presence and digital advertising.

» Would you like to add something? Its been an honour and a pleasure to do this interview. Thank you very much and special thanks to the The Dog Magazine for coming out with a special feature on the Great Dane.

BIS Ind Ch Danehills Zen Master Dane of the Year 2014-15

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INTERVIEWED BY Ewa Larsson

Nordic Giant

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Name Lisbeth Sørflaten Høgmo Country Norway Affix Nordic Giant www www.nordic-giant.com

» Please introduce yourself and your kennel to our readers, and tell us why this particular breed. My name is Lisbeth, and I live at the vest coast of Norway, nearby Bergen. I have breed Great Danes since 2002. The colours I breed is harlequin, mantles, and blacks.

» What made you want to be a dog breeder in the first place? I got the chance to pick a puppy from a litter that was born in Finland at kennel Jättiläisen. N O FIN CH Jättiläsien Calamity Jane was her name. She had a lot of those qualities we search for in the breed, she also represented some new blood for us here in the Nordic countries. She had those qualities that I think is needed for a good foundation bitch. Her sire was out USA CH Stongehenges Doc Holliday, owned and bred by Cathy de la Garza, Houston. It was not like “an old dream that came true”, or something like that, it just accidentally happened. When this is said, I think it is important to say that I have always had dogs, I grew up with a Siberian Huskies, and my parents also bred them. I had some knowledge when I got my own first litter what breeding is about.

» How did you get introduced to this breed? During my childhood, my father decided that he would have a great dane, it was a huge brindle male with a wonderful temperament. He came from one of the oldest breeders here in Norway, kennel Rosenhøi.

Later I got my own Great Dane from a breeder that also become a good

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NO CH Nordic Giant`s Jättiläisen Lobelia

friend and mentor for me.

» Please tell us about your past and present dogs. My fist great dane was NO CH Finlandia`s Fancy Girl. She was a very classic breed type, and became almost ten years old. I got my first harlequin from kennel Jättiläisen and Kati Nieminen. NO FIN CH Jättiläisen Calamity Jane, she was bred to AM CAN CH Sasdania`s The Navigator, owned and bred by Steven A. Stevens. I got one puppy, and that was my first Nordic Giant bitch; NO CH Nordic Giant`s Artic Gangster Girl, we lost her last summer close to eleven years.

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Artic Gangster Girl was bred to INT NO CH NV-89 Hotpoint`s Time To Act, he was owned and bred by Borghild Moen, and out of that litter we kept two female puppies,one of them was Nordic Giant`s Bushranger , she is the mother to our NO SE UCH Nordic Giant`s Echo Steps, NO CH Nordic Giant`s Galadriel, and NO CH EW-15 Nordic Giant`s Groovy kind Of Love. ( Two different litters ). I also have another daughter from NO CH Nordic Giant`s Artic Gangster Girl; Nordic Giant`s Delicious Etta Place. She has almost not been shown, but gave us a wonderful litter last summer. From that litter I have to mention

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Nordic Giant

NO FIN CH Jättiläisen Calamity Jane. Photo Kjell Arne Høgmo

some of my future dogs; Nordic Giant`s Image Of Snow, Nordic Giant`s I am A Knockout, Nordic Giant`s I`m A Gangster Girl, and the mantle Nordic Giant`s I`m Dancing Barefoot that I own together with a friend.

» What improvements do you want to bring to the breed with your breeding programme? For me it is very important to keep correct breed type! Since I breed a difficult colour, it is also important to continue keeping good colour, and try not to mix to much other colours into my pedigrees to keep the colour as it should be.

» Which dog do you consider to be the foundation of your breeding program? I imported two dogs from Finland, both has been very important for my breeding program. That was NO FIN CH Jättiläisen Calamity Jane, and NO CH Jättiläisen Lobelia. I have been breeding back to Lobelias pedigree, and Artic Gangster Girls pedigree, it was a plan from the start.

7.How does the Great Dane differ from other breeds? The Great Dane is a very gentle dog, with a huge personality. Because of the size it is very important to remember to

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Nordic Giant`s Bushranger, veteran, eight years old. Photo Kjell Arne Høgmo

feed it correctly, and do a good socializing job with it as a puppy, so that it behaves well and can meet our modern society and its demands. By the way did you know that you can feed four Siberian Huskies for the same cost as one Great Dane?

» Do you see any difference in Great Dane of today compared to the Great Dane of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see? All over I think the breed has been much the same here in the Scandinavian countries the last years. We have for the time being a minor tendency for too long dogs, and some not so good

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rears. The main difference is perhaps not in the dogs, but in the breeders, the fact that some new breeders not seems to learn the standard before they start breeding…

» What in your opinion makes a perfect dog? The perfect Great Dane is the one close to our standard. A dog who combine elegance and substance, a typical breed type head, long elegant neck. Strong topline, balanced, with correct movements for our bred, and all over sound! Included the correct temper according to the standard as well of course.

» What is the best example of the breed that you have bred till now? It must either be Nordic Giant`s Bushrang-

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Nordic Giant

Nordic Giants Artic Gangster Girl Daughter of NO FIN CH Jättiläisen Calamity Jane, Photo Steinar Moen

er or NO SE CH Nordic Giant`s Echo Steps.

It has taken some years, and a lot of hard work.

» In your opinion what dog is/was the most ideal breed example? And why?

» Who has been your greatest influence or inspiration in breeding/as a breeder and in what way?. Borghild Moen at kennel Hotpoint was a huge inspiration with her unique knowledge about the great dane in all colours. She was also a breed specialist.

I choose BMW Ruffian. Correct breed type, lovely harlequin color. He was a true Apollon, as our breed often is described as, breed and owned by the late Laura Kiaulenas,

» What do you consider to be your greatest achievement as a breeder? Difficult question, the answer could be so many different things. But maybe to establish my own line of harlequins.

Kati Niemien,kennel Jättiläisen, great friend, breeder and mentor who teach how important it is to be honest about health and longevity. Dedicated and serious with a high moral with her breeding. Mr Steven A. Stevens, kennel Sasdania, he trusted me letting me

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use his males in my breeding program. Those males have a huge influence in my breeding. He passed away in March 2014, and it is really a big loss.

» What is the biggest highlight in your career as a breeder? Hard to say, my first thought is the breeder class I was able to show in the finale ring on the European Winner show last year. Difficult colour to make, with maybe just one – three harlequins in each litter, it is great to be able to show a breeder class at a show like that where all dogs had achieved CQ`s.

» You actively show your dogs. What qualities do you admire most in a judge? I admire the judge who recognize good and correct movement. Also those judges who spend a little extra time on the new exhibitors so they get a nice experience.

» To these who think of starting breeding .What advice you would give to someone who wants to become a breeder? Take your time to learn about the breed and standard! Get a good mentor. Is your bitch good enough, is she healthy, does she have nice temper, correct breed type? Can she offer something to your breed? Do not have hurry.. Take advices from experienced breeders.

» What are your efforts put into in order to build a great reputation (besides the dogs)? It is important for me to have a good ethic and clear principles. Doing research, health tests, breed sound dogs. The dog’s welfare comes always first.

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Camilla-BIS-reserve BISS-CERT-15 mnd gml. Club speciality show, judge Mr Ronald Lewis, kennel Walkmyll

» How important is it for a breeder to have an online presence nowadays? Many breeders are only using Facebook these days. In my opinion a well-

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Nordic Giant

Nordic Giant`s I`m A Gangster Girl, grand child to NO CH Nordic Giant`s Artic Gangster Girl

made webpage is needed to have presentations of the dogs, their health tests, pedigrees offspring etc. Combined with the social media.

Âť Would you like to add something?

I would like to thank you for trusting me making this interview and express my gratitude for spreading some of the features of this wonderful breed,and especially the harlequin colour!

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INTERVIEWED BY Ewa Larsson

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Name Norbert Schaub Country Sweden Affix Kennel Boarhunters email norbert@boarhunters.se www boarhunters.se

» Please introduce yourself and your kennel to our readers, and tell us why this particular breed. I have grown up with a Great Danes. My first contact with Great Danes took place just after the II World War. My hometown Berlin was lying in ashes. The food situation was a catastrophe. I was about seven years old and I had to do something to help put food on our family´s table. The family was mother Annelise, brother Lutz, sister Dagmar and me, Norbert. Our house was one of the few that was not bombed and it was still in relative good shape. 50 Meters away from our house, was another house, still not reconstructed, it was the butcher shop, and there was the FOOD! I knew, that the Butcher needed something edible for his pigs and I made a deal with him. The Butcher had a little carriage, pulled by two gigantic harlequin Doggen. My job was to walk up and down the streets with that carriage, shouting at the people:”Firewood for potato peels! - Firewood for potato peels!” The people came out of their houses, or what was left of them, with their potato peels and they got the firewood of me. After the wood in the carriage was replaced with potato peels, I would go back to the butcher who would give me some sausages for my work and some bones for the dogs. Naturally we became a very good team, the Deutsche Doggen and me. I was allowed to walk them and to play with them. I learned so much about

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Best in Show progeny group Sofiero

Deutsche Doggen, that I decided that when I grew up I would never have another breed. Twenty years later, living in Sweden, my daughter Susan called me from a town called Lund. ” Daddy” she said ”I have seen the most wonderful dog in the world, I don’t know what the breed is, but people call her for Grand Danois!” I was a little bit confused about that name of breed, because Susan´s description of that dog fitted that of a Deutsche Dogge. I told her to wait for me and some minutes later I stood in front of an majestic harlequin Great Dane bitch. Yes! That was exactly the same breed as a Deutsche Dogge! From that day on I knew that my loved Deutsche Doggen are in fact called Great Danes in England and U.S.A ( and Australia) and that we in Sweden call them Grand Danois. We lived in a

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smaller house at that time. At that time I was travelling around quite a bit with work and my wife Christina, sometimes worked during the night. Our daughter Susan felt uncomfortable, when she was left alone and claimed that she needed a Great Dane to guard her, to make her feel secure. When my wife was a child, her neighbour had a blue Great Dane. Christina remembered that wonderful dog and that unusual color. We decided to get us a blue Great Dane and through the Swedish Kennel Klubb was put in touch with a famous breeder oft blue Great Danes in the middle of Sweden, Kennel Azur. They were wonderful people to know, always giving us advices and backing us up whenever we needed help or information. I was lucky to get a male puppy from

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Kennel Boarhunters

their last litter. We called him Aramis. He was a very nice and healthy Great Dane. One day we decided to show him.

» What made you want to be a dog breeder in the first place? I love Great Danes and after moving to Sweden after World War II, Christina and me bought a Gd and after some years we started our kennel.

Yaghan

Ch Nahla

From that day on we were caught. Handling and showing our blue Aramis became a lifestyle. Some years later we decided to start breeding blue Great Danes. We had to import all our dogs, because the blue color variant was very underrepresented at that time in Sweden. We found Grande Negros Claudia in Sweden. From Norway we got Bonnie Blue, from Finland Stahlblauer Starker Storm, from Germany Gitte vom Backhaus and Willowruns Karat of Schlehhecke. Some years later we imported Yaghan von der Bocksleite, even him from Germany. Later on we used the blood of the most famous bloodlines in the world in our breeding work.

» How did you get introduced to this breed? This was while I was walking the harlequin Great Dane in Berlin after the war to earn some food for our family. I have never forgotten him and therefore this dog and this breed has always been the number one when i was young and still is after 40 years of breeding work.

» Please tell us about your past and present dogs.

Karatsidan

We found Grande Negros Claudia in Sweden. From Norway we got Bonnie Blue, from Finland Stahlblauer Starker Storm, from Germany Gitte vom Backhaus and Willowruns Karat of Schleh-

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hecke. Some years later we imported Yaghan von der Bocksleite, even him from Germany. Later on we used the Multichampion Elderberrys Little Foot.

5. What improvements do you want to bring to the breed with your breeding programme? Our Boarhunters blue or black Great Danes have a longer life now. The average is more than 10 years. We had some 11, 12, 13 years too. The Breeding Base is bigger now.

6. Which dog do you consider to be the foundation of your breeding program? Grande Negros Claudia, Multichampion Boarhunters Farrah, Multichampion Boarhunters Nahla, Boarhunters Tina Turner and Multichampion Boarhunters Vanja. Willwruns Karat of Schlehhecke, Multichampon Yaghan v.d. Bocksleite and Multichampion Elderberrys Little foot have been very important for our breeding work.

» How does Great Danes differ from other breeds? I think our Great Danes are of the perfect type, healthy, beautyful and have a wonderful mentality.

Multichampion Boarhunters Vanja

» Do you see any difference in Great Dane of today compared to Great Dane of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see? Yes, today our Great Danes look better than in the beginning of our breeding work. We have always want to get a type which is a mixture between the American elegant type and the German powerfull type.

» What in your opinion makes a perfect dog? God Mentality, health, long life and fol-

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Multichampion Boarhunters Vanja

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Kennel Boarhunters

Ch NO UCH Boarhunters Yakita

lowing the beed standard.

» What is the best example of the breed that you have bred till now? That is hard to tell. I think, Multichampion Farrah, Multichampion Nahla and Multichampion Vanja are very good representants for our GD breed.

» In your opinion what dog is/was the most ideal breed example? And why? Multichampion Boarhunters Nahla. She had the perfect mixture. Elegance, movents and mentality, and outstanding female.

» What do you consider to be your greatest achievement as a breeder? All imports of breeding material. Both males and females. To have made the breeding base much bigger and better during our work with blue Great Danes. Longer life and better mentality and very good contact with our puppy buyers.

» What advice would you give to those who are starting breeding?

You MUST burn for the Breed, much of Money and much of Time

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Kennel Boarhunters

Boarhuntersbreedersgroup 2009 BIS-1

» Who has been your greatest influence or inspiration in breeding/as a breeder and in what way? There were only a few Breeders of blue Great Danes in Sweden when we got started. For me it was Mulichampion Boarhunters Farrahs Best in Show seger in Breanäs and Multichampion Boarhunters Vanjas Best in Show seger 2009 in Stora Segerstad, where she won over 100 Great Danes. As well I think that contact with other breeders abroad is very important. I had to visit many dog shows abroad. I was searching and used as well the Internet and Facebook as my searching tools.

» What is the biggest highlight in your career as a breeder?

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That this is not easy to tell. But i think when Kennel Boarhunters Proginity group with our blue Great Danes won the Best in Show Final including ALL breeds att the Swedish Kennelklubbens (S.K.K) International Dogshow at the Sofiero Castle. NO other blue Great Dane Group than ours have won this BIS for Proginity groups untill today!

» You actively show your dogs. What qualities do you admire most in a judge? To be consequent in the judgement and honesty.

» To these who think of starting breeding .What advice you would give to someone who wants to become a breeder?

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Kennel Boarhunters

Think twice and then, think twice again!

» What are your efforts put into in order to build a great reputation (besides the dogs)? I always keep in contact with my new puppy parents and receive updates and pictures from them . This is exactly why we could keep on under our very long period of breeding our blue Great Danes. Even our work in the Swedish Great Dane Club on different positions have made me very popular. I am a Member of Honour now.

» Would you like to add something? I would like to thank you for trusting us making this interview and express my gratitude for spreading some of the features of this wonderful breed. Just that, so I feel about it. But if you want to know how it is to live a whole life with Great Danes, please take you time and read my BOOK 1 and 2. There you will find a lot of stuff. Both stories and lots of photos.

Willowruns Karat v.d. Schlehhecke

Import Willowruns Karat Of Schlehhecke

Multichampion Boarhunters Farrah

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Name Country Affix www

Hauer-Wylie United States Treasure www.hauerdane.com

» Please introduce yourself and your kennel to our readers, and tell us why this particular breed. I have been showing and breeding Fawn and Black Great Danes for over 30 years. I was born into the breed since my mother and father raised show Danes for over 45 years. I finished my first champion when I was 13 years old. I became an AKC judge in 2010. I began to realize after a few years of judging that I did not like traveling and being away from my family so I resigned from judging in 2013. I may decide to resume judging again someday, but for now I am enjoying staying home with my family and my Danes.

» What made you want to be a dog breeder in the first place? I have had Danes my entire life and could not imagine life without one.

» How did you get introduced to this breed? My parents

» Please tell us about your past and present dogs. I have had too many dogs to mention but some of the top dogs I have had would be BISS Ch. Rika’s Plain James V Hauer who finished at 10 months old, won his first Best In Specialty show at 11 months of age and became a Top 20 dog, Am Ch/BIS Jap CH Hauerdane’s Pump N Iron who was a top producer bred on a limited basis and Multiple Best in Show winner in Japan, Ch. Hauerdane’s N To MsChief who won Best in Futurity in 1990 at the GDC of America Futurity and is the only black in the history of the breed to do so. I currently have 2

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danes at home Ch. SummerMeadow’s Built Ford Tough for Hauerdane and BISS GCH Sasdania-Vitag’s Fairytale for Hauerdane AOM who was ranked in the top 20 in 2014.

» What improvements do you want to bring to the breed with your breeding programme? I think Great Danes are lacking in size and bone and my breeding program offers that combined with breed type.

» Which dog do you consider to be the foundation of your breeding program? I have had several over the years. Am Ch. Jap BIS CH. -Hauerdane’s Pump N Iron was probably the best producing stud dog over-all since he was bred on a limited basis and produced quality in

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all his puppies. He produced extreme breed type with size and wonderful temperaments. Prior to Pump N Iron the top producing stud dog foundation of “Hauerdane” would have been Ch. Hauerdane’s War Bonnet, however, I did not own or breed him my mother did.

» How does Great Danes differ from other breeds? Great Danes are very distinguished and regal. They are wonderful dogs in general, They generally get along with anything and everything. The biggest problem with a Dane is they do not know their size and think they are small. They have no problem sitting in your lap.

» Do you see any difference in Great Danes of today compared

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to the Great Danes of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see? Our breed has really changed over the years and unfortunately not for the better. Our fronts and shoulders are where we are really having the biggest issues. Size and bone in males is also a concern.

» What in your opinion makes a perfect dog? First and foremost the Great Dane must have a trustworthy temperament, then the overall general appearance. True breed type is a must. I want my males to look like males and my females to look like females. A Great Dane that can move with reach and drive.

» What is the best example of the breed that you have bred till now? Am. CH. BIS Jap Ch. Hauerdane’s Pump N Iron

» In your opinion what dog is/was the most ideal breed example? And why?

BIS BISS CH. Brierdane’s Indian Amber was the prettiest female I have ever seen. She had beautiful breed type and excellent movement combined. When you looked at her she could take your breath away. For males I would have to say BIS BISS CH. GMJ’s The Five Card Studd “Poker” a Harl dog that had a presence of no other dog I have

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seen to this day. He was masculine but not overdone. He was balanced with breed type and a wonderful temperament and he could move!

» What do you consider to be your greatest achievement as a breeder? To this day having bred and owned the First and only Black to win Best In Futurity at the Great Dane Club of America National Futurity.

» What advice would you give to those who are starting breeding? Do your homework. Make sure you are breeding for the right reasons, to better the breed. Don’t breed to a dog just because it’s the “winner” or because everyone else is doing it. Make sure you study the pedigree of the dog you are breeding to and research the health behind the generations. Be honest as a breeder with health issues and ask the person you are inquiring into to be honest about their health issues, it’s important to the future of our breed. Temperament and health should be first priority over anything else when breeding. Remember not every dog should be bred.

» Who has been your greatest influence or inspiration in breeding/as a breeder and in what way? My mom, Beve Hauer, without her I would never had accomplished what I have today. She has been the true founder of “Hauerdane” and thought me everything I know.

» What is the biggest highlight in your career as a breeder? Being invited to judge the Top 20 at the Great Dane Club of America Top Twenty Event

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» You actively show your dogs. What qualities do you admire most in a judge? I actually was an AKC judge and recently resigned so I know what it takes to be “in the judges shoes”. I respect judges who are not afraid to do their own thing and not worry about who is showing the dog.

» To these who think of starting breeding .What advice you would give to someone who wants to become a breeder? It is a lot of hard work. Be prepared to spend a lot of time cleaning up messes. Do not go into breeding thinking you are going to make money, most the time it is a loss.

» What are your efforts put into in order to build a great reputation (besides the dogs)? It is important to me that I keep in contact with my puppy people. It has made it possible with facebook to share photos and updates more often these days than it used to be.

» How important is it for a breeder to have an online presence nowadays? I think it is important to have a website so people can view you dogs and get to know something about you and your dogs. I think being on social media such as facebook is a great opportunity to get to know people from all over the world that you normally would not get a chance to do.

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INTERVIEWED BY Ewa Larsson

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Name MAUNDER Véronique Country France Affix De La Benjamine www www.labenjamine.com / hiroshima1@free.fr

» Please introduce yourself and your kennel to our readers, and tell us why this particular breed. The history of BENJAMINE begins in 1981 with the purchase of my first Great Dane named SARAI DE MOURRE FRAIS was a black harlequin. It started my line of black and harlequin. Acquiring TANIA DU VALLON DE FONT RENAUDE started my line of blue and black. It took 5 years to begin to see certain qualities and certain defects in the dog and begin to understand the standard. The most difficult to assimilate even the shoulder angulation and head lines. I think you "swallow" the dog for 10 years to really grasp it, feel it, see it. Before it is over it but we do not conquer. SARAI was a little bitch with a well cob body, an arched back, a well- rimmed chest and powerful, correct angulation given the size, a short neck, with correct head just chops and stop but a good groove and a nice expression. I instinctively married with the best harlequin of the time, RUDE DE LA TEMPLERIE. I got a rather homogeneous range with correct structures and Dry and interesting for some heads as Uryah DE LA BENJAMINE and brother UREYAL. The period following this range made me discover breeder "INDIOS DEL ARMIDA" in exhibition in Italy. I loved this dog style, they corresponded exactly to what I was looking for in the dog: construction head, his expression and neck, the attachment to the trunk with a well-rimmed chest and ribs rounded. I was overwhelmed by the presence,

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poise and consistency of these dogs. They had class, become paramount quality in my selection. I learned pretty quickly that they were from an unauthorized crossing of a fawn male from Germany and a German female harlequin. I had the chance to be my ERROL V.MEDITERRANEE on black lists, girl of RUDE DE LA TEMPLERIE : Uryah de la Benjamine, it gave me the presence, power, beautiful buildings with very good movements and sculpted and expressive heads. For cons, I've never had to size or beautiful dresses on these lines, the dogs were average: 82-86 cm maximum. It is true that the size was never a selection factor for me, there were other qualities I was chasing before the size and I always thought that a large mastiff without angulation or presence was awful. I always thought that this is not a color that makes a race but his expression so his head, his class, a set as possible harmonious and pleasant one to watch. Great dane is an APOLLO. It has happened to me to look at a dog and have the "creepy" and a shiver of happiness. I could from these crosses working with dogs born at home. I open myself more opportunities with dogs who possessed the qualities I wanted at all costs to find a mastiff. So I produced small dogs and medium in size, with nice shoulder angulation, a muscular hand back, a powerful wellrimmed and deep chest, well detached from neck tie trunk, a very expressive head well carved, black with little white harlequin color In this work, 10 years later, there was ELFI 10, who sat in the office, receiving customers, JAM'S DEAN who proved her a bit player talent throughout Europe and all others who can not renounce their origins with their phenotypes.

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Tania du Vallon de Font Renaude , I started my line of blue and black with blue. Tania was a rangy, good size, with a thin and long bones. It was not until the age of 4 years, it has really expanded in chest. His head was light, at the limit, still divergence, with a narrow face and chamfer missing profile thickness, which made him the Zygomates out, his lips were barely adequate. Her neck was long enough but with age it had thickened. His movement was good and loosed its locomotion was no problem. Tania was black with blue pedigree, that is to say that his father GRANIT RAUSCH V. RHAMM was blue and his mother RESKA DES TERRES DE LA RAIRIE was black. I always put on a blue male Tania and I never had a blue, always black and sometimes the beast. Crossing with USTOWN DES TERRES DE LA RAIRIE, I kept a black female, BAHIA DE LA BENJAMINE, which was better than his mother and with fewer defects than his father. I married Bahia with GRAN SULTAN INDIOS DELL ARMIDA blue and scope of this I kept a female blue: CASSIOPÉE DE LA BENJAMINE. Too bad, that at that time I did not have the means to keep several, the scope was superb but landed among individuals who did not want to breed. This is the big problem of young farmers who have not yet been proven, have only individual customers. I married Cassiopeia with a large dog. This cross, I kept ENTHEA DE LA BENJAMINE, a beautiful black female, small in size but great in its class, its beauty and character, a wonderful female who, in addition, showed a tremendous talent breeding. It was A / A in dysplasia. His brother, ENDY-BOY gave breeding DELL Aurea DRAGONDA to Mr Ferilli, very typical

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heads. It is in Valencia (Spain), I saw for the first time, ILKO DEL NORD OVEST, a black male that came to retrieve Mrs. Franceschini, and right away I knew he was going completely with Enthéa . It was him and nobody else, Enthéa being black blue and black harlequin Ilko. I had asked the club for a derogation which was accepted. I think it is important for a good breeder to feel that feeling in crosses that one desires and which is believed without precise objective reason. For me, can not be a good breeder he who speaks only pedigreed, lines, due to weddings, champions. We must feel the livestock in his guts and know that endanger. From this marriage, Enthéa did only one puppy, yes, but what puppy! HIROSHIMA .... Hiroshima that mean? Her name suited her to perfection .... HIROSHIMA MY LOVE. It is difficult for me to speak I have only praise for him. It was superb, a golden character. We had a great league and it has never sought to impose on anyone (human or animal).

after being a derogation, I had asked when I wanted to do reproduce, authorization, which allowed me to put in reproduction in both the blue in the harlequin . For the future of farming, it was very important for me to achieve this with Hiroshima. I can say that after 20 years I still have some work. Now I have to try to keep the qualities I have and work on the length of my dogs and their sizes while keeping the rear angulation which then tend to open. Easy growth and longevity are also very important in the selection I set for myself while keeping very good sociable characters I think any farmer worth the name can with the knowledge and feeling, starting from a very mastiff means reaching a very beautiful dog by selecting every marriage the best of the reach and continuing to work on, using if necessary concave or straight after the wedding. I think that we should condemn any dog. These are sometimes marriages that are happy or unhappy. Some dogs are super plotters and others, despite their high quality will never bring much Bébé de Nina de la Benjamine x Osir della Baia Azzurra.

» What made you want to be a dog breeder in the first place?

It was a great at all levels, sociable, intelligent, comprising all situations and words, a great mother, taking care to her puppies, making a rich and abundant milk. She was able to be complete and it was still down from its nine years.

I have always loved dogs and I had always dreamed of having a Great Dane, and when I had my first baby Benjamin, I asked my husband, in a birthing Dane gift, and j 'I decided to work at home to raise my son without putting in nourice and being a breeder of Great dane.

After his victories in the ring, she made me 6 litters, which I always kept every time a puppy, and enjoyed a well deserved retirement between the couch and comforter in my room. Hiroshima,

I wanted to breed from Dane because I found this dog APPOLON of the canine race and it made me dream, but I

» How did you get introduced to this breed?

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did not think at that time it was a dog returning very expensive if you wanted to take care well and that it was not as rustic race, after this we know with experience

» Please tell us about your past and present dogs. The first danes I bought were not very nice, I began and although I tell the farmers that I wanted to do exhibitions and livestock, I wanted beautiful topics, they sold me arbitrary danes, I put 10 years for superb specimens, the image of Benjamine, I now have a homogeneity in all my colors representing my breeding worldwide, with the criteria that I collect

» What improvements do you want to bring to the breed with your breeding programme? I try to fix the elegance and poise with a sign-neck neckline and a well- rimmed chest, good parallel head lines, and power and well compact frame, the expression of face with eyes as well chamfer, are very important to me, eye to stop the arcades with upper eyelids circumflex

6. Which dog do you consider to be the foundation of your breeding program? All my dogs are and were my breeding program, I work on my first dogs to get where I am and I put 10 years for the dogs I dreamed compared to dogs which I have began to breed, now I work to keep my qualities and to have longevity

» Do you see any difference in (your breed) of today compared to the (your breed) of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see? The Great Dane is a dog without

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family, there are 4 family dogs, there are molossoid ("mastiff-type") Dog breeds graïoïde ("greyhound-type") Dog breeds braccoïde ( braque") Dog breeds Lupoid ("whose morphology is similar to the wolf") and we ask our Great Dane, to have some of the qualities of the mastiffs as the lip, circled the chest muscles, but not other qualities that become then defects to the Great dane as the right rear angulation, the prognathism of the jaw, and the short thick neck. Then it must have the lines parallel heads braccoïde with a rear angulation like him, angulated shoulder angled like him when his neck, we need the Dane go take its length to graïoïdes, but do not take their other qualities that are then defects to our race. So our Great Dane is not a stable race morphologically as it has not defined a family that is fixed in nature, like the other races. This is why we find the very mastiff-type to the type graÏoïde at our great danes. And since the type is lost very quickly, I decided to produce these dernères years of breeding

» What in your opinion makes a perfect dog? Hiroshima de la Benjamine, Enthéa de la Benjamine ,James Dean de la Benjamine, Saratoustra de la Benjamine, Tadjoura de la Benjamine , Uranie de la Benjamine , Gandhal de la Benjamine, Joaquina de la Benjamine Great Danes holding my eye, are dogs that have class, poise, that the S when viewed in profile: parallel lines of heads, neck swan neck, with a clear tie on trunk and a beautiful angled shoulder and a well-rimmed chest between the front, watching the dog's face, we must have a chamfer as wide as the skull, with a stop well marked by arches and eyes well implanted in the skull, not the muzzle, neither too wide because

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of the lack of stop, with well drawn muscles and well-chiseled head lines, this is the profile S. It should make us feel the body of an athlete running with fairly rounded ribs, a tourniquet Lightly out, a very sweet character.

» What is the best example of the breed that you have bred till now? There are many that I like enormously, of course Hiroshima, Enthéa his mother, his uncle Endy Boy Uryah was also very beautiful, and many more, among other Umakya of Benjamine Liliana was in Italy, Mybeverly Hills, Lakchana, Saratoustra, Sina, Vodjederazzan, Uxalanda, Dhiran,, Enouka, Erashad, Ghandal, Iroshita ect .........

» In your opinion what dog is/was the most ideal breed example? And why? There are once again many, great danes combining poise, elegance and power, those who sent you chills when you look, Suerte Beaussenque, Bara'a of Benjamine, Romea Lands Rairie, Hiroshima ect ..... there is still full

» What do you consider to be your greatest achievement as a breeder? Have managed to have a homogeneity in all my colors and have products of breeding males and females, which bring the qualities that I selected. To have so homogenous litters, I have to wait for the last moment to choose who I care. Also, thanks to my veterinary and myself and my diet, being French breeding with the most longevity of the breed.

» What advice would you give to those who are starting breeding? The Great Dane is expensive to maintain (nouriture, care, litter), it is a race that is not at all rustic, you have to have

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deep pockets to excel in this race, you have to think before there start breeding, and also every breeder should know what kind of dogs he wants to produce and the goal is to get to have a homogeneity in his breeding versus the idea that one is secure in our breeding

» Who has been your greatest influence or inspiration in breeding/ as a breeder and in what way? When I started farming, livestock that most impressed me and that made my eye to the future, is the breeding Indios Dell Armida de Alida Costa, her great danes had as much class as power, they made me dream for a long time and gave me a guideline on what I wanted to get into breeding qualities.

14. What is the biggest highlight in your career as a breeder? I'm still in it, I happen mastiffs make dream a lot of people in the world, internet has helped a lot for it.

» You actively show your dogs. What qualities do you admire most in a judge? What I like about a judge is the homogeneity of its judgments, in every class and every color, so I find the respectable, although I do not agree with the type he likes, if the judge is homogeneous in its judgments, making ganger always the same type of dog then it is respectacle, it follows a policy it has set. For cons, the judge has no homogeneity in these judgments and he actually won, according to the classes and colors, very different dogs in type, so it's not a good judge.

» To these who think of starting breeding .What advice you would give to someone who wants to become a breeder?

learn a lot watching the dogs in exhibi-

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tion to understand the standard and he must know that the Great Dane does not deserve to mediocrity

» What are your efforts put into in order to build a great reputation (besides the dogs)? With 36 years of breeding, international judge, elected by the members of the French club Great Dane, many owners and breeders, contact me for information and solutions to the problems they face, more j ' have specialized veterinary excellent for the great dane, diagnosis is specific for race.Je see again all laws puppies I sell within 300 km around, and I get photos of others to see if growth is going well. I am always available for all to meet their demands and give them advice. Mastiffs I sell very far, regularly sending me pictures.

» How important is it for a breeder to have an online presence nowadays? An online presence is extremely important; a well designed and written website that is easy to find and navigate, combined with a strong social media presence and digital advertising are essential.

» Would you like to add something? I would like to thank you for trusting us making this interview and express my gratitude for spreading some of the features of this wonderful breed. It is very important in our time to have a good internet communication, and to have a beautiful website, to show his subjects and talk about our belief is that the web has allowed us to be viewed on the world whole and social résaux also been given the opportunity to be present in the moment with our pictures and dogs for sale.

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an interview with a judge

Ivo Ingraffia Interviewed by Ewa Larsson

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Name LinaIngraffia Ivo Petsiti Country Greece Country Italy Affix Alma Libre, kennel “Bigulla” GR 017/08 great danes black and harlequin www Info www.kennelalmalibre.gr www.bigulla.it - info@bigulla.it

» Please introduce yourself to our readers. I am 46 years old and I live in the south of Italy - Bari, I am a lawyer by profession and I breed with affix "Bigulla" , black and harlequin Great Dane

» When did your love of dogs begin? Please tell us about your past and present dogs. I got my first puppy at the age of 13 years old he was a harlequin male taken from Italian kennel "Del Bianello". With the death of my beloved Great Dane, I decided to get a new one in the country of origin of the standard Germany, until in 2007 I decided to breed with my affix “Bigulla” after request doing to Enci. The bloodline of the subjects present in my kennel are partly German and partly French. Currently I have 4 individuals in the kennel three females and one male. The three female have the first 11 years and half and is called Thelma harlequin

color, born from my first litter (multi ch Ulla x multi ch Ulken del la Dynastie Danner), the other is a black female 6 years old Liu-jo of Bianello (daughter of multi ch. Bogart Bigulla x Fendi Bianello ) and the last one is 4 years old and is called Farahdiba (daughter of multi ch. Olimpiodoro dei Monti del Keraton x Liu-jo del Bianello), while the male harlequin is seven years old and is called multi ch Bogart Bigulla (son of multi ch. Thelma x multi ch. Manolo von der Ofnethole) dog who has breed many children in all the world champions.

» How did you get introduced to this breed? My first Great Dane as I said was a harlequin male and I took it into the house when I was thirteen years old thanks to the complicity of my great father who loved the breed and introduced me in the choice of this wonderful race.

» When did you start with judge

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career and why did you chose to become a judge? Please tell us about your judges carrier and your highlights. I became a judge a few years ago and I decided to pursue a career as a judge, first of all for the love and passion towards of this breed. Indeed I wanted to give my support to the breed and contribute to the growth of the same both as a breeder and as a judge. Also since I was small I have decided to become an international show judge - FCI, and this desire was also a promise I made to my father before he died. Currently I judge several breeds of Group 2 Great Dane, Mastiff, Bullmastif, Cane Corso, Bulldog, Dogue de Bordeaux, Rottweiller, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard Dog, Dogo Argentino, Dobermann and Boxer, also i judge the whole group 4 dachshunds, and I'm studying to expand other races. I must say that the beginning of my career as a judge were immediately and very satisfying, because I was able to immediately judge abroad my beloved Great Dane breed and in particular I have judged in France a Regional of Elevage – clubshow - after a few months i became judge. Then I tried several important international events and lots Clubshow of my race and other races throughout Europe and particularly in Germany, Serbia, Croatia, Russia, Lithuania, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and many other countries.

» Did you ever had a mentor? Are you mentoring new comers? I've had a mentor, the judge all round Mr. Claudio de Giuliani and I can say I was really lucky because he was a great teacher for me, a true example of professionalism to follow, the one who taught me all about the morphology of construction and movement of

the dog, and especially taught me how to be a good, honest, fair and professional judge. As instead regards the breed Great Dane I had the opportunity to study and learn while growing from the most important Italian and foreign breeders and judges without exception, I believe till today that humility is the greatest gift of life to follow and so there is always something to learn in life. I made the request to become in turn judge trainer (mentor) for my race because I'd like to pass on to other aspiring judges my knowledge and passion of the race and especially to teach them what my great master Claudio De Giuliani sent me.

» How do you define the type? I think as a breeder that type definition is entirely subjective and varies from breeder to breeder, meanwhile if I have to express myself as a judge for me there is only one type in the breed Great Dane that provided by the standard. But it is also true that in recent years we have seen the differentiation by type and size in the breed with reference to the different countries where the Great Dane is breed, it is true that today this breed is somewhat different in kind through various European and even world nations. We must never forget that the Great Dane in his overall look is a combination of pride, strength and elegance and nobility. And 'big, powerful and harmonious construction, is called Apollo amongst all breeds. So there is no doubt that one can not ignore and forget the fact that the Great Dane should be typical and powerful in size and bone.

» Is there something which you would like to change in the breed?

I believe that the breed Great Dane is extraordinary as it is, I just hope that

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over the years is not lost its genetic and morphological heritage.

» Every breed has some common problems. Which is the most common problem in Great Dane? In my view we look the presence of a diversity types subjects exposed and breed, and unfortunately they are usually experience some common defects such as inclined group, the humeral bachelor angles open-straight, the dewlap and various eyes problems, we must work all together and in harmony among judges, breeders and clubs around Europe to eliminate or minimize the defects still present in Great danes.

» What is the most important point of which you would like a judge of the breed to be aware? I would like as I say, harmonize and bring the thoughts and opinions of the judges and breeders and clubs in order to improve the breed, but most of all I would like to see in the ring again a much larger number of great danes with a better quality.

» What qualities do you admire most in a judge? What characteristics make a good judge in your opinion? A judge must always stand out for its fairness, professionalism, seriousness, honesty, friendliness, courtesy and integrity and elegance image. When I judge I always try to give the maximum availability of the exhibitors dialogue and above all for me it is always important to explain the technical reasons of my decisions in judgment, in order to understand the advantages and disadvantages of dogs to exhibitors or better any errors or improvements to make the race.

» What differences do you see

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in the judges today as opposed to those in the beginning of your career? I always have the greatest respect and esteem for all colleagues and I believe that we are all professionally same in every country, I believe in my small way that new generations of judges have greater opportunity to further technical studies of race and especially to learn more about the many races in circulation since the number of dogs today is greater than ever before and the paper and computer media to study the breeds are many more and more detailed.

» What is your most memorable experience as a judge? I think that I can not talk about a single memorable and unique experience, because when I go into the ring to judge each time is a unique experience for me because inside the ring I put passion love and great dedication in what I do, every time is unique and memorable. In any case, as we always say the first time that judges can be considered unforgettable, because the joy and emotion is too large. Certainly a great thrill for me to be able to judge this year the Nationale d'Élevage of Doggen Club de France, a great event and a showcase for all the canine breeders, this Great Danes really is able to call up the enrollment of more than 450 Great Danes. But with this I will certainly not forget or belittle all the show clubs of various countries who for me are of the exact same importance of that one in France.

» Who was the best dog you have ever judged and why? To this question I would rather defer because I have many friends and I want to be respectful of all, but especially to the grat names of great danes, which

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as I said is for me my passion and my love, and I consider them all beautiful regardless of the exposure results. I could make a lot of extraordinary dogs names I judged, it would not be fair to all the magnificent specimens of Danes who in recent years have seen the ring and which have shaped the history of the Great Dane breed and which I have only seen and unfortunately I never could judge, certainly it would be a great honor for me.

» How has the dog scene changed over the last decades? I believe that the canine dog shows have suffered a great evolution during these years so much so that the number of these dogs, races and demonstrations have increased in number and I'm very happy. Increasingly we are witnessing the approval by the kennel around the world and the FCI official recognition of new breeds and this is really important.

» Have breed standards changed very much since you began your judging career? Do you see any difference in Great Dane of today compared to the Great Danes of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see? I think that the substantive differences between the type of the current Great Dane and that one of the past in some cases and in other cases, improvements are pejorative for the breed. First of all, i remember that many Danes products more than 15 years ago when compared to the current moment might still be of great importance today, for some features we have certainly improved the breed on the other hand we have slightly worsened the same. Of course it is true that in some Great Danes of the past few times we noticed the presence of too many masseter and a skull slightly wide, now the heads of

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the Great Danes are much more narrow, the most straight profiles as well as craniofacial axes correct, counter I noted in some great danes the loss of bone in construction, the muzzle quadrature loss mo more square, absence of sexual dimorphism, as well as not always the cloaks are homogeneous with respect to the breed standard.

» How has the anti cropping anti docking laws throughout most of Europe affected the popularity of the Great Dane ? Personally I am in favor of the tail preventing cutting and ears and I can proudly say that when in Italy there was any talk of the possibility of cutting any more ears to the Great Danes I already expounded my subjects with intact ears i speak of the year 1997. I believe that the time has come to take together a decision and that is that all countries of the world by common consent agree to definitively ban the cutting of ears and tails of animals also because animals suffer during cutting and after too, and because i believe it is fair that the subjects presented in the exhibition must have the exact same anatomical features.

» What is the greatest threat to the Great Dane today? I would not speak of a threat to the breed as a term seems a bit “strong”, but as I said at the beginning I would not attend in the future to the morphological involution of breed or rather the division of the Great Dane breed in two totally different structural types, as I repeat the breed standard is only one and should not be interpreted in my view !! Any excess to the ipotype or hypertype is definitely a mistake, certainly consider it a great mistake to push the selection of the breed towards the ipotype (under type) this disastrous thing for reproduc-

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tion, I should mention that the standard says that the Great Dane is great , powerful and harmonious construction. The Great Dane, thanks to the combined amount of the distinction, appearance, harmony, proportion of forms, gives to the one who contemplates it the impression of being in front of a noble statue. These words are definitely better and explanatory summary of my personal thought.

» It’s inevitable that breeds will evolve and change somewhat as new generations of breeders take charge. How can the essence - or true breed type - be maintained? All races are evolving in a positive or negative way all depends on the atten-

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tion that the breeders have to the selection of the race and of course the judges. It is necessary that the breeders are not restricted only and only to breed but they must deepen and always updated on the evolution of the race, and study the genetics in depth, genealogy and bloodlines of Great Danes raised worldwide. The genetic heritage of the breed and the preservation of the same forms the basis for the preservation and future development of the breed.

» What would be the most important single piece of advice you would give to all serious young breeders? it is really hard to give advice because the selection and study of the breed in

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the application sense is something very subjective, as I said earlier I would advise young farmers to study the race possible, follow training courses on the same and to take seriously engaged the selection of the race because they raise does not mean giving birth to puppies and sell them, a breeder has a great responsibility to hand down to posterity the genetic heritage of the breed and knlowdege.

Âť Would you like to add something or wish for our readers? The only thing I would add is thank thedogmagazine and Ms. Ewa Larsson for giving me the opportunity to speak and talk about my race, but most of all for

giving the opportunity to the world to raise awareness or better advertise my beloved race GREAT DANE. To those who decide to take a Great Dane, I ask only to remember that this breed is really special and unique, because the Great Dane is not a dog but a friend in the house becomes a permanent member of the family, because the Great Dane loves to be always in contact masters and what they do on a daily basis, the Great Dane is not and never will be a dog to be kept closed in an enclosure and / or as a watchdog function, the Great Dane is "dog house" and loves family life.

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an interview with a judge

Maria Gkinala Interviewed by Ewa Larsson

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Name Lina Petsiti Maria Gkinala Country Greece Country Ireland Affix Affix Alma Libre, GR 017/08 Fainomenon www Info www.kennelalmalibre.gr http://fainomenon.webs.com/

» Please introduce yourself to our readers. My name is Maria Gkinala. I was born in Greece and in the ‘80s-‘90s I lived in the UK where I served my apprenticeship in dogs. I live in Ireland since 2004.

» When did your love of dogs begin? Please tell us about your past and present dogs. I was born in a doggy family and got my first own dog aged five. I’ve had many dogs of several breeds and each was a special one that made me a better person. My present Great Dane is Lucy, who is 10 years 5 months old. My first Danes were two girls, a black and a fawn in the early ‘70s. My top winning Dane and my heart dog was Kali, a BPIS, BIS, BISS & BVIS import from the Dogiwogin kennel in Finland who was a multi-champion and a thoroughly amazing person. She won BIS under the late great connoisseur Li-

onel Hamilton Renwick who as he told me had judged some of the best in the breed and considered Kali outstanding so I don’t think I could ever do better than that. She was mom to multi-champions and one of her daughters became a top Agility competitor which to me is more important than conformation titles although I have bred several champions. I’m a hobby breeder so I bred very few litters and only when I wanted to keep a puppy myself. I am more comfortable not exhibiting since I am a judge and I think that’s a very good provision of the AKC system.

» How did you get introduced to this breed? I fell in love with Great Danes first from books. When I met the first real Great Dane in the fur, in my early teens, it was love at first sight. The huge dog walked up to me and gently stood, we were face to face and I could see those incredibly kind eyes, his gentle soul, that

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was it for me. I used to spend all my pocket money buying dog books from abroad and saving up for my own Great Dane. It’s the most enduring love affair in my long adventurous life and together with my daughter dogs are my best friends.

» When did you start with judge career and why did you chose to become a judge? Please tell us about your judges carrier and your highlights . First of all I don’t consider judging a career. I was sort of very reluctantly got dragged into it as I was very involved with Greek dogdom and setting up judges’ education for the Kennel Club of Greece. As I had an active involvement with other breeds in FCI group II, Boxers, Bullmastiffs, Dobermanns, Rottweilers and others, I completed the group. I can’t really fake deep interest in all breeds and as it’s not possible to pick and choose the breeds I am most interested in from other groups, like the Irish Red & White Setter and the Greyhound, because the system requires the judge to complete whole groups before moving onto another, I’m happy where I am. I would like to see that changed, allowing people to choose what they are truly interested in, as I think that would improve the quality of judging. I don’t believe a judge can be really efficient in depth without a personal involvement, breeding experience and specialist study in each breed. The judge’s duty to be an educator goes much deeper and further than merely a good knowledge of the breed standard; the judge should know the breed’s history in great detail, have a broad perspective and be aware of what are the particular problems in the breed at any

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given time, in order to organize his/her thought process in a way that most benefits the breed. Politics require judges to self-promote, which is not in my character. I’m not a good sycophant of people who can hand out judging appointments. As I don’t like living out of a suitcase I am only really happy to judge Great Dane specialties and if they happen to coincide with an all-breed event where I can adjudicate other breeds of Group II, I take that as a bonus. I judged my breed for the Great Dane Club of Denmark in 2012 and I awarded CCs in the UK for the first time this year, these are special highlights but every opportunity to serve my breed and educate is a highlight to be cherished and do one’s best. Judging dogs is an intellectual challenge that keeps my brain sharp. I became a conformation judge because I live in the era of breed type

deviation in Europe: the Great Dane is at breaking point between typical dogs and pseudo-Danes, so I feel it’s my duty to try preserve the Breed from the capacity of the judge.

» Did you ever have a mentor? Are you mentoring new comers? I did and I still do have mentors as learning is a continuous process. I mentor young Daneites and breeders who convince me they possess integrity and intelligence, fully understand the task and are willing to learn and work hard to serve their chosen breed. I also blog about the breed in an effort to raise awareness and encourage open discussion.

» How do you define the type? Fitness for purpose. Form follows function so a dog that possesses the physical and mental characteristics to conform with the history, anatomy, mor-

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phology and purpose of the breed will be a typical specimen even if the wasn’t a written standard.

of course is wrong. For a Great Dane, if the reader is educated, three words suffice: Apollo of Dogs.

The General Appearance paragraph of the Breed Standard is type in a nutshell. In the Great Dane’s case, it’s a smooth-coated Giant Big Game Hunting Dog and such a dog has all the essentials of being a Great Dane, neither a mastiff nor a greyhound but in the middle ground between the true extremes in the words of the original standards. Character, original purpose, size, coat type, outline, proportions, morphological classification, tail, colour and head qualities, including bite, define breed type. In some breeds the working traits are type – a dog that works like a Border Collie is a Border Collie.

» Is there something which you would like to change in the breed?

I think that the more verbose and pompous a standard becomes, attempting to define every last detail, the less it serves Breed Type because in the mind of the reader all the details become equally important to the point of obsessing, which

Avoid excess. Serve Fitness for Purpose. Penalise lack of soundness, temperament and exaggeration. Seek the Apollo of dogs, displaying nobility and able to go anywhere and do anything. Danes are becoming exaggerated, a

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People. Deficits in education. The misconception that the Great Dane has a single country origin from Germany and that it doesn’t originate from Denmark.

» Every breed has some common problems. Which is the most common problem in Great Dane? Human Nature that is prone to excess.

» What is the most important point of which you would like a judge of the breed to be aware?

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caricature. They must be a functional unit.

» What qualities do you admire most in a judge? Integrity, intelligence and the ability to articulate and educate. Genuine interest in the breed and dogs’ welfare in general. Applying the standard instead of mere personal preference.

so that dogdom does not become an exclusive area for the individual to succeed. Independence of thought, staying away from committee positions and conflicts of interest, education and again, intelligence. In depth knowledge and passion for the breed are of course sine qua non.

» What characteristics make a good judge in your opinion?

» What differences do you see in the judges today as opposed to those in the beginning of your career?

First of all, brutal honesty and self-criticism. The ‘eye’ is a special quality, spatial intelligence that architects, visual artists, designers, photographers and the like possess – the ability to mentally analyze and synthesize three-dimensional forms. A voracious appetite for reading and retaining knowledge. A personality that is self-assured so that does not require approval and popularity, as the judge must be prepared to make unpopular decisions. It helps if the judge is accomplished in other fields

I think people are more in a hurry to become judges as they think it’s easy and because it’s a very good way to promote their breeding. The advance of the internet makes it look easier too. The Anglo-Saxon school is based on experience and the Scandinavian school on intensive theoretical and practical education. Between the two, anything goes. There’s a lot of “not what you know but who you know” going on. That’s not good in any sport. Look at FIFA.

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» What is your most memorable experience as a judge? All of them because I am the company of the most caring, sincere and genuine souls – dogs and Great Danes in particular. It gives me great pleasure. There are many memorable experiences, good, bad and amusing, that I’m saving for my memoirs.

» Who was the best dog you have ever judged and why? I have to think about it. I don’t know yet. Ask me in twenty years time. Time

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is the best judge of quality. So far it has to be the Rottweiler, IR & GB Ch Kanesbrook Black Denzil CW'06 & '07. I gave him Best group and he thrilled me with his breed type, showmanship and superb movement.

» How has the dog scene changed over the last decades? In negative and positive ways. Quality of dogs is dropping because the internet creates false expectations and newcomers who want instant glory start breeding before they are well qualified. On the other hand more and more

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people are becoming aware of scientific facts about health and genetics so there is more open discussion and the educated public is becoming more demanding and discerning. 16. Have breed standards changed very much since you began your judging career? Do you see any difference in Great Dane of today compared to the Great Danes of 10-15 years ago? If so, what are the biggest differences you see? The Great Dane type has changed a lot in some parts of Europe since I first became involved in the breed. The standard has not changed by much but there is a dichotomy of type nowadays between standard Danes and dogs that are verging towards the Neapolitan Mastiff.

» How has the anti cropping anti docking laws throughout most of Europe affected the popularity of the Great Dane ? As the Great Dane is a unique giant breed, the breed fans have managed to cope better with the new situation in comparison to say, Boxer or Dobermann fans.

» What is the greatest threat to the Great Dane today? Ignorance,

bad judging and sloppy breeding. Many newcomers to the breed in some regions are at an age bracket that they have not seen classic dogs and they think that Great Danes are some kind of leggy Neapolitan Mastiffs with droopy eyes and lips to their chests. Bloat, cancer and DCM are the three major killer hereditary defects that have become endemic in the breed.

By making sure dogs are fit for purpose – fit for their original function, sound of body and mind.

» What would be the most important single piece of advice you would give to all serious young breeders? Avoid the pox of the popular sires and learn to apply population genetics to breed healthy dogs. Look far and wide for the best dogs to use and be excruciatingly critical of your own dogs. Learn to listen before you speak and walk before you run. Oh, and “they don’t walk on their heads”.

» Would you like to add something or wish for our readers? Hypertype is a phenomenon that plagues many breeds and threatens their health and soundness. Demand education from your Clubs and don’t be afraid to stand up and be counted in the best interests of dogs. Be their voice. Fight against corruption in our hobby and be the change for the better we want to see in the sport of dogs. Demand transparency and good judging. Celebrate your seniors and you veteran dogs. Lobby and condemn the World Dog Show in China. Best of luck to your wonderful magazine and your readers. Best of luck to all the young talented people in developing countries: keep the dream – you are not alone.

» It’s inevitable that breeds will evolve and change somewhat as new generations of breeders take charge. How can the essence - or true breed type - be maintained?

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Yet another story... A Dog is a man’s best friend by Norbert Schaub

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Name Country Affix

Norbert Schaub Sweden Kennel Boarhunters In Sweden

This sentence one has heard a number of times. I would definitely sign under this claim. Let me tell you why. This happened. At 4.00 on 16.2.1987 on a Monday morning I was awakened by a scraping sound. Our Great Dane aka Ludde, import from Finland, Stahlblauer Starker Storm, was trying to open the kitchen door. Then he continued to force down the hall door and with a desperate whining, almost howling, ran up the stairs leading to our bedroom. He had never gone up this staircase in the past, but now he was in front and clawing energetically on the bedroom door. He sounded desperate! Never had Ludde behaved this way. Something must have happened I thought and threw on my jacket. Ludde was overjoyed to see me, turned in the doorway and half ran down the stairs. Once at the back door to the garden, he stopped, looking at me. I opened the door and Ludde ran directly out to our doghouse, which is 15 meters away in the courtyard. In the kennel was our 7 year old Bonnie Blue. Our first import. She was our Norwegian import. A few thoughts went through my head. There were foxes in the immediate vicinity. Had a Fox crept into the doghouse? Worried, I went into the kennel and found Bonnie lying on the floor nearly lifeless. Only the end of her tail tip showed some small movement indicating Bonnie was still alive. What had happened?

I can only think that, when Bonnie was scratching her neck with her hind legs, a leg must have got caught in her collar, which had formed a noose in which her hind leg were caught. The collar looked like an eight. In the first half was her neck in the second part sat her back leg. How long Bonnie had lain in this terrible position, I don’t know . Bonnie didn't make a sound. She was about to strangle herself. As soon as she tried to pull out her paw from the collar, it would just tighten the grip on her neck even more. I was unable to get out her paw from the necklace without throttling her. I ran into the House and picked up a pair of wire cutters. I cut quickly up the collar and freed Bonnie. After a long moment Bonnie started to improve again and greeted me and Ludde. A little later she barked at Ludde, I Don’t know if it was her way of thanking him for saving her life. It probably was. Today, Bonnie is herself again. Just as bitchy as before. She doesn't have a collar anymore when she is in the dog house. We learn from our mistakes. But I have been wondering how did Ludde know that Bonnie was out in the doghouse struggling with death? We heard absolutely nothing before Ludde stormed up to our bedroom. Obviously Ludde got a cake as a reward. It was the least we could do to show our thanks.

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Ivanhoe and the Moose by Norbert Schaub

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Name Country Affix

Norbert Schaub Sweden Kennel Boarhunters In Sweden

When we lived in Småland, Sweden, more precisely in the Hageskruv, Älghult (Moosevillage) we went often on large walks with our dogs. One day there was a very interesting incident that affected the behavior of our black Great Dane Ivanhoe a lot. It was a real nice winter day with about 50 cm of fresh snow that had fallen during the night. Christina and I decided to take a trip into the Woods to get a Christmas tree. We had Ivanhoe, whom we called Ivis with us. He went as usual without leash because he was an excellent and certified obedience dog. In our forest there were many of these stately animals are referred to as the King of the forest, moose. Hence the name of the town Älghult (Moosevillage). We would see Moose while we sat and ate breakfast. They would only be about 25 meters from us. We left our house and went into the woods. After having checked some Christmas trees we had gone a long way into the forest. I had walked faster with Ivis than Christina and she was about 100 meters behind us. Ivis had gone loose next to me and had picked up a few deer tracks, suddenly he stopped. He lifted his nose and his nostrils vibrated sharply. He had picked up a scent of something. I looked forward and I could see three moose in a forest clearing. One moose had discovered us and was checking out Ivis and me. We stood silent and still, the moose froze as well. Ivanhoe, our brave male

great Dane , who thought he was the greatest and strongest, decided to check out this great thing, that glared at him. With long strides he hopped through the high snow towards the moose. Ivanhoe's movement almost resembled a dolphin moving through water. He was running at full speed and the closer he came to the Moose, the lower he lowered his head. Eventually his head was almost under the snow . The moose was completely calm. When Ivis was one meter away from the elk, he had his head was covered with snow. He shuddered off the snow and looked inquisitively at the Moose, that now bent down to check out what Ivis was. Ivis lifted his head out of the snow and licked the moose's nose. The moose didn't react, but then, as if he had been struck by lightning, he turned on a dime and ran back towards Christina. He had a very high speed, and ran past Christina who was unable to stop him. He just ran and ran and ran. Christina and I hurried home to find Ivanhoe waiting for us on the steps leading up to the house. He had always believed that he was the greatest, strongest. Ivis sulked for about 3 weeks before he got over it. He met at Moose again, but he remained cool and calm. He had learned his lesson.

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A visit with difficulties... by Norbert Schaub

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Name Country Affix

Norbert Schaub Sweden Kennel Boarhunters In Sweden

Finally, it was the 18th January 1987. It was a day with a capital “D”. That Saturday Per-Inge and Marina Persson, Christina and myself were to drive to the quarantine in Stenungsund to visit our Gold Nugget, Willowruns Karats v.d. Schlehhecke. Karat had been in quarantine for about 6 weeks and we were very curious to see how he had been coping. The weather was not the best. At home, in Staffanstorp, the wind was blowing strongly. When we were in Ängelholm it began to snow a little. It wasn't dangerous we thought and continued our journey, and it continued to snow. After a little while we were in the middle of a blizzard of swirling snowflakes. At first we thought to turn around, but we had driven most of the way, so we decided to continue. The journey went slowly, but without any incident. But five kilometres from quarantine, we had to give up. We coudn't drive up the slopes any more. The car’s wheels just span, there was no grip at all! We rang up Margaretha Damfeldt who managed the quarantine and announced that we were stuck on an incline in the car. She could not pick us up, as she did not have a suitable car that could manage the road conditions. But if we could clear this hill where we were stuck, we would then come to a long straight she said promisingly. Okay, we promised, to give it another go. I sat on the hood of the car, in order to increase the grip of the front wheels. Marina drove and Per-Inge and Christina pushed the car with all of their might from the rear . A Steep drop was to the right of us. Slowly, very slowly we worked ourselves up and over the Hill crest. Yippeee we screamed for joy which was quickly replaced with severe swearing. After a brief moment of driving on a straight bit, the road became far too steep and slippery. We had no choice!

We got out of the car and started marching towards the quarantine. Many times during our stumbling along the four-km-long road, we came to think of names such as Amundsen, Nansen and Scott. We felt the same way, stumbling around in the snow and wind, with a plastic bag full of sausages to Karat. The sausages were almost frozen when we approached the quarantine. Once there, we were greeted by a tremendous barking. Karat had spotted us! He raised himself up on his hind legs and waved his tail vigorously. I think he recognized us! Margaretha greeted us and brought us to the visitors room. Karat stormed in and was overjoyed to meet us. After a while he got the sight and scent of the sausages. Eight lunch sausages just disappeared into the gaping mouth in no time. Then it just fine to cuddle with him. He was sooo happy, like us! The stay in quarantine had not hurt him, either physically or mentally. He was in fine form. The cropped ears pointed right up as they should, and he was very good natured. After two hours of hugging, Karat suddenly got tired, lay down and slept like a log. Had there been a WORLD CUP of snoring, Karat would have won the Gold! Now it was time to go back to the car again. After a Strong Cup of coffee that Margaret gave to us, we started the march back towards the car. For that we woudn't go astray, we were given a flashlight. The flashlight was needed. Nothing could have been darker than this night. Once at the car, we paused and then we drove back home. Going back home took a long time. The roads remained congested. We got home late, tired and worn out, but we all thought that the trip was very fruitful. We breeders of Great Danes are a bit crazy. But, what don’t you do for your dogs? Karat would be home with us for Easter…

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