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Gettin' The Job Done.......American Made
WHY GERMAN SHEPHERDS?
Prior to 1982, you would Never have convinced me I would ever own a GSD. No Way!
I liked the exotic looking breeds. I loved my fuzzy "Cousin It" breed, the Lhasa. I pretty much liked
any smashed face breed. I liked the “Giant of Dogdom”, the Irish Wolfhound. If you had asked me
back then, I would have told you that Shepherds were just way too “generic” of a dog for me. In
fact, I was researching bloodlines and kennels for an IW when I went to work at Lee Ray Kennels.
At the time, the owner, Terry Hower, was one of the top 3 German Shepherd handlers in the
country. I worked for Terry off and on for 15 years, first as a kennel attendant, and later as
Manager.
I received an unparalleled education. I was working daily with nationally ranked dogs that are
now legends in the breed. I was being taught by two people, Terry, and Linda, his wife, who
already had 20-30 years in the breed. What they taught me about conformation, GSD’s, showing
and the dog business, I still use on a daily basis. Thank you, Terry and Linda.
The dogs I was working with won me over to the breed. They won me over by their
overwhelming Need to please. They fell over themselves trying to give you what you wanted. They
were profoundly sorry if they couldn’t figure out what you wanted. As much as I loved my Lhasas,
biddability was never their strong suit.
They won me over by their beautiful, flowing grace. I was surrounded by dogs that were literally
breath taking. Maybe this piece gave me a little of my need for the exotic, and unique. No other
breed comes close to moving like a good German Shepherd Dog.
The German Shepherd’s sense of loyalty, intelligence, biddability, and ability to adapt at
whatever task you set them to, will keep one with me forever.
WHY KARMA
Terry had a bitch that wasn’t working out for him. I was sort of wanting to try obedience
competition…….Terry gave her to me. Destiny. Which is what I would have named my kennel,
except a much respected lady had grabbed the name many years before and had produced many a
champion under the Destino Kennel name.
So….looking for a synonym, I found Karma. The irony is, when I chose the name, it didn’t
have any deeper meaning for me. I was a very pragmatic, black and white kinda person. 10 years
would pass before I discovered the New Age philosophies I now follow. Did the name make the
person? Hmmm………
BREEDING GOALS
I breed when I want a puppy. I want a champion herder who lives in my house, and sleeps in
my bed. I want a partner who is as obsessive as I am about the jobs we do, and jumps at the
chance to go where I go and do what I do. To do this they need:
* A stable, flexible temperament. My dogs live in the house, travel constantly; go to work in
a new place every day. They also go to class, and compete periodically throughout the year. What
I require from my dogs requires a strong, sane, flexible brain that can gear up or gear down
depending on the situation. They need the intelligence, judgment and self control to adjust. This
kind of temperament, character, and mind, is a reproducible goal.
*Competitive drive. They need to have drive and enthusiasm for the sport we are doing
together. Companion and competitor are not mutually exclusive. The dog needs to have the
flexibility of mind to be able to switch back and forth; definitely one of my breeding goals.
*HERDING INSTINCT, DRIVE AND TALENT If a dog does not have herding instinct, it
is not part of my breeding plans, and probably won’t be around the house long.
*Balanced, sound conformation. Both for what I want to look at, and for what I need to
work with, I need a dog that is put together well. I look for dogs with a longer neck, proper
proportions, balanced sidegait, a long sloping croup, right angles in the rear, and short hocks.
*Biddability. I need a dog that is a partner, not a Prima Donna, and not a competitor. I need a
dog with a strong sense of self that wants to work with me. Again, biddability, the desire to accept
partnership, is a reproducible character trait.
Health. I love my dogs, and want them to hang around as long as possible. I want them to be
fit to work as often, and long, as possible. Breeding to dogs that are fit, and healthy will give me
this.
Lighter black and tan color. I herd all year round. The darker the dog, the harder the time
they have in high summer. I’ve worked three Bi-Colors in summer; all three have had extreme
difficulty with it. Therefore, my goal is to breed dogs of black and tan, or black and red color.
Prior to 1982, you would Never have convinced me I would ever own a GSD. No Way!
I liked the exotic looking breeds. I loved my fuzzy "Cousin It" breed, the Lhasa. I pretty much liked
any smashed face breed. I liked the “Giant of Dogdom”, the Irish Wolfhound. If you had asked me
back then, I would have told you that Shepherds were just way too “generic” of a dog for me. In
fact, I was researching bloodlines and kennels for an IW when I went to work at Lee Ray Kennels.
At the time, the owner, Terry Hower, was one of the top 3 German Shepherd handlers in the
country. I worked for Terry off and on for 15 years, first as a kennel attendant, and later as
Manager.
I received an unparalleled education. I was working daily with nationally ranked dogs that are
now legends in the breed. I was being taught by two people, Terry, and Linda, his wife, who
already had 20-30 years in the breed. What they taught me about conformation, GSD’s, showing
and the dog business, I still use on a daily basis. Thank you, Terry and Linda.
The dogs I was working with won me over to the breed. They won me over by their
overwhelming Need to please. They fell over themselves trying to give you what you wanted. They
were profoundly sorry if they couldn’t figure out what you wanted. As much as I loved my Lhasas,
biddability was never their strong suit.
They won me over by their beautiful, flowing grace. I was surrounded by dogs that were literally
breath taking. Maybe this piece gave me a little of my need for the exotic, and unique. No other
breed comes close to moving like a good German Shepherd Dog.
The German Shepherd’s sense of loyalty, intelligence, biddability, and ability to adapt at
whatever task you set them to, will keep one with me forever.
WHY KARMA
Terry had a bitch that wasn’t working out for him. I was sort of wanting to try obedience
competition…….Terry gave her to me. Destiny. Which is what I would have named my kennel,
except a much respected lady had grabbed the name many years before and had produced many a
champion under the Destino Kennel name.
So….looking for a synonym, I found Karma. The irony is, when I chose the name, it didn’t
have any deeper meaning for me. I was a very pragmatic, black and white kinda person. 10 years
would pass before I discovered the New Age philosophies I now follow. Did the name make the
person? Hmmm………
BREEDING GOALS
I breed when I want a puppy. I want a champion herder who lives in my house, and sleeps in
my bed. I want a partner who is as obsessive as I am about the jobs we do, and jumps at the
chance to go where I go and do what I do. To do this they need:
* A stable, flexible temperament. My dogs live in the house, travel constantly; go to work in
a new place every day. They also go to class, and compete periodically throughout the year. What
I require from my dogs requires a strong, sane, flexible brain that can gear up or gear down
depending on the situation. They need the intelligence, judgment and self control to adjust. This
kind of temperament, character, and mind, is a reproducible goal.
*Competitive drive. They need to have drive and enthusiasm for the sport we are doing
together. Companion and competitor are not mutually exclusive. The dog needs to have the
flexibility of mind to be able to switch back and forth; definitely one of my breeding goals.
*HERDING INSTINCT, DRIVE AND TALENT If a dog does not have herding instinct, it
is not part of my breeding plans, and probably won’t be around the house long.
*Balanced, sound conformation. Both for what I want to look at, and for what I need to
work with, I need a dog that is put together well. I look for dogs with a longer neck, proper
proportions, balanced sidegait, a long sloping croup, right angles in the rear, and short hocks.
*Biddability. I need a dog that is a partner, not a Prima Donna, and not a competitor. I need a
dog with a strong sense of self that wants to work with me. Again, biddability, the desire to accept
partnership, is a reproducible character trait.
Health. I love my dogs, and want them to hang around as long as possible. I want them to be
fit to work as often, and long, as possible. Breeding to dogs that are fit, and healthy will give me
this.
Lighter black and tan color. I herd all year round. The darker the dog, the harder the time
they have in high summer. I’ve worked three Bi-Colors in summer; all three have had extreme
difficulty with it. Therefore, my goal is to breed dogs of black and tan, or black and red color.
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