Good genetics are a must for good breeding!
Posted By Sandy Wilson on September 4, 2010
Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese
Producing good dogs generation after generation is not by accident – it is breeding with purpose and excellent genetics. I also think that you must make the decision to keep high standards to produce the best dogs that you can, rather than make exceptions and lower standards for breeding. I have a vision in my head of what I want to produce and have always kept to those standards which I have set for myself. I don’t want to make compromises when breeding, as the goal is to always try and improve what you have and make it better and also keep what is good in your genetics strong. Good breeding can be a challenge — there is so much to consider. There is no way to control what is going to come to surface in each dog’s gene pool such as recessessives, etc, so when selecting a breeding pair of dogs, it can be quite a challenge. The better you know the dogs your breeding and the more homework you do on the dogs such as researching progeny produced and also what characteristics are coming out strongly from each dog, the better you are able to predict what might come out in your breeding. You can’t just select dogs for specific traits to improve breeding, but you must look at the dog as a whole and what it possesses that makes it a great dog worth breeding. Breeding is a crapshoot, but the better you know the dogs and the more reseach you do, will help you to “load the dice” to produce an outcome in your favor. Finding dogs whose gene’s “nick” together are probably the best and when you find that special match of male and female, you can produce some very special dogs!
For me, dogs that posses natural herding instinct, genetic obedience,a full grip, a solid temperament, and good work ethic start from good genetics and we have been lucky enough to see the progression of these fine attributes through selective breeding. This has been our goal since we started breeding our dogs, as we have never lost sight of it in our breeding program and we hope to continue breeding very selectively and produce good dogs.
Hera v. Fafnerhaus with “A” Litter
(Hera v. Fafnerhaus X Diesel v. Schulmeister, SchHI, AD)
Also important for breeding good dogs is structure, especially for working dogs. They must possess solid structure and movement, hips and elbows must be x-rayed and be free of any dysplasia (I prefer OFA at 2 years of age), the dog must move properly coming and going thereby exhibiting true balance of movement and not extremes in any aspect. Balance and freedom of movement are important in a dog’g longevity and also allows a working dog to perform to it’s fullest capability. The well structured dog will have the ability to work for longs periods of time and possess good agility to do all different types of work. You cannot merely base breeding decisions on a dog’s coat color, side movement, ear set, etc.; it is the dog as a whole that makes a a good dog worth breeding, not just one aspect.
Below you will see several photographs of several generations of dogs that have been carefully bred. Below is Alf v. Fafnerhaus, known as Nicky, his son Dux v. Fafnerhaus, known as Luki, then two great grandsons, Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese and Caden von der Kleinen Wiese, and lastly a great granddaughter to Nicky, our little Delta von der Kleinen Wiese. I know and have known each and everyone of these dogs personally and I can truly say that the fine qualities that I look for in a working dog have surely been passed down from generation to generation. Nicky is a dog who I would love have all of my dogs be like – he is the vision of a dog that I want to always produce in my breeding program. To me, he was the total package!
Alf v. Fafnerhaus working at Nickelsberg Farm – Nicky worked everyday his whole life – what a dog he was.
As I have mentioned in my earlier posts, Nicky was the last dog that was produced out of Schafermeister Manfred Heyne’s last HGH dog. Nicky’s sire was Nick von der Stammherde Ramholz, HGH, and the dam was Margaret von Fafnerhaus, SchHI. Together these two dogs produced one of the best herding dogs I have seen that still possessed the old herding blood and had the genetic obedience that Manfred always talked about. His work ethic was simply incredible and his temperament flawless in my opinion.
Below is a Nicky son, Dux, who Manfred handpicked from a Nicky litter when he was in the US. He took Dux back to Germany with him and titled him with a HGH and also used him for his everyday working dog to herd his flock of sheep. When Manfred was too old to work Dux anymore, he sent him back to the place of his birth to continue to do the job he loved the most, tending sheep. I know Manfred missed this dog terribly, but he had such love for Luki, that he knew that he would be happiest working as he had done for Manfred. To this day, at 12 years of age, this dog still can move sheep and has such a presence. What a boy he is – so proud — such HEART!!
Dux v. Fafnerhaus, HGH “Luki” – Nicky Son
Pictured above, Dux v. Fafnerhaus, HGH (Alf v. Fafnerhaus X Ussa von Kuchenthal, HGH), working on Nickelsberg Farm. Dux or “Luki” as Manfred Heyne called him, was his last true working dog before passing away earlier this year. Luki was very well trained by Manfred. I was so lucky this year to have my boy Aiko work along side of him, herding the sheep together – it was really a sight I won’t forget and a memory I will have forever. I have been extremely fortunate to have seen several of the dogs who Manfred had trained himself – what dogs they were – Manfred was a genius when it came to dog training and breeding, but more than that, he loved these dogs with his heart and soul and loved the German Shepherd Breed for what it was originally bred for – real work, true intelligence, a dog with real spirit and with a zest for life.
Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese – Nicky Grandson
Aiko herding over 300 sheep at Nickelsberg Farm where his grandfather Nicky had once worked the same flock. I know Nicky would have been proud of his grandson!
Aiko (Hera von Fafnerhaus X Diesel vom Schulmeister, SchHI, AD) is out of our Nicky daughter Hera. Hera was our first true herding dog that had all the herding instinct and talent we could ever ask for. She is obedient beyond belief and a super worker. She was a dog that could do everything. She could track, do protection work, obedience, agility and herd sheep – she is amazing. We were so in love with these genetics, that we knew we had to try and save these special working dogs and so we decided to breed Hera. We produced our Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese and also kept a daughter Arla von der Kleinen Wiese. Aiko is so much like his grandfather Nicky – intelligent, possesses great work ethic, natural herding abilities and a wonderful temperament and balanced structure that allows this dog to trot all day. We loved this breeding so much, that we repeated it later on and produced some very nice puppies.
Caden von der Kleinen Wiese – Nicky Grandson doing schutzhund work (Repeat Breeding “C” Litter)
Caden is presently training at the Calgary Schutzhund Club in Canada and doing very well. Donna Brinkworth is training under the direction of Dan Waters and Training Director Wade Waters. Best of luck to Donna & Caden!
Below is a picture of our Delta, the next generation and she is proving to possess those same wonderful qualities in these genetics that are so prepotent. Delta is very obedient and extremely intelligent and so easy to train – she is really a joy to work with. Delta is a great granddaughter of Nickys. She is just a little over a year old now and really working beautifully on the boundary. She is just starting out, but I see that she is so happy to work, and she listens so well! She loves working the sheep and looks so forward to her weekly lessons and I see that each week she is progressing with great confidence. Delta is out of our Arla von der Kleinen Wiese (Hera & Diesel) and Hawk v. Eichenluft, SchHIII.
Hawk was a nice match for Arla as he has such strong working dogs in his pedigree, a solid temperament, and he also comes from a line of intelligent dogs. Best of all, I was pleased to find Hawk had some significant HGH dogs in his lines that go back to “good” old blood. To me, it was so important to find a dog that nicked together well with our lines, but still have our lines be prepotent in the breeding and so far that is happening. Hawk added greatly to our gene pool and we were so thankful to have the opportunity to breed our Arla to him. Hawk is retired now and getting older, but what a super dog he is and in great shape. Thank you Kandi and hugs to you Hawki (Click on Rokanhaus German Shepherds on the sidebar for more on Hawk)!
Delta von der Kleinen Wiese
(Arla von der Kleinen Wiese x Hawk v. Eichenluft, SchHIII)
Delta always seems to be in perpetual motion; she loves to play ball or do anything that involves going outside and being the center of attention. Right now she is training for herding and we are going to get back to her tracking this Fall. She is an awesome tracker!
Delta – she is an intense pup when at work!
More on Delta later as she progresses in her training with the large flock!
