My Interview with the “Indian Kennel Gazette”
Download this page in PDF format- Thanks for asking. I love talking about my breed and always want each generation of Dachshunds to improve. I try to show exhibitors and breeders where I came from, and when, so everyone knows how I started showing Dachshunds and how I finished so many AKC Champions.
- I was always an animal lover and gave my parents the same attitude. When I was in the First Grade, I got a Standard Smooth Dachshund as a pet and we never showed him at all. I showed ponies, chickens, and goats growing up and I was always successful because those animals made me search for type, structure, and movement. I am ecstatic that I started looking at those aspects because they were to become exactly what I depended on as a Dachshund enthusiast. Around ’74 or ’75, I decided to look into Dachshunds and see if I could win anything in the Dog Show Ring. I started attending shows, subscribing to magazines, and buying Dog books about showing and breeding. Finally, in ’76, I decided what I wanted and got in touch with handler Lorraine Heichel (Maseley) who put me on the path of getting a CH Moffett’s Harvest ROMX daughter. That bitch was a great start, although she did have a few health issues, and I started getting good quality right from the beginning. I started winning and there was no stopping me. I started showing my own Dachshunds and helping Hannelore Heller show hers. Hannelore was my first mentor and she was so valuable to me in that she taught me what was so important that great Dachshunds had to have then.
- I started showing Dachshunds in October of 1976 and then, in March of 1978, finished my first champion. The Standard Smooth bitch that I finished was CH Rose Farm’s Choo Choo ROMX, bred by Dee Hutchinson and Judy Anderson, and sold to me by Dee Hutchinson of Rose Farm with Dee herself as a co-owner. When Choo Choo ROMX finished, Dee sent me a longhair puppy, Rose Farms Black Berry Buff L ROMO (who, I might add had a big knot in her tail!), which we co-owned. I am pretty sure that I got Lardi because of that broken tail, but we all loved her from the beginning. Choo Choo ROMX and Black Berry Buff L ROMO (Lardi) became my foundation bitches and all my Boondox dogs came down from them and another longhair girl that Dee gave me, CH Rose Farms Country Girl L ROMX. They all had great conformation and temperaments and they most assuredly passed them both on to their offspring since they are truly responsible for all of my 280 AKC Champions.
- Americans call areas far from cities the boondocks and, since I am from the farm country of western Indiana, I chose Boondox as my Kennel Name. Since my first name was Dan and that brings on the Daniel “Boone” and then I just added DOX and made the BoonDOX fun. It always worked great with my dogs. I liked Boondox and it sort of caught on.
- I am VERY strict about who my bitches are bred to and I demanded that the dogs have great phenotypes with great conformation, type, and movement and that they also must have excellent genotypes so that they in turn produced what I was wanting to add to my kennel. They had to look like I wanted them to and they also should have the great genotype that came down and went into the next generation. When I wanted to change things, I wanted the changes I made to stay within my line of dogs and that the new aspect I wanted would be added so that I kept adding great things without losing what I had already changed. Those rules were in my head as I arranged my breedings and keeping all the changes was also present. I also started to use the dogs that I bred after breeding for about ten years, but they also had to be great in genotype and sure in phenotype. I NEEDED to change things and having these strong male Dachshunds made my life even better. I rarely had a dog fail me as a producer because I ALWAYS demanded great phenotype and genotype. In my mind, they went together.
- When I do a mating, I am trying to fix one thing at a time in the bitch that I am breeding. I also tell people to only breed dogs or bitches that just need a few changes in their conformation, style, or movement. Do not breed anything that needs dozens of changes because those are the ones that you cannot help. I have been very straightforward and told breeders to breed bitches that just need help in a few areas so you can see whether you made a difference and got the changes you were trying to fix. My line has always been one where you can see the changes you have made when they are about 12 weeks old. Always remember you have to KEEP the changes you have made or else you start new with each new breeding. You ALWAYS have to keep every change you have made as you go along. This is not an easy task, but it does show the progress you are making in your bloodline as it moves along. See a problem and then change where the problem was to become a virtue in newer litters. That is my philosophy in breeding better Dachshunds. Again, that is what I have always done even from my first breedings.
- When I choose a breeding pair of Dachshunds, I want a great look that catches my eye. That outline and movement always have to be there before I would ever breed them. I understand how people get sick of me always saying this, but both sires and dams have to have great fronts to start with. That is the foundation of breeding great Dachshunds. Then, I have the bitch I want to breed and make sure the dog I breed improves their partner where my bitch needs help. If it does indeed do that, I do the breeding and hope the changes I want show up in the puppies. Remember, I am not breeding for the new litter, I am breeding to use these puppies in several more litters along the way. You always have to see where you are going and make sure the area you want to improve does get helped by the new breeding. I always just bred naturally and never used AI at all. I did freeze some semen in the early nineties, but I never used any of it.
- I did a lot of breeding and, luckily, I had a line that, when they were twelve weeks old, looked like they would when they matured, so, after twelve weeks, I could place them and then hang onto the good ones to see how they would mature. I wanted to see everything as it would look on a mature Dachshund. If you notice, I kept fewer Dachshunds as I was breeding longer because of everything I was changing along the way. Knowing what was coming made me very sure of what I wanted and so those better ones were the ones I kept (and sold, too). I wanted them to look at that age exactly as they would when they matured. I was very picky!
- I always just fed commercial dog food as I thought our dog food kept my dogs healthy. I never fixed or made my own food, but depended on the commercial ones to watch what they were producing. I was never disappointed in that either.
- Mentors are a big factor in a new exhibitor’s success. They are VITALLY important and having great ones makes the new exhibitor understand what he is looking for. I had some great ones when I got started. Hannelore Heller taught me what a great Dachshund had to have whenever she took a Dachshund into the Ring. What I learned from her is what I never forgot. My next one was, of course, Dee Hutchinson. She grew up in the Dachshund breed and, when I say that she was the best, I mean no one ever had the strength she had in every Variety and Coat, because she knew what was important and what we had to have in each Variety to be successful. Russ and Thelma Moffett were great mentors and taught me everything I needed to know about Standard Smooths. Wally and Mary Jones of Walmar Dachshunds were, of course, great mentors as we spent hours each day arguing about what we wanted in our next litter. Going to shows and seeing the way that Bobby and Jane Fowler showed Dachshunds and their knowledge of the Breed also made them my mentors as well. Mary Howell (and Fran Colonna, too)and her string of Bayard Longhairs also showed me where I wanted to go. I would have followed Mary around the Show Ring anywhere I was going to be exhibiting. For judging, there were two that I always followed and watched what they put up and they were John Cook from New Jersey and Ann Gordon from Pennsylvania In my mind, they set the standard as to how you judged Dachshunds that showed the conformation, style, and movement that all great ones had. Many others also mentored me as well, but they didn’t know it. All of us want great Dachshunds to win every time there is a Dog Show.
- CH Falcon of Heying-Teckel ROMO and CH Moffett’s Harvest ROMO were my favorite Standard Smooth males. My two best were CH Boondox Chuckie Bunyan ROMO and CH Rose Farms FYC v Boondox. My favorite Standard Smooth females were CH Laddland Juliet ROMO and CH Luvadox Rose Parade SS and my own favorite was CH Boondox Ipsy Pipsy ROMX. In Standard Longhairs, my favorite males were CH Delldachs Rolls Royce ROM, CH Robert de Bayard ROMX, CH Han-Jo’s Ulyssis L ROMO and CH Gerolf das Zweglein L ROMO and my own favorite was CH Boondox Panama Jack ROMO. In Standard Longhair Females, the best was my CH Boondox Bermarg Treasure L ROMX as she changed the whole thinking about showing females as Specials. In Standard Wire males, CH Starbarrack Malachite ROMO and his sire, CH Saytar’s Little Bohannon ROMO would be my picks and for bitches my pick was CH Jeric’s Danielle ROMX. In Miniature Longs, CH Flachshund’s Exquisite ML ROMO leads the way. In Miniature Smooths, Dee Hutchinson’s trio of CH, Rose Farm’s Steamboat Willy MS, Ruckengrat’s Stanly Steamer, and Rose Farme’s Timothy MS ROM along with the UK import CH D’Arisca Supernatural ROMX who was one of the finest producers that I ever saw and Supernatural’s few offspring changed the Miniature Wire and Smooth Show Rings. In Miniature Smooth, the female that impressed me was CH Rose Farms Elsie ROM who made me realize what I could have been seeing all the years that I was showing Dachshunds. In Wires, I suppose it was CH EJ’s Top Gun MW ROMO.
- In the last twenty years, my Dachshund, CH Boondox Panama Jack ROMO, changed the breed and his offspring were being shown all over the country. His daughter CH Boondox Bermarg Treasure L ROMX changed the Variety, too, when she produced CH Boondox Forrest Gump L ROMO, CH Boondox Fortunate Son L ROMO, and CH Boondox Polo L ROMX then when they were used so well by the Walmar Kennels whose line is still going strong through Kim Vidrine’s Solo line. In Standard Smooths, the Laddland grouping has led the way, and with Juliet in the lead, she shows off her wonderful conformation, style, and Movement that goes back to the Moffett line and other lines that we should never forget. Remember, we have to always recall what went before us. In Standard Wire lines, no one is a stronger influence than the great Ch Starbarrack Malachite SW ROMO who gave us exactly what other breeders tried to get and his owner did encapture that look that fills my eye, anyway. In Miniature Longs, it still is the look of CH Fachshund’s Exquisite ML ROMO which they are always trying to capture again, even if they don’t realize it. Even now, the look she displayed is always on my mind when I judge that ML variety. In Miniature Smooths, the CH D’Arisca Supernatural look style and movement still fills my eye. I loved that little dog. In Wires, no one captures my attention in the last few years. These greats are what is in my mind when I judge since I have seen that type and Dachshund style in the Show Ring and know that brings to the next few generations.
- I am probably the worst person to ask this question as when I had my kennel and was actively breeding and showing Dachshunds, I never kept a weight scale in my kennel. I picked all of mine out because of the type and style that they had. I specialled a couple of males that were a little over thirty pounds and some bitches that were around fifteen or sixteen pounds as I made all my decisions on how typy they were and how they moved in the Show Ring. Any huge ones did not get kept here usually because they probably were not that great in movement. I wanted that oval chest and that great front with lots of forechest and that whole body dependent on that front to move easily around the show ring. I am sure that the emphasis I placed on type, style, and movement would keep the more moderate dogs in the ring. As I said, the type and style is what I always looked for and I hope that would perhaps let people see that many other things would keep the style and movement correct for even the FCI Dachshunds. We should worry more about keeping the breed together instead of getting rid of some of them.
- When I was breeding and showing them, there were two problems that I did not want in my line and that was epilepsy and disc disease. There were no tests for either disease and these diseases just showed up. I did not want those in my kennel so took a look and decided they were probably hereditary and that one parent or the other carried the disease and passed it on. I decided that the bitch I had who lost her mother to epilepsy was someone who was not to be used anymore in breeding. She was a multiple Specialty winner and a Group winner and I was sad when I pulled her from my breeding program. As for disc disease, again it just had to be hereditary and there were two dogs I wanted to use who had the disease. I liked their offspring so I waited until their children were over five years of age and had no back problems and none in their litters did either. I did that and got the blood of Xtra Copy ROMO (whose father had disc disease) and Rolls Royce ROMX, who passed away after disc disease hit him, into my lines. Rolls Royce was behind CH Bayard la Manon and CH Boondox Quicksilver L ROMX and I used the Xtra Copy kids and the Rolls Royce offspring all the time in my breedings and I never had either epilepsy nor disc disease show up in my line of dogs. Trust me, the Boondox line was full of a lot of dogs, but we never had either epilepsy or disc disease striking them at all. As I said, those were the two diseases that I tried to not get started in my bloodline. Now, many things wrong with Dachshunds are checked and numbered and worked with, but there is still no way to check about epilepsy or disc disease which, I guess, are still causing problems out there.
- Again, long, low and level means so much to the Dachshund that it needs to be watched over and applied to our Dachshunds. This is a great tool that gives us what we want to see when we watch our dogs stacking and gaiting. We always have to remember that the terms are something that all Dachshunds have and we must make sure we never lose track of them. The level part is that we want the dog to be fairly level across the topline and stay that way when it is stacked or in motion. The long part is to be considered when we see the Dachshund from the side and the length should be from the beginning of the forechest to the rear. We want it long, but we also want the neckset and shoulders to be further back on the dog and so part of that length is in front of the neckset and some of it is behind the neckset. Again, the eye soon develops what the long part means as well. The low part means that the Dachshund has short legs and is low to the ground and, again, you have to watch the dog and make sure the dog is not too low to move. I like a low-stationed dog and have never seen one that could not move even with very short legs. If they are getting too low, breed to a higher stationed one next time. We want a long and low and level Dachshund and I want to see that look when I am judging Dachshunds in the Show Ring.
- Dachshunds are animals and they like to use the stairs. If they are fit enough, they can do that without it being a problem. If they are too heavy for it, cut back the food. Let them enjoy life like we do. If you are trying to rule everything a Dachshund likes to do, it is going to be a long, sad life for you. You cannot rule a Dachshund and make it conform to what you want, because, as we all know, it is always about what the Dachshund wants.
- I like Dachshunds who cover the ground, looking around. I want these dogs to take fewer steps and cover more ground because they move easily around the Show Ring with that longer, ground-covering stride. I like to put up great moving dogs, but only if they are built correctly and move efficiently around the ring. The Dachshunds that I showed were never heavy as I made sure they were fit before I paid their entry fees. They did ALWAY cover ground easily and with lots fewer steps than the ones with the straighter fronts who took twice as many steps as my freely moving dogs did. I want them to be alert and comfortable and cover the area they are walking on. If that means I like faster-moving dogs, then I would say that I prefer the effortlessly easy-moving Dachshund that moves over the ground with Dachshund style and effortlessly moves around the ring.
- Well-bred Miniatures are no longer in body than Standards are, but some breeders and exhibitors always pick them out and show longer-bodied Minis. The good Miniature have great little bodies and are very well put together. In the USA, the Miniatures are always in contention for the top awards and, in a show I just judged, all three Best of Variety winners were Minis and I liked each one of them. The problem is that it takes a while to get used to picking Miniatures out and many people pick out the longer bodies and so have them to show. The problems lie in that the fronts are too far forward on the dog and so the length just looks off. You really need to get better at picking out the Miniatures to keep and show. There are great ones all over the World.
- The pillars of the Dachshund Breed that come from Boondox would, of course, start with CH Boondox Panama Jack ROMO who was a top winning Special and now is the Number One Longhair Dachshund producer in the USA and the world after he sired 108 Champions. His daughter, CH Boondox Bermarg Treasure L ROMX was also a top winning Special who was BV and BB at nine Specialties during the late 80s and early 90s and then produced BIS-winning CH Boondox Forrest Gump L ROMO, CH Boondox Fortunate Son L ROMO, and CH Boondox Polo L ROMX who all were great producers. The sire of Treasure’s offspring was multi BIS winning CH Boondox Sting v Kanawha L ROMO also an important Specialty winner as well as being a great producer. Sting’s dam was CH Bayard la Manon who won BV and BB at the ’85 DCA National and who was royally bred by Mary Howell. Also, Treasure’s full brother, CH Bermarg’s Shoney of Boonox L ROMO, was also a three-time DCA BV winner and one time DCA BB winner, and CH Boondox Chaps L ROMX who again was a two-time DCA BV winner, too. In Standard Smooths, CH Rose Farms Choo Choo ROMX was my first Champion, a DCA winner as well as producing my first big producer, CH Boondox Chuckie Bunyan ROMO who was a leading Smooth sire back in the ’80s. I consider both of them to be pillars of the Boondox line. My best Smooth was CH Boondox Ipsy Pipsy ROMX, a PJ daughter, and she, too, was a top Special and two-time DCA BOSV winner and one time DCA BOSB winner at DCA. In Wires, CH Jeric’s Danielle W ROMX was another DCA WB back in ’86 and BV winner in ’89 at DCA. Sorry, the list is so long but I have had a few great producers and great Specials. I could list a lot more.
- I have no color preferences as I am aware of all the preferences DCA has made to get the newer colors approved. I only had reds, B&Ts, and Wild Boars that I showed although most had other colors behind them. Type and movement are what I judge. Color does not enter into it as long as that color is allowed by the AKC Standard.
- I no longer have dogs, but when I did, I usually kept around 45 to 80 adult Dachshunds in my Kennel. It was a difficult job, but I always did it myself and never had professional help taking care of my dogs. I did use helpers when I went to Dog Shows and had one young adult come twice a day while I was gone to feed and water them.
- My dogs were all kennel dogs and I built a new kennel just to house them all. Taking care of them was my business and I spent a lot of time doing just that. Some dogs, of course, did go in and out 0f our house and had full house privileges.
- I have judged in several countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, the UK, and Russia and I have seen depths of quality in different parts of each country. Like in any locale, coats and sizes change all the time and, in some places, each coat or size could be the strongest depending on where the breedings were ending up. When I judge, I have to have to keep all that in my mind and I want to see the Dachshund style, the easy, effortless movement, and the conformation and outline that I am looking for on display. All Dachshunds have faults and, as a Judge, I always have to be on the lookout for what is good in each exhibit as that is what we should be awarding top prizes to. Like their owners, these dachshunds all have faults, but we all need to know how to work around those faults and I certainly hope these problems are not any that I consider a true part of breed type and correct movement. I have to have those in a correct Dachshund, have them in my mind and they are esential for a Dachshund to have what it must have to be great in conformation and easy-going movement. As far as quality, things have changed a lot in raising Dachshunds. When I started showing them and breeding them, I ran a lot of Dachshunds and would often have six or seven litters as would so many breeders back then during the ’70s and ’80s. We bred several litters and I was able to keep the puppies until the right homes came along for them. From those litters, I would always improve my line and the quality would get better. Now, it seems most people hav one litter a year and keep and show almost every one to their Championship, despite their quality and, in the USA, most people breed to their own stud dogs and most seem to love the off beat colors that they produce. I used to think quality was worse for us now, but, in looking at what is produced, most people just play around and breed to their own dogs and search for colors that we never saw back in the 50s, ’60s. ’70s and ’80s. Breeders change what they are looking for and most think the quality is worse, but, in reality, lesser dogs are being shown now and the quality IS still there, but we have to look harder and with more knowledge to find it. When I judge, I want the conformation, style and movement to be there to see it and the other things do not register with me as I still I want the best well-made, great moving Dacshund to win. We need to look and truly find the best that are being shown and it will be up to honest Judges to find them. We need to know what is correct and how long it has been correct and looking at pictures of older Dachshunds should help us keep that greatness in our minds.
- Dachshunds should ALWAYS be great with children and other breeds. Any type of shakiness or fear was never allowed in my Kennel. I watched each puppy growing up and the bad tempered ones did not ever leave here to be bred and shown.
- When I am judging, I bring the dogs in, look at them for conformation and style and then send them around as a group so I can see the great movers and so get an eyeful of what I have coming up. I then go over them on the table and see if they have the layback, the long shoulders and the arch of neck and where that neckset lies on the body. That is singllarly important to me and it is so valuable to a moving Dachshund. I love to look at a Dachshund and see everything I demand on the table. I look at many things and always want those qualities there for the Dachshund to use and show its power. I then move them down and back and then around the ring. I want to see effortless, efficient movement which covers the ground quickly and the dog looks like it has the power to be a great Dachshund. When judging, by this time, you know which ones are good ones and which ones are great ones and then you pick out the great ones to use the ones because they are the ones that fill your eye with what you know a Dachshund has to have. I want them to show themselves and I want them to move quickly around the ring in an efficient manner. By the end, you should have them all at the head of the line and award those great ones the top placings. Getting that job done makes me happy.
- I have bred and finished around 280 AKC Champions and I enjoyed every minute of it. Being at the head of the line is the Show Ring never gets old. Knowing you got advice from some of the greats also makes you happy as well. Winning at the DCA National Specialty also is something you do not forget. It was a lot of work doing this, but I do not regret spending my life making Dachshunds a better Breed. It was worth it. As for Top Winners, I have had so many, but here is a list of some of the best I have had. CH Rose Farm’s Choo Choo ROMX was BOSV and BOSB at the ’78 DCA Natinal Show, her son CH Boondox Chuckie Bunyan ROMO was RWD at the ’80 DCA National Show, CH Boondox Anka v Zencor was BOSV at the ’80 National Show weekend, CH Rose Farms Zesabel v Boondox ROMO was WB and BW at the ’80 National Show, CH RoseFarms Elite v Boondox L ROMX was WB and BW twice during the ’82 DCA National weekend, CH M0ffett’s Oona v Boondox was RWB at the ’83 DCA National, CH Rose Farms Hannelore Boondox was WB and BW at the ’84 DCA National, CH Boonox Indigo v Walmar ROMO was WD at the ’84 DCA National, CH Rose Farms Dolly v Boondox was BOSV at the ’84 DCA National, CH Boondox Pumpkin ROMX was Best Puppy at ’85 DCA National, CH Bayard la Manon was WB at the host show and WB, BW, BV and BB at the ’85 DCA National, CH Jeric’s Danielle ROMX was WB at the ’86 DCA Ntional and BV and BOSB at the ’89 DCA National, CH Boondox Panama Jack ROMO was top Longhair sire and multiple Specialty and Group winner, CH Boondox Opium v Walmar ROM was BOSV at the ’86 DCA National, CH Bermarg Shoney of Boondox L ROMO was BV at the ’88 and ’90 DCA National as well as being BV and BB at the ’95 DCA National, CH Boondox Bermarg Treasure ROMX was a huge winner, CH Boondox Chaps L ROMX was ’92 and ’93 BV at DCA National, CH Boondox Polo L ROMX was RWD at the ’97 and ’98 DCA National, CH Boondox Cha Cha was WB at ’94 DCA host show, CH Boondox Ziggurat was WD at the ’94 DCA National, CH Boondox Ipsy Pipsy ROMX was BOSV and BOSB at the ’96 DCA National and BOSV at the ’97 National Specialty. There were many more, but those were my highlights.
- I have never shown Dachshunds in another country, strictly the USA for me. I have sold dogs to Japan, Canada, UK, Spain, South Africa, Malaysia and France and all have been successful.
- I have not had any disc disease in my Kennel. I decided on my own that it was inheritable so I never bred to a dog who went down and, after waiting until their offspring were past five years old (by which time most dogs with disc disease have displayed it), have bred to get their qualities in my Boondox offspring. I guess I have been lucky, but it was never a problem for me. I used this method to not get epilepsy as well. People think I am crazy, but it did keep both diseases out of my bloodline.
- I have owned and shown all coats and sizes of Dachshunds except Miniature Longs and, trust me, they are all different. As I said, I like friendly ones and all of them here were friendly with each other and all people. That was always expected.
- I think the person showing them should groom them. If you are the owner, that is how you learn what the Breed has to have to be competitive. When we never see quality and don’t recognize it, it is our loss. We need to know what a Dachshund needs to compete and show against. To me, I always groomed my show dogs myself to show their good qualities off to the Judge and also to the ringside. Grooming your Show Dog is a two-way street. Take advantage of it.
- Again, I always try to save all my puppies when it seems not to thrive, but maybe there is a reason that the puppy is fading. As I said, I try to save them all, but sometimes you fail. I kept all the puppies that are doing great with their dam, but I never watched what happened with fading puppies as sometimes these puppies are not meant to survive. Remember, I want long-lived HEALTHY Dachshunds.
- I treat my Dachshunds as babies and just let them run in ex-pens and play while they are under 3 moths or so. Then, I start putting them on the table as well along with having them run around and showing me which ones are the bosses in the litter. Next, I start lead breaking the puppies and lead them around a little and table them as well. That is to just get them slightly adjusted to being on a show lead. Next, I walk the puppy around a little and get it used to being the center of attention. That is so vital in a Show Dachshund and really makes their self worth get a lot stronger. After I show them a couple of times, I then start taking the puppy on a long walk BY THEMSELVES to, again, make them feel like they are runniung the show. Each dog, when I start showing them to get them finished, gets this treatment once a day and it really makes that Dachshund think that he is running the show. I do that every day I am home with each individual dog that I am entering. You must remember that all my dogs can run around the whole time except when they are on lead. I have never had a dog get too thin because it played too hard. Each of my Dachshunds typically enjoys a walk of approximately three-quarters of a mile daily while I am showing them. Exercise is always good
- I have had no secreat for success. First, start with the best bitch you can get and then breed that one to an older, family-bred Top Producer to help with a couple of problems (Remember, if you are breeding bitches with dozens of problems, it is not goingt to be a pleasant ride.) Keep the dog that has all your bitches strong points as well as a better front, better set neckset and more that he inherits from the sired . Keep the best puppies and move on to breeding that older bitch again or the bitch puppy that you kept. (I always have to say this because some people like to keep males and that makes the progress you are making take a lot longer). Just keep doing that, preserving your best Dachshund conformation and movement each time and adding plusses with every new litter, your rise to the top will be fast and furious. I always try to tell people how I got where I ended up and, trust me, it did not involve me breeding to every male I had born here, even though many were big winners at local Specialties and the National Specialty. I wanted more than what those dogs could offer and went after it. Stud fees are not that expensive.
- My happiest moment was having my longhair Dachshund, CH Boondox Panama Jack ROMO, pass the 100 Champion mark. He was the first one to do it and, in my mind anyway, deserved that honor. He was a great dog and even better to live with.
- I worked for my Dad and helped with delivery of Seed Corn and Soybeans and I also ran the test plots in our rather large terrirory. Other than that, showing Dachshunds was my passion and main hobby. I also was an avid reader and also had a large collection of albums that I listened too a lot and both of those kept my mind clear to work on my dogs. I showed dachsunds and usually had around 60 or so in the kennel. I also had Salukis which I did not show. I did show American Fox Terriers and we actually won WB at their first National Specialty back in Oklahoma in the early 2000’s. When I was married, we also had many Basenjis that we were quite successful with and were always in contention at the Basenji National Show. We had the Number One Basenji who we sold to Japan for quite a price back in the late ’90s.
- I am now divorced, but I was married had two great kids, Will and Tess, and both of them also live around this area. They both have dogs, but not involved in showing them. They just like to love them and they proved perfect for that.
- Get the best bitch that you can, even a co-owned bitch because you don’t want your foundation to be stuck on changing everything. Breed to Top Producers and pick out the best puppies and start over again. Like what you know is the best and never change your mind unless someone who has been it a lot longer than you talks with you about it. Minds do change, but it is from experience and being mentorred that does it. Always make sure that the Dachshunds you are breeding get better every time and that they always have the strongest things that a Dachshund needs.