Wyndel Miniature Wirehairs: Patricia A. Wynne

by Bob Bray

Sometimes we meet a person who changes the direction of our lives – Pat Wynne, Wyndel Miniatures Wirehairs, was that person for me. I had not owned a dog since childhood and in 1979 decided I wanted to have a dog again. I happened to pass a pet shop and stopped in, and there was a beguiling, little miniature smooth dachshund. I didn’t recall ever being near a dachshund before, but it was love at first sight! I knew it was best to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder, so I began searching for a dachshund breeder near Cincinnati. Soon I came across the name of Pat Wynne, Wyndel Kennel in Maineville, Ohio. My parents and I drove to the kennel to look at a litter of smooth puppies, and met Pat. It was obvious that Pat knew a great deal about dachshunds and we were impressed with the litter, their dam, and Pat’s home environment for them. I picked out a pretty red female. Pat asked me if I wanted to see the sire of the puppies, and of course, I did. Well, she brought this hairy, black and tan creature that appeared to be a terrier or something similar, and I was totally at a loss for words! Then Pat explained that he was miniature wirehair dachshund and that they could produce smooth puppies. Before we left with our little girl Pat asked me if I had ever attended a dog show – I answered no, and she said she thought I would really enjoy them and that one at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, would soon be coming up. So, I went, not knowing what to expect, but being a lover of animals was excited. Upon finding the dachshund ring, I sat down next to an older woman who was very friendly and proceeded to explain to me what was happening as the show proceeded. I later learned this lady who had taken pity on a total novice was Helene Case, grand dame of Kentucky dachshunds. As I left the show one thing was crystal clear – I wanted to do this! I discussed wanting to purchase a show puppy with Pat and since she did not have anything at the time she directed me to Ada McCord, Kordachs Kennel in Indiana, and from Ada I purchased my first puppy to show. Later on a wire bitch did become available from Pat, and she became CH Wyndel’s Come Spring MW.

Pat Wynne was a dachshund breeder of great knowledge, absolute integrity, almost fierce scrutiny of her own breeding program, and loved the breed as a whole – all coats, miniature and standard. She became my mentor and friend, always ready to share her understanding of dachshund structure, movement, and breeding. Pat instilled in me the desire to improve the breed, to never “settle” in my own breeding program. And what is so valuable in a good mentor is that Pat was not afraid to tell me if she didn’t like a puppy I had bred – and explain why in detail. I remember with humor (now but not then) Pat walking me through the whelping of Come Spring. I was a novice, had read all the books on whelping, but it’s not the same as doing it! I knew from x-rays that Spring had 7 puppies, so was in near panic from the beginning. But we started and a puppy was born with no problems, and then Spring rested. This pattern was repeated and I called Pat, alarmed Spring might have uterine inertia. Pat asked some key questions about what she was doing and given my answers told me to relax and just wait. Another puppy came, more resting, another, more resting. I’m not sure how many times I called Pat for advice, but she always patiently and calmly advised me. Eleven hours later seven healthy puppies were lying together, Spring was relaxed and feeling fine…….and I was a total emotional and physical wreck! Looking back it’s amazing I ever bred another litter after that experience.

Looking at Pat’s breeding program one finds a great deal of thoughtful line breeding on Dr. and Mrs. William Adam’s Wilheen line, and also to a lesser degree Holmdachs. Behind the Wilheen line were Nodokora, Tubac, Garner, Lo-Dachs, and Ausblicks, etc. In her breeding she weaved back and forth between Wilheen’s Mighty Mike and Wilheen’s Knight Wire, and then their sons and daughters. She had great success breeding to CH Melody Run’s Vagabond Lover MW ROMX – this also being a line breeding since Vagabond Lover was sired by CH Wyndel’s Michelob MW ROM out of CH Brunswig’s Xenobia MW ROMO, who was sired by CH Wilheen’s Knight Wire MW ROM. If you were to ask me about Pat’s “type” I would describe it as definitely dachshund rather than terrier. I feel in both standard and miniature wires there has always been these two basic types. The lines of Pat’s dogs were rounded rather than angular, there was good length of body, heads were beautiful, and high rears with gay tails were not tolerated. Wyndel miniature wirehairs had the silhouette from a distance of a beautiful dachshund. In later years when her top stud dogs had died Pat was forced to breed out to some degree. This proved to be only somewhat successful in terms of her keeping her type – very frustrating to Pat. Since her line was so heavily linebred it was a surprise to her, and certainly to those of us familiar with her dogs. Sometimes the complexity of dominant and recessive genes in a breeding program is not always evident until a breeder moves beyond their usual pattern.

Lastly, I would add that Pat had a great sense of humor, and loved to have a good time. She was a very close friend of Vera Falco and when those two got together….look out! I can remember being at Pat’s kennel when Vera was visiting for a while and it was better than watching Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz on TV. Of course anyone who knew Vera was aware that she was uninhibited in sharing her opinions – I remember one time Pat was doing her usual, excessive cleaning of the kennel runs and Vera said to me something to the fact….she is going to kill herself if she doesn’t learn to let the runs alone for a little while! Well, I knew that just wasn’t going to happen – any “donation” by a dog didn’t stand a chance for lasting for more than a few minutes with Pat around. Pat’s unexpected death at too young an age was a terrible shock to her friends, and a great loss for our breed. She gave of herself and her knowledge freely, and I and many others are indebted to her for our beginning in dachshunds and for her friendship.

CH Wilheen’s Knight Wire MW ROM, breeders Dr. and Mrs. Williams Adams, owner Vera A. Falco, judge Pedro Rivera, handler Dorothy Hardy

CH Wilheen’s Mighty Mike MW, breeders-owners Dr. and Mrs. William Adams, judge Pat Hastings, handler Evonne Chashoudian

(his “type” particularly reminds me of several of Pat’s wires)

CH Brunswig’s Xenobia MW ROMO
Sire: CH Wilheen’s Knight Wire MW ROM,
Dam: CH Brunswig’s Indian Love Call MW, Breeder/Owner Helen Shuh

(producer of nine champions)

Significant dachshunds further back in Wyndel pedigrees:

[CH Brentwald Michael Strauss, breeder-handler Harold Patrick, owner Carolyn Strauss
(Brentwald Bubba x CH Alltrin Giselda (Am Can CH Tubac’s Wee Johann-W x Sable von Osterholz)]
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{CH Garner’s Wee Josh MW, breeder-owner Mary Garner, handler Woody Dorwood

Chota’s Big Surprise (Chota’s Samba x Smokeyhole Loisel of Wytchend) x De Sangpur Wee Justamere (Fant v Osterholz x Dina v Osterholz)}
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{Am Can CH Tubac’s Wee Johann-W, breeder-owner-handler Neville Stephens, BV under judge Donia Cline at San Fernando Kennel Club, top winning miniature all coats for 1958-1959

Zipper von Steimer M x Jule vom Amrum (German Import)}

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Jeetzel von Osterholz, bred by Ida and Fritz Kroeff, owned Mrs. Muriel Glenz
Kibitz v Osterholz x Katie v d Jeetzel (German import) – sire of CH De Sangpur Wee Lancelot, CH De Sangpur Wee Memmy, CH Aldwin’s Jewell
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CH De Sangpur Wee Lancelot, breeder-owner Grace B. Hill

Jeetzel V Osterholz x De Sangpur Wee Impchen, third miniature smooth champion, finished in 1958
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CH Dachs’ Den’s Eric-M, breeder-owner Mrs. Jack E. Beard

McGillicudy of Dachs’ Den x Sonsie v Saytrie of Dachs’ Den, second miniature smooth champion, finished in 1956
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CH Garner’s Wee Hans M, bred by Mary Garner and owned by Billie Ruffell

Garner’s Little Conquestor M (sired by CH De Sangpur’s Wee Lancelot) x Garner’s Little Tena May M (sired by CH Dachs’ Den’s Eric M)
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CH Groff-Nix Little Shotgun-M, dob 1963, breeders/owners Bob Groff and Bill Nix and Terry Texeira

Lo-Dach’s Mr. Lucky-M (by CH Garner’s Wee Hans-M) x Groff-Nix Little Me Jane (by CH Garner’s Wee Hans-M)
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And just some of the outstanding standards:

CH Leutnant v Marienlust, dob 1 January 1938, breeders-owners Josef and Maria Mehr

CH Zep v Marienlust (by Arri v Luitpoldsheim) x CH Senta v Luitpoldsheim (by Hansi vom Holzgarten)
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A/C CH Favorite v Marienlust , dob 21 April 1945, breeders Josef and Maria Mehr, owners Fred and Rose Heying

Bruce v Marienlust (by CH Theo v Holzgarten) x Melinda v Marienlust (by CH Meistersinger of Windyriver)
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CH Falcon of Heying-Teckel, dob 8 Jul 1953, breeders-owners, Fred and Rose Heying, pictured under judge Gordon Nesbitt
A/C CH Favorite v Marienlust x Lana of Gera (CH White Gables Basil x Jassy of Gera)
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CH Hershey of Heying-Teckel, breeders-owners Fred and Rose Heying

CH Leutnant v Marienlust (by CH Zep v Marienlust) x Herzy v Marienlust (by CH Herztrumpf v Teckelhof)
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CH Brentwald Joshua W, dob 21 Oct 1946, bred by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Patrick, handled by William Ake, judge Laurence Horswell CH Lumpacius Hubertus x CH Jerry Hubertus. Joshua was the all-time top winning wirehair by the early 1950s
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Two of Pat’s most famous dogs were CH Wyndel’s Michelob MW ROM (born 9 September 1969) and CH Wyndel’s Knight On the Town MW ROM (born 11 December 1969). Michelob was by CH Wilheen’s Mighty Mike MW out of CH Wyndel’s Katiedid MW, and produced 20 champion get (eight were out of CH Brunswig’s Xenobia MW ROMO). Knight On the Town was by CH Wilheen’s Knight Wire MW ROM out of Holmdach’s Bit O’Honey MW, and produced 17 champion get.

CH Wyndel’s Michelob MW ROM, sire of 20 champions (as an older boy)
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A famous son of Michelob, CH Melody Run’s Vagabond Lover MW ROMX, breeder Helen Schuh, owner-handler Ed and Myrna Barringer, judge George Warner, sire of 20 champions
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CH Wyndel’s Knight On The Town MW ROM, BOS to BB under judge Nancy Onthank on 17 Jun 1972 at the Dachshund Club of the Great Lakes, sire of 17 champions
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There were also many outstanding bitches produced by Pat Wynne, owned by herself and others.

CH Wyndel’s Kiss Me Kate MW, breeder/owner/handler Pat Wynne, judge Judy Goulder
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CH Wyndel’s Kiss Me Kate MW, breeder Pat Wynne, handler Ray Patenaude, WB under judge Ramona Van Court at the Florida East Coast Dachshund Club Specialty, 19 Jan 1972
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CH Wyndel’s Keeper of the Flame MW, breeder-owner Pat Wynne, judge Paula Hartinger, handler Bob Bray
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CH Wyndel’s Basic Black MW, breeder-owner-handler Pat Wynne, judge Forest Dye (sorry I do not have a better photograph, she was a gorgeous bitch)
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CH Wyndel’s Come Spring MW, breeder Pat Wynne, owner-handler Bob Bray
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CH Wyndel’s Charisma MW, breeder Pat Wynne, owner-handler Ray Patenaude
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CH Wyndel’s Wicca MW, breeder-owner-handler Pat Wynne, judge Ann Gordon
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CH Wyndel’s American Maid MW, breeder-owner-handler Pat Wynne, BV under Betty McHugh on Sunday, Sep 17, 1989, Roundup weekend in Logansport, IN
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NMDC Roundup 1989 Highest Placing Each Coat – Pat Wynne with CH Wyndel’s American Maid MW, Susan Jones with CH Sleepytime’s Ohio Express ML, Bob Bray with CH Gabrielle of Brayton MS, NMDC President Ada McCord
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by Bob Bray

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