Kathy Varian
kvathome@hotmail.com

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Please click on the months above to see the breeder responses. A debt of gratitude goes out to those breeders that have chosen to participate.

 

VZTOP DANES
Chip & Lorraine Rainwater/Breeders

 I have been breeding and showing Great Danes for about 18 years.

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
 The inherited trait that is most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program is a bad croup. Sometimes it may take 3 breedings to get rid of a bad croup.

 What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
The most important attribute of a stud dog for me is a great temperament. Temperament is most important to me, without it you will not have a good dog. The breed is to large to have to worry about a bad temperament, or a Dane that is scared to death.

 What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
The most important attribute of a brood bitch is size, substance and soundness. A bitch needs to have good spring of rib and lots of bone to produce nice puppies. Too many bitches are being bred today that do not have the substance and they are producing puppies without bone and substance.

 Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
The best dog that I have ever owned and bred was BIS. BISS Ch. Mr. Rhett Butler of VZTOP. He has sired over 25 champions, all of his puppies had great temperaments, soundness and size. This dog loved to show, he received 2 all breed best in shows, several best in specialty shows. He received an award of merit at the GDCA Nationals.

 Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
The best bitch that I ever owned was Ch. Lambs Creek Holy Terra. She had a wonderful temperament, she was a very sound bitch. She produced a Best in Futurity winner, a best in show dog and 3 of her get were in the top 20 competition. She won the brood bitch class at the Nationals. She was a very special girl.

 Current breeders you most admire?
Pat Ciampi and Helen Cross, I think they have done some wonderful breedings.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
I would definitely mentor new breeders they can contact me at: mtnvalleyfeed@wbia.net or call 828-507-8913.

 

My kennel name is Van Alstyne's Great Danes.

My husband, Mark & I purchased our first Great Dane in 1967, he was only 5 weeks old. We lived on 2 acres, on a dead end street, and I simply wanted a large dog. I had never seen a Great Dane in person. It took most of a year to see one advertised in the paper [the only place I knew to look]. They told me if I wanted that particular puppy, I would have to show him, and my question was to who??? We paid $200.00 for him & I picked him because he untied my tennis shoe. Thus began our show career.

Am. Can. Ch. Van Alstyne's M & M of Dover. He became our first champion and Mark added a CD to his title. He was a grandson to Ch. Big Kim of Bella Dane. We have had fawns and brindles, and one harlequin. Our mentors were Wes Cartwright, Clare Lincoln, and Marie Talbot.

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
 Hockey rears. I still see many bad rears today, dogs & bitches, yellow eyes & missing teeth, which all will come back to haunt you.

 What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
A good stud dog will put his stamp on his puppies. You know exactly what you will see in your puppies every time you use him. [Be it rear, top line, etc.]

 What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
Breed type and soundness.

 Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
BISS Am. Can. Ch. Van Alstyne's Czar, we always knew exactly what he could produce, and later in years we owned BIS - BISS Am. Can. Ch. Amelor's Fly So Free [Frisco]. Again you knew what to expect in puppies. Both were outstanding Great Danes, did there fair share of winning in the ring, and both had outstanding temperaments.

 Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
Am. Can. Ch. Walker's Luv of Tallbrook had a litter [Bred to Am. Can. Ch. Lincoln's Regal Ruler] that set our world on fire. We called them [all 8] the littermates, and they finished quickly. This litter really put us on the map. And she was such a joy to live with.

 Current breeders you most admire?
Betsy Phelan.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
Yes, anytime at m_vanalstyne@yahoo.com or 503-396-1656


 

My name is Betsy Phelan and my kennel name is Orion. I started showing Great Danes in 1987 and prior to that owned two companion Danes. The colors I breed are harlequin, mantle and fawn. I have owned a blue and a black.

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
 An incorrect front assembly (straight shoulders, straight upper and lower arms and ewe necks) Any one of these or a combination any or all!!

 What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
The ability to produce himself.

What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
The ability to produce her best qualities no matter who she is bred to.

Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
BISS Ch. Dreamspinners Cash N Carry. He was a powerhouse mantle dog, a unit, that produced very well. He had an outgoing personality, always desiring to please (he never met a stranger)

Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
 BISS Ch. Orion’s E Z Cash, AOM (2), HOF. She is an exceptional harlequin bitch of lovely breed type, temperament, soundness, balance and color. Her success in the show ring is a breeder’s dream come true. As a puppy she was a National Spec. RWB, as a teenager she was a National Spec. AOM winner and as an adult she was Best of Breed at the 2006 National Specialty.

Current breeders you most admire?
That is a tough one because I admire several. These breeders stand out to me, Ray Cataldi - Rojon, Gina Jaeblon - GMJ, Pat Ciampa - Maitau and Dale Tarbox - Sandale.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
Yes, I enjoy it! Phone: 918-333-7430 or Email: orion@bartnet.net 


 

Lorraine Brown
Number of years with Danes: 35
Colors: Primarily black, but also fawn and brindle

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
 Croups and tail sets.

 What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
The total package - when you look at the dog you see an excellent specimen with a (very important) great temperament.

 What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
The same as for dogs - it seems to me that both genders should be as close to correct as possible, without the same faults.

 Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
BIS, BISS Ch. Queene Persephone's Hamlet (Hammie) co-owned and bred with Catherine McCollum - He was my first (and only) breeder, owner-handled BIS dog and a total love.

 Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
BISS, Ch MJB's Black With Sugar, AOM (2) - bred by Jeannette Copeland, Beve Hauer and Mary Macomber. After Sugar finished, Tootie Longo inquired about co-owning and campaigning her in the Ohio area and the rest is history: #1 bitch in 2000 and winner of the Top Twenty in 2001. She was my most favorite bitch and would have been had she never accomplished anything.

 Current breeders you most admire?
Tootie Longo and Lorraine Matherly come to mind, as well as quite a few others who only breed occasionally, but with a lot of thought behind what they are doing.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
Yes. Any one can telephone me at 480.838.2745 or email at lhbrown2@cox.net  I like to think that everyone who has been around awhile would try to help new people.

 

Chris O'Connell,Sheenwater Kennels,breeder of fawn,brindles, harlequins and mantles since 1973.

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
 Bad croups.

 What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
Temperament, head planes and topline.

 What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
Temperament bone and substance.

 Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
CH.Sheenwater Gambleon Me.

 Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
CHStone River DeltaDawn.

Current breeders you most admire?
Dale Tarbox and Hitoshi Sayama.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
Yes by email to ChrisVanDirect@aol.com

 
 


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