What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
I think that when you have a fault that is repeated in the pedigree including health issues, it is almost impossible to eliminate it. That is why it is so important to know your history in pedigrees before you breed more faults into your line.

What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?

Any male that must correctly fulfill the role of a stud and produce quality descendants cannot be a mediocre dog; he has to be a typical specimen of the breed, healthy and balanced; in essence, a magnificent specimen. Pedigree is useful only if you know about the ancestors. What did they look like, were they sound, what did they produce, etc. A nice, tight line breeding is great if all of the dogs in the pedigree are exceptional, and you can have some assurance of getting those qualities that you most desire. An outcross may be what you need. Sometimes an outcross produces exactly what you want, sometimes not, just like a line breeding may not turn out as expected.

A popular male that stands at stud can have a significant impact on the breed due to the tremendous number of bitches that it is possible for him to breed. A stud dog must therefore be sound physically and mentally and, of course, be of excellent example of the breed type and great health without compromise'. The future may very well depend on what he produces if that stud is very popular he will have many off spring which will carry on his traits.

What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
The Brood Bitch is of utmost importance and demands the best of everything as she is the heart of a successful breeding program. There is absolutely no point in breeding an average bitch from a mixed up pedigree of questionable background, not in today's world.

Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
I believe Daneridge’s “CH. The Khantinental Gentleman” had to be up there. He loved to show and he was a crowd pleaser, great temperament, loved everyone and I had so much fun with him, isn’t that what it’s all about. He was in the Top 10 for the two years he was campaigned in breed.

Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
CH. Casper’s Sheba of Daneridge loved everything about her, my daughter Debbie showed and finished her and I loved watching the two of them in the ring, I will never forget how beautiful they were together. She was also, the granddaughter of my first Dane Camille.

Current breeders you most admire?
I have always admired Jackie White, I have always respected Carolyn Mobley’s breeding there are really too many, to state just these two would do a disservice to the others, I think you Kathy have created some of the most beautiful dogs I have ever seen, I have always admired your breeding program.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
I am always available to mentor; I can be contacted through email at daneridge@aerosurf.net

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
Health issues, because it is impossible to ensure you have a complete familial picture going into breeding decisions, even for the most determined.

What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
His family, because no stud dog goes into a breeding alone. Whether line breeding or type breeding, his pedigree and what he kept from it will be a large component of his most important attribute -- his ability to produce quality/consistency. There should rarely be surprises in the whelping box– though there can be lack of knowledge or research of the pedigree to have expected them.

What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
Her family (see above) and her skills & temperament as a mother. Raising a litter well is a lot of work anyway, more so if Mum is not helping you. Progeny will start learning from Mum very early on.

Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
This is difficult. One should be improving with each generation and I do think we have some very promising young dogs on the horizon, but they are too young to tell their full story. I would have to say Ch. Furst D’Shire vonder Ofnethohle. Furst was of European bloodlines, bred by Albert Schleicher yet was as successful in the American conformation ring as any of my American stock under breeder judges as well as all-rounders. He was undefeated insix shows to point out in 5 months, took an open harlequin class of 13 at the GDCA Nationals and finished with a 5 point Specialty major at 22 months. More than any accomplishment in the ring though, he was solid/balanced in both build and temperament -- to me, an ideal male Dane temperament. Despite being astud dog and never lacking in libido at that, Furst lived and traveled happily with other intact males and would often be found lolling around on his back at ringside.

Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
BISS Ch.Davishire’s Impetuous a’la AJ. Sound, well structured and typey, Tyranny always gave 100% in the ring and passed her showmanship onto her kids. She produced even better than I’d hoped for, in each of her three litters and put the same 100% into raising them. In fact, she’s right there to help raise everyone else’s puppies too if Ithey let her.

Current breeders you most admire?
I admire and am thankful to those that continue to put in the research, hard work and passion to continue to improve/produce quality, while recognizing the greater picture/benefit to the breed of teamwork/disclosure/communication. In the whole dog quality is a complex equation and takes a lot of intelligence, backbone, research & hard work to produce/raise/nurture quality. Quality is never an accident and no breeder is an island.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
Yes, although my advice off the top, is to have more than one mentor, expect it tobe a lot harder than it looks
& a long term commitment of support. Nothing worth anything in life comes easy and this is no different, except that it is living beings that suffer when we give breeding less than our best and/or don’t follow through.
The easiest way to contact me is by e-mail: davishiredanes@earthlink.net

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
The one you have that gets under your collar when you are looking out in the yard!

What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
To bring a piece to the bitch that could be improved upon while still letting her quality show through.

What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
Also Health and temperament. Mothering her babies I find has a lot to do with how they react to the world.

Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
CH Bacco Do Alto Gavea He has a wonderful stable temperament and has some things about him that could contribute to the breed.

Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
That would be a toss up between Ch Express’ Calamity Jane and Payaso’s River of Stars, ROM. Calamity for teaching me about the mind of a Great Dane and getting me hooked on “show biz”, and Celeste for being a great friend and producer of some nice pups.

Current breeders you most admire?
It would be hard to name them, but in the Harlequin world, at least, I feel there has been great improvement in breed type to compete with the other colors.

What inherited trait is the most difficult to eliminate from a breeding program?
First, let me preface this by saying that I am going to break this down into two different categories.

A. Health issues: The biggest issue facing any breeder today! We all know that inherited health issues are an extremely difficult problem to deal with and that they are of utmost importance. I know from experience that even though you may have only bred dogs that have been tested for all recognized inheritable health problems and selected to breed to dogs that have likewise been tested, doesn’t mean that you are safe from having these problems crop up.

Until researchers come up with DNA markers for genetic health problems, no matter how hard we may try to eliminate those health problems, every breeding that we do is a gamble, like rolling the dice. When the time comes that we have DNA markers, we can really go to work on eliminating inheritable health problems in our dogs. Then and only then will we not just be rolling the dice each and every time we breed.

B. Physical & mental soundness: In my opinion, this is probably one of the most important aspects to look at when selecting breeding stock. So, I would have to say that physical and mental “unsoundness” are the most difficult to eliminate. Sadly, physical & mental soundness are often overlooked when people select the dogs that they intend to breed.

One of my first lessons on breeding actually came in the show ring at the hands of a very respected judge. After the judge had excused the dog that I was handling for someone else, she told me in no uncertain terms, “TEMPERAMENT BREEDS TRUE. Don’t ever consider breeding this bitch.” In her opinion, that was the only way to eliminate unsound temperament. Indeed, a difficult way to eliminate to eliminate a problem.

In my opinion, a dog that is sound of mind & body can also be beautiful to look at but, a dog that moves in an unsound manner, or a dog that is either timid or aggressive toward people or other dogs can never be truly beautiful no matter how striking in appearance.

What is the most important attribute of a stud dog?
I think that Jane and I agree that there are three attributes that are virtually inseparable in importance. A stud dog must be fertile, have a rock steady, great temperament, and the ability to not ruin the qualities of a good bitch.

What is the most important attribute of a brood bitch?
Again, Jane and I agree that a great bitch is a must for a breeding program to have any chance at success. Fertility is most important because without that all is lost before you ever begin. That being said, a bitch must absolutely possess great “type”. Now when I say “type”, I mean type in every aspect. To both Jane and me, “Great Dane Type” includes soundness of mind and body. As Jerry Schwartz pointed out in his column in “Dog News” there should never be a debate about “type versus soundness” in relation to the Great Dane. If one reads the Great Dane standard entirely and correctly, soundness of mind and body is an indispensable ingredient of “Great” Dane type.

Best dog you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
We both feel that “Gable” (Ch Owlwatch Sun See An Heir, CGC) a dog that we bred and is still living with us at eight plus years of age is the all around best dog that we have ever owned. He is everything that a Great Dane dog should be. Masculine, absolutely rock steady in all situations, athletic, healthy, and a joy to live with.

Best bitch you have EVER owned and/or bred? Why?
Once again, we are in agreement that we could not select just one bitch. Several decades ago, we purchased a mismarked harl bitch from Toni Pratt (Meistersinger) that was actually bred by Dade Strawser. Flecka was good size, great temperament, and the dam of our very first champion (Ch Owlwatch Whooo). Flecka was truly a working dog with whom Jane was able to acquire her companion dog (CD) title in her first three shows, the least amount of time possible. Flecka was able to help us herd the calves, pigs, the baby ducklings and put them back where they belonged with a soft mouth, and pull our children closer to shore when they went swimming too far out. Our love and devotion to Great Danes would never have developed had it not been for Flecka. Our latest bitch that we feel equally about is Lira (Ch Ariel’s Lira Black N Owlwatch, CGC), bred by Angela & Elizabeth Reilly & Karen DesJardins. Lira, a daughter of our Gable, was reserve Best Puppy in Futurity in 2003, and is, like Flecka and Gable, a dream to live with and she loves to work. She practically begs to help us with chores.

Current breeders you most admire?
Boy, is this a loaded question? At the risk of appearing indecisive and, or, wimping out, we refuse to single out one or two. We have wracked our collective brains and battled back and fourth and finally decided to respectfully decline to answer this question in order to keep peace in the “family”. There are so many breeders that we admire for their accomplishments, ethics, and dedication to this breed we love that it would be an injustice if we inadvertently forgot to mention someone.

Will you mentor new breeders? Yes or no? If so, how should they contact you?
Without question, yes. However, be sure to tell anyone and everyone interested: “If you don’t want the unbiased, unabashed truth as we see it, don’t ask.”

Contact Information:
Phil & Jane Gray
Owlwatch Great Danes
4301 N. Robin Lane
Muncie, In 47304-6106
Ph. 765/896-9275 e-mail: owl watch@comcast.net