Kennel Palation Lion Dog / Dr. Stephanie Bettink
My name is Stephanie Bettink, I live with my husband and my youngest daughter in a small village of 200 in Rhineland-Palatinate on the beautiful Sickingerhöhe. The rural environment and the ample space are perfect for us and our dogs. I am a doctor of biology and work in the university hospital in cardiological research. Since my dog has a food intolerance, I have started to look more closely at dog nutrition. So I trained as a nutritionist for dogs and cats with a focus on BARF. This was followed by training in traditional Chinese veterinary medicine. And last fall I passed the exam as an animal naturopath. Training in herbal medicine has been on the program since this year.
Our pack currently consists of 4 Rhodesian Ridgebacks and 3 Danish Swedish Farmdogs. Rhodesian Ridgebacks have been enriching our lives for almost 25 years now and my breeding in the Kennel Palatian Lion Dog (Pfälzer Löwenhunde) started with them about 10 years ago. In 2014 our first DSG Aridgeocrat's Gentle Grete, bred by Tatiana and Grete, came to us (Kennel Aridgeocrats/ Norway). We kept Stina and Arie from her first litter. Grete has just become a mother for the third time. Arie became a father for the first time this year and Stina is due to become a mother for the first time this year..
2. Why a DSG ?
We came to the DSG through our Ole. We were looking for a light Ridgeback to breed with. In contrast to Germany, where the dark Ridgebacks are in fashion, in Scandinavia you can find the lighter breed, which I think is more original. So we found what we were looking for in Marit Hjartǿy (Kangelani's), a very experienced and well-known breeder in Norway. When we picked up our Ole in Stavanger in 2014, a little "Jack Russel" bitch was scurrying about between the Ridgeback puppies. That was our first contact with the Farmdogs. My husband fell in love with the cute little Elly right away. That's why we first found out at home what kind of breed it actually is, since this still very healthy breed was hardly known to us. We decided to breed Farmdogs. Marit promised us a bitch from Elly's first litter. We were all the more disappointed when there were only males in this litter. At the same time, however, a bitch from the kennel (Aridgeocrat's) where Elly came from is expecting puppies. Marit made contact with the breeder and so we were lucky enough to get a little bitch without a long wait. In the summer of 2016, Aridgeocrat's Gentle Grete moved in with us. Grete is a strong bitch. Significantly heavier and more massive than most Farmdogs known from Denmark. Grete is very temperamental. She has everything a farm dog needs to do his job: guard instinct, hunting instinct and herding instinct. This doesn't always make life with her easy, but at the same time she is such a great character-strong and cuddly bitch that we didn't want to miss her. Of course, Grete also shaped my idea of a DSG. For me, a "real" DSG shouldn't be a dainty lapdog, but a compact, strong dog and not as elegant and supple as a Ridgeback. When choosing a breeding partner, I therefore attach great importance to these external characteristics. Of course, the male's health and temperament (for Grete's temperament something calmer is needed) play an equally important role. In order not to let the gene pool become too narrow, it goes without saying that I also drive further distances for the right stud dog, i.e. to Sweden or Norway.
3. You breed within the framework of the VDH. In your opinion, what effects will the new animal welfare regulation have on breeding DSG and the elimination of X-rays in Sweden?
Breeding in dissidence was never an option for me. The conditions created by the VDH and its affiliated breeding associations contain important and correct guidelines that primarily serve the well-being of the animals - breeding animals as well as puppies. It is all the more shocking that here in Germany the new Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance throws clubs at us VDH breeders. While the law makes life difficult for us registered breeders, it opens the floodgates to dissidence breeders and the illegal puppy trade. So, in my opinion, the regulation achieves exactly the opposite of what was intended. I hope that politicians will revise this law again. If it stays that way, the stubby-tailed Farmdogs will also be among the tormented breeding dogs. In the international DSG breeding associations, there are different ideas about which health examinations are necessary. In Germany, for example, the hip has to be X-rayed and the patella (kneecap) examined for dislocation. Genetic tests are not (yet) prescribed for our breed in this country. A responsible breeder excludes at least PLL (primary lens luxation), either through a genetic test of the breeding animal or its parents. I have my breeding animals gene profiled at "MyDog DNA", where over 200 genes are examined. I think it makes sense to get as much information about the genetic background of my breeding animals as possible. How much weight I give to this information when choosing a breeding partner is up to me as a breeder who knows the breed and its health issues. In Sweden, mandatory x-rays of the hips were abolished this year. Even if a DSG will probably not have any problems with a bad hip in most cases due to his height, his weight and his usually very good musculature, it is a pity that this examination now only has to be carried out on a voluntary basis. Even if HD is not currently a serious health problem in DSG breeding, this can develop into a problem over the next few years if the wrong breeding partners are chosen unknowingly. For us breeders in Germany, this results in the specific problem that we are not allowed to mate with dogs from abroad without an HD examination. The gene pool thus becomes smaller. In summary, I would like to emphasize again that a dog that is a carrier for a disease or does not have an A hip is not a bad breeding dog. However, the knowledge of its shortcomings, which every living creature has somewhere, makes it easier to choose a mating partner in order to avoid possible health problems in the puppies without restricting the gene pool too much.
4. Is a good show dog also a good breeding dog? What significance does the exhibition result have for the buyer?
The topic of the exhibition is being discussed very controversially right now. But when I breed pedigree dogs, I also have to take part in shows. There, an assessment is made as to whether the dog corresponds to the breed-typical appearance. What the judge says there may not always correspond to our assessment. From my many years of experience I can say that a good breed judge usually recognizes the advantages and disadvantages of the breed representative. A show is a show and the correct presentation of the dog and the harmonious appearance of dog and "handler" influence the judge's report. Good exhibition requires training and, above all, having fun. If my dog or I don't enjoy showing, that will be reflected in the show result. For buyers, exhibitions are definitely a good opportunity to find out about the individual dog breeds. You can see the most diverse representatives of the breed and usually the owners are happy to answer questions. Initial contact with breeders can also be made here. It should also be noted that at an exhibition only the external appearance of the respective dog, which is typical of the breed, is judged. When looking for the right parents, one should not lose sight of the above-mentioned health examinations. Likewise, it is possible that the handsome champion will only bring ugly puppies. That's how it is with genetics
5. How can I help the buyer (who is looking for a nice, healthy, well-bred dog) to find such a dog?
It is very important to me to make it clear to buyers that responsible dog breeding is more than "I want my bitch to have puppies once in her life and which male will she mate with?" don't have to drive far". Informing about the breed, explaining its advantages, but also its peculiarities, is part of my job as a breeder and takes a lot of time. Even after the purchase, I am available to my puppy parents at any time as a contact person. We FCI breeders, both here in Germany and internationally, guarantee a solid level of safety for healthy puppies. I am therefore happy to recommend him to fellow breeders. A longer way to the right breeder should not be an exclusion criterion. A well-bred puppy can save you high follow-up costs due to health problems or a lot of frustration due to a lack of imprinting.
