Page 297 - ShowSight - October 2019

Andrea Dunkle continued
Is there anything else I’d like to share about the breed? Every- thing! I adore Samoyeds and I can talk about them for hours. I think I should probably debunk the greatest myth about Samoyeds. They say they are wild and untrainable! No way! They are incred- ible, intelligent, enthusiastic and overall fantastic workers in many areas of dog sport. They are totally underrated!
CAROL HJORT
After having the opportunity to see Samoyeds from other countries and to meet their breeders, I feel that the future of our breed is in good hands. There appears to be global interest in health testing and preserving the breed type, which allowed the Samoyed to sur- vive for thousands of years on the Russian
tundra. The fifth World Samoyed Conference was held this year in Estonia, hosted by the Estonian Samoyed Club. The World Samoyed Meeting brings Samoyed breeders together from around the world to discuss issues affecting our breed. Maintaining global communications and sharing ideas is important for the progress and survival of any breed—we are proud that Samoyed Clubs from around the world are on the cutting edge of this effort.
For the last 29 years, my husband and I have lived in North Carolina, but over the course of our marriage we have lived in Geor- gia, Tennessee, New Jersey, Michigan and Florida prior to moving to North Carolina. Outside of dogs, I have been married to Andy Hjort, my college sweetheart, for 45 years, and about a month ago I retired from the corporate offices of Flow Automotive Companies, after 27 years with the company.
How does the breed fit into a contemporary household? The Samoyed is a family dog and a house dog, similar to its ancient ancestors who slept in the chooms at night with the Nenets on the Russian tundra. Sammies enjoy being a part of family activities! They are up for anything their owners want to do: pack hiking, camping, strolling in the park, playing catch with a ball, going on rides in the car—a Sammy is a very social and family oriented breed! Their philosophy is “the more the merrier,” and they enjoy being right in the thick of things!
Does the breed’s eye-catching color and flashy gait give him an edge in Group competition? Probably not, unless it is a good rep- resentative of the Breed and is well presented. In order to excel in Group completion, a Samoyed needs to be sound in both movement and physical conformation, be in excellent condition, have good Breed type and exhibit outstanding showmanship. The same would be true for any Breed in the Working Group!
Has his popularity fluctuated during your involvement? The Sammy has never been at the top of the rankings for AKC, and as breeders we are thankful that they are not among AKC’s top ten! The animal shelters are overflowing with dogs that are being produced in excess, and while Sammies occasionally are picked up as strays, they do not appear in the shelters in abundant numbers, like some of the more popular breeds! Demand for the Samoyed far exceeds the supply and we are truly grateful that the breed is in this position! This is typically not a mass-produced breed—we believe in quality over quantity!
How do I place my pups? Very carefully! We use an applica- tion process to gather information on prospective owners and try
Samoyed Q & A
to screen the buyers and match the puppies with their prospective owners (based on their interests and lifestyle.)
At what age do I choose a show prospect? Normally between ten to twelve weeks of age, the slower maturers are sometimes not quite ready to grade at eight weeks. I normally look at the possible show prospects at eight, ten and twelve weeks of age and then make a decision.
What clothing color do I favor to complement the breed’s gor- geous coat? Dark colored clothing will generally offset a white dog really well. I wear a lot of black—black and white has a more formal appearance like a tuxedo!
My favorite dog show memory? Where do I begin? I have been very fortunate to have many special memories in this sport—it’s hard to choose just one! It was winning an All-Breed Best in Show over an entry of 1,200 dogs with CH Windy Ridge Wild Card (co- owned with John Studebaker) the week after finishing her Champi- onship; it was going WB and BOW at the Canadian National Spe- cialty with Polar Mist (Pink) (Owner Sandy Dukes) the weekend before the Samoyed Club of America National; it was winning the Brood Bitch Class with Ch Jubilllie’s Nut’N Could be Finer and her progeny (all under a year of age) at the Samoyed Club of America National; it was going WD/BOW/BOB with Moonlighter’s Soli- tary Man (Owner Jeanne Nonhof) at the Milwaukee Specialty from the 6-9 Month Puppy Dog Class over 37 Specials; it was winning BOB at the Atlanta Specialty with CH Jubillie Singular Sensation; it was judging the Futurity at the SCA National Specialty; it was judging Sweepstakes at six Regional Specialties; it was winning the Bred-By-Exhibitor Class at my first National Specialty with Jubil- lie’s Native Dancer, a Samoyed from my first litter; it was covering the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for 14 years for Hoflin Publishing in Colorado—the list goes on! I have been very blessed in the sport of dogs!
CHERI HOLLENBACK
I currently live in beautiful Coeur d’Alene in the northern pan- handle of the state of Idaho. I previously lived in Western Wash- ington near the base of Mount Rainier and the Cascade mountain range, which is the source of my kennel name. I practiced as a Registered Nurse for many years in numerous capacities including Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Aeromedical transport, Health Care Administration and Education. I am now semi-retired and work in my family’s business. I travel extensively.
How does the breed fit into a contemporary household? I’ve found that Samoyeds fit well into a contemporary household pro- vided the owners appreciate some of the unique attributes of the breed. Samoyeds thrive in active family life when they are integrat- ed into the families’ activities. They very much want to be with their people, doing whatever they are doing.
Does the breed’s color and flashy gait give him an edge in Group competition? I’ve not found that Samoyeds have an edge in group competitions, rather quality Samoyeds are often overlooked in group. The Samoyed standard calls for a “...quick agile stride that is well timed. The gait should be free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hind- quarters.” rather than a “flashy gait”.
Has the breed’s popularity fluctuated during my involve- ment? Yes, Samoyed popularity has fluctuated over my 30+ years of involvement with the breed. When I first entered the Samoyed fancy, I believe the breed’s ranking was in the high 30’s/low 40’s. I believe the decline in popularity is multi-factored, including poten- tial owners being discouraged by the demands of grooming, the challenges inherent in the breed’s tendency toward vocalization and creativity in providing themselves creative diversions when left to their own devices and not kept mentally stimulated and engaged. I believe another factor has been cultural shifts toward breeding
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