Page 177 - ShowSight - May 2020

positive interactions and support of newcomers. My husband and I were very fortunate to have strong mentorship and support from so many ARC members and breed enthusiasts that we persisted and, as a result, we advanced with developing breed knowledge and participation.
What is my ultimate goal for my breed? To increase longevity and improve health integrity attributable to hereditary conditions of JLPP, hip and elbow displaysia, cardiac and eye issues.
My favorite dog show memory? There are two that I cannot dif- ferentiate. The first was handling “Kobe,” who was owned by Dr. Bob and Rosemary Lenigan from our first litter, to Select and Best of Winners at the 2005 ARC National. Kobe was Sieger, Multi V-1 Am and Can Ch Ravenscrest The Talisman CDX RE TD CX CGC TT HCT TDI ARC V. Tied for “favorite” was definitely seeing his littermate, “Burton,” known as 2007 AKC #2 Rottweiler all sys- tems, AKC #13 Working Dog, Multi BISS Multi BIS Am Gr CH and Can Ch Ravenscrest The Alchemist CD RE CGC CA, coming out after two years of retirement, and from Veterans with his han- dler, Tony Carter, winning both the Rottweiler specialty and the Mt. Ranier Working Dog Specialty. In doing so, he defeated a num- ber of that year’s Top Twenty Working Dogs under Angela Porpora.
I’d also like to share that the enthusiasm for our breed and depth of knowledge of many fanciers is, from my perspective, unique and will serve our breed for years to come. Fads, and “styles” come and go, but diversity in breeding practices to avoid dominant sire issues can only be to the betterment and strength of all.
JOAN KLEM
In my judging career I have judged in 17 different countries, some of them several times. I arrive with movie camera and still camera as they always ask me to give a talk after the club dinner. I always wondered if the translater could translate the dog words correctly. In this day and age, I would not accept an assignment in some of those countries. My last judging assignment was the Best in Show MRC 50th Anniversary Specialty. And so, I retire as Ameri- can Kennel Club Judge Emeritus and Medallion Rottweiler Club President Emeritus.
I have lived all my life in the city my forefathers founded, Whea- ton, Illinois. Graduated from Northwestern in Speech Therapy. Taught in local schools until my husband and I started having chil- dren. Since we lived near the ten acres of my Rademacher families homes, Rodsden, they took care of our three boys while we started taking our yearly trips to Germany and the ADRK Klubsieger Show. Well, we did tour Europe visiting Rottweiler Breeders. I did play a pretty good hand of Bridge too.
Do I hope my breed’s ranking will change? In the Golden Age of our breed, I think we were #3 in the ‘90s. In 1992, at the MRC Specialty, there were 98 competing in the ring for Breed. In order to keep going AKC has to find ways to make money, so I guess adding breeds is one way to do it.
Can I speak to masculinity and femininity in my breed? The Standard for both dogs and bitches calls for a well-muscled working dog and bitch. There is difference in size, of course, but you look for those characteristics that make either a good Working Dog.
How much emphasis should be placed on head characteristics? One would like the head on dog and bitch to be the same in propor- tions, but could always be easily recognized proportionately. The head proportions have changed a bit over the years. Still with a dis- tinct “stop,” they both have a bit shorter and deeper muzzle it seems to me. You always look for that well-balanced body, that ground covering gait, you hope. Just a perfect head may not be enough—at least in my ring.
What is the biggest misconception about the Rottweiler? In my experience the misconception that the Rottweiler is basically a guard dog that may bite an intruder is not what I have found. In Wheaton, our Rottweilers always won the Junior Fourth of July Parade Trophy with our cart pulling Rottweiler teams. Then there was the time I left the painter in the house and forgot to put Izzy in her dog room. When I returned an hour later the painter was sitting down quietly in the room he was supposed to be painting, with Izzy lying down in front of him staring at him.
Does the average person recognize my breed? In Wheaton, I think the average person recognizes the Rottweiler for what he is; a great addition to the family.
What special challenges do breeders face? The breedings have lessened and so entries have lessened lately. Our Clubs have kept up with and added to the Working Titles possible. Our ultimate Working Dog can do them all, but our show entries are down. I think we all in the sport of purebred dogs realize the hardship our sport faces. Two Major Specialties, the Colonial Rottweiler Club and the American Rottweiler Club have canceled their Specialties. The Medallion Rottweiler Club Specialty still is scheduled as usual in October at the Kane County Fairgrounds in Illinois.
My favorite dog show memory? In 1984, our Ch. Rodsden Tristan v Forstwald CD, TD had won the MRC Specialty. In 1988, he entered the class as winning Veteran Dog, so his handler handed him back to my nephew, Peter Rademacher, who had been getting Tris’ Working Titles. The handler had a younger Specials Cham- pion to handle. The MRC was held in the lovely big building at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton. (Across Manchester Rd. from Rodsden.) I was always on the stage with the microphone whether I was Show Chair, President, or had any official capacity. The breed judging had started and I could see that something rath- er extraordinary was happening. Judge Mayfield had narrowed it down to two dogs, one of which was Tris. Tris was a natural “show” dog and always stood in perfect show stance, and he could move no matter who was handling. Around that big ring the two dogs went. Around and around they went. The crowd watching were clapping harder and harder. I had made it down from the stage in time to see our Tris with Pete handling win Breed.
DAVIANN MITCHELL
In 1982, I acquired my first Rottweiler, Michener’s Michael CD, Certified Police Service Dog (“Mick”) and established Night- hawk Rottweilers. While Mick met all of my hopes and expectations, his hips unfortunately did not, and right then, I was introduced to the harsh realities of the breed. I neu- tered Mick and proceeded to pur- chase seven-week-old CH Einmin
Lanneret v Rottdan CD, AD, TDI, Police Service Dog Mountain View PD, MRC Honor Roll (“Hawk”). This dog, Hawk, later became the basis for the kennel name “Nighthawk Rottweilers.”
My philosophy on dog breeding is embodied in the term “integ- rity.” I believe that although a dog may not have any disqualifying faults and has a CHIC number, this alone does not mean that it is breeding quality. We must breed the total dog, which is type, tem- perament, and structure. I feel that we should not only strive to be successful with our dogs in the conformation ring, but to be equally successful with our dogs in the working arena whether it be agility, obedience, rally, herding, tracking, schutzhund, barn hunt, dock diving, or therapy—or any other working activity!
ROTTWEILER Q&A
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