It
was back in 1989 when I fell in love with the Lakeland
Terrier and this sturdy little breed has taken my heart
in a storm.
I bought my first Lakeland in 1989 - "Fergie Ferst vom
Gorkypark" - a beautiful bitch.
It was her breeder, who convinced me to try my luck,
and present her in a dog show.
He probably knew how fast you get addicted to dog shows!
Many more shows were to follow and Fergie soon became
a multiple Champion. As she was such a beautiful dog,
I decided to breed some puppies. It was in 1992 when
Fergie gave birth to four sweet little Lakeland puppies.
For occupational reasons I did not keep any of the puppies.
But very little later, I took over my breeders three
year old bitch "Gloria Grant vom Gorkypark". From then
on I travelled all across Europe each and every weekend
with the two dogs, presenting them on various dogs shows
all over the continent. Gloria also became a multiple
champion, gaining the difficult Italian champion
title. The two dogs were the two most successful Austrian
Lakeland Terriers back then, and as you can imagine,
I was very fond of them.
After Fergie and Gloria I received „Kylie Lucya
Calypso“ in 2007. I have been waiting for this
dog for more than two years, but she was worth the wait.
Perfectly trimmed and presented by her breeder, Ms.
Claudia Kettling, she is once more the most successful
Austrian Lakeland Terrier. In more than 50 dog shows,
she has only received the rating „excellent“.
In the meantime I have founded my own kennel, and Kylie
had her first puppies in 2010.
I
have been a member of the board of the Austrian Terrier
Club for more than 10 years now, first being responsible
for the organisation of the dog shows and currently
holding the position of the secretary of the board.
Together with the successful Skyeterrier breeder Otto
Krcal have designed the Terrier Breed brochure, covering
all breeds ministered by the Austrian Terrier Club.
Besides being responsible for the monthly Terrier column
in the Austrian Dog Magazine "UH", I design
other publications for the Austrian Terrier Club. Through
my work in the Austrian Terrier Club, as well as my
countless visits to national and international dogs
shows - including the famous Crufts Show in the United
Kingdom - I have been able to gain comprehensive knowledge
of the Lakeland Terrier. In parallel I have always kept
close ties with other Lakeland Terrier breeders in Europe.
Currently I am working on a publication, reflecting
the Lakeland breed in the light of the last 50 years.
It is supposed to help prevent the Lakeland breed from
changing in the wake of some fashionable trends, that
have hit other breeds so hard in the past.
The Lakeland Terrier shall remain the same he was bred
for in the past. A sturdy outdoor working dog, that
- at least in theory - could hunt a fox down anytime.
This includes strong, sturdy bones and muscles, double
coat, full scissor bite, ears carried not too high, not
too long a neck, no long small head, a back of average
length, good angulation as well as a swift gait. This
is how it should be now and in the future, this little
feisty, prankish Lakeland Terrier. I for my part will
do my best to keep it this way.
Heidi
