Gabriela: The love I feel toward the dogs was passed on to me by my family that never stood in the way of my passion for all animals. In fact, from the dogs to the cats to the horses, and to top it all, the cow! It is one crazy family! It all started back in when we were struck by the beauty and elegance of the Siberian Husky, a love for us all, and so it was that our first dog arrived.
Years of hard work passed by, during which I tried to understand the secrets of then great breeders, listening to their discussions and documenting information about various bloodlines, genetic sicknesses and the different breeding that the GURU of the dog world talked about.
I had to learn everything!!!! It is definitely my greatest passion and love. I discovered myself as a shepherdess in heart and soul though the nordic blood still runs in my veins. So from the year Aussies are a special breed; I love their temperament, the way they connect with people: an easygoing dog willing to please their owner every minute of their life. I love their soundness, their easy movement.
There is nothing better that to watch an aussie in movement. It is so easy on the eyes! BIS: Which dog do you consider the foundation of your own breeding program?
They were both born in the beginning of BIS: How many aussies do you have at home living with you and how many you co-own? Gabriela: I have a large property and a big kennel where my husband and me spend all day. All my old dogs live with me and when I decide to keep a puppy, it surely stays with us forever! We have 14 aussies living with us at home, both boys and girls. They all differ in age, except for the three puppies we have that are 4 months old. I do not have many dogs in co-ownership because of the Italian law that forbids having a dog with an Italian pedigree in co-ownership.
BIS: How many litters per year do you have approximately? Gabriela: I do not breed very often. There are years when I have only one litter and on the other hand, there are years when I have 3 of them. It depends whether I find the right dog and the right combination. I insist on matching together male and female that will have the best puppies possible — genetically and conformational. BIS: With how many kennels do you co-breed and what are they?
How important was the cooperation between breeders through the time? Cooperation is one of the most important things in breeding dogs , I was so lucky to find great people in the US that have helped me to develop and grow as a breeder. In almost all aussie pedigrees you can see cooperation between the biggest breeders. BIS: Who has been your biggest inspiration and support? Did you have mentors and how important was mentoring through the time being a breeder?
Gabriela: I have to say thanks to my first mentor and forever friend Frank Baylis from Bayshore Kennel — a crazy man with infinite knowledge about the breed. He gave me the opportunity to learn from his breeding experience and introduced me to the American aussie fraternity. This is not something you learn quickly. It can take forever to get to know bloodlines and to know what you are doing! BIS: How did the aussies change over the time since you first got involved with the breed?
Gabriela: I think that my dogs can be recognized in the show ring thanks to their soundness, type and effortless movement. It means that a dog that can move is properly constructed! For a herding breed — movement is basic. I can accept some head faults but the construction and health must be the first goal in a breeding program.
Dogs are becoming more elegant, bigger boned; heads are developing into more pleasing ones with sweeter and more endearing expressions. I think the reason for this transformations lays in the fact that our breed is used more for pet dogs and show dogs than it is for its original origin of a working dog. This is why people that breed and own aussies need something more pleasant to live with. I think temperament has changed too, aussies have become more quiet, less anxious in comparison on what they were before when they were used only for herding.
Only a few people really need them for herding, to move hundreds of sheep or cows everyday on their ranch! We do not. Anyway, we should not forget the true nature of the aussie -they are herding dogs! In my aussie pedigrees almost 4 generations of bred by dogs can be found by now and the most important blood line areas I mentioned before.
I started breeding aussies with my first litter at the end of We are now at letter Y and we still have not finished the whole alphabet! I have bred more than dogs with champion titles and won more than titles with all my aussies! BIS: What do you consider your greatest achievement as a breeder? It makes me happy and pushes me to continue with my passion. This is a great success for any European breeder with an American breed!
There is so many of them! But unfortunately for Europe all of them are from the United States! BIS: Please mention 2 to 3 Aussies which are not owned, bred or shown by yourself, that you particularly admired, and tell us what you most admired about each.
Gabriela: The bitch I really loved and had the pleasure to see from the beginning of her show career to the last days of her life is CH. Judy was the first and only Australian Shepherd to win back to back National Specialties. She was the first dog of any breed to win Best of Breed at Westminster and Crufts in the same year. He was the most sweet, gentle and loving boy, always ready to pose for the camera. He has also proven himself at performing doggy dancing at his younger age.
Some highlights of his show career include: J. Slo, BiH, Ch. SK, Grand Ch. Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, Save it for a rainy day! Flawless aussies kennel Meet Our Dogs. Hoiker's A Round The Clock. My golden girl, my first dog ever You wil be in my heart … forever!
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