I have been involved with dobermanns since 1985, but did not commence exhibiting them until 1990. Consequently mine is a relatively "young" kennel with the first litter under the Auslander prefix not being whelped until February 1st 1995. However, my lovely foundation bitch ("Sars") did have an earlier litter, for which she was transferred back to her breeders in name only. Her offspring from this first litter consequently carry her breeders' prefix, but are included here amongst her progeny.
I believe in the adage "breed for yourself and you'll breed the best", and so only four litters have as yet been registered under the Auslander prefix. I owe the results achieved by both "Sars" ( for whom I waited almost twelve months) and her progeny, to adherence to that precept and to the help of good and enduring friends made over the years. These include Lynne Harwood (Cabochon Dobermanns), Gordon and Mary Lou Derrick (Shadeywoods Dobermanns), Adam Matocanza, Dieter and Anni Eschbach the founders of Stehle Dobermanns, Ron and Lorraine Macdonald who shared in many of "Sars's" major victories, Doug and Annette Bowe(Firezan Dobermanns), Mick and Laurel Wicks of Dobeherr Kennels, Molly Rule Steele of Taejaan Whippets and Sonia Turay - who achieved a first for both herself and "Sars" - their very first Best In Show win !
My interest in Dobermanns
began in the early seventies when I first met a pair of these beautiful
dogs on a visit to a home in Sydney. I was impressed by their clean cut,
elegant but powerful appearance and by their wonderful nature. However,
it wasn't until I purchased a home on a few acres in 1985 that I was finally
able to realise my desire for a closer acquaintance and purchased my first
dobermann, registered name Wansbeck Kallian Majik, affectionately known
as "Max".
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"Max"
-in typical "couch potato" pose
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After
finally growing out of the "Mad Max" (you remember the movie?)
destructive stage, and surviving an unfortunate episode (luckily it
was my sheep that were involved) when he was led astray by a visiting
friends neutered Belgian Shepherd, he proved to be a wonderful and devoted
companion. "Max" engendered in me an enduring love for him
as an individual and for the breed!
My very first introduction to the world of dog exhibiting came in early 1989, when I became the Australian Marketing Manager for PAL, now known as PEDIGREE, which has "Recommended by Top Breeders" as its marketing platform. As a result of this, and my interest in finding out as much as I could about what motivated these "breeders" and "exhibitors", "Max" was overjoyed in early 1990 to acquire his first female companion, a beautiful four month old black and tan dobermann bitch named Dobeherr Dark'N'Sassy, "Sars". We soon both became her adoring slaves!
"Sars"
and "Max" at home in Albury, 1990
("Sars" complete
with her favourite "dry bed" security blanket!)
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"Sars" won her first Class In Show on her second outing as a Baby Puppy, and went on from there to become a multi-BIS winner, and the top winning dobermann in Australia and New Zealand in 1994.
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As I was working full time in a demanding job, had done nothing about registering a kennel prefix and could not devote the time I felt was necessary to raising a litter, I transferred "Sars" back to Mick and Laurel Wicks of Dobeherr Kennels for her first litter, payment being pick bitch and naming the puppies. However, I did gain my very first first-hand experience of organising, timing and managing matings - and whelping a litter! "Sars" stayed with me until a fortnight before the puppies were due, but commenced to whelp about an hour after I arrived to visit on Saturday night a week and a half later! You could just imagine her saying "Oh good, she is finally here to look after me. And about time too!" This was 22.11.92 and the rest is history!
