The story of Graf Guido vom Franckenhorst

Some dogs never die, they just fade away

Now and than a dog appears in the show ring which you know, that in the future, he will put his marks on the breed forever. For these animals you will turn your head more than once and every time you are impressed again. You never get tired of looking such animals. That's what happened to me when Graf Guido v. Franckenhorst presented himself for the first time in the show ring. I was directly impressed by his nobility and his head type with that beautiful dark eyes that has given him, that typical Dobermann expression. It was clear that this dog was a winner. Never in the history of the breed a Dobermann had won so many titles. Graf Guido became the record holder of the Dobermann world. I don't think that in the future there will be a Dobermann that can take away that record from him. Of course, Graf Guido vom Franckenhorst was extensively campaigned by his owner, the sympathic and well known German judge Mrs.H.Assenmacher-Feyel and I don't think that anybody else would be capable to achieve the same results with this male. She took Graf Guido with her all over the world. By doing so, she and her dog achived excellent public relations and were advertising the breed successfully. Everywhere that Graf Guido went he made admirers and new Dobermann friends. His contributions to the popularisation of the breed has been of an inestimable value. I think they were of more value for the breed than his success in the show ring.

Graf Guido is not only an International Champion but he is also a National Champion in 13 countries. Besides, he won the World Champion title in 1987, the European Champion title in 1998 and the Bundessieger title in 1989. It is clear that such a dog has a more than excellent confirmation. His character was very stable with a lot of self confidence. He passed his Schutzhund I with the scores 86.82.92. and the German Character test (ZTP) with ease.

"G" Franckenhorst Litter

Golda v. Franckenhorst

Graf Guido was whelped in October 1985 in Dordrecht (Holland), at the famous and very influential kennel "v.Franckenhorst". The litter was all black and had 5 males and 5 females. It brought the breed several beautiful specimen like the multi champion and sieger Golda v. Franckenhorst. A feminine, elegant and finely built bitch, who had won all the great Sieger titles in the Dobermann world. Another famous litter mate was the DV Sieger of 1989 Gringo vom Franckenhorst. A small but very dynamic animal with lots of temperament and energy that seems to practically live off an extremely high prey instinct. A male who also passed the German Korung (an extra special character test taking place once a year).

Gringo v. Franckenhorst and Don Dayan v. Franckenhorst

Sire: Hertog Alpha Le Dobry

Hertog Alpha Le Dobry
Sire of the "G" litter of
vom Franckenhorst kennel

The sire of the "G" litter of the "vom Franckenhorst" kennel was the leading stud male of the late eighties - the famous Hertog Alpha Ie Dobry, a past DV-Sieger. Hertog Alpha was a black male, who was inbred on Don Dayan v.Franckenhorst. He was a distinctive type and seems very prepotent in throwing his positive and negative points uniformly to his offspring. He was a significant force for the breed in all parts of Europe. He raised the mean level of the breed. Today his blood is found in almost every important bloodline. His most serious fault was his bad movement, which he transmitted to some of his progeny. It was also this fault we could see in his son Gringo, who had an extremely poor movement. But In Gringo we also saw some of Alpha's positive points like his outstanding Dobermann character with a high fighting and protecting spirit with a lot of courage and hardness. In Graf Guido the positive points of Hertog Alpha were more pronounced while the negative points were hiden by his harmonious presentation and movement.

Dame: Vivre Vivien

The dam of the v. Franckenhorst "G" litter was the great bitch Vivre Vivien v. Franckenhorst, also a past DV-Sieger. She produced a number of top winning progeny. She was a bitch with a very nice expression and a beautiful head. Compact built with a strong back and a beautiful topline with an excellent croupe. Vivre Vivien was one of the bitches in the Doberrnann history who earned herself a place in the breed's Hall of Fame by being the dam of many important progeny such as Amos vom Franckenhorst, Dea Dolores vom Franckenhorst, Dexter vom Franckenhorst, Golda, Gringo and Graf Guido vom Franckenhorst.

Vivre Vivien v. Franckenhorst,
dame of the "G" litter of
vom Franckenhorst kennel

Dea Dolores vom Franckenhorst

Pedigree

Looking deeper to Guido's pedigree we can notice that he was the result of a very close breeding. We can say that Graf Guido's pedigree is a colourfull one. We find excellent working dogs, like his father, Hertog Alpha, who got Schutzhund III and was Angekort, his dam, Vivre Vivien, passed her Schutzhund III but we find also Tanja v.d. Kunnemaborgh

Nimrod Hilo v. Franckenhorst

Candy van't Smeulveen

Guy's Hilo v. Norden Stamm

(Angekort), Nimrod Hilo v. Franckenhorst, (Schutzhund III). Besides, Graf Guido's pedigree is liberally sprinkled with Champions and Siegers like Don Dayan v. Franckenhorst, Candy v. 't Smeulveen, Guy's Hilo v. Norden Stamm and, of course, the parents who were both DV siegers. But above all we see in Guido's pedigree many dogs who played an important role in the development of the breed.

Bryan v Forell

Olive of Bamby's Pride

Already I have showed you the important role of his sire and dam in the development of the breed. But I also like to point emphatically the strong influence of Bryan v. Forell. On his sire side through his grandfather Don Dayan v. Franckenhorst his great grandfather Candy v't Smeulveen and on his dam side via Guys Hilo v. Norden Stamm and Della v. Franckenhorst - (litter sister of Don Dayan v. Franckenhorst) we see how strong and close the influence of Bryan v. Forell is. Mixed with other von Forell blood through Olive of Bamby's Pride (Odin v. Forell and Rita v. Forell) and Medina dei Piani di Praglia (Ingo v. Forell) we can say that Graf Guido's genetic recipe was the right mix for his success as a multi Champion and Multi Sieger and above all as a stud.

Progeny

So Graf Guido had all the hallmarks of the true stud dog. Strong genetic bloodlines, a first class pheno and genotype, a soundly bred character of outstanding dimensions and the ability to produce rows of excellent descendants. And you could recognize them all very easily because of the wonderful head and the expression he passed through.

Esmir Royal Bell The dame of Royal Bell's "L" Litter

Lobo Royal Bell

Larson Royal Bell

Even in his second and third generations. in my opinion, the best litter which he produced was for the well known Croatian "Royal Bell" kennel in combination with Esmir Royal Bell. This was really a five star litter with Lobo Royal Bell the World Champion of 1994, Larson Royal Bell, Multi Champion, DV-sieger in 1993, Bundessieger of 1995,

Lord Royal Bell

Lana Royal Bell

Jamaha Royal Bell

Royal Bell Ono

Multi Champion Lord Royal Bell, Lana Royal Bell the IDC Siegerin of 1992 and Multi Champion Lara Royal Bell. The litter proved also that doubling up on Hertog Alpha Ie Dobry in the second and third genemtions does not necessarily cause problems. Looking to his desendants I am even convinced that Graf Guido has given the best offspring in combination with Hertog Alpha van Ie Dobry (great) grand daughters. One year later this combination was repeated and it brought us again wonderful specimen like the Multi Champions Onyx and Ono Royal Bell. The Royal Bell kennel had very good results by using Graf Guido. In 1992 the wonderful bitch Jamaha Royal Bell was mated by him and produced again an excellent litter. It brought the breed the Multi Champion Paco Royal Bell.

Royal Bell Onyx

Graaf Festus van Neerlands Starm

Ertog Erphun Von Räuberstolz

Royal Bell Rambo

It is very logical that a dog like Graf Guido v. Franckenhorst was used in almost every country in Europe. The list of Champion progeny is too long to publish here but I just like to mention some of them. In the home country, Germany he was used by several kennels underwhich the "v. Frankenland" kennel, where he produced Champions like Nelson v. Frankenland and the "v. Heidhauser Forst" kennel where his son Emiro v.Heidhauser Forst was borne. In France he produced the Champion Ellinger des San Marine, the Multi Champions Ertog Erphon von Räuberstolz and his litter sister Eckeen Edha v. Rauberstolz. Both excellent show and working animals. They both passed their TAN (French Character test) with 18 points out of 20. In Holland he was used at stud in the van Neerlands Starn kennel (Yugoslavian Winner Graaf Festus van Neerlands Starm and the Youth Sieger Graaf Sandor van Neerlands Stam) and in the "vom Franckenhorst" kennel (Hungarian Champion Royal Rambo and the Italian Champion Resa v. Franckenhorst). In Italy he was the sire of the IDC Sieger 1994 Rey di Coldicania. In Hungary he was the sire of the Youth IDC Sieger and Hungarian Champion Doriental Zeus and the Champions Tahi-Reme Nursa and Nikki.

Rey di Coldicania

Tahi-Reme Nursa

Doriental Zeus

A great champion

Graf Guido v. Franckenhorst was a great Champion, who did a lot for the breed. He certainly demonstrated his power to transmit his qualities by producing several Champions and Siegers. When he died in 1995, thanks to his contribution, he left behind the better breed than the breed was at the moment of his birth. That's why his name should be written in capitals in the history of the breed.

Text published with kind permission of Mr.Zwan, the owner of "van NeêrlandsStam" kennel