You've recently combined kennels with Falkenfeld, why did you do this and what will the benefits be?

Cleo v. Cedarhof (left), Hank v. Treu (right)

I first met Erik when I bred my female Cleo v. Cedarhof to Hank v. Treu almost 3 years ago. I had been looking for a stud dog for her for quite a while and Hank was recommended to me by my friend Marga Lindemann (von Zenn Kennels) in Germany. Marga felt that the combination would give me the results I was looking for. I was very happy with the first litter and repeated the breeding. Usually the first litter with a stud is the best but for some unknown reason my second Hank/Cleo litter was far superior to the first. I haven't yet produced what I feel is my "perfect" dog, but I'm getting close!

Erik and I became friends right away and we both realized that our breeding/training goals were much the same so when I moved to Florida from Massachusetts we decided to combine the kennels. We have similar breeding lines that compliment each other very well in conformation and character of our dogs. Not to mention that two people doing the training and care of our friends is always better than one!

Of course the question everyone is asking is whether it will be called? Cedarfeld or Falkenhoff?

Everyone? Erik is building a new web page now, but the kennel will be Cedarhof & Falkenfeld Dobermanns. Both the kennels have name recognition and we feel that it would be a mistake to change either name.

You recently sold a dog to be used as a stud for French ring. Is that dog any different than the one you would sell to be a top working Schutzhund prospect?

Rusch

No. Rusch would have also made an excellent Schutzhund dog. He has great self confidence, very high play drive, very high prey drive, and showed actual fight drive as a very young puppy. Very unusual. You normally don't see the fight drive in a dog until they are much older. Rusch's litter was the result of combining the Kloster-Kamp line with Mooreiche/Treu breeding and naturally, the combination produced excellent character and workability. Our most recent litter, Jivago vh. Wantij x Cita v. Falkenfeld, also produced puppies with very similar character and drives.

 
Jivago vh. Wantij (left), Cita v. Falkenfeld (right)

How do Dobermann fare in Ring Sport?

I personally haven't seen a lot of Ring Sport, but from what I have seen, and what has been described to me by people involved in Ring, it is very demanding and requires dogs with extreme drives to be able to compete at a high level. Like anything you choose to do with your dog, not every dog is suitable for every sport. It is not the breed of dog but the characteristics and drives of the individual dog that determine how well it will do in a particular venue.

Most often we choose the sport that we like, and not always the sport most suitable to the individual dog. This is most often determined by what is available in our area. We unfortunately don't have the luxury of as many different clubs and types of sports as close to us as you can find in many European countries.

Have you had a chance to see one of the new American working sports in action (K9 Pro sport, PSA, NAPD, etc) if so what are your impressions especially related to the use of Dobermanns.

Not yet! I tried to get to the last competition that was held in Orlando but there was a starting time discrepancy as to what was posted on the website. By the time we got to the competition it was over. I'd love to see one though - it sounds very exciting and a lot of fun for the competitors and the spectators alike.

What blood lines do you use and why?

Cedarhof is mainly Kloster-Kamp bloodlines. Like many of the successful kennels in Europe they select dogs for breeding that enhance what they already have. If you look at any of the Pauritch's dog's you'll see a mix of strong 'performance' lines combined with some of the best 'character' dogs in Europe. I am trying to emulate what they have done in their breedings - why would you fight with success?

What is your greatest accomplishment?

That's a tough one! There are many things that I am proud of in my relatively short time in Dobermanns. I have been lucky to get some excellent dogs that have taught me a tremendous amount about training and breeding. If I have to pick one thing, it would have to be what I have been able to learn from the people I have met, worked with, and have helped me over the years to better understand a dog's character and develop a training and breeding program for each dog.

.Greatest disappointment?

Not knowing enough to be able to bring each of my dogs to their fullest potential. I am always learning more with each dog and hopefully one day I will have all the tools necessary to give my Dobermann "friends" everything I think they need.

If there is one thing you could change, or strengthen about the Dobermann as a whole what would it be?

Hawk v. Falkenfeld	Flash v. Kloster-Kamp
Nova v. Falkenfeld	Hank v. Treu

Strength of character. We're lucky to have had several very strong males in our kennel and breeding program - Flash v. Kloster-Kamp, Larry v. Kraehenbusch, Hank v. Treu, and Hawk v. Falkenfeld. Even luckier to have had several bitches with the same qualities - Babuka Gyongye Agata, Cleo v. Cedarhof, Princess v. Treu, and her daughter Nova v. Falkenfeld. These dogs are strong, confident and clear, and that will always be the goal. Their strength comes from their confidence and their confidence allows them to work well in any situation.

Princess v. Treu

Larry v. Kraehenbusch

Babuka Gyongye Agata

How important is it to you to maintain the working heritage of the Dobermann?

That is the reason I began breeding Dobermanns. It is the way the Dobermann is supposed to be - a working, thinking, protective, companion. To me, there is no other Dobermann.