I would have never considered introducing the GSD back into the Tamaskan gene pool … until I saw my friend, Jen’s, dogs.  Jen is the one that introduced me to butchering over two years ago.  She is a veritable well of knowledge, and I am always learning something from her.  (After all, if you’re not learning, you’re not growing.)

An experienced breeder of over 13 years, Jen imported Andy Braky from Slovakia [www.eurosportk9.com] after careful deliberation and research into her lines.  Jen breeds DDR lines, not your typical US-bred GSD.  She specifically breeds for a level topline and avoids the over-angulated, slanted hips, which is typical in the US show ring.  She follows the guidelines of the FCI and has imported dogs from Germany, Slovakia, France and Hungary.  While Jen owns and has bred black and tans (what most people picture when they think of the GSD), her stock consists of mostly darker agouti/sables (black/wolf-grey).  She has recently introduced the solid black to her breeding lines as well.  With her experience and knowledge, I am looking into other future possibilities to diversify our lines.

Several of the things that drew me to Jen’s GSD’s aesthetically were initially, of course, the wolf type look, as well as their paw size (like snow shoes!).  [She has two studs that we are hoping to use at some point in the future if it works out.]  Andy, as well as a few of Jen’s other dogs, also do not have the typical GSD ear (dumbo, you know J).  So, with Dakari’s propensity to throw nice, smaller sized ears (Takeia’s were big for awhile), this should be a great combination.  After much discussion, both Jen and I believe, based on genetics and what each parent has produced, that Andy and Dakari would produce dark, very wolfy-type pups.  Andy’s laid back temperament is what drew me to her as well.

Jen has been training dogs (and horses) since her pre-teens.  Growing up in Alaska, she has a very diverse background, having been introduced to things that most people in the suburbs and cities will never experience.  She also worked as a vet tech for 16 years.  Having been raw feeding for many years now, Jen also believes in natural and homeopathic nosodes wherever possible and not in over vaccinating (as many vets teach to do… but, remember, they’re making money and selling crap food like Science Diet).  She has worked with people all over the U.S. and Europe and has people seeking her out for her knowledge on a consistent basis.

With over 300 pups on the ground, she has an incredible instinct and knowledge of canine behavior and has been successful in placing her own pups in therapy and service dog homes, as well as evaluating other dogs that people find for the right job and placement.  I have found her to be a person of honesty and integrity in full disclosure regarding her lines, and extremely well-versed in her pedigrees.  (If you have followed me for any length of time, you’ll also see my extreme interest in knowing our pedigrees as well as possible.)

Bear in mind that the GSD maximum height standard is less than the Tamaskan/Aatu.  Andy is dead center of the female standard (being 23” at the shoulder – GSD standard is 22” – 24” for female) and consistently  produces pups that fall within the GSD height standard.  However, Jen and I believe that with the ‘gentle giants’ that  Dakari and Takeia have produced, Dakari and Andy should produce pups that fall within the Aatu height standard.

As for Andy’s pedigree, you can find it by viewing her full brother and littermate (Alan Braky) http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=721934, which will allow you to view several generations back for pictures of dogs within Andy’s pedigree.  Andy carries for the solid black coat and agouti/sable (wolf grey).  It is unlikely with Dakari’s pedigree that we will get solid blacks, as both have to carry the gene.  So, we believe that they will produce dark wolf grey with some possible lighter wolf grey with masks.  It is possible we might get something like the ‘phase’ look.  We are hopeful that Andy’s better tail set, length and carriage will help to correct Dakari’s faulty tail.  We do know that she was bred to one of Jen’s studs who has a really bad tail for a GSD (very, very curved and held high over back, but at correct length) and all the pups have a nice tail carriage.  Since Andy does not carry for the gold/yellow eyes, and Dakari’s pedigree carries minimal yellow/gold eye, it is unlikely that we will have any gold/yellow-eyed pups.

As for health, Andy is rated A-normal (A1) according to the FCI (equivalent to OFA excellent).  She has also had her elbows x-rayed.  There have been no health issues with either Andy or any of her progeny (Andy has had five litters, including one in Slovakia before she was imported by Jen).  There have also been no known reported issues within the pedigree lines.  

In the end, our goal remains the same:  To produce healthy, wolf look-alike companion dogs.  In order to maintain our goal, new lines are needed.... thus, the introduction of outcross lines (Andy, and others in the future).  With Andy’s greater drive and Dakari’s laid back dispositions, we believe there will be a nice mix for potential therapy, search and rescue, and, most of all, loving companion animals.