Our kennel was privileged to be asked by Our Dogs national newspaper to contribute an article for their Sieger Show Supplement which comes out yearly. This article gives an overview in a question and answer format as to the history of our kennel, how we started and how we have progressed and our feelings of the breed today.

1.     When did you first become involved in dogs?
My Dad (Michael) has always had a passion for animals of all types, his Grandmother used to own a farm on the outskirts of Liverpool with all sorts of animals there. So when my Dad couldn't be found at school you would normally catch him at his Grandmothers with her dogs. To answer the question for myself is straight forward as I was born into the world of dogs through my Dad.

2. How did you encounter German Shepherd Dogs?
My Dad was actually going to purchase a "Lion Cub" believe it or not, his friend owned a large pet shop in Wigan with a boarding kennels at the back of it. However, when my Dad went to see the cubs, he was told that there was only a young male available but it was a female that he was after. While Dad was there he spotted a young GSD male in the boarding kennels, it has been abandoned by its owners. The young dog really took his eye, very impressive looking, super character and from that point, Dad realised that he had found his dog and ended up paying up what the previous owners owed for the boarding and left with him. My story is obviously not so interesting as thanks to my Dad I was born into this great breed.

3. Which was your first German Shepherd and did you research before purchasing him/her?
Since the young dog that my Dad got in "Question"" he always had a shepherd from then on. No research was made as in those days they were mainly our family pets, although my Dad did train them in obedience. My first real memories with the shepherds was when I was about nine years old and my Dad and my sister "Joanne" started to campaign a dog seriously for the first time, his name was Alverys Sparkler (Sparky) who went on to eventually become a Champion! (Beginner's Luck!) We got "Sparky" when he was about two years old from his breeder and great friend of ours Vera Hutchinson. At the time Vera was disillusioned and has stopped showing Sparky, plus Sparky was a lazy dog in the ring which added to her confusion. the only man that Sparky responded to after Vera's late husband Alf, so she gave Sparky to us, on condition my Dad showed him and took him to the "Top". Taking Sparky to his title of Champion repaid the faith that Vera showed in us.

4. How did you establish your bloodline?
After the success of making Sparky up into a Champion, we then realised that if we were to progress as a kennel then we needed to bring in a good female. We looked around alot of the big kennels at the time, searching for an adult female, there were dozens of bitches that we looked at until we eventually found one. The kennel that we went to was a small but very successful one called "Tanasio GSD" owned by Bob and Barbara White. the bitch we bought was called "Tanasio What's Cookin, she was an athletic type female of absolute perfect pigmentation. We mated her to "Bronze Warrior of Shotaan" for our first litter with her and got "Champion Shotaan Bianca". Bianca is what we class as our foundation bitch as everything we have bred goes directly back to her, I think that eight or nine Champions from home and abroad comes from that line, which underlines the importance of maintaining a good balance. Click Here to View our Family Tree

5. How did you get your prefix?
Most of the men in our family trained in martial arts, myself, Dad and his granddad plus my uncles. The martial arts that we did was called "Shotokan Karate" Since this was a big thing in our lives, plus the name sounded catchy, we decided that we would narrow the name down and call our kennel "Shotaan".

6. Did success come quickly?
We were fortunate to make our first real show dog up into a Champion with Alvery Sparkler and even more blessed making our first home bred Champion up not long after in Shotaan Bianca. So we were certainly privileged in the early days.

7. Have you attempted to breed a certain type?
Yes, we breed to a type that pleases our eye. We like our dogs to be absolutely sound in mind first of all, we will not live with or breed weak characters. Following that we aim to produce a type of animal that can be appreciated by everyone, we don't like our dogs to have exaggerations in any department. We just wish to breed an overall balanced shepherd with good pigmentation. Some might disagree but for us, pigmentation is important for the showring, it completes the picture.

8. What if any new bloodlines have you introduced over the years?
Occasionally we have added to the kennel over the years, but more or so over the last three years where we have been extremely busy bringing in bitches of the highest quality from Germany. We realise that to be where we want in the next ten years we must change certain things, not the type of animal we have but perhaps the bloodlines must be updated. We have now added "Kimba vom Fichiensclag" who comes from the same mother line as previous res Siegerin "Holly v Fichiensclag". "Sezana v d Kahler Hiede" who is the first VA bitch to come to England and Quasi v Kahlerhiede a daughter of two VA parents. Quasi is owned with our friend Connor Gould. These bitches are all from very strong bloodlines and we feel that we add something positive to our kennel going forward.

9. How do you select a stud dog?
First of all we look at a bitch which will be due for mating and see what we need to improve on her. For example if the bitch's only main failing is her pigment then we look for a dog that can improve this while maintaining her other qualities. Naturally we look at the bloodlines for compatibility but if we see a dog that is producing to a type we like and to a type that can offer our bitches something, then we use that dog, regardless of who owns it.

10. Have any particular dogs impressed you over the years?
In Germany, for us it would be Odin v d Tannenmeise. To look at he was almost faultless, as a producer, he was outstanding, even today and many generations on, his stamp is still evident. In England for us, our feelings run strong for two males that have impressed us the most, both are father and son and both have made a huge impression on the development on our kennel as well as many other kennels. These dogs are both "International Champions" Rosehurst Chris and Gayville's Nilo. Its hard to say who is the best, Chris was the great show dog, always in top condition and loved by the crowd, even the top people in Germany said he was one of Uran's best sons, some say he was the best, this is true! Nilo of course is the new breed record holder which says it all about him. Not as good a show dog as Chris but anatomically he is more correct. Both dogs will still be talked about in twenty years time. I was also very privileged and honoured to have been able to handle both dogs in their peak years. I handled Chris to over twenty CC's as well as winning the National three times with him. With Nilo, I handled him to seventeen CC's including the National and his record breaking 50th CC.

11. Which has been your own favourite?
A tough question! We would have to say Champion Bianca because she was our first Champion and gained her third CC with Best of Breed at Crufts in 1990, she is also the mainstream of our bloodline.

12. How do you choose a puppy for the showring?
We will start looking properly from 4-5 weeks of age. My Dad will spend hours with the pups just studying them. I think that you must have an eye for a pup. My Dad is the best at this within the team. If you have an established bloodline then it will become easier for you when selecting as you become familiar with their growth pattern. Our advice to a new comer in the breed who is not sure on a puppy to pick, then ask the advice of someone you can trust who is experienced in such decisions.

13. What do you look for in temperament?
A dog that is steady in nerves, not erratic. We look for a dog that is alert when we take it out, confident, not nervous.

14. What are your opinions about size, type, movement and temperament in the breed today?
Size is a bit of a problem as a lot of shepherds, dogs and bitches are top size. The problem that in most cases these are also the best animals in the ring so its a catch 22 situation. Type wise, the females are as good as ever but the males on the whole are not so good. Temperament we see no problems as such, movement is okay but something needs watching as there are some out there running 100mph but not necessarily moving correctly, not enough judges pick up on this.

15. What aspect of the breed has deteriorated the most?
We believe the answer to this question would have to be the males in the breed, if you take away the obvious two or three males which are currently at the top, what does it leave us with? The quality in depth is just not there. We have obviously nothing coming through which is very worrying. In any of our time in the breed it has never been so bad, if you look back through old catalogues or videos for the last ten years you will see what we mean. The competition was strong in most classes, but this is not the case now. Hopefully with the pet passport scheme now active and more breeders taking advantage with quality females going to Germany to be mated, this will bring some quality back to the UK. At the moment though as situation is not good were the males are concerned.

16. Do you think that we can learn from German breeders?
Without doubt, the Germans are the masters for sure. I think that we can learn a lot from them, we certainly are as a kennel. The mentality in Europe is different from the mentality within our country, different in the way that they approach their breeding programme, different in the way that they train and show their dogs. In Germany the kennels even lend their top females to other kennels for a litter, could you imagine anyone in this country contemplating that? The Germans work together, they have a plan, a system, they wish to progress. Unfortunately our country is the opposite which is a shame because we do have some very talented breeders. However the system that we have is holding us back, the shows are getting worse, the enthusiasm is dying and our system of showing for the red card syndrome is quite simply old fashioned and outdated. We must follow the examples set not just from Germany but from most corners of the world because we really are so far behind everyone now, that it is becoming embarrassing!

17. What has been your biggest thrill?
A tough question as we have been fortunate to have enjoyed some great wins over the years. I suppose the most recent one would have been winning the 2001 National with Danash which was also the show that she gained her title. The National is the one show that everyone wants to win so to do it with a shepherd that you have actually bred yourself is a unique achievement. In Germany without question was watching our bitch Sezana v d Kahlerheide make VA in 2000. I have to admit getting up in the morning seeing a VA animal lying in your kitchen and realising you won it is an enormous thrill and something no one can take away from us.

18. What has been your biggest disappointment?
Our biggest disappointment was the death of our close friend and partner Royston Gilbert, everything else pales into insignificance.