Kristin Kleeman

Owner, Breeder, Handler

Kentucky


The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has brought an incredible amount of happiness into my life.  Not only with constant companionship but also by bringing together a close knit group of friends that quickly transformed into a family.  There is not enough space on this website to give a complete account of the highs and sometimes lows that I've shared with my dogs and friends over the years.  But I would like to take a moment to share with you the initial steps that led to my involvement with the breed.

My interest with the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog began in the late 1980's.  I had been searching for a working dog that would be a great companion and equally great in the show ring.

Initially my criteria seemed very simple.   I was sure that it would be only a short time until I was bringing my new puppy home.  Wrong!  What I hadn't realized was that I was really searching for something very special, so special in fact that it would take two years before it was found.  

For the first year I thoroughly researched the different characteristics of the working breeds.  I gradually began to see a little more clearly what it was that I really wanted.  First and foremost I needed a dog with a great disposition.  I have always led an active lifestyle and wanted to make sure that my dog would enjoy the company of children, horses, and even the occasional parakeet.  Basically my dog would need to have a really big heart.

Next on my list came stature, nobility, beauty and stateliness.  Those were the kind of adjectives that would have to describe my new companion.  Power and size coupled with an honest face and strong back.  A strong chest that flowed into broad shoulders and powerful legs.  Masculinity in the dogs and femininity in the bitches.  The kind of strength that shows without being intimidating but never lacking in reassurance.

The ability to compete in the conformation ring rounded out my list.  Often it is very difficult for a novice to step into the breed ring and be successful.  In many of the more popular breed rings the competition is fierce and professional handlers abound.  I wanted to stay away from as many of the stressful aspects of showing as possible so that I could focus on having fun with my new dog.  I definitely was looking for a breed where as an owner/handler, I could later become the type of breeder that would have a positive impact on the breed and help to produce happy and healthy puppies.

I believed that I had really gotten down to the nuts and bolts of the matter.  Originally when researching and meeting different breeds, I was also researching handlers, owners and breeders.  Sometimes I just couldn't understand why people seemed to be so breed specific.  For myself, I just loved dogs.  Big dogs, little dogs, hounds and toys.  I could easily find something cute, handsome and adorable about each one.  So I always wondered why some people were enthralled by their particular breed to the exclusion of others.  That is until I saw my first Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

My first Greater Swiss Mountain Dog came home with me in 1991.

I have had many successes with the GSMD.  We purchased a male CH LAGross Shimmy Shake from Sweden, sight unseen.  Within months he gets a Best In Show at the ARBA Windy City Classic Oct, 1993.  His grandson BIS CH. Derby's Kleiner Kaiser is the 1st GSMD to get an AKC Best In Show (under the guidance of the Lawrences & Benoits and the handling of Frank & Sharon Murphy.)  Then he gets another making him a multiple Best In Show winning GSMD.  2005 brings another Best in Show by BIS BISS CH Red Fern's Beau Derby.  One of my favorite puppies 12 year old (Dec 2005), BISS CH. Derby Darling Belline won Best Of Breed at Westminster in 1997 & 1998.  She was the #1 GSMD in breed and the all-breed systems in 1998.  Belline was the first GSMD to receive a Group I  win (April 1998).  Of my puppies, CH Derby's King Ransom took Best of Breed and CH Derby's Miss Sadie Best of opposite at Westminster 2001.  To date, Derby Swissies has produced over 75 AKC Champions and many more to come.

Many of my puppies go on to other fields of interest such as obedience, carting, weight pulling, therapy, seizure assisting, back packing & herding.  I encourage them all.