Kennel
Imperie´s
Kennel
Imperie`s ambition is to preserve the Lagotto Romagnolo`s excellent social
ability in combination with soundness and beauty.
Quality
before quantity. Breeding in family life circumstances.
The
most important part of Kennel Imperie´s breeding programme is that the Lagottos will
keep their very nice behaviour and remain healthy family dogs. The aim is that
the kennel name Imperie`s will always be known for quality rather than quantity.
It is via good references from other breeders and from the puppy buyers the
kennel will get the chance to become successful. Before Imperie´s dogs are put
into breeding they will go through qualification in order to get official
certification that they are rase typical and of high standard. Imperie´s has
therefore participated in quite a few exhibitions within as well as outside
Sweden. During the years 2000 and 2001 the kennel had great succes with
“Fiona”. See “Exhibitions”.
An important challenge in Kennel Imperie´s breeding work is to find a proper balance between outer beauty and inner qualities such as being a nice and well functioning family member. We are convinced that one quality will not exclude the other
Medical
examinations
Kennel
Imperie´s have always X-rayed the hips of our stock before were used in
breeding. The results have of course been officially announced.
The
stock of Kennel Imperie´s has always, before
being put into breeding,
been
judged by well estalished judges.
Breeding
philosophy
To
study other breeder´s dogs and to pick up the positive parts of other breeders
work. To treat all information with respect, it is in fact a living material we
are working with. To be humble before the nature´s development. To try to
cooperate with breeders whose dogs have other blood lines. To learn from the
mistakes. To let time show the quality of the breeding. To stay away from
selling a puppy to anyone to whom we cannot think of having a longterm
relationship with.
Background
The
interest in dogs has always been there, may be a little bit too much in the eyes
of my family and friends. At the age of eleven I bought my first dog for the
prize of five Swedish crowns. My parents had after a long period of nagging from
my side promised that I would be allowed to buy my first dog when I could pay
for it myself with my own money. What my parents could never dream of was that
I, through my contacts with the dog owners in the block and through my grown up
manner, would succeed to buy a mixed rase puppy Dachhound/Cocker Spaniel already
the same week. My happiness lasted only for a few days, though. Then, to my big
disappointment, the puppy had to be returned to its earlier owner.
Dog borrower
1965
– 69 at proper and improper times. I also had an extra job at a dog trim.
1969
–71. I had the opportunity to take care of the German Shepherd Albin
absolutely free of charge. He was chewing everything, including my friends.
Then
came the Dobermann Arrak, who I managed to buy cheaper than usually from
“Onest Charlie” (a used car dealer and Dobermann breeder, at that time much
debated in the Swedish “Se” Magazine), only because I was so young and so
interested in dogs. Unfortunately Arrak became an economical and emotional
catastrophe.
Again,
1972. But this time more planned from the successful Kennel Bryan Stam`s. People
who know Bryan Stam`s will understand that this was a tough school with thorough
learning regarding genetics, mentality, obedience and exhibitions.
Probably
due to temporay loss of mind I had one Afgan male, Jawahar´s Midnight Sun in my
possess. He became ranked to obedienece class 2 though, which was indeed unusual
at that time.
1979
one Lhasa Apso dog from the famous Kennel Tintavons was added to my dog
ownership. Lhasa Apso, “the little watchman from the ceiling of the world”,
then became the main part of my kennel work until 1990. I myself call them my
asphalt flowers, because the Lhasas are perfect city dogs. Totally 9 litters
resulting in 37 puppies came to the world during the years to pass. The key to
the success of my kennel was the cooperation with Kennel Tintavons and later
with Kennel Beddis. These two breeders were the biggest competitors in Sweden
during the 80:s. In spite of the tough competition I got the advantage to
cooperate with both of them. They came to share their experience willingly with
me. Thanks to these two breeders and my puppy buyers Kennel Imperie´s became
successful indeed.
I
also had one litter of American Cocker Spaniel.
The
perhaps most famous one in the litter was Imperie´s Jackie J´ Royal, who came
to Kennel Snowshoes and became very successful in exhibitions all over. Jackies
son, S Uch Snowshoes Simply the Best, is even today in spite of the age of 12, a
star among the Lhasa Apso people.
Kennel
Inmperie´s was in the beginning of the 90:s presented in the American book
“The New Complete Lhasa Apso” by Norman and Carolyn Herbel.
In
the Tibetanian Chronicle 1972 – 1992, put together by the rase specialist
Berit Eriksson, you can read the following: A breeder, whom with her good
knowledge about anatomy has used and based her breeding upon Paul Stantons
(Kennel Tintavons) lines, is Jane of Kennel Imperie´s. She has as far as I know
not imported anything, but from the new comeouts from Paul, she has managed to
develop many good winners. She has unfortunately taken a pause, but we hope she
will come back. Seven Champions so far.
It
should be mentioned that at that time I had no possibility to keep any Imperie´s
puppy myself. So I was totally depending on my puppy buyers, who matched the
dogs in exhibitions and made good advertizing for the kennel. For this reason,
the puppy buyers are the most important base pieces of the kennel´s success.
During
five years I didn´t have any dog at all (with the exeption of during all
weekends when I borrowed dogs from breeder colleges around the Stockholm area)
and then I had time to spend finding out which rase would fit into my new family´s
life. Lagotto Romagnolo, in addition to that it has an appealing appearance,
became the rase with qualities which fit into our life style with much time in
the woods and nature.
The
Lagotto has a nice size and is a robust, active and sporty dog, which does not
need much coat treatment. One important piece of information is that you should
not think that the Lagotto is a “cake and clap dog”. It likes to work, it is
intelligent and is very easy to teach. The Lagotto is also social and very
signal sensitive, which makes it very adoptable to our modern society. It loves
to obey.
The
Lagotto is not a dog to be left alone, it wants to be with you everywhere.
When
we had finally decided which rase we wanted, we followed it on exhibitions, in
dog magazines and elsewhere. One Lagotto which I became very impressed of was
Fiocco Di Casa Cleo. When I eventually also got introduced to Pallina Di Casa
Cleo I contacted Elisabeth Scheffel of Kennel Scheffefältet to order one puppy
from this combination of parents. I got “Fiona” and she was born in
Elisabetht´s fourth Lagotto litter.
The
Lagotto has, like the Lhasa Apso, also a very interesting history.
It is told that the rase has survived because it has been reschooled from
being a water fetching dog to be a truffel searcher. For this reason I find much
joy in trying to find out as much as possible about the rase directly from
Italian breeders. The only information which was available in Sweden originally
was put together by Reneé Sporre Willes and Torsten Widholm. An information
sheet was sent out to anyone who was interested. Reneé and Torsten were the
first ones to import the Lagotto Romagnolo to Sweden and this was back in 1995.
Today there is a book in Swedish by Sporre Willes
“ The first five years with Lagotto Romagnolo”. History, caretaking,
etc. The book can be ordered through the Swedish Lagotto Romagnolo Club. Other
intresting books could be ordered through the Lagotto Romagnolo Club of Italy.
See links.