After I had to put my last Poodle bitch (which i didn’t breed with) to sleep in summer of 1984, suffering from autoimune disease, it was clear we had to get antoher puppy, but this time we were looking for a more healthy, solid and strong breed, with no manipulations within the breed at all. My husband and i had no clear vision, just a middle size dog with no hunting instincts and no long hair. And of course we liked a bitch, cause i had been breeding dogs all my life, and made the most sense to us, even though i wasn’t planing on breeding myself again, cause of all the trouble with the poodle breed i had experienced. But easier said then done, if you have been growing up with your grandmother and mother breeding dogs, and myslef having the first litter with 16 years, who can hide their true passion?

We advised with our friend, Woolf Research Specialist Guenther Bloch, who named us three breeds that would fit to our expectaions and lifestyle, but our first instinct went towards the Appenzell swiss Mountain breed. Back at the time there was almost no literature about the breed, and through the VDH we got in touch with the German Swiss Mountain Dog Club, who refeerd us to a swiss breeder.

I never forget the first Appenzeller we saw, it was like love at first sight, and until now a strong passion for this breed has caputerd us. We brought our first „Ellen vom Fuggermarkt“, called „Tinka“ home on September 19th, 1984. It was pretty clear that she would have the approriate standatrs for dog shows, but i still intented to breed with her. The first Appenzell litter, on April 2nd 1987, with Tinka and Breesgata;s Helvetier Ulf as the father, laid the ground stone for this wonderful breed, Tinka lived happily with her adopted daughter Celest, and both of theit daugthers Daphne and Felice 14 years. Our loving memoier are with Celest , Daphne and Felice, who both passed this year. Today, we are living with Kyoto, daughter of Daphne, the most succesfull Appenzell of all times, Principessa, daughter of Kyoto and Utopia, daughter of Kyoto.

But not only three Appenzell dogs share our home, in Spring 2007 El’Jaliscos Jolanda aka: Jolanda, moved in with us, after a long lost wish came true to have a pug, she harmonizes wonderful with the Appenzell ladies of the house and is a true enrichment to our lifes.

My passion in life are dogs, and thanks to the loving support of my husband it was possible to bring up more then 150 puppies in the past years of breeding.

Our dogs live witn us in the house, and on the large property, and any kind of cage holding is for us out of the question.

Geneticcaly speaking the Appenzell breed suffers from seperation anxiety, and therefore has a strong attachment to its owner, so therefore any individuals not liking to spent close time with their dogs, this breed might not be suitable for you.

Manuela Gerhards