INTRODUCTION TO THE STEWARTS
And Their KLOMPEN Dogs

Which of your dogs had the greatest impact on you? BIS BISS CAN AM CH KLOMPEN'S TOMMY TITTLEMOUSE, CD CHOF COMX. Tommy was a dog with a superb temperament, pretty silhouette, lovely coat (color, texture and length) and effortless movement. He easily became the top winning OWNER-HANDLED Keeshond in Canadian history, with his first Best in Show at 10 months and his last at 7 years. He won the breed 157 times in his career. For every 3 times that he won breed, he won GR1. For every 4 times he won GR1 he won Best in Show (11 times). He also won 5 Best Puppy in Shows and BB at 3 Specialty shows. I am positive that his career could have been much more outstanding, except that my priority lay with bringing up my young son, rather than attending dog shows. Needless to say, we are very proud of him.

Of all your many wins, which one had the greatest meaning to you? Muffin won Best of Breed at her first show, under Melbourne Downing, over the top winning Keeshond in Canada and subsequently won Gr4 and Best Puppy in Show. This has to have been one of our most memorable wins. In her first 8 shows, she won an all breed Best in Show, 3 Best Puppy in Shows, 2 Gr1 and a Gr4. Not a bad beginning for a couple of novices with their first purebred dog.

Other than your own dogs, who was the best Keeshond you ever saw? There are very few dogs that actually take my breath away, but these come to mind. We were fortunate enough to see CH FLAKKEE JACKPOT at 14 years of age and he left a great impression on us, as did his son, CH FLAKKEE INSTANT REPLAY. I loved the presence, showmanship and movement of CH VANDY'S MALIK when I first laid eyes on him. CH FOXFAIR'S PERSUASIVE FRIEND was beautiful and in my mind, had the perfect Keeshond head.

Who do you think the best Non-Sporting Judges are/were? Why? I am generally impressed with judges who can find good movement and overall great presence in dogs --those who judge dogs by their virtues rather than their faults. There have been several over the years. A few American judges that come to mind are: Michelle Billings, Anne Rogers Clark, Richard Guevara, Arley Hussin, Edna Joel, Charles Mulock, Dorothy Nickles and Joe Tacker.

What do you feel is the best thing AKC is doing for the sport? I would prefer to comment on the positive things that the CKC is doing which are different from what the AKC is doing. Two things come to mind: First, dogs that are sold on CKC Non-breeding agreements are allowed to be shown at CKC sanctioned dog shows. This allows us breeders to see how our puppies turn out and have appropriate health testing done, before we allow them to be used in a breeding program. Second, at CKC shows, a dog that has won and is eligible to compete at a higher level is required to stay to compete. Should that dog not compete, its wins for the day are canceled, and disciplinary action may be taken against the owner or agent. We, therefore, see more owner/handlers exhibiting and winning in the group and general specials rings.

In this business friends are hard to come by, who would you say your best friend in dogs is? First, I would have to say Bruce. He has always been supportive, and reassuring. Second, the dogs have been a joy to have owned and loved. We fortunately have traveled from coast to coast in both Canada and the USA and have made many good friends in the dog world. It would be unfair to mention a few when there are so many.

Fifty years from now what would you like to be remembered for? I would like people to remember me as someone always interested in improving our breed; and breeding for quality, not quantity. I began judging in 1993 and hope that I will be remembered as being honest and fair with all of my acquaintances, including puppy buyers and those who chose to exhibit their dogs under me.

If you could do it all again, what would you do differently? Why? I regret not having had the opportunity to special BIS BISS CH KLOMPEN'S ROCKY RACCOON CD CHOF COM more often. Unfortunately, he came at a time when Tommy was winning and Rocky never had the chance to prove what he was really made of. He is one of the closest dogs to the standard that we have ever bred -- a sound, fun loving individual that I am very proud of. Apart from that, I wouldn't have wanted much more. We have always been blessed with good, healthy dogs that have given us a lot of pleasure, both in and out of the ring.

What differences can you see between the Keeshonds of today to those you first started out with? The Kees of today are smaller, cobbier dogs with pretty heads, darker eyes and lovely tails sets. We see less tawniness than before; but unfortunately we are seeing a lot of smuttiness, with dirty legs and feet. Many of today's dogs lack definition in color. I wish we could see more of the correct, sloping toplines of dogs of old. Another big difference is coats. Many are tending to be longer, softer and fuller than before - which I feel is the reason why we are seeing so many sculptured Kees in the ring today. Hard, healthy, self-fitting coats are what we should be aiming for in our breeding program. In my opinion, this is the type of coat that a companion dog should have, as it is easily cared for by our puppy buyers.

Do you feel the breed has improved or deteriorated? While the overall type has improved, soundness is very much lacking, to the point where I believe our breed is in serious trouble. A fair bit of this can be blamed on the way the revised standard is worded. While our breed should not have as much angulation and layback as many dogs, it should not be similar to that of a Chow either. Balance is lacking in so many Kees, and it appears that there are more hereditary problems than before? Perhaps, I am just more aware of them! I feel very strongly that in order to keep these problems to a minimum, breeders must share genetic information.

What single piece of advice would you give to the novice handler? The Novice must learn from the pros -- something new at every show. It is not enough to just watch the breed judging. Stay and watch what happens with other breeds, in the group and the Best in Show ring. Go to as many Specialty shows as possible and learn to honestly evaluate your own dogs. Handling classes are a must. Video cameras can be the best teacher of all. Compare what the professional is doing to what you are doing and try to improve. Many novices are nervous and that nervousness trickles down the lead to their dogs. Try to control your own emotions. Most importantly, try to have fun and not take showing too seriously. Please remember that this is a sport and a hobby that should be enjoyed. There should be more to life than just winning with our dogs.

What constitutes a "great" dog, and why? A great dog is one that you cannot take your eyes off of in the show ring. One that has that special something that you cannot necessarily define. A great dog does not have to be stacked. He (she) shows himself off -- like there are no other dogs in the room. A great dog is not only good himself (herself), but comes from good lines and can reproduce his (her) good qualities, thereby helping to improve the breed as a whole.

What diet tips can you give? We have tried many dry dog foods over the years and have continued to change from time to time for different reasons. We have used Pedigree Pal dry & canned meat for some time and like the results that we get with it. When looking for a good dog food, we tend to avoid artificial colors, flavors and preservatives -- including Ethoxyquin. Our dogs all get table scraps (1/4 cup of meat and vegetables), and they seldom have digestive problems. Oil can also be given during the dry, winter months. While I am too lazy to feed this, I have seen many a dog excel on a natural diet of meat, cereal grains and vegetables, combined with a good vitamin and mineral supplement. Some day, when I have more time on my hands, I will try it.

What grooming tips can you give? I often wonder if people realize the importance of keeping the coats clean and the nails short. A coat that is bathed regularly and brushed thoroughly to the skin, on a weekly basis, is likely to be a healthy, rolling coat. That is to say that your dogs will never really be totally out of coat, but then again never really in a full coat. This will allow them to look good and be competitive for the better part of the year. A dog whose nails have been kept short will keep its cat-like feet and is less likely to become weak in the pasterns with age. The best coat dressing is plain water. Many of the things people put in their dogs coats to improve them actually hurt them by attracting dirt which can cut the coat.

What do you see as the biggest single fault in the Keeshonden of today? Lack of soundness -- I am sorry to say that many breeders have given up structure and movement for lovely type. They are equally important. In recent years, we have begun to see an improvement in this regard. I hope the trend continues.

What do you see as the greatest attribute in today's Keeshonden? Their temperament -- they still remain as one of the best companion dogs to own, with relatively few hereditary problems.