Celhaus QQ Litter Background
Mercy bred to Cantor
Whelped March 27, 2019
Mercy is from my JJ litter. Cantor is the sire of the NN, OO, PP and RR litters.
I am expecting some real live wires, full of the love of life, very social and confident, highly intelligent with super working drives. I’m expecting them to train easily and enjoy working, and to have super noses and the desire to use them. As for color, we had bicolors and solid blacks in this litter.
See the QQ litter Search & Rescue Test Results
Sire: CANTOR VOM WENNER HAUS AT CELHAUS PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, NI, CGC, ATD, THDN
whelped 3/24/16
UKC Nosework titles: PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE. There are five levels of difficulty (novice, advanced, superior, masters and elite) in each of five elements (exteriors, interiors, vehicles and containers). Before a dog can compete for a title, it must pass a pre-test to show that it will search for and find that particular odor. Cantor has passed all five pre-tests (Novice level is Birch, Advanced is Anise, Superior is Clove, Masters is Myrrh and Elite is Vetiver). He passed his novice interior title in May 2019 and will compete for other novice titles in the fall.
Cantor is a Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs (formerly Therapy Dogs Incorporated)
He hashis AKC Therapy Dog Novice (THDN) title, which requires a history of 10 therapy dog visits. Once he completes 50 visits, he will be eligible for his AKC Therapy Dog title (THD). He visits nursing homes and participated in the Reading Dog program at the Children’s Library, which is designed to help children who are having trouble learning to read. Children read to the non-judgmental therapy dog, which helps them to overcome feelings of embarrassment or inadequacy. Cantor will also be participating in a stress-relief program during finals week, where therapy dogs visit students at the local college. That may also be implemented at the high schools.
He also has his AKC Canine Good Citizen title.
OFA GOOD hips: GS-99355G24M-VPI
PennHip at 1 year: .37 left; .42 right
(PennHip no longer gives percentile ratings unless they’re in their excellent range, which is below .30)
OFA Elbows: GS-EL37972M24-VPIOFA Cardiac: GS-CA1790-18M/P-VP
OFA Thyroid: GS-TH830/18M-VPI
OFA Eyes: GS-EYE525/26M-VPI
OFA DM (spinal myelopathy) free: GS-DM7517/18M-PI
free of bleeding disorders (vonWillebrand’s and hemophilia) and EPI
Cantor is a very sweet, social dog. He has a high energy level and low excitability level, so he’s a very busy, enthusiastic boy who tends to go over the top with excitement. He is extremely intelligent and is doing extremely well in training, being very quick to pick up new things. He enjoys learning and gets all excited and proud when he figures out the new task. He is amazing in agility; for instance, he learned the weaves in 6 sessions, including being consistent in finding the entrance to the set of 12 weaves from all angles and at great distances, no matter where I happen to be positioned, which is unheard of. He excels in nosework, which he loves, and also enjoys obedience. Cantor received his Canine Good Citizen title in September, 2017. In October 2017 he passed all five of his UKC nosework pre-test titles. I had planned to begin tracking with him again this spring but a bad knee injury kept me inactive through the winter and spring. In December 2017 he became a therapy dog registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
Cantor is a replacement for Faith, whose hip prelims knocked her out as a breeding prospect in 2016. She was guaranteed so I was due for a replacement, but Melissa’s next litter was a year away. However, she had a five-month-male from her 2016 litter who had been too intense and busy for two previous home. I had already begun thinking that I’d need to soon start searching for a male who could be bred to my Quasi daughters and Chaos daughters/granddaughters (Spirit, Mercy & Lovely. Cantor is out of Faith’s mother, Linea, and sired by the dog who sired Valentine, who was the first pup I got from Melissa, whom I had whom I really liked but who had an elbow problem. I surgically fixed the elbows and placed him in a Search & Rescue home and he is doing fantastic. Valentine (now known as Laser) had showed incredible promise and focus from a puppy in nosework classes, with a natural and intense use of his nose, so it was a heartbreaker to lose him just as it was to lose Faith. I decided to give those genetics one more try, and told Melissa, his breeder (www.vomwennerhaus.com), that I’d take Cantor. For information on his parents and grandparents, scroll down. For photos, see Cantor’s page.
Cantor’s first litter is now a year old and all are doing extremely well. I’m getting rave reviews about their intelligence and how easy and fun they are to train and live with. I’m excited to see what his puppies from Mercy will be like.
Cantor favorite photos from birth
Dam: Celhaus Jubilee Year of Mercy PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, NE (Mercy)
whelped 12/20/15
See Mercy Photos at 21 and 22 months
See Mercy favorite photos from birth
UKC Nosework Titles: PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE (all five pre-tests) and Novice Exteriors. Nosework is a fun new competition venue derived from narcotics dog training where dogs compete in searching for certain essential oils instead of narcotics. There are five levels of difficulty (novice, advanced, superior, masters and elite) in each of five elements (exteriors, interiors, vehicles and containers). Before a dog can compete for a title, it must pass a pre-test to show that it will search for and find that particular odor. Mercy has passed all five pre-tests (Novice level is Birch, Advanced is Anise, Superior is Clove, Masters is Myrrh and Elite is Vetiver), and has her Novice Exteriors title. She will miss this spring’s trial since she’ll have pups, but will compete for more nosework titles in the fall.
PennHip DI’s .33 & .35, OFA good hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Thyroid, OFA eyes, OFA Cardiac, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free
OFA DM (clear) – free of the spinal myelopathy mutation genesfree of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) at 28 months
I love Mercy’s petite size; it makes her super athletic. She has great retrieve drive, hunt drive and natural desire to use her nose. Several of her littermates are doing well in Search & Rescue – as is her mother – and she would have loved it, too. She has a nice social temperament and is full of the joy of life. She is SO full of life that I doubt I’ll ever certify her as a therapy dog – she tends to want to leap into people’s arms rather than sit and greet. Instead, we’ll concentrate on agility and nosework.
Mercy is a fun dog to live with and to train, except in obedience – she’s still too bouncy and excited to do very well at heeling. She attacks whatever we’re doing with zest and enthusiasm, always having a good time. She enjoys nosework but tends to get so excited that it takes her a few minutes to get serious about searching. I was very pleased with her at her first nosework trial in October 2018. At her first attempt at Novice Exteriors, at the morning trial she took 2nd place, finding the hide in 24 seconds. At the afternoon trial we were allowed to let them search off leash if we wanted (we were the only ones brave enough to try), and she found the hide in 17.9 seconds, which gave her not only 1st place but High in Trial over all the novice exterior dogs.
NADAC Agility titles: Mercy competed at a local NADAC trial in July, 2018 (the first one we’ve had here in years!). She wasn’t quite ready to compete and I entered her in all the intro level classes (except weavers) mainly for the experience. She qualified in two Regular classes and one Tunnelers class. Since then she has fallen in love with the sport and is working at a nice distance and speed. She will miss the April 2019 trial due to her litter, but will be ready to seriously compete at the July 2019 trial.
Mercy is sixth-generation my female line and shows so many of the good qualities from her great-great-great grandmother, Glory and those who followed her: sound temperament, lots of drive, super noses, joy of life, willingness, the list goes on. Breeding tells!!
Maternal Grand Dam: Celhaus Good Day Sunshine BN, CD, Trailing 1, Intermediate HRD
whelped 6/7/13
OFA fair hips, OFA Elbows, OFA Thyroid, OFA eyes, OFA Cardiac,
OFA DM (clear) – free of the spinal myelopathy mutation genes
von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free
free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) at 27 months
From Soleil’s owner: Soleil loves, loves, loves to work. Begs for it. Learns quickly, and has had me stumped more than once. The beauty with her is that when it counts, she knows it, and comes through with flying colors. Sol loves the ball, anything that can be thrown actually, she is a maniac retriever and delivers to hand. She figured out very quickly that delivery to hand almost always returns another throw. On the other hand, if we get tired of throwing stuff for her, a ‘no, that’s enough’ is actually enough for her to go off with her toy and lie down, or entertain herself. She does have an off switch.
Soleil already had her AKC Beginner Novice and Companion Dog titles before we bred her, and Chris planned to compete all the way to an Obedience Trial Championship with her. However, Chris got interested in Search & Rescue and switched to that. Sol already has her Trailing 1 and Intermediate HRD (human remains detection) certifications and is working on advanced trailing certifications.
Soleil is now spayed so that she can concentrate on training, so the litter Mercy was in is the only one we’ll get from her. I’m very pleased that Mercy passed all her health screenings so I can breed her and keep Soleil’s great genes for working drives active in my breeding program.
Maternal Grand Sire: Quasi vom Geistwasser BH, AD, PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, ATD
whelped 10/24/10
OFA Excellent Hips, PennHip 90th Percentile (DI’s .18 & .23), OFA Elbows, OFA Cardiac, OFA Thyroid OFA Eyes, OFA DM (free), von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free
TLI Test normal at 47 months (free of EPI – Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency)
Quasi is a Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD, formerly Therapy Dogs Inc).
Quasi was nearly ready to try for his Schutzhund 1 title when I bought him. I had hoped to get his title but an injury and then surgery made it impossible for me to travel 200 miles a lot of weekends to train at the nearest training club.
He has great hunt drive, loving to use his nose and searching very intensely when his ball takes a bad bounce and he has to find it. He shows that same desire to use his nose in nose work classes.
Quasi has done great in nosework and has passed all his pre-tests. At some point he’ll get to compete for nosework titles. Since only one dog can be entered I each nosework class, the girls can’t compete if they’re in heat, pregnant or lactating, and we only have 2 nosework trials a year (spring and fall when often one of more girls are in one of those states), I’ve been concentrating on getting the girls’ titles and letting the males, who can compete any time, wait for their turns. He continues to train so he’ll do well once I can enter him to compete for titles.
Quasi has great retrieve drive. He also enjoys learning, shows a lively curiosity about everything new and is always willing to please. He’s fun in any kind of training and passes those traits to his progeny. He also gives his pups a very sweet, affectionate nature and lots of personality and drive. He is also a very social dog, with superb temperament that he passes on to his progeny.
Maternal Grand Dam: Celhaus Celebrate Life AE, PTN, PTA, PTS, PTM, PTE, EE, SC, AV, AI, NR, NT, ATD, THDN (Lively)
whelped 11/3/09
NADAC Agility titles: Novice Regular, Novice Tunnelers. Unfortunately, the agility trials were moved from a site ninety minutes away to one that is 3 1/2 hours one way. I have to drive back and forth each day since I have other dogs at home I must care for each evening, so our chances for more agility titles are low.
UKC Nosework titles: Elite Exteriors, Advanced Interiors, Advanced Containers, Novice Vehicles, PreTest-Elite (all 5 PreTests).
At our first Nosework Trial in May 2014, she received the first two titles in Exterior Searches, NNE1 (where they search for Birch Essential Oil) and NNE2 (where they search for Anise Essential Oil). On July 1st, 2014, the United Kennel Club took over nose work from its originating United Nosework organization, so those titles are now NE & AE. They did not allow trials until after they have incorporated all the information of every dog that titled under United Nosework. Lively continued training in the interim and will compete for more titles as trials are held. She was retired and spayed in the spring of 2017 so now she’ll no longer miss trials due to being pregnant or raising pups.
Lively is a Therapy Dog, registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs. She has her AKC Therapy Dog Novice (THDN) title and nearly enough visits to qualify for the THD (Therapy Dog) title, which requires 50.
OFA “fair” hips, PennHip 60th percentile (DI’s .39 & .35), OFA Elbows, OFA Cardiac, OFA Thyroid, OFA DM (carrier), OFA eyes, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free
free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) at 24 months
Lively produced three litters when bred to Chaos and two litters bred to Quasi. She has produced some excellent Search & Rescue dogs as well as competition dogs (agility, nosework, etc), service dogs and therapy dogs. She has tons of drive and will retrieve a ball all day long. She’s a nice medium size and very athletic. She’s also a fun dog to live with and, especially, to train. Her pups typically excel in any kind of training and approach it with enthusiasm, yet they can also serve as service dogs, which asks for a much calmer, quiet dog that concentrates on assisting its owner with any disabilities the person has.
Maternal Great Grand Sire: Kway vom Posthorn SchH3 (LGA) KKL1 High Protection (97 V) at the 2007 Americans
“a” normal hips HDZW 66
whelped 9/9/00
free of EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) and of the Degenerative Myelopathy gene.
According to his owner (Bill Kulla), “Kway participated in two research studies that are working to identify a genetic marker for EPI and DM, so that one day we may eliminate these devastating diseases from our breed.”
Other quotes from Kway’s website, www.kulladogs.com:
Kway (pronounced “Kwhy”) was the expression of his world class bloodlines: son of Asko von der Lutter and grandson of Aly vom Vordersteinwald. Asko was the 1998 Bundessieger and 2000 WUSV World Champion and has proven himself as producer already. At the past three BSPs, Asko had more sons shown than any other dog. Aly was a close second.
Kway himself was a true all-three-phase dog: tracking is deep-nosed and methodical, obedience was fast and animated yet precise, and bitework was extremely strong with full, hard grips. Kway was balanced in the protection work and brought his natural aggression to the work for strong guarding. Through all three phases, Kway was a dog that was in true harmony with his handler, and their strong bond was evident on and off the field.
Always pronounced in courage; in Kway’s breed survey special mention is made of his exceptional temperament.
Kway was linebred 5-5 on Urs aus der Hopfenstraße, and he carried the black recessive.
Bill reports that Kway loved to retrieve and was good with everyone. He also was good with other dogs, including small dogs, and enjoyed nurturing puppies. I really liked him when I took Quinta to be bred in 2009. Kway had been retired for two years, but put on a beautiful obedience demonstration for me. He was five days from turning nine years old but sure didn’t look it as he heeled, ran and jumped.
Maternal Great Grand Dam: Celhaus Quintessence NJ NR NTO NC TDInc
9/14/04 – 12/27/12
NADAC Agility titles: Novice Jumpers Superior, Novice Regular, Novice Tunnelers Outstanding, Novice Chances, 2 legs towards her Open Jumpers title, 2 legs towards her Novice TouchNGo title, 2 legs towards her Novice Weavers title and 1 leg towards her Novice Hoopers title
AKC agility titles: one leg in each of Standard, Jumpers with Weaves & FAST
OFA hips (good); OFA Elbows; OFA Thyroid; OFA Cardiac; CERF; also tested EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency), von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free. In December, 2007, Quinta received her Health Award Certificate of Recognition from the German Shepherd Dog Club of America.
Quinta was a Therapy Dog, registered with Therapy Dogs Inc. (now Alliance of Therapy Dogs).
Quinta, commonly known as “Wild Thing”, was the character of the family. She loved to work, begged to train, and got into all kinds of trouble when we didn’t. She was crazy about agility. Her biggest problem was remembering to listen to me and go the direction I indicated, rather than attack every obstacle in sight. When she did remember, she was extremely intense and concentrated, a joy to work, and nearly always took 1st place. She also did extremely well in obedience and tracking but we never tried for titles since trials are few and far between. Quinta was very much like her mother, Jubilee, and grandmother, Glory. She was quite dramatic, very fast and athletic, loved to tease, and had trouble being a “good” girl.
Maternal Great Great Grandsire: Bianko vom Leerburg (Comanche)
OFA GOOD hips, OFA elbows
Janet Wilt’s Comanche was a Search & Rescue dog, certified in Avalanche, Water, Tracking, Wilderness Rescue and Cadaver. He was also certified as a narcotics dog (4 odors), evidence and building search.
See Janet’s Search & Rescue group, Jackson Hole Independent Search Dog Teams, www.jhsearchdogs.org.
Maternal Great Great Granddam: Celhaus Jubilee CGC CD NA NAP TDInc, made it to 14 1/3 years.
OFA GOOD hips, OFA elbows, OFA cardiac, OFA thyroid, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free, CERF
Jubilee was a Therapy Dog, registered with Therapy Dogs Inc.
She had her Companion Dog title and her AKC Novice Agility titles and only needed one more qualifying score to finish her Novice Jumpers title, but she developed spurs on her back (from being such an athletic, body-slamming, hard-playing dog all her life), so her jumping and competing days were over.
Jubilee was the most athletic GSD I’ve ever known–unless it’s her daughter, Quinta or granddaughter, Lively. At 14 1/3, she was still healthy, though arthritis from bridging in her back had slowed her down considerably. When she was just a pup she would jump into the back of a 3/4 ton pickup from which I was shoveling wood shavings, trudge to the top of the shavings pile, and get on top of the cab. She would climb, jump, drill through incredible obstacles to retrieve her toys (the favorite of which is the Frisbee). She loved obedience, tracking and agility. Her tracking was very intense and only needed proofing to be ready to try for her Tracking Dog title. When she hurt her back, I retired her.
Maternal Great Great Great Granddam: Roche Jaune’s Triumph of Celhaus CD, TDInc (Glory)
OFA GOOD hips, OFA elbows, CERF, von Willebrand’s and hemophilia free
Glory was a Therapy Dog, registered with Therapy Dogs Incorporated (now Alliance of Therapy Dogs).
I originally began in American-line German Shepherds, the old lines with lots of European influence – before they were ruined by the fad for extreme side gait. When the breeder from whom I got my dogs for years retired in the late 1980’s, I decided to switch to European working lines. Unfortunately, the first several breeding prospects from those lines that I bought failed all their health screenings. In fact, they introduced me to new problems in the breed – genetic eye and bleeding conditions – so I increased the number of health screenings that I did before passing a dog for breeding. Glory was the first one who passed all the tests and whom I could breed, and she produced so well that I have continued her line for six generations of females. With her first litter I adopted the German system of having an alphabet letter for each litter, beginning with the A litter of 1997, from whom I kept her daughter Ashi. That was such a great litter that the next year I drove her all the way to Toronto to breed her to a German import there who was closely related to Ashi’s sire. That only resulted in one pup, whom I kept. I didn’t use a litter letter for her but instead named her Jubilee because the Catholic world was in the middle of a jubilee year of prayer to prepare for the millennium.
Glory was a mix of German show and working lines and was absolutely beautiful. She was also a tease with an amazing sense of humor and would drive me crazy when I tried to get her serious enough to train and to compete for obedience or tracking titles. I always bred her to working-line males and she generously threw more serious working dogs than she was but also her correct structure AND sparkling personality. Her progeny were just plain fun and continue to be so to this day, including an occasional one who is a big tease like she was (though more easily trained). The latest tease to liven up my life is her great-great-great granddaughter (a Lively granddaughter from the LL litter of 2016), Celhaus Love Every Living Thing (“Lovely”). I still miss Glory a lot but I enjoy the vivacity in all her children and their enthusiastic enjoyment of life.