| Jean and I began a regular correspondence after she got home, and we talked about breeding programs, what combinations would be likely to work well ... she
openly discussed her Saxonsprings line, and I, mine. I believe it was this honesty between us that led to the quality of dogs that resulted from the cross. Danny had the "Orlane" outline, perhaps a bit more moderate than Inimitable, but what I felt was perfect balance. You could see this at an early age, he really never changed much from 3 months until he left at 10 months. He was a bit steep in shoulder, with a long underarm and elbows well under him; a deep, oval ribcage and short, strong loin and a highset tail completing the picture. He was cream colored as a youngster, but the darker honey-gold came with maturity. What was outstanding was his "presence" or attitude - he loved to be the center of attention, and was a natural in the show ring. Neither of us had found serious genetic flaws in the lines, and on that basis the American dogs were selected - Danny (to become Intrepid at Jean's suggestion), and the two bitches down from Inimitable with outcross (within the Orlane line) dams. I thought Danny a bit refined, but at eight months he still had the beautiful outline, superb temperament, and flowing movement. We took Danny along to a show where Buzzy was being shown, and moved him outside on the grass to show him off a bit. There was a shout in the distance, and Bob Sharp came running |
up. "Who is that?" he demanded to know - and his next question was "Is he for sale?" Bob certainly had the "eye" for a dog, he was stricken to find the dog already
promised to Jean for export! Bob, and others, tried their best to discourage me from sending Danny to England ... why would I send my "best", a second grade dog would do as well ... he would never be appreciated over there, much too different, and ... what a loss to this country as well. I listened, but felt if we were going to send something over, it had better be good to represent us well. The cost of quarantine was a major factor, Jean was not wealthy, so we took a token payment, and Jean would have to make up the rest. Six long months in quarantine, and who knows how well the dogs were treated or what they were exposed to - it must have been hard on them, as the Rocky granddaughters succumbed to a virus infection, and Danny came out of it with permanently pitted teeth. Jean loved her imports, but wasn't used to the softer coats, and she had a lot of problems keeping length and volume on them. I suggested different things, and she tried various products and methods ... and when I visited, we went over the process together, and Jean was a fast learner! Still, it all took time. I remember some of the first photos of Danny in his early wins - a different method of "stacking", coat not on the floor ... but the English judges didn't seem to mind. |
The puppies, and the "new" English look ...