Mount Brier AmStaffs

American Staffordshire Terriers

Striving for:

Correct conformation & movement, high intelligence & working ability, proper balance & breed type, but most of all stable temperament & sound health.

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LAST UPDATED 7/2/2009:

PUPPIES ARE HERE, BORN MAY 1st, 2009
   
One female puppy available to an approved show or pet home, e-mail for details if interested.

Home // Our Boys // Our Girls // Available Puppies //Available Adults // Breeding Plans Bred-By-Us // From Our Clients // About The Breed // Agility // Obedience Work // Just Puppy Pics FAQ's // About the MH (temperament test) // Loved Ones Lost // Responsible Breeding Our Home // Socialization Process // Contract & Guarantee // Friends & Links +UCD, UAGII Reichelt's Better Believe It! CGC, HIT, Therapy Dog+ COPYRIGHT NOTICE // GLOSSARY

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*New pictures added to the Our Girls page for Sahara & Pandora*

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-AKC CH Sindelars Texas Gentleman, OFA "Bo" is
available to an approved show/breeding home-
(littermate brother to AKC Ch. R-U Popeye, OFA, Ataxia-Clear)

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The Latest News At Mount Brier AmStaffs....

NEW MEXICAN CHAMPION!

Mex. Ch. Mt. Brier's Ashes And Snow Of Rivasa "Tory"
(son of Multi Ch. Royal Court King Of The King, OFA X Mt. Brier's Sorcery Of Fire, TT, OFA)

Tory finished his Mexican Championship, with multiple Best Of Breed wins!
We are thrilled and quite proud of him and his owner Ingrid Conde of Rivasa Kennels.

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WINNERS DOG

Gaff's Thief Of Gold "Paco"
(son of BISS Ch. Benmar's Ring Master, OFA, NCL-A X Gr. Ch. Gaff's Catherine Zeta, OFA)


Paco takes Winners Dog at the Five Valley Kennel Club, Inc. on June 22, 2009.

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NEW AKC CHAMPION!

Ch. Mt. Brier's Sweet Pandemonium, OFAca "Pandora"
(daughter of Ch. Mt. Brier's Knight Of Foxfire, TT, OFA X Mt. Brier's Diamonds Are Forever, OFA, AKC Ptd.)

Pandora goes Winners Bitch/Best Opposite Sex three days in a row earning a single, a 3 point major, and a 4 point major under judges Mrs Lois Wolff White, Mrs Paula Hartinger and Ms Sharon Cook (thank you all for recognizing my girl!). She also had her heart checked by a board certified cardioligst (from Washington State University) and is OFA Cardiac Normal now!

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Best Of Winners, Best Bred By
& Best Of Breed over specials!

Mt. Brier's Sweet Pandemonium "Pandora"
(daughter of Ch. Mt. Brier's Knight Of Foxfire, TT, OFA X Mt. Brier's Diamonds Are Forever, OFA, AKC Ptd.)

Pandora goes Winners Bitch, Best Of Winners, Best Bred By Exhibitor and BEST OF BREED over specials (one being ranked top 10!) at the Walla Walla Kennel Club show from the bred-by class under judge Mrs. Judith V. Daniels!

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Best Of Breed & Terrier Group 2!

Mt. Brier's Ashes And Snow Of Rivasa "Tory"
(son of Multi Ch. Royal Court King Of The King, OFA X Mt. Brier's Sorcery Of Fire, TT, OFA)

Tory takes Best Of Breed/Group 2 at his very first show in Mexico on 3/29/2009.
He is owned and loved by Ingrid Conde of Rivasa Kennels.
We are very proud of Tory and his wonderful win!

and even more good news on Tory....

Back To Back Best Of Breeds!

Mt. Brier's Ashes And Snow Of Rivasa "Tory"
(son of Multi Ch. Royal Court King Of The King, OFA X Mt. Brier's Sorcery Of Fire, TT, OFA)

Tory takes Best Of Breed in Mexico on 4/4/2009 & 4/5/2009 over Champions!
This is Tory's 2nd outing in the show ring, we are so very proud of him.

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New Canine Good Citizen

Sha-D Blue's Steel Evanescence, CGC
(son of Ch. Skyblue's Truce As Steel, DNA, TT, OFA, PennHIP X Ch. Mt. Brier's Eye Of The Storm, TT, OFA)

Bentley was bred by us and is owned/loved by Kristine Norton of Sha-D Blue AmStaffs.
He passed his CGC title and will soon set foot in the AKC ring.
We are happy with this boy's great temperament! He is pictured at only 9 months old.

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Two New 'MH' Temperament Test Titles!

Wizage Zed Zombie, MH
(son of AKC/Swedish Ch. Mount Brier's Aren't U Envious, DNA, MH, OFA, CERF X Wizage Something Sweet)

Tigger was bred by Jennie Wickman/Wizage AmStaffs, sired by our stud Mercury.
He passed his MH temperament test title in Sweden with flying colors!

and...

Wizage Leader Lord, MH
HD: B/B, ED: 0/0
(son of AKC/Swedish Ch. Mount Brier's Aren't U Envious, DNA, MH, OFA, CERF X Swedish Ch. Lewi's Monterosa, MH)

Titan was bred by Jennie Wickman/Wizage AmStaffs, sired by our stud Mercury.
He passed his MH temperament test title in Sweden with awesome results - the judge commented that Titan was not only good, he was great! :) We are most pleased! For a detailed description of the MH test (Mental-Description), click here!

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South African Champion

Wizage Zone Zero
(son of AKC/Swedish Ch. Mount Brier's Aren't U Envious, DNA, MH, OFA, CERF X Wizage Something Sweet)

Zero was bred by Jennie Wickman/Wizage AmStaffs, out of our stud Mercury.
He finished his South African Championship with all BEST OF BREED wins!
He is proudly owned and greatly loved by Nivadi Kennel in South Africa.

MEET OUR NEW ADDITION FROM SWEDEN:

Wizage Moonlight Madness
"Maj"

Latest Show News on Maj in Sweden:

9 Months Old & BEST OF BREED!
(June 2009)

Swedish & Finnish Ch. Wizage Reckless Rebel, MH, HD: A/A, ED: 0/0
X
Swedish & Danish Ch. Lobo's Cassie Of Wizage, MH, HD: B/B, ED: 0/0, PA: 0/0, NCL-A (Clear)

*About Our Kennel*

I. Breeding Practices:
Our purpose for breeding the American Staffordshire Terrier & American Pit Bull Terrier is to bring the natural qualities of the breed to perfection in accordance with the AKC (AmStaff) & UKC (APBT) approved breed standards. Only physically, mentally and temperamentally sound specimens are chosen to be part of our breeding program. The main focus of our breeding program is to produce dogs suitable for the breed ring (for show), working venues (agility, obedience, weight-pull etc.), service and therapy animal work, and family companions (pets). Both our stud dogs and bitches are selected for health, disposition, trainability, conformational excellence, pedigree, and production history if proven. We often bring in offspring from our own breeding program that we feel will improve upon what our goals are and make a positive contribution to the breed as a whole. We look at this as a great asset to our breeding program as we have seen what the parents (and possibly even the grandparents and great grandparents - if we owned them) produce along with having worked and trained with them -- we know the history of our dogs and those behind them.

II. Care of Puppies and Adults:
We provide all puppies and adults we sell with proper veterinary and home care, which includes: 1. A properly balanced, high quality, nutritional diet. (Chicken Soup For The Dog Lover's Soul) 2. Proper and safe worming procedures for internal and external parasites so that all puppies and adult dogs remain free of parasites. 3. Proper inoculation protocols to insure the health of the puppy or adult dog (see our vaccination protocol here). 4. Extensive socialization to humans (adults & children), other dogs, as well as cats. 5. Aptitude testing at 7-8 weeks of age 6. Hands on structural evaluation

III. Temperament:
The happiest dogs are those that have been made a part of the family as a pet first and foremost. In making breeding decisions, we first look for the qualities that will make our puppies excellent companions as well as show and/or working dogs. This means choosing AmStaffs and APBT's who are rock solid in temperament, character, have solid nerves, and have strong balanced drives. We believe all well-bred AmStaff's and APBT's should have courage, stamina, and great enthusiasm in everything that they do. They are friendly, outgoing, attentive and good natured with people and most especially with children. Our puppies are handled and observed on a daily basis, we get to know each individual puppy -- by 8 weeks of age we have a clear understanding of where each individual pup's temperament and drives are well before placement. They are well socialized from day one with adults as well as children, other adults dogs, other puppies, and even cats. While we hope some of our new owners will show our puppies, or work with them in agility, rally, weight-pull, tracking, obedience, flyball, and so many more venues, we place puppies only in homes where they'll be pets first and foremost. To assure sound temperament of our American Staffordshire Terriers, we have started doing the ATTS temperament test on all of our dogs - so far 4 of them now have their TT temperament titles.

IV. Type, size and soundness:
After stable temperaments and sound genetic health, we look for good structure (proper front/rear angulation, balance, good muscle structure, correct tailset & carriage, topline etc.), proper movement, size, and breed "type". We do show our dogs, because we wouldn't want to breed dogs that hadn't been seen and approved by others (judges and breeders alike) with extensive experience in the breed. We are among those who feel that just having a good dog or even a champion isn't a reason to breed. We do not breed for oversized dogs (the standard sized male stands between 18-19" at the shoulders, with the standard sized female standing 17-18" at the shoulders -- weight should be in proportion to body size) for several reasons. #1: It would not be to the breed standard or benefit, the AmStaff and APBT were never supposed to be a large breed -- and there are many, many oversized AmStaff's and APBT's out there today.). #2: Oversized dogs age and break down much quicker than a standard sized dog. We breed only when we believe that a particular dog has qualities which should be part of the future of the breed -- we had AmStaffs and APBT's for many years before we decided to breed, and it was several more years till we found dogs we truly felt should be bred.

V. Hereditary Problems:
We strive to protect the genetic health of our AmStaff's and APBT's by breeding only the soundest examples. The vast majority of dogs of all breeds (as well as mixed) can live long, healthy lives if given proper care and routine veterinary attention. However, each breed has its own particular hereditary problems; some minor, some impairing, and some possibly even fatal. The AmStaff and APBT are no exception and unfortunately the problems multiply as these dogs continue to increase in popularity and there is an increase in indiscriminate breeding practices. Failure to screen for hereditary problems before breeding often results in the doubling up of unfavorable genes, and the results are distressing for the new owner and dog alike - and certainly unfair for both! The following, while not all-inclusive, are some of the more common hereditary problems that may be encountered in American Staffordshire Terriers and/or American Pit Bull Terriers.

Hip Dysplasia:
Hip dysplasia means poor formation of the hip joint, and describes a developmental disease in young dogs of many different breeds. Unsound hip joints are a common problem in the large breeds though many breeds are affected, and hip dysplasia can be a very serious problem in any dog that is to be trained for a demanding activity. Even a family companion can sometimes not function as just a pet due to slight irregularities of gait to even extremes such as crippling lameness (depending on the severity of dysplasia). The dysplastic dog will usually develop some degree of arthritis later in life in mild and severe cases. Hip dysplasia is an inherited defect which is believed to have a polygenic mode of inheritance. The expression of this genetic defect can be modified by environmental factors, such as changes in nutrition, exercise and trauma. The degree of heritability is moderate in nature, meaning that the formation of the hip joints can also be modified by environmental factors such as over nutrition, excessively rapid growth, and certain traumas during the growth period of the skeleton. As with any quantitative trait, hip joint conformation can range from good to bad with all degrees in between. AmStaffs and APBT's often have very high pain thresholds, and do not show signs of pain when other breeds might. An x-ray does not always show you how your dog feels, as many dysplastic dogs are completely unaware that they even have a problem! X-rays of the dog's hips should be sent to either the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or to PennHIP Analysis Center (PennHIP) for diagnostic evaluation.Our dogs that are a part of our breeding program are screened for hip dysplasia with the OFA and have received a passing rating of either: 1. Excellent 2. Good or 3. Fair.

Elbow Dysplasia:
Elbow dysplasia (ED) is a developmental disease of young dogs, although symptoms can appear at any age. Many affected dogs have no symptoms at all, yet can pass more serious disease on to their offspring. For other affected dogs, symptoms range from mild stiffness and discomfort, to crippling disease. Elbow dysplasia is an inherited disease believed to have a polygenic (multiple genes) mode of inheritance that may be modified by the environment. The most studied detrimental environmental influence is rapid growth during early puppyhood, usually a result of over-nutrition and over-feeding. Elbow dysplasia can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages, or in very mildly affected dogs. .Most veterinarians can take the necessary x-rays, but few have the equipment or expertise to evaluate the films themselves Prior to breeding, AmStaffs and APBT's should have elbow x-rays submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for diagnostic evaluation, and only dogs certified clear (normal) of elbow dysplasia should be bred. Although dogs with ED should not be bred, many lead normal, happy lives with minimal discomfort. Dogs with mild symptomatic disease are sometimes managed by supportive care such as moderate exercise, weight control, and anti-inflammatory drugs. There are surgical procedures which may help dogs with severe disease. Our dogs that are a part of our breeding program are screened for elbow dysplasia with the OFA and are certified normal.

Heart Disease:
Hereditary heart disease, most commonly Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS), is known to occur in both the AmStaff and APBT. In fact, heart disease is a major health problem within the breed. All prospective breeding animals should be examined by a board certified cardiologist. A regular veterinarian (general practitioner) is not properly trained to detect heart disease - only a board certified cardiologist, or a specialist, should be used when checking for heart disease. If a murmur is detected through auscultation (listening with a stethoscope), additional diagnostic tests (echocardiogram) are available and may be recommended. However, even if the results are negative, this does not rule out heart disease, as some mild but hereditary forms may be undetectable except on necropsy. Animals with hereditary heart disease should not be used for breeding. Our dogs that are a part of our breeding program are screened for heart disease with the OFA and are certified normal (clear of heart disease).

Contact:

Amanda Reichelt
Colville, Washington, USA

Phone #: (509) 921-2796

E-Mail: mountbrierfarms@yahoo.com