About OlympicDogs

  Olympicdogs is firstly a geographic reference.  We are located on the Olympic Peninsula in North Western Washington State, within sight of the Puget Sound and with our back to the foothills of the Olympic National Forest at a place called Discovery Bay.  Roughly 45 miles, as the crow flies or the boat sails, from Seattle Washington.  

  And despite the fact the word Olympic carries little sheen in a place where it prefaces every other mundane business from Asphalt to Septic design, if ever we relocate I’ll probably keep the name.  As using breeds from Europe, Argentina, Africa, and Turkey the innuendo of The Olympics is not lost on me either.  Nor that of great heights, lofty aspirations, exceptional athletes from all corners of the world, etc.   I’ve made an effort to own/breed the best examples possible from the breeds chosen; so in that sense, I’ll continue to wear the title proudly regardless of location.

  Our 30 acres is bordered by commercial timberland and the national forest ( might as well have a million ) which provides endless miles of trails for running the dogs; but also creates an ongoing struggle with predators.  Cougars, namely, and the less problematic coyote, and black bear also.  As we are building both dairy and meat goat herds, both of which forage not only on pasture, but up into the lush undergrowth of alder forest which represents the practical edge of a vast wilderness, we have a very real testing ground for those working breeds suited to the task of keeping herbivores alive.  Not to mention accompanying us humans, big and especially small, on any ventures into the woods.

  I don’t own a kennel. 

 I won’t refer to my operation as a “kennel.”  The smallest pen I can keep a dog in is a quarter of an acre; the largest single pen is over four, and those that don’t roam, or kill stock, can run thirty.  There is not a one on a chain, or in a cage.  Many breeders claim things like,

  “quality over quantity ”

 Like most breeder rhetoric, it tends to be vacuous, at best.  The vast majority keep their dogs in very small kennels or on chains.  Irrespective of what one can, or cares to, offer their dogs, I think the following a fair question to ask when viewing a “kennel”  

 Is this a situation I want to support ?

  I have considered all the breeds in dogdom in deciding which ones had the traits I wanted.  And have travelled much of the country and to several continents looking at, and for, the best examples of the breeds I’ve chosen to work with.  While there are some notable differences in prey drive, or lack there of; independence or lack there of, there are also some common denominators.  One hundred, sometimes hundred fifty plus lbs. of intelligent, territorial, protective, athletic, capable and largely un-gentrified canine.  All famously good with children, all considered “working” dogs.  In a word they are all “watchdogs” be it family, stock, property or some combination there in; their first job is to protect ( be it offense or defense )  As a consequence I am really always looking for much the same temperamental traits;  smarts,nerve, courage, heart.  And physically, despite working with large breeds, I’ll not sacrifice movement, athleticism, or soundness for size.  I’m not in this to make yard ornaments.

   I do aim to turn a profit, as a matter of principle and habit, but the fact remains my time would be better spent elsewhere if money was the primary motivation; that’s been proven.   That’s why I don’t need dogs to pay my bills, just theirs.   At the end of the day, I breed to satisfy my needs, my passion, or my curiosity first.  I’ve usually got my eye on a litter for what I want.  That’s called the breeders prerogative, it goes unsaid most of the time.  I am out, first and foremost, to create dogs that are up to my standards and serve my needs and wants.  And though I see no shame in providing a service to others, that is secondary. 

  Nor are the dogs my surrogate children, family, or friends; I have humans to fill all those roles.   And though I grow quite fond of some dogs, I believe that can be a liability to a breeder.   I try not to let my heart cloud my vision too much; easier said than done, but necessary just the same, and something I look for in a breeder when I’m buying.  

 For most of my life I owned one dog at a time, for the lifetime of that dog.  The relationship that can develop in that context is a luxury I’m not sure a breeder can afford to indulge.  A breeder plays God; as such I believe he also needs to be prepared to play the Grim Reaper.  A certain amount of detachment is necessary.  

 As time passes, I will come to posses better and better examples of the breeds I choose, and the crosses there of, because I’m willing and able to search the world in pursuit of them, and constantly looking to breed better ones.  And because I don’t confuse my dogs for people, I’ll always be improving the quality of what’s here.  

  The perspective is long term; I plan on breeding for the duration.  Hopefully, I will have accomplished something by then, and one or more of my many children will be interested in continuing on what’s been built.  As anyone that knows me can tell you, breeding is more a less a way of life around here.  Be it an abiding respect for natural laws, a fascination with genetics, or just a logical way to run a ranch; I will breed.  Mother nature is who I turn to for wisdom; merciless bitch though she may be, she never fails to inspire.

Andrew J