Interview with Rachel Kruidenier
American breeder on type, health, responsibility, and her passion for the American Staffordshire Terrier.
This interview is part of the second series of conversations in which famous, well-known, and lesser-known American breeders and judges are featured, alongside Dutch breeders. For this edition, we spoke with Rachel Kruidenier, owner of the Flatlanders kennel in Colorado, USA.
Rachel represents the younger generation of Am Staff breeders and is active in many areas with great enthusiasm for the breed. Through her work within several breed and dog organizations, her love of showing, and her clear views on health and temperament, she was a very interesting guest for this interview.
Would you introduce yourself to the readers of the club magazine?
I am married and have lived in eastern Colorado since 1985. Together with my husband Richard, I have three children: Lukas, who is seven, Bastian, who is four, and Christopher, who is two. Our family also includes two horses, three cats, and ten dogs.
I currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Staffordshire Terrier Club of America. I am also secretary of Therapy Dogs Incorporated, a sitting legislator for the local Obedience Club, and founder and publisher of The Newsletter of the American Staffordshire Terrier Club of the Rockies.
I have been showing purebred dogs for about twenty years. My first breed was the Dobermann Pinscher, and I still own a Dobermann.
When and how did you first become involved with the American Staffordshire Terrier, and what was the name of your first Am Staff?
One day I went with a friend to walk and work with some puppies while their owner was at work. That owner was Betty Reed of Stonecutter Kennel. There was a beautiful fawn-and-white male there, and my friend told me he was for sale.
I was looking for another breed to show, but at that time we already had thirteen dogs: eleven Dobermanns, including my old show dogs and several dogs I had rescued from the shelter. My husband did not want another dog. It took me about a year to convince him to let me have the puppy. A few old Dobermanns had passed away, and he became a little more open to a new dog.
I got my puppy in August 1987, and he became my first champion: Ch. Stonecutter’s Sundance Kid - TT, CGC, TDI.
What appeals to you most about the breed?
The versatility, the intelligence, and the enthusiasm.
How many dogs do you currently have?
I have ten dogs: one mixed breed, one Dobermann, and eight Am Staffs. I am also co-owner of a placed Am Staff.
How many Am Staff litters have you bred, and how many dogs became champions?
I have bred two litters in eight years. The first litter was in 1992 and the second in May 1994. Each litter had four puppies. From the first litter, two dogs became champions: Ch. Flatlander’s Thunderheart and Ch. Flatlander’s Wild At Heart.
I am proud that all of my puppies have turned out to be free from hip dysplasia. The dogs from the second litter are only eight months old, and I hope at least two of them will become champions.
How did you come up with the kennel name Flatlanders?
I was born and raised in Illinois, where it is very flat. It is an agricultural state in the Midwest of the United States. When people asked where I came from, I always answered, “The flat lands of Illinois.” That is where the name Flatlanders came from.
Did you also breed Dobermanns?
There was one accidental litter. Someone put my male together with a bitch without knowing she was in season.
Is your husband also involved in showing?
No, he is not interested in it at all. He sees the dogs as one of my expensive hobbies.
Do you sell most of your puppies locally, have you sold dogs to Europe, and have you ever been to Europe?
There was some interest from Europe, but I sold the dogs in America. I need to know the person I sell a dog to, either personally or through letters and phone calls. It does not matter to me whether I sell the dogs in America or Europe.
I do not enjoy flying, but I would like to come to Europe someday.
Who do you think has the most influence in breeding: the bitch or the male?
As far as temperament is concerned, I would say the bitch. The puppies are with her from birth until the day they leave for their new homes. As far as structure is concerned, I would say whichever parent has the more dominant genes. So it can be either one, although most people blame the male for everything.
Do you have a stud dog available?
No. My first Am Staff, Sunny, was neutered when he was seven years old, and I never bred him. Some breeders were interested in him, but I did not think their bitches were good enough. Before he was neutered, I did have semen collected and frozen from him.
Of the three males I have, two are neutered and the third is only eight months old. I am not really interested in having a stud dog for others. The owner of the bitch decides where the puppies go, and I would really prefer to make that decision myself. I cannot stand the thought of one of my puppies going to a bad home.
Is there anything you would like to change in the breed standard? The color perhaps?
What I would like to change is the description of the ears. “Half rose” should be “rose,” and “prick” should be “half prick.” I would also like to see all colors allowed, but lack of pigment judged as a fault.
Many Am Staffs are too tall. I would not want to see a disqualification for that, but I would like to see it penalized more heavily. Dogs with bad temperament, either too shy or too aggressive, should be removed from the ring.
Could you describe your ideal Am Staff?
Everything Fred Sindelar bred. His dogs are fantastic. In an Am Staff, I want to see a good masculine head, but not an exaggerated one. I do not like dogs with such large heads that they look as if they are tipping forward. I want to see a broad muzzle, tight lips, and a nicely shaped dark eye. I prefer a cropped ear that is not too small.
The dog should have a good, nicely arched neck set well onto the body. The topline should be level behind the withers and rise slightly over the loin. The tail should taper from broad at the base to narrow at the tip. Some Am Staffs have tails like clubs.
There should be balanced and distinct angulation in front and rear, straight pasterns, tight feet, and good movement. My ideal size for a male would be about 20 inches, approximately 50 cm, and 65 pounds, around 30 kg. A bitch should be feminine, somewhat less pronounced in head, and a little longer in body. My ideal size for a bitch would be 18 inches, around 46 cm, and 50 pounds, about 23 kg.
Do you work with your dogs, and do you participate in weightpulling?
I love working with my dogs and being involved in obedience. I was almost finished with Ch. Stonecutter’s Sundance Kid, but he became ill and I had to withdraw him. My bitch Ch. Stonecutter’s Tequila Sunrise - CD, CGC, ROH was my first Am Staff to earn a CD, Companion Dog, title.
When I have a little more time, I want to work toward a CDX, Companion Dog Excellent, with her. At the moment I am working with her daughter Ch. Flatlander’s Wild At Heart, and she should be ready in 1995 to compete at the National Specialty. With her sister, Ch. Flatlander’s Thunderheart, I am also trying to earn a CD this year. I have also done weightpulling for fun.
Do you use a handler, or do you show the dogs yourself?
I normally show my dogs myself until they become champions. Sometimes, if the dogs are entered at a show outside our state, I use a handler. If the dog is competing for Best of Breed or Best in Group, I think it is better to use a handler. They present the dog better, and I enjoy seeing my dogs in the ring that way.
Do we have a health problem in the breed?
Hip dysplasia is the biggest problem. It is estimated that one third of all Am Staffs suffer from it.
How are your dogs housed?
In the house. I do have outside runs, but in the evenings and in bad weather they all come inside. They are very spoiled.
Could you explain the American show points system to the readers and what is needed to become an American champion?
To become a champion, a dog needs fifteen points, including two majors, meaning wins of three, four, or five points, under three different judges.
There are six regular classes:
- Puppy – six to nine months or nine to twelve months. Sometimes this class is split depending on the number of puppies entered.
- Twelve to Eighteen Months
- Novice – dogs that have never won a blue ribbon in another class, or have won fewer than three ribbons in novice.
- Bred by Exhibitor – the exhibitor is also the breeder.
- American Bred – the dog’s parents were bred in the U.S.A. and the dog was born in the U.S.A.
- Open – any dog of the breed.
After those classes are judged, all class winners compete against one another to determine the best dog. This is done separately for males and females. Only the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch receive championship points. A Reserve Winners Award is given to both sexes as runner-up.
Then the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch go on to compete with the champions for the title Best of Breed. At the end of the Best of Breed competition, three awards are normally given: Best of Breed, Best of Winners, and Best Opposite Sex.
The points vary in different parts of the country. In Illinois, for example, a dog must defeat more dogs to earn championship points than in Colorado, because there are more Am Staffs there than in Colorado. The points schedule is listed in the show catalog and is revised every few years by the American Kennel Club.
You are president of the Staffordshire Terrier Club of the Rockies. How many members does the club have, and is it possible for interested people to join?
I am not really the president. Our club is really more of a Newsletter club. At the moment, we have 47 members in America, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, and so on. Because of the cost of producing the Newsletter, membership is limited to fifty.
Our rates for color advertisements are attractive as well. Membership dues are 20 dollars, and the Newsletter is published every two months. If readers would like to join, the address as stated in the original interview was: Rachel Kruidenier, 2745 WCR #74, Eaton, Colorado 80615, U.S.A.
Is there anything I did not ask that you would still like to say, or is there anything you would like to advise Dutch readers?
Am Staff breeders carry a very great responsibility in breeding and placing their dogs, especially because of the worldwide measures governments are taking against certain breeds. One poorly placed dog can have disastrous consequences.
It is a great shame that there are Am Staff breeders who breed only for money. Buyers should be very careful before purchasing a dog. Pay close attention to condition and temperament. Shyness should not be tolerated. Unfortunately, there are some American breeders who sell their poorest dogs to Europe for a lot of money.
Wil, thank you for this interview. I was pleasantly surprised that you asked me, because I still consider myself a beginner in the breed.
Wil de Veer