Tibetan Terriers in the Czech Republic
I. Beginnings (1972-86)
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The very first tibetans, registered into the Czech stud book, were two bitches, imported to the Al-Erak kennel, owned by husbands Karela from Golcuv Jenikov in 1972. They were Punn von Geigenbühel from Austria (breeder B. Schnabel) and Ma-do-meh Etawa from West Germany (breeder Madlen Eisenberg). In a short time, the Karela´s also imported a dog-male named Sjellebros Dykhor from Denmark.
The bitches Punn and Etawa were close relatives - their father was an english dog Luneville Prince Kuiju and their mothers, Nesa and Nara von Geigenbuhel, were sisters originated from the old german blood line.
Unfortunately, Etawa had only one litter - "D" litter Al-Erak, born 27th January 1974. It was the very first litter of tibetan terriers in Czechoslovakia. After that, Etawa was sold to Hungary, were she was the first tibetan terrier registered in their stud book. (She had a next litter in Hungary, but it wasn´t probably registered into the stud book. And so the czech bitch Areta ze Strze (born 4.1.1986) was the second registered tibetan terrier in Hungary and became a progenitor of a Hungarian breeding.)
Thus, the basic couple of the czech breeding officially became Ch. Sjellebros Dykhor and Punn von Geigenbuhel. In 1974-1981 they had eight litters altogether.
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Several tibetan terriers were imported in the following years. In 1976 they were dog-males Ryttergardens Chabo-Chan (Fu-Kangri of Kaims - Bhotiya Echuka) and Ryttergardens Chimaer (Fu Kangri of Kaims - Soderups Me-Tog) from the danish breeder Jette Hansen. Unfortunately, neither one of them was used in a breeding.
In 1978 the 3 years old, black and white bitch Ryttergardens Shakti (Cho-Cho - Sjellebros Princess Shakti) was imported - also from Mrs. Hansen. Shakti already had puppies at her breeder in Denmark, so we can find her name in some of the west european pedigrees, too.
Attractivity of tibetan terrier and its then rarity in our country leaded to a greater interest in a breeding. But Czechoslovakia was a country isolated in the "East block" and so any contacts with other countries, developed in a breeding of tibetan terriers, were very problematic. The easiest choise was to import new dogs from East Germany (DDR), the next East European country, starting to breed tibetans.
Unfortunately, breeders were not interested enough in ancestors of their imports at that time and thus nor in a possibility of a sufficient variability of the next generations. Therefore all the 3 dogs, imported from East Germany at that time - a black/silver dog-male Fyan von Potala import 1982), a black/ silver dog-male Gorys von Potala and a black and white bitch Gyra von Potala (imports 1981), were full siblings (Ryttergardens Chats-Mo x Mukpo). Additionally, their Grandmother, Sjellebros Princess Shakti, was a sister of Dykhor, besides other relationships. So the final consequence was insufficient extending of a breeding base. Taking a closer look at Fyan, Gorys and Gyra´s pedigrees we can see it was a combination of the Luneville and the old German blood line.
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The first, basic branch of a breeding in Czechoslovakia were the litters of Al-Erak, thus offsprings of Dykhor and Punn. According to a retained photos, they all were the dogs of quite a stable exterior. Regardless both the parents were dark coloured, also light colours in a good quality, lenght and density of coat were frequent for Al-Eraks. Al-Eraks were robust, with a bold head. |
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The next branch of an older Czech breeding were offsprings of the bitch Ryttergardens Shakti and the dog Fat Al-Erak in the Ar-Schak kennel. Unfortunately, Shakti was a relative of Fat´s Sire Dykhor (her Dam Sjellebros Princess Shakti was his sister, but also Grandmother of von Potalas, as it was said before). So the czech population of tibetan terriers started spinning in "a vicious circle" of an inbreeding. Shakti was very tiny (33 cm) and her offsprings were also close the bottom limit of the standard. Two of Shakti´s daughters - Aida and Bora Ar-Schak were used in a breeding. |
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The third branch were offsprings of siblings Fyan, Ch. Gorys and Gyra von Potala which were connected with Al-Eraks in the first generation. Mainly they were offsprings of dogs, coming from the kennels Wo-Can and z Cerne cesty.
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All this three branches, which were more or less casually connected, use to be named by a common name "an old line" by the czech breeders.
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Unfortunately, a sizeable type instability had occured in the czech breeding since the beginning of 80-ties. Some of blemishes were not mind and they even started to be considered as current and typical for the breed. Sometimes even dogs with quite serious blemishes of type got an excellent judgement at the dog shows. Considering the isolation of then socialistic Czechoslovakia and impossibility to compare with abroad - some of the breeders supposed they had top-class dogs. Unfortunately, the breeding was unsystematic. Propagation and also objective appraisal were missing at that time.
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Even worse than the exterior blemishes however was - during the first half of 80-ties, the symptoms of a weakened constitution and health troubles, as a consequence of an inbreeding depression, occured in the czech population of tibetan terriers. It was clear that the next breeding without an inflow of fresh blood was not possible.
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Not to reach an impression there were no dogs of a high quality at that time, it is neccessary to note that even very successful dogs were found. Generally, the dog-males were of better exterior quality than bitches of the population. For example Cesar z Cerne cesty and Bauchi Su-Lan-Shela reached even the title Interchampion. |
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The next chapters:
The search (1983-90) | New progress (after 1990) | Organization of TT breeders
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