The Girls Who Made Kappadane Happen

Liz                Kathleen

We don't know if history will record Liz as cursing or cheering that puppy match back in 1977. There she was, minding her own business, showing her dogs, calmly and patiently improving her Kappadane line. 

Enter Kathleen in her first puppy match, two untrained, ungroomed Danes in tow to compete . After what I'm sure was a resigned shake of her head Liz did what she does so well......offered her help, and her friendship, to the newcomer. That was the beginning of a friendship that has lasted over 20 years and a partnership that spans 9 generations of Kappadane dogs.

Building a line of Danes takes vision, patience and the commitment that each generation will be an improvement on the last. This has been the mainstay of the Kappadane breeding program. Striving for improvement meant identifying the strengths and faults of the current generation and choosing pedigrees that would only produce better. Foremost in our thoughts has always been temperament, followed by structure and type. Our goals were then as they are now, are:

To produce temperaments that comply with the Great Dane Standard AND adds our ideal vision of a true companion dog.

The standard states the wonderful qualities that combine to make a Dane temperament, however it does not go far enough in its description. To this we would add willingness, reliability and trainability. We feel that all Kappadane dogs should be versatile and competitive in any challenge offered them. Whether it is the conformation, obedience or agility ring or just chasing a ball in the back yard with the kids, Kappadanes should excel. We want..no..INSIST..that all our dogs are true family dogs, possessing the common sense and humor that allows them to make decisions based not solely on instinct but on intelligence as well.

To produce correct structure.

Structure is more that just how the dog looks and moves. It is the basic and underlying foundation of the dog’s health and ability to perform. Without correct bone structure and properly fitting joints,  movement is restricted and excessive wearing WILL occur. That is a basic fact. For us it is a mathematical equation.....correct bone structure + proper alignment = healthy dog. It's as simple as that.

To produce a type that is in compliance to the standard.

This is where we strive for the look and style that says KAPPADANE.

This is where our personal preferences, eye for beauty and continuous reading of the Great Dane Standard all come into play. There are many words that are used to describe Danes....classic, elegant, regal, graceful....the list of adjectives is long...but they all come down to the same thing. Type is the thing that your eyes and heart see, the combined package of size, strength and_______( insert any adjective that is appropriate to you). We have come a long way in 9 generations but we have to yet produce the perfect "Kappadane" type. It is a work in progress....as it should be.

So there you have it. Kappadane in a nutshell. Two distinct and opinionated personalities, two families that are subjected to way too much dog talk, a vision of a Dane that is personable, healthy and beautiful, and the tenacity to continue for many generations to come to achieve our common goal.