Summer Ory | Sumbern

Interview with Summer Ory, Breeder of Sumbern

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? What is your kennel name?
2. What are the hallmarks of your breed and why are they important for maintaining breed type?
3. In your opinion, are there enough puppy homes to support breeding a litter this year?
4. How have you implemented new technologies in science and communications as a breeder?
5. In your community, have you noticed a change in the public’s perception of purebred dogs?
6. Have you noticed any trends in the sport? Anything to be concerned about?
7. What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the sport in recent years?

Summer Ory

1. My name is Summer Ory, and my family and I live close to Des Moines, Iowa. My kennel name is Sumbern and I am passionate about Bernese Mountain Dogs, and my career is in agriculture. I have a lifetime of experience with animal husbandry in show livestock since childhood and have participated in the American Kennel Club (AKC) show fancy since 2021.

2. The hallmarks of a Bernese Mountain Dog are its ability to perform its job as a draft dog. They were used for drafting and droving in mountain regions, so it is well suited to carry a pack and pull a cart, and its temperament stability governs it through a variety of conditions. The importance of breed type plays an important role, as a Bernese Mountain Dog is made to be sturdy, powerful, alert yet good-natured, and intelligent.

3. Yes, there are enough quality homes to warrant breeding a litter. Puppy buyers are becoming more and more educated about the parentage and generations behind their puppy, and are asking the right questions before making a commitment to the Bernese Mountain Dog.

4. One of the technologies I have implemented is utilizing Antagene, a lab in France, for testing potential breeding candidates for cancer markers for histiosarcoma, a dreadful cancer that is present in the breed. From there, we can run test mating simulations, to get a pie-chart idea of what a potential litter would produce. The ratings are A, B, or C.

5. In the community, I have noticed a growing trend towards buying from responsible breeders who provide information that educates the owners, not only about the parentage but also about the breed as a whole.

6. Bernese Mountain Dog breeders are fortunate to have BernerGarde, a public database that allows bloodline research and connections to be made, all favoring the breed’s future as a whole. From the sporting side, breeders are taking active steps to improve the health of their kennel, and encouraging the future generations to share the research collectively. High tides raise all boats, and we are all a part of the breed’s team.

7. I believe it is an incredible responsibility to protect the breed’s type, improve what we are able to, and pass along to the next generations the wisdom and information we are able to share from our experiences within the breed. I am blessed to have the guidance of mentors who have decades within the breed, and they help to guide our future decisions. Our breed club, the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America (BMDCA), is a host of information both online and in print, and produces our Alpenhorn subscription quarterly.