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Adlane Guenane is the breeder behind Guenschi’s Belgian Laekenois. Read about the kennel’s beginnings, puppies, and much more!
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Adlane Guenane
1. Hello, my name is Adlane Guenane and I moved to the US 10 years ago to pursue my American Dream. Now I live on 23 acres in Slidell, Louisiana, with my dogs. I have been around dogs since I was 5 years old. My family used to own and breed the Belgian Shepherd. I have been breeding dogs for the past five years and my kennel name is Guenschi’s.
2. Overall, my breed (Belgian Laekenois) is going the right way. We have a very small gene pool and not too many dogs or ethical breeders. We have less than 300 registered dogs with AKC. Some breeders are working so hard to improve the breed; however, some are taking advantage of this breed being rare, so they are breeding without making sure the pedigree, health, and temperament are balanced for improving the breed.
3. As I’ve said before, this is my fifth year showing in AKC events. I really feel the sport is getting more popular and this is all because the pro handler and breeder are welcoming the newcomers. As with any “new” breed, some judges are having some difficulty with coat type, colors, and head shape. All-breed judges are doing an amazing job since they are reading about and trying to understand the Breed Standard; not like others who are trying to compare the Belgian Laekenois to the other Belgian breeds. For the number of dogs showing, we are still having difficulty making majors. My friend and I are working so hard to find shows were the majority of Laekenois people can meet. For example, last August, we had to drive 1,000 miles each way for four days of shows. The 13 Laekenois entered was almost the same number as at the last national specialty.
4. Performance events are very important to me since our dogs are very active. Our dogs love doing performance. Herding is part of their nature. My co-owner and best friend, Vicki Bouchillon, is big in the sport with our dog Teeko, the first male to win BOB at the AKC National Championship. He has more than 10 titles behind his name, i.e., Scent Work, Fast CAT, and Dock Diving are just a few of his titles, plus, he is also a Cadaver Dog in training.
5. The Belgian Laekenois does not have a parent club, so we use social media to get together and show, or try to promote our breed. Social media is supposed to be good for our sport, but it can be harmful sometimes since we all know that not all pets are show dogs. Sometimes some people start being very rude with critiquing dogs, and also, some international breeders can be so rude about our dogs because they are not from a kennel or line they like. But in general, we are trying to keep it all positive.
6. I think the big challenge we have facing us right now is being kennel blind. If a dog doesn’t look like their dog, or not being related to their dog, it is not good or not within the Standard. I believe people or judges need to be more open-minded and try to see the individual dog and how it matches the Standard.
Another challenge, I think, that the dog show community is facing is the aging of the breeders and exhibitors. Young people are not entering the sport of dogs as fast as the older people are leaving the sport. When new people enter the sport, they are faced with the difficulty of finding a mentor, not having the patience to learn about the breed, and wanting almost instant success. When my mentor started showing over 40-plus years ago, she was told most people are in dogs for only five years and then they’re out. Sadly, she found this maxim to be accurate, even to today.
7. Some of the positive changes I’ve seen are the addition of dog activities. There are activities for everyone, depending on their (and their dog’s) interest. An example is Fast CAT. All dogs can run, and run fast, and Fast CAT is a fun activity that can involve people and families of any age. Not everyone can train their dog for Herding, Agility, Obedience, or Rally, to name a few, but they can do CGC, FDC, and Fast CAT. Most people love adding titles to their dog’s name, and the dogs love being out with their people and doing stuff.
All About Judging
