Stevie Marie Duffek

A second-generation breeder and lifelong participant in dog sports, Stevie Duffek began competing with dogs at an early age, earning her first AKC Obedience title with a Vizsla at just 11 years old. In 2006, alongside her father, she bred her first litter under the Dzika Place (DP) prefix, continuing a family involvement in purpose-bred sporting dogs and developing a breeding program centered on health, temperament, structure, natural ability, and versatility.

Since then, Stevie has bred more than 50 titled dogs across a wide variety of disciplines. Dzika Place-bred dogs have achieved distinctions including a Vizsla Club of America National Gun Dog Championship winner, VCA National Specialty Best Bred-By Exhibitor, American Brittany Club Central Futurity Dual Dog winner, Westminster Best of Opposite Sex, multiple specialty and Sporting Group winners, a #1 AKC National Owner-Handled Series Vizsla, and numerous Grand Champion titles. Dogs from her breeding program have succeeded not only in the show ring and field, but also in obedience, rally, scent work, agility, therapy work, search and rescue, and other performance venues.

Versatility is central to Stevie’s philosophy as both a breeder and trainer. She bred, trained, and handled her Vizsla, Kozi (DP’s Orult Raketa Kozett, meaning “Crazy Rocket Kozett”), to an extraordinary 96 AKC titles across 10 different sports. That experience has reinforced her belief that a well-bred sporting dog should possess more than beauty or success in a single venue—it should retain the temperament, structure, intelligence, trainability, and natural working ability necessary to excel in the many roles for which these breeds were developed.

Stevie is an AKC Breeder of Merit and an AKC licensed judge. She is actively involved with the Central Wisconsin Vizsla Club, where she serves as Breeder Referral Chair, and is a strong supporter of events and breeding practices that preserve the dual-purpose and versatile hunting dog. She is particularly passionate about responsible breeding, breeder education, mentorship, and maintaining the qualities that allow sporting breeds to remain functional as well as competitive.

Professionally, Stevie has built her career around canine training, behavior, and development. Her experience includes puppy development and socialization, obedience and manners, behavior modification, reactive and fearful dogs, sporting-dog development, and the training of service dogs for children with autism. She has also taught Canine Behavior as an Associate Professor at the university level, combining practical experience with an educational approach to understanding canine behavior and training.

Across breeding, training, competition, and judging, Stevie’s focus remains consistent: preserving dogs that are physically and mentally sound, capable of performing the work their breeds were created to do, and equally capable of being valued family companions. She believes the future of sporting breeds depends on breeders who look beyond individual accolades and make thoughtful decisions that protect health, temperament, working ability, structure, and breed type for generations to come.

Stevie lives in Eagle, Wisconsin, with her husband and their dogs, and continues to remain actively involved in breeding, training, showing, performance events, and the sporting-dog community.