Glasshouse | Lori Frost

Interview with Herding Group Breeder Lori Frost

Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder?
Lori Frost: I currently live in Ventura, California. I received my first dog for my second birthday, an ASCOB Cocker Spaniel, and started training and showing at age 10 with my Golden Retrievers. I bred my first and only Golden litter at age 13 in 1976. And while training horses throughout the US, I ended up getting Australian Cattle Dogs in 1982. In 1999, I got my first Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep?
Lori Frost: My kennel name is Glasshouse (named for the Glasshouse Mountains in Queensland, Australia) for clear goals and for glass ceilings we need to crash through. The best Australian Cattle Dog I bred was “Avery,” GCH Glasshouse Asking A Shadow To Dance. She was a blend of Australian import and US lines. The best-known Cardigan Welsh Corgi was GCHP2 UCH Glasshouse 3C Touch Not The Cat HT FDC CA CDCA TKI. He is of US/Finnish import lines and a multiple BIS, BISS, RBIS dog. “Bit,” GCH UCH Glasshouse Two Bit Ante PT JHD, was an exceptional bitch who finished at 6.5 months old and was one of the best-moving Cardigans many have ever seen.

Which have been my most influential sires and dams?
Lori Frost: I would say the most influential sire that I bred is “Tod,” GCH UCH INT/NAT CH Glasshouse Black Jack HSAsM RATN CAA CGC HTAD1-s VC TKN FDC. He is from my first Cardigan litter, born in October 2007. With only four litters, he has sired several exceptionally well-rounded get. One, “Braeden,” GCH Glasshouse The Entertainer HSAds FDC CGC TKN SWN VC, has won HIT/RHITs at all-breed Herding Trials, owner-trained and handled. Another, “Roger,” CH Glasshouse They Say There’s Gold RN BCAT SCN THDN CGCA CGCU TKN VC, is a Group-Placing favorite Therapy Dog. “Jackson,” GCHS Glasshouse Big Talking Man Of Geran’s, won Puppy Sweeps at Royal Canin in 2019.

My most influential dams were “Mercy,” CH Cardiridge GH Blond Moments HT ROMs ROMV-S, and “Abby,” Yardican Ifly ROMG ROMV-G. My foundation dams were related on the bitch line. Mercy was of US/Finnish lines and Abby was a Finnish import. Abby was Brood Bitch of the Year twice and holds the record for top-producing bitch in history with 18 champions, most of which also had performance titles.

Can I talk a bit about my facilities? Where are my puppies whelped? How are they raised?
Lori Frost: My litters are all raised in my bedroom for the first three weeks of their lives, and are then moved out to a big pen with a litter box in the living room. They start going outside briefly at 5 weeks old, and I lengthen the time with each outing. By seven weeks, most have figured out the dog door and are working on housetraining. I keep Cardigan puppies until they are 10 weeks old, as this seems to be an age that works best for the puppies and their new homes. Australian Cattle Dog puppies are more advanced and can leave at eight weeks.

What is my “process” for selecting show puppies? At what age do I make my decisions?
Lori Frost: I generally have an idea of which puppy is going to be a standout show puppy on the first day. I do watch them grow and get their feet under them. I do more in-depth stacking at 8 weeks old, but, so far, the ones that “sing” to me have done so on the first day. I spend time with them outside and watch them play. I take photos to look over, with them in their natural surroundings. There was a litter of 11 puppies that was very hard to pick from as I was just nitpicking between them. Sometimes, I don’t even keep the best “show” puppy, as I am looking for something else to go forward with in my breeding program.

How do I prepare my pups for the show ring? Does my breed require any special preparation?
Lori Frost: Socializing with both ACDs and CWCs is very important. Herding Dogs are naturally a bit wary of strangers, so it is good to get them out and about in the world. Prepping for the show ring is fairly easy for both breeds; do the toenails, bathe, and dry. I try to free-stack both breeds, but both can be hand-stacked and, of course, the Cardigans are a table breed to bring them up to a height where a judge can see them and go over them easily.

In my opinion, is my breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern?
Lori Frost: My goal is to breed dogs that meet the standard, can do the job they were bred for, and are able to do whatever it is their people would like them to do. Structure, temperament, and health are paramount in the decisions I make on a litter. I am careful where I place puppies and will not place a high-drive dog in a sedentary home. I do everything I can to find out the experience and activity of a household, and I place an appropriate puppy with that family. I try to instill an interest in doing things with the dogs, but I don’t force people to do it. The Cardigans can be a wonderful family dog; the ACDs need experienced homes and can be good family dogs.

Do I feel that my breed is supported by a sufficient number of preservation breeders?
Lori Frost: I think some people have a misconception about what “preservation breeder” and “mentoring” mean. A preservation breeder is one who is breeding to the standard and is trying to keep the traits going that make the breed unique. A mentor is one who helps people learn the breed and helps them grow. Neither means one gets instant access to a dog for breeding purposes.

In my opinion, is my breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern?
Lori Frost: I do have concerns with the Cardigan breed right now. Structure is getting set where fronts are forward and rears are straight, so there’s not a lot of support for the long backs. We are hearing of more back issues in the breed. Small ears and round eyes are becoming the norm, rather than occasional. I’m seeing people breeding their bitches at the first season after a year old. (Cardigans don’t mature until 3 or 4.) Why can’t they wait until they are old enough for permanent OFAs, at least?

Anything else I would like to share about myself? Any special message I have for all of us in the fancy?
Lori Frost: I am currently going back and using older dogs or frozen semen on dogs that lived a long, full life. It’s a slow process, but I would rather do it right than right now. I had five Glasshouse dogs in the Top 40 last year, and had my 50th bred-by Cardigan champion in December.