Insights from Sandi Lyon – AKC Breeder of the Year 2024

Insights from Sandi Lyon – AKC Breeder of the Year 2024

1. The Bouvier des Flandres is an impressive and useful farm dog. What is it about the breed that has sustained your interest for so long?

Sandi Lyon: My very first Bouvier was far from a show dog or breeding animal, but I fell in love with his temperament. The breed is calm in the home, spirited outdoors, smart, and intuitive. They are only protective when necessary and are socially outgoing if raised properly. They are not needy, but stay close in case they are needed. I am always amazed when they can alert naturally for danger or health risks. They can sense their owners’ moods and react accordingly. Their loyalty is unwavering, and mine is to them as well.

2. In dogs, selection is key. How do you select your sire and dam combinations? How do you decide which puppies appear in the show ring?

Sandi Lyon: I believe you need a good eye when breeding. A complete understanding of structure and movement is crucial as well as honesty when evaluating breeding animals. The goal is to produce a puppy that is as close to the Breed Standard as possible. The strength of my breeding program is in my bitches. Once they have completed their championships and health testing, I look for a stud dog that offers a bit of what my bitch is lacking. This could be any number of things, which include size, bone and substance, more angulation, better shoulder layback, etc. There is no perfect animal and I can always find something I would like to improve. I only breed to outstanding temperaments and fully health-tested dogs. At eight weeks I evaluate the litter, and only those puppies whose structure and movement conform to the Standard are placed as show prospects. I keep my fingers crossed that they mature into lovely breed specimens. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have a crystal ball?

3. Breeding dogs successfully requires some degree of cooperation. What are your thoughts on making stud dogs available to others? What about leasing bitches for breeding?

Sandi Lyon: My stud dogs are available to bitches who are titled and fully health-tested. I carefully check the pedigree of any bitch who is presented for any known health issues. After over thirty-five years in this breed, I am familiar with old breeding combinations that produced less than desirable results. I may not be thrilled with the conformation of the bitch who meets my requirements, but I feel it is my obligation to help others find their way.

My bitches are raised and live in my home, so I do not lease them to others as I am very particular about their happiness and environment. With all the whelping issues that can occur, I want my bitches at home and under my vet’s control. I will, however, co-breed my bitch with another breeder to a mutually agreeable stud dog and share the litter. The Bouvier is a small breed and we must be willing to help each other.

4. The Breed Standard is the preservation breeder’s most essential tool. How would you summarize the importance of breeding to the Standard and presenting the breed in the ring accordingly?

Sandi Lyon: The Breed Standard must be followed implicitly. There is no reason to create puppies who cannot adhere to it. A dog that is too long is wrong and is gone! It will not herd cattle and stay out of the way of their hooves. A dog that is out of balance cannot herd or pull a cart. A dog that has a poor temperament is not an asset to its family and could not have performed the job for which it was intended. It is of utmost importance that a breeder not lose sight of the purpose of their breed and that they create puppies that will uphold that tradition. It should not be the goal of a breeder to produce an extreme, flashier dog that does not meet the Standard. I hope the Bouvier judge will recognize what I bring to him as a dog who is structured and moves to fulfill the work he was created to do.

5. Today’s breeders have found themselves on the defensive from public criticism and from legislation that restricts breeding practices and limits the importation of dogs to the US. In your opinion, how can preservation breeders counter these measures and how can purebred dogs be promoted positively to the general public?

Sandi Lyon: Importation of dogs has not affected me because I have imported semen when needed. However, public criticism of breeds and anti-breeder legislation is a very difficult situation and demands the assistance of the lobbying bodies of AKC and NAIA. We can all contribute by contacting our legislators when a bill is introduced into the legislature, but as individuals we are powerless. Unfortunately, the animal rights activists have maintained a strong presence in advertising and public support. The prestige of purebred dog ownership has diminished, and mixed breeds have become a status symbol. Meet the Breeds events and larger clusters that offer a multitude of events to attract the general public are some of the best ways to educate the joy of purebred dog ownership. The televising of dog events increases public interest. The public needs to see the love and pride that is extended to our animals. Too many breeds today have very few litters produced and are threatened to their very extinction.