Interview with Sporting Group Breeder Linda Riedel
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder?
I live in Pasco, Washington. I’ve been in purebred dogs since 1965. I’ve been breeding English Springer Spaniels for 52 years.
What is my kennel name? How many dogs do I currently keep?
My kennel name is Ramblewood. I currently have four English Springer Spaniels.
Which show dogs from the past have been my noteworthy winners?
I’ve bred seven multi-BIS winners and many that have been ranked in the Top Ten list.
Which have been my most influential sires and dams?
My most influential sires are CH Ramblewood the Joker, CH Ramblewood Johnny Be Good, CH Ramblewood Fields of Gold, and CH Ramblewood Rhinestone Cowboy. Influential dams are CH Worcath Ramblewood I Do I Do, CH Ramblewood Songbird, CH Ramblewood Feelin’ Groovy, CH Ramblewood Make A Memory, and CH Ramblewood Lady Marmalade.
Can I talk about my facilities? Where are my puppies whelped? How are they raised?
I have a large yard and a kennel building with six indoor/outdoor runs. Puppies are whelped in the house and do not go outside until they’re old enough, weather permitting.
What is my “process” for selecting show puppies? At what age do I make my decision?
I don’t have a formal process for selecting show puppies. My dogs are heavily linebred so I can pretty much predict what they will grow into. I make my final decisions by eight weeks old.
How do I prepare my pups for the show ring?
I don’t believe in over-training puppies. I just let them grow up with little stress. Since the puppies are very bonded to me, they’re pretty willing to try anything I ask of them.
Are Performance and Companion titles important to me as a breeder?
Performance titles of all kinds are important to me. I’ve been privileged to have some wonderful owners who have trained their dogs to multi-top titles in all fields.
In my opinion, is my breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern?
I feel the breed, health wise, is in good shape. I feel breeders have not adhered to the Standard as much as they should and are more interested in flashy show dogs.
Do I feel that my breed has a promising future as a family companion?
Springers should always be the ultimate family companion dogs. As long as breeders pay attention to proper temperaments and health clearances, they will continue to be excellent family dogs.
Do I have any thoughts I’d like to share about the sport of dogs in general?
I’d like to see AKC put more emphasis on encouraging breeders to always be aware of health issues and temperaments. I feel that AKC is doing a good job encouraging junior handler programs, but is not doing much to help beginning breeders emphasize good breeding practices.
For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing experience I’ve ever experienced with a Sporting Dog?
I have so many amusing experiences over the years that I can’t single out just one.
