Veterinarian Katie Belz shares her journey with Ibizan Hounds, breeding, health, and promoting performance and community in the breed.
The Weekly Brief
The best of SHOWSIGHT editorials, weekly wins, and breeder commentary — delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning.
Katie Belz DVM
1. My name is Katie Belz DVM, and I live in Loganville, Georgia. I graduated from Texas A&M University veterinary school in 2007. I currently work as a small animal emergency veterinarian.
My journey in dogs started when I was nine years old with Ally, my rescue German Shepherd Dog. I had always loved dogs and was intrigued by the Obedience world. I took Ally to Obedience classes and enjoyed spending time with her and the bond we developed through training. With the encouragement of my instructor, we competed in our first Obedience match and then an AKC (American Kennel Club) Obedience Trial. Ally and I won High in Trial Novice, and I was hooked. I competed regularly with her and trained her through Utility. At one of the Obedience Trials there was a concurrent Conformation show, which is when I was first exposed to that kind of exhibiting. I was also gifted a dog breed encyclopedia when I was 10 years old and fell in love with the Ibizan Hound photo and description. Several years later, I finally met some Ibizans in person and fell in love with their personalities.
I was Health and Research Chair of the Ibizan Hound Club of the United States (IHCUS) for about a decade, starting in 2008. During that time, we joined the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) with health testing guidelines for the breed. My hope was that we could standardize health testing requirements and submissions, also trying to get the community to be more open and honest about health issues in an individual or breeding program. Working together in a small, rare breed is so important for the breed’s health going forward.
Before purchasing my first Ibizan, I started studying pedigrees, going to National Specialties, and meeting various breed representatives. A decade later (2004), my first Ibizan, “Java,” (MBIF DC Paradise Talk Of The Town MC CGC RN LCM vLCM), joined my life. Two years later, “Kenzie,” (MBIF DC Alisian Fields Kenzie Of Kamar MC RN CGC LCM RATI LCX JOR vFCH HOF ROMG POMG ROMDC), was added to my home. Kenzie became my foundation bitch and remains the top-producing Dual Champion bitch in the history of the breed. Kamar Ibizans’ first litter was born in 2009. Since then, I have produced numerous breed firsts and record-holding dogs in a variety of Performance sports (Dock Diving, NACSW (National Association of Canine Scent Work), AKC Scent Work, NASDA (North American Sport Dog Association), Barn Hunt, several No. 1 AKC and ASFA (American Sighthound Field Association) Lure Coursing dogs, and I have won 100 Bests in Field with 31 different dogs. I’m proud of my dogs and their homes that can showcase the versatility of this very intelligent,
independent-thinking breed.
I was the 2020 AKC Breeder of the Year in Lure Coursing. I had the honor to judge the IHCUS National Specialty Sweepstakes the same year I judged the Pharaoh Hound Club of America National Specialty Sweepstakes, in 2023. I love this breed and its community, and I look forward to many more years of promoting them.
2. Key hallmarks of the breed, I would say, include their distinctive head and ear shape, their moderately balanced body, and their movement. Ibizans are said to have deer-like elegance—thus, they should never appear massive, bulky, unbalanced, or move in a sloppy manner. Their light, single-tracking, fluid movement is a hallmark. Loose and fluid does not mean being sloppy. Their front assembly is unique among dog breeds, with their laid-back shoulder leading into the upright upper arm. This is unlike the typical front assembly seen in other breeds. Unfortunately, some breeders have gone towards making their dogs’ assembly more like that of a typical Sporting dog, which is incorrect. The Ibizan’s front assembly is made like this due to its very distinct and breed-typical ability to jump and maneuver in the air—traits that set them apart from all other breeds.
3. Yes, there are enough puppy homes. Some years, there is more demand than others. In general, I feel that the breed is becoming more popular. I think this is due to more Ibizans being out in society as pets and in other performance/training venues where the general public is exposed to these rarer sighthounds.
4. I started to use Embark genetic testing for all the dogs in my breeding program, and eventually, starting in 2021, on all my puppies. We don’t have any breed-specific health issues that Embark tests for, but I wanted to be able to bank all my dogs genetically in case I do come across a health issue that can be tested. I think it would be invaluable to have most of my breeding program able to be tested if something comes up. Also, I like to see the genetic COI (Coefficient of Inbreeding) on each dog. Over the years, I’ve brought in four unique pedigrees from Europe to help expand the gene pool in the hopes of not bottlenecking my breeding program.
5. Yes, I feel that more people are learning the value of a well-bred purebred dog. People get to see the predictability of a purebred dog and know exactly what they are getting. I think this appeals to people wanting a healthy pet, but also for those wanting to become involved in the many available AKC events. I know whenever ANYONE asks me about my dogs, I take the time to explain what they are and that I’m proud to be preserving this breed. I think it is the duty and responsibility of all purebred dog owners to educate people on the joys of purebred dogs and how to find one that fits their life and expectations.
6. When I was very new to breeding and had just moved to Georgia, there were very few Ibizans around. I started to reach out to others within the breed and build a sense of community to not only support one another but also to participate with each other in a variety of venues. I joke that the Southeast Beezer Bungalow is the poster child for how groups of people should act toward everyone. This group isn’t just people associated with me or having a Kamar Ibizan, it is a group where we welcome all Ibizans regardless of whether they are rescues, imports, or bred by me or other preservation breeders. From this community, friendships have been built, and in the end, more people want to get involved in the breed and participate in Performance events.
I think, sometimes, the lack of acceptance of new people or very novice competitors is a huge problem in the sport. Some people are very focused on winning and competition rather than helping newcomers. This is the beginning of the end of the sport because you NEED new people. You NEED to help the novices. You NEED to be kind. There is no room for bullying or negativity. Every one of us started as a new person at one point. Every one of us needed help and guidance. You never know who this new person might be in the future. I’m pretty sure my Obedience instructor, Chuck, 34 years ago, would never have been able to guess that this nine-year-old girl with her rescue German Shepherd would become one of the more prominent and record-setting Ibizan Breeders LOL. In the end, be kind and help others.
7. I really like that the AKC is adding more and more Performance and Companion events; it opens up AKC events to many new people in the general public. The virtual titles are also a great addition; people do more with their dogs from the comfort of their home. I’ve had several owners of my most-titled and breed-first Ibizans get their start in Companion events—and they’ve enjoyed it so much that they’ve gone on to participate in other dog sports as well.
Opening the Performance events to mixed breeds is a nice gateway to these mixed-breed owners getting involved and considering a purebred dog as their next sport dog. This has been a theme with several of my puppy homes over the years. It also allows the public to have more ready access to the AKC and what it has to offer.
Meet the Breeders
Breeder Adam Levy discusses Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, dual-purpose breeding, mentorship, and preserving the breed's working ability.
