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Linda Marden of Sugarok introduced Finnish Lapphunds to the U.S., shaping the breed’s AKC future and legacy over 35+ years.
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Linda Marden
1. My name is Linda Marden, and I live in a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. I breed Finnish Lapphunds under the kennel name, Sugarok (pronounced sugar rock). Before I got involved in Lappies, I bred Samoyeds for about 20 years. I brought the initial breeding stock of Finnish Lapphunds into the United States and got them recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club), so I have been involved in the Finnish Lapphund breed for about 35 years. I am now retired from breeding, but I’m still pretty active with the dogs. I currently live with 12 Finnish Lapphunds, mostly elderly ones, and three Pomeranians.
2. The Finnish Lapphund is a herding spitz breed. They were developed by the nomadic Saami people of the Arctic regions. While the Saami were still very nomadic, their dogs were used for hunting. As the tribe became more sedentary, their dogs were used more for herding. Others were used as camp dogs, to protect the tents, sound the alarm if strangers were around, etc. It is important to see the various talents in all dogs. A Finnish Lapphund should be eager to learn and assist his family, and be submissive to all people. Although inclined to bark, they should never be aggressive toward humans. The herds the Saami keep are reindeer, an animal that is not afraid of wolves and other predators in the Arctic regions. Reindeer are also not afraid of dogs, so Lappies herd by annoying the reindeer! They bounce around and bark, with their goal being to convince the reindeer stragglers to return to the safety and peace of the herd. Because they live in the Arctic, Lappies must have heavy, quality coats. Because they run all day, they should be soundly built.
3. Since Lappies are relatively rare, they are currently reasonably easy to place in pet homes. Good show homes can be difficult to find.
4. Essentially, all preservation breeders (of Lappies) do DNA testing to find carriers of the half dozen hereditary diseases identified in Lappies. Lappies should also be x-rayed for correct hips and elbow joints. Many breeders choose to use COI (coefficient of inbreeding) to help determine the best mating pairs. We also have some really excellent public databases. Most breeders now stay in touch with their puppy owners via social media, which is also generally used for free advertising.
5. Since I have been involved in dogs for well over 50 years, I have seen several cycles of public perception change from a preference for purebreds to a strong opinion against them. Right now, I would say many people seem to prefer crossbreeds for pets. Sadly, rescue groups have been very successful in convincing people that they are doing animals a service by adopting a stray rather than buying from a breeder. On the upside, the average pet owner now seems to be more concerned with giving their dog excellent care.
6. Thanks in large part to social media, there seems to be a lot more bullying and name calling, and people who think they can force others into behaving exactly like they want them to. They don’t seem willing to recognize that not everyone thinks exactly the
same way.
7. Breeding technology has greatly improved. I could never have established the breed as well as I did if I were not able to use frozen semen shipped from Europe and Australia. Also, now, I would not even consider shipping one of my bitches to be bred to a male. It is much safer to ship fresh-chilled semen from the male.
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