Members
Marilyn Lande is the breeder behind Frostlande Kennels Miniature Terriers. Read about the kennel’s beginnings, Miniature Terriers puppies.
The Weekly Brief
The best of SHOWSIGHT editorials, weekly wins, and breeder commentary — delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning.
Marilyn Lande
1. I am originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. After graduation, I worked in surgery for 35 years as a scrub nurse, head nurse, and Director of the Operating Rooms. During that time, open heart surgery had just begun and my interest in research found me in the research laboratories after work. Most of the time was in gastric and cardiothoracic surgery. Working there with surgeons and biomedical engineers ultimately led to becoming a co-developer of the St. Jude heart valve and a contributor to the Medtronic pacemaker.
While still in college I became an apprentice to the president of a brokerage firm who taught me about the intricacies of the stock market. My interests in investing, which came originally from my father, spread from the markets to rental buildings and raw land. During these years, sports were an outlet and I became a tennis and badminton champion. Since the age of seven, figure skating was my Saturday morning workout at the Minneapolis Ice Arena. Later, I skated in the St. Paul Pop Concerts. With all of these activities, there was still time for church every Sunday where I was the organist and choir director.
I moved to Mesa, Arizona, in 1991, because my father lived here and wanted me to come after retirement. He knew I liked warmer weather. Forty years ago I bought my first Miniature Schnauzer as a pet from a well-known breeder. One day she asked me if I had thought about showing my puppy, Kerrie. What was showing? I didn’t have a clue! She became my mentor and showed me how to strip, rake coats, scissor, etc., and my grooming techniques stemmed from that time. She helped to start my breeding program for FROSTLANDE KENNELS, and said that a good breeding program starts with a bitch having no major faults. Also, having a thorough knowledge of the Breed Standard—and breed for that Standard.
From that time on, together we showed dogs in Conformation and devoted eight years of research on PRA: Progressive Retinal Atrophy. (In people it’s called retinitis pigmentosa.) We traveled almost every weekend either to shows or Medina, Ohio, with 16-week-old pups to be electroretinogrammed under anesthesia, by Dr. Charles Parshall, DVM who had devoted years to PRA research on many breeds of dogs. We still share many hilarious events that occurred on our travels. Showing my dogs became my ultimate passion, which I did until 2006 when multiple sclerosis made it too difficult for me to show.
2. How is our breed today? I believe our breed is better today than forty years ago. Serious breeders seem better informed on genetics and pedigrees, and more knowledgeable about diseases and treatments. Therefore, I see conformation closer to the Standard. I see fewer high rears, poor angulation, low tail set, etc., and we’ve learned a lot about over-vaccinations. Also, my color was primarily black and silver years ago. Their conformation, overall, wasn’t as good as salt and pepper. Today in the ring, the B/S are very competitive, which indicates the breeders of today have paid closer attention to the Standard.
I am still in love with this breed and continue having dogs in the show ring. Over the forty years I bred and showed my own dogs, the Miniature Schnauzer can never be replaced by another breed, and those who have gone are always in my heart!
3. Social media is used for many reasons, but usually to announce special occasions (anniversaries, birthdays, births, deaths, etc.), and what better than a new Champion or BIS? I think Social media is good for the sport as it keeps the winners, judges, exhibitors, and shows at the forefront of daily conversations!
4. The impact of COVID! and other challenges: For about a year there were no shows! Starting back was slow and entries were down, numbers of litters bred were down, and the need for masks, vaccines, distancing, etc., all had a negative impact on holding dog shows. In response to COVID-19 in 2021 and 2022, the Westminster KC show moved to Tarrytown, New York, where the show was held outdoors. It was postponed from February until June.
Meet the Breeders
Breeder Adam Levy discusses Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, dual-purpose breeding, mentorship, and preserving the breed's working ability.
