Preservation breeders Dreyer & Haltmeier share their passion for Great Danes, breed integrity, public outreach, and dog show trends.
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Melissa Dreyer & Pat Haltmeier
1. We’re Melissa Dreyer of Haslet, Texas, and Pat Haltemeier of Marshall, Virginia. Melissa grew up in New Jersey and started in Golden Retrievers in 1980, and Great Danes in 1993. Her first litter of Goldens was born in 1986, and her first litter of Danes in 1996. She has always used the kennel prefix, Sunrise, and started co-breeding Danes with Pat in 2000 under the Haltmeier N Sunrise Kennel prefix. Pat started in Danes in 1967 in New Jersey, and with her husband, Bob, bred her first litter in 1970 under the Haltmeier Kennel prefix.
2. The Great Dane is the “Apollo of Dogs,” recognized for its size, headpiece, balanced regal presence, and powerful movement. A Dane should look like a Dane, be sound conformationally, and sound tempered. They should be impressive in their bearing and be able to carry themselves around a ring, a backyard, or a boar hunt. They should be courageous and friendly, not timid or aggressive. They must have type, and be balanced in order to move well. To deviate from any of these is a rabbit hole that will take one away from the essence of the true Great Dane.
3. We think so. But we also think the public is having a hard time paying their bills and a big dog is a big food bill, and a big vet bill. Owning a Dane is not cheap.
4. You have to communicate on all social media platforms. We have Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, and TikTok accounts. It helps us to connect with the public. As far as science, being able to reliably use frozen semen for breedings and maintain coveted dogs’ bloodlines for decades are wonderful things!
5. We think the public is misguided. I think they look at purebred dogs as taboo when there are so many “rescues” needing homes. I’m not sure how we turn the tide. We have to help the public understand that not all breeders are equal, and a Preservation Breeder’s pup rarely ends up in a rescue situation. We have to educate that there’s a huge difference in the goals and responsibilities of Preservation Breeders, who take their role seriously, from “backyard” breeders. We have to make clear that when someone purchases a purebred dog, it does not take away a rescue dog’s life or its opportunity to be adopted.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is finding ways to engage the public. The Meet the Breeds events are a huge help, giving the public a venue where they can see several breeds they might be interested in, as well as ones they have never thought of. Having purebred breeders accessible to answer questions and help to guide a family to an appropriate breed that fits their lifestyle and needs is the best kind of education.
6. Nothing new, same trends as before time, lol. We have noticed entries are getting lower and lower since COVID sidelined us. Folks realized they could survive without attending a show every weekend. That, coupled with the rising costs of everything in life, has people recognizing how their money and time are precious. It’s certainly harder to find majors and it’s harder to find breed points; both seem to require some traveling and patience. We think there are far too many shows and folks are picking and choosing where to go and how many dogs to enter, trying to avoid wasted entries when they’re hunting for majors, etc.
7. We think the AKC is trying to engage the public more, including Performance events alongside the big Conformation shows like Westminster and the AKC National Championship. They’re trying to appeal to a wider audience and public perceptions. Showcasing purebred dogs in various venues and hosting public-engaging events like Meet the Breeds are all positive trends. We think the Grand Championship title and title levels have kept more exhibitors/owners showing a particular dog longer. We think the National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) has given the owner-handler a playground; we’re just not sure it has given them a level field in the eyes of judges when it comes to specialing a dog. You have to be retired and/or independently wealthy to have the time and money to travel, and to be an owner handler at enough shows to keep up with the professionals.
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