You may notice that my website is a little different from some.  First, I write about myself in the first person.  None of this "Kristin did X" or "Kristin thinks Y".  I prefer to tell you directly what I think, what I do, and why.  Trust me, there is no one here writing about me!  Secondly, you will not read phrases like "At Aegis, we believe" or "All Swissies at Aegis..." on my website.  There is no "we" here.  And Aegis is not a place, nor is it a philosphy.  It's just a word used in the registered names of dogs I breed to help identify their roots, and where they come from.  Aegis is not accountable to anyone.  I am.  Let me also be clear that I do NOT operate a "kennel."  My dogs are my cherished pets and friends, they live in my home, sleep on the bed, come to work with me, etc.  I would never keep more dogs than I could provide with that amount of love and attention.  That said, I do show my dogs and I breed on occasion, but only to preserve and improve this breed.  If one of my dogs doesn't "cut it" in the show ring or my breeding program, that dog will not be discarded -- I value them ALL equally as my friends and companions.  My love of dogs and interest in this breed is driven by passion, not profit.  That has always been the case, and always will be.

Although a relative "newbie" to Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, the last 35+ years of my life have been dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs.  I was so fortunate to have grown up in a family that bred, showed and loved Old English Sheepdogs. With our first OES, we made all the mistakes a first-time puppy buyer can make.  And what my family learned from that!  We did have the wisdom to join our local OES club, after the fact, and quickly learned Alfie was NOT show quality (sadly, with crippling hip dysplasia and a nasty temperament, he wasn't even pet quality). But we were bitten by "the bug" and shortly thereafter acquired a beautiful female who would become the foundation of our kennel, London Fog OES.

I soon became my Mom's right hand, sharing the responsibility of exhibiting, breeding and caring for our dogs. I started showing when I was about six years old, but didn't have my first "big win" until age eight, with Tiffany (Ch. London Fog's Touch of Class), who would later become my junior showmanship dog. I competed seriously in both the juniors and breed rings, while volunteering for our local club and assisting with the breeding and raising of about fifteen litters of puppies. From my Mom, I learned the importance of carefully screening puppy buyers, and that temperament and health should never take a back seat to what might win in a show ring. I was always a studious kid, but the dogs were my life and they were even instrumental in helping me get into Princeton University (when my counselor called to check up on my "status," at the mention of my name she would usually hear something like "Ah yes! The girl who wrote all about her dogs!")

It was never about the wins, but I shared some pretty memorable days with my Sheepdogs.  We did not overdo it on the show circuits, but we did get to as many Nationals as possible.  That, to me, is what breeders do -- go to National Specialties to see how their best stack up to the best in the country, to evaluate breeding stock, and share good times and knowledge with fellow fanciers.  The 1981 National Sweepstakes brought me my most thrilling day at a show.  I handled my 12 month old puppy Annie (London Fog's Love Ya Tomorrow), and she truly was mine, from the moment I claimed that sassy little runt of her litter.  We won the HUGE 12-18 month bitch class (over 30 puppies in it) and went on to BOS in Sweeps.  What a thing to share with your best friend!  Not to mention what seemed like an enormous Sweepstakes purse -- at least to a 15 year old kid!  Mom let me keep it. Throughout college I bummed rides to shows with friends in the NJ area when I could.  I was fortunate enough to get to the OESCA National my freshman year, down in Virginia, where I finished Richter (Ch. London Fog's Seismic Force).  That was definitely a high point, just surpassed by winning the Veteran Sweeps with Richter a decade later at the National, when he was 12 1/2  years old.  He made me and many others cry that day.  After college, I moved to NYC where I shared the next ten years of my life with my best friend -- Ch. Tolkien's Ragtime Bilbette (left).  I finished Gina with big specialty wins, but it was my life with her outside the ring that I will remember most.  She was a once in a lifetime dog and companion and I will miss her and all her alpha bitch quirks forever.

In 2000, after Gina passed away, I began to think about a change of breed. While I had mastered the art of grooming the OES, I wanted a more "honest" dog with nothing to hide. I found that in the majesty of the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, and my first, Axel, came into my life in April 2004. By the time I'd shown Axel to his championship, at ten months, I knew I'd been bitten by yet another bug. In September 2005, we added a precious little girl to the mix -- Moxie, and then in the February of 2007 another boy, Bowie.  In the Summer of 2008, Moxie had her first litter (okay, she didn't really "have" or whelp them, it was more of an emergency c-section at 5:30am on a Sunday)...if you can call two puppies a litter.  I called them a perfect gift, and we could not be happier with Fred and Ginger.  Ginger has stayed here with us, and Fred is not far away with a very good friend.

Over my 35+ years in dogs, every single one of my dogs have been entirely owner-handled throughout their show careers.  And I have helped many other owners put championship titles on their dogs, because I would much rather offer my handling help than see them resort to hiring a professional handler.  This not only adds to the relationship and rapport I have with my dogs (because we always have fun.) and those that I show, but I find I learn much more about my dogs by showing them myself.  It makes me more aware of their faults and their virtues, which in turn makes me smarter about how I choose to breed, areas I need to improve upon, etc.  In addition to showing in conformation, we have also begun dabbling in working events, such as herding, packing, and weight pulling. And occasionally I do find myself back in the Sheepdog ring, either handling for someone, or judging a Sweepstakes.  Those shaggy dogs will always be in my blood, and the camaraderie among the sheepdog fanciers is something I will always cherish. My four Swissies reside with me Redding CT.  I make my living as the Vice President of Marketing for a national pet care company.  These dogs can be expensive to care for, to show, to breed, and I would NEVER expect my dogs to support themselves, let alone me.   My Swissies are a hobby.  My profession is Marketing.  I am especially fortunate to be able to work in the pet care industry, where the dogs accompany me to work every day. I truly love these dogs more than I thought possible. They really are a gift to us all.

Kristin Krumpe Redding, CT  06896

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