"Sándor" was the first Briard who came to this house.

I was searching for a buddy for my former German Shepherd boy "Marko" and visited a show in July 1990 to look for a breed. Actually I had the intention for a Doberman bitch, but I did not like what I saw. In the distance I got sight of something with long hair, and the I liked the expression. So I got some information and found that this would be the ideal breed for me. I must admit that I could not think about any other breed from the moment of first sight of a Briard.

Now I started searching for breeders. I wrote many letters to Germany and France, but finally the decision fell for an Austrian breeder. When I visited that kennel for the first time one of the bitches had just been bred and so I made an inquire for a puppy of her. On Oct. 1st, 1990 I received a phone call that the puppies were born. Every few weeks I went to Upper Austria to watch the puppies grow and to finally come to a definite decision. At this breeder one does not decide for a puppy, but the other way round: the puppy decides for its human, and so it was "Sándor" who decided for me at the age of 6 weeks.

"Sándor" stayed a bit longer than eight weeks with his breeder because I could only go on holiday shortly before Christmas. Finally, on December 14th, 1990, I could pick up "Sándor". That already at that time the foundation-stone for the Briard-Mania was laid, was completely conscious to me, but in the following time it turned out to be so.

Each and every day "Sándor" and "Marko" joined me to the office. That was in my opinion the best way to socialize "Sándor", since we mainly traveled with public transportation. By that way "Sándor" got to know in earliest youth the train, the underground, elevators, traffic, masses of people etc. Something else, namely going on lead, was taught to him by "Marko", because I had both together with a connection between the collars. "Marko" was an exemplary dog and therefore "Sándor" could only learn good things, and he did that within shortest time.

I also had ambitions for showing and thereof "Sándor" stood in the ring at first chance; since he was six months of age we traveled to shows in Austria, Slovakia and Czech. The way was partly a stony one, since "Sándor" was extremely late in development, and I did not want to realize, that it would be better to leave the dog a rest after youth class for developing, before he went in competition with much older and completely developed dogs, and naturally had no chance against such competition. We liked it and I did not mind the pitying eyes of the one and other Briard owner. Still, I have learned out of that experience and have given my following Briards time to grow and develope before I showed them in open class.

We also visited the training place regularly; but, as I think out of my today's experience, it was too early for the Briard, since at that time there were no puppy and playing lessons; we worked obedience for the first examination. "Sándor" was good and always working happily and passed the first obedience examination with excellent. We made defense training as well, and "Sándor" had fun with it. Today I believe that out of his mental behavior I have taken him his youth with the consequent training, because he was a very earnest dog in a fast time, absolutely not what I could see in my Briards which came in the following years, which just learned the necessary things of obedience at home for daily life, and then, at an age of about one year, went to the training place.

With one and a half year "Sándor" bloated. Thank Heaven that I acted immediately when after eating he whined and looked at his belly continuously. It must have been my years of horse riding, that made me act so fast, since I was used to the look of a horse to the belly when it had a colic, and so made the combination that it with "Sándor" it could only be bloating. Our vet did a wonderful job: he closed his clinic immediately for all other patients after I had arrived with "Sándor" since it was clear that "Sándor" needed a surgery. The stomach was completely turned and the spleen strangled. The surgery lasted long but went fine. The problem that made "Sándor" being between life and death for some days was his blood circulation which nearly broke down completely, but he did it.

One month after the surgery he was in the ring again and completely the same as before. And we made the first breeding conformation at the same time. Looking back I must admit that I should have given him more time for that after the surgery, since he got his breeding conformation only for one year. He showed "faults" that resulted from not having really recovered completely. My own ambition and my eagerness had been too big, and the breed still had not been well known enough to me. I'm sorry that on the back of "Sándor" I learned from my mistakes.

"Sándor" was also used for breeding: his first partner was a bitch from Slovakia, and on October 23rd, 1992 she whelped 12 puppies after him, whereof unfortunately 5 died. Out of this breeding the first girl came to this house; I had intended to take a tawny one, but the one and only tawny had died and so I decided for one of the three black girls, namely "Arwa", she was the most open minded and the most cheeky one.

The first litter in this kennel was also after "Sándor", and it was with the same girl that he had bred in Slovakia, since I took this girl to me in August 1993. All in all "Sándor" had 46 puppies (28/18) out of four breedings.

In July 1993 I went to the second breeding conformation with "Sándor" and he passed and was recommended for life time.

As I have mentioned earlier I moved only in the near area concerning shows with "Sándor", but while driving through Europe with one of the girls of this kennel I decided that one day also "Sándor" should be in the country of his origin, so in May 1998 we went to the UEBB in France. The main reason for this visit was actually to introduce "Sándor" to the owner of his father, who had never heard anything about one of the Austrian offspring. Since we were there I also entered "Sándor" to the show. Unfortunately one month earlier "Sándor's" sire had died and therefore the getting to know of my boy was a sad and painful one for the owner of "Agar", as the two boys had been a mirror image.

The shows which "Sándor" visited turned to be less when he got older. In 1997 he had reached the Slovakian Championship and that was in my eyes the best he could reach. As for the standard I have reached much with "Sándor", I knew his "faults" and I stand to them. This boy has been shown about 70 times up to his beginning 10th year of life and we mainly ran with "excellent". It lasted about seven years that "Sándor" was completely developed concerning his coat - very late, but still early enough to "prove" that an "ugly duck" (lots of people have named "Sándor" like that) finally turned to be a beautiful Briard.

Except the bloat "Sándor" had always been healthy. The yearly veterinary check in the year 2000 showed that this boy was - concerning his organs - like a five year old Briard and not a nearly ten year old one. Still, fate decided in another way: Much too early this boy was called. He died completely unexpected in the night of Jan. 12th to 13th, 2001. At 11 p.m. I had been out with him for a walk and he was as active and funny as always; at 1 a.m. I found him lying dead on his sleeping place - a shock which I have not come through by now. But what "nicer" can one wish a beloved animal than being called to Rainbow Bridge while sleeping. Looking back I must admit that I am grateful for each single year that I was allowed to join "Sándor", since he could have already died at the age of one and a half years while bloating; but still, for dog fanciers like us it is way too early when our darlings have to go.

"Sándor" has his very special place in my heart although, of course, I love all my dogs deeply. But he was the FIRST Briard and he was the founder of this kennel. Having been the one who brought the breed Briard close to me, and having been the one to make me have Briards always, makes me say a special thank to him and makes me respect him deeply.

"Sándor", you were the GREATEST!!! I thank you for the nice years during which I could join you. You have ALWAYS been a faithful companion, not minding if our way was up or down. I will NEVER forget you!