In 1983, Debbie was working for two doctors. One of the medical assistants had a friend who had bought 2 American Eskimo puppies from a pet store. They had an 8 year old child and a 9 year old child. They thought getting their children each their own puppy was a good idea. Needless to say, by the time the puppies reached 6 months of age, the dogs and kids were a hand full. They wanted someone to take the male, so “Snowflake”, named by the kids, came to live with Rick and Debbie. Two years later, Rick really wanted his own dog. They looked in the paper, not knowing any better, and purchased “Sophie” from a backyard breeder. In 1989, Sophie whelped 5 puppies. Debbie and Rick decided to keep Bear and Prince because they had just recently been introduced to showing as a result of an ad they saw posted in a Petco by the Northeast Texas American Eskimo Dog Association. NETAEDA held a fun match before Bear and Prince reached 6 months of age. There Rick and Debbie met Eileen and Dick Kortemeier. They mentored Debbie and Rick who soon realized that Bear and Prince were not show quality. They were both neutered and lived to the ages of 12 and 15. However, their father Snowflake went on to become UKC CH Smokerise Acacia at the age of 9. Their mother, Sophie was never show quality and was spayed at the age of 4.

Now bitten by the show bug, the hunt began for a show quality female. They purchased UKC CH Harris’ DiMond Crystal from John Harris in 1990. Crystal turned 16 on February 10, 2006 and as of this writing is still going strong. Debbie and Rick attended a show hosted by the Oklahoma American Eskimo Dog Club where they met Diana and Joe Allen in November of 1990. Later that year, as a Christmas gift, Rick presented Debbie with a puppy from the Allens. He would later become UKC Natl. GR CH/AKC CH Sierra Chip Off The Block. He is 15 ½ as of this writing.

In the following years, thanks to the Kortemeiers and the Allens, Debonair American Eskimos was born. Rick became a UKC licensed judge in 1993. Shortly thereafter, Debbie followed suit and became a UKC licensed judge as well. Debonair American Eskimos has enjoyed many successes, as well as heartaches over the last 20+ years, but that is expected when your life is dogs.

Debonair American Eskimos strives to produce quality puppies of sound minds and bodies. We guarantee health and temperament. We are responsible breeders, breeding selectively with careful consideration of the genotype and the phenotype when selecting the sire and dam. All of our puppies are raised in the house and are socialized extensively beginning at 6 weeks of age. Our goal is to produce healthy, well bred dogs that conform to the breed standard maintaining the honesty and integrity we feel are requirements which make a “responsible breeder” .

 

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