History

In 1983 I was introduced to my first great Dane. I was at an obedience class and this dog came and laid it's head on my shoulder. Well, I looked up and it was the biggest dog I had ever seen!!  Turns out she was owned by Nikki Riggsbee of McEmn Great Danes (formerly Janik). Nikki explained that this was only a 7 month old brindle girl   So I asked to walk her around and boy did I think I was something being with this huge dog!  I had to have her so I purchased her to work only in obedience. When I went to Nikki's house I saw the perfect dog!!  He was a fawn boy and the best dog I had  ever laid my eyes on.  I asked Nikki if he was available and she said he needed to go to a home that showed. I announced that "I could do that!". After winning a match ribbon, I was hooked.
Picture
CH McEmns Christopher Byron, CD, TDI

The boy soon became CH McEmns Christopher Byron, CD, TDI. I put a few points on him and Joe Napolitano did the rest. To tell you how novice I was, when Janet Wilcox awarded me my first point in 1984 I really thought I was gonna take Westminster by storm!!  Back then you could enter class dogs.

After combing thru the great Dane reporters over and over, I fell in love with the Hauerdane "big 3". CH Bonner, CH Doozy, and CH Cooper. So in 1985 I flew my brindle girl, McEmns St Pauli's Girl, to San Diego to be bred to Doozy. I was hoping to reproduce another Cooper or Grumman but it was not to be. However, during that stay I was able to meet the wonderful TP (sire of Bonner and Doozy)and see the gorgeous BIS Indian Amber. That trip and those dogs still impact me today.
Back in the day my mentors were Nikki Riggsbee and Gayle Roberts of Ga-Mac kennels. We all co-owned with one another and we could spend hours discussing pedigrees and dogs. Gayle had dogs that were so sound and could move like a dream. One of her all time favorites was CH Nandane's Tamanaco as her foundation went back to him. Nikki went on to become a judge, author, and teach seminars on Great Dane type. No one can explain structure like she can. You can just visualize what she is talking about!!

I still co-own today.  Mainly with Linda Osborne of Winsome, Martha Davidson of Asbury, and Serge Guillet and Ron Lirette of Saul. Linda and I go way back to the early 80's where we met each other outside a vet's office weeping over Great Dane trials and tribulations!!
Picture
McEmns St Pauli's Girl

All in all it has been a great ride. I hope to continue to produce those "wow" puppies who's temperament makes him/her the best dog ever. I want people to keep contacting me and just say "I love this dog so much!!"