I dagens uppfödarintervju möter vi Olaf som innehar Carmichael’s kennel, en FCI godkänd kennel med säte i Nederländerna. Följande intervju är på engelska.

Olaf’s first dog was Amstock Rechy (American Staffordshire Terrier) he bought him in 1993 as a pet, and the breeder asked Olaf if he wanted to show him once, so he entered him at a speciality show and he became 3rd in class. They then went to some other shows and every time he got placed by first 3 dogs, Olaf says “I thought it was fun and from there I got the “virus”.

Olaf tells us when he was together with his ex she wanted to get a German Sheperd and he wanted a bulldog, and as his ex couldn’t live with his choice and viceversa, they went to a dog show and there they saw an AST and immediately fell in love with the breed and made their choice. At the beginning Olaf didn’t have a breeding interest, but he had two studdogs and they where used several times by other breeders, so Olaf and his current wife always visited the off springs. One day after a visit Olaf explain that he and his wife discussed on the way back in the car about what they would’ve done different than that particular breeder. Olaf says “Than at a moment we said very arrogant to each other; “I think we can do better as most others”.

So he continues to explain that when a breeder came with a topwinning bitch for a studservice for “Diego”, they asked for 1st pick of bitch instead of money. So after 11 years in the breed, Olaf and his wife bred their first bitch, but unfortunatly she died with 13 pups on day 60 of her pregnancy. Then after this tragedy, they got 1st pick out of a bitch in Spain and in 2007 they finally had their first litter.

When choosing a potential dog for breeding Olaf looks at temperament first! And he also tells us “thenoff course I try to improve the faults of the bitch, but the pedigree is also very important to me. I prefer to do linebreedings and are not afraid to go close in line with a combination”. But of course the health (tests) is also what they keep in mind, but they “don’t throw the child away with the bathwater”. Olaf has traveled 5 times with his bitch to the US to let her breed there and they got 11 times a litter out of frozen semen.

When we ask what Olaf’s main goals is with his breeding he says: “Try to breed a healthy good looking amstaf with a stable temperament and a nice pedigree. From a litter I try to pick the puppy what hopely will be a big winner in the future and its always nice to make other family’s happy with a new pet”.

To sell a puppy to a potential buyer Olaf wants to know where the dog is going to live, how they work because if they are away from home all day for work, he advice them to buy a cat. He also ask them if they have breeding plans, because he does not support people to do just a litter for fun. If they want to breed, he wants to help them but it need to be serious and not just one litter for fun or 2-3 litter for money.

On the question what Olaf is most proud of with his accomplishments he find the question difficult, because it’s more than one thing; They have an 100 % score in temperament test, up until now none of the Carmichael’s dogs have failed any temperament test, and not only the ones tested in his country but also the ones who’s been exported has always passed the temperament test in that country. This is something very important to him. He continue telling us that “I am very proud of the results we booked in total but specially in the US, with our bred by dogs and that mostly uncropped. Also the 3 world champions and 7 Best in Shows we won stay special. But the multiple Best of Breed wins we won at a Speciality under a breed specialist give me every time goose bumps”.

And at last Olaf tells us that his opinion of the ideal American Staffordshire Terrier should be keenly alive to his/ her surroundings, ready to rumble if necessary. Sweet to nice human’s and kid’s . And that it should be well put together, stocky but graceful, with a nice head that have parallel lines and not to short muzzle & dark eye, nice small rose ears. Olaf’s favourite color is black brindle with white markings.

We thank Olaf for his participation in the interview and wish him the best of luck with his breeding.