Hello, my name is Ansophie Hohenstein. I was born and grew up in South Africa. Since 1999, I live in Switzerland with my husband and 2 sons, aged 14 and 18. We live in a small village, close to Frick. Our house has a garden, for the dogs to run around and play in. Dogs have always been a part of my life.
My mom’s Toypom, Stertjie
My mother bought her first Toypom (Pomeranian/Dwarf Spitz) when I was 8 years old. I immediately fell in love with her. Intelligent, learning tricks quickly, and the fur was so soft! Like a teddy bear.
Stertjie & Buksie
I bought my first Spitz when I was 18. I spotted him in a petshop, and could not leave the last Toypom there. So I bought him - Buksie - and took him home. He ended up being bigger than my mother’s Toypom, so I think he was a German Spitz (Klein).
Tasha & Jessie
The first dogs my husband and I owned, were a Rottweiler - Tasha - and a German Shephard x Collie, named Jessie. Jessie we rescued from the SPCA. They both came to Switzerland with us.
Niki
Then I went back to the Spitze! We bought our Wolfspitz from Bernadette Sutter. Niki (Damaris von der Wannenburg) grew up with our sons, and was a lovely family pet. Putting up with the boys and going everywhere with us, whenever possible.
(Von der Wannenburg Wolfspitze - https://www.wannenbruggs-wolfsspitze.ch)
Noddy
One day, my sons and I were watching Crufts on TV, and it happened to be the Toy Group. When the Toypom-winner came into the ring, both my sons went ‘Aaahhhhh! We want one like that!’ It took another 3 or 4 years to convince my husband that a friend for Niki would be a good idea. We went to take a look at a Toypom and a German Spitz (Klein) with Antoinette Csoka to see what is the difference between them.
My husband thought that the German Spitz (Klein) was too small for him, and Antoinette referred us to Yolanda Fischer-Vetterli. We arrived there and one of her German Spitz (Mittel) puppies immediately introduced himself to us, and that was that. We took him home with us. That was Noddy - Asterix von Pommerle.
Antoinette Csoka of Cream and Spice - www.cream-and-spice.ch
Yolanda Fischer-Vetterli, breeder of German Spitze (Klein and Mittel) - www.vom-pommerle.ch.
Unfortunately, 2 years later, we lost Niki to complications after she got an infection, as she was a diabetic, and Noddy ran in front of a car. Very hard time for us as a family.
D’Arty
Not long after, I saw that Yolanda had puppies again. We went to choose our next puppy when he was only 3 weeks old - D’Artagnan vom Pommerle. He is a younger brother of Noddy. He is a lot quieter than what Noddy was, but a beautiful German Spitz (Mittel).
I took him to Puppy Classes and joined our Wednesday Dog School straight after. He learns fast! D’Arty also loves other dogs and almost all dogs love him as well. We are now doing Agility, at which he is fantastic - I am the one that needs to learn now!
Cora
I kept an eye out for a friend for D’Arty and possibly a bitch, and spotted Cora one day on the Internet, in Germany. She was from Melanie Grüter and the last one left of the litter.
After a bit of convincing of my husband, I went to meet her, and brought her home the same day. She ran straight into his arms, and Cora is now my husband’s ‘little girl’. She has him wrapped around her little finger (if she had one)! Lucky for me, D’Arty is ‘mine’.
Cora also joined a puppy class, and afterwards joined in the Wednesday Dog School. Cora is also learning Mantrailing. She is learning fast and loves it!
Melanie Grüter - www.mittelspitze-von-der-daburg.de
Cora & D’Arty
When we are in the training ring, it’s either D’Arty or Cora I work with, but when we go walking I take them both.
I can actually work with them at the same time!
I have started to get quite a few inquiries about whether I will breed with Cora & D’Arty. So I started thinking about being a breeder. As it is all new to me, I first took part in a couple of dog shows, to see whether they are both good examples of a German Spitz (Mittel). When that went well, I started looking into the whole process and decided that I do want to become a breeder. First thing to do, was to register a breeder name, which I did - ‘vom Haus Hohenspitz’. I have also started doing the courses that are presented, and recommended, by the SKG for breeders in Switzerland. I love learning new things, so this is fine with me. I will be doing all 10 courses suggested for breeders and hopefully doing the exam at the end as well.