2021: Back in March, we had to get the police involved and retain a Lawyer because of the toxic closed Facebook group controlled by Springhaze (Sue Brailey). Once again she and some of her soldiers were defaming and slandering me and inciting all sorts in that closed group. The police finally caught up with Sue Brailey on the phone and warned her if she continued her harassment etc against me publically or privately, they would arrest her and prosecute her. The Lawyer advised we wait to see, if this time, she does as the Police warned her.
During COVID price hikes across many breeds, some really ridiculous prices, by greedy puppy farmers etc. We were informed that Springhaze has increased their Pet Puppy Price to £3,000! We have not increased our prices all these years yet food prices and vet prices etc increase yearly. We will be increasing our Pet Puppy Price a small amount from 2022 but no where near what Springhaze and others in the UK are charging.
Do not purchase a puppy from Springhaze or any of the others from the GSMD Club in the UK. (Bynton; Dalynics; Valmesque; Alpencrest; Mullacaboo and Trellwyfan). They hide all their deaths to Epilepsy and Bloat. The 5 blind puppies to PRA by 1 year from Dalynics. They do not disclose any of it on the phone or in emails when anyone enquires. One of the Springhaze Stud Dogs (Springhaze Hi Expectations) his Sire (Crown's Circle of Life at Springhaze - Cimba) dead at 2 to so say Bloat but from high Epi bloodline and his second litter in the UK 5 pups, 3 males dead to Epilepsy. They never told the bitch owner, she said she would never have used Cimba had she been told the truth.
The Crufts Judge 2019 wrote in his Critique "I had looked forward to judging the breed which I have admired for a long time, but sadly, I have to say I was disappointed with the quality. This is a breed of standard conformation without any demands for exaggeration but many of the exhibits had poor conformation, particularly in the hindquarters, which manifests itself in poor movement and often poor toplines."
These dogs are here in the UK from the above named, they have no rear angulation, their fronts are terrible and many we have known for years now that their conformation is bad with poor movement. Had two of our dogs been able to attend Crufts, one out of coat one started season earlier, they have lovely conformation both qualifying under experienced All Rounder Judges in 2018 and they have rear angulation as well as other great qualities.
I compiled a word doc file from 2011 about all the so called breeders in the UK, their dogs, their litters, their deaths from Epilepsy and Bloat etc. What is posted on our facebook page is all completely true, not slander as slander is making a false statement and it is definitely not false but they hide it under their rug because it is bad marketing to tell the truth but the public deserves the truth so they can make a decision for themselves not to purchase a high risk Epi or Bloat puppy and it dies before or by 2 years old, only then to find out all their deaths etc were never told about by them! The Kennel Club agrees that the latest Springhaze male who is not owned by them but bred by them, Springhaze Hi Expectation should not be available at stud given that his father the US Import Crown's Circle of Life at Springhaze aka Cimba dead at 2 yrs old so say with Bloat but his first litter, only sired two before he died, in the UK to Mrs Oakford in Kent to her Springhaze female 5 pups born, she kept the only female left 4 males, 3 males dead to Epilepsy and Mrs Oakford called me to try to get a pup from me and told me this and she said had the Brailey's told her the truth about Cimba she would never have used him. But his son is advertised on the GSMDC UK website! The word doc file is reproduced for all to see but when you ask the so called breeders be prepared to either be ignored, hung up on or it will be like dragging teeth if you actually get them to confess.
Below is what is contained in my word doc file since 2011 when I first started investigating. It is all completely true and a big, huge example of BAD BREEDING PRACTICE as well as lying to the Public and deceiving them by not disclosing any of it and hiding it from the KC.:
The GSMDC (Great Swiss Mountain Dog Club)
Formed over a month after we put in our proposed club application (GSMDCGB) late October 2008. The breed through our proposed club’s efforts and time was registered and recognised by the UK KC 1st October 2008.
The GSMDC was formed by Swissy owners who did not have hardly any experience and knowledge. Yes, it is a bigger club because they have churned out the litters and allowed anyone to have the breed without careful vetting etc. They have put on some carting events and held some Swissy walks which consist 99% of Springhaze breedings.
The 3 main breeders are Springhaze, Alpencrest and Bynton with another owner who had one litter and a couple of Entle litters Valmasque. Springhaze being the only Assured Breeder with the KC. Both Springhaze who did not have this kennel for their first litter of GSMDs along with Alpencrest, both bred litters way before the breed was recognised and registered by the KC. They charged over £1,000 back then for unregistered puppies with no puppy packs, no insurance, no contract, just their pedigree. Springhaze, Valmasque and Alpencrest do health screen, not all the health screens but they do some. Alpencrest owners are both elderly women 70 and 80 years old. Bynton owners are also elderly and it sure made everyone wonder at Crufts this year, witness the owners having trouble getting up off their bench let alone trying to handle large dogs and hence all the unprofessional handover to handlers. It is hard realising you cannot manage large dogs when you reach a certain age, can’t bend down into whelping boxes, seeing to puppies being very observant as they once were in their younger years i.e. putting dogs and puppies at risk. It was very noticeable that the dogs were not fit nor the owners. The club today is made up from the originals as stated above along with all their puppy owners.
The GSMDC allowed a couple from Surrey to become members and be in their booth at Discover Dogs in London a few years ago, where they were seen and heard speaking for the GSMDC. This couple imported a female GSMD from Northern France who has incest on her Dam’s side of the pedigree and a male they imported from Belgium. They had also back a year before 2008 rescued a Leonberger female and the boyfriend had over 20 terriers and Lurchers all kept in stables all day whilst he was doing whatever jobs away from the stables where the girl had her horse business and their little son. The three big dogs allowed to intimidate and bark to annoy neighbours on an estate just off their property whilst the girlfriend taught or did breedings with the horses. The dogs were and probably still are, fed from a pit in the ground! The raw food is dumped in and the big dogs are allowed to eat then the terriers and lurchers freeforall! They
bred the male and female Swissies and got dwarfism not surprising since the incest on that Dam’s side of the pedigree. They then started to breed the male Swissy with the Leonberger rescue. They had previously tried with a friend of mine to get papers for the Leo but my friend told them no way because she knew about the serious health issues. The first cross litter produced one pup and the girlfriend’s mother took that to NY USA where she was living. Then the Leo female was bred six months later that litter, before they were 1 year old, needed their second homes and my friend and I found them on Epupz and alerted the KC to them and to the Leonberger club. The KC did not register the Swissies belonging to this couple understandably. Further more, in the local village the boyfriend was heard threatening the life of the Rescue Leonberger female, this got back to the Leo people and Leonberger Rescue sent in undercover a couple to purchase her back. When she was gotten back she was in a right state poor dog especially when they opened her up to spay her because she had been bred every season! She stayed with the Leo Rescue until she found her forever home which she so deserved.
If all this was not bad enough, members of the GSMDC club, but they are also friends with Mr & Mrs Brailey of Springhaze. Mr and Mrs Brailey took Springhaze Aspiring (Anya) to be bred to the Male GSMD and his name is Ecco von de Mostelberg. Anya did not take to the breeding. Mrs Brailey rang my number thinking she had the couple’s in Surrey’s and left a little message on it. How could she get that so wrong we wondered!
BYNTON – Julia & Peter Swinburn –
Their first male and female imports from Balihara Ranch puppy mill in Slovakia known for Epilepsy and Bloat back before the breed was recognised and registered both DEAD, one from Bloat. Do not Health Screen any of their GSMDS, breed them blind. One female, Bynton Flanders Rose at Dalynrics who has attended shows and Crufts 2013 is the only one health screened for just HD 5:11 = 16 would be a C outside the UK and ED1. The Dam Baliverne De La Vallee Des Grands Ducs of Bynton and the Sire Didrik from Balihara Ranch have no health screens on them either. Baliverne is a new import along with Duke Du Val Du Sanon and his rear end is terrible and can’t move true like a GSMD. If both these were health screened we are sure they would not be breedable. They used Didrik out of sheer desperation because Duke would not mate Baliverne. Didrik’s half brother in Germany was seriously ill with Epilepsy some years back now. The owner in Germany displayed the truth on his website for all to see and I copied it for the GSMDC and the UK KC to see the proof. Didrik’s owners Shiela Tickle and Cynthia Bailey told our GSMDCGB at Crufts in the Discover Dogs booth that year that we had their word Didrik was fully retired from all breeding. We knew then their word meant nothing and it was just a matter of time before they allowed Didrik to be used. The Swinburns did not even have the courtesy to inform their puppy owners, two who had to find out in shock at Crufts from our GSMDCGB. One said he was their friend and sat on the floor in shock that they had not mentioned this about Didrik’s half brother in Germany. The Swinburn’s latest import Tamidelis Hermera at Bynton is being shown in Puppy Bitch classes.
It was seen at Manchester Championship show 2014 once again that their male DUKE DU VAL DU SANON (IMP) no health screens has something seriously wrong with his rear end. We have all suspected HD for some time but since NONE of the BYNTON stock are x-rayed and eye tested nothing is 100% as yet. How they are allowed to continue breeding in the GSMDC without any health screens on their dogs is amazing to us in the GSMDCGB. Clearly the Judges who place him have never seen a sound, strong moving dog or he would not be placed with movement like he has. His son BYNTON D’ARTAGNAN FOR SPACLERE belonging to MR I & MRS S PARKIN-RUSSELL his rear movement leaves a lot to be desired also but again is placed first! This male is not x-rayed as yet either. Mrs Parkin-Russell is Secretary of the GSMDC.
BYNTON SCARAMOUCHE HD 8/8 = 16 C outside the UK & ED 2
BYNTON JOIE DE VIVRE no health screens
BYNTON PORTHOS no health screens
BYNTON BON CHANCE no health screens
SPACLERE – Mrs Sue Parkin-Russell (Secretary of the GSMDC UK)
Owns Bynton D’Artagnan for Spaclere to date no health screens on this male. Suspect rear and movement of which Mrs Valerie Foss who is a very seasoned all round judge at champ shows commented to Mrs Parkin-Russell at Bournemouth champ show in 2013. Mrs Parkin-Russell was not happy that a Swisshaven male beat her dog and Mrs Foss promptly told her that her dog could not move. Bynton D’Artagnan died before Crufts.
VALMASQUE – Ms Lucy Denman –
Ms Denman had Entlebuchers before she imported her first female GSMD Yasmine from Balihara Ranch. She bred the Entles with eye faults before they were recognised and registered with the UK KC. Yasmine was bred once the GSMDs had been registered and recognised but because of the lack of experience and knowledge and certainly not prepared for what can and does go terribly wrong with breeding the GSMDs, this includes the vet caring for Valmasque dogs, not knowing about Oxytocin, Yasmine lost the entire litter. Then Yasmine herself died from Bloat. Very sad situation to have to have gone through and despite our differences of opinion, when I emailed Ms Denman I said she could have called me I would have helped over the phone and told her about the Oxytocin. She now has Springhaze Enchanted Lady (Anka) who is totally Health Screened for HD ED OCD eyes and I believe a Character Test. However, Anka’s mother Jenuine High Hopes (Dottie) has produced Epilepsy in the 2nd litter previous to Anka’s litter. One dog is DEAD at 2 years, one is still Sick with Epilepsy (they keep it all quiet so it could also be dead). One female is DEAD from this same litter awful death on a railway very close to her home and earlier this year in 2013 another brother to these two dead dogs has also died, suddenly and so far no explanation for his death. This was a litter of 10 pups 3 DEAD 1 sick with Epilepsy leaves 6 living but we don’t know as yet about these 6 if they are healthy or not as nothing is displayed on the breeder’s website or facebook page.
Now because Anka cannot go outside the UK to any reputable stud dogs, she was bred in 2014 to Alpencrest Donatus and produced 5 puppies. Mrs Denham made excuses to families wishing to visit and visiting about seeing Anka so they were not happy and contacted Kimberley Barton and told her everything. One family saw a male puppy from Anka and said that he was scared like he had not been around people much. Now Alpencrest Donatus father Didrik from Balihara Ranch had no health screens and his half brother was seriously ill in Germany with Epilepsy, his owners put it out on their website and Kimberley copied it to the UK KC that year. Donatus or Donny as they call him does not have a good temperament and he is always going for other dogs at shows and at Crufts 2015 he went for families with children and they came to Kimberley to see Kai and were told Swissies are not like this and they could see how confident and stable and friendly Kai is. The Bynton dogs were having a go also at Crufts 2015 and back at LKA also held at the NEC in December 2014 the Bynton dogs kicked off into a huge fight at the benches and Officials were called to break it up. Their owners are too old to cope with a large dog in many opinions.
ALPENCREST – Mrs Cynthia Bailey and
Miss Shiela Tickle –
Imported 3 GSMDs two females Eclipse from Balihara Ranch and Perdita from Balihara Ranch and one male Didrik from Balihara Ranch before the UK KC registered and recognised the breed on 1st October 2008. They bred both these females but only Perdita from Balihara Ranch had litters. These litters were bred before KC registration and recognition and they charged over £1,000 for the pups. None of these three GSMDs have any health screens on them so bred blind. Didrik’s half brother was seriously ill in Germany a few years back with Epilepsy. The owner in Germany put it out on his website for all to see, our proposed club copied it to the GSMDC and the KC as proof. That March at Crufts, Mrs Bailey and Miss Tickle came to our booth in the Discover Dogs areas as we have always covered Crufts all 4 days until March 2013, and they said that I should not have told their club the GSMDC and that I had their word that Didrik was now retired and would not be bred again. It was only a matter of time before Didrik would be used at stud again we knew this. Miss Tickle and Mrs Bailey kept Alpencrest Donatus (Donnie) and he is health screened but only HD and ED no eyes and OCD recorded anywhere. Alpencrest Donatus was bred to Springhaze Better By Far (Bree) in May 2013 litter due 4th July 2013. High Risk Epilepsy on both sides of this pedigree and the potential new puppy owners wont be told the truth, the same as it is not displayed on the Springhaze website. Epilepsy is bad marketing as we all know.
To date Eclipse and Perdita have never been mentioned and shown in any photos posted by Mrs Bailey and Miss Tickle and we suspect they died some years ago probably to Bloat but nothing was ever said or disclosed.
Alpencrest Donatus was going for dogs at Crufts again 2015 and for families with children!
SPRINGHAZE - Mrs Sue & Mr Steve Brailey (Assured Breeder) –
Had no experience and knowledge of the breed and only DABBLED with Jack Russells and a Rottweiler female in the past.
Springhaze charge £500 to lift the KC breeding restrictions and they encourage and promote their PET homes to breed something the GSMDCGB would never do and only 1-2 show potential dogs in our proposed club may, if everything was great in temperament and health screens and owners know the responsibility in stud and breeding would the KC restrictions be lifted but FREE not a charge. No one I know or has heard ever charges to lift the breeding restrictions. Adding £500 on to the price they charge for their puppies which they certainly are not worth that!
Imported their first GSMD female Rita Des Joyeuses Gambades she was only health screened for HD. She came to the UK in whelp, was already rehomed twice and knew kennel life before coming to the UK. Sire was Titan Du Shuunka Takan. She was expected to fit in at the Brailey’s home living in a small utility room with two yappy female Jack Russells, no wonder Rita kept escaping down the stables to get away from them and the environment. Rita produced the “A” litter, 7 pups but only 4 survived, 3 males 1 female. This litter again like Alpencrest were bred before the breed was recognised and registered in the UK 1st.
October 2008. One male had blue eye fine as he was going to a pet home, another male very white socks again going in a pet home. Rita suffered severe stress from her ordeal coming to the UK in whelp and living at the Brailey’s home. Soon after the 3 males went to their home as the female, later to be known as Springhaze Aspiring (Anya), remained with the Braileys. Rita’s fur all fell out, I told them it was severe stress they would not have it. They saw two different vets who could find nothing wrong. The Brailey’s only insured their horses not their dogs so eventually poor Rita was put to sleep as the Brailey’s were too embarrassed to take her out in public and would not spend any more on her this was before she was 6 years old.
The males were Springhaze Altitude (Hamish) and I met them at the Bernese Club champ show a few times and they were having lots of problems with Hamish. I said castration is not a quick fix and does not always work but in his case it did help. Springhaze Alpine (Benson) went to his first home, Brailey’s never keep in touch so no clue things were wrong and owners ended up letting him go when he was over a year old and more to an elderly couple in Bournemouth. He had no rules and no boundaries and no training in the first home, so this poor couple were being pulled about by a big dog and there were other problems and they just could not cope. Brailey’s knew nothing and certainly never phoned regularly or emailed to ask how Benson was in the first home. Couple took Benson up to the Braileys were he scared them, their horses and their dogs so they would not take him back, had no clue how to sort him out, so he went back with the couple. Sue Brailey told me and our GSMDCGB committee about this in emails and on the phone and we were not happy at all. I told her that the KC Code of Ethics is rubbish does not help the owners or the dogs and she bred Benson she had to take him back and sort his issues out before ever rehoming him. This is the responsible thing to do as she bred him. Well she just kept spouting that the KC Code of Ethics does not say she has to take Benson back but she would find him a home. She spoke to a man on the phone for an hour in North Wales. That man, Keith, drove from North Wales to Bournemouth to collect Benson, left Sue Brailey a message on her answer phone which she duly played back for me to hear where he clearly says Benson does have issues but hopefully he can sort them out. That was in the April 2009 by the May 2009 he was needing another home as a family went to visit the Braileys and Benson was pushed on them, they were a novice home no way should they have done that and the husband told the Brailey’s that. We don’t know after that what happened as it still says Keith on the Brailey’s website but then they never put the full truth on there and don’t tell it when people call for puppies. I called some of the Rescues in North Wales saying that if Benson was ever dumped to call me and I and others would come down and assess the dog to see if he could be sorted out and rehomed. We had been told by breeders etc abroad that because of Benson’s age that it could be too late and worst case scenario would be putting him to sleep and Sue Brailey SAID she would put him to sleep if it came to that as she would never have him back with her. Springhaze Alpen (Hugo) the biggest of the 3 males was fine so say in his home.
Springhaze Aspiring (Anya) stayed with the Braileys but at 4 months Sue Brailey phoned and emailed me that Anya was very lame but she was resting her best as she could. I said because Rita had only been x-rayed for Hips that I was reliably informed that the place she came from does not ED and OCD x-ray and there have been bad problems with dogs in the past. Sue Brailey did not like hearing that and she did not quite believe me. She did not have the dogs insured only the horses and I said Anya would probably need an operation and it would not be cheap. She saw two vets over the next few months and finally got to the Specialist in Bristol when Anya was 7.5 months old and he operated because it was indeed severe OCD in one shoulder. Sue Brailey had already told me on the phone and in emails when I asked her had Anya fallen or been knocked, she replied NO. The Specialist told Sue Brailey never to breed Anya and Sue Brailey told me on the phone and emails which I shared with our GSMDCGB and she said herself at our first club meeting she was going to breed Anya JUST TO SEE, her words exactly. Then one of her parting sentences to me was “I wish I had never told you about Anya’s operation then no one would know and you can be sure that in the future if anything happens I wont tell anyone!” This sentence alone just confirmed what I already knew about Sue Brailey and our club agreed. This was their first and only litter from Rita 4th May 2006. Rita’s fur all fell out through severe stress not used to living in the house with two very snappy Jack Russells being couped up with them in the small utility room all day pregnant, she kept going off down the stables to get away from it all poor dog. I told Sue Brailey it was stress, again she saw 2-3 vets who could not find anything wrong and Rita was not insured, Sue Brailey would not spend any more on her so she was put to sleep before she was 6 years old and not what she has said on Rita’s page on her website.
I helped Sue Brailey get in Dottie (Jenuine High Hopes) and I have regretted it ever since. Dottie so deserved a better home for starters. Sue Brailey had come to me asking for a second chance when it all went wrong with Rita and Anya’s op. More fool me as many of my friends said at the time. I duly gave Sue Brailey the second chance, got Dottie’s breeder’s detail off my Belle’s breeder in the US, and passed it along. Sue Brailey had to ask all the information since Dottie was going to her etc especially about the Epilepsy. I had been told there was Epilepsy in the pedigree, it’s in all pedigrees we are told. There was a breakdown in communications between Jenn and Sue, not Jenn’s fault at all where she lives they have horrible winters heavy snow, ice on lines so phones etc all affected. Well Sue and Steve Brailey, mainly Sue threatened lawyers on Jenn and they would fly out to the US retain a Lawyer etc. That is where I intervened to make it run smoothly and Dottie eventually came to the UK at 17 months old. Second day at the Brailey’s home she was badly kicked by a horse, left lame for two weeks Sue Brailey told me herself she never sought a vet and she never told Jenn either I emailed Jenn to tell her. Jenn had her own personal problems and although she had told Sue to keep in regular contact Sue did not. Jenn said always consult her when looking for stud dogs because of the Epilepsy. When Sue told me this I thought we already knew there was Epilepsy in the pedigree but I then asked Cathy and a few others how close and then I was told. That day I was told it was Dottie’s mother Derby’s All Dressed Up, I knew Springhaze would be the first to produce it because I knew they would rush, they would not do the research and ask the right questions and use the wrong dogs. I told our club and other friends so what has happened in the last two years here in the UK is horrible for the owners and could have been avoided had the Brailey’s told the truth and gone to a quality dog, but not a surprise at all.
Jenuine High Hopes (Dottie) was fully health screened thanks again to me for giving Sue Brailey all the appropriate contacts etc this and getting Dottie in she forgets to this day. Dottie was bred 3 times, the third litter should not have happened and the Germans should have been told the truth after the pups from the second litter developed Epilepsy.
First litter was to Boss in Netherlands the 2nd choice, again I said wait don’t rush find a better male he had produced white in his first litter, Dottie has it on her, it’s a fault and over here and Europe they don’t allow it. But no, rushed over there got one mating came back 7 pups born February 2009. That in itself was another mess cause Sue was panicing as I told her they can have 2 hours between pups etc. 2 males and 5 females lived. She called me saying one pup was not suckling I said check it’s mouth there is something wrong. She kept trying the bottle on it, stressing the poor thing, telling me on the phone. Would not sleep down with Dottie and the pups needed her own bed she said, pup that was not feeding weakened in the night and was cold by the morning because Dottie knew there was something wrong but Sue could not see what was so obvious and visible to those of us who are experienced and knowledgeable. She went to the vet the next day as Dottie was sick also drinking from dirty stream or something and the vet told her the puppy had a severe cleft pallet! She had them all homed first week of life! Jenn told her no way, you’ve all seen the email I posted from Jenn on the Springhaze Facebook page. Swissies, infact most breeds we don’t evaluate til 7 weeks old. She was allowing visitors at 1 week old Dottie was going for them, totally clueless and I had told her no visitors til they are 4 weeks old. They kept Springhaze Better By Far (Bree).
Second litter to Karhunkierros Carol born March 2010. 10 pups 7 males and 3 Females.
Springhaze Cover Girl (Lacey) whom the Braileys kept would go on to die horribly on the railway line very close to their home at 13 months old along with Anya’s first litter daughter that they also kept called Springhaze Day Dreamer (Darcy) at 7 months old.
Springhaze Crimson Glory (Hagrid) dead at 2 years old from Epilepsy
Springhaze Classic Lady (Maia) dead from Epilepsy in Scotland.
Springhaze Cosmopolitan (Willett) dead early part of 2013 at present no explanation of his death just his owner said in the breed notes about her sad loss.
There is another from this fated litter sick with Epilepsy which leaves 6 others in this litter that we don’t know about and the Brailey’s kept all this secret even from the rest of the litter owners and the two litters Anya sired to Taylor who is a Dottie and Boss son. So 4 dead from Dottie to Carol and 6 males remain but more could be dead from Epilepsy they keep it quiet. Sprinhase Check Mate (Diesel) just rehomed 2015 at 5 years old so he is alive. I suspected something long before I was actually told about this litter. I started in Germany, went across to the US and then it was confirmed to me in the UK. Very soon after the pups went to their homes a female went to Devon that came back very quickly. Sue Brailey kept her and sent the pup she had originally kept to Scotland, Juno! So whichever pup they kept would go on to die on the Railway line at 13 months old with little Darcy at 7 months old from Anya’s first litter!
Third litter was to Helge in Germany. Should not have been a third litter because of the above. Helge does not have a good temperament nor does his sire. One of Helge’s sons was witnessed by many at a show in Dortmund going for everything and the Judge trying several times to get near him. Helge sired a dead puppy to a different female whom the SSV said died of Epilepsy. Well the owner/breeder knew it was not Epilepsy and had another autopsy done in Hanover with the Neuro specialist there and he confirmed Hydraclephlus (water on the brain). All the 10 pups Dottie had to Helge will carry this gene. Springhaze Elusive Dream (Elsa) was kept by Braileys and Springhaze Enchanted Lady (Anka) is with Lucy Denman. Springhaze Eco Warrior (McKinley) from this litter was rehomed up to Scotland where a Dottie son from the fated second litter, Jura lived but they kept fighting so McKinley came back and then rehomed to family who lost Hagrid to Epilepsy. McKinley was sent to a home in Oxfordshire but they divorced (or could it have been an abusive home for the dog, we will never know as the full truth is never put out there.) So he went up to live with Jura they had bad fights, McKinley sustained injuries to his face etc.
It all came out when I started shouting because none of this should have been kept secret. No more owners should have to go through watching their beloved dogs die from violent seizures leaving children traumatised etc. Had the truth been told by the Brailey’s to the puppy owners i.e. that Dottie’s mother had produced it so it was that close, the owners could have decided whether to go forward with Springhaze or go elsewhere. Even now it’s not displayed on their website or facebook pages and it’s why they have all ganged together at me trying to make out they are the victims when Springhaze is not the victim, their puppy owners are and any more that wont be told the truth. I have just told the truth, put proof up as well because I cannot stand by knowing what I know, what my friends all know and let more families loose dogs to Epilepsy and probably Water on the Brain all because Springhaze can’t be honest and display the truth on their website and when puppy people call tell the truth on the phone because todate, they are not saying anything about this to people when they enquire about puppies on the phone and emails. It’s just get you on their list. But then Epilepsy is bad marketing especially for an Assured Breeder. They have been allowed to breed from an operated on female for OCD because they said it was a fall when it was not.
Springhaze Better By Far (Bree) was bred to Buddy in Germany, there was trouble about her pedigree then but the SSV was not told about the Epilepsy til sometime later. Bree produced 7 pups. 3 males and 4 females. One of the females, Springhaze Fairytale (Lexi) went to a novice home in York but at 8 months she was back with Food Aggression and she bit one of the Brailey’s relatives. This they never say, they focus on the food aggression but there is a family who contacted them who had already contacted me and I primed them what they would not be told. The wife had to really push regarding the Epilepsy and finally Steve Brailey admitted Dottie had produced one dead and one sick with Epilepsy when the wife phoned last summer 2012 and Dottie was not in the breeding programme any more. Infact it transpired at Crufts 2013 that Dottie was being pushed out at 6.5 years old because of this and so that Springhaze can keep more puppies. It was also told to the wife that until that day of the phone call they would have let Lexi go to families with kids but not any more. We can all imagine what would have happened had Lexi bitten kids or worse something that I, our proposed club and many many others in the breed would never want, a Swissy on the front page of a newspaper or the tv even. Again I said from the start it would be Springhaze who produce Epilepsy and aggression i.e. a biter. So desparate were they to get shot of Lexi and not work with her and sort all her issues out before rehoming her, they went on several rescue sites back in September and October but saying that Ms Kimberley Barton had bred her, had her and was putting her to sleep at the end of the month. This I was most certainly not doing. I know many people in Rottweilers and Rottie Rescue go on these sites. They made it perfectly clear that Springhaze Fairytale (Lexi) was and is nothing to do with Swisshaven GSMDs as we would never produce a pup like that. Well you could have heard a pin drop. The posts were deleted immediately, no apology nothing. The Rottie Rescue tried to get an answer but nothing. We knew if we took it further the police and solicitor could get those deleted posts back. Save it for a rainy day we thought.
Springhaze imported Crown’s Circle of Life from the US (Cimba) April 2012. He also has Epilepsy on his pedigree. They say he wont be used that much. They used him themselves on Anya at almost 7 years old poor dog. Alright to prove your own male but they did not wait to see how those puppies developed mostly for the Epilepsy knowing that they had deliberately bred Dottie knowing her mother had produced it. The Sire for the second litter where he comes from some of their lines produce Epilepsy and just because he had not produced it before, clearly the combination with Dottie was terrible in that it produced one dead and one sick with Epilepsy and a third dead but so far no explanation from Springhaze or the owner. Then they can’t take Dottie daughters abroad any more because of the truth now out there about the Epilepsy so they have bred Bree’s sister Ruby in a pet home down in Kent to Cimba litter due in 24th June 2013.
Crown’s Circle of Life’s (Cimba) fate is already sealed and he will befall the same as poor Jenuine High Hopes (Dottie), kicked out in another home when he produces Epilepsy or something else. As they said all nice things about Dottie and how wonderful etc same as they have done about Cimba but they are kicking poor Dottie out at 6.5 years because she is no longer of any breeding use to them and she has produced the dead youngsters and a sick one to Epilepsy.
Springhaze Better By Far (Bree) has just been bred in May 2013 to Alpencrest Donatus (Donnie). Now very clear that the Braileys have learned nothing from what has happened with Dottie because Bree is high risk Epilepsy and so is Donnie and they bred the two of them. Donnie’s sire Didrik has no health screens on him either.
Bree has been rehomed after her litter to Marko in France only 4 lived. Dottie they wanted to home as well but not found anyone as yet. Chucking out oldies and females no good to breed any more so they can keep more! They homed Gem out of Anya, Gem was lame for many months and they did not tell the truth to prospective owners. One family came to us had a pup from us and were not happy they were never told Gem was lame for several months along with her brother Yogi in Scotland with Sandra Dunn.
Springhaze Aspiring (Anya) had two litters to Dottie’s son Taylor. 8 in the first litter and 4 in the second litter. The second litter of the 4 pups 2 males and 2 females. Yogi a male has been lame for several months before he was 1 year old earlier this year up in Scotland. His brother Milo who was in Dorset now rehomed called Mojo. The Braileys kept Gem on of the two females but she has not been out in public or at shows because she also has been very lame before she was 1 this year and she is being chucked out into a pet home but hopefully not before she is 100% or sound or perhaps been operated on but Braileys will never say!
Anya’s third and final litter at almost 7 years old was Cimba’s first litter in the UK.
It is only a matter of time before the next poor families/couples have to go through more seizures with their beloved dogs because Springhaze and Valmasque are breeing their Dottie daughters. The Anya kids from Dottie’s son they all have the potential as well to produce it.
As for Mrs Sue Brailey’s own conduct: back in March 2010 she attended Crufts on the Working Day solely to come to the Discover Dogs booth where our proposed club was with the dogs as we had been every year at Crufts since the KC asked. Mrs Brailey came to cause a scene and as always, let her temper and frustration get the better of her. She was loud and rude and the officials had to take her aside and remind her of the KC Code of Conduct at shows and that she must leave the area and not come back and sort herself out. Then at Bath Championship dog show 26th May 2013 again she had to be reported to the show officials for being personally abusive to Ms Kimberley Barton. She then entered into private facebook messaging to Ms Kimberley Barton making threats. One of her puppy owners had already made a threat to Ms Kimberley Barton and the police confirmed it was indeed a threat. The police advise Ms Barton to keep copies of anything Mrs Brailey sent and to block her completely from facebook and emails which Ms Barton had already done but Mrs Brailey is completely blocked on facebook as well. The KC sent a nice email to Ms Barton advising her that she did indeed have the protocol correct at shows and what she had to do should Mrs Brailey carry out any of the threats made and the Police said they would attend immediately as well.
Instead of Springhaze and myself issuing Public statements, Springhaze should just come totally clean, let the chips fall where they may and TELL and DISPLAY the TRUTH on their website and facebook page about all this Epilepsy, aggression, rehomes and OCD lameness because their website really does not show anything other their wins at shows when they are 99% of the time the only dogs in the class unless the Beaucerons, Swisshaven and the Entles turn up. Springhaze should clean house, stop breeding the Dottie and Anya kids and get in as clean a new blood as they can. However, the truth is that they have no intention of being this responsible and have bred Ruby and Bree this summer the two Dottie daughters. 5 more females being bred within the GSMDC before end of December 2013 and there truly is not the call for that many puppies, 7 litters in 6 months predominantly Springhaze females. We know Cimba will be the sire to some of the 5 other females. Their rehome rate is the worst, with this many litters coming in the next 6 months there will be more rehomes as well because they just want them gone and the money in their pockets and extensions put on their home like before. Flooding the UK with Cimba kids, well they have nowhere to go because of the Epilepsy so he is all they have to use.
Springhaze imported Lionheart from Swiss Star for Springhaze (Lukas) in the last quarter of 2013. This male has failed his Eye Test with a Specialist in the UK for cataracts but he will be bred. He was bred small litter and then dead late December when he was 2 Sue Brailey put out short illness because the Breeder in CZ, Swiss Star, did not want anyone knowing that he actually died from Epilepsy.
Springhaze Elusive Dream (Elsa, Dottie daughter) been taken to France in January 2014 most probably to be bred as she cannot go anywhere else because none of the other countries will allow a breeding with a female whose mother and grandmother have produced Epilepsy. Dottie daughters are ticking time bombs they will eventually produce Epilepsy. The KC and UKAS are condoning this WHY?
They have had a rehome from Dottie’s 2nd litter, a male of 5 years old he has two brothers dead to Epilepsy and a sister in Scotland dead to Epilepsy.
They have imported Logan from abroad whose mother is half sister to Garbo who produced the first pup now in the UK with alternative therapist, with Megaesophagus. They share the exact same father Georgio Armani From Swiss Star. Logan in a home for showing and breeding. This should not happen as it is hereditary disease and KC Health Seminars in Northern Ireland and the UK specialist vet talking about and Kimberley spoken with him and he confirmed should not be bred or used in breeding programme and the disease is hereditary.
DALYNRICS - Mr E T & Mrs L M Russell
Their female BYNTON FLANDERS ROSE AT DALYNRICS has no OCD result on her they told enquiries for their first litter back in 2013 they did not know that OCD had to be done! Well it does. They produced 2 Blue females in their first litter and their sire is a French Male called OBI-WAN KONESER and he carries the gene for the Blue and so does BYNTON FLANDERS ROSE AT DALYNRICS to produce it in the litter.
BYNTON FLANDERS ROSE AT DALYNRICS is the ONLY BYNTON dog to be x-rayed and has the highest HD score in the breed to date. HD 5/11 = 16 ED 1. No BVA/KC eye result for this female. France does not require anything other than HD.
At least 5 pups in the litter are blind with PRA the first in the Breed, one was returned by owners before it could go blind to be rehomed. This was all kept quiet until Kimberley was informed just recently by another Mountain Dog club breed.
The Russells have kept two pups a male and female DALYNRICS TOMMY TUCKER AND DALYNRICS POLLY FLANDERS no health screens as yet for these two. Tommy Tucker stopped being shown so we all suspect he also blind with PRA!
MONTEVERNISA - Mrs Sharon Oakford
Mrs Oakford bred her first litter in the UK back in May 2013 using her Springhaze Bright Star (Ruby) to Crown’s Circle of Life (Cimba) before he died in late June 2013 from so say Bloat. Ruby is sister to Bree both from Dottie who produced the Epilepsy in her second litter and Dottie’s mother in the US also produced Epilepsy. With Cimba dying so young only just 2 years old, ALL his two litters in the UK will be predisposed to Bloat. There is no OCD result for Ruby. We have not heard anything on this litter of 6 but if any have died from Epilepsy or Bloat again it will all be kept quiet. Update: 3 males dead to Epilepsy one left alive and the female Mrs Oakford kept. Sharon told me she would never breed Ruby or her daughter again and was disgusted with Springhaze like so many of us are and they will never change.
TRELLWYFAN - Mrs Sonja Watkins
Imported Elea Zorska Prima (Imp Pol) from Germany where she had been staying with her friend because she kept failing the Rabies blood test. She had her first litter in Germany to DEU CH Oaken from Swiss Star and one puppy in that litter developed and eye fault and was not allowed by the SSV to be used in the breeding programme. Mrs Watkins repeated this breeding in November 2012 and before their 1st Birthdays 3 puppies came back to be rehomed. One male called Monty has 3 homes then finally went to where his sister Elsie lives in London so that was his 4th and hopefully final home. (Sherman on facebook)
Mrs Watkins has allowed Oaken to be used on a female in London, before the eye test was done on the female and the family do not have money, live in a small house no room for another big dog, no proper accommodation to house the litter and it has been done for money, no puppy is being kept and the family are going back to Poland. Mrs Watkins told Ms Barton on the phone in 2014 that it is not her responsibility to look out for the puppies out of Oaken and Ms Barton told her it most certainly was. This litter in London will not have the proper puppy pack, wont be eye tested, microchipped etc and since the GSMDC already has so many rehomes this litter from Oaken in London is yet another concern. The family were not truthful either and they can only just about pay their rent on the house and feed themselves let alone sort out a litter of 7 puppies for 8 weeks and the mother. This Polish family fooled the GSMDCGB over 2 years ago now. Their first litter with their female Abra was a disaster because they took her to a male abroad in Belgium than no one else would go to nor the owner because the dog failed both the Dutch and Belgium Character Test. They only got one puppy by c-section and she had blue eye and white so she went eventually to pet home in Scotland. The wife, separated from the husband but still under the same roof, told the GSMDCGB Secretary that she would not breed again too much money no time to be with the puppies since she worked full time and the estranged husband only did cash in hand on Building sites not a regular job. They pay rent on the little house. Update: estranged Husband kept Abra bred her again result a very short legged female went to Scotland to Mullacaboo breeder.
Perrottview - Mr M Loader & Mrs S Hughes-Williams
They have Springhaze Dazzling Gem (Roxi) and she does not have any record so far of OCD result and Eyes. They just imported a young male puppy from CZ from the Quarterworld kennel, Rain Man Quarterworld at Perrottview, Ralph is his pet name. To date March 2014 this male has no health listed. Roxi is from Springhaze Aspiring (Anya) and Springhaze Blazing Glory (Taylor). Now Anya was operated on for severe OCD in one shoulder at 7.5 months old and in her second litter which she produced only 4 pups, two of those pups Yogi and Gem which the Brailey’s kept, were both lame for months. Now none of us will ever know if these dogs were operated on but they suddenly went back in the ring and both have qualified for Crufts 2014. Roxi was bred several times to Oaken owned by Sonja Watkins but no litters conceived. Update: Roxi bred to Ralph 3 pups only and they kept one Roxi had Pyo had to be spayed.
To our knowledge Perrott View have no breeding experience they are just pet owners. They were not at Crufts 2015 and their website is still down.
No Kennel Name – Mrs Inta Jankovica from Latvia
Inta bred her first litter back in 2014 from her Garbo Baltic Star to Georgia Armani from Swiss Star. Only three male puppies born, not sure if any more were born. One of the three males has Megaesophagus could not be sold as public owners could not cope with his condition so he was given free to an individual in the UK who has alternative therapies. He is very thin and small for his age now of 4.5 months old. This individual already had a female Swissy from excellent breeding who was perfect until this individual (Zea Be) had her and then all her issues happened and despite the breeder emailing and calling and saying what the individual was doing wrong the individual thought she knew it all and had other dogs of other breeds with very very high drives which Swissies are not used to so stress on the dog etc. Springhaze imported from Garbo’s breeder in Europe a male called Lion King Baltic Story at Springhaze, Logan is his pet name and he is with a family in the Midlands as a show potential and breeding male. However, Logan’s mother and Garbo are half sisters and both were bred to Georgio Armani from Swiss Star. The little male pup called Thesis here in the UK and Logan have the same Sire and their mothers are half sisters and Thesis has Megaesophagus the first Swissy pup in the UK.
Kimberley Barton has attended already one of the KC Health Seminars about Epilepsy and Bloat yet NONE of the KC recognised Great Swiss Mountain Dog Club UK attended. She and her vet nurse friend in Ireland at the time, are attend two more KC Health Seminars this year 2015 where the Specialist Vet Speaker will be talking about Hereditary Megaesophagus. Kimberley has spoken to the Specialist Vet in Bristol already and he agrees and is shocked that Garbo will be bred again and that Logan will be bred because this disease is hereditary and the parents should not be bred again.
Below is ALL about Crown’s Circle of Life at Springhaze’s bloodline it is all completely TRUE.
You certainly understand where my passion for this breed comes from, and therefore all my frustration with the careless, ignorant breeding that goes on. The number of puppy buyers I hear from, crying because their Swissy's seizures are out of control and telling me that they had no idea epilepsy was an issue in the breed, or that their breeder told them it was not an issue in their lines, or that it was in all lines (and therefore what I'm doing is no riskier than anyone else)...it makes my heart sick.
When I got ?, the breeders told me that one of his aunts had had A seizure, but that since she'd been in a car accident they really thought it was related to that. I was naive, and figured that since they were even bringing up epilepsy, I was getting the truth. Far from it. Now they may not have known this, because it was their first breeding, and -- but it's only for lack of not trying to find out -- his mother Queenie (owned by Amber & Michael Rusk) had THREE littermates with fullblown epilespy (two of whom were already dead from it) and a 4th who was a flybiter.
As I said, it was the Rusk's first litter and they were being totally mentored by Kristin Kleeman (I think she was definitely burying her head in the sand as so many of our BIG breeders are) so they trusted her. My male wound up being the 1st of 2 (out of 4 puppies) in that litter with epilepsy. It didn't help, of course, that my dog’s father (Ch. Derby’s Xcalibur Tug O War) also had epilepsy! Queenie his mother (Ch. Rina’s Crowned Queen V. Derby) was bred a second time, had two puppies, and one of those started seizing at 7 months. Now this was before my male started seizing so they did not breed her knowing that they'd produced it in the first litter.
To make matters worse, I came to know someone with a violently epileptic dog named Jett, down in TN. He was bred by Whispering Palms in FL. It turns out that Jett's mother was a littermate of Queenie. Now that breeder definitely SHOULD have known what was going on in Crystal's/Queenie's litter. Oh, and the icing on the cake is that Cyrstal was a return, because she failed her Hips, yet she was bred anyway. Sadly, Jett succumbed when he was 4 years old.
You are totally right about things like overbites being a simple recessive, and having to come from both sides. And we don't believe epilepsy is a simple recessive...but I think it still may be recessive. It just might be polygenic, which makes it a lot harder to figure out. I am still inclined to think that it is recessive, otherwise we would see a LOT more of it when a carrier is bred.
I also have to believe that there must be different levels of carriers -- maybe there is also incomplete penetrance? We will never be able to avoid breeding carriers, not in our lifetime. In fact, I believe that we won't even have genetic markers for epilepsy in Swissy in my lifetime, as sad as that is. Not enough is being done. I look at other breeds with serious epilepsy issues, and many are taking the bull by the horns. The Springer Spaniel club has a whole foundation set up to raise money for epilepsy research. The Mastiff club has a Seizure Disorder committee. We have nothing, other than throwing a few thousand dollars here or there at some ongoing studies. At the end of the day, I don't think the leadership in our breed really wants to make a big deal about epilepsy, as it must compromises the marketability of Swissies. And much of the leadership in our breed, at least here in the states...they derive their income from breeding. It's not just a hobby for these people. They market themselves as professional breeders. Epilepsy is bad marketing for professional breeders. And that's why I am a lightning rod of controversy :)
The e-mails I receive from people -- the stories they tell me about their breeders and what they were told, what they WEREN'T told by them...it's heartbreaking. Some have obviously been threatened by their breeders to keep their mouths shut -- some have even recanted, after telling me VERY explicitly what their breeder told them about epilepsy in general, in their dog's lines, etc. Suddenly they write back with "oh, I must have misunderstood Breeder X. I misunderstood when I thought she never told me epilepsy was a problem in this breed, and when she later told me that none of her dogs had it or produced it... She is wonderful and cares so much about the breed."
Oh, and the breeder in the UK who imported the Crown dog (Springhaze) ....I personally wouldn't touch the sire's pedigree. And those same people imported a bitch from Jen Mangiapelo (Jenuine), right? Derby's All Dressed Up (the mother) is a definite epi risk, that I know first hand) and I just heard recently that the Jenuine bitch in the UK has produced it herself. No surprise.
My own thoughts: All the concerns and proof have been given to UKAS who are only managing the Assured Breeder Scheme since so far, only Springhaze is an Assured Breeder. Clearly they have been allowed to get away with far too much already by the KC who turns a blind eye and does not investigate fully seeking veterinary proof etc. The GSMDC should never have been approved and accepted as the club for the UK and we are now aware that the GSMDC is only Provisional now so something must be going on, an investigation we do not know at the current time. The GSMDC allows for all sorts to carry on with it’s breeders some health screen some do not it must be UNITED with ALL breeders doing ALL health screens for breeding and not breeding from “altered” dogs i.e. operated on. Not deliberately breeding from known parents who have produced Epilepsy and whose parents have produced Epilepsy. The club recognised, it was swept under the carpet, nothing is being done here in the UK just like in the US with regards Swissies and Epilepsy, it is so wrong. The AHT (Animal Health Trust) here in the UK asked why the Swissies here in the UK that died, why a blood sample was not taken and sent to the AHT. I said because it’s a SECRET! No one must know.
Epilepsy is unknown no test to diagnose but some combinations are more toxic than others and clearly the GSMDC has not done it’s research properly, the two latest import male pups the GSMDCGB passed on the Swiss Star litter and would not have gotten anything from the Quarterworld one either.
I was informed by the KC a few weeks ago now that the GSMDC is only Provisional, the lady I spoke to said they were under investigation not that the GSMDC puts that out publically. Sure there are lots more of them because they have churned out the litters but all the rehomes they continue to have, all the deaths from Epilepsy and Bloat in a few short years. Definitely not a club for the KC to recognise and promote. Not provisional any more!!!! This was back in 2013 not provisional any more sadly.
