Hellfire Kennels

GCH CH Hellfires Dancing in the Dark

I've had a few breeding inquiries for this dog and it should be stated publicly, that Bruce was placed with my co-owner Jann Grant, on a NON-BREEDING agreement. Additionally, Bruce has failed three of his health screens as an adult and because of the serious genetic nature of his faults  he is officially wiped out of my breeding program, and most definitely should NOT be considered for others! 

I have been breeding a very long time, and since my very first litter I have taken genetic soundness and health screenings seriously. Bruce isn't the first nice dog to be washed out, and he won't be the last. I do this for YOUR benefit. I am most definitely not saying that every dog I have bred has been perfect, but there is a big difference between dealing with the MANY issues that can unexpectedly come up from fully health screened parents, and intentionally breeding a dog with serious faults. This is especially true of the rare breeds, with tiny gene pools, that can easily be overrun with serious issues bred in by unscrupulous breeders.  Then there is this fact: whatever is in my pedigrees was put there by previous breeders. 

Bruce wasn't the only nice male from my Maverick/Gwynnie litter. His littermate, Knox, GCH CH Hellfires Cusp of Aries, is nicer through the rib and body than Bruce, with far more substance and better bone. Same great temperament. You can see his OFA HEALTH SCREENS by clicking the link. 

Baby Chunk from our 2022 Twinky/Frank litter

 

 

 

2022 Sussex Spaniel Dog Show Results

Despite the limited showing this year, I somehow managed to finish 4 Grand Championships:

RBISX3 MBISSX4 GCH CH Hellfires Dancing in the Dark "Bruce" 

GCH CH Hellfires Cusp of Aries "Knox"

GCH CH Hellfires Serendipity is Marvelous " GG"

GCH CH Hellfire Has Faith in Me "Margery"

MBISSX4 RBISX3 GCH CH Hellfires Dancing in the Dark "Bruce"

Fly High Faith - In Memorium

We said goodbye to Faith today. Like the kindly lady she was, she just went to sleep and then slipped away in my arms.  She was 14. This is my first Sussex to cross the rainbow bridge...and ouch, it hurts. I will greatly miss her hourly woo woos and howling. I am so grateful she passed with peace and graciously saved me that awful, last trip to the vet clinic. She was a lovely, very thoughtful dog. She was the undisputed Queen of Couch Potatoes, the perfect house diva, and I will forever be thankful to Don Krueger for sending her to me.

Faith won 10 championship points before she had to be spayed during a csection for litter #2, which abruptly ended her show pursuits. She leaves behind 4 champion daughters, MBISS GCHB Marv, CH Rogue, CH Twinky and CH Margery (Large Marge), and 10 CH grand-puppies. Her wonderful legacy of fantastically long and luxurious ears and very sweet, gentle temperaments lives on.

Fly high and be free, Faithy! I already miss you terribly. We will meet again.

Orions You Gotta Have Faith

New Hellfire Sussex Champion

Hooray, put a fork in him, he's done! Knox finished his championship with 4 straight 4 point majors, all points over other champions, over the weekend. He also picked up 8 points toward his Grand Championship. Knox is a littermate to Bruce, my lovely puppy who went BISS from the Bred By Exhibitor class.

Knox is out of "Maverick" GCHB Sundowners Repeat Fire CD RAE RATO CGC X "Gwynnie" CH Hellfires Serendipity is Marvelous and is my 13th Hellfire bred Champion. Hoping to finishing this boys GCH in the spring, because we are definitely looking forward to less dog shows and more obedience and hunt tests!

CH Hellfires Cusp of Aries "Knox"

 

 

 

 

OFA Health Tested Dogs

I hauled Sussex and springers up to the Helena dog shows last weekend to have our eyes CAER screened. Montana does not have a veterinary eye specialist and field bred springers in particular are riddled with various genetic eye conditions and retinal dysplasias. When Dr Roberts from Colorado stopped coming to Montana a few years ago, he pretty much left us high and dry, with no replacement. I am very thankful that Dr Breaux, from Boise agreed to step up and will be coming back next year! 

I am thrilled to report that Baby Gem (FC AFC CFC Toby X Zozzy) and Smudge (Pod X Joules 2020) became my SIXTH GENERATION to pass with normal eyes...and 20 years of OFA normals through the same line of bitches. Proud breeder moment. 

Four Generations of my Sussex have been eye (and BAER hearing) screened with normal results. 

A car full of perfect Sussex retinas

Six generations of normal eyes!

Hellfire Sussex Spaniels | Our Show Dogs

We had an okay Sussex Specialty in Olympia, WA this past weekend. Gwynnie, CH Hellfires Marvelous Serendipity, came home with a Select + two Best Opposites and added 15 more points toward her Grand Championship, and then her son Bruce, Hellfires Dancing in the Dark, went Best in Show from the Bred-By Exhibitor class - what a thrill! Bruce is from my 2019 litter with GCHB Maverick x CH Gwynnie. He is my second Bred-By Specialty winner. 

The highlight was showing Maverick with his two gorgeous sons in the Stud Dog Class. To see them all together meant so much to me and I hope we get to do it again! As a breeder, this kind of class is so much fun, even the judges enjoy it.

Maverick with his sons BISS Bruce and Knox

BISS Hellfires Dancing in the Dark

 

 

The Beat Goes On

For Frank's 8th Birthday, Stewie gave him his 8th Champion offspring. Congratulations Scott, we are just thrilled for you!! 

PS: There are still at least 4 Frank kids in the dog show pipeline. 

First Shows of 2021

It was so nice to finally go to a dog show after 18 months on the sidelines! Both Jilly (my just turned 6 month old pekingese bred by Gwenn Nash - Katerings Pekingese)) and Knox the Sussex  had their very first shows in Coeur d'Alene. Both total noobs, you never know what to expect but my kids did great! Jilly went Reserve to the Major winner and beat six much older girls (Usually second place is annoying, but I was truly THRILLED!), and Knox won both his majors over 4 specials (champions, including a BISS) and won a Group 4 his first time going to groups. 

Knox is being shown as a Bred By Exhibitor - he is out of GCHB Maverick X CH Gwynnie

We are off and running!

Hellfires Cusp of Aries "Knox"

Sussex Spaniels 2021

 Champions beget Champions. Knox and his dad, Maverick at about the same age.  It feels like it has been forever since we have done a dog show, but Knox will be making his debut soon! Knox is out of GCH Maverick X CH Gwynnie. 

Hellfires Cusp of Aries "Knox"

GCHB "Maverick" RAE CD RATO TKE CGC

Hellfire Sussex Spaniels | Hellfire Kennels | AKC Breeder of Merit

We are members of the Pacific Northwest Sussex Spaniel Club and the Hellfire Sussex Spaniels compete in conformation, obedience, rally, barn hunt, hunt tests and tracking venues.  Every single one of my Sussex was OWNER/HANDLED to its Championship and Grand Championship. When showing Maverick, I  won 7 NOHS Owner/Handler Best is Show awards,. Additionally, I have finished three Top 5 dogs to Westminster Invitations. Thus far we have bred 11 champions, with a few more still to finish. 

We only occasionally breed our fully health screened, finished champions, and although we are no longer placing our puppies in conformation/show homes, we enjoy watching our puppies succeed in a variety of other AKC competition homes and as well loved family pets. If you are researching the breed, we have a helpful information webpage just for our little brown dogs  - feel free to ask questions about what it's like to live with one!