Welcome To
MISTY VALLEY GREAT DANES

We acquired our foundation bitch, Rockbridge’s September Inga, from Leon Reimert in 1975. This was only after buying and studying nearly every Great Dane Book in print and attending a years worth of dog shows.

Inga’s sire and grandsire was the illustrious, top producer, Ch. Ashbun Acres Avant Garde. Inga, who was the result of a father to daughter breeding, was tightly bred to produce and PRODUCE she did!!! Few breeders, even back then, would have undertaken such a risky inbreeding, nor should they without a vast amount of knowledge and experience. We give great credit to Leon for his knowledge and efforts in establishing a "producing" pedigree for us to work with.

Due in part to this fantastic, tight pedigree and a little "homework" on our part, (plus a smidge of good old fashioned luck) our very first litter from the breeding of "Inga" to Ch. Sunridge’s Ragtime Cowboy Joe produced our first champion, Ch. Misty Valley’s Andromeda in 1979. He went on as a "Special" to many Breed and Specialty wins, handled by Carol Whitney. He was our first of 3 homebred Top Twenty ranked dogs. We lost him to bloat and torsion during a long, hot, stressful trip. Gratifyingly, many pedigrees today have the benefit of this handsome dog, in spite of his abbreviated 2-1/2 years of life. We ourselves, naively and regretably, never took a puppy from any of his breedings. He produced 11 champions in his short life span.

Our stock continued through Andromeda’s sister, from a repeat breeding, Ch. Misty Valley’s Deja Vu . This elegant, tall, typey bitch was owner-handled to her championship (often competing against and winning over Andromeda get that were professionally handled) and to many Breed and Group placements. Nothing like having to compete against your own in the hands of the professional handlers!!!

We bred Deja to Ch. Reann’s French Aristocrat (another Top producer and a close linebreeding) to produce Ch. Misty Valley’s Heir Apparent, from a litter of only 2. Actually Deja came from a litter of only 3 --- so I guess if we have a motto it would have to be "Quality, not Quantity!" Ch. Misty Valley’s Heir Apparent, "Axel", was owner-handled to his championship, as well as many Breed and Group placements. In fact, he was Top 20 ranked for the year 1989 (our second Top Twenty dog), owner-handled, of course. Although he was not used extensively at stud (in spite of living to the age of 9 years) he produced to date, 8 Champions (see list). We still have a quantity of his frozen semen available for very discriminant, quality breedings. His newest champions from frozen semen are littermates, Ch. Owlwatch Sun See 'N Heir (owned by P & J Gray & P & J Lawrence), Ch. Owlwatch Heir Ways (owner handled by Jim Remauklas) and Ch.Owlwatch Majestic Heir,(owned by Carla Waechter), all bred by P & J Gray & P & J Lawrence.

The next chapter of our breeding history is based on the breeding of an "Axel" daughter, Misty Valley’s Kabuki (Ptd.) to Ch. Owlwatch Aztec Sun(another Top producer). This breeding resulted in a whopping number (for us) of 5 puppies. We kept 2, now both champions: Ch. Misty Valley’s Liliuokalani (named because of our 25th Wedding Anniversary trip to Hawaii) and Ch. Misty Valleys Logical Choice (named because he was!). Ch. Misty Valleys Logical Choice, "Abner", finished at age 2 with 3 majors on the Fourth of July, owner-handled as usual. We then started his sister, "Lani", who finished in less than 2 months with 3 majors also (one major, a 4 Pt. Specialty win).

Ch. Misty Valleys Logical Choice accumulated 197 breed points for the year 1998, since finishing at mid year. This was not quite enough to rank him in the Top 20 for 1998, but we finished off 1999 with 684 breed points and 2 Group 3’s and a Group 1. This ranked him 10th overall in the U.S. for 1999. As Breeder/Owner/Handlers, we are very proud to have gotten 3 different dogs into the Top Twenty over our breeding/showing history.

We express our extreme appreciation to all the fine judges who have recognized our breeding efforts over the years and to the many fine breeders who have honored us by making our pedigrees part of theirs!

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