Kennel "Diaspora"
There are registered hundreds thousands of different kennels in the FCI and thousands of them are
breeding Dohermans. But quite few of them are approaching the outstanding results, real success,
recognition and leave their own trace in the breed. We call them "great", "well-known", "famous".
We are going to speak about one of such kennels. The Dutch stock "Diaspora" is one of the oldest
kennels, which is famous not only in Holland, but all over the world. It is functioning something about thirty
years and delivers for the world rings the Dobennans of high quality.
The dogs with "Diaspora" kennel name have similar phenotype and strictly give their advantages to the
progeny. First of all these Dohermans are differed by the wonderful combination of strength and lean -the
quality, which is highly appreciated in the modem population of Dobennans. Usually, all the dogs from
kennel possess deep drop-shaped bodies with extremely strong topline and well developed forechest
(forbrust), the absolute majority of them have beautiful angulations and movements. But nevertheless, the
main advantage of "Diaspora's dogs" is their character. The desirable combination of self confidence,
friendly disposition to people, Doberman temperament and nice fighting qualities.
What was the way to fame of this kennel? We asked to tell it the owner of the kennel Marianna KuipersKossen.
Rodion Kuzin
Interview with the breeder
Kuzin Rodlon: Why among the great amount of breeds You have chosen the Doberman?
Marlanna Kulpers-Kossen: It happened about 30 years ago - that time we were living in the other
place and just married. First I was breeding the Slam's cats, and when I started thinking about dog
breeding, my choice had fallen on the breed, which like the Siam's cats resembled me the Arabian
Horses. And I just couldn't choose the other breed.
K.R.: How was building the base of the famous in future stock? Tell us about Your first
Dobcrmans.
M.K.-K.: My first Doberman was the female with uncropped ears, and I was not very much happy
about it. She was not a real beauty, but possessed a wonderful character. She was one of the first
in Holland, who had passed Schutzhund. Her name was Diaspora v. Hageloo. Her name was given
to our kennel - *Diaspora". I got two litters out of this female. In first "A"-litter out of Blitz-Ero v.d.
Oostkant there was born only one, but very good puppy - female Abigail. In the second "B"-litter
Diaspora had whelped already eight puppies. Later, four of them were returned back to me. I still
don't understand, why the owners were not satisfied by those dogs, but I decided not to breed
Diaspora any more. After that, I had determined for myself some principles and since that time I'm
trying to follow them. My aim is to get the puppies, which the people are waiting for, which the
people want to buy - nobody will refuse from these puppies, they will appreciate them.
Once I was on the Winner Show in Amsterdam and there I saw the brown Dobermans. They have
conquered my heart! Also there I met Ernst Wilking and Sonia Franquemont, who was showing
the brown Delia v. Franckenhorst living in Italy. Her black Utter-sister Dewi was also participating
in the Show. I fell in love with Delia, and that's why decided to get the brown female.
I called Sonia Pranquemont and explained her, that I wanted to buy a beautiful brown bitch, that it
had to be a show-dog and that in future I wanted to breed that female. This kind of dog I could
wait for how long it needs. I didn't explain my plans to the husband.
Once Sonia called me and told that Besheva v. Franckenhorst had got a litter (I don't remember
now out of which male), and that out of this litter we could take the brown female. When we were
already getting into the car, suddenly Sonia called back and told us that the owners of Besheva
wanted to keep this dog. There was one more brown female in the litter, but with the white spot on
the chest. I didn't need the dog with white spot, so that time we didn't go anywhere.
We decided to wait... and in several months Sonia called again. She told, that there was born the
litter out of Arrow v. Buchenberg and Olive of Bamby's Pride (11.12.1974). There were two brown
females in the litter, and I could take one. I didn't have the possibility to choose, but it didn't stop
me, because out of such combination You could take practically any puppy.
We were unpassionately waiting till the puppies were born and in five weeks went to see them. In
the litter there were born one black and two brown females, and also some black males. We
looked at the puppies, but we couldn't determine "our" female as the other puppy-buyers had the
right to choose first. Among two brown females - one was not very big, with strong short topline,
the other was bigger and stronger in bones.
In 1.5 weeks Sonia called us again and told that we could not only take the puppy, but also
choose it. I was very surprised, as according to our appointment we didn't have any right to
choose. Nevertheless, then I could make my choice, and that was quite complicated, as the
females differed so much. One was still not very big, with short strong back and beautiful head (
for me she was a little bit like a Siam's cat), the other was very strong and of more spread bodyformat. I liked very much the smaller one -it was Iris v. Franckenhorst, which started the new
history of "Diaspora" kennel.
K.R.: So we can tell, that Iris v. Pranckenhorst became the basic female in the kennel. It was she,
who was the first brood bitch and gave the kennel the whole pleiades of champions.
M.K.-K.: Strictly speaking, she was the first one, because first two litters ( "A" and "B") I have got
from Diaspora. These litters were registered with "Diaspora" kennel name. My dog-kennel got the
same name as the cat's kennel.
Abigail - the female out of the first litter -was shown only
once. I didn't sell her, but gave her to my friends and hoped to use her in future. She got very nice
critics on the show. It was very beautiful female, but my friends didn't want to get any puppies and
so she was lost for breeding. In 10 years, when the dog had died, they asked me to find the other
one for them. At that time on the north of Holland there were born the beautiful litter out of
Caecilius Cassander, I went there to choose the puppy for them. It was Candida v.d.
Harwertersdijk, which was later bred to Bjorn v. Stokebrand - and at last (after almost 12 years) I
got "H"-litter, out of which they gave me the brown female -Haggai Hasjana. It was very good litter
and, as a result, the history finished successfully.
k.r. Your new breeding program has started with Iris v. Franckenhorst. Tell us about her first litter.
M.K.-K.: In July 1977 we brought Iris to mate with Guy's Hilo v. Norden Stamm, who exactly at that
time was staying in Germany for one week and just got the Bundessieger title. First he didn't want
to mate the female, but at least he did it. Later we learn, that 10 days before the mating he was
operated; during the mating female suddenly made the rude action, and seam was damaged.
Certainly, the next day he refused to mate her.
His breeder and owner - Jens Kollenberg turned to be the man of hospitality, and we were talking
till the midnight. The next day Hilo was feeling so badly, that he didn't want neither to run, to
jump, nor to mate the female - so we went home. Only after 9 weeks we understood, that our trip
was successful. I was sure, that Iris was pregnant, although everybody, who saw her thought the
opposite.
Touching the female I felt, that she was not "empty". She was already on the 66th day of
pregnancy ( for the dog it's already more than normal), when once at night I found out, that the
temperature was getting down (that is the old sign of determining the time of whelping). But
nothing followed it... and I called the vet. The dog was operated immediately. Later the vets
argued if it was really necessary. They said that it's better to make the operation earlier, when the
puppies were alive, than later, when they were already dead. As a result, there was born only one
puppy - the black male Caecilius Cassander v. Diaspora. And I was dreaming so much to keep the
female out of this litter! Nobody wanted to buy the male. Many people were interested in females,
but nobody wanted a male. And he rested with us - we kept him, showed and trained him.
K.R.: Was it the first champion born in Your kennel? M.K.-K.: Yes, it is really so, as except Abigail
nobody was shown.
K.R.: Caecilius Cassander at that time won all the significant titles the owner of Doberman could
only wish. He became World Winner, Bundessieger, IDC-Sieger, DV-Sieger, Winner Amsterdam.
And what was he in the usual life? Tell us about him in more details.
M.K.-K.: It was very nice dog - very sociable and friendly with people. But he was not very friendly
with the other males. Out of the ring he was always playing, sometimes even with the males, and
he never fought. None of my males were the initiators of fightings.
But in the ring he was behaving the other way. It was very complicated for me to show him, as this
big and strong male was always jumping, rushing from the leash and barking in the ring - it was
not easy thing to hold him in the ring. Once he was rushing with such power, that had damaged
my arm. But for the judge he was able to show all his best qualities. It was a real show-dog. As a
stud male he was first recognized in France. The majority of the females bred to him were from
France, in Holland he mated about 5 females. Lots of people criticized him, but there were also
lots of those, who wanted to use him. In such cases it was important for me to know, who wanted
to use him and with what kind of female.
According to my experience I know: if You are the owner of a good male, the people could be very
jealous. I don't like to speak about it, but it's true. The situation, which was around Caecilius
Cassander made me treat some people worthier. And I still remember, what they told and did
many years ago. It happened, that people could be very angry. Maybe, that's why since that time I
keep only females (I breed only one female per year) - and that is some kind of principle.
K.R.: But in spite of all the rumours around this wonderful dog, Ceacillius Cassander had left lots
of beautiful progeny. And how long did his stud, activity last?
M.K.-K.: Not very long. When he was only 5 years old, he had died out of turnation of the stomach.
From the very beginning I supposed it, but the vet said - no. And it happened, when I was going to
come back from France, where I helped my mother to take her parents from the hospital and bring
them home. I returned very late at night. Meeting me, Harry said: "Caecilius... He is not well." And
really, the dog was behaving very strange: all the time crying. And I supposed, he had the
turnation stomach.
At two o'clock in the morning I called to the vet, and he suggested we should bring the dog to the
clinics immediately. When we arrived, the dog was so temperamental, playful and gentile, that the
vet was confused... After two hours the vet told us, that he didn't determine the turnation of the
stomach. "Maybe, he has half-turnation. We will make him tranquilizing injection, the dog will get
quiet, and, perhaps, the stomach will return to its normal position.* The dog was made the
injection, then he was X-rayed twice - but nothing was found. Everything seemed to be all right.
The vet advised us to leave the dog in the clinics for future observation and to return home, and
promised, that he would be able to manage in emergency. It was 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning,
when we left, and the operation started at 8.30. At 12 o'clock the dog was still alive. I thing, that
about 15.00 he went out of the narcoses - that time the vet had left clinics... And at 6 o'clock in the
evening Caesillius Cassander had died from the heart attack. That was the end of his history.
рН be continue in g. "Doberman" ? 5/98