Showsight August 2020

KeeNorth Keeshonden E L I Z A B E T H F O R T I N O

It all began in 1989... A Keeshond rescue named Timber found its way into my home and heart. I grew up with many different breeds of dogs, however the Keeshond was not among them. A couple years later a puppy named Tug came to my home as company for Timber. They were wonderful companions and lived to be 14 and 13 years of age. In 1996, Cinder joined Tug to keep him happy but came with a contract that required me to “show her” and get her championship. I was ”hooked” after the first show. Richwoods Special Forces “Tank” came to join our family and went on to win many championship titles in Rally and Obedience, and Conformation, including reserve Best in Show at the UKC competition. He also received his Canadian Championship. Daughter to Tank, KeeNorth All About U Haiti, went on to achieve her Silver Grand Championship, Best of Opposite and Best of Breed competition at Eukanuba in 2011 and 2013. She also took select bitch at her first Westminster competition in 2014. I remain a Owner-Handler, breeding, raising, grooming and showing my own dogs. My goal is to produce quality Keeshonden representative of the breed standard in health, soundness and structure. I have met and learned from selective breeder mentors to determine what type of dog I like and desire to breed, carefully selecting a dog by pedigree and hands on observation. In the past 10 years, I have had 7 litters and been fortunate to achieve championships on many of these puppies. In 2015, Haiti’s son KeeNorth One Man Show achieved his Championship and Owner-Handler Best in Show at the Birch Run Michigan show. In 2016, Haiti’s offspring,

KeeNorth Off Broadway, “Ollie”, finished as the #1 Owner Handler Keeshond and his sister KeeNorth Off the Runway achieved her Championship and finished #8 in Top show Keeshonden bitches in 2017. I am excited to debut KeeNorth She’s Hot N Spicy “Chile” and her brother KeeNorth Havana A

Good Time “Cuba” this fall in the bred by class. I have served as President of the Great Lakes Keeshond Club and board member of Keeshond Club of America. In 2017 our club hosted the national Keeshond competition. I am self-employed as an agent for State Farm Insurance and live in northern Michigan on a 10 acre hobby farm, with 7 dogs, two horses and chickens.

SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2020 | 193

KEESHOND

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