Breeder Interview
With Maria Arechaederra, Ederra Kuvasz BY ALLAN REZNIK
important to have advisors from your breed’s country of ori- gin. My Hungarian friends, the late Paul Yuhasz and Art Sor- kin, taught me quite a bit and helped develop my vision. You have accomplished so much in a relatively uncom- mon breed. What breeding philosophies do you adhere to? I wish I had a sophisticated response, but to me breed- ing is an intangible blend of science, art and gut instinct. I’ve read all the great books on dog breeding but sometimes those methods aren’t always possible, especially in a tiny gene pool. That quest for unattainable perfection is what ulti- mately drives us as breeders. I’ve tried my best to blend pedi- grees focused on health, temperament, conformation and, above all, type. Breed type is everything and if it is not the altar at which you worship, then nothing else matters. I was taught that if a dog sticks its head through a hole in the fence you should immediately know what breed it is. In regard to Kuvasz, I often say that if you look across the showgrounds and have to do a doubletake as to whether it is a Great Pyr- enees or a white Borzoi, then it lacks Kuvasz type. Our gene pool is small and I’ve found that it is important for Kuvasz breeders to find and work with other breeders whose dogs complement the shortcomings in your own dogs. In my opinion, some of the best breedings in Kuvasz never occurred because of personality conflicts among people. We are as stubborn and proud as our dogs. For me, maturity as a breeder and, ultimately, a person was a process. It meant checking my ego at the door and minimizing the inclination toward kennel blindness. I believe my success has been in the ability to form breeding “cooperatives” with other breed- ers whom I respect, even those who don’t share my precise vision of the perfect Kuvasz. In fact, I believe I became a bet- ter breeder once I stepped out of my comfort zone and incor- porated lines that may have been different in style from those I preferred but still had great things to offer. Discussing and defending your view of the breed standard is an important part of a lifelong educational process. We tru- ly work as a team. Our finest dogs have come about through partnerships with the Kuvasz of Mauna Kea, Glacier Creek and Peachtree. How many Kuvasz (and now Pumis too!) do you typi- cally keep at Ederra? Tell us about your current facili- ties and how the dogs are maintained. We are a small, family-based operation and have, at most, one litter a year. Our home was a chicken ranch and sits on six acres in Silverado, California. We converted several struc- tures into kennels and runs. We typically average six dogs here at one time. The summers get very hot so we have two air-conditioned buildings and a treadmill where dogs can escape the heat and still get exercise. The Pumi is a new breed to us and a natural transition, giv- en my love of Hungarian dogs. We have three and are expect- ing our first litter this summer. I was recently elected Presi- dent of the Hungarian Pumi Club of America and I am excited for this new adventure. My passion has always been for the Hungarian breeds and I would someday like to be a judge, specializing in the dogs of Hungary across the groups: not only the Kuvasz and Komondor but also the Pumi, Puli, Mudi
Where did you grow up? I was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey. My parents fled Cuba after the Castro revolution. My father was an architect and would commute to NYC for work. In 1975 the family moved to Los Angeles when Dad went to start an architectural firm in Beverly Hills. Do you come from a doggy family? And if not, how did the interest in breeding and showing begin? I did not come from a dog family, thus my start was slow. My first dog was a Poodle mix. By age 11, I begged my par- ents for a purebred dog. Not being savvy in dog matters they bought a pet store Siberian Husky. It wasn’t the strongest start for a show hobby, but we had fun. My dog was healthy, but of poor breed quality. Nonetheless, that “pet” ignited my pas- sion to show and breed. He never won a point and we were mediocre in Juniors. Being self-taught is not a fast track for success, but it will test your determination and commitment. I bought the F orsyth Guide to Successful Dog Showing , sub- scribed to the AKC Gazette and devoured everything I could read about purebred dogs. Then one day I saw a Kuvasz in the AKC Complete Dog Book and fell in love. It wasn’t just the beauty, but the temperament and character. I knew imme- diately this was my breed. After finishing college and law school I found my first Kuvasz. Who were your mentors in the sport? I did not have a single mentor. It wasn’t easy with a geo- graphically dispersed rare breed, long before the internet came to be. I visited breeders of that era including Clau- dia Buss, Nancy McGuire, Loretta Ouelette, Mayling Koval, Marla and David Conkey and Sally Ferguson. I think it is also
120 • S how S ight M agazine , J une 2018
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