Dear Sylvia and all the wonderful people at Skansen Kennel:

As with some of the other letters on your wepage, we were appalled when we read what was going on. I had not been on the site for awhile and was unaware of the issues. I in particular stay away from sites that cater to the breeds because unfortunately most of them are “cat fights” with who the current whipping boy is for gripes. Seldom is there anything of value on these lists – just a bunch of people gossiping, backbiting and cat fighting. And unfortunately the internet can be a great tool to “spread the word’ – good or bad.

We have been involved with Giants for 35 years with 14 in all. We are the fortunate owners of three of Sylvia's wonderful Skansen dogs. We have owned Giants for the past 35 years and have had a number of dogs from European Schutzhund dogs to "home bred" dogs, and finally our Skansen crew.

My first experience with Sylvia was her connection to my then young daughter Michelle who promptly walked up to her outside a show ring as a 12 year old and started talking about the Giants. I was not aware of this at the time, and was amazed when later a large brown envelope arrived from Skansen Kennel for my daughter with all kinds of information and books about the dogs, the ranch and Giants in general. All this for a 12 year old who asked some questions of an exhibitor at a dog show! Certainly the definition of a "gruff, callous, uncaring" person right? .

Several years passed and we got a boy from one of the "home bred - more intimate" breeders who by the time he was a young adult had juvenile cataracts. I contacted Sylvia, even though she was not the breeder of this dog and in no way connected, because I felt she was the most knowledgeable source for information about the problem and its possible genetic effects with the breed. She literally talked to me, a complete stranger, for well over an hour. She was very helpful with many suggestions. She also helped me to realize that I had not made the wisest choice in my breeder and that in the future I would go to the "best".

Over the years, I heard "sour grapes" from individuals about "large scale" breeders like Skansen Kennels , etc. but I felt then and still do that it is just that - "sour grapes". If my three Giants - from different lines as Skansen's - plus a close friend of mine's Giant are examples of what larger breeders produce, then three cheers for Skansens and other kennels like them!!! Also a friend of mine once said when I was very successfully showing my other breed a Tibetan Spaniel – start winning and see who your friends are! How true! Skansen’s record of Champions speaks for itself. Why would people come back three, four etc. times and get Giants from Skansen’s if any of the slander was true.

Our first Skansen Kiki - Ch. Skansen's Very Very Special - was everything that you could possibly ask for in a Giant - Healthy, wonderful temperament, perfectly proportioned, and beautifully balanced. Kiki was our first experience with a breeder who literally "flooded" you with information (part of that "wasted" time Sylvia does for puppy buyers - hah!). We were ignorant at that time of the connection with what was being eaten and what you raised. Sylvia was responsible for setting us on the path of naturally rearing our Giants (and Cavaliers), a path we will never abandon. When we first got Kiki, Sylvia held my hand as I fed her the first raw meal - and I called in the evening not knowing any better. We followed Sylvia's regimen then (and now) with Kiki - as well as Rika and Kamuts - and she matured into a lovely bitch with a wonderful show career, great life camping, and generally living and hanging out with us. Kiki loved everything from showing to playing ball to sleeping in bed, long walks, swims with us, you name it. Our dogs go everywhere with us. All our canines are companions first and show dogs second. Kiki passed recently and is greatly missed. Of course after having Kiki we have never considered going anywhere else for a dog.

Later we got a second dog from Sylvia - Ch. Skansen's Rickshaw. Amazingly - same Healthy, wonderful temperament, perfectly proportioned, and beautifully balanced Giant - just luck - we don't think so. Rika again is everything we could hope for and now at 15 years of age still going strong . At 15, fully naturally reared, no health issues Rika runs and plays with our young 2 year old Giant and our Cavalier. Our newest pup, Skansen's U.R. the One is now a wonderful 2 year old boy. .Third time out - same qualities - Healthy, wonderful temperament, perfectly proportioned, and beautifully balanced Giant. Again everything you could possibly hope for and then some. Our friend, who I recommend get a Skansen Dog, has exactly the same qualities and the same kind of dog. This is not luck - this is 50+ years of hard work to produce the finest Giants in the world and Sylvia has succeeded.

As for the person who started the current round of slander – if you had a problem a grown up would have contacted Sylvia directly and expressed your concerns and then if not satisfied proceeded to the proper channels. As for arriving 2 hours late - Did it occur to her to call and let them know the problem and perhaps re-schedule for the next day. As for the coffee - I have never gone anywhere with the possible exception of one of my nail salons where I have been offered a beverage or anything else. As for Sylvia not being at her beck and call - how often do we go to a doctor only to find that we see the nurse practitioner or someone else and hardly ever the "professional". I cannot believe if she had called and asked to speak to Sylvia for a few moments when she was out there that she would not be accommodated. As for Sylvia ever allowing anything or anyone that would compromise the care of her dogs it is absurd. She would jump on it immediately and take care of it. As for "barking" dogs - please - as some have said - you can't get 3-4 dogs together without them barking and knowing how many dogs Skansen has on site - of course, once one barks - they all bark. As for smells - go to a farm and see what you smell. Was she shown dirty, smelly puppies or dogs - I think not.

As for the "home bred" dogs - I have had 14 Giants all together that have owned us and all but three were NOT Skansens. I by far had more problems with the 11 Non-Skansen dogs - everything from rage sydrome to general health issues - and these from "well respected home reared breeders". None were even close to our Skansens. I will take a Skansen any day over any other Giant with the exception of one kennel who has mentored under Sylvia for many years.

As I said before - Start winning and see who your enemies are. Sylvia has "won" on many fronts - Quality of Dogs, Development of Health Regimens, Research, Show Career and so many, many areas. And she has been doing this "forever". Those of us that love and appreciate her can only imagine how just plain exhausted you can be after some many years. It is the reason so many long time breeders "get out of dogs". Sylvia instead, because of her love of the breed, keeps her hands in the most important areas of education, research and development of the breed and its resource materials and continues to be our best source of information for the breed.

I only wish that I had the resources to spend time with Sylvia because - just looking at the "reams" of information she has sent us with our dogs - what I could learn from her would be invaluable. My husband and I have the greatest respect for her and her staff.

I have spoken at great length on the phone with Sylvia over the years on many occasions and every time she has been wonderful, helping with whatever issue was going on. I have spoken with several members of her staff and have the same respect for them. They also are very caring, professional people.

I guess it all boils down to either you love and respect Sylvia and her kennel or you don’t but those of us who do love and respect Skansen Kennel believe that we are a better person, a more knowledgeable person for having been part of the Skansen family.

Love to all from

Sheila and Butch Lietz,
Rika and Kamuts and Kiki from the Rainbow Bridge.