Kennel    - vom Appenzellerhöckli -

A big love ...


Tanja Valentinelli


Since my childhood I was fascinated of the beauty and the character of the Appenzeller Mountaindog.

As the housing situation finally allowed it to have a dog, my husband and I decided to take a small „Appenzellerin“ to us. This was a decision we will never regret.


In the beginning we were confronted with a lot of prejudices about the Appenzeller Mountaindog. Known as a difficult to handle dog which barks all the time, we made with our Kira a totally different experience:


Kira is very sweet and affectionate. She barks very rarely and leaves walkers and their dog silently, but still curious passing our house.

But when a hiker behaves conspicuously, Kira can‘t resist a subtle growl, as well .

If everything goes well, Kira makes the „Ankörung“ (the big test to start breeding) in spring 2008. So, there will be other small Appenzellers with the same wonderful character.


In July 2007, Elisha came. She is a small, sweet whirlwind and shows already in her tender age the intelligence and intrepidity of an Appenzeller.


Kira and Elisha are trained as family dogs. The fitness in everyday life is in the foreground: A good deal with children, visitors and strangers.

The two often accompany us to school, shopping, are accustomed to different sources of noise (crowds, machinery, etc.) and the social contact with other dogs will be promoted. The intensification of the human-dog relationship is crucial here (clear distribution of roles in the pack, the dog can rely on its people).


Because we live in the countryside, both are used to have contact with other animals. In our neighborhood are sheep, goats, cows, chickens and horses. In addition, geese belong to our „pack" too.


Today in the education of dogs it is important to advance the intelligence of the dogs in a meaningful way: Kira and Elisha find intensive work with mental work: track training, braingames etc. belong to the daily routine.


Kira‘s and Elisha‘s love is always to discover something new.


In July 2008 Jbor, a 15 weeks old male Appenzeller Mountaindog, came to us. He is a very dear, considered guy and in his tender age very affectionate and very human-friendly. In the short time he has very well settled in our „Appenzellerhöckli“.


In January 2010, when three of our B-litter puppies were still with us, our Kooikermädchen Noemi came to us. Outwardly so different,the character of a Kooikerhondje isn‘t so much different to an Appenzeller. She has super integrated into the pack and is respected by the great.

She also accompanied me from the beginning at my work in an internal school of a children-home, where she is a super cool assistance dog in the animal assisted therapy with children and young people like our Appenzellers.


Unfortunately we had in February 2010, just the way how this can happen in the Breeders life, playing a stroke of fate.

Elisha had long problems with her right leg, which was limping again. Multiple investigations were always unsuccessful. At a further examination in February, it turned out that Elisha had a patella dislocation. A specialist confirmed the results and the next day Elisha was just operated. As it turned out, it was the right time. There are no consequential damages. Elisha is therefore not available for breeding, as this dislocation is clearly inherited. Our goal is besides breeding family dogs to breed healthy dogs. Although Elisha would have been a super mom, what she shows us with Kira‘s litters, so it‘s very sad about this fact.

Elisha has since recovered from the surgery fine and was neutered in May 2010.


Unfortunately, life has sometimes very specific ways. In the end of summer 2011, I was confronted with the issue of adivorce.


With a heavy heart I had to look for a new home for Elisha, and I found a wonderful one for her. Since the end of October she lives with the family Nick in the northern Bavaria.

Jbor lives with my parents in Austria.


At the moment it seems that there will be no more litter from the "Appenzellerhöckli“, but you should never say "never". Who knows what will come.


For questions and information regarding the Appenzell and Kooikerhondje I am of course always available.

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Tanja Valentinelli – Rutlenstrasse 16 – CH-9413 Oberegg / +41(0) 71 891 73 16 / +41(0) 77 406 75 74 / tanja@appenzellerhund.com