Trocken Bach Kennel

Frank & Marianne O’Leary would like to welcome you to the Trocken Bach Kennel web page.

I started hunting with German Shorthair Pointers in 1963 at the age of twelve. Since that time I have had the opportunity to hunt with some excellent hunting dogs and some that were not so good enabling me to appreciate the difference. In 2005 our GSP were getting older and we were in search of replacements. After months of unsuccessful searching throughout the Northwest Marianne found the Deutsch Kurzhaar (DK) web page and our involvement with the DKV and the Hege-Haus bloodline began.

My wife and I are first and foremost upland bird hunters in the truest since. We hunt wild birds primarily in the Dry Creek area near Walla Walla, WA, on or around the cattle and wheat ranch where Marianne was raised, which is now farmed by her cousin and his wife. We strive to have the finest gun dogs possible for our enjoyment and that of others which have the opportunity to hunt over them.

Trocken Bach loosely translate means Dry Creek. It is our good fortune our hunting area includes rolling hills cover with CRP and alfalfa fields. Additionally, we enjoy approximately five miles of the toughest creek hunting that one will encounter. It is our contingent that if a gun dog can hunt in Dry Creek they can hunt anywhere.

In addition to the intense field and water testing DK’s go through in the German DK system we hunt with each of our dogs in all types of conditions on a regular bases. We believe our dogs have some of the finest breeding available in the Deutsch Kurzhaar breed. Because of that we strive to make available a litter each year from one of our females.

TIME LINE:

October 2008	Bellevue KS vom Hege-Haus and Claudia KS vom Hege-Haus return to Walla Walla. Both dogs will be hunted on pheasants, quail, and ducks. Bellevue will be bred to Rosemarie KS vom Hege-Haus on here next cycle. Claudia will be hunted by Marianne and bred next fall. Atlanta KS vom Hege-Hof remains in Germany at the home of Mr. Bommers to be bred to Tobias KS vom Hege-Haus.

October 2008	Zwinger vom Trocken Bach enjoys remarkable success at the 2008 Dr, Kleemann Prüfung in Germany. Atlanta KS vom Hege-Hof, led by Mr. Bommers, passes with perfect scores and a 4h in the water search. Bellevue KS vom Hege-Haus, led by Mr. Thomas Hofstetter, passes with a 4h in the field search. Claudia KS vom Hege-Haus, led by Mr. Helmut Klotz, passes with perfect scores and a 4h in the field search.

July 2008	Claudia vom Hege-Haus, after inspection by Mr. Bommers, is purchased from the family Obenhaus in Germany. Claudia is a litter mate to Clementine. She will be sent to Mr. Helmut Klotz in preparation for the Dr. Kleemann Prüfung in October. Mr. Obenhaus is the same leader that owned and led Rosemarie in the Derby, Solms, and VGP before she was repurchased by Frau Stramann.

September 2007	Atlanta and Bellevue participate in the 2007 International Kurzhaar-Prüfung in Ampflwang, Austria. Atlanta, with Mr. Bommers as Leader, finishes with a perfect score and 4h’s in Nose, Pointing, and Water Work and is the first place dog out of the 198 at the examination. Bellevue, with Thomas Hofstetter as Leader, finishes with perfect scores and a 4h for nose and ties for third place. Bellevue remains in German to be used for breeding by the Hege-Hof Zwinger among others. Atlanta remains to be bred to Tobias vom Hege-Haus one of the top sires in the DK breed.

May 2007	Rosemarie’s pups are sent to their owners in Iowa, Tennessee, Virginia, Michigan, California, and Washington. Atlanta and Bellevue return to Germany for education with Mr. Bommers and Mr. Hofstetter respectfully in preparation for the 2007 IKP in Austria.

March 4, 2007	Rosemarie whelps the first Trocken Bach litter.

January 2007	Rosemarie KS vom Hege-Haus x Bellevue vom Hege-Haus are bred.

October 2006	Atlanta and Bellevue return to Walla Walla for the winter.

October 2006	Ussa is sold to a gentleman in the Netherlands.

October 2006	Yet another trip to Germany in 2006 this time for the Klub Rheinland VGP examination. Ussa receives 331 points (336 total points possible) and receives a Prize 1. Atlanta receives 334 points and receives a Prize 1 on her way to winning the Search competition at the examination. Atlanta receives 4h’s in search and water work.

October 2006	Bellevue receives 312 points (312 total points possible) at the VGP examination and passes with a Prize 1.

September 2006	Atlanta and Ussa pass the Solms examination with perfect scores. Atlanta receives 4h’s in Search, Pointing, and Water Work Search with the Live Duck.

September 2006	We make our third trip to Germany for the 2006 Dr. Kleemann-Zuchtausleseprüfung in Saarland, Germany. Clementine KS vom Hege-Haus in lead by Mr. Bommers and receives all 4’s on her way to passing the examination. During this trip Bellevue vom Hege-Haus is purchased from Mr. Siegfried Hofstetter.

June 2006	We make our second trip to Germany for the Klub Rheinland Zuchtschau (conformation show). Ussa is the SG3 female and Atlanta receives an SG (SG is the highest form a year old dog can receive). Clementine vom Hege-Haus is purchased during this trip and is left with Mr. Bommers for education for the 2006 Dr. Kleemann examination.

April 2006	Atlanta and Ussa pass the Derby with Prize I scores. Ussa receives all perfect scores (4 – very good). Atlanta receives all 4’s with a 4h (excellent) for search.

January 2006	Atlanta and Ussa return to Germany to Leader Klaus Bommers in Düboslar for their education.

November 2005	Rosemarie KS vom Hege-Haus is purchased as a birthday present for Marianne. This outstanding female was made available through the generosity of Christian Plange as a gift for Marianne.

October 2005	Atlanta vom Hege-Hof and Ussa vom Osterberg experience there first hunting in the Dry Creek Valley.

June/July 2005	We make our first trip to Germany to bring home Atlanta and Ussa as 10 week old puppies. During this trip we are fortunate to meet the who’s who in the DKV throughout Germany. We also have the privilege to visit the Hege-Haus/Hof Zwinger in Preussisch Oldendorf as guest of Christian Plange. During this visit we first see Rosemarie KS vom Hege-Haus.

April 27, 2005	Atlanta vom Hege-Hof is born.

April 20, 2005	Ussa vom Osterberg is born.

March 2005	Arrangements are made to purchase an Osterberg pup to be born in April.

March 2005	The Zwinger vom Hege-Haus name is closed by the DKV and Christian Plange opens Zwinger vom Hege-Hof.

February 2005	Arrangements are made to purchase a pup from the Hege-Haus Kennel when one is available.

January 2005	Contact is made with the Zwingers Osterberg and Hege-Haus.

December 2004	Contact is made with the Deutsch Kurzhaar Club in Germany.

October 2004	The search for replacements for our AKC German Shorthair Pointers begins.