I was lucky to have been introduced to Danes during a time when, here in the East; there were many established active breeders. Dinro, Marydane, Danelagh, Lanes Turn, Harmony Hill and Murlo were all breeding and showing in the late 60's when I was just starting. My first Dane was a gift from my Mother (who has since concluded that she may have made a terrible mistake!). He was a big brindle male named Sandale's Little Brother,CD. He was out of Lanes Turn, Dinro and Mountdania lines. Strictly a pet, he was an excellent learning experience.

Several people helped me develop my interest in Danes. Early on, because I was living in an apartment, I co-bred several litters with Yvonne Croft of Lazycroft. My first champion, Ch. Lazycroft Zoe Sandale, came from a litter we bred by Ch. Ashbun Acres Avant-Garde out of Lazycroft Topaz. She finished in two months with Joel Rosenblatt handling her.

Through Yvonne, I met the Michaels' of Murlo and fell in love with Ch. Murlo Caesar and his son, Ch. Murlo Oliver. My first show dog was Lazycroft Sweet N' Sassy, a daughter of Oliver. She had 10 points and one major; I couldn't get that last major! She lived to almost 12, and was an absolute joy.

Through the Michaels' I met Rose Roberts of Dinro. In many trips to Dinro, I listened to people like Nancy Draper, the Booxbaums, the Feldmans, and 'youngsters' like Colette Jacobson and Eric Ringle. While a genuine character, Rose would be very helpful to you if you showed her that you genuinely wanted to learn.

The 'Murlo-look' was what I decided I really liked; a combination of Dinro, Mountdania, and Lanes Turn. The heads and expressions were lovely, the hindquarters exceptional, and the temperaments as well. I loved a bitch named Murlo Naughty Marietta and her daughter, Am/Can Ch. Murlo Jezebell. I specialed "Jezebell" during her short career, winning several breeds and a National Specialty BOS in that time. I finished her son, Ch. Regal Corbett, a well-balanced exceptionally sound dog that was bred only a few times and produced 8 champions.

My real Foundation Bitch was a daughter of Ch. Regal Corbett out of a Murlo bitch; her name was Murlo Sybil of Sandale,ROM. She was tall, sound and very pretty.

1. BISS Ch. Sandale's What a Guy,ROM.HOF (Top Ten Dane and sire of 35 Champions)
2. BISS Ch. Sandale's I Kid You Not (Top Twenty for 2 years, sire of 5 Champions)
3. Ch. Sandale's Private Dancer (dam of 2 Champions from her only litter, one of them a Top Twenty Dane)
4. BISS Ch. Sandale's Excalibur (sire of 2 Champions, one of them a multiple Group Winner)
5. Ch. Sandale's Taggett of Two Fox

This breeding combined several dogs I had admired, both for their own characteristics and for what they were producing; Ch. Reann's French Aristocrat, Ch. Stone River's Delta Dawn, Ch. Regal Corbett, Ch. Murlo Oliver and Ch. Murlo Caesar. Most of my subsequent breedings have been based on combinations of these dogs.

A bitch that I was fortunate to have acquired on a co-ownership with Sue Cates and Anne Toomey, Kaidane's Mainland Connection, has produced my current breeding stock. She is linebred on Avant-Garde with the Murlo lines. Linebreeding her to Ch. "Guy" and his son, Ch. Von Shrado's I'm a Macho Man, produced many quality champions. I have outcrossed to a Honey Lane dog, "Highlight", and BISS Ch Sarmac's I've Arrived , a very loose linebreeding, to add to my gene pool.

BISS Ch. Sandale's What a Guy will always remain my favorite. In a very limited Specials career, he was the number 8 Dane in the country in 1987. Some of his wins that are special to me were his two 5 point majors at 13 months at the GDC of Maryland Specialty under Chuck Whitney (handled by me) and Old Dominion KC under Lowell Davis (handled by me in the class and Terry Silver in winners), his Best in Specialty at the GDC of Central Pennsylvania with an entry of 304 and over 50 specials under Bob Edison, his Best in Specialty at Met. Washington over an entry of 155, and his two Stud Dog wins at two of our National Specialties and a Regional.

I co-owned Ch. Kaidane Positively Sandale with Sue Cates and Terry Silver. Terry, who has handled most of my dogs, took "Kendall" for training at 4 1/2 months; she lived there until she was 4 years old. After she finished I signed Terry on as a co-owner because it was obvious Kendall was hers. I also co-owned Ch. Sandales Got A New Attitude with Sherry Bosley of Maryland, Sandale-Kaidane Bookum Dano with Pat Silva and Ch. Sandale's Probable Cause with the Adams' of Massachusetts. I co-owned Ch. "Joey-Louise" (our favorite veteran) with Carol Ann Chaney for over nine years and we have co-bred many Champions together. We currently co-own Joey's grandaughter, the "Awsome One".

Co-ownerships have worked well for me. It gives the puppy a chance to be special (not just one of many) and it gives the people involved a chance to have a good dog to breed and show, and help from me when and if they need it. It broadens my base as I do not have and do not want a kennel. I do not interfere with the co-owners, and unless asked for advice, do not give it. I have great respect for all the people I co-own with and we all have common goals and work well together.