Dove vom Bergsteiger UT III NA I "Dove"
KS Ariel v Hege-Haus x Anja v Bergsteiger

Sire:  KS Ariel v Hege-Haus   Dam:  Anja v Bergsteiger
Gender:  Female   Whelped:  July 30, 2001
Weight:  64 Pounds   Height:  27 Inches
Color:  Liver Ticked and Patched   Pedigree   AKC Pedigree   DK Pedigree   PennHIP

Before I purchased Dove, I made a wish list.  I wanted an adult bitch of substantial size, high prey drive, superb conformation, and a Wright coefficient over 25%.  I figured I'd never find what I wanted, but was happy knowing I had a goal that would keep me to two dogs in the house for a while.

Within a month and without looking, I found Dove.  Dove is 27" and 64 pounds.  So she has the size I wanted.

Her prey drive is her biggest asset.  She hunts like a machine.  Nothing stops her, or even slows her down.  Her athletic ability allows her to go over or through obstacles most dogs would go around.  She has tremendous water love and will swim whenever she gets near it (even if the ice isn't out).  In the field, she runs at medium to large range.  It naturally adjusts for cover and terrain, meaning she runs big for the Grouse woods and bigger in the field.  However, she does check in at regular intervals without being reminded to.  What she lacks in cooperation, is made up for because she can stand up to training.

Her confirmation is, without a doubt, superb.  Only her overly-large size would keep her from doing well in the show ring.  An AKC bench judge's first reaction to her was "she's stunning."  She covers ground rapidly and, thanks to her "long" nose and strong instincts, slams on a very stylish point.

Dove is the product of careful line breeding that goes back to pre-war Germany.  Her father and great-grandfather is KS Ariel v Hege-Haus, one of the top Shorthairs in the country.  She is Hege-Haus line-bred for too many generations to count.  Her 10 generation Wright Coefficient is over 33%.  I have tried to count all the Kleeman, Reichs, and World Sieger titles in her pedigree and have lost count several times.

In addition to performing well in the field, she has tested well in NAVHDA.  Dove passed her Natural Ability Test with a Prize I and her Utility Test with a Prize III.  This was my first passing attempt at handling a Utility dog, and I'm sure I cost her some points.

Dove has the tightest hips of any bitch I know (I only know of one male with slightly tighter hips).  Her PennHIP scores are .19 and .22.  She is in the top 10% of the breed (probably the top 1%).  Hip dysplasia is extremely rare with PennHIP scores better than .30.

Dove is a lot of dog to have in the house.  I have made adjustments and keep an eye on her.  In addition to having a lot of drive, she's smart.  So she figures out a better way to not get caught.  Dove sleeps on the floor next to the bed.

Dove loves to play with my nephews and nieces (aged 1 to 10).  She tends to bowl the smaller ones over with her size, but never intentionally.  Dove loves to chase the kids and be chased by the kids.  She is loving and affectionate, but thinks she's a lap dog.