ABOUT Barbara

My name is Barbara Ruth Smith. I was born in the United States. I have lived in Sweden since 2006, with my partner Mikael Tofthagen.

We live in the country, 30 kilometers from Ludvika (Dalarna) with our Whippets and a Tervueren.

I got my first dog (a German Shepherd) when I was 13 years old. I have been a breeder since 1978 of Whippets, and Border Terriers. I have also co-bred Parson Russell Terriers with Mary Strom

of the well known and very successful Snow Wind Kennel in Oregon, USA and co-bred Scottish Deerhounds with Lynn Robb of Tannochbrae Fame.

I became an authorized judge with the American Kennel Club in 1997. I have judged all over the United States as well as Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia, Hungary and Latvia.

In 2009 I became authorized within FCI as a Swedish Kennel Club judge.

Both Micke and I feel very strongly about health testing all of our dogs before breeding. That includes the use of our stud dogs. All our males are eye tested and are heart ultrasounded,

in addition to those tests our girls are also tested for correct thyroid levels. Before a bitch will be approved for breeding to any of our males they must undergo at least a heart ultrasound

and an accredited eye test (ögonlysning) with no remarks