Tiina Hallstén (Paukku before marriage 2009) has been breeding Kerry Blue Terriers under the prefix Slievemish (F.C.I. reg.) since 1988. The breeding is very limited; at home there are two adult Kerries and annually there is one or two litters. Puppies are always home-raised and they are used to people and adult dogs.
Tiina Paukku got to know the
Kerries in the beginning of the 80's when she met her husband Jari. At his home there lived a Kerry male, INT & NORD
Ch Finnish Winner '85'86 Merry Blue Tico-Tico who was the Top
Winning Kerry Male in Finland at that time. Those days Tiina had
a German Shepherd with whom she did do some training. The
Shepherd however had a severe hipdysplasia and he had to be put
to sleep. After that especially Tiina's mother wanted to have a
new companion. At the same time a year old daughter of Tico-Tico
had been returned to the breeder. So this Kerry bitch,
"Viivi" came to the Paukku's family for a test period
which "continued" for over thirteen years until
"Viivi" passed away at the age of fourteen.
After settling down to her new home "Viivi" alias Merry Blue Violet was taken to the shows and at three shows in a row she won the three certificates needed for her Championship. Also Tiina's interest in showing arose after "Viivi" returned home with rosettes and Tiina made her debut in the show rings in 1986. "Viivi" became very quickly International and Nordic Champion and later on also the Finnish Winner '89, she was also the Kerry of the Year in 1987 and 1988.
Due to the success in the show rings got Tiina more and more interested in the Kerries but also in breeding. So Tiina decided to breed "Viivi" and the first Slievemish litter was born in January '88. The prefix Slievemish was found on the map of Ireland; in the county Kerry there are Slievemish Mountains.
Tiina decided to acquire a Kerry of her own since "Viivi" lived with her mother. She was planning to buy a Kerry male from England but the Danish Gillycuddy kennel was closing down and offered some adult Kerries for sale. So an American bred male Trefoil's Hairy Kerry and a bitch Gillycuddy Cliara's Choice arrived to Finland in the fall 1988. These two dogs together with "Viivi" are the base of Slievemish Kerry Blue Terriers.
New additions to the breeding program have been a Russian import Karambolina (co-owned with Tuovi Korhonen) in 2000 and a Spanish import Zacarias de la Cadiera (co-owned with Sergei Kuzin) in 2002. At the beginning of year 2004 a pregnant bitch Ballisodare Bonny Ruffles came from the United States. Ruffles is now staying in a retirement home in Finland and enjoying her life. At the beginning of the summer 2008 came Elbrley's Flora Belle from the U.S. to Finland. In August 2010 arrived Vaya Tela de Balio from Spain to join the Slievemish team.
There has been 33 litters in the Slievemish kennel. Slievemish
Kerries have been exported to Russia, Poland and the United
States. Slievemish Kerries have achieved numerous Group and Best
in Show wins and placements in Finland but also in Russia,
Poland, Estonia and Sweden. Up to date Slievemish kennel has
produced more than 70 Champions. Also the Slievemish breeder's
classes have won Best of Breed Class as well as at the big
international shows as at the breed Specialties. The Finnish
Kennel Club's Award for excellent breeding (Vuolasvirta Award) as
well as the Breeder's Awards of the Finnish Terrier Assosiation
and the Finnish Dog Breeder Club have both been awarded to
Slievemish kennel.
In her breeding programme Tiina finds the mental and the physical health very important. She uses only X-rayed and if possible also eye certified (abroad they don't always examine the eyes) dogs for breeding. Also PNA is something to bear in mind and when possible Tiina breeds from stock that has no known carriers of PNA in their pedigree. However, Kerry Blue Terrier is so small breed even worldwide that nobody can afford to be fanatical for any feature. For example, if the dog otherwise fills up the breeding criteria but has a mild hipdysplacia can it deliberately be used for breeding. Only with the temperament Tiina is very unconditional; a Kerry must be friendly to people, outgoing and lively.
Although Slievemish Kerries have had success in the show rings Tiina doesn't sell the puppies as show dogs since she thinks that it is most important to find a loving and active home for the puppies. She likes to be in contact with the owners even when the dogs get older. There are many Slievemish Kerries that are enjoying themselves in agility or obedience besides the show rings.
Text: Kirsi Hallstén-Karvinen