CARA MO ANAM

 

‘Cara mo Anam’, why this name?

This is a Gaelic name, it means ‘friend of my soul’. You can try to hide your feeling, but a Saarloos looks through it and sees your character, your soul.
This is also an important theme in Celtic and Irish stories: It’s what is on the inside that is important, not the outside. And that’s the reason why I choose Celtic names for the dogs that I breed.


Some background regarding myself and my dogs.

My name is Petra van de Schoot and live in Oirschot, the Netherlands. But let’s begin with Kaila, my first female dog and the founding mother of my kennel. Her officially name is De Kaila de Louba-Tar, she was born on the 22nd of june 2003. Louba-Tar is the kennelname of Corrie Keizer, a leading expert in breeding Saarloos Wolfdogs. While at Corrie’s, it was Kaila who approached me, still puppy of three weeks! A month later, upon my second visit, it was once again Kaila who came to me. So, it was not difficult for me to choose my dog or was it Kaila who chose me!

My second bitch is Arawn Cara mo Anam, a daughter of Kaila, born on 28th of march 2007. We call her Wolf. From about three weeks of age, it was clear that Wolf was a rather reserved dog. Because of this typical Saarloos quality I decide to keep Wolf with me.

The third dog’s name is Adsullata Cara mo Anam (or Alpha). Also Kaila’s daughter and sister of Wolf. She’s living here in Oirschot, in a shared ownership and therefore still a member of my kennel.

In the mean time number four has arrived. A male, born on the 23th of januari 2008. His official name is Sun Gifu Camac Tire, but we call him Mac.

There is a lot of space for Kaila, Wolf and Mac around my house. During the day the dogs are free to roam throughout the house and/or the garden. At night the three have quit a large enclosure (more than 800 square metres) with trees and plenty of shelter.

My wolfdogs are indeed very important to me. But I also have other animals: my two bearded dragons. With my husband, Geert, and our two children Toine and Moniek the family is complete.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us either by telephone, Geert and I speak English (more or less), or preferably via e-mail.

The Saarloos Wolfdog.  

The Saarloos is a crossing of the european wolf and the german sheperd. This breed was officially recognised in 1975. The dog’s appearance wolf like, look at his head and eyes. The male’s height can go up to 75 cm, bitches are about 65 cm. The wolfdog’s coat is usually wolf-grey, one of six is bush-brown, white is also an accepted colour but is very rare.

The Saarloos Wolfdog still has wolf like characteristics such as reserved, independent and pack orientated. The Saarloos is very loyal but because of their independent character not the easiest dog to train. An owner needs to be patient and very consistent. You will be rewarded with a dog that is very devoted and reliable, a quality which make him a good family-dog (this family is considered as his pack). However one must remember that a wolfdog has a reserved/cautious character and this can become evident in their reaction to strangers or unfamiliar settings. After all the first instinct of a wolf is flee or avoid uncertain situations.
This is something that is easily dealt with once you learn how to anticipate your dogs reactions. Bottom line is .. A Saarloos will almost never be a Labrador Retriever


How to bring up pups, as I see it.

The pups stay in our house, with and between us and our children. The first three nights I stay with the mother, after this period the mother is used to her new situation.
I believe that a young Saarloos gets used to people in a proper way when you keep them in your house. This is important, I think, to minimize reserved character of this dog.
The contact with the mother is equally important. Through mother the pups learn to behave themselves as socialised dogs.
When the pups are seven weeks, they can move to their ‘new family’, without problems.
And get used to the ‘new houserules’.
 
One has to remember that a Saarloos Wolfdog is a special dog who needs a comprehensive/strong master and stable family.
When somebody contacts me because he or she is interested in a Saarloos puppy, I first need to know if they know anything about the Saarloos and their unique character and what that entails with regards to training and living with a Saarloos.
Before I am willing to depart with any of my dogs I need to know that he/she will be brought up by people who know and have the means to care for them in a way that they deserve.
There is no greater joy then knowing that both the owner and the dog are happy with each other.