In discussions with potential puppy buyers, we find ourselves explaining over and over the numerous venues in which our Cher Car Kennels bred dogs compete.   We have now come to realize that this is an important part of research for many, and decided to make something readily available for those that inquire about what our dogs do to use as a measuring stick for what they can expect their Cher Car Kennels puppies to enjoy.

Cher Car Kennels embraces the United Kennel Club “Total Dog” philosophy which promotes the working aspect of the pure bred dog, and we strive to produce dogs that look AND perform equally well. 

We produce dogs that enjoy protection sports, obedience, nosework, agility, rally, dock jumping, terrier racing, lure coursing, flyball, barn hunt, weight pull AND compete in the show ring.  We don’t just dabble in these sports; we compete and title our dogs.  We also have produced numerous dogs working in search & rescue, as service assistance dogs, medical alert dogs, detection dogs, tracking dogs, etc.

Cheryl Carlson started breeding back in 1977; before the internet with youtube videos and before personal desktop computers allowing storage for thousands of digital photographs.  It is literally impossible to reconstruct the titles earned by the dogs Cher Car Kennels has produced!

The best we can offer at this point is to present what records we have been keeping during this decade, and add to the totals each successive years’ figures.  Needless to say, the service to society brought by the more than 350 Police Service K-9s bred by Cher Car Kennels is beyond measure when compared to the performance titled dogs we have produced.

That being said, here is a SMALL portion of “what our dogs do”.

Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores, a title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in record and in memory for as long as anything in this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better in that regard.

And though the dog itself doesn’t know or care that its achievements have been noted, a title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count.

A title says your dog was intelligent and adaptable, and good-natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed.

And a title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with it because it was a good dog, that you believed in it enough to give it yet another chance when it failed, and that, in the end, your faith was justified.

A title proves that your dog inspired you to that special relationship enjoyed by so few; that in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return.

And when that dear short life is over, the title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of pride in one small set of initials added to its name.

A title earned is nothing less than love and respect, given and received, and permanently recorded.

The Dutch Shepherd Dog Club of America presented a commemorative engraved plate to Carolyn Muessman and Dutch Shepherd “Ellis” (Multi-HIT RBIMBS EN CH Cher Car’s American Freedom SPOT-ON) congratulating this team for earning the UKC Elite Nosework titles. UKC registered Dutch Shepherds participate in UKC Nosework in a BIG way, with 154 nosework titles earned in 2017, 147 titles earned in 2016, 130 titles earned in 2015 and 87 titles earned in the UKC nosework inauguration year of 2014. Carolyn and “Ellis” are the fourth Dutch Shepherd team to earn this esteemed title.