Especially dogs and horses.

I was born with a passion for speechless women because I always had a special place dedicated to them.

My childhood was right after communism, when there was chaos all over the country, and stray dogs and cats patrolled the streets. I adopted them, saved the injured ones, and took them home even though I knew the parents would scold me and throw them back into the street. I was collecting money to treat them and save them from suffering.

My parents never agreed with my inclination, they didn’t see the talent behind these facts, and what’s more, they scolded and despised me for what I was doing. Even so…. My passion has remained steadfast every time.

During elementary school, dog magazines started appearing. The world was beginning to be interested in purebred dogs, and it was starting to appreciate the cynological field.

Much information and many dog breeds were introduced in our country then.

To be able to subscribe monthly to magazines, I worked during the day for some neighbors, and I cleaned the house. That way, I could fulfill my dream of reading puppy magazines from cover to cover. In a short time, I knew all FCI-approved dog breeds, their history, and their standards. I was simply a child encyclopedia in the field.

The time came for me to enter high school; with a scandal in the house, I supported my idea in front of my parents that I won’t go to high school if I didn’t get a purebred puppy. They agreed, and that’s how my first amstaff, Oscar, arrived in the family.

Why amstaff? However, there were hundreds of breeds to choose from…

The moment I entered high school was marked by countless filming, reports, news, and documentaries about the fact that the Romanian police had managed to detect dog fights, enter properties and confiscate the fighting dogs. I watched this kind of news on TV almost every day and saw those fighting dogs. Some of the footage was not pleasant, with bitten and maimed dogs, but behind it all, I was gazing at the beauty of those dogs, how they were built, how they looked muscular, strong-boned, those massive jaws and those big eyes and round that conquer you from the first sight.

In my study of breeds, even though I was just a child, I thought maturely and decided that a pit bull is too much for me; it is a sports dog that requires special attention and continuous work. But I wanted his docile brother, i.e., the amstaff 

Oscar was with me during high school, then he was a big and dominant dog during college, but I mastered him brilliantly. I always went out with him for a walk, and he was with me almost everywhere. The law specifying that minors cannot walk dogs of this breed had yet to enter into force.

The moment of the appearance of the first amstaff with a pedigree in my life was not far away. In the first year of college, I took Atena de Agervet, Agervet Târgoviște kennel, owner Mateescu Cosmin from the old bloodline of the first Amstaffs imported to our country.

With her, I officially entered this world and started to participate in exhibitions and do some mounts in the race. Although I had read and knew what it meant to breed purebred dogs without a mentor, a few things needed to be corrected. But man learns from mistakes 🙂

I should have followed my inner calling and gone to study at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and I graduated in engineering. Maybe I should have entered a dog training school and invested in this field, but there was always a fight with the Adults around me on this subject.

After graduating from college, I decided to return to my hometown. Here I found work in my field of activity, but the thought was actually about dogs and how to develop this field.

And it happened. It was love at first sight, with butterflies in the stomach, with exciting stories. Just 2 and a half months after we met for the first time, we got engaged and celebrated our one-year anniversary on our honeymoon. My beloved husband, the first man who understood me for what I am and who supported and continues to support me. My spiritual and mental support and everything that I am is because of the love we used to show you every day.

After the marriage, of course, the boom came. I started studying the bloodlines, the dogs, the shows a lot more. But the eyes stopped at blue amstaffs . I couldn’t get their Beauty out of my mind how they shine in the sun as if they were made of silver, how you can see the muscle fibers in this color. Eyes a little more gray than those of standard colors were much more beautiful in my vision. Amstaff blue entered deep into my heart, and I don’t think it can ever be removed.

So I bought the first 2 blue dogs. They were in age, they were 6 years old, brother and sister. Unfortunately, I did not manage to do it with them too many, but I kept looking to buy more good amstaff blue lines.

As many know, breeders do not appreciate the amstaff blue, especially the old ones, followers of ancient bloodlines. At the same time, the amstaff blue, due to wrong mindsets and ill-informed judges in their field, is considered to be outside the breed standard, although this color is specified as being accepted. Other illustrious minds discuss them as being dermatologically sensitive or having other health problems. I have personally seen and had many from many lines, and they are not any more unique in terms of health problems compared to those of standard color. On the contrary, through exhibitions, I can regretfully say that I have seen dogs of a standard color, predominantly brown, with bumps on them or with other severe dermatological problems.

All these facts and this amalgam of opinions and ideas failed to shake my opinion and passion about amstaff blue.

So I chose the most important dogs in the world and brought them into my budding line.

I did the breeding in America between my famous female Kalypso For Dragokan Soul Of Gryffindor, the champion of 3 countries, excellent 4 in Europe, club winner, genetically tested with remarkable results, and the victor in sports competitions, which denotes impeccable health of the specimen—bought from the kennel Soul Of Gryffindor Ukraine, owner my good friend Alina Nikulina.

And the famous Cimar’s Stainless Steel from Cimar kennel, Atlanta, owner Kelly Townsend. A male of worldwide interest with over 50 best-of-breed wins and 1st place at the American Nationals. A dog as beautiful as it is healthy with exceptional genetic results.

These 2 parents gave me 7 puppies, of which I kept 2. My central mount, the emblem of the kennel Dragokan Kratos in Front of All, has a rich track record and exceptional genetic results. And on Dragokan Kiss Me One More Time, champion and winner of the European class.

The second critical moment was when I chose Dragokan Kiss Me one More Time to go to Russia to meet Je T’Aime Iz Doma Allvik, European champion, world champion, veteran European champion. From this combination, 3 puppies came out. And from here, I started further with monte in general by inbreeding on the American side.

Unfortunately, I caught only these 2 vase males alive and could access them. But my searches did not stop. Thus I found to buy samples in America from 2 other males dead for 20 years, on blue color. Males who positively influenced the race in their glory years.

Being a breeder is not a state that lasts for a while; being a breeder lasts a lifetime when you want to create your bloodline.

There can be 2 variants:

1. To take over a line that already exists and continue it, and then you invest in the name of that line and shape your eye so that you do not move away as characteristics from the line already created by someone else.
2. Or you form your line as it is in your imagined ideal. Here one works for a lifetime to obtain those desired characteristics in accordance with the breed standard.

I personally chose option 2 from the beginning, although I always knew it was the most challenging way. Many will criticize and disparage me. I decided to invest in my dream, my vision, and the name I created.

There may be few amstaff blue breeders in the world, and it’s challenging because there aren’t enough specimens to promote and capitalize on. But one thing is sure: go ahead and fulfill your dream!

Be number 1 at any given time in raising and maintaining amstaff blue.

These are the words I hear so often when my husband Mugurel says them to me.

And because I can, because every time I think I’m moving forward, primarily for myself and my family Mugurel and Miruna, who give me strength and support in every moment of my life.

CLAUDIA DRAGUSIN