How time flies! Our little “schoko-crossie” has grown up. We did not regret having kept Epona with us. She has developed just exactly how we had imagined and has now completed our team.

She has grown up into a set bitch showing a lot of interest in all new matters. She ist good in realizing even unknown situations with competence and with sovereignty. She has preserved cleverness and a certain carefree mind, right from her youth, supporting her to manage requirements. She is a very sporty and active dog and she likes to accompany her mistress on bicycle. She has also a lot of fun in exercising agility which we have been doing during summertime as just-for-fun activity to maintain her personal condition on high level also outside hunting season. She likes to show her engagement in dummy-working, however, her temperament plays her sometimes tricks. From time to time she needs to be calmed down, enabling her to manage tasks in a concentrated manner. But by motivation, having had success and also by competition through her mother Darice, she comes very soon to the point again.

We prefer to focus our activities with Darice and Epona on hunting matters and here you can really see what Epona has got in her. She presents herself to be an obedient gundog, easy to handle and of high perseverance and persistence. In addition, she shows enthusiasmn for flushing and for pointing out ducks in the reeds. To retrieve small game is a distinct ability of her when working in the fields or in the water. Her good nose helps her to be excellent in blood trailing and to track the trails of wounded and not wounded game with high level of reliability. To my knowledge this fact can be put down to the original nature of hound which ist latent in many dalmatian dogs.

Epona very much likes the company of people and to cuddle up to them. Sometimes you can really observe her “attacking somebody” full of energy and insisting in her rights for praise and appreciation. She is full of confidence towards her people. In any case it is important to handle her with a certain strictness and to give her a positive support. Handling her without beeing strict she is clever enough to take advantage of any uncontrolled situation.
We hope to spend with Epona many more active years.