Michelle
Jones-French:
I
want to take this time to thank you for stopping to view our site and read my
story. This will be a short biography of my experience with the Tosa
breed and horses.
It all started when I was at the tender age of
2. My grandfather on my mothers side bought raised and broke
Virginian ponies. This was not to be out done by my other Grandfather
(my fathers father). My grandfather started racing Quarter Horses. The
horses that did not make it on the track would come home. That is when I
really learned how to ride. These are young colts and fillies that
my grandfather would put me in the saddle to break them for western riding.
Now
I do not have to tell you I fell quite a few times. I never gave up,
even when I wanted to. My father and Grandfather would make me get right
back on the horse. This was an invaluable lesson. My grandfather
at his time was one of the top contractors in Southern Florida, a self made
man with a 4th grade education, that came from the hills of West
Virginia. Highly driven in his own right, still building houses at 80+
years old. My brother and I make jokes that our grandfather will out
live us.
I have experience in training, riding, and showing
problem horses. My love for and understanding of the horses has aided me
in their training, preparing them for competitions and in becoming a
great competitor. What I have learned from horses I have attempted to
transfer over into my training of the Tosa-Ken. I attended school to further
my specialization in training the Tosa-Ken. Then I began the search to
locate all the best trainers in the country in order to learn from them and
train with them.
My love for the breed and its honesty has led to a
partnership between my dogs and I. My primary goal is to improve the
breed in the way the Japanese intended for us when they first allowed us to
import this breed. In my opinion, no breed other than the Tosa-Ken is
worthy of its owner’s complete trust.
In keeping with my heartfelt belief in
the Tosa-Ken, I have successfully trained the two of the first
Schutzhund-titled Tosas in the world. The primary purpose of Schutzhund
training is to determine whether or not a dog is worthy of being considered
for breeding purposes. Originally intended for German Shepherds,
Schutzhund has for the most part been used to judge Shepherds and Rottweilers.
I have found that the Tosa-Ken has proven itself in protection work,
Schutzhund, obedience, search and rescue, and weight pulling.
The world-class bloodline that I acquired, along with my
ability to train the Tosa-Ken, has enabled us to form a partnership.
While there are other breeders offering the Tosa-Ken for sale in the United
States, StoneWall has always focused not simply on the bloodline of the dog,
but also on its temperament and performance. Other breeders, while
offering the Tosa-Ken for sale, have not successfully proven the true quality
of their dogs when compared to our relentless pursuit of the Japanese ideal.
I started with the Tosa-Inu in 1989. After I read about them in a book. At that point I went on
the hunt. I have diligently climbed my way up to the position I am at today.
I have many thanks to my dear friends in Japan. With out them none of
this would be possible.
Finally, in your search to acquire a Tosa, be sure to check your
references. Find out how far back the Japanese imports are on the paper
work. Ask the breeder about his or her goals. Be sure to
thoroughly check the paperwork of any dog in which you are interested. Don't
settle for anything short of a certifiable Tosa.
