Meet Sylvia Hammarstrom: Master Breeder of Skansen Giant Schnauzers

**Sylvia Hammarstrom** of *Skansen Kennels* has spent more than 70 years breeding, raising, and learning from Schnauzers. What began as a childhood passion in Sweden grew into a Giant Schnauzer breeding program that has produced close to 2,000 American champions. In this episode, Sylvia shares the experiences, dogs, and lessons that shaped Skansen, including: - How working in European kennels shaped her as a breeder. - What she looks for in the ideal Giant Schnauzer. - The legendary dogs that shaped Skansen. - Why health and temperament became more important than winning. - What more than 70 years of breeding taught her about raising great, healthy dogs. At 87, Sylvia still spends hours at the kennel every day. Her advice to breeders after a lifetime with dogs is simple: listen to your dogs. Watch the full episode to discover Sylvia Hammarstrom’s remarkable story and the lessons behind Skansen Kennel. **Timestamps:** (00:00) Intro (02:24) Sylvia’s Early Love of Dogs (08:02) Learning from European Kennels (13:12) Lessons from Breeders and Handlers (15:50) From California Kennels to TWA (19:20) From Dobermans to Giant Schnauzers (24:29) Building the Skansen Breeding Program (26:44) Developing Her Ideal Giant Schnauzer (31:37) Breeding for the Perfect Family Pet (32:45) Breeding Strategies and European Bloodlines (35:08) Health, Exercise, and Conditioning (40:00) The Importance of Health and Character (45:06) Gentleman Thief and Other Dogs That Shaped Skansen (50:27) I Have a Dream and Skansen’s Successes (57:21) The Dogs Closest to Sylvia’s Ideal (59:47) Managing a Large Breeding Program (01:02:00) Sylvia’s Approach to Nutrition (01:08:02) Advice for Today’s Breeders (01:09:41) Breeding for Healthy, Happy Families (01:10:30) Sylvia’s Breeding Legacy (01:11:45) Listen to Your Dogs (01:18:01) Sylvia’s Advice and Reflections (01:19:46) Finding Skansen and Choosing the Right Puppy (01:21:23) Final Thoughts **This episode is brought to you by:** **EZWhelp —** https://www.ezwhelp.com/ **With additional support from:** **Ororo —** https://www.ororowear.com/ **Cherrybrook Pet Supplies —** https://www.cherrybrook.com/ **Revival Animal Health —** https://www.revivalanimal.com/ #PurebredDogs #BetterBreederChronicles #PreservationBreeder #ConservationBreeder #AKCDogShows #Westminster #WestminsterDogShow #WestminsterDogShowWinner #BestInShow #SylviaHammarstrom #Skansen #SkansenGiantSchnauzers #GiantSchnauzers #SchnauzerBreeder #GiantSchnauzerBreedStandard #GiantSchnauzerBloodlines #GiantSchnauzerBreeding