My name is Bev Klingensmith and I live in Newton, Iowa.
Proud member of:
Great Dane Club of Des Moines (current president)
Des Moines Obedience Training Club (current Training Director)
Central Iowa Kennel Club (have held various officer positions in my 20+ years as a club member)
Great Dane Club of America
I enjoy teaching public obedience classes at an AKC obedience club and am an AKC CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Evaluator and ATT (AKC Temperament Test) Evaluator. I enjoy competing in various dog sports with my dogs.
I work in the finance world, on the technical side, and enjoy my job (most days!). I also enjoy photography and have found a niche as a “dog-tograhper”. I have several images that have been published in calendars and have been featured in an international magazine. I love being able to capture treasurered portraits of well loved canine companions . See Bev Klingensmith Photography.
I served as the Rescue Coordinator for several years for the GDC of Des Moines Rescue program and have volunteered for Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue, PALS (Poweshiek Animal League Shelter), and the Knoxville Humane Society.
Instead of “adopt don’t shop”, I believe in “Adopt OR shop – responsibly”. Just like not all breeders are responsible, with dogs’ best interest in mind, neither are all rescues. A well bred dog, raised from the first moment with knowledge and care, provides better odds of a predictable and confident temperament plus a reduced risk of health issues. Each person should choose what works for their needs (rescue vs breeder), but do their due diligence to ensure they are adopting or purchasing from a responsible rescue/breeder.
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
Some history…
I acquired my first Great Dane, a merle male we named “Zuko”, in early 1997. Zuko was a great boy and enjoyed obedience work. He loved to howl whenever he heard sirens from the nearby fire station, which we laughingly referred to as his “communication with his wild brothers”.
Although we loved him dearly, he had some serious temperament issues. He came from a “backyard breeder”. Due to these severe issues, we eventually had to make the very painful decision to have him euthanized. It was heartbreaking but it did serve as a valuable lesson about the genetic nature of temperaments. It is not all about how they are raised.
My next Great Dane, a harlequin male named Doogan, was acquired in 1999 from Elsie May Kuntze (KJEM Danes) in Canada. I purchased him on a co-ownership agreement with the co-breeder, Dr. Neil O’Sullivan (Flighty Danes). Neil is an awesome friend, mentor and co-breeder.
Doogan was everything wonderful about a Great Dane. He grew up to be a big, beautiful boy and was a true ambassador for the breed. Doogan adored other dogs, big or small, and loved playing with his best friend, an Irish Wolfhound. He loved it when we fostered Danes for rescue as they were brought into our house for the sole purpose of playing non-stop with him (or so he thought!).
Doogan was featured in Ginnie Saunders’ wonderful DaDane of DaWeek and also starred in a local carpet commercial. He was an absolute people magnet and had many friends.
Although he was shown, he was never pointed. Always a ringside favorite, he had just begun to really mature to his large frame when we lost him to a sudden and unexplained infection. Even with a battery of tests and an exploratory surgery, the vets couldn’t pinpoint the root of his sudden illness. He passed away less than 72 hours after exhibiting any symptoms. He was just shy of three years old. My heart still aches for my beloved boy.
When I was pregnant with my second child, Neil contacted me with “exciting harlequin news” about Cindy Harwin’s (Payaso Danes) new litter. With this news, Skyy entered our lives. Skyy finished her AKC championship with ease, winning three majors, as well earning her CGC (Canine Good Citizen) and RN (Rally Novice) obedience title. Skyy has also starred in a commercial.
We bred Skyy to an Irish import, Am Ch Yandamar’s Harry Potter, with the litter arriving in April of 2008. From that litter, we kept Kizzy. She was a confident and outgoing girl. Kizzy was major AKC pointed and had earned her CGC. Kizzy also had a shot at fame, starring in her own commercial (for Mediacom) as well. Loved my Kizzy girl more than words can express. She lived a long, healthy life.
About the kennel name
When selecting a kennel name, I wanted something that incorporated my other passion (read expensive hobby), photography. I settled on short and simple, “Foto”. Foto is the Spanish spelling of photo, paying homage to Skyy’s breeder and her kennel name, Payaso (Spanish for clown).
Visit individual dog pages to see more about our individual dogs, past and present.
Pictured above, my two sons with baby Bing and baby Nash (2018)
And a few years later… my boys’ senior photos.
If you have any questions, please contact me via email.
Foto Danes
Bev Klingensmith
Newton, Iowa 50208
bevklingensmith@gmail.com