We talk with Joe Bihari, breeder, owner and handler of Champions, Sel CHs, FVs, FVXs,
MVs, MVxs, GVs, GVxs and Select Champions far too numerous to list here.

 

Editor's note: This interview was conducted Feb. 24, 2008, at the home of Joe Bihari in Monsey, NY, by Dr. Robin R. Lyle, whom we thank profusely for his detailed work.

 

Joe Bihari has been breeding, showing, training and handling German Shepherd Dogs for more than 60 - yes, SIXTY! - years. He began as a boy in Hungary, fled in 1956 with "Rex," and eventually started a new life in America. His story is captivating. A miniscule portion is presented here. Mr. Bihari is an authority on the German Shepherd whom few can rival. We are ever grateful for his acceptance of our interview request.

 

Kennel Name: Bihari Shepherds

Location: Monsey, NY (32 miles northwest of New York City)

Occupation: Retired kennel owner

 

GSDbyDesign: How many years have you been involved with GSDs?
Joe: Approximately 63 years (since 1945).

 

GSDbyDesign: How did you get started in your breeding program?
Joe:  I came from the second largest industrial city, Miskolc, in the northern part of Hungary. My father’s name is Joseph and my mother’s name is Julia and I had one younger brother, Gyula (George). I was born in 1925 in a town called Borsodgeszp. My father was a farmer of grapes in this wine country. He also raised herding dogs. In my early years I enjoyed breeding and raising rabbits.

            After my schooling, I became a waiter and lived in an apartment above a restaurant that did not permit dogs. The desire became so great to become a dog owner that it became necessary for me to move in order to acquire my first Shepherd. This male, a sable, I named Pajtas (pronounced Pitosh), which means “my pal”. He was imported from Czech. I was 17 years old when I started to work at places that would allow me to have my dog. My dog, Pajtas, became trained in obedience and also trained for protection purposes. I chose the shepherd for its ability to be a companion and because of its trainability and overall appearance.

            Later on in my life, I traveled to Budapest and gave the dog to my parents. The dog went on to sire many litters, mostly with the lovely street ladies. Pajtas become very well-known around town.

            After a while, I returned to Miskolc where I acquired my first bitch, a black and tan, and bred her. I spent much of my time seeking out the old-timers in the breed, and gained much knowledge from them. The late-night debates started there.  This first bitch, Heidi, produced a litter of seven puppies. So began the breeding program of Joe Bihari. Before leaving Hungary for the United States, I had become the biggest breeder in Hungary. When I went to a show, I was almost certain to go home with most of the awards.

            Next came Rex. 

"Rex the Wonder Dog"
3X Hungarian GV (1954-1956) & 1956 OV
His record says "Victor Forever." No other dog has been distinguished as such either before or since.

 

 

            On one occasion, while I was riding my bicycle, I could not help but spot a four-month-old pup. It was important for me to stop and ask the lady where this pup had come from. The woman explained that she got the Shepherd puppy from a soldier who worked for Border Patrol. His dam was named Roka (which means fox) who was almost an entirely black bitch. The first four or five years, they trained the dog for tracking because of problems with smuggling and illegal immigrants. This dog was famous for being the top tracking dog along the Austrian border. It is important to mention that this dog once tracked an actual smuggler over the border and 7 miles to a house, where Roka even took the man out of his bed.
            Roka was sent to a post in Miskolc, when she retired from border work, to whelp, having been bred to a Czech import dog from Germany. The German government only allowed six puppies per litter. Rex was the seventh puppy in that litter. The woman’s husband was a Captain at that post. He was the one who brought the puppy home for her to keep. (There were actually eight in the litter, Joe later discovered; he found the eighth, a bitch, when she was about 1 1/2 years old, and bought her.) It took me almost six weeks to convince this woman to sell me that puppy. After owning Rex for three days, he got lost. Maria accidentally left the gate open and Rex disappeared. Everyone (police, postmen, friends) was out looking for this lost puppy. There was a circus in town and that’s exactly where we found Rex.

 

 

 

 

            My kennel name at that time was Miskolci Heydirda, which means “seven devils of Miskolc.”  This was named for my first litter of seven puppies. My Rex was different from other dogs in the country. He had more bone. He looked different. We began fighting about who had the best dog. I went to a show and Rex became Best of Breed when he was only one year old, at the National show that was held in Hungary. He became the Grand Victor over all breeds that were entered in the show in 1954. Later, in 1955, Rex became the Grand Victor for a second time which was a high accomplishment.

            In September 1956, at a show that is almost like an all-breed National, Rex went Best of Breed - they have three judges there. This was his third time as Grand Victor. His record says "Victor Forever." No other dog has earned that before or since. At this same weekend, he became Obedience Victor. I have pictures with the mayor of the city presenting me the trophy. This experience has and will ever be a big part of one of my life’s fondest memories.

           At that show, someone from the government recognized Rex’s pedigree and knew where this special dog had come from. They determined that Rex was the seventh puppy from Roka’s litter. I explained the story to the General and as a result of all the time and training that I had invested in Rex, I was allowed to keep him.

 

 

 

 

GSDbyDesign:  Would you briefly recount the story of your escape from Hungary in 1956? (Editor's note: In October 1956, the Hungarians revolted against Russian occupation. An estimated 20,000 people were killed during the Soviet intervention, according to the Encyclopaedia Humana Hungarica. Joe was 31 years old.)

Joe:  We left Miskolc at 3 a.m. with 13 people, nine dogs and four children, and took a train to Budapest. We walked to the train station and took a long ride to what we later learned was 10 miles from the Austrian border. We carried little except the clothes on our backs. We wanted to make it as inconspicuous as possible that we were trying to run away.

            The final stop was a barn and here we met 22 others taking shelter - 22 others with the same aim - crossing the border into Austria.

            We decided to stay as a group but it wasn’t easy. None of the 22 others wanted any part of Rex. A dog would bark or run about and give us away was the general consensus. But I was adamant and won out. Rex stayed and became our leader. He could see, hear, and smell where we couldn’t. If there was danger he would warn us.

            The last few miles to Austria were through a sea of mud that was sometimes hip-deep. All around were Russian mounted patrols. Rex headed the party on the leash.

            Rex was trained to guard, attack and disarm a man. But he did none of these things. Suddenly he froze and signaled with a low growl. It was a growl only I could hear. He was trained that way. He was pointing straight ahead. It was not safe to go. We retreated about a half-mile and suddenly stumbled on a trampled down barbed-wire fence that meant the border. We crossed into Austria. But just as we made it, we heard shots in the direction from where Rex had given us the warning. We knew then that Rex had saved our lives.

            

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GSDbyDesign: What problem(s) do you think are most prevalent in the breed?
Joe:  I can put it in one word: mediocre. Too many mediocre dogs! By mediocre, I mean mostly the gait. Their structure does not create the gait we want to see.  The correct movement is like what we saw (Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008) in John and Nancy Vaught’s dog (Masstana’s Just in Case OFA EXC, who finished with a 4-point major at the Rockland County KC show). With a correct dog, when they gait, it is very pleasing to the eye. The gait is so harmonious. The whole dog’s structure is pleasing you in motion. If some part is not working with the whole dog, you have to know what it is. This is so difficult to learn. Harmonious movement is created by correct structure. In this is included all parts of the dog’s structure. This is when both ends work together with a middle piece that is not soft or hunchy. You have to count everything into the harmonious beautiful structure in what we have now (we didn’t use to have it) - suspended sidegait. 

 

 

GSDbyDesign: When you select a puppy, what are you looking for? Be as specific as possible.
Joe:  That’s a big question that is very hard to answer. With puppies, the first impression is important.  At an early age, from 8 weeks to 6 months or a year, a lot of things change. There is the change that puppies go through until the time a puppy is ready to take points. The puppy is going through a lot of changes. Sometimes they look good; but not good later. The final thing is when they are two years old, when the dog is ready to go for the points.

 

 

Am/Can Sel CH Woodhaven's In Search Of TC ROM

 

 

GSDbyDesign: Who was/is the most influential person in your breeding program?

 

 

 

GSDbyDesign: What do you find to be the best thing about being involved in GSDs?
Joe:  Being in dogs and especially German Shepherd Dogs has been the most rewarding, most pleasant thing for me to do because I had the natural ability. I had other occupations, barber and waiter, but I also saw shape differently. If I saw someone do something, anything, and put that into my mind; I was able to re-do that because it was in my mind, my computer. It was as if I had a picture in front of me. Even today, I can talk about a dog I saw 40 years ago. 

 

 

GSDbyDesign: What are your goals in the breed?

Joe:  My goal is to see better and better German Shepherd Dogs. I want to reach perfection. It’s never going to happen because nothing is perfect. When you get close to it, something seems to sneak in.

            In obedience you can reach perfection in points - you can achieve the 200 points. But in structure, you can’t. A lot of people say this is perfect, but it’s not. The only way to get the perfect answer is to ask the perfect question. This is very difficult.

 

 

 

 

The German Shepherd by Design will be conducting interviews of notable breeders and handlers throughout 2008. If you would like to be featured on our website, contact Becky at gsdbydesign@aol.com.

 

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