ABOUT US

Hi. My name is BethAnn Hanson, and I’ve been actively in Rottweilers since 1987, when I purchased my first Rottweiler, “Zeus.” Zeus is the impetus which began my love affair with these wonderful dogs. He was a pet conformationally, but the best dog in terms of the old-fashioned, “true” Rottweiler temperament that I have ever met. Through my love for Zeus and the Rottweiler in general, I became involved with my local Rottweiler club, chaired the rescue program for them and helped them achieve AKC licensure as the Show Chair. After much heartbreak during the search for my “foundation bitch,” I found “Hazl” – the future Ch. Asphodl’s MarGra Hazl v. Helk’n. Zeus and Hazl were the king and queen of Mount Olympus, and assisted me in keeping the many rescue dogs that I worked to place over the years in line.

Mount Olympus Rottweilers is an extension of my love for this

breed. It is my HOBBY. I do not make a living from breeding or

handling dogs, because I believe that integrity is lost when the mortgage has to be paid and your income is derived solely from these sources. While breeding and handling may be “hobbies,” I am an extremely serious hobbyist! I only breed when the breeding is destined to produce something that I myself want to keep. Over the past 30-plus years, I’ve bred 17 litters – two of which were one-puppy litters; Ch. Mount Olympus Imhotep and Mount Olympus Kuts Like a Knife, OTCH, UDX, CDX, RAE.

I believe a few things set us apart from many other breeders ; (1) is the fact that I breed for a specific TYPE, and I research pedigrees to enhance this TYPE. My dogs all have correct Rottweiler temperament; i.e., they HAVE ATTITUDE. They love their people unconditionally; and (2) we raise our puppies in our home. We do not use a kennel building; they are raised with round-the-clock human interaction, right off our kitchen. They learn very quickly how important humans are and, as such, develop wonderful bonds with their families.

I have been very fortunate to have developed relationships over the years with established breeders who know, and have had their hands on, the foundational dogs found in our pedigrees today. They were kind enough to share their knowledge, photographs, and breeding experiences with me – and because of them, I learned what my Hazl’s pedigree contained in terms of type and temperament, and I bred her accordingly to maintain her positives, and improve on what I thought we could improve upon.

Hazl produced many champions – one of whom became a Top Ten and #1 Rottweiler: Multiple BISS/BIS/Select Ch. Mount Olympus Cartel’s Exacta (“Dorian”). Hazl’s daughter, Mount Olympus Antissa Pation (“Cisca”), a Ch. Cisco von Huter daughter, produced our SECOND Best in Show winner: BIS Ch. Mount Olympus Evander, CGC (“Vande”). Both of these dogs, as well as our other champions, exemplify the Mount Olympus TYPE and TEMPERAMENT. Both dogs were handled by me; a breeder/owner-handler.

Over the years, I achieved certification in animal behavior, been interviewed by several local news stations and appeared “on air” to discuss canine behavior in general, and Rottweilers specifically. I don't breed to the fads that come and go in the ring; I breed for the true Rottweiler.

I’ve successfully handled both my own and client Rottweilers to their championships and beyond, and handled numerous other breeds to their championships, as well.

My family and our Rottweilers currently live on 10 acres with a beautiful pond and pastures. All of our dogs are raised in the house, underfoot, with children, 2 horses (a Paint and a retired Thoroughbred), a French Bulldog, a Xoloixcuintli and some chickens-- and any other dogs that come in for handling or training. While my main focus has been conformation (due to a lack of time for everything else), our Rottweilers have the aptitude for obedience and working, alike. My personal preference is a “hard” dog, but all of our puppies are raised as “Super Puppies,” and are tested before they go to their new homes. I keep our babies until they are 10 weeks of age – over the years, this has proven to be the best time to let them go to their new homes; they suffer less anxiety at this age than at 8 weeks (in my opinion). All puppies are placed with a written hip and health contracts, and I like to hear updates – whenever the urge strikes! Those Christmas cards with photos of my babies are forever cherished.

I breed for the TOTAL Rottweiler; temperament and structure are always first. I don’t care how beautiful the head is – if the body can’t do the work, what good is a head? And I don’t breed for the “super-size Rottweiler.” That is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard of. The STANDARD DICTATES THE ROTTWEILER IS A MEDIUM TO LARGE DOG – Dogs stand at 24-27 inches at the shoulder. Bitches stand 22-25 inches at the shoulder. I breed for TYPE – I don’t like common. You won't see a long bodied, short-legged dog in our breeding progam!

We feed a RAW diet - with supplements, and our dogs health and performance reflect beautifully on the exceptional diet they are fed. Puppies are all socialized with kids and every other animal that comes through our doors, and they are raised with love and careful planning for the future.

As always, there are special thanks to Roland - Mount Olympus wouldn't be as successful without him in the picture.