The Dogs Who Built Merrimac

The dogs featured below have left an indelible mark on Merrimac and hold a special place in our memory.

Moe
​CH Mistel's Doomsday Defense WAC

Where it all began

Moe was the pick black male from a litter by Bob and Nancy Vandiver in 1979. He went on to become our first champion, and every single Merrimac dog can be traced back to him. 

Shake
​CH Merrimac's Doomsday Shake WAC

​Foundations of a lifelong passion

Shake was the pick bitch from Moe's first litter (bred to High Time's Rebecca), and she became our second champion. She truly ignited the passion we felt for the breed, and the rest is history! She was our first home bred champion.

Shanghai
​CH Merrimac’s Shanghai Red WAC

THe Heart Of Merrimac

Shanghai was from our Jet x Lacey litter. He was proud, bold, confident, handsome, gentle... everything in one box, and Nikki's heart dog. We were honored to breeder-owner handle Shanhai to Reserve Winners Dog at the Doberman Pinscher Club of America's 1993 National Specialty show from the Bred By Exhibitor class under breeder judge Tommie Jones.
​Frozen semen is available to approved bitches.

Tallulah
​CH Merrimac’s Titania Mania

The beginning of a new era

 ​Tallulah finished her AKC Championship with 3 majors at 15 months old. She is the dam of six AKC champions and two DPCA ROM recipients. She was owned and loved by Julie Moore, and she was bred by and co-owned by Nikki McClendon. She is a littermate to 4 other champions, including one of our great dogs, Poseidon.

Encie
Top 20 BIS BISS CH Merrimac’s Shoot-Em-Up LC-10D

"Teensie eensy"

Margaret and Wallace Downey's Ch. Glen Coe's Armani joined with Merrimac's Pickpocket (Picket) to produce a little red bitch, whom we referred to as "Teensy Eensy." She was the only girl in the litter; she was quite spirited, and she gave those boys hell! Her name evolved to "Encie." 
​Encie won her Futurity class and was Reserve 12-15 Futurity winner at the 1992 National. She quickly gained championship points. But she needed majors, which were scarce at the time in Texas, so breeder-handler Michelle Santana quickly finished Encie's championship for me in the Northwest. We did some Specials winning in Texas, but it was Margaret Downey who helped me elevate Encie's profile and record by linking her up with the late and great handler Jeanenne Thompson. It was a master-stroke by Margaret, a long-time Doberman fancier, breeder, now judge, and a true lady that I deeply admire. Jeanenne and Encie were fantastic together and compiled an exemplary record, including being an all-breed Best In Show winner and a Top 20 contender.  Encie loved "Miss Jeanenne" dearly, and the feeling was mutual. It was a hard day when I picked Encie up for the last time from her - I  remember the sight of Jeanenne walking away, trying to hide her tears. Encie was not "just a pretty face." She was also a producer: several generations later Merrimac had yet another Best In Show winner and Top 20 contender, the black male, Ch. Merrimac's Poseidon On Board LC-10D.

Mick
CH Merrimac’s Start Me Up

A True Powerhouse

Mick was a substantial dog with heavy bone, but had clean and graceful movement. He is the sire of multiple AKC Champions, including on who went on to be in the DPCA Top 20 and  was an all breed Best In Show winner.

Poseidon
​Top 20 BIS BISS AOM CH Merrimac's Poseidon on Board LC10D

Standout Stud

Poseidon is the sire of multiple AKC champions and of several who have earned numerous AKC titles in obedience, rally, agility, and tracking, including one who also became a Top 20 Obedience finalist in 2010 and who is a DPCA ROM recipient and who became a Dual Champion in 2013 by achieving her AKC MACH at 9 years of age. He is also the sire of Ch Merrimac's Blue Moon Run WAC (aka Big Blue) who was incredibly influential to our program.
Frozen semen was used in 2019 with Chella (GCh Merrimac's Moon and Stars), and produced 8 beautiful puppies. Catch them in the show ring!

Blue
​CH Merrimac's Blue Moon Run WAC LC12D

"Big Blue"

Blue was from our Poseidon x Rita litter. He was always the sweetest boy; he asked so little and gave so much. While being handled as a Special by Nikki, Blue was only four singles shy of his AKC Grand Champion title when a large benign tumor near his shoulder stopped him from being shown. He is a multiple Best of Breed winner and Group Placer. Blue passed the DPCA Working Aptitude Evaluation at the 2012 DPCA National Specialty to earn his WAC. He stepped out of retirement for the Greater Austin Doberman Pinscher Club Specialty Show on October 24, 2015, and took an Award of Merit and Best Veteran at 8 years old under judge Mrs. Joni T. Kahn in Austin, TX. Blue has proven himself to be a successful sire with 9 AKC Champions out of a total of 22 puppies, including one AKC Dual Champion who earned her MACH in July 2017. In the performance arena, one daughter has accumulated numerous performance titles, including making the Agility Top 20 in May 2017, as well as having her Therapy Dog International certification, and several others have earned their AKC Canine Good Citizen titles. All have become beloved companions to their families. 

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Willa
Bikila's Wilhelmina of Merrimac Marks-Tey LC-13D

"sweet willa"

Willa was a lovely, balanced, red bitch who just did not care for the show ring. She had 7 points towards her AKC Championship. But, she was a wonderful producer! She is the dam of 6 AKC champions (including one dual champion who has her MACH!), two with performance titles, and one therapy dog from a total of 3 litters (11 puppies). 

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Valentine
​CH Merrimac's Blue Valentine

outstanding dam and "puppy sheriff"

Valentine was well known in the Merrimac family for her loud, opinionated ways, but she was a sweet soul and a wonderful mother. She was affectionately named the "puppy sheriff!" When Mystere whelped her litter of 13, Valentine had also whelped a litter of 2. In order to keep up with the needs of 15 puppies, we chose to split the litters between the two bitches. Valentine had no objections to this, and took on 5 of those puppies as her own.  Her impact on the Merrimac program will be felt for generations to come.
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She finished her championship at 17 months of age, going Best of Breed over specials (including several in the top 20 at the time). 

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Winnie
AOM CH Bikila's Wisteria of Merrimac Marks-Tey

"Queen Winnie"

Winnie was bred by Rod Humphries. She was owned, loved, and was handled to her AKC championship and her DPCA Award of Merit by Nikki McClendon. Winnie is the dam of two AKC Grand Champions (one of whom is also a BISS winner), three AKC Champions, and three performance title achievers from two litters and a total of ten puppies.

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Mystere
​CH Merrimac's Lady Moonlight

PRoducer of a lifetime

Mystere was from our Blue x Willa litter. She had gorgeous sidegait and a beautiful head featuring a lovely, dark almond eye. In her only litter, she naturally free-whelped 14 large puppies (1 full term stillborn), producing 6 AKC Champions and 2 AKC Grand Champions, one of whom was well on her way into the DPCA Top Twenty. Several of her puppies have performance titles as well!

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Gus
CH Merrimac The Agean CDX RE CGC TDI BFL-1 LC-11D

​draft dog extraordinaire 

Gus was a beautiful dog with excellent bone and substance, outstanding movement, and a great temperament. Gus was owned and greatly loved by Vernon and Dana Brown, and he was bred by and was co-owned by Nikki McClendon. At 7 years old, Gus achieved both his CDX and his RE titles in three straight shows at the Heart of the Plains Cluster in Lubbock, TX, in September 2011!
​Gus was a #4 Black, BbDd, OFA hips good, vWD clear, and he is the sire of a Multi-Group Placing AKC Grand Champion and champion get.

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Selkie
CH MACH Merrimac's Irish Selkie VCD2 GO RE MX MXS MXJ MJS NJP XF CGC ROM

A truly versatile athlete

Selkie was bred by Nikki McClendon, and she was owned and loved by Kathy McLemore, DVM. She was an AKC Champion, a DPCA Top 20 Obedience finalist in 2010, a DPCA ROM recipient, and she became a Dual Champion in April 2013, achieving her AKC MACH at 9 years of age. Watch the run that finished Selkie's MACH here!
Selkie earned a vast array of titles in her career including: MACH, CGC, NJ, NA, OA, OJ, AX, AXJ, MX, MXJ, NF, OF, XF, CD, CDX, TD, RN, RA, RE, VCD1, VCD2, WAC, ROM (VCD= AKC Versatile Companion Dog - for earning titles in obedience, agility, and tracking at increasing levels of difficulty.) No one could have loved her more or given her more opportunity to be all that she could ever be than Kathy. Selkie's joy at being by Kathy's side when she achieved her MACH shone through for all to see.

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Rita
CH  Merrimac's Margarita Run

the life of the party

Rita was a beautiful red bitch with gorgeous bone and substance, and a wonderful temperament. ​Rita was owned and loved by Nikki McClendon.
As a puppy, Rita took first place in her 12-18 month old AOAC class at the 2005 DPCA Specialty show, breeder/owner handled by Nikki McClendon. She took Best in Sweepstakes and Best Puppy in Show wins, as well, en route to finishing her AKC Champion.
Bred only twice, producing a total of 7 puppies, she is the dam of one Multi-Group Placing AKC Bronze Grand Champion, one Group Placing AKC Champion/DPCA WAC, another who is AKC pointed, and another who has earned numerous performance titles. She is the granddam of 12 AKC Champions.

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Ducati
GCHB  Merrimac's Misano Run

rockstar in the ring

Ducati finished his AKC championship at 16 months of age, receiving both of his majors at the Reliant World Series of Shows in Houston, TX, in July 2011, handled by his breeder/owner Nikki McClendon.
He went on to finish his AKC Grand Championship in limited showing, garnering five majors, multiple BOS, and a Best of Breed and Group 4 under breeder judge Edd Bivin.
He had continued on in the Specials ring in limited showing, accruing multiple Best of Breed wins and Group placements under judges Dr. Anthony DiNardo, Christina Hubbell, Arley Hussin, Dana Cline, Brian Meyer, and Rick Gschwender, as well as numerous Selects and BOS, all breeder/owner/handled. A special thank you to all the judges who had recognized Ducati's quality.

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Banker
BISS GCH Merrimac's Chase Manhattan CGC

a BREEDERS DREAM

Banker left the 6-9 puppy class multi-pointed with a breed win over specials. He finished his championship at 13 months old, and his grand at 18 months, including a BISS at the Doberman Pinscher Club of Houston specialty at Reliant!
Banker is owned and loved endlessly by Marilyn David, and co-owned with Nikki McClendon.
Banker produced an all champion litter. One puppy finished with five majors, and another finished with multiple group placements from the 6-9 puppy class!

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Miles
CH Merrimac's Worldwide Adventure v Kasmarie CGC

a True gentleman

Miles was an easy going, sweet boy with bone and substance to boot! 
He finished with 3 majors, including a huge 5 point win under Dana Cline. Miles was co-bred by Sam Starteri and Nikki McClendon. He was owned and loved by Brandon Miles, co-owned with and handled in the breed ring by Nikki McClendon.

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Midas
CH Merrimac's Gold Card

a Heart of gold

Midas was bred by and handled by Nikki McClendon, and he was owned and loved by Lawrence Hollander. Midas finished his AKC Championship with three majors at 20 months old, picking up a Best Opposite Sex win along the way, as well! 

Strife
GCH Merrimac's Golden Nugget For Mi Casa CGC TKA

"Let's Mosey"

Strife and co-owner Ashley Townsend had achieved significant owner-handled success together, making the DPCA OH Top 20 & AKC NOHS Top 10 in 2019 and the DPCA OH/AKC NOHS Top 20 in 2020. He was shown to his championship by his breeder Nikki McClendon and Paula Hall, then his grand championship by his owner Ashley.  He truly lived life by their mantra: "Come on, everyone. Let's mosey."

Please note that this page does not account for every dog we have produced, but the ones who stood out to us the most.  If you have any questions about any of our dogs, please reach out to us.