This is not just our story, it is an atlas of our journey with paw prints pressed into every stop.
Meet Jo-Ann Secondino, Jonathan Pickett and the Double Dew Crew of Fox Meadow
After 12 years as a Military spouse, Jo-Ann's much loved Keeshond, Corry, her North Star, passed away. Corry, was Jo-Ann's constant companion through the Florida humidity, the Cherry Blossoms and earthquakes of Japan, the California sunshine, the wind scoured shores of Adak, Alaska, until at last, they settled among the rolling hills and meandering streams of the Piedmont Plateau of Maryland. Through deployments and empty houses that echoed loudly, she was the steady heartbeat. When Corry passed, the silence felt enormous, a leash without weight, a house without fur drifting into the corners, Jo-Ann's heart missing its shadow,
Then 2003 arrived, carrying possibility like a folded map.
Jo-Ann began her search for a nordic spitz soul that matched the ones with whom she'd shared most of her life. Prior to her Keeshond, Jo-Ann's family's dog had been a Samoyed mix named Shanna, who joined the family when Jo-Ann was 10 years old who she had to leave behind when she married and became a Navy wife. Then fate, perhaps wearing a Viking helm, nudged Jo-Ann and Jon toward Viking Icelandics in Hagerstown, Maryland. Robert and Elisabet Stacy-Hurley opened their home to Jon and Jo-Ann. who were suddenly swept up in a whirlwind of charming smiles, bright Arctic eyes and curling tails. Soon after, Viking's Hippi and Lilja joined theit home, not just as puppies, but as a commitement to preserve and the responsibility to expand this rare and historic breed. Soon, imports were also welcomed like distinguished guests to Fox Meadow, including these exceptional dogs:
- AKC-CH, UKC-CH, INTCH Thordunu Leppatuska aka "Elsie" from Iceland, unforgettable as the Queen of Icetoberfest
- AKC-CH, UKC-CH INTCH Isi Kaffisukkolathi "Kaffi" from Germany and the most amazing dog
- AKC-CH, UKC-CH, INTCH Isdalur's Carrie from Germany
- Astvinur Imaldur from Sweden, who lives in Connecticut and sired many Champions
- AKC-CH, INTCH Iseyjar Mjoll from Iceland, so much has been learned from her
- Nordic Gopld Araedinn Vallari from Germany went to live in Pennsylvania
What followed is generations of litters, each one a chapter carefully weaving stewardship, genetics and hope. Jo-Ann's focus has always been on health, temperament, and genetic diversity.
At the time of their introduction to the Icelandic Sheepdog, the breed was still finding its footing in the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service. Jo-Ann and Jon didn't just join the journey, they helped build the road to AKC full acceptance. During the time since becoming involved in the breed, they watched the breed evolve from an AKC FSS breed, to an AKC Miscellaneous Class Breed, to finally full AKC acceptance in 2010. Jo-Ann's dogs where the first dogs to win their classes in an AKC Conformation ring, Jo-Ann handled Fox Meadow Hausti Solstafir to win his puppy class, Isdalur's Carrie to win her open bitch class and the first major then she went on Best of Opposite sex. Then Isi Kaffisukkolathi was awarded Winners Dog, Best of Winners and Best of Breed and his first major win by judge Walter Sommerfelt. Kaffi completed his AKC Championship one week later in West Friendship, Maryland earning all points from Best of Breed majors finishing 2010 as the #3 ranked dog Icelandic Sheepdog in the AKC, and the #1 male with very limited exhibition.
Kaffi continued his breed firsts as:
- The First Icelandic Sheepdog awarded Best of Breed at the prestigous Morris and Essex Dog Show in 2010.
- The First Icelandic Sheepdog featured in the Herding Group Ring on Thanksgiving day at the breed's debut at the National Dog Show.
- The First Best of Opposite Sex at the breed's debut at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2011
- The First Icelandic Sheepdog to attend the closing of NASDAQ in 2011 as part of Westminster week.
- Kaffi's image was featured in Time Magazine representing all the new breeds at the 2011 Westminster Kennel Club
- Kaffi's image was featured in Sports illustrated magazine representing all the new breeds at the 2011 Westminster Kennel Club
- Kaffi's image was also used in an issue of Martha Stewart's Living in her Pet Keeping article.
Kaffi and Elsie's son AKC-CH, UKC-CH, INTCH, BIS-UKC Fox Meadow Jolasveinn went on to become the breed's first Bred By Exhibitor Champion. Meanwhile, Kaffi's other son Runestone Toblerone was featured on the cover of "Dog World" magazine when they did a feature on the breed. Then, not to be outdone, Elsie and Kaffi's grandson Fox Meadow Elskan Min Fjallakobbi "Kobbi" became one of two Search and Rescue Icelandic Sheepdogs to qualify for a team in the Americas, Kobbi then went on to become qualified for buried remains and has become the only Icelandic Sheepdog to date to qualify for water remains detection. Kobbi and his partner Mike continue to impress their evaluators with the speed and efficiency with which Kobbi works. Kaffi and Elsie's daughter Bjalla went on to become an Autism Support Dog, and since then Jo-Ann has had multiple dogs move on to work with special needs children and adults in centers. and school systems
Jo-Ann's commitment extends far beyond the show ring, she has served the Icelandic Sheepdog community as:
- Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America's Breeding Committee member and chairman
- Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America's Health and Genetics Committee member and charman
- Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America's Vice President
- Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America's AKC Gazette Breed Columnist
- She has contributed numerous articles to the Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America's newsletter
- Jo-Ann serves on the judges education committee and is a club approved Judges Education mentor
- Jo-Ann maintains the ISAA's pedigree database and contributes to the International Icelandic Sheepdog databases
- Jo-Ann and Jon have been the organizers of Icetoberfest, which for years was the main source of funding for the National Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America.
- Jo-Ann's young dog Storm, was selected to represent the herding group as part of the American Kennel Club's Puppy Pack 2.0 from 2019-2020, promoting responsible breeding and pet care.
- Jo-Ann organized her fellow Viking Breeds to form Valhowla - which traveled to Viking Festivals as a historical / cutural exhibit where they discussed the importance of dogs to the Nordic culture, the historic use of their breeds, their breed's evolution, population crashes, breed reclamation efforts and the plans to preserve the future of these historic breeds
In November of 2017, Jo-Ann was recognized by the American Kennel Club as a Bronze Breeder of Merit. Then in November of 2024, after delays caused by Covid, Jo-Ann was recognized by the American Kennel Club as a Silver Breeder of Merit, with all of the requirements needed, met with dogs carrying her Fox Meadow kennel name.
Jo-Ann's real passion is understanding the breed's pedigrees and how to best use them to help maintain the health, temperament, conformation and genetic diversity of the breed. She creates tools annually for the breed club to assist breeders to make informed decisions. Jo-Ann was blessed to have amazing breed mentors who shared their stories and knowledge, she strives to pay it forward with the next generation of owners.
Jo-Ann and Jon's Fox Meadow family extends well beyond the borders of the USA. Jo-Ann has not only imported pups, but has also exported pups to Europe to help create genetic diversity, as well as importing and exporting frozen semen. Jo-Ann enjoys working cooperatively with breeders on both sides of the Atlantic. Her puppies have been among the top ranked in Germany and the Netherlands with her CH Fox Meadow Mjolnir Gammsson becoming the #1 Icelandic Sheepdog in the Netherlands in 2019.
While Shanna and Corry began Jo-Ann and Jon's Nordic story, the Icelandic Sheepdogs of Fox Meadow has turned their journey into a Norse saga that is still being written and there are still many pawprints to be placed on their map.
