About Us

Brandon with Tyler, Erika with Bruce
Photo Courtesy of Gabriella & Peter Hamley

We are Erika Wepner and Brandon Buzzell, a husband and wife team and Pantheon Acres is our dream. Erika is a Software Quality Assurance Analyst, transplanted from the East Coast 10 years ago. Brandon, a structural engineer, is a lifetime Midwest resident. Together with our dogs, we live in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Our home is also the home of our Mastiffs and our Eurasier. We are dedicated to our dogs and have adjusted our lives around them - even our vacations are dog related. They live in the house with us and romp in our fenced backyard. They have never been kenneled.

At dog shows, you'll usually find Erika in either the Conformation Ring or the Rally Ring with Brandon acting as the kennel help. At gatherings, Brandon can be found coaxing shy dogs out of their shell, while Erika is usually surrounded by dogs and people dispensing training tips. Both of us are members of the Mastiff Club of America, the Midwest Mastiff Fanciers, and United States Eurasier Club. Erika served as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the USEC in 2007-2008. She was also an active volunteer and announcer at the 2008 Mastiff National Specialty.

We're truly blessed with the all the friends we've made through our dog-related activities. We're grateful to all the people who have helped us along the way, and who continue to provide us with invaluable advice, guidance, and support.

None of this would be possible without Pam McCune of Pegasus Country Mastiffs who trusted us with Bruce and Lizzie, or without Andree Azzam of Gamis Mastiffs who co-owns Morganna. Thank you, ladies, for your wonderful help and extraordinary patience.

Puppy Bruce with Pam McCune


Puppy Bruce with Andree Azzam

Our love of dogs began with Erika's first, Chelsea, a Keeshond, who spent 8 years adding joy to everyday of our lives. That experience planted the seed for the dream that is Pantheon Acres. We spent the early years of our relationship trying to define a philosophy that permeates our relationship with our dogs and the friends we made as a result of that relationship.

When people are asked to define Pantheon, they usually think of the temple in Rome, however, there is another definition: a group of persons most highly regarded for contributions to a field or endeavor. With some minor changes, we had our kennel name and our mission statement:

A group of dogs most highly regarded for contributions to their breed.

To fulfill that mission, we are committed to being responsible breeders; focusing on producing dogs that embody the breed standard, are healthy and structurally sound and demonstrate good temperaments. We are devoted to our dogs, to their future puppies, and to their breeds. We strive to breed and raise our dogs in the spirit of the Eurasier Way established by the German founding clubs, combined with the latest veterinary and behavioral information.

Our Philosophy on Breeding and Puppies

Above all, our dogs are members of our family. We will never breed to a bitch just to collect a stud fee nor will we breed a bitch just to produce puppies for profit. All dogs will be health tested prior to breeding to ensure that they are healthy and sound. Breedings are planned only after extensive analysis of pedigrees, health testing results and the overall breed type of both dogs.

Our belief is that the stud dog owner should be allowed to develop relationships with puppy owners. We hope to develop strong, positive relationships with other breeders and puppy owners. We are willing to share all our information regarding the dogs we have bred and any health issues that a dog may have. We will be available with help and advice if any puppy we bred has a health or behavior issue. If a puppy owner is interested in showing, competing in companion events, or breeding, we are willing mentors and friends.

Our contracts reflect our beliefs and dedication to both the Mastiff and Eurasier breeds. Our expectation is that the puppy is a member of the family, allowed to live in the home and not in a kennel and that the puppy will be trained and receive proper veterinary care for its entire life. As a stud dog owner, we will assist in the placement of any puppies should the breeder be unable to do so and would like to be kept apprised of the progress, development and welfare of the puppies. Should a situation arise where a family cannot keep their puppy, we expect them to contact the breeder and the stud dog owner so that we can find a suitable home for the dog. At no time should the ownership of any puppy be transferred to someone who intends to use the puppy for commercial breeding, laboratory testing, or dog fighting.

In essence our philosophy encompasses the notion of nurturing not only the puppies themselves but also a long-term relationship with their owners, a relationship based on shared values, a respect for the sanctity and lifelong well-being of each dog and a desire to instill these values into future owners of these breeds.

Our Training Approach

Both Mastiffs and Eurasiers are intelligent, gentle-natured, and require patient and understanding training. We are extraordinarily proud that all of our dogs have their Canine Good Citizen certificates from the AKC.

Erika researched many different training techniques before settling on a combination of Operant and Classical Condition, with an emphasis on Positive Reinforcement Training. At home, our training follows the approach set in The Book of Training Levels by Sue Ailsby. All our dogs have trained with Linda Chiaramonte, most recently at Doggie Depot in Downers Grove, IL.