ABOUT
SOUTHERNWIND

Southernwind Kennels was founded by M. Cecilia Martinez, whose lifelong dedication to dogs and animals began in the early 1970s when she entered the world of professional dog training, handling, and showing. Over more than five decades, Cecilia has built a respected career as a breeder, trainer, judge, and educator, known for her deep understanding of canine temperament, structure, working ability, and the powerful bond between dogs and the people who depend on them.

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Her professional journey led her to become an FCI All-Breed Judge and Temperament Test (TT) Judge, AKC Judge, evaluating dogs across multiple breeds with particular expertise in German Shepherd Dogs, Doberman Pinschers, Belgian Malinois, and Labrador Retrievers. Throughout her career she has also been recognized as Top Breeder and Breeder of the Year by the FCI on multiple occasions, reflecting decades of dedication to responsible breeding and breed preservation.

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Early in her career Cecilia became the first woman in Puerto Rico to establish and manage a professional guard dog and personal protection training program, providing trained protection dogs and canine bodyguard services for high-profile individuals. This pioneering work required the development of dogs with both reliable protection skills and stable temperaments, laying the foundation for the balanced working philosophy that would later influence the Southernwind breeding program.

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Her commitment to animal welfare extended into leadership roles within the broader animal community, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Humane Society, contributing to initiatives promoting responsible animal care and education.

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Beyond the canine field, Cecilia was deeply involved in the equestrian world. In 1994 she founded and directed the racehorse training facility Haras Las Trinitarias, where she served as Owner, Manager, and Director of Training Operations, preparing and conditioning over 180 racehorses per racing season. Her work in the racing industry also led her to serve on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Racing Horse Association.

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Her knowledge of animal behavior and development also led to collaboration with public institutions. While working with the Puerto Rico Mounted Police horse division, Cecilia served as a voluntary advisor to the Puerto Rico Police Superintendent on K9 matters, assisting in the evaluation and development of working dogs.

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Cecilia’s commitment to the positive role animals can play in human lives extended far beyond breeding and training. She was invited to develop and implement the first dog-assisted rehabilitation program for women inmates in Puerto Rico, where shelter dogs were brought into a specially designed kennel facility inside the prison. The program, which she helped design and structure, taught inmates how to care for, train, and rehabilitate dogs while developing responsibility, empathy, and life skills.

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Around the same period, Cecilia also created a rehabilitation program for recovering addicts at Hogar Eliezer, where selected participants worked directly with dogs as part of their recovery process. The program demonstrated remarkable success in helping individuals rebuild discipline, purpose, and emotional stability.

 

Many of the participants from that original group continue to stay in contact with Cecilia decades later, sharing updates about their lives and families.

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Throughout these years, Cecilia and her dogs also participated in community outreach, visiting schools to educate children about responsible dog ownership and the importance of compassion toward animals.

They also visited hospitals and homes for the elderly, where the presence of the dogs brought comfort and joy to patients and residents.

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These experiences reinforced Cecilia’s belief that dogs are far more than companions; they are capable of transforming lives, building responsibility, and reconnecting people with empathy and purpose.

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Over the course of more than five decades of hands-on experience, Cecilia has worked with dogs serving as family companions, working partners, sport competitors, service animals, and personal protection dogs. Her work has been shaped by direct contact with some of the most respected German Shepherd breeders and bloodlines of their time, experiences that influenced the philosophy behind Southernwind Kennels.

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Today, Southernwind Kennels continues to operate under the same principles that guided its beginnings: respect for the breed, commitment to health and temperament, and the belief that properly developed dogs can profoundly enrich the lives of the people who live and work with them.

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Cecilia remains dedicated to mentoring owners, educating families, and sharing the knowledge gained from a lifetime devoted to understanding and developing balanced, capable dogs.