I grew up around sporting dogs, and looking back at old family photos, I see that this love went back generations. I have always had a dog or two around the house. After a great deal of research (with a focus on health and longevity) I purchased my first pure bred golden girl Rags from Kyon Kennels. We joined CASDDA Search and Rescue in 2016 and have remained active with them.

 

 Finding myself with an eligible CKC dog, I thought I’d try conformation with Rags. At our first show she was awarded Reserve Winners Bitch, behind Shannon Flynn’s magnificent Coppermoon Call Me Frankie. I was hooked! When I retired from teaching and had more time to dedicate to my dog, I remembered Shannon’s wonderful boy Jethro and approached her about a breeding. Sadly it was unsuccessful, but Shannon had a lovely female pup that she let me have. Rags and I were completely smitten and Dolly became a treasured member of our pack.

 

 

 Shannon was kind enough to mentor me, supporting me and advising me as I showed Dolly in western Canada. By the time she was two Dolly had passed all her health tests and achieved her championship. Shannon had one last straw from Iker du Bois de la Rayere, a dog owned by Karolina Simunkova of Camian’s Kennel in the Czech Republic. The result was a wonderful litter of pups, two of which are showing successfully while the others are settled into loving companion homes. Lenka and Dolly are following in Rags’ paw prints, training for Search and Rescue.