About Me

 

 

I have had a continuing presence on the internet since 1994. Most of you know me as a breeder of quality AKC shih tzus, and actually I have been breeding shih tzu since 1986, but my love for dogs began a long time before then. The thought of becoming a breeder never occurred to me until well after I became an adult with a family of my own.

I never remember a time when we didn't have a dog growing up and indeed my entire extended family had dogs my whole childhood. I guess it just became a big part of who I am. So on this page I'd like to honor some very special dogs that I have loved through the years and who have loved me.

When I was very young, I would spend the summers with my grandmother, and she had a black lab mix named Bingo. I don't have a picture of Bingo,( I'm not even sure they had cameras that long ago!!) Bingo was my constant companion and when my parents picked me up to go home I remember her following us down the driveway with me waving out the back window telling Bingo I would come back. If I went to Aunt Loretta's house they had many dogs through the years because they lived on a farm. I remember Twinkie the most, she was a white Samoyed. But then my uncle Joe loved hunting and got into Brittany Spaniels, and one year for Christmas I got one named Bailey. He didn't know he was bred for hunting and became the most spoiled lapdog ever. Bailey only went outside to potty and then right back in .When I was about 12 we got a white miniature poodle named Mitzi. She was supposed to be my moms dog, but she really loved the whole family equally. Then there was my aunt Millie's Chihuahua mix. Her name was Tammy. I think Tammy lived to be close to 20 years. After I became an adult and had my own home, we always had lots of doggy companions from German shepherds to cockapoo's to Chihuahua's to yorkies. Of course when I got married my husband(s) had to be ok with my love for dogs or it was a no go! My first husband didn't have a preference in breeds so I had a male yorkie I rescued. and a cocker spaniel I bought from a pet shop. The cocker helped to educate me on pet shop dogs!

I was widowed at 24 and a large solid black Great Dane named Brandy got me through a very rough time in my life. I did remarry and my second husband was into hunting so we added Springer Spaniels to our family. It was about that time I started to develop an interest in showing dogs, since I was the primary caregiver for my husbands springers, and I'm not a hunter, I wanted to do something with the dogs that I enjoyed doing.

at that time we also had a Chihuahua named Chiquita

Danielle, Joe and Chiquita at halloween

After a couple years dabbling in confirmation with the springers I met my first Chinese Shar Pei at an all breeds dogs show.  At that time they were being shown in the miscellaneous class because they were still being registered as a rare breed with the CSPCA

After a little research and some time, I bought 2 males!

My best friend for 12 years! "Wally" & Wally and Bensen

So off I go into the show ring with Wally and Bensen amd Baby

It was while I was at a show in Houston Texas I met a handler that raised SharPei and Shih Tzu. I eventually retired from showing because of the politics involved. But became friends with the handler I had met and after some play dates with our dogs, yep!! you guessed it I bought my first male shih tzu. Since I had lost interest in showing by then and Wally and Bensen were retired I still wanted a hobby that involved the dogs..which is when I got my start in breeding. I went to a couple seminars and read everything I could get my hands on about the Shih Tzu.  My mentor /friend (Paul) helped direct me with choosing my first breeding quality shih tzu's. Wally and Benson were with us for the rest of their lives but when they passed, I devoted all my time to the shih tzus. Well.. almost. I did get a divorce and remarried a man with interest in another sporting breed..

So along with the shih tzus, through some years we had added a few other family members. First was Cocoa, a chocolate lab

Then Jake a weimaraner

also at this time my daughter was a teenager and decided she needed her own dog, and so Lacy was adopted. A tiny little female Yorkie

So eventually to make a long story shorter, I divorced my second husband, the kids grew up and left home and it's been me and my shih tzu since then.

Through the different breeds I have been blessed to share my life with, it was the shih tzu that  have become the biggest part of my life and the breed that will hold my heart forever.....

below are some of the many dogs that I have shared my life with through the years.. Excuse the poor quality photos, these pictures are very old.

 

.


.Home ] [ About Me ] About Cost ] Available Puppies ] Breeding Rights ] FAQ ] Grooming Basics ] Health Maintenace ] Home Remedies ] Show Quality ] Vinegar ] Vinegar For Animals ]