This is Our Story
The Journey
John and I
have been in dogs since 1975 with pure bred dogs. Our first dog was an
Irish Setter named Delia and John took obedience classes and then put a CD and
CDX on her. He taught obedience for Whitewater Valley Dog Training Club for
several years and we belonged to this club then and were a part of the start up
of conformation classes and puppy matches and helped get sanctioned. We were
hooked and we then pursued getting a quality Irish Setter and drove to
Cleveland, Ohio and bought him from a well known breeder, Diane Goff @ Briarwood's Kennels. We showed Baron for several years ourselves and then put him with a
handler but he didn’t finish as he was a very showy dog but just didn’t have
the rear movement. We have always believed in good pedigrees and clearances on
our dogs, did some PRA testing for the breed club and had all of this
done before breeding our first Irish litter. From our first Irish litter, came
our O’Quince's Mahagony Flair and she finished before 3 years, with 3 majors and
a 5 point major under Ann Rogers Clark at a Michigan Specialty and
Michelle Billings. We were very proud. Later, we decided to go into English
Cocker's and we bred a couple of litters and bred 2 Champions. The politics was
so bad at that time that we finally felt that it was taking away from what we
loved and that was the dog itself, and their love and companionship, so we quit
showing. We did some obedience training, 4-H work, judging, and had a
mixed breed dog wander in one day. Our children loved showing the dogs
with us and were in Jr. showmanship. Our children are now grown with John
Jr. in Pittsburgh and Jennifer in Connecticut. We have one grandson, Samuel
Robert, and he is five. He is the joy of our lives and loves to help
Mamma with the dogs' care when he visits. He always says, "Look
Mamma! They love me!"
The Golden's came into our lives later, because as a young couple and married with 2 children, John and I always watched the Golden's show in the breed ring and in obedience and always wished we had one. When our son went into the Navy and then our daughter went off to college, John said, ”I am going to buy you a golden,” and there we were looking in the paper and on the road to buy are first golden. His name was Chyloe and we loved him dearly. He was my # 1 companion and Golden's had stolen our hearts. Chyloe was the beginning of our doing therapy work together as we both became certified in this area. John also bought me a female golden for Christmas as a surprise. When he took me to get her, the lady came to the door with a big red bow around her neck and said, “Merry Christmas!” I said, “look honey! She has a little white dot on her chest where she was kissed by an Angel!” We named her, O’Quince's Kissed By An Angel.
One year later, Chyloe died and I was devastated. I missed him so very much (and still do) and I was so lost without his companionship, that I made inquiries several weeks later and was put in contact with a beautiful litter born with St. Andrew's dogs behind the litter and were born that very time that we lost Chyloe. Barkley came home with us the week after Mother’s Day. You think another dog can’t be loved like your last but let me tell you this boy stole my heart two fold and has been by my side for 8 years now. He is a therapy dog also and does amazing work with mental/physical/Geriatric patients and children plus drug and alcohol patients. This is where my love is as I enjoy seeing what this breed can do for patients that feel all hope is lost. They bring joy, happiness, love and are not judgment to people and their illnesses. What this breed can do for mankind, is a gift from God to us.
The Golden's came into our lives later, because as a young couple and married with 2 children, John and I always watched the Golden's show in the breed ring and in obedience and always wished we had one. When our son went into the Navy and then our daughter went off to college, John said, ”I am going to buy you a golden,” and there we were looking in the paper and on the road to buy are first golden. His name was Chyloe and we loved him dearly. He was my # 1 companion and Golden's had stolen our hearts. Chyloe was the beginning of our doing therapy work together as we both became certified in this area. John also bought me a female golden for Christmas as a surprise. When he took me to get her, the lady came to the door with a big red bow around her neck and said, “Merry Christmas!” I said, “look honey! She has a little white dot on her chest where she was kissed by an Angel!” We named her, O’Quince's Kissed By An Angel.
One year later, Chyloe died and I was devastated. I missed him so very much (and still do) and I was so lost without his companionship, that I made inquiries several weeks later and was put in contact with a beautiful litter born with St. Andrew's dogs behind the litter and were born that very time that we lost Chyloe. Barkley came home with us the week after Mother’s Day. You think another dog can’t be loved like your last but let me tell you this boy stole my heart two fold and has been by my side for 8 years now. He is a therapy dog also and does amazing work with mental/physical/Geriatric patients and children plus drug and alcohol patients. This is where my love is as I enjoy seeing what this breed can do for patients that feel all hope is lost. They bring joy, happiness, love and are not judgment to people and their illnesses. What this breed can do for mankind, is a gift from God to us.
