pyrenean shepherd and petit basset griffon vendeen Program Files\website\ckaboutus

OUR HISTORY

I have been an active member in good standing of:

THE CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB (Canada) - LIFETIME MEMBER in GOOD STANDING
THE FEDERATION CANINE DU CANADA (Canada)
LE REUNION DES AMATEURS DE CHIENS PYRENEES (France)
THE PYRENEAN SHEPHERD CLUB OF AMERICA (United States)
LE CLUB DU GRIFFON VENDEEN (France)
THE PETERBOROUGH AND DISTRICT OBEDIENCE CLUB (Ontario)
THE DURHAM REGION CANINE ATHELES
THE OSHAWA OBEDIENCE CLUB (Ontario)
THE ONTARIO COUNTY KENNEL CLUB (Ontario)
THE HAMILTON DOG CLUB (Ontario)
THE PETIT BASSETS GRIFFON VENDEEN FANCIERS OF CANADA (Canada)
THE DURHAM REGION CANINE ATHLETES CLUB of CANADA

THIS ENABLES ME TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION AND SHARE MY EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TWO BREEDS WITH OUR CUSTOMERS. IT ALSO SERVES TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE HOLD OUR STANDARDS TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE SURPASSING THESE CLUBS' MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS AND CODES OF ETHICS.

I HAVE ATTENDED AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPETED AT CONFORMATION SHOWS, HUNTING TRIALS, HERDING TRIALS and OBEDIENCE & RALLY TRIALS IN NORTH AMERICA, FRANCE & BRITAIN TO DEVELOP A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF OUR BREEDS' ABILITIES AND POTENTIAL. WITH THESE INTERESTS AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE I BEEN A HOST, JUDGE AND AUTHOR.

I am a member of a wide variety of dog and sporting groups in North America and overseas. I've held the positions of President, Newsletter Editor of "PBGV Pursuits", Secretary and Director of the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Fanciers of Canada. I have also chaired several Specialty Shows and Field Trials. In working with hounds my appreciation of nature has resulted in having received a Certificate of Merit for Conservation Excellence of which I am very proud. I am on the Education Committee for the Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America. I have been a contributing author to numerous magazine articles with regards to our breeds, training and management to specific breed magazines and Dogs in Canada magazine.

I have written numerous articles about our two breeds and hunting and herding for The Gazette, Dogs in Canada & Hounds magazines as well as television and radio segments. I hope these interviews assist those making decisions about the type of dog they would like to own. As I age along with some of my dogs I have developed a greater appreciation for the healing and maintenance effects of wellness therapies such as massage and hydrotherapy. I have completed a course on Canine Massage which has been of great benefit to our dogs.

My kennel has received the Pedigree Show Breeder of the Year award to honor the success of our dogs in the Show Ring. Our Petits Bassets Griffons Vendéens and Bergers des Pyrénées have had the honors of Top Show Dog awards and Best in Specialty Awards and continue to win in the conformation rings and field trials in Canada and the U.S. In 2005 I was invited to speak on behalf Canadian breeders at the 2nd Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen World Congress.

I do not attend many shows with the Petits, as we both prefer the field work. But, when I do go to the shows my working hounds compete and win proving the combination of beauty and brains are possible. One of my proudest moments was with my Can. BISS Ch. & Am. Ch. Fredwell Calabash. "Henry" (pictured. He is the only Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen in North America to obtain the dual win of "Best in Specialty Show" and "Best in Field Class" at a Specialty Show. Henry was also the top producing stud dog in Canada. In 1999, Ch. Chaparral's Jigsaw also did us proud by winning "Best in Specialty Show" at the Canadian National Specialty show, and our own Ch.Ovrnundr's Lil Deuce Coupe winning "Winners Bitch". We are now breeding for our 9th generation of PBGV show winners and working hounds; each generation getting better than the last!

My Pyrenean Sheepdogs or Berger des Pyrenees also are a source of great pride. My interest in this little shepherd was piqued on a trip to France for the Petits Bassets Griffons Vendéens. At an all-breed show I saw these cute little "Benji" dogs and remarked to my traveling companion what an interesting looking little breed. Not paying any more attention and focusing on the hound breeds at the show we enjoyed our holiday in France and eventually returned home. But, little did I know the impact these little sheep dogs would have on me. Six months later I still could not stop thinking of the breed and so did some research at the library where very little information was available. I ordered a book from France about the breed and became more entranced. A year later I bought my first Pyr Shep from La Brise kennels in the U.S. Three years later I was back in France to pick up two more of these wonderful little dogs from the well respected kennel Oustaou de Padel.

Since 1996 our Pyrenean Shepherds have been #1 in the conformation ring in Canada with consistent Group placements and Specialty wins. Each litter, each Specialty and each new Pyr Shep owner and breeder we meet gives us more insight into the breed and we hope to share as much of this knowledge as we can with other enthusiasts of this remarkable little sheep dog. I visit France on a regular basis to meet owners & kennels and see the dogs working in the environment for which they were designed.

Can. Ch. Phurz Rigolo at Chaparral CDwas #1 conformation Berger des Pyrénées in Canada for 1996. At the 1996 Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America Specialty Show, she was awarded Best of Opposite Sex. In 1997, Jacques placed Best of Opposite Sex and Best of Winners at the Pyr Shep Nationals in Pennsylvania under French Pyr Shep breeder/judge M. Guy Mansencal (Past President of the Pyrenean Dog Club of France), as well as attaining the title of #1 Berger des Pyrénées in Canada for 1997 and into 1998. In 1998 and 1999 one of our French imports Ch.Ourson de l'Oustaou de Padel, "Teddy", took the same honors of Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog and Best Puppy at the Pyrenean Shepherd Nationals under M. Dupas (Secretary of the Pyrenean Dog Club of France) and Mr. Fred Lanting, U.S.A. Teddy has not looked back winning Specialty Shows a total of 4 times now.

The new millennium brought top honors to our Can/PSCA Ch. Chaparral Gascon de La Brise winning Best in Specialty Show making him the top-winning Pyrenean Shepherd of all time in North America! 2001 continued our successes with our Ch.Ourson de L'Oustaou de Padel CD winning Best in Specialty Show under M. Pecoult, President of the French Pyrenean Dog Club. In 2003 under esteemed judge & breeder M. Mansencal, Past-President of the French Pyrenean Dog Club our male, Ch. Ourson de L'Oustaou de Padel CD, won Best in Specialty Show once again and his daughter Ch. Chaparral's Pooka won Best of Winners & Best of Opposite Sex.

In 2004 I attended the French National Specialty Show with our own Ch. Ourson de L'Oustaou de Padel CD. The show consisted of 160 Pyr Sheps and Ourson placed Excellent and 5th in the Open Male Class! A fabulous experience and achievement! I travel to France about every two years to meet new breeders and keep in touch with the old ones as well as bring home new up-and-comers! We continue to visit with friends in France every couple of years.

Our fun with both these breeds continues in the conformation rings, the fields & forests, and in the herding arena!

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