My family has always had dogs, starting with my mom’s Poodle who was around before I was born, a Siberian Husky and then two “All-Americans”. In 1983, it all started innocently enough when my older sister joined the 4-H Seeing Eye puppy program and raised a female Labrador Retriever. In January, 1984 I received my first puppy, a female German Shepherd, Glenna. Glenna unfortunately did not make the program and came back to live with my family. After Glenna, I raised one more German Shepherd puppy before getting my first Golden Retriever. That was in 1986 and that little Golden puppy introduced me to the joys of this wonderful breed. Because of her, I decided to research buying my own puppy and in 1988 I bought my first Golden, Classic (Pure Golden American Classic CD CGC), who I had planned to become the foundation of my kennel. Due to various health problems, that dream was put on hold for many years. Classic did introduce me to the world of obedience, which to this day, is my first love in the dog world. In 1994, I was lucky enough to obtain Nikki as an 8 week old puppy from Brenda Radcliffe. Brenda’s kennels are Manor Golden Retrievers out in California which are well known to produce beautiful, multi-talented dogs. Nikki was co-owned with Brenda and was formally known as U-CDX Manor’s Cold Spring Harbor CDX, CGC. Nikki also passed her Therapy Dog test, but unfortunately, that was an activity that we never pursued. Nikki was the foundation of Trinity Golden Retrievers and tragically, I lost her to a brain tumor in July of 2003 after a bout of mammary cancer. In the intervening years between Classic and Nikki, I co-owned, showed and titled a Welsh Springer Spaniel – Ch. Rysan’s Mister Finnegan CDX CGC – who became my first Champion and a nationally ranked obedience dog. One day I will get another Welshie, but not yet. Currently I own 4 Golden Retrievers; Harley, Lexi, Dakota and Tia.
