Well, since all of you serious and well-known breeders and show folks have
done this, I'm now brave enough to try as well.
I live in a suburb of Buffalo, New York (halfway between Buffalo and
Niagara Falls) in a house that's near the Erie Canal and adjacent to a small
farm (cows on the other side of our back fence, chickens or geese sometimes
in the yard, plus retail flower greenhouses behind us). I'm an art
historian specializing in 19th-c. American painting and sculpture and work
for the Town of Amherst as the director of the Amherst Museum
(www.amherstmuseum.org), a mid-size local history museum that has no artwork
-- go figure. My husband is a published author and just beginning a new
career as a college creative writing professor -- he's also the chief cook in
the household. My two kids are grown but single -- daughter Tracy (24) works
for a vet; son Chris (31) just moved back home temporarily after losing his
job and is going back to complete his B.A. in special education.
I've had and been involved with dogs all my life. As a kid we raised
and showed cockers, I competed in obedience and taught beginning obedience
during the dark ages. After marriage, my husband insisted on bigger dogs so
we had English Setters (Llewellyns) and Goldens - did a bit of showing and
some breeding before deciding this was not how I wanted to spend weekends,
etc. (don't have the heart for breeding -- too traumatic).
We got our first Cavalier in 1989 because my then 10 yr. old daughter
wanted a small dog. Willowrun Kai, a beautiful tricolor, came to us from
Marty and Phyllis Bronson, although this was when they were breaking up their
kennel so I never really got to know either one at all. Kai became the "dog
of my heart" -- that one special dog you sometimes get to have a bond with.
She had a grade 1 murmur before she was 2, and finally gave into the ravages
of MVD at the age of 10-1/2 yrs.
After countless phone calls (and I probably spoke to half of the
American breeders on this list), and trying to find a puppy to fill the hole
in my heart during the holidays when it's "not puppy season," I finally was
fortunate to acquire my sweet and funny Callie (Blenheim) in May 2000 from
Rattlebridge as a pet puppy.
Determined to NEVER be without a dog again, we brought her half-sister
Rattlebridge Paisley Rose (Blenheim) into our family a year ago. Paisley has
charmed her way into my husband's heart -- it took me 38 years, but I've
finally turned him into a small dog lover! Two puppies in 2 years has been
interesting and wonderful.
This February (thanks to friend and fellow-Cavaholic Sue Amon) we
brought our 3rd Cavalier into our home when we rehomed a 7 yr. old tricolor
from Joan Twigg. Culloden Zephyr is incredibly sweet and shy, but is learning
quickly how to be a family dog and to enjoy sleeping on soft pillows and
couches. I love having a tricolor face in the house again.
With a foot now in both camps (AKC and CKCSC) we're hoping to
eventually add a Ruby and a B&T "someday."
At the same time, I've discovered the world of L-List and Hoflin-List
and eBay and have made some great friends -- both in the real world and in
cyperland. This list is wonderful, I'm in awe of almost all of you
breeders, and I'm grateful that you actually permit a non-breeder to tag
along on your adventures of the world of Cavaliers. Actually, you make me
ALMOST want to get back involved in the world of breeding and showing again
-- almost!
Lynn Beman
Amherst NY
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