My utter infatuation with animals does not have a clear beginning. Rather, for as long as I can remember, I have loved animals. I have had a passion for showing and breeding all sorts of animals — from geckos to frogs to rabbits to chickens to sheep to Labrador Retrievers. This has always been the primary focus of my life and a source of pure joy for me. I have met truly wonderful people as a result of this passion and have benefited tremendously from the generosity of mentors and others who share my love of animals.  

I was born into a family with two chocolate Labrador Retrievers – both of whom were always tolerant of a toddler climbing on them, dressing them up for plays, and other activities. Throughout my childhood, they were my constant companions.  Very early on I realized how dear and special the breed is. At age 10, I decided I wanted to begin showing Labradors in American Kennel Club conformation events. My parents gave me a nine-month-old chocolate bitch named Maggie for a birthday present. I learned the ropes of handling dogs with Maggie while plying her with biscuits in an attempt to cajole her to go into the show ring. Maggie was a very sweet dog but did not like being shown. In fact, she was one of the few Labradors at shows who actually refused to wag her tail! Recognizing that I could only go so far showing Maggie because of her shy personality, my friend Vicky Creamer, of Belquest Kennels, generously gave me a yellow bitch named Goodie when I was 13. Goodie was a natural in the ring, and she actually liked competing. I showed her at various AKC shows and learned a great deal about showing Labradors and about the breed itself. I took a few years off from showing dogs and focused on breeding and showing chickens, which was very interesting and gratifying. My chickens won national competitions and I met many interesting people at these shows.