Special People
Over the years, there have been many local friends who have stepped up to the plate and have helped me out with the dogs. Whether it be with the showing and running of the dogs, being there to help during whelping time or taking care of my dogs while I'm away at shows or races. These people all deserve special recognition and my sincere thanks but especially those that have been there long term. Quite simply Chimini Siberians would not have been able to have accomplished all that it has without the help of these incredible people.
Susan Shepherd
In the beginning there was Chimo but there was also her breeder Susan. Susan taught me about the importance and rewards that come with a close breeder / puppy owner relationship and she introduced me to the world of dogs. However, our relationship and friendship went far beyond Chimo. Even after Susan stopped breeding we remained friends. During the 80's she helped me through some very difficult years when I didn't have a job by helping to take care of my dogs Chimo, Jason and Poppy. In 1993 she went with me down to visit Kontoki kennels and agreed to become the co-own of Siri and then later on she agreed to help out with the dog show handling of Siri's son, Levi. To this day, almost 40 years after I first went to her house to see a litter of puppies, she remains my friend. I simply would not be where I am today without Susan setting me on the right track to success.
In the beginning there was Chimo but there was also her breeder Susan. Susan taught me about the importance and rewards that come with a close breeder / puppy owner relationship and she introduced me to the world of dogs. However, our relationship and friendship went far beyond Chimo. Even after Susan stopped breeding we remained friends. During the 80's she helped me through some very difficult years when I didn't have a job by helping to take care of my dogs Chimo, Jason and Poppy. In 1993 she went with me down to visit Kontoki kennels and agreed to become the co-own of Siri and then later on she agreed to help out with the dog show handling of Siri's son, Levi. To this day, almost 40 years after I first went to her house to see a litter of puppies, she remains my friend. I simply would not be where I am today without Susan setting me on the right track to success.
My Vets - Dr. H. Bennett ("Dr. B") and Dr. Eric Carnegy ("Dr. C")
The relationship between a breeder and their vet is a particularly important one. There are vets and then there are "breeder vets" and in my opinion these are two of the best breeder vets around, not just because of their knowledge but also their compassion for the animals. They became vets not because of the money but because of their sincere love for the animals. Both of these vets were large animal vets prior to switching to small animal practice and I think from that experience developed a special interest in small animal reproduction. Dr. B was my vet for almost 30 years until his retirement when he passed me onto the expert hands of Dr. C. For me, a true "breeder's vet" is one that will be there when you need help with a difficult delivery or a sick puppy even if it is the middle of the night or on a weekend. They are also there to give you the information you need to make sometimes very difficult breeding decisions if a health issue shows up. I have also greatly valued their opinions when I bring the puppies in for their first vaccination and we evaluate each pup. But my dogs are also my pets so I also need a vet who can be there with me as a pet owner and to help me make the difficult decisions that go along with pet ownership when it is time to say good-bye. These two exceptional vets have always been there for me through the good times and the hard times.
The relationship between a breeder and their vet is a particularly important one. There are vets and then there are "breeder vets" and in my opinion these are two of the best breeder vets around, not just because of their knowledge but also their compassion for the animals. They became vets not because of the money but because of their sincere love for the animals. Both of these vets were large animal vets prior to switching to small animal practice and I think from that experience developed a special interest in small animal reproduction. Dr. B was my vet for almost 30 years until his retirement when he passed me onto the expert hands of Dr. C. For me, a true "breeder's vet" is one that will be there when you need help with a difficult delivery or a sick puppy even if it is the middle of the night or on a weekend. They are also there to give you the information you need to make sometimes very difficult breeding decisions if a health issue shows up. I have also greatly valued their opinions when I bring the puppies in for their first vaccination and we evaluate each pup. But my dogs are also my pets so I also need a vet who can be there with me as a pet owner and to help me make the difficult decisions that go along with pet ownership when it is time to say good-bye. These two exceptional vets have always been there for me through the good times and the hard times.
John Macdonald
SO many people owe a debt of gratitude to this man and I'm no exception. I've known John almost as long as I've been involved in dogs. Early on we did dog obedience training together and I actually helped him out showing one of his Golden puppies. But then John started tattooing my puppies for me and that is when he became more involved in my Siberians. As with my vets when I took the puppies in for their first vaccines, I started using the tattooing visit as a time to evaluate the puppies and to get John's very valued opinion. I can tell you that when my vet and John both like the same pup a lot then you know that pup is going to far. But I managed to get John even further involved in my Siberians in 2003 when John came on board with Susan as Levi's handler. Their first time out together John and Levi took a Group 1st to finish Levi's championship. The next weekend they went all the way to Best in Show - giving me my first home bred BIS winner! John helped put a US championship on Levi and put an American Specialty Award of Merit win on his mother, Siri. As with Susan, John never charged me for handling the dogs.
SO many people owe a debt of gratitude to this man and I'm no exception. I've known John almost as long as I've been involved in dogs. Early on we did dog obedience training together and I actually helped him out showing one of his Golden puppies. But then John started tattooing my puppies for me and that is when he became more involved in my Siberians. As with my vets when I took the puppies in for their first vaccines, I started using the tattooing visit as a time to evaluate the puppies and to get John's very valued opinion. I can tell you that when my vet and John both like the same pup a lot then you know that pup is going to far. But I managed to get John even further involved in my Siberians in 2003 when John came on board with Susan as Levi's handler. Their first time out together John and Levi took a Group 1st to finish Levi's championship. The next weekend they went all the way to Best in Show - giving me my first home bred BIS winner! John helped put a US championship on Levi and put an American Specialty Award of Merit win on his mother, Siri. As with Susan, John never charged me for handling the dogs.
Margaret Hall-Mulcahy
Margaret became my next door neighbour back in the 90's. She fell in love with the dogs enough that in 1996 she was crazy enough to take home a little red girl who she would call Reba. Despite Reba not being the easiest dog to own (she had a very independent nature like my Chimo), Margaret and I have stayed friends all these years. Although Reba was bought as a pet and was spayed that didn't stop Margaret from helping me out with the handling of Reba's littermates in the dog show ring. Even after Margaret got married, had children and moved fortunately just a few block away she continued to stay involved with the dogs. In 2003/2004 Margaret and her husband Kevin helped put Working Dog titles on Siri, Freya, Levi and her own girl Reba. And Kevin also helps by keeping my old van going. But Margaret's biggest help to me besides just her friendship has been as my official puppy sitter. For years she has been the one that comes over at lunchtime and checks on my puppies and feeds the mother when I'm at work. Once her children came along this also meant that my puppies got valuable socialization with well mannered children.
Margaret became my next door neighbour back in the 90's. She fell in love with the dogs enough that in 1996 she was crazy enough to take home a little red girl who she would call Reba. Despite Reba not being the easiest dog to own (she had a very independent nature like my Chimo), Margaret and I have stayed friends all these years. Although Reba was bought as a pet and was spayed that didn't stop Margaret from helping me out with the handling of Reba's littermates in the dog show ring. Even after Margaret got married, had children and moved fortunately just a few block away she continued to stay involved with the dogs. In 2003/2004 Margaret and her husband Kevin helped put Working Dog titles on Siri, Freya, Levi and her own girl Reba. And Kevin also helps by keeping my old van going. But Margaret's biggest help to me besides just her friendship has been as my official puppy sitter. For years she has been the one that comes over at lunchtime and checks on my puppies and feeds the mother when I'm at work. Once her children came along this also meant that my puppies got valuable socialization with well mannered children.
Becky Campbell
Another good friend since the early 90's who has several of my dogs. Becky, her daughter Sherrie and husband Bruce have all been there to help out in many ways from helping with dog care while I'm away, to whelping puppies, to helping to reinforce the backyard fence when River, The Little Brown Devil Dog, was determined to make her escape or getting snow off the kennel roof when I was afraid it would collapse on the dogs from the weight. Becky also came on-board in 2012 as Pippin's co-owner which made it possible to continue to campaign him to the #3 Siberian in Canada.
Another good friend since the early 90's who has several of my dogs. Becky, her daughter Sherrie and husband Bruce have all been there to help out in many ways from helping with dog care while I'm away, to whelping puppies, to helping to reinforce the backyard fence when River, The Little Brown Devil Dog, was determined to make her escape or getting snow off the kennel roof when I was afraid it would collapse on the dogs from the weight. Becky also came on-board in 2012 as Pippin's co-owner which made it possible to continue to campaign him to the #3 Siberian in Canada.
Carolyn Martin
Carolyn got Josie from me in 2008 and since then we have co-owned several dogs together. But she, and her son Sean, have also become invaluable to me in helping with the whelping, running and showing of the dogs in the past few years, especially when arthritis and bad knees has really restricted my activities. For the first couple years while she still lived in New Brunswick, Carolyn traveled all the way from Fredericton to Halifax so we could run the dogs together or to help with the whelping of a litter. Then she moved to Truro to attend the pre vet program at the Agricultural College and in 2011 helped to put Working Dog titles on Jive, Pippin, Ali, Josie, Tanka and Crash. The workload of her studies is making it more difficult for her to help out as much as she use to but I think I've helped to instill a passion for the breed that will stay with her for many years to come, as will our friendship.
Carolyn got Josie from me in 2008 and since then we have co-owned several dogs together. But she, and her son Sean, have also become invaluable to me in helping with the whelping, running and showing of the dogs in the past few years, especially when arthritis and bad knees has really restricted my activities. For the first couple years while she still lived in New Brunswick, Carolyn traveled all the way from Fredericton to Halifax so we could run the dogs together or to help with the whelping of a litter. Then she moved to Truro to attend the pre vet program at the Agricultural College and in 2011 helped to put Working Dog titles on Jive, Pippin, Ali, Josie, Tanka and Crash. The workload of her studies is making it more difficult for her to help out as much as she use to but I think I've helped to instill a passion for the breed that will stay with her for many years to come, as will our friendship.
Others
There really are so many, many friends over the years who have helped me get to where I am today when it comes to the dogs. Rob and Colleen Wolfe have made sure the dogs have a great supply of frozen fish after their runs the past few years. And if I need a dog event organized at the house then Rob and Colleen know how to get it done in style including serving their now famous lobster rolls to such prestigious company as Karen Ramstead, 11 time Iditarod veteran. Pippin would never have achieved what he did in the show ring without the help of his handlers Carola Adams, Lyndsay Moxon, Allison Foley and Colton O'Shea who started Pippin on out his show career when Colton was 11 and Pippin was just 6 months. Carola piloted Pippin to all three of his BIS wins. Before she moved to Ontario to become a professional handler, Chris Pollen, as a junior handler, handled several of my older dogs including Levi and Siri for me. During the mid 2000's Amber Welch and Jeff Power helped out both with running the dogs and the whelping of litters and they were there to help me through the terrible loss of Freya. During the mid 90's my dogs would not have got out on the trail and to a few races without the help of Wayne Slade and I never would have been introduced to sledding in the first place if it where not for Karen Armstrong. And off course there are all the co-owners, pet owners and other dog friends who have put up with me over the years. Not always an easy thing to do!
There really are so many, many friends over the years who have helped me get to where I am today when it comes to the dogs. Rob and Colleen Wolfe have made sure the dogs have a great supply of frozen fish after their runs the past few years. And if I need a dog event organized at the house then Rob and Colleen know how to get it done in style including serving their now famous lobster rolls to such prestigious company as Karen Ramstead, 11 time Iditarod veteran. Pippin would never have achieved what he did in the show ring without the help of his handlers Carola Adams, Lyndsay Moxon, Allison Foley and Colton O'Shea who started Pippin on out his show career when Colton was 11 and Pippin was just 6 months. Carola piloted Pippin to all three of his BIS wins. Before she moved to Ontario to become a professional handler, Chris Pollen, as a junior handler, handled several of my older dogs including Levi and Siri for me. During the mid 2000's Amber Welch and Jeff Power helped out both with running the dogs and the whelping of litters and they were there to help me through the terrible loss of Freya. During the mid 90's my dogs would not have got out on the trail and to a few races without the help of Wayne Slade and I never would have been introduced to sledding in the first place if it where not for Karen Armstrong. And off course there are all the co-owners, pet owners and other dog friends who have put up with me over the years. Not always an easy thing to do!