We have always been dog lovers, having grown up on a farm in Michigan, but we went many dog-less years due to work schedules and the presence of small children in the house. But, when my son Andrew was 11, we felt he was ready for a dog. We researched different breeds, and settled on the Cavalier because of their gentle temperment, beautiful demeanor and manageable size.
We had no idea that our first Cavalier - Don Diego De La Vega, or "Diego" - would start us on our journey into showing and breeding these extraordinary dogs. We had Diego about two weeks and we knew we needed another one. Diego was a puppy mill dog, and we realized right away that despite his sweet personality that he was not what we'd imagined - so we began our search for a show breeder and found them in Texas. Once we found "Sophie", our love of this breed was solidified.
My father bred prize cattle on the farm, so it was only natural that I began to think about showing Sophie. After a year, we found a trainer and handler for her, who showed Sophie with some success. We became acquainted with Scott Sommer, a BIS handler and Westminster winner, and he showed Sophie to her Championship and a national ranking! We were hooked!
What has ensued since then is a careful breeding program, with new dogs introduced into our group from time to time, and a slow but sure progression into showing our own home-bred dogs. We love the English look in our Cavaliers, and strive to improve upon all aspects of the dogs in each breeding - health, temperament and conformation. We are blessed with these small family members and are grateful for their success in the show ring and the recognition they have received.
We moved to Johns Island a few years ago to provide more space for the dogs to run and play. Johns Island is next to Kiawah Island a little bit south of Charleston, SC. Johns Island is where most of the areas horses are stabled, and there are several show kennels here as well. Its a lovely location for us and our dogs!
Caroline is the proud mother of five puppies today. It was a tough road but we made it! They are all healthy, vocal and hungry. Here's our very first picture!