I grew up in the Midwest surrounded by great family, friends, and lots of open space. I graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Biochemistry in 1997. Animals have been a passion of mine since the day I was born apparently as my first word was 'kitty cat' and the rest is history. My fury friends are family members first and foremost.
As a little girl I wanted to be a veterinarian, however, I went to the way of research to better understand disease and science. After being in the workforce for the pharmaceutical industry, I decided to go back to school to see if veterinary school is still where my passion is. So in 2009 I graduated from Cosumnes River College with an A.S. of Veterinary Technology. I figured I would start small to see whether or not an additional five year program and a doctorate in veterinary medicine is really the path I want to take. I am sure time will tell.
I currently have five dogs, one cat, and one bird, the bird is not really mine but my husbands. I have a golden named Bailey (8 yrs), four Danes: a brindle Nalla (6 1/2 yrs), a fawn Laural (3 1/2 yrs), a brindle Cinnamon (17 months) and my boy Taz (11 months). Our Kitty is Monk who was adopted as part of the Cosumnes River College Vet Tech Program I attended 2008-09 and then there is the bird, a mitrated conjure named Scooby, yes how fitting.
My first dog Woofie, was a long hair Chihuahua mix. She was a companion that I had growing up most of my childhood. Unfortunately, she crossed the rainbow bridge in the fall of 1990.
In 1991 I was ready for another puppy so I rescued a Winnie from a local shelter. She was only with me a very short while. She crossed the rainbow bridge in 1992.
In 1993, my parents surprised me with another puppy from the local shelter. Her name was Chylee, a Golden/Aussie mix. She went to college with me, went through my wedding with me and my tremendous move to California. Chylee crossed the rainbow bridge in December 2005 due to cancer. She is in heaven with Woofie & Winner as my guardian angels.
I have always wanted a Golden so I looked around and found Bailey. I brought Bailey home in February of 2002. Bailey is everything I imagined a Golden to be. Very friendly, warm, affectionate, trustworthy and an incredible companion. I will continue to have a golden in my home and hope to show and breed Goldens someday.
My adventure into Great Danes was through my husband. His uncle is a retired vet who often boarded a brindle great Dane. My husband spent a lot of time with this Dane and was heart struck ever since. Thus, we got our brindle girl Nalla (Adelaide's Sweet Nalla Piche') in May of 2003. She is a breeding from Wolke and Anadane Great Danes. My husband showed Nalla for a while then I got the bug more then he did. Nalla entered the ring at 14 months. She has 3 AKC points, including 2 best of breeds over specials. After a while my husband was not into showing, thus, I started doing it and the rest is history. Shortly after Nalla's retirement in the confirmation ring, I got my second Dane, Laural. However, Nalla did go on to achieve her Rally Novice title and is working on her Rally Advanced title with my husband.
Laural (Divine Acres Rising Victory V Adelaide) is my fawn girl, who is a breeding out of Divine Acres located in WI. Laural hit the show ring with a bang at the Nationals taking 2nd out of a class of 26 for the futurity and pulled and considered during the regular confirmation classes at just 6 months old. She has been a tremendous amount of fun, and brings a great deal of joy to our family. Before Laural hit 2 she received 9 points, one major reserve, and several other reserves. It was with great sadness that I had to have an emergency spay on Laural which ended her show career. She is such an outstanding breed representation and it breaks my heart that she was two majors away from her championship. She now sits on the couch enjoying her days lounging around. She will be back in the show ring as a veteran.
Currently Showing:
Cinnamon (Divine Acres Sugar and Spice Girl) is now 17 months old. She is so spicy but yet very loving. You never know what you will encounter first, a little spice or some lovin. She has been a natural on the table and has such an amazing personality. She has been a joy and an adventure at the same time. She brings a different type of Dane to our home. Cinnamon has been in the showring achieving her International Puppy Champion title, several reserve winnings, one Best of Breed over specials and currently sits at 11 points waiting for that last major to finish. Cinnamon went to the GDCA Nationals in Chattanooga TN where she was pulled for the last five of a large junior class and then went on to place 4th in the open brindle class of 11 at just 17 months old. I am so proud of this girl.
Taz (Divine Acres Talisman) is all boy, need I say anything else. He is very confident, spicy, yet a loving young man. He is growing into a very fine young man and his brain is coming along. He brings a whole new element to the household. He is challenging, a handful, yet there is not a day that goes by that he does not make me smile. He is my first male since I was a young girl. He is an adventure and has very little to no fear. I have been told by many there is nothing like owning a boy. Taz currently has his International Puppy Champion title and has been shown a few times in the ring in the BBE class where he has take best BBE and a group 2 and a reserve so far at just 10 months old. Although he went to the Nationals and competed, he is very young and did very well. He will be quite the eye catcher when he matures and you will be able to see him in the ring strong in 2010.
Our home is a place where Goldens and Danes live like family.
