A childhood dream
It all began in childhood. My mother loved to tell the story of how, after I saw Peter Pan with an Old English Sheepdog, I wouldn’t stop talking about how much I wanted one. Maybe even more than one!
When the door opened, out bounded this beautiful Old English Sheepdog
That dream became a reality in 1970, the year I got my first Old English Sheepdog. It was a moment I’ll never forget. My first husband, in a move that completely took me by surprise, planned something extraordinary for my birthday. He took me to a house, and when the door opened, out bounded this beautiful Old English Sheepdog. The family had decided she was too big for their home, and just like that, she became ours. That was the start of something truly special—the beginning of a lifelong love affair with the breed.
The first steps into the show world
Crumpet was my very first OES, and I decided to attend a dog show at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The show was benched back then. I walked in and asked someone where the sheepdogs were, and they directed me to the Komondors. I immediately knew that didn’t look like my girl at home! But at that dog show, something sparked inside us, and we found ourselves drawn to the idea of owning a show dog.
As fate would have it, the breed winner that year, “Brooks Blue Boy,” had just sired a litter. Naturally, we couldn’t resist and chose the pick of the males. McGee, as we called him, turned out to be anything but show quality. However, even though he didn’t quite reach the heights of a show dog, he still earned his obedience title, which was a rewarding achievement in its own right.
My first litter came from my beloved pet Crumpet and our “show dog.” Eight puppies were born, and it was a pivotal moment for me. It wasn’t until after that first litter that I truly began my journey as a breeder. That’s when I officially named my kennel, drawing inspiration from my birth sign: Capricorns.
The Detroit OES Club was very active back then, and they hosted a puppy match where I won Best in Match and Best of Opposite with littermates from my very first litter. Needless to say, I was hooked! I felt fortunate to have such beautiful dogs, especially since one of them carried the unique Bahlambs bloodlines.
Finding my true passion
It wasn’t long before I attended the Connecticut Specialty with some friends, where I saw the stunning dogs from Bahlambs (Caj Haakanson). Right then, I knew what bloodline I wanted to pursue. Shortly after, I moved to Maryland to work at Bahlambs with good friends. Caj was an excellent teacher, and we spent days going over photographs and pedigrees. His passion for the breed was contagious, and I soaked up everything he taught me.
I used to apologize to Caj for finding my true passion later in life, but he would always remind me that many people never find their passion at all—and that it didn’t matter what age I was when I found mine.
However, working for Caj came with difficult decisions. I had to place my dogs back in Michigan because their temperaments weren’t up to Caj’s high standards. He was a firm believer in the importance of temperament, and my ten dogs, who came from the Morrows line, had temperaments that wouldn’t have fit in his program. I worked with Caj for three years, and when I left, I found myself without any dogs.
After that, I worked briefly at a Labrador kennel, but I knew it wasn’t what I truly wanted to do. Working for a professional handler without the chance to have my own dogs or continue my love for OES just didn’t align with my passion.
But the passion never left me, and when I decided to re-enter the world of showing, I purchased a dog from Joyce Wetzler at Whisperwood. That’s when our friendship truly began. I had always admired the look of Joyce’s dogs, particularly her Bahlambs Brazen Bandit. I met Joyce in 1982 and purchased CH Whisperwood’s Wheeler Dealer from her. He made a remarkable impression, finishing his championship in just one week, though sadly, he was later diagnosed with spondylitis and had to be neutered.
My first Whisperwood purchase. CH. Whisperwood Wheeler Dealer aka Hopkins. He finished in one week on the Cherry Blossom Circuit
For nearly 20 years, Joyce and I co-bred and co-owned many dogs, working side by side with a deep love for the breed. We never cared whose kennel prefix the dogs carried—it was always about our shared passion. Together, we produced incredible dogs and created unforgettable memories.
Dealing with Cerebellar Abiotrophy
One of the biggest challenges I ever faced as a breeder was dealing with CA. CA stands for Cerebellar Abiotrophy, a hereditary neurological disease that affects balance and coordination. The first case I encountered was in one of my bitches. Her front movement didn’t seem quite right, and while Joyce thought it might be wobblers, my vet diagnosed her with CA. At that time, I remember thinking, “What is that?” And so began a long and difficult journey.
She was only 3 years old when she had to be euthanized due to severe seizures. We now know this was an extreme case of CA, as there are 17 varieties of the disease. In some forms, dogs can live a long life with manageable issues, but her case was heartbreaking. Losing her was devastating, and it opened my eyes to the gravity of this condition. Later, my dog Whisperwoods War Admiral, also known as Collier, was diagnosed with CA. He showed no signs of the disease until he was 2 years old. Unfortunately, by the time we discovered he was affected, he had already sired three litters. Collier was eventually euthanized, and his brain was donated to research, contributing to the ongoing study of CA.
Am Ch. Whisperwoods War Admiral
Cerebellar Abiotrophy, or CA, is a devastating condition where the cells in the cerebellum—the part of the brain responsible for motor control—begin to die off prematurely. This results in a lack of coordination and a progressive loss of balance, ultimately making it difficult for the dog to walk or stand. It’s heartbreaking to watch a once-healthy dog deteriorate in this way, especially when there’s so little you can do to stop it.
Dr. Jerrold Bell worked with us tirelessly to find a solution. It took nearly 20 years, but we finally developed a genetic marker for CA. This marker now allows breeders to test their dogs for the disease, ensuring that they can make informed breeding decisions. I truly hope breeders take advantage of this and don’t turn a blind eye. Ignoring CA is simply not an option if we want to protect the future of the breed.
CA nearly broke me. It was a horrible time, both for me and for the dogs
At the time, it was devastating. I had three girls, all recently finished champions, with perfect health exams and OFA certifications. But when Dr. Bell advised me not to act rashly, I knew that placing them in pet homes was the best decision. It was too dangerous to even consider breeding them, as they were all suspected carriers of CA. Although it was heartbreaking, I knew they would be better off living as beloved pets than risking the future of the breed. This decision weighed heavily on me. Those three bitches, each with their freshly earned championships, represented years of dedication. But with the specter of CA hanging over them, it was simply too risky to continue breeding them.
Looking back, CA nearly broke me. It was a horrible time, both for me and for the dogs. I gave them up for their own well-being, and while it was a deeply painful decision, I knew it was the right one. During those years, we learned that you could breed a carrier to a non-carrier without producing affected puppies, but many breeders, unfortunately, overreacted. They “threw the babies out with the bathwater,” as the saying goes, and a great many valuable dogs were lost from breeding programs. The whole experience was an eye-opener for me, as I was shocked at how little some breeders knew about genetics back then. It was a hard lesson for all of us, but one that has since shaped a more thoughtful approach to breeding.
A new chapter: Moving forward
Eventually, Joyce and I parted ways. At that time, it felt like my world was falling apart because I lost all my dogs. I reached out to Alex Little (Bobbington), and through her, I connected with Carmen Bulo (Krismaca kennel from Spain). This connection became a turning point for me, leading to the purchase of semen from Bobbington Latin Lover and a bitch puppy. Despite the challenges, I was able to continue my breeding program. I bred my beloved Adam, Am-Ch Whisperwoods White Lightning, and moved forward.
As the Millennium approached, I bred Capricorns Dream Whip with Kaj’s Buggle Boy and kept a girl I named Bacalls (Capricorns Dark Passage), inspired by her dark-coated father, in contrast to my almost-white Dream Whip. Bacalls was a one-of-a-kind dream dog, and at 20 months, her hips were x-rayed and rated as excellent. After earning her American champion title with Nina Fedder, she returned home in heat and had 14 puppies. The Orthopods agreed that 14 puppies would affect her structure, and when I retested her hips, one showed a slight difference, so they weren’t cleared.
Bacalls, Capricorns Dark Passage
Having lost many great dogs in the past, I decided Bacalls would stay mine. I made the difficult choice to breed her again, resulting in 11 more puppies. Her final litter came from the frozen semen of Bobbington Latin Lover, with Alex Little’s approval, despite Bacalls’ hip issues. I carefully monitored the offspring, paying for all the x-rays, and thankfully, they all had clear hips. Bacalls left an incredible legacy, as all of my current dogs trace back to her. Along with Lover, she produced Capricorns Vanessa, owned by Cheryl Delmar, who went on to become the mother of Shaggeybark American Lover Of Aryakas At Snodragon. As a result, Bacalls appears in many pedigrees worldwide.
After finding new hope with Carmen’s offspring, life threw another challenge my way: I was diagnosed with cancer. During that difficult time, Gail Swails from Shaggeybark Kennel stepped in and supported me in every way possible. In gratitude, and to ensure my dogs continued to succeed, I agreed to place her kennel name on them (Shaggeybark Wedgewood), allowing them to earn their champion titles. Through Gail, I met Cheryl Tavares, which marked the beginning of another important chapter in my life.
Facing Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Breeding can be a journey of highs and lows. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. No matter how hard you try to do your best, there’s always the risk that something unexpected will threaten everything you’ve worked for. After 20 years of hard work, we finally got the DNA test for CA, but we weren’t as lucky when it came to PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy).
We had seen how PRA devastated a portion of the breed in Europe, and it terrified us when the ophthalmologist confirmed that our Aiden had Retinal Atrophy. As breeders, we could have dwelled on the misfortune, but Cheryl and I chose to focus on finding a solution that would benefit everyone.
Aiden had already sired offspring, so together with Dr. Jones, we made the difficult decision to do a test breeding with Aiden and his daughter. It was a crazy decision, but at the time, there were no available test samples from Europe or the USA, so we had to create our own. The puppies from this litter were placed in pet homes and closely monitored by Dr. Jones. Thankfully, none of them developed PRA.
We could have gotten a marker if more people would have participated
Though all the DNA samples are still stored with OFA, and after 13 years of research, we were never able to identify the marker for PRA. It was a challenging and frustrating journey, but we did everything we could to contribute to the research and understanding of the disease.
Reflecting on the breed’s future
As I look to the future of the breed, I find myself filled with both hope and concern. I want more people to experience the joy and companionship that this breed offers, but I’m also aware that my time in the breeding world is coming to an end. My hope is that, in some small way, I’ve left a positive mark on the breed.
Over the years, I’ve noticed some changes that give me pause. The decline in toplines and the appearance of “houndy” heads are particularly troubling. Judges can only work with what’s presented to them, but I wouldn’t hesitate to withhold ribbons if these essential breed hallmarks are missing. After all, this is a square, compact dog with a beautifully shaped head—and a good head needs to come with brains.
Looking back
If I could bring back three dogs from the past, they would be my beloved CH Whisperwoods White Lightning CD CGC, Ch Spanish Whisper de Krismaca, and, of course, GB-Ch. Bobbington’s Latin Lover. These dogs were a true representation of what the breed stands for.
When it comes to breeding success, CH Whisperwoods War Lord, who won the National in 1999 and earned multiple BISS and BIS titles, certainly stands out. But there have been many other successes over the years. For me, the greatest accomplishment isn’t just in the titles, but in the happiness I’ve brought to the families who share my passion for this breed. There’s nothing quite like introducing new people to the Old English Sheepdog, a breed that has become so dear to me. Watching others fall in love with these dogs has been the most rewarding part of my journey.
Life with my current dogs
Today, I’m partnered with Cheryl Tavares (Aurora Blue) and Cheryl Delmar (Phoenix) to ensure that my dogs are well cared for as I grow older. I want to make sure they’re in safe hands if anything happens to me, giving me peace of mind about their future. Currently, I have Sophie Grace, also known as CH Shaggeybark Wedgewood, who just turned 12, and CH Capricorns Bippety Boppity Boo, who turns 5 this Halloween. In a bit of a change, I’ve also welcomed two little Havanese into my life—downsizing a bit! They’ve brought so much joy to this new chapter, offering a fresh perspective and a lot of happiness.