Phoenix & Dora

Who We Are?

While Mike was not originally a dog breeding or show person, Mary was the primary influence for dogs in our house. In fact, she had her Siberian Husky ("Kissi") and had been involved with breeding and showing dogs before we met in 1983. Between 1984 and 1986, we were at Kansas State University completing our various science degrees.

At the time, Mike was interested in obtaining another dog and with Mary's help (as a former veterinary technician), research began for a breed uncommon to most. About six months later, Rhodesian Ridgebacks were picked as the choice breed, but the end of graduate school and on-set of employment meant reconsideration of the responsibilities to a puppy. You knew dogs were to be part of our lives in a big way that at our wedding in May 1987, besides the guests, Kissi was even part of our ceremonies.

Once we settled in, we began to look at Ridgebacks again and made the various calls to breeders throughout the country. During the Summer of 1988, we "bumped" into Diane Blackwood (and "Matt Dillon") who ultimately put us in touch with Barabara Sawyer Brown. Late in 1988, a litter was whelped by Barbara andin February 1989, we made the drive to Chicago for our first Ridgeback, "Geni."

Geni was bred (with Matt Dillon) in 1991 and 1992 which gave us our first breeding experiences with Ridgebacks. Subsequently, several of the pups were shown to their Championships with Mary even taking a 1st Place Bred-by-Exhibitor at the 1993 RRCUS National Specialty. Speaking of 1993, Diane, Mary, myself and several other RR enthusiasts began RRAWNY - the Rhodesian Ridgeback Association of Western New York.

In 1994 and 1996, children entered our lives and sort of put Ridgebacks on the back burner for a time except of RRAWNY hosting the 1998 RRCUS National Specialty in Batavia, NY. Since then things have progressed and late in 1998, we recieved our Ridgeback "re-birth" Phoenix.

In December 2001, we acquired a girl from a litter sired by Phoenix. Her name is "Pandora" and how appropriate. We look forward to seeing how she develops and to continue on with Phoenix. Speaking of Phoenix - at the National Specialty in Lansing, Michigan in May 2002, Phoenix went Best in Specialty Show!!!.

In, 2003 Mr. Phoenix did us proud and received another Award of Merit at the RRCUS National Specialty and repeated another Award of Merit in 2004. However, his daughter, Pandora whalloped the competition and received Best of Opposite Sex at the 2004 RRCUS National Specialty besting her daddy!

2005 was a year to ponder breeding again (after a 13 year hiatus!). In September, Dora was bred to Ch Kwetu Mahubah's Fair Play and on November 29, nine puppies became our little pride and joys! Eight weeks onward and we kept Kanu.

Hopefully, he'll live up to the big paws he has to fill!