Page 39 - Chow Life - Spring 2017_Neat

on full scholarships to complete my
under graduate work in Geology
and Paleontology intending to go
to work with an oil company, but
life has many unexpected turns. My
Major Professors urged me to go
into teaching, and with a few more
scholarships offered me to do so, I
went in that direction intending to
teach Earth Science and German
at the secondary level. Another
turn in the road, James went to
work in Management for a real-
estate company then for a chemical
Company, United Laboratories,
which required him to traveled all
over the western and Midwest states,
so I continued at the university to
earn another under graduate degree.
I started teaching in Northglenn, CH Winsong’s Rhapsody In Lace CH Winsong’s Serenade O’Moonbear
Colorado, and continued post
Graduate work in Reading and
curriculum development.

Q. Tell us, why and when
you got involved in purebred
dogs, and with Chow Chows
in particular. How did this
progress into showing and
eventually breeding?
It was earlier at this time in our
lives that we had seen our first Chow
Puppy. A gorgeous 9 month old Black
male puppy. We fell in love. James
said “I want one”…turned into 28
chows at one time in our kennel near
Brighton, Colorado. Black Chows
have always had a special place in our
hearts. Like most of us however our
first Chow was not the beautiful chow CH Winsong’s Serenade O’Moonbear CH Winsong’s N-Credible
like we saw in the books. Teddy Bear
was bought from a lady in Alabama
who had the mother on site, but only James, being the salesman that he outside the Denver area. She sent
a picture of the Black Father…you was, always had a competitive edge us to The Mitchel’s, Roddie’s 3-C’s,
know the rest of the story, When we and never settled for second place. in Albuquerque, NM. They did not
got back to Denver with him, our We wanted a show dog, like the black have puppies, so they referred us to
Veterinarian gave us the news. Ted puppy we first saw. We were put in Virgil Brantley of Ken Chi Chows in
was only part chow probably mixed touch with Mary Alice Elliott. This Lubbock, Texas. It was another turn
with Akita. His neck rough was not was the beginning of a long two in the road among many that shapes
going to grow in!!! Never mind we year search for a show quality Chow the future.
loved him and He was one of those Puppy. We would find a puppy, take
heart dogs. We had him to mentor it for Mary Alice to evaluate and time Q. Which people, past or
chow puppies throughout his mature after time she would say “No, not present, have been most
years, and He became my constant this one”. She took us to dog shows influential in shaping your vision
companion on the CU campus. We to get a sense of what it was about, for breeding?
were still looking for a black chow and RMCCC Club meetings. Finally, Virgil and Georgia were
puppy. Mary Alice told us that if we wanted
a good dog we would have to go such honest, up front people,
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