About us
It was in 1973 we decided we should have another family dog. Our previous dog had been a standard poodle and we had lost her about 3 years earlier. I thought it was a bit much to cope with three children and another big dog that needed constant coat care so I said ‘Find a small quiet dog that is easy to look after.
That was difficult but not as difficult as finding a Westie. It took me 6 months to find Mrs Connie Hartmann who only lived about 6 miles from us. She put me in touch with a lady that had a litter and we went along to buy the dog puppy. I decided I preferred the bitch so we got her instead
We bred a litter from her by Birkfell Sergeant Pepper when she was 3 years old and kept a bitch and our third westie was her daughter born three years later. My first show bitch.
She did fairly well at local open shows over the next few years and I still occasionally bred a litter using dogs that I thought would improve my puppies.
I then had to take some time out from showing due to home commitments. (My youngest daughter was in the GB Swimming Team and I was the chauffeur for the 10 training sessions per week in Leeds). In 1983 Lindi went to university in Texas and I had time for my dogs again.
I still did quite well at open shows but I had started to go to Ch shows just to watch . The westies were beautiful and they made me realise how far I had to go.
In 1987 I entered Tartan Melody at Leeds Ch show. Of course we were thrown out but I was not one to give in easily I decided to try another litter but there were only 2 male puppies and my bitch had to be spayed afterwards as she got pyometre.
While I had been going to Ch shows as a spectator and occasional exhibitor I had met Margaret Duell of the Lorell affix. This lady taught me a lot and I realised that if I wanted to start doing well I had to buy a quality puppy.
I approached Mrs Barbara Graham and asked her for a puppy to show. I had greatly admired the Lasara kennel and I said I didn’t mind waiting. Oh, how she made me wait. During the following year Mrs Graham offered me 3 puppies but although they were by her dogs she hadn’t bred them and I wanted a ‘Lasara’
It was at LKA that she said she thought she had a puppy for me and the following week we went and bought Lasara Lindi.
