Meet the Breeders

• Sheryl Shaker
• Border Terrier and Portuguese Water Dog Breeder/Enthusiast

 

A longtime Portuguese water dog and Border terrier enthusiast, Sheryl Shaker and her Border terrier "Maya" will be greeting the public at the Border terrier booth. A member of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America and Border Terrier Club of America, Sheryl has competed in conformation, obedience and earthdog trials with her dogs. She is also a certified Canine Good Citizen evaluator.

 

After growing up with poodles, Sheryl obtained her first Portuguese water dog (PWD) in 1983 after looking for another breed that did not shed, in deference to her parents' allergies. Her dog "Calvin" was the first PWD registered by the AKC after the breed was accepted into the Working Group; Calvin's grandfather was from the first Portuguese water dog litter whelped in the United States. Since there were only 600 PWDs in the world at the time, owners were encouraged to keep their dogs intact to save the breed from extinction. Twenty-five years later, Sheryl's current PWD "Blue" is a descendant of her first dog.

 

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• Martha Feltenstein
• Tibetan Mastiff and Tibetan Spaniel Breeder/Enthusiast

 

Martha has had a lifelong interest in dogs, getting her first—a collie—at the age of three. After finishing law school and becoming partner at a New York law firm, she found herself without a dog and decided to search for a new pet. Her brother had recently gotten a Tibetan mastiff as a companion and guard dog, and after learning more about the breed and spending time with her brother's puppy, Martha was hooked. She had always had an interest in Tibet and other Himalayan countries and the Tibetan breeds, having first visited Nepal in 1988 and Tibet in 1991 and having owned a Lhasa apso after the collie. Soon after obtaining her Tibetan mastiffs, Martha also ended up with a Tibetan spaniel after becoming involved with the international breeding community and learning about all the dogs of Tibet.

 

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• Judy Webb Gunby
• Sphynx Breeder/Enthusiast

 

Judy Webb Gunby has always been an animal lover. In fact, she met her husband, Cecil, through a common interest in exotic finches. Their Atlanta-area home is a literal menagerie that includes collections of finches, parrots, miniature horses, Boer goats, two dogs, and a small cattery of sphynx cats. "It's a lot of work to properly care for animals—it is truly a labor of love and devotion!" says Judy. In addition to family and friends, children enjoy visiting with the animals and touring the greenhouse full of orchids, bonsai, and various rare plants, another of Cecil's hobbies.

 

Judy and Cecil are semi-retired and own a small service industry business as avian specialists, permitting them both the freedom to be home most of the week. Cecil also travels to bird shows as an NFSS and NAPS judge, on occasion.

 

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• Ted Swedalla
• Beagle Breeder/Enthusiast

 

Ted became involved in dog shows in 1979 when he decided to breed his red and white beagle named Joy. In 1986 he met Terri Giannetti at a dog show where she was showing her beagles. Brought together by their love of dogs, good food and music, Terri and Ted soon merged their lives as well as their beagle broods.

 

"People say marriage takes work," says Ted. "Well try keeping a wife and a kennel full of dogs happy and you'll see what work really is!"

 

But Ted says that the effort is well worth the reward since "the dogs help me keep my life in proper perspective. With their naturally upbeat and eager dispositions, beagles make themselves the center of attention and are constantly entertaining us."

 

In 1995 Ted founded the Beagle Rescue Foundation of America, Inc., which was created to raise money to fund the spay/neuter programs for beagle rescue groups nationwide. To date, it has raised over $130,000 and funded over a thousand spay/neuter procedures.

 

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• Caroline Scott
• American Curl Breeder/Enthusiast

 

Upon meeting her first American Curl in 1986 at The International Cat Association show at Madison Square Garden, Caroline Scott was overcome with affection for this beautiful and unique breed. Since then Caroline and her partner Michael Tucker have been showing and breeding longhair Curls exclusively. They continue to proudly produce both beloved pets and award-winning longhaired Curls through their Manhattan-based Procurl Harem Cattery, which also specializes in the rare blue-eyed colorpoint Curl variety.

 

Caroline and Michael have introduced the American Curl to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Poland, England, Malaysia, France, Belgium, Bermuda, and The Netherlands while continuing to enhance the breed's recognition in the U.S.

 

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• Lauren Castle Flynn
• Abyssinian and European Burmese Breeder/Enthusiast

 

Lauren's love affair with the Abyssinian began when she was just seven and chose a red Abyssinian as her first pet. She immediately knew that she wanted to show and raise these exquisite and intelligent animals. Lauren acquired her first Abyssinian show cat in 1990 and Abycastle Abyssinians, a boutique cattery located in New York City, was born.

 

Lauren says she laughed aloud and knew all of her years of dedication had paid off the first time someone asked her for an Abyssinian in "Abycastle Red."

 

"My cats are known for their beautiful vivid red color and exotic look," says Lauren. "In general Abyssinians are outgoing, loving, and confident and make great pets for any family that wants companionship and interaction with their feline family members. I encourage everyone to come out to Meet the Breeds for this exciting weekend."

 

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• Susan Cook Henry
• Persian Breeder/Enthusiast

 

Susan Cook Henry of Warrenton, Virginia, has been involved showing Persian cats under the cattery name "Jadon" since 1965. "Persians have been part of my life since I was born," Susan says. "I suppose it was fate. My mother purchased a Blue Persian as a young girl, while living in London, where her Air Force father and family were stationed after the war. Mom never lost that interest and was introduced to the world of show cats by a friend in 1960. She took me to my first cat show that year, and I was fascinated!"

 

Susan's father's career in the Air Force kept the family moving, but that never stopped her and her mother Donna from showing cats. Susan, with roadmaps in hand, navigated alongside her mother as they drove many thousands of miles to shows in the far reaches of the United States. Since those early years, the pair have had many wins including Best-in-Show at the famous CFA International "Cat-Minster" show.

 

Professionally, Susan has been a flight attendant for over 31 years, with more than two-thirds of that time at US Airways, where her fluency in Spanish and French has been very useful. She and her husband, Brent, an architect, have enjoyed traveling to various parts of the world together. During his recent two-year assignment in Doha, Qatar, the couple took advantage of mutual days off to meet in various international locales. A highlight of this time was celebrating Susan's 50th birthday by riding camels along the Persian Gulf! She has been grateful for the travel opportunities and flexible schedules afforded by her career that has given her exceptional access to CFA's world of cats.

 

"The Persians have been a large part of my life for close to half a century," Susan says. "Their gentle nature and fabulous personalities are so special, and who can resist those sweet faces and gorgeous flowing coats? Persians are wonderful cats for families, and tolerate being carried around by young children. They require quick, daily grooming and face-washing, which takes just minutes. There are also options for clipping the coat for even less maintenance for those "on-the-go" owners. I look forward to sharing my fabulous Persians at 'Meet the Breeds' in October!"

 

Meet Susan and two of her beautiful Persians, "Joey" and "Chipper," who will model their "lion cuts" at the Persian booth.

 

Hallmarks of a responsible breeder.

 

Selecting the right breed for you and then finding a responsible breeder are the first steps you'll take when acquiring a new pet. But what makes someone a responsible breeder? Use the following tips to identify breeders who have the best interests of dogs and cats, and your family, in mind.

 

• Joining the Club – Is the breeder a member of a national or local dog club? AKC Breed parent clubs as well as local clubs will often have a breeding Code of Ethics that members are required to follow. CFA-recognized breeds have Breed Councils. Membership allows breeders to stay up-to-date on health and educational information related to their specific breed of cat.
• Meet the Parents – Have you been able to verify that the breeder properly cares for the parents of the pet you're considering by providing veterinary care, exercise, high-quality food, and a clean and stimulating living environment? Will the puppies and kittens have their shots before coming to live with you? Have they been exposed to plenty of people and situations to ensure proper socialization?
• Bringing Home A Best Friend – A good breeder will ask you lots of questions about your home, your family, and your ability to properly care for a pet. He or she will want to make absolutely certain that you will take excellent care of your pet and may ask many questions of you and others who will be caring for your new dog or cat. A responsible breeder takes every possible measure to place their pets in loving, caring homes so the animals live long, happy and healthy lives. They will let you know that they'll be available throughout your pet's life to provide guidance and answer questions.

 

Click here for more info about finding responsible dog and cat breeders.

 

 

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