2011Thanks

THANKS!

I feel so fortunate to be living my dream. It would not have been possible
without the help, guidance and support of many people.

To my "not-a-dog-person" husband and chief kennel assistant, THANK YOU for
putting up with and helping me while I follow my dream. You are a Champion in
my heart.

To my children, THANK YOU for helping at home, in training and at shows.
Follow your passion.

I cherish the friends I have made in the Cavalier world. We come from all walks
of life, but our love for this breed is our common bond.

I doubt I would have gotten a start without Jennifer Wehking of St Jon
Cavaliers. THANK YOU for being my friend and mentor, holding my hand (long
distance even!), and trusting me with the wonderful dogs I have received from
you. Thanks also for a ton of fun down South and introducing me to even more
Cavalier people.

Julie Brienen makes me laugh or smile at least once a day. Not only is she a
cherished friend (actually she has become part of our family), but she puts up
with my driving ( and much, much more!) I would not have the beautiful dogs I
have today without her help and the use of her handsome boys!

Through my membership and involvement in my local All Breed club over the
past several years, I have made many new friends that own various breeds of
dogs and have learned so much. I was fortunate to act as president of the
Badgerland Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, which is a regional breed club,
for 6 years. The club members are very supportive of each other and the
breed. I have been a longtime member of the American Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel Club and have been involved as the club's AKC Legislative Liaison for
many years.

Showing my Cavaliers in conformation has opened up a whole new world to
me. I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and am always eager to learn
more to hopefully do my part in helping to improve/maintain this wonderful
breed. I spend a good amount of my time on the phone talking to those who
are interested in learning about Cavaliers. It is my pleasure to add to the
education of all who are interested.

Few people in this world are lucky enough to do what they LOVE!
I am truly blessed.

2012 Update: My husband retired at the end of 2011 and in these economic
times it became my turn to bring home a paycheck. I work for Portage County
operating a branch library. Thankfully my husband is still my biggest supporter
and takes good care of the dogs while I am at work.

I am also going to my first obedience class with Mango, a 7 month old ruby
puppy out of Breely. I have been toying with the idea of branching out from
conformation showing, so hopefully this is the first step in that direction.

Aug. 2016 Update: The last year has brought us great joy with the birth of our
first grandbaby as well as health challenges for both Joe and I. I haven't gone
to nearly as many dog shows and we just had our first litter in a year. At this
point in my life I am enjoying a nice balance of activities and right now that suits
me. We never know what the future will hold so it's best to live one day at a
time and do what you love. For me, that still includes dogs (always looking for
that next show puppy!), but not to the exclusion of other things.

November 2017 Update: We welcomed 2 more grandchildren this year with
the arrival of our grandson in Utah and the marriage of another son brought us a
lovely teenage granddaughter. I branched out and did conformation shows in
venues other than AKC and found that to be very enjoyable. Over the past few
years we have downsized the number of dogs we have to a number that is
better for us at this stage of our lives. I continue to count my blessings, every
day, because we never know what is ahead.

Maureen Pogorzelski