Past Sunhaven Dogs

When I lived in Honolulu, Hawaii in the 1980s I bought a golden retriever puppy for our family.  I ended up paying a show price for a pet puppy unknowingly.  I then wanted to train it and decided that showing at AKC shows would be fun.  I quickly learned that my cute puppy was NOT show quality.  I loved her always but later when I purchased my fist cocker, a buff puppy, I did my 'homework' first and bought from a reputable breeder that actually bred AKC show quality dogs.

We later decided to add to the local bloodlines, purchasing and finishing Ch Mei-Hardt's B. Prince Charming, Ch Wib's Sunhaven High Society and Ch Wilynridge Wintergreen.  All were buff cockers that I adored.

I had always admired the parti-colored cockers, but there were limited parti colors in Hawaii at that time.  As I visited the mainland numerous times to expand my knowledge of the breed, I fell in love with the temperament and type of Ch Juban's Georgia Jazz.  I waited about six months for a repeat breeding of 'Mona' (Ch Rowingdale Low Desert Blossum).  We were fortunate to purchase and then finish Ch Rowindale G. He's Island Magic.

Now I needed a sound, typey bitch to breed to Magic, so we purchased and finished Ch Fox Nob's All About Eve.

Magic bred to Eve produced the Best Bred by Exhibitor in Show at the 1989 ASC Summer National, Ch Sunhaven's Ready N Raring.  This fancy red/white boy was just what I wanted.....typey, sound and a 'flyer'.

While I have only had litters every 2 to 4 years, I feel fortunate to have been given the opportunity to have these beautiful dogs in the heritage of Sunhaven Cockers.

The dogs we currently have are from breeders we respect and feel their ancestry has much to offer the fancy.  Many thanks to Cathy Carey (Buttonwood Cockers) and Jeanette Bruce (Winelight Cockers) for sending us our current hopefuls.

I owe much to the knowledge and kindness of Ada Forbes for starting me in cockers, and a fond mahalo to my dear cocker friends in Hawaii for their encouragement and support over the years.

To Charles and Jacquie Rowe and Gini Goetz, words cannot express my gratitude for entrusting their good dogs to a newcomer who took their dogs through quarantine in Hawaii.

To Jeanne Meister and Betty Baumgartner of Mei-hardt, the Helmicks, the Rickertsens, Brigitte Berg and Michael Allen, your trust and influence has been invaluable.

It is my hope that Steve and I can be a positive force in the cocker breed and practice the diligence, intelligence and helpfulness shown to me by the breeders who have touched our lives.