In 1969 I bought my first show Basset. It all started when I bought a copy of the ‘Dog World’ and found all kinds of top breeding kennels advertised. I decided on Nancy Evans because there was an article about her kennel in that very issue. When I contacted her looking for a show bitch, she said she had a young puppy bitch that she would sell, mahogany red & white. She sent a picture and my response was instant: “I’ve got to have her!” I tried to show her, oh I got a few little wins on her but soon we figured out she wasn’t show quality. I called Nancy and she said she would replace her, but by then I had fallen in love with her. Now it was time to go back to the trusty ‘Dog World’ (1970) to find a breeder closer to home, than Arizona, where Nancy lived. I discovered a kennel in Columbus, Ohio: Margem Hill Kennels (Margretta Patterson). So I called, and this nice lady answered and we chatted for a long time. She mentioned she had a litter of pups but they weren’t old enough to sell yet. I decided to wait, as the lady was very kind to me. At any rate we went to her kennel to see the pups. How exciting - there were Basset Hounds everywhere! We got to meet Ch Sir Tomo of Glenhaven
; what a gentleman he was. I knew enough by then to know Tomo was one of the top producers of his day. Anyway, off to see the pups. Here are these baby puppies running everywhere. We watched and watched them. Finally, I said I’ll take that one. That was Ch. Margem Hills Fyre Ball.We finished Fyre Ball in seven shows the next year. I was snake bit; the bassets from that point on have been my true love. Later, when we decided we wanted a stud dog we went back to Margretta Patterson and bought Willstone Harvey. We showed him and Fyre Ball together. Harvey won a bunch of reserves with me showing him. So we decided to hire a handler to finish him. Once again I called Mrs. Patterson and she recommended Bobby Barlow. We contacted him. He took Harvey and in less than a month Bobby finished Harvey. Harvey turned out to be a great producer for me. He produced 13 Champions, some of which were Nationals winners and group winners.
A year later I bred Fyre Ball, and we lost her and the seven pups. Total devastation. My heart was broken, and I almost decided this game wasn’t for me. Then one day Barbara Borschow called several days after that. We talked for the longest time. She mentioned she had bought a bitch from Ann Thain and wanted me to show her. My heart wasn’t in it but I agreed. Iodine (Ch Mel-Ann Acres little Iodine) filled that void after losing Fyre Ball. After that I was revved up once again. We went back to Margem Hill again where most of my early breeding stock came from. Margretta was cutting dogs back because she and her husband wanted to judge. I was lucky enough to get some of her brood bitches and her bloodlines. Out of that I bred a good number of champions. I never bred large numbers of bitches, mostly I bred for my own pleasure. Back in those days when there were still many large kennels, I was considered a backyard breeder. But suddenly I was a “backyard breeder” who was winning, and overtime I gained respect. I bred under the kennel name of ‘Marshill’. In 1991 I whelped my last litter. I had a couple of litters that I was breeder on that my dear friend Barb Santino whelped and raised. Of course I got the fun part; I got to show them.
Since 1991 I started handling professionally for other folks. I did some of that prior to that but not to any great extent. As of November ‘06' I finished my 125th Basset Hound; 55 of those I owned or bred myself. Over the years I have had some wonderful clients. It is still as big a thrill for me to win as it is for my clients. I never get tired of it. Of course the biggest thrills are those Best in Show moments. Of my four Best in Show winners, I’m proud to have owned Easy ( Ch. Speakeasy of Homestead) and Gunner (Ch. Lil’ Creek Briarcrest Top Gun, ROM). However, I get just as much excitement out of winning for my clients, and taking Higins and Ozzie to their BIS wins are memories I cherish.
I always tell people just starting out that you have to put in your time, you have to study and you have to find yourself some mentors! Some of the mentors I had when I was a breeder, Margretta & John Patterson, Paul & Mary Marischen, provided a guiding hand without which I would not have been a successful breeder. As a handler I had many folks as mentors but none like Bobby Barlow. I worked for him at various times during the 70s. We became great friends. I’ll never forget all he taught me or the many fun stories I have to tell from those years. With Bobby I learned how to show other breeds and am proud to have put championships on Dalmatians, Corgis, Irish Setters, Dachshunds and even a Malamute.
Today I live in Glendale, Wisconsin and am retired from “real work” at Ford, so I have been able to spend the last eight years full-time with the “hobby” that won my heart all those years ago. Over those years, many of the people I’ve handled for have become dear friends. Creating this website has allowed me to take a trip down memory lane. I hope it gives my old friends and clients the same experience, and I hope it allows folks new to the dog show game a chance to learn about some old dogs, some new dogs and one old handler.
We will update the site with more pictures (as I find them) and new memories as I make them with tomorrow’s champions. Feel free to contact me at the email address listed to offer comments on the site, share memories or talk about plans for your future champions.
Thanks for checking us out.
-Dan Jones
