Happy Birthday to the Final litter!

Today we celebrate the birthday of the Finals! At the time, we thought this would be Claire's last litter, so the puppies were all given a Final name. A change in plans led to one more litter from Claire, and they were called the Epilogue litter. The Final group was sired by Quaciendas Thunus Georgii and they were a delightful group to raise. Happy birthday to Gris Gris, Marcel, Dallas, Fia, Alainn, Magic, and Blueberry. A beautiful group!!

Welcome home, Marlee!

We are right in the middle of our birthday season. Almost every one of our Barbet litters have been born in late March or early April. Living together usually makes all of the girls come into season around the same time, so it has been easy to plan for spring pups that are ready to head to their new homes just as summer is starting. A great time for puppies to make the transition when their new families can easily get them out to new places every day.

Next week we will celebrate the 3rd birthday of our beautiful Marlee and her siblings. Time flies! Yesterday I drove to Chesapeake City, MD to pick up Mar after her month on the road with Michelle and Michael Scott. This road trip was extremely successful for Marlee. She won Best of Breed and Best in Miscellaneous at 12 of the 14 shows where the Scotts showed her. Marlee made a lot of new friends for the breed and the Scotts learned about showing a Barbet. In the end, Marlee earned her CM2 title and is just two points shy of her CM3. She came home in impeccable condition, and she loved everyone on the Creekside Handling team. Marlee will continue to meet up with the Scotts throughout the year. My sincere thanks to Michael for presenting Marlee so beautifully!

An honor to win under Houston Clark

Balanced, beautiful movement. Totally correct. So proud :)

Taking the glamour down a notch :)   judge Richard V Miller

Happy Birthday to the Claire - Pascal Pups

April 6, 2016 was a special day here last year. Claire, our fabulous foundation mama, had her last litter of puppies. Papa Pascal stopped by with his owners Josh and Maria to meet all of the babies before they went on to their new homes. Happy birthday to Brigitte, Gavroche, Rex, Lucy, Lila, Rush, Max, and Pink Cotton Candy (CC)  We are so lucky to have such wonderful owners for our puppies!!!

Happy Birthday Fools Day!

Happy second birthday to these special little Fools!!! Nessa and Murdoch had a very wonderful litter two years ago today. Happy birthday to Kit, Ren, Mallie, Addie, Marley, Beau, Flambeaux and a special memory to Remi, whose life was cut so short in a tragic accident. Nessa now lives with Remi's family, helping to fill the giant hole left by his loss.

Happy Birthday to the Wishes Litter

March 26, 2016 was the birthday of our beautiful Solene and Thibault litter. Thibault lives in The Netherlands and semen for this litter was shipped in frozen straws. Solene never even got to know him :( Happy birthday to Willow, Aquila, Hamish, Penn, Flynn, Seven, and Penny (all the way in Sweden!)

Marlee & Michael Scott

Two weeks ago, we sent our Marlee Girl out with Michelle & Michael Scott of Chesapeake City, MD for some of the more distant shows that we weren't able to attend. The Scotts have been wonderful taking on a rare breed, and Marlee clearly loves being with them. So far she has won 6 Best in Miscellaneous and her CM2 title, becoming the very first in the breed! Marlee & Michael are a wonderful team and clearly she loves showing for him!

Marlee & Michael

Marlee and Michael Scott at the Country Music Cluster in Nashville, Tennessee. This pair also won Best in Miscellaneous at the Louisville Kennel Club show March 17, 2017.

Best in Miscellaneous Marlee!

Hickory Tavern Secret Entourage CM

We are very proud of our Marlee Girl for having a wonderful first weekend with Michael and Michelle Scott. She won Best in Miscellaneous all four days of the Country Music Cluster in Nashville, Tennessee. She also won Best in Miscellaneous both days with me the previous weekend in Tallmadge, Ohio. This makes seven shows in a row where Marlee won Best in Miscellaneous! Marlee will be out with the Scotts throughout the year. We are very pleased to have such talented handlers showing our girl when we have other commitments. Next stop: Louisville, Kentucky!

Hickory Tavern Intl Intrigue CM

Solene did not get pregnant from her February breeding. No further litters are planned at this time.

Best Barbet Brush

This brush is my absolute favorite for keeping my Barbet mat-free. Regular brushing with this slicker keeps the skin healthy and the hair free of serious mats. Using a line brushing technique, this brush will pull out all hair that is lying in the coat, waiting to weave itself into problems. I recommend this slicker brush to everyone!

Westminster: Meet the Barbet

Last Saturday, we were so happy to return to New York City for another year of AKC's Meet the Breeds. We debuted a stunning new backdrop for our booth and our design allowed for a large space with at least two Barbet available throughout the day for people to meet and touch. Early in the morning, Marlee waited for her first visitors. After the doors opened, our booth was swamped throughout the day with dog fanciers who were anxious to meet the dogs and learn more about the breed. The dogs were all so patient! My sincere thanks go out to everyone who helped us throughout the day: Tracey Schnabel, Donna and Stephanie Forte, Courtney Bradley, my husband David, and the board of the Barbet Club of America. It was great being a part of this amazing team! So proud of our dogs for giving their best to this very hectic day.

Breeding generations of quality dogs requires a long-range plan. This week we were able to utilize a dog in our breeding program who I imagined for Solene when we first imported Nessa from The Netherlands in 2012. Hickory Tavern Fool For Brookberry was the pick male from Nessa's litter to Canadian Grand Champion Flacon d' Paris of Neigenuveaux. He is owned by Donna Forte of Brookberry Labrador Retrievers and he has grown past some of his adolescent gangliness into a truly promising young male. Solene has been bred to 'Beau' and we hope for a litter in early April. Our sincere thanks for Donna and Stephanie Forte for doing such a nice job growing up Beau, and to our friend Anne Plomp for sharing Alba's beautiful girl Nessa with us.

The pedigree for this litter can be viewed here. 

Hickory Tavern Fool For Brookberry

Hickory Tavern Fool For Brookberry

Congratulations to Barbet Addie and Michele!

It's so much fun when our puppy owners tell us about their new achievements with their beautiful Barbet. Last night, Michele let me know about Addie's exciting AKC Rally weekend. In the first rally trials ever for both of them, Michele and Addie earned the title of Rally Novice at the Atlantic Ocean Classic in Wildwood, NJ. Addie also placed high in the classes! We are so proud! Addie is almost two years old and is from our Nessa (Nuphar's Gift-Wrapped), sired by Murdoch (Can Gr Ch Ex Flacon d'Paris of Neigenuveaux). This litter was born on April Fools Day and all of the puppies have 'Fool' in their names :)

Congratulations to Hickory Tavern Fools Gold RN CGC and owner Michele Henry!

Visit Us At Meet the Breeds

February 11 we will be in New York City for the AKC's popular Meet the Breeds, held immediately before the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. This is always a fun day, filled with dog lovers who are anxious to meet new breeds and visit with old favorites. A hands on event, Meet the Breeds gives visitors a great opportunity to speak with owners and learn what each breed is really like. For more information, see AKC's Meet the Breeds page.

Marlee Meets A New Friend

The New York Crowd Is Almost Overwhelming

A Rare Quiet Moment for Marlee

Barbet Now At Regular AKC Shows!

Leslie introduces Micah to a new friend

Micah, Can Ch Hickory Tavern Secret Liaison CM, won Best in Miscellaneous last weekend in Tallmadge, OH, during the very first weekend that Barbet were shown in AKC Miscellaneous. Thanks to judge Bill Sahloff. We are so proud of Micah and the wonderful home given to him by owners Leslie Woodward and Lynn Vogt-Kinsey. Micah is Marlee's big brother, and he is a sweetheart. Sister Meg just had her first litter of puppies in Wisconsin. This litter of Bosch x Solene just keeps getting better.

AKC National Championship Wrap-Up

Second Place for the Barbet booth in Orlando
AJ Arapovic, Judy Descutner, Lynn Byfield, Barb Gresham

Marlee winning Group 2 in Orlando

Our last show of the year was so much fun.

Aquila Hits the Show Ring

Aquila (Hickory Tavern Wishes Come True) got to try out being a show dog today! He is one of the pretty puppies from Solene's litter sired by Thibault. Just 10 months old, Aquila had a wonderful time in the ring with his owner, Krissy. The American Barbet are lucky to have the world of AKC shows open to them now through the Miscellaneous Group!

Marlee - Last AKC FSS Appearance for the Barbet

This shot by Candid Canine Photography is the last appearance ever for a Barbet in the AKC FSS Group. Taken in Orlando during the AKC National Championship, our Marlee won a Group 2. As of January 1, the Barbet moves into Miscellaneous and the wider world of AKC dog shows! We are so proud of the advancement of this beautiful breed and look forward to showing a lot more in 2017. Local shows, favorite shows, new shows...America is open to the Barbet!

So Lucky!

We are so lucky to share our home with our beautiful dogs. This fun Facebook creation of our most used words reflects an exciting year past :)

Marlee Wins at the AKC National Championship!

Marlee wrapped up the show year with another spectacular win, Best of Breed and FSS Group 2 at the AKC National Championship in Orlando, FL. Beginning in January, the Barbet moves on to the Miscellaneous group, making our AKC show opportunities much more accessible. We are so proud of our dogs and have enjoyed helping this beautiful breed get started with the American Kennel Club.   Look for us around the dog shows as we make this next step in America!

Hickory Tavern Final Grade CAA RN CGC THDN, one of America's Most Titled Barbet

Last weekend, little spitfire Hickory Tavern Final Grade CAA RN CGC THDN, also known as Fia, earned her AKC Coursing Ability Advanced title. From her first serendipitous lure course last May, Fia has become a fierce girl on the chase! Amazing to watch her in action. Congratulations to Leonard Tena for handling Fia to her CAA title, and to the entire Tena Family for their devotion to Barbet Fia!

Marlee Wins AKC CM Title

Our Marlee Girl is on a roll! Last week Best in Show; this week a special new AKC title. Marlee earned her final points to become the 4th Barbet to earn the Certificate of Merit from the FSS Group under judge Alice Watkins. Marlee joins her mom, Solene; brother, Micah; and Stacy Able's Cinna as the only Barbet with CM titles. We are so proud of the dogs we have bred and thrilled with the judge's appreciation of them in the ring.

Our AKC Certificate of Merit Barbet

Hickory Tavern Intl Intrigue CM

Hickory Tavern Secret Liaison CM

Hickory Tavern Secret Entourage CM

Marlee Wins Best in Show!

Canadian Grand Champion Hickory Tavern Secret Entourage

Last Friday, our beautiful Marlee (Hickory Tavern Secret Entourage) added to her impressive list of wins by earning Best in Open Show under judge Jerry Watson at the Rock Creek Kennel Club show in West Friendship, Maryland. We are so proud of her since her mom Solene, grandmother Claire, and brother Micah all won Best in Shows in their AKC career. Marlee is the 8th Barbet to win a Best at the AKC Open Shows. We are really looking forward to showing her next year in the Miscellaneous class as the Barbet makes this next step in the AKC world. 

Fall Farm Fun!

These blustery days of fall have certainly pleased the Barbet! They are thoroughly enjoying the leaves flying and the chilly air. Marlee, Solene, and baby Flynn play for hours in the yard. They are in excellent condition and are very agile! We are getting ready for dog shows near Baltimore over Thanksgiving. We'll also be in Maryland showing at the beginning of December, then head out to Florida for the AKC National Championship in Orlando. Can't wait!

Last weekend, David and I went to Florida and ran in Disney's Wine and Dine 10K and Half Marathon. It was the first Half for both of us. We had a great time! David finished way ahead of me, but as a new runner, I was happy just to finish ahead of my goal time. 

Catching Up

We finally made it back to the show ring after a very busy summer and fall. I took Marlee and Flynn to Wilmington, Ohio, where the largest entry of American Barbet to date competed at the AKC shows at the Roberts Centre. Marlee won Best of Breed and then the FSS Group 1 on Saturday under judge Neil McDevitt. Sunday she was Best Opposite under Monika Pinsker, bringing her halfway to her Certificate of Merit title. Little Flynn made her debut in points competition and she did great! She was brave and showy, having a lot of fun; exactly what I want for her first times in the ring.

Happy 6 Months!!

Here's our happy face Flynn, celebrating her 6 month birthday today! Flynn has had a great summer swimming, diving, and playing with her friends. She even won at a dog show! Now it's time to get busy and prepare for the bigger fall shows.