me

I first got involved in dogs when the house for sale across the road from me was occupied by a kennel. Ann McFadden of Highridge Kennels hired me as a kennel boy when I was about 8 years old. At first it was just a job to me and I wasn't too interested in the dogs besides playing with them, but soon I was throwing birds, tagging along to shows and trials, and spending hours perusing pedigrees, books, and magazines. Ann gave me my first Labrador, Jock, when I was 11, and so I headed down the road I am presently on. Through Ann, I met Sandy Briggs, of Wimberway Kennels, and Linda Purdon of Rosecrest Kennels. I have spent a lot of time at both Sandy's and Linda's kennels and with Ann It is these 3 breeders who have had the most influence on my 'life in Labradors' so to speak. I registered my kennel name 'Rholayo' with the CKC in 1993. I know its weird, but I sent in for numerous other names that were more 'normal', but to my dissapointment, they were all taken! I had to think up something that nobody else would have! I have experience with numerous other breeds as well, from Toy Poodles to Alaskan Malamutes and everything in between as I haved worked weekends at several breeders' and professional handlers' kennels. Eventually I want to add Curly-Coated and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers to my dog life, but that is a little ways into the future yet.

I was born in Toronto, but my parents moved to a farm Northeast of the city that we co-ran with my grandparents when I was about a year old. I grew up on the farm until we sold it a few years ago, and have since lived in the town of Sunderland proper (when I'm not living at kennels I work at of course!) Living on the farm, I milked countless cows, fed countless calves and chickens and handled far too much hay then I care to remember! I was always fascinated watching the vet, whenever he came to the farm, and thought I might like to be one.

Besides dogs, I enjoy music, movies, skiing, swimming, reading, and then there is now this computer. As you can probably tell from this webpage I am very far from being an expert! On the music front, I can't seem to stop listening to Sarah McLachlan, or the Smashing Pumpkins. I also like Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, The Odds, The Headstones, Sheryl Crow, and many more. I'm a fantasy buff in books, and have always loved JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and the Keltiad series by Patricia Kenneally. Currently I'm engrossed in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time epic (Book # 8 in the same story and I'm still captivated!)

Also on my plate right now, I am currently in my first year at Trent University in the BSc. program. Hopefully I am transferring to Guelph next year, and if everthing goes well, I will apply to OVC the following year, to fulfill that vet thing... (maybe then I can save some money on my vet bills, and according to all the breeders I've ever worked for so that they can save too!!)

The music playing is called 'tonight, tonight', by the Smashing Pumpkins.