My love affair with BSD's

I fell in love with this gorgeous breed in 1983 when I bought a super little black bundle of fluff from Ann O'Shea's famous Zellik kennel. Ann had already had a very successful litter from her Tervueren, Drack de la Pouroffe of Zellik, and the Groenendael bitch, Elfe of Zellik so repeated the mating to produce Spice (Zellik Adeline) and her siblings. Ann introduced me to the world of show dogs and I got hooked.

I met Eric Irvin who, with Ann, had introduced the modern day BSD's to the UK in 1959. He was looking for a home for his 8 old Tervueren as he was retiring abroad with his wife Rosemary. I fell in love with Ari and he came to live with us until he passed away aged 13. Ari (Jinga Aristocrat) was the first Tervueren to sire a Groenendael Champion in Ch Blackamoor Black Bottom. He won many Best Veteran awards in his later years and was very well known for "talking" when stroked.

In 1984 I had the opportunity to have a puppy from the super Ch Ezau du Pays des Flandres so I picked Peppa who became Ch Zellik Corinna of Chimay JW, she was a wonderful bitch with a super temperament but she was cruelly taken at just 6 years of age.

Spice was mated with Ch Jopeta Justamo and produced a lovely black litter, it was one of these pups who qualified for the Stud Book so earning me my affix (in those days you had to qualify for your affix not just purchase one). Anna and Rosemary Irvine offered to transfer the historic affix of Chimay to me and my partner and we accepted. The modern day Chimay kennel started with Chimay Prince Imrahil (Layza) from Spices first litter.

In the meantime I had taken ownership of Spices litter brother Bruin who had a troubled past and could be quite unpredictable but was a stunning looking dog. He had already gained one CC with his breeder Ann O'Shea, I continued showing him and he gained his title becoming Ch Zellik Achilles. 

Layza and his dam accidently mated and, despite an attempt to stop it, the pregnancy ran full tem and presented me with five blacks and a red, I kept the red who was named Chimay Royal Rebel - Timmy the Termite to his friends. He was fantastic and I adored him so much. Tim was shown lightly but still won a CC from the infamous Madam Bossi - this was one of the highlights of my showing career!

I stopped showing when the varieties were merged but still kept my dogs breeding another litter from Lyka (Zellik High Hopes of Chimay), I kept three from this litter but they all lived as pets.

In 2007 I imported a puppy from Hungary, he was Eu/Hun/Cro JCH Yzmir du Chemin des Sorcieres. In 2008 he was joined by Belle (Belle du Chemin des Sorcieres avec Chimay) who was my constant companion. I was devastated when she was tragically killed during a holiday, she was just 4 and part of my heart went with her. Mace was so lost without her but Mo Glenton stepped in and let me have Tillie (Baudwin Bonjour to Chimay). Mace didn't take kindly to her at first but they were inseperable during his life. Unfortunately Mace developed a very aggressive osteosarcoma in September 2016, on 11th December he passed away leaving a huge hole in my heart.

In January 2015 I imported a male puppy from Frederic Delpierre who had a small kennel in France. Jupita (or Jupi for short) picked me as I had inteneded on having a bitch, he must have the longest name ever - Jupiter's-Dream des Gardiens de Cocagne of Chimay. In April 2017 Jupi's half sister Nessu (I-Dream-Of-Love des Gardiens de Cocagne in Chimay) arrived in whelp to the Tervueren High Clearings Kingston giving birth to six black puppies, I kept a bitch - Chelsea (Chimay Vienna). Chelsea had a great start to her show career winning a RCC at the tender age of just 12 months, she is maturing very nicely and has recently started Canine Hoopers training which she loves. The dogs will continue to attend shows but will be concentrating on their chosen disciplines, Jupi with Tracking and Scentwork, Chelsea with Scentwork and Hoopers and Nessu also with Scentwork but she will have a break for her maternal duties. She has been mated to Mace (by AI) so my Belgian journey continues...

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