OUR STORY

We Just Wanted a Little Dog…

It really did start that simply.

Years ago, we wanted a little dog. That little dog turned out to be a Yorkshire Terrier named Susu.

She came from the renowned Betty Ann Durrer, a highly respected breeder and exhibitor whose dogs have influenced the Yorkshire Terrier breed worldwide. Even today, many Yorkies have some of her lines in their pedigrees.

From the moment Susu came into our lives, we were completely smitten.

Susu was never meant to be a show dog or a breeding dog. She was simply our girl. For more than 15 years, she filled our lives with love, laughter and personality.

People would stop us to ask about her, and before long, they were sharing stories about the Yorkies they had, had loved, or hoped to one day have.

We didn't know it then, but Susu was the beginning of everything.

That little girl changed our lives forever.

Then We Lost Susu

Losing Susu was heartbreaking. After more than 15 years together, the house just didn't feel the same without her.

When we finally decided we were ready for another Yorkie, I wasn't looking for a show dog. I certainly wasn't thinking about breeding.

I just wanted another little dog to love.

And then I found Kona.

Kona changed everything.

She came into my life as a show dog, and through her, I discovered a whole new side of the Yorkshire Terrier. I became fascinated by pedigrees, structure, movement, coat, temperament and what goes into producing an exceptional Yorkie.

When I started showing Kona, I was incredibly fortunate to learn from and be mentored by some very respected Yorkshire Terrier breeders in Canada.

The more I learned, the more I fell in love with the breed.

And somewhere along the way, I realized…

I didn't just want to show Yorkies. I wanted to help raise them.

And Then Came Mia

Kona became one of the foundation girls behind LuxTails.

I wanted to keep things small and personal, surrounded by dogs I loved and believed in. I wanted to take what I was learning and hopefully produce Yorkshire Terriers I could be proud of.

And then Kona gave us Mia.

Mia is a homebred LuxTails girl, and there is something incredibly special about that.

When I bred Kona, I hoped that somewhere in that litter would be my next girl. You watch them grow, wondering, Could this be the one?

And then there was Mia.

I watched her grow from a tiny puppy, raised her in our home, and eventually had the privilege of taking her into the show ring.

There is something hard to describe about watching a dog you bred yourself walk into that ring and do well. You know where she came from. You know her mother. You remember her as a tiny puppy.

And suddenly, there she is.

The ribbons are wonderful, but knowing I bred her and watched her become the dog I hoped she could be is the real reward.

She's my girl. She's homegrown. And she's the next generation of LuxTails.

Why I Do This

Today, LuxTails is growing one generation at a time.

I carefully plan our litters, thinking about health, pedigrees, structure, temperament and the qualities I love about the Yorkshire Terrier. Our puppies are raised in our home, surrounded by family, love and everyday life.

But underneath all the pedigrees, shows and breeding plans, the reason I do this is actually very simple.

I love Yorkies.

Susu started it all. Kona changed the direction. And Mia is helping shape the future.

I never planned any of this when Susu first came home.

Sometimes the best things in life are the things you never planned.

And that is the story of LuxTails.