Biscuit - the start of it all...
It was 1983 and my pet cat had died. I wanted another pet but my boyfriend (later my husband) was allergic to cats. I did some research and was told by an allergist that a few breeds of dogs were considered non-allergenic. The mini schnauzer was one of them. I remembered a mini from my old neighborhood growing up and thought that would be a nice sized house dog. Not knowing exactly where to start looking for one, I called local vets and finally had one recommend a breeder in the region. He cared for her dogs and he said they were nice. I called her and she had an upcoming litter that was not completely spoken for yet. When we went to visit her she showed us pictures and ribbons from her days in the show ring years before. I barely noticed as all I wanted was a puppy! When that litter was born we came home with a black girl puppy we named Biscuit. Even though she was clippered for her entire life, she was jet black .She had beautiful color! The longer I lived with Biscuit, the more hooked I got on this breed. Biscuit lived to the ripe old age of 14 1/2 and waits for us at the bridge.
The next step.....
When I lost Biscuit, I knew I wanted a well-bred pet to add to our household. I did TONS of research on-line and I found Bonnie Keyes of Maplewynd who I bought Lacey from in 1998 and who we sadly lost in July of 2009. Then I added Gus who came from John Constantine of Adamis in 2003 who I lost in October of 2016.
By this time the show bug was nibbling at me and I had started attending dog shows in 2000. The Montgomery County Kennel Club All-Terrier Specialty was becoming an annual pilgrimage!
I joined the American Miniature Schnauzer Club in 2003 and my local all-breed the Tioga County Kennel Club the next year. I am currently the President of the American Miniature Schnauzer Club and Vice-President of the Tioga County Kennel Club. I am extremely active in many committees in both clubs.
By this time the show bug was nibbling at me and I had started attending dog shows in 2000. The Montgomery County Kennel Club All-Terrier Specialty was becoming an annual pilgrimage!
I joined the American Miniature Schnauzer Club in 2003 and my local all-breed the Tioga County Kennel Club the next year. I am currently the President of the American Miniature Schnauzer Club and Vice-President of the Tioga County Kennel Club. I am extremely active in many committees in both clubs.
Gabby - my first show dog!
~Gabby~ CH Essex Riversong Talk Out Loud
I finally decided to try my hand in conformation showing and I was so fortunate because my friend Sheila Marks of Essex was planning her first litter. Her bitch Allie (CH. Royalcourt Cafe Royale) had a lovely litter that produced 2 show potential pups, one of which was to become my girl. I named her Essex Riversong Talk Out Loud (Gabby).
I flew down to Florida to pick up my puppy in April of 2006.
Once we got home, I drove to Buffalo where Carla Borrelli (Carbor Miniature Schnauzers) started to teach me how to roll her coat (which is what we do to get their coats in show condition).
I started taking handling classes and was looking forward to showing Gabby in a local match on Memorial Day! I was hooked!
Gabby turned out to be the best first little show dog I could hope for. She loved to please me, was so very patient with me as we learned the ropes together. She was my bed buddy and loving companion for the rest of her life and I sadly lost her at 13 1/2 years. old in 2019.
Gabby - my first AKC Champion
Bonnie Keyes of Maplewynd Miniature Schnauzers had now become a wonderful friend and mentor and she gave me tons of great advice and tips on everything from handling to grooming.
I knew that it was very hard to finish your first dog to it's AKC Championship, and that it was very possible that I would need to put her with a handler to finish her. But I REALLY wanted to do it myself. After many shows, some disappointments along the way, I am proud to say that I finished her all by myself in the spring of 2008. What an incredible thrill!
I was ready for the next step. I found a lovely sire, had all the appropriate health testing done on Gabby and she had a litter of puppies in 2009! I kept the best puppy to show and the rest of her puppies were sold to loving homes in our region. I spayed Gabby the next year, as I did not plan on breeding her again.
I knew that it was very hard to finish your first dog to it's AKC Championship, and that it was very possible that I would need to put her with a handler to finish her. But I REALLY wanted to do it myself. After many shows, some disappointments along the way, I am proud to say that I finished her all by myself in the spring of 2008. What an incredible thrill!
I was ready for the next step. I found a lovely sire, had all the appropriate health testing done on Gabby and she had a litter of puppies in 2009! I kept the best puppy to show and the rest of her puppies were sold to loving homes in our region. I spayed Gabby the next year, as I did not plan on breeding her again.
The next generation......Mia
~Mia~ CH Riversong Talk'n About Broadway
Mia was my keeper puppy from Gabby's litter. She is a real firecracker and we had a ball in the ring! I finished Mia’s quest for her AKC Championship at the Sussex Hills Kennel Club show in NJ on 9-4-11 completely out of the Bred-By class! I planned on breeding her in spring of 2012. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans for Mia and she ended up with a closed pyometra and I had to do an emergency spay on her.
Mia got through her surgery well and was a happy, crazy girl that lived to a ripe old age. But with both Mia and her mother Gabby now spayed, I had to start over. Mia joined her mother Gabby at the Rainbow Bridge in 2021.
Mia was my keeper puppy from Gabby's litter. She is a real firecracker and we had a ball in the ring! I finished Mia’s quest for her AKC Championship at the Sussex Hills Kennel Club show in NJ on 9-4-11 completely out of the Bred-By class! I planned on breeding her in spring of 2012. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans for Mia and she ended up with a closed pyometra and I had to do an emergency spay on her.
Mia got through her surgery well and was a happy, crazy girl that lived to a ripe old age. But with both Mia and her mother Gabby now spayed, I had to start over. Mia joined her mother Gabby at the Rainbow Bridge in 2021.
Our 2015 addition....Dazzle
~ Dazzle~ GRCH CH Myla's Chicago Razzle Dazzle at Riversong
Dazzle's Pedigree
Dazzle was bred by Lauri Sicurella and came home with me in July 2015. She is a little "devil puppy" and I had so much fun with her! Our first show was at our National Specialty at Montgomery County Kennel Club's All Terrier Show in Oct., 2015! She had a blast in the ring!
Dazzle was just the most fun you could have in the ring! At the ripe old age of 18 months, she had already gotten a Group Placing, we got a Reserve Best Owner Handled in Show and Select Bitch at our National Specialty at Montgomery County! Whew!!! Love my Razzle Dazzle girl!!!
Dazzle finished her Championship at the tender age of 14 months with her 3rd major in June 2016. I finished her Grand Championship because she really did love the show ring! We were ranked the number 6 Miniature Schnauzer and Handler in the country according to the AKC's 2016 ranking of their National Owner Handler Series.
Dazzle had 5 beautiful baby boys on 10-21-17. Dazzle's 2nd litter is here! She had 2 puppies on 6-14-18. I will be keeping the puppy boy. His name is Riversong's Cold as Ice (Chilly) and see his progress below!
Dazzle had her 3rd and last litter on Oct. 4, 2020. She had 6 beautiful puppies. 5 girls and 1 boy. I kept one of the girls and have named her Riversong's Makes the Sun Shine (Joy). The boy went to a show home in Upstate NY and the other 4 pups were sold to loving homes in the Northeast.
Dazzle is now officially a Top Producing Dam with 3 Champion get. She is the best bed dog too!
Dazzle's Pedigree
Dazzle was bred by Lauri Sicurella and came home with me in July 2015. She is a little "devil puppy" and I had so much fun with her! Our first show was at our National Specialty at Montgomery County Kennel Club's All Terrier Show in Oct., 2015! She had a blast in the ring!
Dazzle was just the most fun you could have in the ring! At the ripe old age of 18 months, she had already gotten a Group Placing, we got a Reserve Best Owner Handled in Show and Select Bitch at our National Specialty at Montgomery County! Whew!!! Love my Razzle Dazzle girl!!!
Dazzle finished her Championship at the tender age of 14 months with her 3rd major in June 2016. I finished her Grand Championship because she really did love the show ring! We were ranked the number 6 Miniature Schnauzer and Handler in the country according to the AKC's 2016 ranking of their National Owner Handler Series.
Dazzle had 5 beautiful baby boys on 10-21-17. Dazzle's 2nd litter is here! She had 2 puppies on 6-14-18. I will be keeping the puppy boy. His name is Riversong's Cold as Ice (Chilly) and see his progress below!
Dazzle had her 3rd and last litter on Oct. 4, 2020. She had 6 beautiful puppies. 5 girls and 1 boy. I kept one of the girls and have named her Riversong's Makes the Sun Shine (Joy). The boy went to a show home in Upstate NY and the other 4 pups were sold to loving homes in the Northeast.
Dazzle is now officially a Top Producing Dam with 3 Champion get. She is the best bed dog too!
Then came Mr. Chilly!
~ Chilly ~ GRCHS Riversong's Cold as Ice
Chilly was born 6/14/18. He and his littermate were from Dazzle's second litter.
Chilly's Pedigree
I named him Chilly as the litter was conceived via surgical implant with frozen semen!!!
We kicked off a busy show season starting in Spring 2019!
Chilly finished his Championship in only 3 weekends topped off by winning Winners Dog at the Greater Cincinnati Miniature Schnauzer Club at SchnauzaPalooza '19 in Grey Summit, MO at the tender age of 9 months including a Best of Breed!
Chilly's Specials Career started off with a "BANG"! He achieved his Grand Championship at 12 months and his Bronze Grand Championship at just 16 months! Love my Chilly Willy! Chilly and we finished Best of Breed Owner Handled Miniature Schnauzer in the US for 2019, Select Dog and best bred by at the AKC National Championship shows in Orlando FL in December 2019. To continue my magic ride with Chilly, I showed him at the Westminster Kennel Club in NYC in Feb. 2020 and again in June of 2021 where he was awarded an Award of Merit by renowned breeder/judge David Kirkland! Chilly is producing lovely puppies and has 5 Champion get making him a Top Producer. Chilly has gone to live with a local dear friend of mine who has wanted a schnauzer in her home for years! He will be pampered and loved and can come to visit anytime he wants!
My 1st COVID Puppy!!! Ruby
Well, COVID changed everything! But I view COVID as a blessing in disguise because I ended up breeding 2 litters I had not planned on. The first was repeat breeding of Chilly and Markie which produced 5 beautiful puppies. I kept a girl and named her Riversong's there's No Place Like Home "Ruby". She has been a gift! She's showy, crazy and LOVES the show ring! She finished her Championship in just 9 shows and her grand Championship in just 5 more shows! At only 12 months old she was chosen Best of Breed over 7 specials including her father Chilly at the Paul Revere Miniature Schnauzer Specialty!! She also was Best of Breed at the Mt. Vernon Miniature Schnauzer Club Specialty. So she is now MBISS GCHS Riversong's There's No Place Like Home!
Newsflash!!!! I entered Ruby in Westminster KC show in June of 2022 where we were awarded Best of Opposite Sex under Judge Anne Katonah!!! What an honor! Like Father like Daughter! Ruby has ranked in the Top 25 miniature Schnauzers for 2021 and 2022!
Newsflash!!!! I entered Ruby in Westminster KC show in June of 2022 where we were awarded Best of Opposite Sex under Judge Anne Katonah!!! What an honor! Like Father like Daughter! Ruby has ranked in the Top 25 miniature Schnauzers for 2021 and 2022!
My 2nd COVID Puppy!!! - Joy
Well, here we were, still in the middle of the Pandemic. My sweet Dazzle was now 5 and this would be her last litter. So we did a repeat breeding to GCHB Wards Creek's Back to the Future at Maplewynd (Doc). This time Dazzle has 5 girls and 1 boy via an emergency c-section at Cornell! I kept a puppy girl and named her Riversong's Makes the Sun Shine "Joy". With limited showing and in only 9 shows she is now CH Riversong's Makes the Sun Shine BCAT! Joy had her first litter in 2023 and I kept one of her boys and named him Riversong's StickJockey "Maverick".
