There have been setters in our house since the first, a Gordon Setter called Mac, arrived in 1979. Mac lived with us for twelve years.
The first English Setter arrived in 1984, and it was with Arion's Stellar Dahlia that we started showing in conformation. Gail was hooked, if not Leslie.
In 1986 our kennel name "Caniscaeli" was registered with the Canadian Kennel Club.
In 1987 the first litter of Caniscaeli English Setters was born. Dahlia gave us nine puppies. Of these, we chose Jasmine (Ch. Caniscaeli Jasmine Flower) and Woody (Ch. Caniscaeli Arion Woodruff) to stay with us. A few years later, we also brought home Caniscaeli Pennyroyal, with whom Gail did pet visitation. Penny was perfect for the job.
We bred Jasmine twice, but some things just didn't work out well for us. The boy we kept from Jasmine's second and final litter, Tommy, died young. However, we were lucky enough to get back another from that litter. Louie arrived home at age five, and spent the rest of his life with us, dying at age thirteen.
Meanwhile, a trip to England in 1992, Gail in pursuit of Irish Red And White Setters, brought us into contact with Sandra and Jim Williamson (Hawklawn IR&WS and ES). A twist of fate brought a four year old bitch back to Sandra and Jim, while we were visiting them. That was Hawklawn Silver Sixpence (Festie). Gail knew that bitch was meant for us. Gail was hooked again, if not Leslie...yet. Festie came to Canada in October of 1992. Festie was the first IR&WS to have a Miscellaneous class number, and the first to be exhibited, at a Rare Breeds show in Dec. 1992. Festie is also the first of her breed to be registered with the Canadian Kennel Club.
Thus began our exciting adventure with Irish Red And White Setters.
Now, 30 years later, we share our home with eleven Irish Red And White Setters. We are a kennel in name only. Our dogs all live in the house with us, as they always have. Yes, all of them are full-time house dogs. The breed requires that their people spend time with them. They need to lie on couches (preferably) and dog beds in the house. They have plenty of energy as well, of course, and this means lots of space outdoors to run, play, and burn off that setter high spirits.
