Jack Ireland purchased his first show dog in 1963 and started to exhibit under the "Pinepath" prefix. He had the privilege of seeing many of his Boxers becoming the top winning Boxers in Canada and among the Top Twenty Boxers in the U.S. In addition to boxers, he has owned St. Bernards, Pekingese and Brussels Griffons. He has also handled a number of other breeds to their Canadian and/or American championship.

He started judging in 1989 and became an all breed judge in 2001. Since then, he has had the honor to judge various breeds and Specialties in Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, England, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United States.

He is a life member in the American Boxer Club, Boxer Club of Canada, Canadian Kennel Club, and the Elgin County All Breed Kennel Club, of which he is also President. Mr. Ireland is also a charter member of the Boxer Club Western Ontario.

Once upon a time, a very long while ago in a strange land named “Florida” there was a magical place called “Dog Land.” Dog land had nothing but wonderful dogs from all around the world. My husband and I (yeah, I had one of them at one time) were on our honeymoon and had already decided we wanted a dog. He wanted a German Shepherd, I didn’t. So when we spotted Dog Land it was only natural we should take a look at what else existed in the world besides German Shepherds and Beagles (my childhood dogs). As we strolled down the path in front of the runs, we looked up and saw a half monkey, half dog hanging on top of the gate to a run, eagerly awaiting our arrival. What, we asked, is THAT? A Basenji, answered Bob, our escort.

The dog’s name was Bambi of Curli Tail. Bob let him out and he took off at blinding speed through the palmetto, circled back and skidded up to a crouching Bob, on his back with all four legs flailing, ears pinned back and a big grin on his face. Two weeks later Chuckaluck of Curli Tail arrived at Dog Land with our name on his tag, and so the saga began. Chuck was 14 months old, having been born in January, 1959. He arrived ring trained and with 2 points as a result of his first show. He became my first champion, my first obedience titled dog and my first stud. We choose “Scuderia” as a kennel name because we raced sports cars and that was the term for a sports car team. On my own two years later I started using “Voodoo” as that’s what the little dogs seemed to work on all who saw them, Voodoo.

Forty-nine years later the Basenji “pack” is only two, consisting of one red & white boy dog named Boomer, the clown prince of Oklahoma. His running mate is a bitch whose sole mission in life is to and hunt gophers and be cute. She is a tri named Breeze and belongs to my life partner, Peggi.

So now you know how the dog business started. For me, I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Went to college one year in Ohio, three years in Texas, spent a year in Pakistan and then back to school at Stanford for a year of graduate study to become a Physical Therapist. Practiced two years in Florida and then went to the dogs. Dumped the husband, moved to Houston to apprentice at a poodle kennel to learn grooming, opened my own business two years later. Groomed during the Houston hey-days, rode my bike coast to coast in 1987 and border to border in 1989 during the oil bust years when there was time. Both trips benefited the American Lung Association. Retired to Pawnee in 1991. Have held a number of jobs here, including floral arranger, news paper writer, and Chamber of Commerce manager. My current job is to play with the dogs, work with the Pawnee County Historical Society, see as much OU athletics as time and pocket book allow, and fish. In my spare time I fish. When I have nothing else to do, I fish. When the weather allows I fish. Oh yes, my other hobby is fishing.