Barbara Lundy owns Patchwork Pet Resort in Marshall, Texas. She has traveled the world showing her champion Bedlington Terriers, but her true love is the Bichon Frise. She has spent her career caring, grooming, training, showing, boarding and breeding four-legged furry children.
AKC: How did you get started in breeding dogs?
Barbara: I began working with German Shepherds when I was 9 years old. My father, who was in the Air Force, helped me get a job socializing and feeding the puppies. I later joined the ROTC and soon after the Air Force myself. I was an animal care attendant and instrumental in training many of the shepherds to go overseas during the Vietnam War. But due to health issues, it became necessary to leave the service, and then to find a low-shedding dog that is good for allergy sufferers. I was fascinated with the rare breed known as the Bedlington Terrier, and my husband, Sam, fell in love with the Bichon Frise. So, I decided to devote my time and passion to both breeds and to pursue showing dogs.
AKC: What are the most important things to know about your breeds?
Barbara: There are so many things to know about my two breeds. But probably the most important thing is that they are low-shedding and a good option for allergy sufferers
For Bedlington Terriers (because there are so few in the United States), you need to be prepared to answer any questions about this breed. After all, how many dogs have you seen with a Mohawk? And how on earth can a puppy that is born jet black or chocolate brown turn out to be sandy or silvery-white when they hit their first birthday?
For Bichon Frise, these dogs are dynamite in a small package – full of love and energy and remain puppies for most of their life.
AKC: How has the AKC Marketplace helped you find puppy buyers?
Barbara: Because of the American Kennel Club’s reputation, it has been a great honor to be awarded a Breeder of Merit designation. This designation informs prospective buyers that the highest standards have been met by the breeder. The AKC Marketplace has been very supportive not only in finding prospective puppy buyers, but also to inform and educate the public.
AKC: What is your favorite question to ask of potential puppy buyers?
Barbara: My favorite question to ask a puppy buyer is “Where did you see your first Bedlington Terrier or first Bichon Frise?” It lets me know how long they have been curious about the breed that they are thinking about adding to their family.
AKC: What are the main qualities you look for in potential owners?
Barbara: The main quality I look for in a potential owner is how educated they are about the breed that they are wanting to add to their family.
If it is a Bedlington, does the potential owner know that they are terriers and will spend as much time hunting for moles as they do curled up on the couch? They are perhaps the most docile of the terriers and are content watching TV all day or going to a barn hunt. If it is a Bichon Frise, this breed is great for small living quarters and wants lots of love and attention.
AKC: What is the best advice you would give to novice breeders?
Barbara: My best advice for a novice breeder is to ask questions and get a mentor. Good breeding does not happen overnight. This is true for all breeds. It takes many years of breeding to reach the AKC breed standard. And always breed AKC Champions.
AKC: Do your dogs participate in AKC sports?
Barbara: I have Bedlington owners who have participated in and titled their dogs purchased from me in all AKC sports. My Bichon Frise have certainly excelled in conformation and obedience, and Patchwork’s Built to Last was awarded his Grand Champion Gold (only the sixth Bedlington Terrier to obtain this level in the 135-year history of AKC).
AKC: What do you like best about breeding dogs?
Barbara: I continue to strive for perfection for the breed standard in both Bedlington Terriers and Bichon Frise, both mentally and physically. At least one pup in every litter will go to a disabled person. The challenge that I like best about breeding my dogs is knowing that they are making life better for a special person or family somewhere.
AKC: Do you have a favorite breeding story?
Barbara: My favorite breeding story is one of my success with an earlier female Bedlington that I bred, named Amber Twilight. After obtaining her championship here in the US at the age of 13 months, I took her to England – my first trip to the UK. She was the first American-bred Bedlington Terrier to win a Best in Show in England. This ticket qualified her to enter the world-famous Crufts dog show forever. All dogs have a stiff requirement they must achieve in order to be able to even enter. She was then entered in the United Kingdom’s Dog Book Registry of Great Dogs.
Amber became the foundation for my present line and was the mother to my newly awarded Grand Champion Gold Patchwork’s Built to Last.
Learn more about Simply Patchwork Bedlington Terriers and Bichons Frise.