Like many breeders, I 'went to the dogs' at an early age and there have been very few periods in my life when I haven't owned (or been owned) by a dog or dogs. I grew up with German Shepherds, and later our retired show Poodles (and token Lhasa Apso). I also spent countless hours bathing and grooming dogs, ours and others, at my mom's grooming shop. Even after I went into the U.S. Army, I was adopted by a Rhodesian Ridgeback in California and an indigenous spitz-type breed in Korea. Years later, when I moved to Berlin, Germany for business, my Am. Staff X and Laborador Retriever moved there with me and came back with me to Baltimore almost four years after that at the start of my legal career.

Although by adulthood, I had pretty much figured out that grooming dogs or owning dogs that required extensive grooming was not part of my plan (working for your mother in her grooming shop and grooming show dogs for practice can do that to you!), I must admit that if asked then, I would have told you that whippets weren't "real dogs" and would have dismissed the breed out-of-hand.

Little did I know that years later I would have a secretary who owned and showed whippets...and that she would bring Blixen, aka 'The Princess' to work...and that The Princess would rule the office from her throne (the sofa in the waiting area), benevolent dictator that she was...and that I would fall in love with that dog and the breed...and that The Princess would have her first litter of puppies and among those puppies, a single female...and that puppy came to be known as Abby, aka Can. Ch. Spicewind It's All About Me! --the beginning of DuMond.

In truth, well before Abby was born, I had begun educating myself about the breed--stalking whippets at dog shows, marking up and making notes in show catalogues, reading every whippet book I could get my hands on, and listening to everything people who had been around the breed awhile would tell me--in short, assembling information to help me figure out exactly what traits, characteristics and lines that I preferred. In fairly short order, I reached the conclusion that I favored the English/European-type whippet to many of the American whippets I was seeing. My conclusion led me, via Lanny Morry at Avalonia Whippets in Canada to Nev and Edith Newton at Nevedith Kennels in England. From Nevedith came Hank, aka Can Ch Nevedith Hfa Hanky Panky, SC, and the rest, as they say, is (evolving) history...

DuMond's mission is to breed high quality whippets, based upon well-established bloodlines, who are true to type and who will make loving and lovable additions to their new homes--whether they be 'show' dogs, participate in performance events, or companions who grace (read: hog) the sofa and the bed.

I am eternally greatful to Susan Brewster for introducing me to the breed, and more particularly The Princess, and for giving me Abby who will always have a huge place in my heart, and to Lanny and Mick Morry (Avalonia), Nev and Edith, and Editha Newton (Nevedith) for their help and guidance along this journey, and most of all to Priscilla, without whom DuMond would not be possible.