Vizsladogs, Ltd.
Benoit Chenette
2002: Benoit Chenette has been very helpful in getting information to us on some of the activities of Canadian Vizsla lovers -- and we appreciate it! He can be reached at chenette@odyssee.net or dom@acces-cible.net
He brought back Vizsla's to Quebec....
It all started in 1990... I had been an active Breed and
Obedience competitor and was looking for a "better
breed" to support my canine interests. At the time, my
former wife and I were Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier breeders. We
had many Champions to our credit and the all-time best obedience
Wheaten, Can. Ch. & OTCH Broussepoil Soupcon de Canelle,
Am. CD, Dog World Award Winner (she was my first dog, and an
outstanding one - I had to mention her here...).
Grooming and hopes of "easier" (than a Terrier)
obedience training lead me to look for an alternative breed.
After much research, I decided on the Vizsla. I can remember my
former wife's comment at the time: "YOU can do want you
want, but I will never have a dog with a brown nose!" At
that time, I had seen a Vizsla only once, and for a short time:
an American exhibitor walking away from an obedience ring... I
carried a picture of an aristocratic, clean and happy dog -
paying attention to his owner and wagging his tail... I must say
that there were almost no Vizsla's in the province of Quebec.
Apparently, some hunting fanciers created interest some 20 years
ago but, at the time of my decision, there were none showed in
either conformation nor obedience.
While doing Canelle's last leg on her
American CD (and getting a Dog World Award), I met and spent most
of the day with Barbara Snyder (Bajos Vizsla's) and a couple of
her Vizslas... I was then convinced of my choice - for better or
for worst (!), I will have a Vizsla. A couple of weeks later, I
met Ruth Sinclair (Heelmark Vizsla's) at a show in Cornwall,
Ontario and reserved a puppy.
Can. Ch. Heelmark Soupcon de Muscade, Can. CDX, Am CD
("a dash of Nutmeg") was my first Vizsla. A true
ambassador to the breed, she has been shown in both conformation
and obedience and has re-activated the interest for the breed in
Quebec. I often think she's the one who created Quebec's interest
in the Vizsla - not me... Unfortunately, she was not a great
producer - she only had one litter of 4 puppies that drained a
lot out of her. She is now with my brother - but she is still a
darling and everyone loves her...
It did not take long before my ex-wife
fell in love with the Vizsla... within 14 months, we had four...
Still showing and training. Then came the divorce, a new job and
a new career orientation. Although much less involved in canine
activities (but a heavy Internet user - I am a senior Computer
systems / Document Technology consultant), I still enjoy the
presence of 2 Vizsla's in my home:
Am. Ch. Bajos Flockati Tasha Yar, Can. CD (from Star
Trek's - The Next Generation) is owned by my girl friend
Dominique Lefebvre. She is an outstanding "little"
bitch (standing at 22 inches - which should be the proper size)
who took Best Of Winners at the 1993 Connecticut Valley Specialty
and completed her championship in limited showing with 4
majors... She did not have much Canadian success as Quebec
Vizsla's tend to be quite bigger....
Tasha is very photogenic: she was the "cover girl" of
the Vizsla Web for the 1995 Holidays Season. Very cuddly (as a
Vizsla should be), she also deeply enjoys the warmth of a
fireplace during cold Canadian winter nights....
Last but not least is Can Ch. Bajos Wysiwyg Wizardry.
Still a young male (he's only 2 years old...), Wiz nevertheless
completed his Canadian Championship in only 4 showing, taking the
Vizsla Society of Ontario Booster's Best of Winner and a Group
First from the classes - a real tribute to his name: WYSIWYG is a
computer acronym meaning "What You See Is What You
Get"! He is a very gentle male with a great conformation
soon to be available at stud. Hopefully, in the future things
will slow down and I'll be able to show him in conformation and
obedience.
