Papillons became the focal point for this writer about 1986. Previously I had Miniature

Schnauzers for 35 years and finished championships on 6 Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers.

I found my happiness in this small package of everything- rolled- into- one- dog.

Personality, agility, intelligence, longevity, small size, ease of care, and relatively good

health with few major genetic problems are assets for the Papillon.
 
Noting that the basically "unknown" Papillon breed has now become more popular, it is

conceivable that we may begin to notice increased genetic problems. Popularity and

indiscriminate breeding often follow as a breed becomes popular. My focus is to help

educate, try to recognize developing problems, and keep owners and breeders aware of 'new situations that affect the breed.
 
I have 5 goals : 1- Continue education regarding the Papillon, 2- Encourage and increase

financial support for the health of the breed, 3-maintain continued support for research projects being funded by PCA, 4- begin work on getting a comprehensive survey for the

breed to ascertain what problems may be occurring, ( it is hopeful this survey can be

world-wide ) and 5- finally to get a Genetic Trust established that will be the model for

Papillons. Making this trust transparent and trustworthy, will encourage future donations

benefiting the Papillon breed. A trust will make donations tax exempt and encourage

generous donations for the continuation of the breed.
 
The Papillon Club of America is one of the original members of the CHF ( Canine Health

Foundation ) and also of the new health registry, CHIC.( Canine Health Information Center ) It is our goal to remain one step ahead in the health of the breed.
  

Leona Domino ~ Chair, Genetic Research 

E-mail : ldomino309@aol.com

I started my life in dogs with Newfoundlands getting my first one, a bitch, from a wonderful

breeder on a co-ownership. I showed and bred these gentle giants for over 30 years.

When my grandchildren became interested in going to dog shows with me and my husband,

I looked for a breed they could manage in the ring. I looked at many smaller breeds ( almost

every breed is smaller than a newfy, by the way ) and decided the Papillon was perfect for

us. They were beautiful, had a wonderful coat to care for ( so much easier than newfs -

I called them the "wash and wear" dog next to the newfs ), they were so-o-o-o smart with

delightful personalities. The breed seemed to me to be, generally speaking, sound of mind

and body with few genetic health problems.

 
My husband died six years ago and my old girl newfs have passed on so I have become a

Papillon only household. I am a small hobby breeder and actively show my dogs here

in Hawaii.

 
I have owned and loved Papillons for almost 20 years now and been a PCA member for

16 years. I served on the Board for eight years and was President from 2005 - 2007.

I was the liaison to the Rescue group of PCA for six years. I helped the Health and Genetics

committee with two breed health surveys and am pleased to be asked to serve as an

advisor for a new data gathering effort.

 
Let me tell you a little about my life outside of dogs …
People sometimes think I am crazy when I tell them that I genuinely love going to work

each day. I never know what to expect and I thrive on that. My job is to provide insight to

solve problems and help our clients move forward. With 30 years of research under my belt

and as founder of QMark Research, I have enjoyed the broad range of clients that I have

worked with over the years and take a personal interest in their successes. Research is like

putting a puzzle together. We know that if we want the right answers, we need to ask

the right questions.

 
Working with the community and business organizations, I feel compelled to do my part

which have included being a former Executive Board Member of the Better Business Bureau

of Hawaii and heading its marketing committee for several years. I am a former President

of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Honolulu Chapter. I currently serve as

President of ACLU of Hawaii, and am a member of Hawaii Women’s Forum, Market

Research Association ( MRA ) and Qualitative Research Consultants Association ( QRCA ).
I also serve on the board of the Hawaiian Kennel Club ( one of the oldest continuous

sporting associations in the nation ).

 
Being a daughter of a French chef and restaurant owner I grew up and worked in the

restaurant industry while in school . And not a surprise considering my upbringing,

I’m a pretty good French chef.
 

Barbara Ankersmit

E-mail : barbara.ankersmit@qmark-anthology.com

I grew up with Bassett Hounds, but had a long hiatus from dog ownership during the time

that I was in college and graduate school. Having earned a bachelor's in science in biology, 

I realized that I wanted to learn more so I enrolled in graduate school at the University of

Maryland, College Park, where I earned my master's and doctoral degrees. My studies 

focused on population genetics and molecular systematic, the study of relationships among

organisms using information from DNA and proteins. My dissertation focused on a group of

lizards found mainly in the West Indies, so I was fortunate (and still am) to be able to 

include travel to exotic places as part of my research. In 1988 I came to Penn State, in the

heart of Pennsylvania, as a post doctoral fellow; currently I am a faculty member in the

biology department. My primary duties are teaching, but I still maintain a small research

program and stay current on new developments in molecular evolution, including the

determination of the molecular basis of inherited diseases, such as progressive retinal

atrophy, which is found in Papillons.

When my husband and I decided to take the plunge back into dog ownership ( he grew up

with Collies ), I did a lot of research to find a breed that would be the best fit for our life

style. I also hoped to be able to enjoy performance sports with a dog. The Papillon was 

the ideal combination of temperament, size, and appearance I still catch myself just

watching my dogs because they are so beautiful. Both Gusto and Amy were retired

champions, and we felt so fortunate that the breeders entrusted them to us. I became

involved with the PCA, not only to learn more about the breed and to meet people who 

share that interest, but to contribute what I can to support Papillons. Gusto and I have

enjoyed taking many agility and obedience classes; he earned his CGC at the 1999 PCA

National, as did Amy. However, I have come to realize that competing in dog sports, both

performance and conformation, is really more than a hobby, it is a lifestyle that my current

career does not allow enough time for, but definitely something to look forward to in 

retirement. For now, I have chosen to contribute to the breed by serving the PCA, including

service on the Genetic Committee, which seemed a natural fit given my training in genetics.

This committee is of critical importance to the future of the breed and is a very active

committee. I look forward to continuing to work toward a better understanding of genetic

disorders in this breed and the application of this knowledge to ensure the health of 

Papillons for generations to come. I have also served on the Constitution and Bylaws

Revisions Committee, and the Rescue Review Committee. Locally, I am president and

medical coordinator of Center County PAWS, an animal welfare organization involved

primarily in rescue and placement of companion animals, as well as promotion of 

responsible ownership.

Carla Hass

E-mail : calisto@statecollege.com

I am the newest member to the Genetics Committee. I have been a "student" of Genetics

since getting my first Akita in the 1980’s. Having experienced the heartbreak of having

had hip dysplasia in my show male and spinal problems in my Utility-trained Akita, I became

very interested in the study of health and genetics in dogs. There is nothing so sad when

you have high hopes for your breeding foundation to discover this. I have also had a

Llasa Apso who suffered from ectropion and seizures. By no means am I an expert on any

of these topics but the recipient of having experienced the results of poor genetics and/or

health issues.

 
I am very active in our local Papillon club, volunteering for various projects and committees.

I am now the 2009 Education Chair for our club. I volunteered as catalog ad chair for the

2009 PCA Specialty as my first volunteer effort and look forward to volunteering for

subsequent years. I have worked our local Specialty and club events since joining. ( I have

also held several positions in the local Akita club, chaired matches, judged obedience in

fun & sanctioned matches, 4-H and taught obedience when I was active in my former breed,

along with almost attaining my AKC judge’s license. I needed the UD but spinal problems

with my Akita and divorce curtailed that plan. )

 
By profession, I am in the aerospace industry and soon to be retired. My background is in

Manufacturing Operations, Business Management and Industrial Engineering. Personally,

I am married, no children and live on a very small island in the Puget Sound. Aside from

our dogs, my spouse and I are avid power boaters. I am also very active in our

Homeowner’s Association on the yearly Budget committee and our island community.

 
I re-entered the dog hobby in 2005 buying my first Papillon from my mentor and friend,

Janis McLaren. I show predominately in the Pacific NW and Canada.

 
I wish to continue my learning by being an active member of the Health and Genetics

committee and provide a new voice to the club. I look to research, explore, and ask

questions to help broaden my knowledge to become the newest contributor to our club,

the breed, and its future.

Amy Reagan

E-mail : yachtilady@centurytel.net

Bio will be added ...

Barbara Blum

E-mail : kenara_bb@msn.com

Bio will be added ...

Carol Morris

E-mail : Cincipap@cinci.rr.com

My Papillon family, along with my husband Mark and I live in Avondale, Arizona. The first

51 years of my life were spent in Ohio and Indiana until Mark’s job transferred him to

"The Desert". Talk about an adjustment! It’s been almost two years and I still can’t get

used to the heat!

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for animals having had dogs and cats as pets all my

life. One fateful day as I was flipping through the channels on TV, I ran across some dog

agility trials that were being run. A flash of black and white dog swept across the screen

and I was instantly mesmerized by this flying ball of energy, beauty and grace. I watched

this curious-looking dog with the huge ears finish its race and waited to see how he would

place. Well, he blew everyone else away with his time and as I watched the owner being

interviewed after his win, I observed this beautiful dog beam with pride at his

accomplishment and I knew this dog was my next breed, that is, after I found out what

the breed was !

Obviously it turned out to be a Papillon and we currently have five full-time Papillon

residents now. We started out with a pet-quality pap and soon discovered we needed

another one as we didn’t want to share just one dog. We got our second pap from a local

breeder who talked us into trying to show dogs for fun. It turned out that I really enjoyed

showing even though I rarely won. I decided if I was going to be serious about showing

I’d better study up on the breed and begin looking for some real quality dogs. We got

another couple of paps, getting better quality each time, but I still had much to learn.

Getting a top quality Papillon seemed impossible !

After we moved to Arizona, Andi Meloon and I met at a dog show. We soon became good

friends which has lead to our current co-ownership of a beautiful bitch. I owe more to Andi

than I could ever express. Her friendship, guidance and generosity are invaluable to me.

I’ve been involved in two breedings and I feel being involved in the Genetics Committee

with the National Papillon Club will give me a solid foundation to gain knowledge and breed

intelligently from the start rather than making all of the beginning breeder’s mistakes.

Three of my five Papillons have developed epilepsy which is being controlled with

medication. I know the feeling of heartbreak when your beloved dogs fall victim to any sort

of illness. We need to prevent as many genetic ailments as possible to promote a healthy

and happy Papillon breed for the future. I look forward to learning from and giving to the

Genetics Committee and all its members in the future. I love working on fundraising

projects as they allow my creative energies to run wild, so feel free to give me your

fundraising ideas !
 

Thank you for this honor.

Cheryl Maass

E-mail : papreezi@cox.net

My husband Peter and I live in the beautiful Umpqua River country of southern Oregon. 

Our first dog was an Airedale. Although I didn't buy her as a "Show Dog", with the

encouragement and tutelage of a mentor with much knowledge of that Breed-- I did finish 

her championship. 

She never had a litter as she was first and foremost the family pet. Our family also had 

a Lab for 15 years and several Shih Tzu dogs. When my children grew up, I became

interested in showing dogs again. My search led me to the Papillon breed. I was impressed

with the intelligence, beauty, elegance and hardiness of the Papillon. In 1994 I was 

fortunate to obtain my first Papillon puppy. She completed her championship in 1997 and 

I was hooked on the breed and exhibiting. I also admire and co-own a Standard Poodle 

(Ch. Kriscross Hallucination) with a dear friend. I have learned from the reputable Poodle

breeders that genetic and health testing is of extreme importance for the health of 

that breed. 

I am currently the President of the Umpqua Kennel Club, our local all breed club, a member 

of the Papillon Club of Puget Sound and a member of PCA since 1996. My career has been 

in human health care. First as an RN and then as a nurse practitioner. Canine health,

specifically of the Papillon Breed is of great importance to me. Since Papillons have become

much more popular, it is of extreme importance to recognize and understand some of the

genetic challenges that are facing us. 

As a member of the PCA genetics committee, I want to be active and involved to improve 

the overall health of our breed. I wish to encourage more health and genetic testing,

encourage openness among breeders, educate others and myself so that we may all become

more informed of the health issues facing the Papillon breed today. With health testing 

and information, we will have the power and knowledge to become true "guardians" of 

the Papillon breed that we all love so much. 

I look forward to serving on this committee and perhaps develop some PCA approved 

studies to identify problems that the breed is facing.

Elaine Zech

E-mail : ezeepaps@charter.net