My first experience with a purebred dog was a German Shepherd owned by my boyfriend when I was in my teens. While he was not a show quality dog, he was my entry into the dog world. When I was 18 I got my first Whippet, shortly followed by my first Italian Greyhound. And the rest, as they say, is history. Showing my Whippet taught me that success comes with hard work, patience and tenacity. I thought my Whippet was flawless and couldn't understand why he wasn't winning. Ever. So I studied dogs that did win, I watched other breeds, I went to breeding seminars and structure seminars, and I realized that the dog I loved so much was a poor example of his breed. It's a very difficult realization, that the dog you love is not a great example of the breed. How can something you love that much not be perfect? But the facts are, very few dogs are truly great dogs, and it takes a mature and brave person to recognize that their dog is not worth showing or breeding. So he became a neutered pet and lived with me until he died of old age. When I started showing my first Italian Greyhound, I went in with a much humbler attitude. So much humbler that at his first show, I allowed a professional handler who had my competition to distract me and my dog and we lost every day that week-end. After it was pointed out to me what had happened, I vowed that I would become competitive, polished and fair. I believe I reach success by setting goals, and keeping them attainable. My first goal was to have my first Champion, followed by my first Group Placing, my first homebred Champion, my first Group Winner, and so on. In the Conformation ring there are very few pinnacles I have not achieved (at least of those that are attainable - for example I will never have the #1 dog All-Breeds! I don't have enough money to get that far!) Many records have been set by Diavolino Italian Greyhounds. I have been a ring steward, both in Obedience and Conformation, I have trained handling classes, I have shown extensively in Canada and a fair bit in the US. I am currently in the process of obtaining my qualifications to become a Conformation judge. My dogs are sought after by breeders all over the world, even though I have a reputation of being very strict with who gets my breeding quality dogs. That reputation does not bother me, I cherish it, I nurture it. I have worked too long and too hard to create a breeding programme of quality to allow someone with low ethics destroy what I have built. I also know that I did not build it alone. I appreciate the breeders who have gone before me and have created the foundation from which my dogs are drawn from. Even breeders with whom I have since parted ways... I can never regret them as they, too, are part of what makes a Diavolino Italian Greyhound. I am a firm believer that the dogs should never come second to pride. No ribbon is worth it if it means my dog can't also be my companion. I will not knowingly risk the health of my dogs or my puppies to get another ribbon. I love my dogs for who they are and for the joy they bring to my life. Showing them is just a way of sharing my love for them with the world, not a way to try to make the world love me. I believe we can all learn from each other, and when we stop learning we should just plain .... stop. What is left to live for when we feel we know it all?
The people behind Diavolino Italian Greyhounds are Don & Karen Chant (me). When we met, I already had three dogs and Don had never owned one in his life. We were set up on a date by a mutual friend on June 9, 1987 and we were married on June 14, 1987. No, you did not read that wrong. We were married 5 days after we met. We are still happily married and Don has learned how to not only live with dogs, but love living with dogs. Don is the one that holds the fort while I get to go gallivanting. He is the one who waits up for me when he knows I won't get back from a show until 1 am, he is the one who massages my aching muscles after a hard week-end and the one who lets me cry on his shoulder when my heart is broken over the loss of a dog or some spiteful action by a competitor. I always know that he is there cheering for us! In the real world, I work for one of the largest investment firms in Canada, and Don holds a management position in the heavy duty trucking industry. We live in sunny Southern Alberta, the land of cattle, corn and mosquitoes so huge you could ride them. It's the land of big skies, cowboy hats, and way too many miles between rest stations. Our interests outside of the dogs include restoring our nearly century old home and tinkering on our classic cars. Until recently we had horses as well, but there simply wasn't enough hours in the day so we finally gave in to the breeder who had been trying to buy my mare for years. But we made him buy both so neither horse would have to see the other leave. Some day, after retirement, we will get horses again. I do, after all, still have my saddle.
Karen is a member of the following clubs and organizations:
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