Without this woman and dog, I don’t believe that I would be at the point that I am today. Mentor and teacher are the closest words that can describe both Barbara and my first hound.

Through those first years Barbara was there to teach me and give me a balanced insight. From her, I learned that there were positive attributes to be found in all the lines, along with the faults. She taught me to trust my instinct in what my eyes beheld while looking at the hounds. Barbara also taught me to understand the big picture.

To become a true breeder one has to burn away the periphery of politics, petty alliances, and ego that dictate human nature. To produce with honor and honesty, never giving into the urge to breed just for breedings sake. That every litter should be better than the last, and if by chance one makes an error in judgement, to learn and correct from what you have learned.

Sepi, as I fondly called my companion, taught me above all else patience. And that loyalty and love are a gift never taken away, no matter how bad of a day one is having. From her I learned to take on life with the same zest that she had until the end. I watched her teach the same to her offspring and the following generations. She taught me the order of the pack and the true nature of a Pharaoh Hound. Her humor and leadership abilities to this day are felt within my hound family.

May her spirit stay strong within the generations to come.