Although Mayhem Kennels' first show puppy was just born, the desire began with Xena, Jeff and my first dog. Xena came to us as a rescue from a puppy mill. She was about to be sent back to her "breeder" (and I use that term very loosely) and when the people at the store told us that, well, you can imagine the rest. Jeff and I are both true bleeding hearts, especially when it comes to dogs.

Xena came to live with us in October of 1999, and the show bug was planted in me as was the beardie bug. I was convinced that I was going to show Xena (but never breed her) and went about trying to find people in our area to tell me how wonderful my dog was. Well, turns out that she is less than show quality (big surprise) but Jeff & I met WONDERFUL people including Chantal Andrew, owner of Chaniam Bearded Collies. Since that time, Chantal and all of the rest of the people in the Bearded Collie Club of Central Florida took Jeff and I under their wings. Chantal taught us how to show dogs (we are still working on that!) and lets us take her dogs to shows for her when she has to work. The BCCCF is not just a show club though. We are a group of people who are just completely blinded by our beardies.

This is a pic of Tiara and I after winning Best of Breed at the 2001 Clearwater Kennel Club Show in St. Petersburg, FL. This was both Tiara and my first show! Tiara is the mommy of Mayhem's first show puppy.

Before Jeff and I met, he had always wanted a hound, so he did what any good computer geek would do...went to the internet. Jeff found out about true rescue organizations and that is how we got involved with Suncoast Bassett Hound Rescue. This was also how we found Duchess. Duchess was found in North West Tampa. She was estimated to be approximately 8-9 y/o and was Heartworm positive. At the time, Jeff and I didn't know any better and against Karen's (of Bassett Rescue) wishes, we subjected Duchess to Heartworm treatment. We were lucky and Duchess survived...she really is a tough old bird!

A year or so after Duchess and Duke came into our lives, Jeff went back to the internet and started researching Bloodhounds. At this time Southeast Bloodhound Rescue was having a shortage of foster homes in Florida. Well, what could we do...we volunteered. And that is how Harley came into our lives. The rest is pretty much history (or insanity, you be the judge) as they say.