About Claddagh Kennel
We chose the name "Claddagh" because it means everything we represent,
"Trust, Love, and Loyalty". Our main goal is ALWAYS for the betterment of the breed. We breed only to produce the best specimens of the breed, which to us includes: health, temperament, conformation, and hunting abilities. Our dogs excel in both the show ring and field, they have beauty and bird sense. They are bred to have correct structure to run hard in the field and harsh, wire coats to avoid burs and cuts.
Courtney and William met in college and soon after became a couple in 2002. They had wanted to get a dog for quite awhile for different purposes: Courtney wanted a dog she could show and William wanted a dog he could hunt. So they printed out all the AKC Sporting breeds and chose the German Wirehaired Pointer because they had those irresistible beards and eyebrows. So they made some phone calls and got in touch with a breeder who had a litter on the ground. So they went to Florida and had second to last pick of the litter, and picked the puppy that licked William's toes. Six months later, without any formal training, they took Allie to their first show and decided they wanted to be a team, William would groom and Courtney would show. At only 9 months old Allie finished quickly after 3 shows, beating the top 2 GWP's for BOB... the rookies knew they had something special! William quickly excelled in his grooming techniques and is one of the best in the breed and Courtney has won the Sporting Group's Best Owner/Handler at the Chicago International show for 2 years.
Courtney and William are proud, active members of the German Wirehaired Pointer
Club of America (GWPCA) as well as numerous other GWP Clubs in the Midwest. Courtney is the hospitality and entertainment chairperson and William is the grounds chairperson for the National GWPCA events. Each year they volunteer as GWP breed reps at the Midwest Dog Fair, educating the public about the dual purpose dog, as well as promoting and raising money for GWP Rescue, Inc. Aside from AKC events, Courtney and William are also active in their local Kettle Moraine NAVHDA Chapter. NAVHDA focuses on training and testing dogs on their natural ability.
William takes pride in hunting the dogs at Claddagh Kennel. He believes a wirehair should be the ideal hunting companion, a versatile dog, that'll hunt on both land and water for fur and feather. The dogs at Claddagh Kennel are trained using their natural instinct and positive reinforcement to achieve the highest level of hunting performance, a master hunter. William is also an AKC approved judge for AKC Hunt Tests.
Courtney's interests reside deeply in the health and performance of their
animals. Courtney was a veterinary technician for 9 years specializing in canine reproduction and canine rehab and sports conditioning. Courtney has earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology and Animal Science and is pursuing her degree to become a veterinarian specializing in those fields of interest.
In June of 2007, William and Courtney whelped their first litter and look forward to continue to produce beautiful wirehairs with exceptional hunting skills. After all...... "Life's Too Short to Hunt Over An Ugly Dog"