About Philmac - Phyllis L. McDonaldI've been involved with dogs in one way or another for pretty much my entire life. I grew up with Irish Setters and Golden Retrievers and have also had experience with Austrailian Cattle Dogs and Shetland Sheepdogs. My parents showed and bred Irish Setters when I was quite young, so you could say that I grew up around the world of dog showing. My father was an avid bird hunter so I also grew up in that environment. As a child, I used to love working with and "training" my parents' dogs. I loved teaching them basic obedience and even had them jumping makeshift obstacles before there was such a thing as organized dog agility. Together with my first Sheltie, I started training and competing in USDAA Agility in the early 90s. This was my entry into the world of competitive dog sports. Through my Shelties I became actively involved in teaching obedience and agility classes for the local dog club and that continues to this day. I'm also an avid hiker and often can be seen on the trails along the Continental Divide, close to my house, with any number of dogs. For me, hiking without dogs is just not as fun or interesting as hiking with them. I even have a blog dedicated to hiking with retrievers. Living with TollersSomehow this breed is able to just suck people into a lifestyle they couldn't even envision BT, before Toller. This really is a lifestyle altering breed. Making room in my freezer for a variety of dog training items including frozen birds with feathers, feet and faces still attached is not something I ever thought I'd be doing. I never imagined myself in either the conformation ring, or hunting with my dogs. Today, both activities take up a good portion of my time and resources. One thing I could've NEVER imagined myself having or even wanting before acquiring a Toller is, hunting buddies. Today, I actively seek them out. I'm also actively shopping for a new shotgun. I really never thought I'd ever spend money on one of those either. My Tollers participate in Rally, Obedience, Agility, Conformation, Hunt Tests, and hunting. One thing I'm not doing with my dogs at this time is breeding them. If you are looking for a Toller breeder I suggest that you contact Breeder Referral. You might also consider adopting an older Toller from Breed Rescue. Thankfully, not many Tollers end up in rescue, but there are a few who do, and who need great homes.
My Dogs |
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