{"id":18,"date":"2024-05-13T04:06:42","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T03:06:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/localhost\/localwebsite\/?page_id=18"},"modified":"2024-07-05T23:59:44","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T22:59:44","slug":"how-we-started","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/?page_id=18","title":{"rendered":"How We Started"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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My name is Michelle Bernier-Libersher.  I have been showing dogs off and on for 31 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I got my first dog when I was 8.  She was a miniature poodle named Candy.  I showed her in obedience and junior showmanship.  While I was showing her in obedience I met a big red Borzoi, which I fell in love with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a sister who is allergic to dogs so I could not get a Borzoi until I moved out.  So 11 years later in 1990, I moved out and got a Borzoi one month after that.  Her name was Fantasia and I showed her in agility and lure coursing.  She did very well in both, but she really excelled in lure coursing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1991, I got another Borzoi that I named Mariah.  Mariah was a princess and she believed she was the most beautiful thing.  I have to agree that she was.  She was my first Conformation dog.  I am very proud that I got her Championship on her, owner handled.  In 1992 I decided I wanted another coursing dog and it seemed like a Whippet was the best choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is when I got my Choleena.  She was the best dog ever.  She excelled in so much.  She achieved an LCM-3, AKC CD, UKC Agility ATCH title, her AKC agility novice, open and all but one leg on her excellent title.  Choleena’s career stopped short because of a coursing injury and I had to retire her at age 3.  Choleena just passed away in April 2008 at age 16.  I thought I would never get another dog that could compare to her and achieve so much, but I have been blessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In 2004 I got two incredible dogs, Mira and Carina.  They are doing and enjoying agility, obedience, rally, conformation and lure coursing.  I would like to take this time to thank Sharon Lund for selling us Carina.  Carina has been a star.  She had done way more than I could have ever expected a dog to do.  In 2005 and 2006 she finished #2 in ASFA.  At age 2, she had achieved an LCM-5, and at age 4 she earned her LCM-7.  We have not spent much time coursing in the last 2 years as we enjoy the other venues so much that I just can not seem to make time for conformation. 

In 2008 we decided to breed Carina to Shannon & Krystyl Lyons boy Bosley.  This litter has proven to be amazing.  In 2010 Catori finished #1 in ASFA and the entire litter was in the Top 15 ASFA Lure Coursing.  Three of the five where in the Top 25 in AKC Lure Coursing.  In 2011 we focused on ASFA only and Catori finished #1, Tala #2 and Nado #4 and even momma Carina finished in the Top 20.  So as if this was not enough, our little Catori pulled it off again in 2012.  Three years in a row Catori has finished #1 in ASFA Lure Coursing, this has only been done one other time by a Whippet.  Also, Nado and Tala finished in the Top 10.   Alright, I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but we are so AMAZED with our litter.  Catori has made a new ASFA Whippet record, Catori finished #1 again in 2013, this is the first time a Whippet has ranked #1 FOUR times, way to go Catori!  Tala also finished #3 and Nado #11 in 2013.

In 2008, we decided to adopt one of the Catahoula pups we had been fostering, Talize.  She is a wonderful Catahoula; very laid back like the Whippets.  Her wonderful loving, gentle nature is what made us decide to keep her.  Talize is our mother hen, she takes care of everybody (including us).

I have been feeding my dogs raw food and doing minimal vaccines since 1992.  Back then I had to make all my own food, but now there are several pre-made frozen raw foods out there.  I feel raw feeding has lead to the good health, longevity, and great performance of my dogs. I very much encourage raw feeding and minimal vaccinations.  I personally only vaccinate my dogs for rabies, as required by Illinois law.  I do not give any puppy vaccines either, I feel it is best to build a strong immune system.  If you are considering purchasing a puppy from us, please do some research on Prey appropriate diet and the problems associated with vaccines.  I am including a page with some information on natural rearing.  I am also including some links with more information.  Please check out all the information available to you and make a choice that you can live with.  I am flexible and will work with you.  I understand that there is more than one way to view all this.

My goal in breeding is to produce an excellent family pet, easy to live with, well rounded, healthy, versatile dog with a great immune system.  I would love my pups to go to a performance or show home, but the most important thing to me is that they are a permanent, very loved part of your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I was also very involved in Catahoula rescue, for several years.  I have included a page with the Catahoula’s that have been adopted through us.  I believe you should give back whenever you can, and I have been fortunate enough to be able to open my heart and home to dogs in need.  Please do whatever you can to help with the over abundance of unwanted pets.  If you are thinking about breeding, please think hard.  Decide whether you can afford to do everything properly.  Please do health testing and be prepared to take back your pups if they can no longer be cared for.  If you are not showing or breeding your dog, please spay and neuter.  We all need to do our part.

I have also included a page in memory of the animals in our lives that have given us so much and for all the lessons we have learned from them.  They will never be forgotten and will live on in our hearts forever.  Remember to cherish every moment with your loved ones, and remember those moments forever.  They can never be taken away and we will always have them in our heart and minds. 

As 2012 rolled in, I had a great tragedy.  My wonderful friend and companion, “Misty” (my Morgan mare) pass away.  I had her since she was 4 years old and had broke and trained her, she was my best friend. After the sudden loss of Misty, I sold my other horse and decided I could not have a horse at this time.  This tragedy has brought us to a new place in our lives.  We have 14 acres and we had nothing on it any more, it was sad.  So we decided to raise Boer Goats (colored and dappled Boers) and Katahdin Sheep (Haired Sheep).  Our Katahdins are purebred and our Boer goats are all registered, some are percentages.  We are breeding for meat quality, good health, parasite resistance, and color.  We like color!  All of our animals are grass fed pasture raised and naturally raised.  We use herbs and natural remedies to keep our animals healthy and parasite free.  We sell our Sheep and Goats for breeding stock, show stock and for meat.  If you are interested in them, please feel free to email us.  We are just starting out, so we will probably not have anything for sale until 2014.  Please keep checking back or email to be put on a waiting list. Check out Tadita Boer Goats<\/a> here.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Other items included on my website: my family and our other furry critters that our in our lives.  I hope you enjoy!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My name is Michelle Bernier-Libersher.  I have been showing dogs off and on for 31 years. I got my first dog when I was 8.  She was a miniature poodle named Candy.  I showed her in obedience and junior showmanship.  While I was showing her in obedience I met a big red Borzoi, which I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1190,"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18\/revisions\/1190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/taditawhippets.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}