
How it all
started.
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In December 1983, I was given a black poodle puppy
bitch for a Christmas gift.
She was my second poodle. (the first being a blue silver dog that lived
for 13 yrs.)There is a very cute story about how she came to be MY poodle..but
I will not put you through that, but when I saw her for the first time at
the breeders house, I had her named already. Samantha's Delight
to Susan was her name and I called her Samantha...not Sam or Sammy.
In the Spring of 1984, Samantha came into her first heat. This being
my first bitch, I went to the pet store to buy what was needed for her.
But when I got home and fitted it to her tiny body, I was sadly disappointed.
The "britches" that I had just bought were TOO BIG...and they were
a size X-Small! I tried to make them fit her..taking a tuck here and
a pleat there..but they were not going to work!
Poor Samantha, she was very patient with me as I pulled and tugged at her.
After awhile..it was very clear that the "britches" were NOT going
to work. That was her first and last heat that I was going to make
her endure the embarrassment of "baggy britches"!
In the fall of 1984, I developed a hourglass shape "britches" for Samantha,
making sure that it fit her in just the right places. I was very pleased
with the design and it was very clear that Samantha was pleased too.
She would run and play as if there was nothing there at all. Since
I had a "living baby doll" to dress up, I made her "britches" out of
every type and color of fabric there was. (I even made a pair of blue
polka dots, just in case she ever meet the new Princesses of Wales.)
It was during that season (Fall 1984), that my "britches" were beginning
to be noticed by others. At first it was my groomer that noticed
them and then my breeder. They took an interest in the "britches" and
even had me make their bitches some . Not long after making my breeders
a pair of britches, I started getting calls from people that had seen the
"britches" at a local AKC Dog Show, and were wondering if I would make
their dog a pair. It was then that the "business" took off...but it
never had a name.
The name was born in the winter of 1990, after I had broken my back.
Knowing full well that I would not be able to return to work, I laid
there in bed wondering how in the world could I get my business off the ground.
I made several phone calls to others that had started a small
business and and started asking questions.
In the spring of 1991, Fancy Fannies, as it is know today,
was born.
It was that Spring that I attended my first of many AKC Dog Shows. The
response was so positive! During that show, I sold out of Fancy
Fannies. I was pleased, but in a world of hurt, for the next weekend
I had another show and I didn't have enough time to sew a new batch of britches.
So..I hired my first employee! She turned out to be a great friend
and still a co-worker to this day.
But all good things come to an end. In the Spring of 1990, I became
pregnant. I continued on the show circuit til I was 8 months pregnant.
When my daughter was born, I was able to do shows close by and AKC
Puppy Matches, but I never got to return to the circuit. I miss it
very much. BUT, while I was on the circuit, Fancy Fannies had
made a name for itself!
To this day, I still have a sewer that sews for me, for I don't have time
now my self. I became a single mother in 1992 and that has forced me
to rely on a "steady" income. It has been 7 years now since my last
dog show, and my daughter shows interest in wanting to show dogs. (which
breed? that will be up to her)
My dream is to go back to the circuit so that I can promote Fancy
Fannies, and educate people out there that there is something better
than the "britches" that is offered in the pet stores.
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