| Our Start in Cockers |
| Denali Cockers Bill & Cindy Mixon Hillsboro, Oregon 503 693-1030 Tel/Fax denalidogs@comast.net Cindy and I started our journey into the world of Cocker Spaniels a few years after we were married. We actually bought our first Cockers while living in Salem Oregon. They were Shady's Evening Shadow and Bill's Holy Smoke. Little did we know that their sires were brothers at the time, but later we became interested in breeding and the bug to study bloodlines started. It wasn't until the mid 1980's that we decided to start showing Cockers and to breed with a purpose of creating the ideal Cocker Spaniel. At the time we lived in Eagle River, Alaska, and we chose the name Denali Cockers. Denali was the native name for the "Great One" or Mt. McKinley as we know it. The name stuck and the hidden meaning is still part of our goal to someday breed a real "great one." |
| I took this picture at 2 am in the morning of Mt. McKinley. |
| Today we live in Hillsboro, Oregon where we still have a limited breeding and showing program. I judge, write articles and offer mentoring, while Cindy still exhibits and takes charge of all the grooming and raising of prospects. She also shares her grooming expertise with new fanciers. Together we have bred top winning, top producing and loving Cockers that have made wonderful companions to their owners. Health, Conformation, and Temperament have always been at the top of our list, and we encourage all breeders to do the same. We are members of The American Spaniel Club, the Fort Vancouver Cocker Spaniel Fanciers, Inc., and the National Animal Interest Alliance -NAIA. One of the things that kept our breeding program alive and successful for so long is the continued working with other breeders with similar goals as ours. Our mentors taught us to appreciate the work of the breeders before us and around us, learn from your mistakes and accomplishments, but never take them for granted. |
| April 2009. |
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| Cindy with Cal-Ore's Chocolate Narielle Alaska 1987 |
| Don was our mentor and friend, and Cindy and I learned so much from him. We purchased "Gracie" from Don, who was the Foundation of Denali. Pictured with two of their Champion Showtime Cockers. |
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