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Welcome to our website. We hope you enjoy our Goldens as much as
our family, friends and other Golden clients do.
I'm Dorothy Gilreath and have been an animal lover all
my life. I was born and raised in Fayetteville NC. I have always had dogs in my home and my
life. I helped my mom breed, whelp and wean a few litters of Standard Poodles and Cockers when I was young.
I started riding ponies before I could walk and finally acquired a 7/8ths Arabian Thoroughbred
when I was 14. “Schabalt’s Beauty” and I went on to successfully show regionally in the English Pleasure
class. My competitive spirit was further honed on the basketball court. My 6’ 5”
brother, Joe Genter, was the star power forward for Douglas Byrd High School. He taught me to play point guard and I
went on to Pembroke State University on a full athletic scholarship.
I met my husband
in 1982 in Fayetteville where he was playing in a rock band. We settled down in John’s hometown, Charlotte NC, and bought
our first Golden, Taren, as a pet the year John and I were married. Our love of the breed
led us to acquire show quality dogs.
Craig Westergaard sold us a show pup that our kids named Simba, from the
Lion King movie. We campaigned Simba to an AKC championship title. We took the pick puppy from Simba’s first litter
as the stud fee and Mariah became our AKC Champion foundation bitch.
Claridge is our kennel name which comes from
the first apartment I had in Charlotte NC and also my middle name (Clare). We are blessed with
two children Jenna Michelle (’89) and John IV (’90). They grew up in the dog world and to this day love and help
with our wonderful dogs.
Jenna showed a great deal of interest in Junior Showmanship. Jenna
also led us into a second breed. After several years she finally convinced Santa to bring her a Pug. "Emmy" Ch.
Delcrest Cat Dancing. She began showing and breeding under the kennel name Emerald, after her birthstone.
Home schooling allowed Jenna to travel extensively and
show consistently. In 2003 she was the # 5 Junior Handler in the country, and #1 in Toys. She has been in every one of the
48 states, except Kansas. Jenna is now in her junior year at CCBC in Essex, MD planning to transfer to one of the UMD
campuses majoring in Forensic Phycology.
Jenna also has a new puppy a Miniature Long-Hair Dachshund. "Canvas" is named for her beautiful dapple coat
and the band, Spill Canvas. Canvas is Jenna's spayed bed buddy now.
Jenna's Champion pug out of Delcrest, "Ch. Delcrest Cat Dancing" is still alive and kicking, she also
is retired but not forgotten. What a great show bitch "Emmy" was, still hits veterans at specialties time
to time but mainly stays home and bosses the goldens around.
John has a variety of interests
which still include caring for, training and showing the dogs. He is currently a sophomore at The University of South
Carolina. Along with studying Business Management Science, John is pursuing a Commission into The United States Marine
Corps through the Platoon Leaders Course. After he has finished his classes and hits the gym for the day, He
finds himself at football practice and club meetings. John is a member of the traveling club football
team and is an officer of USC Mountaineering and Whitewater Rafting Club. He currently lives with his teammates
and friends in Columbia, South Carolina. Go GameCocks!!!!!!!!
Please click on the link below
to visit our other website which is dedicated to the Junior Handlers and Pugs.
We have
been very successful and to this day strive to show as much as we can. We still breed to promote the best temperament and
the most beautiful Goldens. We have many Champions in Conformation, Agility Titles, Certified Therapy and Obedience. Most
of all we love the home life we have with our dogs. We don't
raise our dogs in a kennel; they are a part of our family.
We have a great selection of pedigrees and occasionally
have puppies for sale. We live in Rock Hill SC. . I'm so lucky to have been able to stay home with our children and our
dogs. Now with both kids in college we are quite busy but have no intentions of leaving the Golden world.
Welcome to Claridge Goldens!
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