WILLIAM H. (“BILLY”) MILLER BAYARD CHIHUAHUAS
BREEDER INTERVIEW BY ALLAN REZNIK
Where did you grow up? I was born in Baltimore, Maryland. One of three children, we grew up in a home with dogs. My first dog was a Toy Poodle. My paternal grandfather pre- sented her to me as a Christmas gift. GiGi was an adored family member and she helped to inspire my interest in purebred dogs. Do you come from a doggy family? If not, how did the interest in breeding and showing purebred dogs begin? My parents were not involved in the dog fancy. My grandparents did have purebred dogs and my sister brought me to my first dog show. Prior to becom- ing a mother, she dabbled in the world of dog shows and joined the Greenspring Poodle Club. Initially, I had wanted a big dog and ended up with a Chihuahua. At heart, they are big dogs. Who were your mentors in the sport? Please elaborate on their influence. There were so many people who helped me along in the hobby. Years ago, we had fewer dog shows. Dog folk attended match shows and were very involved with their local club activities. The Chihuahua Club of Maryland was my local breed club. There were so many members of the club who helped me along. My first Chihuahuas were not the best quality dogs and I started attending a lot of rare breed shows with Patricia Perez, an early Chinese Crested breeder. I wasn’t sure if I would ever find a quality Chihuahua and almost gave up trying.
158 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2021
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