Ch. Kalwa's Incense and Peppermints RN

"Carter"

Carter (pictured above at seven weeks and almost 4 years) is the puppy we kept from Harmony's third litter.  He's the first boy we've bred who has remained at Kalwa, and also the first liver and white puppy we've kept from a breeding.  Although he is affectionate and likes people, Carter is more independent than your typical Springer.  Our other dogs are only happy being outside if a person goes along to play with them, but Carter can often be found outside all by himself, happily playing with toys or digging in mud puddles.  He's very smart and loves food, a combination that means he learns new commands extremely quickly. 

Carter started his show career by winning Best Overall in Match at just four months old, beating not only some very nice puppies, but a number of adult dogs as well.  This was his first time in a show ring; he had never even had a show lead on until about an hour before he went into the ring.  Carter was shown very sparingly, not more than a few times a year throughout his career in the classes, but had several nice wins including 3rd place, in the 6-9 puppy dog class at the 2006 National Specialty,  back-to-back major wins at the Sporting Dog Fanciers of New Mexico group show in November 2007, and several best of breed wins from the classes.  Carter finished his AKC championship in June 2009, on the first day of a 5-day circuit, and went on to win the breed 4 of the next 5 days, as well, in his debut as a special.  He will now concentrate on performance events.

Carter made his first foray into the rally obedience ring in May, 2008, earning his Rally Novice title in three straight trials, with first and fourth place ribbons along the way.  He has also started toward his obedience titles, earning his first CD leg in March 2009.  Carter's friendliness toward people and innate confidence are traits valued in a therapy dog, so he might follow in his mother's footsteps and do therapy work, as well.  He is also training in agility, and hopefully will be hitting the agility ring competitively within the next few months.  Carter's a big, goofy boy, like most male Springers, and he especially likes playing with his resident big sister Kali and his niece, Georgia.

Use the links below to view Carter's pedigree, see some more fun pictures, and check out his show results.