Desiree Acres Past Hounds

     Cecilia & Melody

     Wizard & Benny

     Dream   & Bama

   Praline & Toffee

Desiree Acres Bassets
Our History, Our Beginning

In 1970 my family purchased our very first Basset Hound as a pet.
Though it did not mean anything to us at the time Cecilia, a 3 month old
red & white, was from Houndsville bloodlines - a top winning kennel in the
60's and 70's .

In 1971 we decided to breed a litter, so we took Cecilia back to Houndsville to be bred to Ch. Houndsville Major Who Dunnit. At this time we were encouraged to show Cecilia - something entirely new to us as we had neever even been to a dog show. From the resulting litter we kept a tri colored female we called Melody.

This was the start of Desiree Acres.

I was in Junior High at the time and did not yet know that these dogs were to become the direction, focus and passion of my life.

1972 photo (above) Cecilia is being handled by my mother, Kati

. Wh. December 2, 1971 Ch. Houndsville Major Who Dunnit X Ch. Gingerbread's Highland Fling

	Melody was my pick from our very first litter. She and I grew up together, and together we became champions. I was 16 years old when I finished Melody with 3 majors (including a 5 point Specialty win) -- completely Breeder Owner Handled. I missed my High School Graduation Party to help deliver her first litter (which produced our foundations studs, Wizard and Benny). Melody was a stylish and typy girl with beautiful lip and LONG ears (which was still rare for a bitch in the 1970's) She was one of the most intelligent dogs I have owned -- absolutely packed with personality. Pictured (left) winning her 2nd Major at the 1974 Santa Ana KC show under breeder judge Hub Robinson.

The photo above pictures me at the age of 14 winning our very first match trophy Melody at 4 months ~~~~ and 11 years

Ch. Desiree Acres Pinball Wizard (Wizard) 1975
. Wh. June 6, 1975 Ch. Oranpark Grover X Ch. Houndsville Melody in D Major

For Melody's mate we chose to breed to Ch. Oranpark Grover. A Best in Show winner, this handsome dog was line bred on the legendary Santana Mandeville bloodlines. We kept two males from this litter, Wizard and Benny. I finished Wizard with 4 majors, entirely from the Bred by Class. During this stage in my life I was also attending school to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. Wizard had beautifully classic head type, (reminiscent of his famous grandsire, Ch. Santana Mandeville Ichabod), lovely lip, ears, bone, and substance, all packaged in a deep mahogany color. A truly glamorous dog, Wizard was to stamp his type and temperament onto generations to come.

Litter mates Wizard and Benny are shown together at 3 months ~~~ and at 2 years

Ch. Desiree Acres Ragtime (Benny) 1975

Dream is shown finishing her championship under
breeder judge Wilton Myer at the 1980 Conejo KC show

Praline is pictured taking Best Of Breed in 1986 at the age of 3 years

Desiree Acres Bassets ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mary Netzley Lukins, Ron Lukins and Kati Netzley

Desiree Acres Bassets
Breeder Owner Handled . . . . . . Always


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Little did we know that our "family pet" was not only destined to become a Champion, but the foundation of Desiree Acres. Cecilia was a beautifully sound girl with correct shoulders and forchest, as well as lovely feet, ribs and topline -- combined with an absolutely unflappable temperament. Throughout the 70's I spent Tuesday nights in West Covina at Barbara Dunning's handling class. Barbara is something of a legend in Southern California, having taught basset handlers for over 4 decades. Cecilia was a particular favorite of Barbara's and she handled her to most of her championship points.	1972 photo (above) Cecilia is being handled by my mother, Kati

Barbara Dunning is pictured winning our very first major That's me on the right handling Cecilia to a Specialty reserve

	Benny is the only dog I have owned (or have ever heard of) who finished with Five Majors, all Breeder Owner Handled. (His show record -- one 5-point major and four 3-point majors) . Benny was my Mom (Kati's) favorite from this litter (Wizard was my favorite). This was to become a pattern with each breeding -- we usually kept two littermates, one that I liked and one that Kati fancied. Though not as glamorous as his littermate, Benny was a rock-solid hound with beautiful head type, feet and chest. This 1977 photo shows Benny with breeder judge Paul Moore, winning one of his 5 majors.

Benny is pictured at 6 years ~~~~~~~~~and at 6 months (with me and my mom Kati)

The product of one of our closest line breedings (Grandmother Cecilia X Grandson Wizard) I always felt Dream was one of the finest dogs I have bred. A perfectly sound girl, she combined the correct front, ribs topline and rear, with beautiful type (even surpassing her half sister Melody's deep lip and exceptionally long ears!). Dream was also a BIG girl -- 73 pounds - but she could MOVE. She was as sweet as she was stylish, and I am tremendously proud to have bred her. In 1985 she (and Ron's dog Goofy) accompanied us on our honeymoon, then came to live with Ron and me at "Desiree Acres North". Her soundness held her in good stead -- she took Best of Opposite Sex at the BHCSC and NCBHC Specialty shows, both from the Veterans Class. Dream is shown finishing her championship under breeder judge Wilton Myer at the 1980 Conejo KC show

Dream in all her glory. I only regret that I did not produce about 12 more just like her.

	Bred and owned by Barbara Humphrey of Sunshine Bassets, Bama's mother, Desiree Acres Sunshine, was a littermate to Dream. The product of an uncle/niece breeding (a Wizard daughter bred to her full uncle Benny) this is the way we doubled up on the Santana Mandeville blood and stamped in our type. Another stylish girl with a beautiful front and lovely type, bone and temperment -- she was simply the apple of her mother's eye. Bama was a Specialty winner with multiple Best of Breed wins. She also produced several champions. This 1984 photo shows Bama with breeder/owner Barbara Humphrey

Bama on the beach in Ventura with littermate Georgia Peach & breeder Barbara Humphry ~~with Mary winning points from the puppy class

We took an different path to double up on the Santana Mandeville blood when we bred the Wizard daughter, Desiree Acres Jelly Bean. This time we used Jo NewMeyer's Ch. Rebleglen's Frosty Too. Frosty was a half brother to Wizard and Benny, being a Ch. Oranpark Grover son. Praline was the first born of 7 puppies and we were very surprised that she had a pure white ear. It quickly developed a speckled pattern, which led to her name. Her distinctive coloring was matched only by her beauty, style and personality. Pralene was my full time lap dog and completely stole my heart. Praline is pictured taking Best Of Breed in 1986 at the age of 3 years

Judges always commented on Praline's speckled ears. She had no problem with that, she KNEW she was special.