I have been in love with animals, and dogs specifically, since being a small child living in Upstate NY.  My Aunt was kind enough to give me her Mini Poodle and I haven't looked back since. 

From there I acquired another Mini Poodle, though not a great dog, he was a great learning dog.  During that time, I went to work for Ronald Lambert, a professional handler, who was and continues to be my mentor.  I owe him and his wife, Phyllis, a debt of gratitude for shaping my future in dogs. 

My third dog was  a Papillon, another dog that turned out to be a great learning tool for me.  At last, my first champion.  I purchased another Papillon from the same breeder and after finishing her championship, I started a humble breeding program.  I learned much from those first endeavors. 

Shortly after marrying my first husband, Ellen Klein of Briel Bernese Mt. Dog fame gave us our first Berner, Ch. Briel's Apollo Creed. He finished his championship in short order and with very limited specialing had multiple group placements.  A few short years after, I was lucky enough to acquire a 6 month old bitch sired by a Best In Show winning Swiss import, Ch. Olly V Tonisbach from Sherry Edwards of Mt. View Bernese Mt. Dogs.  Her name was Mt. View's Olly's Mystique (Misty) also finished her championship very quickly.  She would produce the first Tallpine's Bernese Mt. Dogs. 

The very first attempts to breed Misty resulted in no puppies and one litter produced a single living puppy, a companion quality puppy, but it was a start. Her second successful litter was sired by Ch. Bev's Baron V Greyburn and that combination produced our first success as breeders of Bernese Mt. Dogs, BISS. Ch. Tallpine's Lodger (Digger) who was Winners Dog and Best of Winners at the 1991 BMDCA National specialty.  His full sister, Ch.Tallpine's Topaz (Topaz), from a repeat breeding, won her 6-9 puppy class and they were used as get for their father to win the prestigious stud dog class.  Digger went on to become a popular sire and sired two Best In Specialty Show winners and one Best in Show Winner and is a top producer of champions.  Topaz also produced specialty winners and is also a top producer.  Two of her sons, BISS Ch. Tallpine's Dial M For Murder and Ch. Tallpine's For-N Correspondent are also top producers of champions and sires of other specialty winning dogs.  The path was forged and we continue to produce quality dogs all these years later.

Dawn is also a member in good standing with the Bernese Mt. Dog Club of America.