– Black Velvet –

April 8, 2002 – This young gal's registered name is Ebon Jewel of T'Nile Blevr, better known to her friends and family as Cleo. I met her at the GDCA National in October, 2001, where I did a photo session with Cleo and her brother, Ashes. They were still youngsters then, just 10 months old. Cleo was bred by Julie Ford and Janet Whitmore. She lives in the Windy City (Chicago) with Julie, her littermate Stoney, and her 8-year-old Auntie Whitney.

I asked Julie to tell me a little bit more about Cleo's activities since I saw her last fall. Here's what she had to say:

Cleo is major pointed, has gone Best In Sweepstakes and Best Puppy in Show, but more than that, Cleo is an enormous part of my heart. She is Miss Congeniality – always caging bait at shows and looking in everyone's pocket to see what they have. She is a Bed Hog extrordinaire, owns ALL the toys and she considers herself Queen of all she surveys. If it doesn't fit into her immediate schedule to come when she is called, Cleo will look at me with that steely look in her eyes indicating that at that particular moment I am truly beneath her consideration. Then, she'll turn around 5 minutes later and crawl into my lap, giving me a look that says "nothing in this world could be more important than you, Mommy." She's a treat – and a challenge – to live with and I wouldn't have it any other way! While she is a show dog, Cleo is first and foremost my friend and my companion. She is my consoler during those moments when missing Jagger and Tressie overcomes me and I sit and cry – she is my heart.

If you'd like to see more of Cleo and her family, please visit Ebon Danes.