Meet French Staff Members
Armelle Maddison
http://canichesbicolores.fr.nf/
My name is
Armelle. I am 40, and knew almost nothing about dogs until I
met Valérie seven years ago when I began working as the
Manager for Communications and Marketing in the dog training
centre she created in France.
In fact, I discovered so well the “universe of the dog” that
a few years later, I decided to embrace a new career as a .
. . groomer!
I now work with Valérie in Monaco as a professional groomer
and enjoy my career very much in this artistic, as well as
emotional, job.
I am very proud to be part of the Association du Caniche
Bicolore en France (ACBF) and to participate in promoting
the parti Poodle, which I think is a stunning dog.
My mother is French and my dad is English, so I am the one
who does all the translations (poor me!). I am Treasurer
of ACBF.
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Nathalie Bernard
(1st Vice President of ACBF)
http://canichesbicolores.fr.nf/
Nice, France
I became a professional groomer in 1982. That was a long
time ago! I came from the north of France (Lille) and have
lived in Nice in the south of France for 20 years.
I started my career at the age of 14 by studying
hairdressing and remember being particularly interested in
the artistic, creative side of it, such as special
hairdressing for parties.
My mother, who was a hairdresser, wanted to offer me a
present after I passed my hairdressing exams. When she asked
what would please me, I said, “A training course in a school
for dog grooming!” This greatly surprised her . . . but
never mind!
I studied dog grooming for two months but then had to go to
my brand new job as a hairdresser. I left for Avoriaz, a
village in the French mountains famous for its ski resort
and film festival, where I started working in a beautiful
hairdressing salon. I soon felt gloomy and missed my clients
with four legs. And then the miracle took place! The
headmaster of the grooming school called me to ask if I
would be interested in continuing my dog grooming course for
two months and . . . for free! I would then be hired as a
professional groomer! I accepted right away without any
hesitation, even though my mother felt despair about the
news. However, despite my love for her, I felt it was my
life that was at stake.
How wonderful it was to be surrounded by dogs the whole day
through!
Over those years, I bought four Giant Poodles and
participated in many dog shows in France and abroad. My last
Poodle “left” me in 2005, and I felt so lost that I did not
want a new one. Each day I grew sadder and sadder, so Kris,
a friend of mine, started looking for a new dog companion
for me and found a German website on parti Giant Poodles. At
that time, I was unaware that there were parti-colored
Poodles. I had never heard of them before.
Kris brought me some pictures of a two-and-a-half month old
parti Poodle and . . . gosh, no! . . . it was a female. I
did not want a female . . . or, maybe I did? I told her I
would think about it for awhile. On the following day, I
made a reservation on the Internet to buy the dog and, on
D-Day, the 28th of April 2006, I headed for Germany. This is
how “Keep Smiling” came into my life. I decided to call her
“Youta,” in loving memory of my Giant Poodle Yout.
Thanks to Youta, I soon became capable of using the Internet
well enough to deepen my knowledge of the parti Poodle and
to get in touch with breeders all over the world, in
Germany, Canada, and the U.S.A.
I have recently acquired a Dwarf female phantom (black and
tan) and two Dwarf parti Poodles (black and white). I
support breeders who fight for these colors which are,
unfortunately, not recognized in France, and am now standing
for the parti-colored Poodle, to make it known and,
hopefully, one day, well-known. I hope you will join us!
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Valérie Lea
(President ACBF)
http://canichesbicolores.fr.nf/
I am 44 years old and live on the Coast d'Azur in
France. I think my passion for dogs was born on the same day
I was! At the age of 19, and for the following eight years,
I worked as a veterinary assistant. Then I studied to become
a special trainer of guide dogs for blind people and did
this for ten years.
Following my work with guide dogs, I created and managed a
training centre for three years for people having behavior
problems with their dogs.
I am now managing a grooming shop in Monaco which sells
materials of all kinds, as well as food for dogs and cats.
I became acquainted with the Poodle at different stages in
my life. When I was eleven, my first Poodle was named Maïke.
He was my confidant and my first canine love for 15 years.
Then, in 2001, while I was still a trainer of guide dogs for
blind people, Raphaela came into my life. She was a white
Standard Poodle whom I trained to become a guide dog.
In doing so, I re-discovered the Poodle and also met
Nathalie who became Raphaella's groomer. Later, in
2004/2005, there were Verone and Victoire whom I also
trained to become guide dogs for blind people. Everyday life
with them was such a pleasure! I liked their way of being,
their mischievousness, and their seriousness when it was
needed. I was under the spell.
One day, Nathalie introduced me to her parti girl Youta, and
it was love at first sight for this magnificent, gentle, and
affectionate thoroughbred Standard Poodle. I had never seen
a black and white Poodle before, but I learned about them
from Nathalie.
A few months ago, Cheyenne came into my life. She is a
beautiful black and white parti whom I imported from the
United States.
Like Nathalie, I have a passion for the parti-colored Poodle
– its beauty, elegance, and many other qualities – and I
think it deserves recognition, and its rightful place as a
purebred Poodle, by the French Poodle Club. For this reason,
we created the “Association des Caniches bicolores en
France” (Association for the Parti Poodle in France).
As the President, I intend to make the parti-colored Poodle
known, in order to make it . . . well-known.
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