THE CARANEAL AEGIS by Bill Gorodner
T he comfortable, cozy, farm style house sitting off a coun- try road and looking out on fields and rolling hills, is an unlikely backdrop for the rearing of one of the most cosmopolitan of dog breeds—the Yorkshire Terrier. But it is in this bucolic setting that Georgette and Robbie Franzoni create generation after generation of significant dogs that knowledgeable fanciers everywhere acclaim as among the finest. Sprinkled through their efforts have been dream dogs that captured judges’ attentions and when the dust settles, have the respect of Georgette and Robbie’s strongest competitors. When asked how Caraneal began, Georgette laughingly says, “I was intro- duced to Yorkies when Robbie gifted me a puppy as my wedding present.” She goes on to say, “Robbie always adds that this was his second biggest mis- take.” Continuing, Georgette says, “I wanted to learn more about the breed and got a copy of Dog World Magazine where I found a reference to Johnny Robinson and Morris Howard of Tri- var Yorkies in Potomac Maryland. We lived close by and became friends with them in the early 1970s. They were our mentors and it became apparent to me, early on, that I had to get in mind what a Yorkie should be and look like.
I realized that I needed to put together a long-term plan to develop my own line that would have a certain look. “It was slow starting, having to learn the grooming and other special consid- erations that go into our complex little dog. I began finishing quite a few, but those early ones were not yet what I had in mind. Then I came up with Ch. Caraneal’s Targa. In my opinion, he was the first truly beautiful and exceptional dog that I had bred that was capable of winning at the specialty show level. What a thrill for Robbie and me when Targa won back-to-back specialty shows under breeder-judges. It happened in New York in 1987 and, I’ve been told, it was the first time a Yorkie won back-to- back specialty shows. The judges were Ray Ryan and Morris Howard. In spite
of so many later triumphs, I will never forget those first specialty wins and will treasure them always. Targa had a gorgeous face fall and ended up with wonderful color. He opened my eyes to what became my goal as a breeder—to have Yorkies good enough to win in the highest levels of competitions.” Some people (who may be misin- formed) have said that “Kristopher” (Ch. Caraneal’s Charged And Ready) was just a lucky break, but that is not the case. Caraneal has bred seven dogs that have won a total of 33 specialties. Georgette had many champions and dogs that taught her the ropes so well that when Kristopher came along she recognized what a fabulous puppy she had and was ready to embark on an adventure with a dog the Yorkie people
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