How it all got stated -
In December 1983, I was given a black poodle puppy bitch for a Christmas gift. (the first being a blue silver dog that lived for 13 yrs.) There is a very cute story about how she came to be MY poodle....however I will not put you through that, but when I saw her for the first time at the breeders house, I had her named already. Samantha's Delight to Susan was her name and
I called her Samantha...not Sam or Sammy. In the Spring of 1984, Samantha came into her first heat. This being my first bitch, I went to the local pet store to buy what was needed for her. But when I got home and fitted it to her tiny body, I was sadly disappointed. The "britches" that I had just bought were TOO BIG...and they were a size X-Small! I tried to make them fit her....taking a tuck here and a pleat there....but they were not going to work! Poor Samantha, she was very patient with me as I pulled and tugged at her. After awhile, it was very clear that the "britches" were NOT going to work. That was her first and last heat that I was going to make her endure the embarrassment of "baggy britches"! In the fall of 1984, I developed a hourglass shape "britches" for Samantha, making sure that it fit her in just the right places. I was very pleased with the design and it was very clear that Samantha was pleased too. She would run and play as if there was nothing there at all. Since I had a "living baby doll" to dress up, I made her "britches" out of every type and color of fabric there was. It was during that season (Fall 1984), that my "britches" were beginning to be noticed by others. At first it was my groomer noticed them and then my breeder. They took an interest in the "britches" and even had me make their bi***es some . Not long after making my breeders a pair of britches, I started getting calls from people that had seen the "britches" at a local AKC Dog Show, and were wondering if I would make their bitch a pair. It was then that the "business" took off...but it never had a name. The name was born in the winter of 1990, after I had broken my back. Knowing full well that I would not be able to return to work, I laid there in bed wondering how in the world could I get my business off the ground. I made several phone calls to others that had started a small business and and started asking questions. In the spring of 1991, Fancy Fannies, as it is know today, was born. It was that Spring that I attended my first of many AKC Dog Shows. During that show, I sold out of Fancy Fannies. I was pleased, but in a world of hurt, for the next weekend I had another show and I didn't have enough time to sew a new batch of britches. So..I hired my first employee! But all good things come to an end. In the Spring of 1990, I became pregnant. I continued on the show circuit until I was 8 months pregnant. When my daughter was born, I was able to do shows close by and AKC Puppy Matches, but I never got to return to the circuit. I miss it very much. BUT, while I was on the circuit, Fancy Fannies had made a name for itself! I became a single mother in 1992 and that has forced me to rely on a "steady" income. It has been many years now since my last dog show, and my daughter shows a small interest in keeping Fancy Fannies alive. My dream is to go back to the circuit so that I can promote Fancy Fannies, and educate people out there that there is something better than the "britches" that is offered in the pet stores.
