Prairiewind Belgians

Our StorY

Like so many friendships in the dog world, our chapter with our mentor Pat began at a dog show.

Pat was planning a repeat breeding of Kodak and Risqué. Don and I were hoping to welcome a La Neige puppy into our family. What began with the excitement of a puppy soon grew into a friendship that would shape the next chapter of our lives.

Pat believed the puppy she kept from that litter would to be her last. We could not imagine the breed without her knowledge, passion, and experience, so we found ways to work together that kept her involved while allowing us to learn from one of the people we admired most.

Years filled with more than just dogs. Researching pedigrees for Pat and sharing what we liked and disliked about dogs, we discovered we have a similar “eye.”  Don and I completed Avidog Breeder College, to learn about whelping and raising puppies. We studied the breed, imported dogs, planned breedings, whelped and raised litters, traveled to shows, celebrated victories, learned from disappointments, and never stopped asking questions. Every experience added another layer to the foundation we were building.

Like every breeding program, not every decision unfolded exactly as planned. But every step taught us something. One of the most rewarding was our decision to import Nala, whose first litter produced two National Specialty winners and reaffirmed the direction we were pursuing.

Throughout those years, Pat was an important mentor and friend. We are deeply grateful for everything she shared with us and for the trust she placed in us.

Today, this website reflects both stories. It honors Pat and the extraordinary legacy she created through La Neige—a legacy that is uniquely hers. It also tells the continuing story of Prairiewind, a breeding program built with gratitude for those who helped shape us and with vision towards the future.

We cannot tell the story of Prairiewind without telling part of Pat's story. One honors a remarkable legacy; the other shares the journey we continue to build.

-Don and Nancy May