Coh, back in the 70's owner-handled her Toy dogs in the show ring.  In 1978, a Lainee Shih Tzu - Bailiff Laine of Kennaquhair went BEST IN SHOW in an All Breeds Fun Match sponsored by the active Veterinary Association at the time.  It was "Bai's Ring Debut", first time out at 6 months old, owner-handled and for the record, the first Shih Tzu ever to win BEST IN SHOW in an All Breeds competition.  Coh finished his championship afterwards winning BEST LADY HANDLER Awards and was one of the youngest foundation members together with Lucianne Cham of the Philippine Shih Tzu Club, Inc.

From the toy breeds, Coh shifted to bigger dogs and tried her hand with the Working Group.  For a decade, she stopped showing and just watched dog shows from time to time enjoying it from the background.  She tried showing a Rottie in 1990 but handling big dogs were a lot different from the Toys.  Shifting to the Non-Sporting and Sporting Breeds, she went back in the ring in 1994 only to be at a lost.  Things were very different from the good ol 'days.  Professional handlers were all over the place handing out their business cards, looking at you from head to foot and your dog, from the tip of the nose to the tip of its tail down the ground.  There were familiar faces but having shifted from one group to another, the faces seem all blurry.  Back in the good ol' days with only a small number of entries, shows were held in one day together with Obedience Trials.  Everybody knew everyone and there were only very few professional trainers and handlers.  Most of the dogs were owner-handled even during Obedience competitions.

Obviously, Coh's dogs at hand were not up to par.  Amidst the tents, the kennel help running around prettying up their bets with last minute touch-ups with big blue blowers, industrial electric fans, vari-kennels and grooming tables, collapsible picnic tables, grooming tool boxes that doubles up as stools, mats, drinking bottles, squirt sprays, towels and huge umbrellas ...   Coh together with Willy would look for a tree for some shade for them and their dogs collecting newspapers for something to sit on while waiting for their turn in the ring.  To Coh's mind, small dogs get small leashes and big dogs, of course should have big leashes or at least that's what she read from her dog books.  In the ring, she goes in with 1-inch thick leash and 3 foot-long.  Duh.

After A few shows, she contacted PHILIPPINE DOG SCHOOL and had her dogs trained, bought the necessities so that she and Willy wouldn't always be worrying about trees and stuff.  Quietly, her Lab, BAILEYS was getting ribbons as RESERVE WINNERS DOG and her Chow, CHINO was getting BOB.  She met the ever-enterprising JOJI SAN JOSE of DOG CITY while shopping for kennel stuff.  She would hang around, have coffee and exchange stories, tips and stuff with dog people at the store.  On Sundays for lack of something better to do, she immediately hogged the BULLETIN TODAY Classified Ads Section and would go from one kennel to another. Along this path, she met various dog people from dog lovers to  backyard breeders, pet shop operators, puppy millers, brokers and show enthusiasts to the more serious, responsible enough and ethical and not-so-ethical breeders.

Having bought puppies on impulse, different veterinarians were consulted for 1st, 2nd and 3rd opinions or simply just hope and a little consolation.  It was at the DOG AND CAT CLINIC at K-1st Street, Kamuning that she found solace.  Coh developed a bond with Dr. and Dra. Sicam and through them, she also availed of Kelly Manas' training services.  Coh together with the ever-faithful gardener-Willy, nephews Jun and Memeng took obedience classes in their backyard under Ms. Manas.

It was also in 1994 when she met CARE BEAR'S MARIVIC LIM who later on became one of her best doggie friend and taught Coh all about Golden Retrievers.  Later on, Coh took in the retrired foundation stocks of Care Bear Goldens:  MARDOVAR CARE BEAR WHAT'S UP, OLD MOUNTAIN RUBY'S AMBER JOY and MARDOVAR CARE BEAR'S WILD ONE to give way to Marivic's new imports.  And from there on, she took in her shelter dogs whether retired or just simply unwanted under her care.

In 1995, Coh went to North America and brought back a couple of imports:  HAPITAILS MI-TU MUGZY MALONE, Chinese Shar-pei; GOLDSMITH'S CAMEO APPEARANCE, Golden Retriever; and BEL-REVE'S UXMAL, Belgian Groenendael.  With these dogs along with the ones that she took in under her care, Coh started winning BOB's and placing in Group competitions.  Her first litter of Chinese Shar-Pei under the kennel affix "Cob" was December, 1995.  One of the puppies, JAI FEH REH OF COB was the unbeatable MULTI-BEST-BABY-PUPPY-IN-GROUP/SHOW who finished her championship at 8 months old.  Litter after litter, show after show and imports after imports, the Cob Kennels became to be known as the "HOME OF THE BEST BABY PUPPY IN SHOW" in 1996.  It was in 1996 that Coh established the CHINESE SHAR-PEI ENTHUSAISTS, INC. as a tribute to Cob's first litter.

In 1997, the Herding breeds were separated from the Working Group through the efforts of Coh Salazar constantly showing 4 herding breeds all through out 1996.  The Herding Group was born with the Cob Kennels pioneering the Australian Shepherd, promoting the Belgian Groenendael and bringing back the Shetland Sheepdog in the show ring.

Coh was voted in the PCCI Board of Directors for a 2-year-term, 1999-2000 respectively.  At this time, she handled the Publication Committee and published PAWPRINTS, a monthly newsletter for the club.  By 1999 onwards, the Cob Kennels has received various awards and acknowledgements such as PCCI's Top Breeder, the kennel with the most number of finished Philippine Grand and Champions, Hall of Fame among others.  The Cob Kennels have also been featured in various periodicals, TV shows.  An article by ELAINE RIGDEN in DOG NEWS was also devoted to Coh for her devotion to her dogs.

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Born on: May 8, 2002 Copyright 2002 the coBra