About – Darwyn Welsh Terriers

Get to Know Us

Larisa & Michael Hotchin (Darwyn) – Passion & Commitment to Excellence

Dedicated to Welsh Terrier preservation and heritage.

We breed quality dogs, are proactive in health screening, showcase the breed in many venues to increase public awareness, and take an active role in helping others.

The quality of our dogs have been consistently recognized in the show ring since we started in the late 1990’s. We are proud to have owned, and to be the breeder of, many Champions. These include Canadian, American, Grand Champions (and higher levels on both sides of the border), Specialty Winners, Best in Show Winners, and Champions in many countries outside of North America, including some in the breeds country of origin (UK). We have also had many that were recognized as being the #1 in the breed. One that we are particularly proud of, is that a dog that we are the breeder and owner of, was awarded Best of Breed at the US National Specialty for the WTCA on Montgomery Day (Parker). Another of particular noteworthy mention, is that we are the breeder, and owner, of the top BIS winning Welsh Terrier in Canadian history – Joe! Many of our top winners have multiple Darwyn bred dogs in their family generations.

Commitment to excellence comes from who we are.

Neither of us were born into the purebred dog fancy, but is a passion. Breeding and showing is primarily driven by Larisa, however, Michael is very supportive and important.

We are both retired from successful corporate careers. Michael’s university training was in Pure Math and Computer Science. This blends well with Larisa’s University training of Economics and Business Analytics, and her subsequent senior management position, specializing in analytical database analysis, in a world-wide bank. Together, we have an analytical, and observation/fact-based, foundation to the Darwyn breeding program.

Joe ! MBIS GCH Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That

Demonstrated Commitment to Help Others

As with our passion for analysis and excellence, helping others is a reflection of who we both are, and what we value. In both of our lives, we have demonstrated in every area that we both proactively do the best that we can to help others – through advice, through hands-on help, and through donations.

Sometimes this does not provide the expected outcome, and we have been taken advantage of. They say that good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.

Both Michael and I are no-nonsense, factual, and well-researched. People know that the information they get from us is honest, well-thought through, and researched. If I don’t know an answer, I say that.

In the the conformation and breeding world, I have helped many people over the years by providing:

quality dogs to others, including novices;
hard to come by knowledge and insights;
donated time to help others succeed, through teaching others how to trim (hand strip), condition, presentation skills, breeding, whelping and raising puppies;
donated time with advice on how to train their dogs, helping others live enjoyable lives with their dogs, including those that dogs from other breeders;

Helping others succeed by sharing knowledge is how I have been in all aspects of my life. It is something we will continue to do as it is part of who we are.

Maddie & Larisa GCH Darwyn's Mad About You

We enjoy living with our dogs.

We are pet owners first, but we like living with good looking dogs, that also do well in the show ring!

We have dedicated significant portions of our home and property to provide outstanding care, and to manage a small number of breeding and show dogs here. Many of our trips are associated with a dog show. We customized our RV to accommodate multiple dogs. While we do non-dog show trips once in a while, we also do ‘staycations’. Often, day trips are also arranged to including our dogs – including them on walks, hiking, paddle boarding or out on our small boat.

Larisa-Michael-Maddie-HelliwellHornby-2025

We live near Vancouver, Canada. Close to the US border.

When you look at our accomplishments, please keep in mind that we are Canadian. We are active in both Canada and the USA, and have been since the very beginning. We have spread ourselves, our dogs, our time and our resources, across 2 countries.

We are proud of our many successes, in both of these countries.

We started with 2 quality girls from a top kennel in England – Saredon Terriers

Over the years, we imported other quality girls, as well as bred to top quality dogs that were not convenience breedings.

After a couple of years of research, I imported my first girl from the well-known kennel, Saredon Terriers in England in 1999. I had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with the late Judith Averis. My first girl, Honey, was a daughter of the top winning dog, Mel, Supreme Champion Saredon Forever Young. He had won Best in Show at the huge, and prestigious, CRUFTS show. I did not appreciate at the time the significant privilege that I had with being able to buy this girl. I am forever grateful to Judy for this opportunity. I showed Honey myself, trimmed her in the evenings, and traveled to shows on my weekends. This was not easy – there was no social media to learn from, there were no local breeders to learn from (I used books!). And, I worked full time as a senior manager in a bank in downtown Vancouver, and had a 2 hour commute, each way to work. I am proud to say that I finished her American and Canadian Championships and was recognized as Canada’s #1 Welsh Terrier for 1999! I even took Honey to the huge Montgomery shows that first year! Looking back, it was pretty silly since I had only been in this sport for 2 minutes. But, that experience was wonderful, and it created friendships that have lasted the decades. In fact, that was the famous “Mudgomery” year, as there was so much rain, and the grounds were, well, muddy. I even lost a shoe while I was showing her in the ring! I have gone back every year since, only missing one year, a year when I had puppies expected to be born on Montgomery day.

Honey had her first litter when was 3 years old, starting the next phase of the Darwyn kennels.

Honey was the first, of many, that became Canada’s top Welsh Terrier over the years, representing Darwyn. Most of them were bred by us.

I am proud to be recognized in the show ring with wins as an owner-handler (including multiple all-breed Best in Show wins). Over the years, I have also worked with a number of good professionals in helping showcase our dogs. Working with true terrier specialists helped me really understand terriers, terrier trimming, terrier presentation and terrier management. I have appreciated all that I have learned, from so many people from over the years.

Puppy management is critical to our success.

We raise each of our puppies as if they will be our own companion pet, as well as our next Best in Show winner.

In 2015, I discovered the Puppy Culture approach. I was already doing many of their recommendations, but I embraced their thinking, and added many of their protocols for my puppies.

We love to see our dogs do well with those that get them – both companion pet homes and appropriate show homes. I often get asked if I sell companion pet dogs. The reality is that the majority of puppies raised go to great companion pet homes. I work with only a few select show homes.

I partner with some of my companion pet homes to be the family of some of my retired show dogs. These dogs still participate in my breeding program, and are very important to the future of the breed. Instead of ‘sharing the love and attention’ here with us, they have a family to call their own, for a more enriched life. This also means that more dogs are available to be placed with homes that are looking for a dog. I do this on a small, select basis. For those that have worked with me, they have told me that it was enjoyable and rewarding. Since we are a small volume breeder, these opportunities are not always available to those looking! It is done on a select basis. In some cases, it is done after the show career is finished, as the the show trim is an art form in itself.

As a breeder, we also try to develop connections between pet owners. These shared experiences have resulted in some of our pet owners developing life-long friendships.

Finally, our breeding is done with a focus on preserving the breed’s unique characteristics. We focus on correct type, healthy, sound and home raised puppies. When you see a Darwyn bred puppy, you can be confident that a lot of thought, love and attention, went into that dog, and the owner was selected with much consideration.

Active in breed clubs

Long time, active, member of the US National Breed Club (WTCA):

I have been active with the Welsh Terrier Club of America (WTCA) since 1999. I have always taken a leadership role on new and developing health tests and information, even when the information was personally uncomfortable and I had to work through some things with my own dogs. I continue to do this, and my dogs are some of the first CHIC qualified dogs in the US Health Registry – OFA. Over the years, I have volunteered in other capacities for the club, and I attend the Annual General Meeting, as well as the US National (breed) Specialty every year. Michael and I have donated many items that have been handcrafted here, and Darwyn sponsors an annual club prize. As a Canadian, I cannot be a board member, but I do provide help and provide input where possible.

Past President, and still active, in a large Canadian Terrier Group club.

I have been very active with the BC All Terrier Club, since the late 1990’s. This club has been in existence for over 50 years, and has been considered one of the largest and most prestigious Terrier Clubs in Canada.

I have been a volunteer board member in this club in almost every role. These include Show Chairman, Membership, Meet the Breeds Organizer, as well as President. While I was President, our club hosted the largest terrier entry shows in Canada.

Active with All-Breed clubs.

I have helped out many clubs over the years with volunteer efforts – show set-up, tear down, paperwork, ringstewarding, driving, prize donations. When I am not showing, I can often be found volunteer ring stewarding.

Learning and education.

With being interested in learning, it was natural for me to attend seminars on other breeds, and learn about the judging process. For years, I attended weekly judges seminars, dedicated to a different breed each week. I also made a point of attending many specialized AKC Judges Institute seminars that I traveled for (Orlando Florida; Portland Oregon, Puyallup Washington; Philadelphia, PA). I was just curious and I found that I always learned something new and interesting and could apply many new things into my own breeding program. I have often been asked to evaluate other peoples litters, and to judge Sanction Matches and Sweepstakes.

I am grateful for all that I learned in this process. It broadened my perspective on so many things, and I believe that I am a better breeder today because of it. I learned something new and interesting at every single seminar and mentor ship situation.

BCATC Trophies — A few of the trophies we have been awarded from the BCATC (Top Dog of the year is just one of these that we have been awarded over multiple years, with different dogs)

Morris and Essex Larisa - Hat — Larisa at the famous Morris and Essex show; Fun with the hat theme!

What’s Next?

“It’s pretty good, but not perfect yet!”

While the perfect dog, based on the written conformation standard, will never exist, we still try. I believe that I still can improve my presentation skills. Most importantly, I have a passion to help preserve the breed I love.

There is still so much more to learn!

I have gone to dozens of seminars, read many books, constantly researching topics, discussed at great length with many ‘old-timers’ in the breed and purebred dogs, and am always on the look-out for new information. I take this new knowledge, and adapt what I do. It’s a continual improvement process here. With Michael’s scientific mind, and my analytical approach, we are always pushing our boundaries of what we do, seeing how we can improve things.