The name Karim's was devised back in 1964 when Karen & Jim Clanin first started showing dogs, it's a combination of "Kar" from Karen and "im" from Jim and pronounced Kare-im's.
Starting out in conformation with the Boxers in 1964, Karen found out very early that she preferred obedience and many dogs have been titled over the years, at the bottom of this page is a list of those dogs. Karen didn't know when she started training Boxers for competition that they weren't supposed to do well in obedience, the first Boxer shown in competition brought some 'twitters' from exhibitors outside the ring as she was waiting to go in with Karim's Golly Gee. Well, gee, Karen and Sindi didn't know what a Dog World Award was at that time and missed it only by 1/2 point on the first leg! Sindi earned a 4th, a 1st in a class of 65 entries and a 2nd in a class of 53 entries!
Having been acquainted with Antonia Diamond and her Belgian Malinois, after a few years Karen decided she would like to have a Malinois and so Toni graciously sent Brig who became Ch.Diadem le Brigand du Coeur, CDX (1 leg on UD) and who sired 8 champion offspring, 4 of which also had UD titles.
The year of the move from Santa Barbara to Atascadero in 1977 brought a lot of changes in life and it also brought the first Border Collie. The kids have never let Karen live down the day they asked where she was going she said "Never mind!" and came home with baby George. George eventually became Jimmy's dog and he put the CD title on him. When Jim and Dawn moved down to Southern California for a while they left George with us and Karen put him to work demonstrating for classes and took him for his CDX. The first leg for the CDX also brought a first High in Trial win for Karen.
Like the potato chip ad, "you can't have just one", we spent the next 20 years with multiple Border Collies which also got us involved in herding and tracking.
March of 1996 brought the addition of an English Shepherd, Youngs Orion (aka Rion), who has been a complete delight to us. Rion has done a marvelous job taking over being class demo dog after Buck felt 13 years was enough}
Between March of 1997 and September of 1998 we lost 4 Border Collies ( Karim's Buckaroo CDX TD, Karim's Pinny UDT TT, Karim's Mark, CD, Karim's Miss Lilly CDX TD TT ) and our two old geldings ( Karen's Bub pictured on the index page at age 24 with the water and Jim's half-Arab Kamayo, and Bub's half brother.) to old age problems. To begin to fill some of these spots Karen acquired the rough tri-collie Lizzie and the following year the smooth sable collie Brigh (now called Lilly by her insistence). In November of 2000 a smooth Border Collie puppy joined the family, he refused to answer to any other name other than Bub so those of you that know us know who he was.
Karen started instructing public dog classes at all levels in 1969 and still continues do so but on a much smaller scale. Her students number in the thousands with many having earned obedience titles with placements, Dog World Awards and Obedience Trial Championships. "Karen's Book" on her training methods is in the computer and just needs time for photographs!
After a number of years showing her Arabian gelding very successfully in open shows and specializing in the trail class, Bub was retired at age 19 after his last show where he won all 3 performance classes he was entered in which included a win over a Class A champion stallion
In late 1993 both Karen and daughter Robyn decided they were tired of going 'round and 'round in arenas and began preparing for their first limited distance endurance ride in February 1994. After Robyn's knee injury in June of that year left Karen without a riding partner she wheedled and nagged at Jim and got him back in the saddle again to ride with her. Jim followed Karen and Jafar ( aka "Mr. Competitive" ) on his first ride at Bear Valley of that year and has some good stories to tell about the beginning of that ride! Due to body limitations on Karen part she has never aspired to more than limited distance rides but Robyn went on to do very well in 50's.
In 1988 Karen purchased her first Pygmy goat which with her interest in breeding and showing naturally led to showing the Pygmys. After also trying Pygoras and Angoras she soon decided however that she preferred the Nigerian Dwarf and spent 11 years with this breed. In two years of limited showing Karen compiled quite an enviable record which included MCH Karim's Little Dove *D (first MCH Nigerian for California), 2x Gr.Ch. Lindsey's Mika, Jr. Ch. Karim's Blue Belle, Jr.Ch. & Res.Sr.Ch.Karim's Little Pearl *D, Jr.Ch.Copper Penny's Sky Blue Glory, 3x Res.Sr.Ch. Karim's Falling Star *D, Res.Jr.Ch. Karim's Spotted Dove, and 3x Gr.Ch. buck Karim's Storm Cloud. Storm created probably the largest controversy in the history of the American Goat Society due to the last 'leg' being withheld by the AGS secretary John Howland over a tattoo issue not clearly covered in the rules. In late 1998 and early 1999 the herd was totally dispersed however there are still many Karim's goats making history in herds around the country. We hold hopes that with maturity Storm may still earn what AGS will consider to be a valid leg in tough Texas competition and finish the MCH title he has already won.
A number of other Karim's bred goats have done well at the shows and we'd like to give them credit and thank their owners: Gr.Ch. Karim's King Arthur, Jr.Ch.Karim's Amber and Res.Gr.Ch.Karim's Milk n Honey. Goats bred from Karim's bred animals but not carrying the Karim's herd name that have done well are 2x Gr.Ch.Starbucks Sunny, 2x Res.Jr.Ch. Oak Creak Vaita and of course all of the many ARMCH offspring of Karim's Ole' +S.
In the early 1990's Karen was experimenting with breeding spotted Barbadoe sheep and tried to create an interest in them due to their great color. Low and Behold, in 1997 someone in Texas started the "Painted Desert Sheep Society" for, what else, spotted Barbadoe sheep! Still having some of the spotted line left in her small, for the dogs only, sheep flock she is now back in business breeding spotted Barbadoe soon to be registered with the Painted Desert Sheep Society.
Karen has been involved in art work of one type of another almost all of her life, mostly self taught in various mediums which include oil painting, acrylics, pen and ink, colored pencil and many crafts including basket making and gourds, she is now focusing primarily on watercolor and colored pencil with a few baskets and gourds still in the works. The year 2000 saw Karen entering competitions for the first time and was pleased to place 2nd and receive an honorable mention in the professional watercolor division at the Mid-State Fair in August. Karen also has had watercolors accepted into multiple juried shows. Please visit the 'arts and crafts' link at the index page}
Please visit Jim's pages at the Family Photo link and see some of the great photography Jim and Robyn are doing.
A SALUTE TO OUR OBEDIENCE TITLE HOLDERS
Karim's Yankee Susi, CD (Boxer) 185.5 average
Karim's Golly Gee, UD (Boxer) 193 average, 71st UD for the breed
Karim's Sugar Babe, CD (Boxer) 193 average
Karim's Dinah-Mite, CD (Boxer) 193 average
Karim's Moon Spinner, CD (Boxer) 191 average
Vel-Hi's Sinnamon Sue, CD (Boxer) 193 average
Tanoak's Karim's Kori, CD (Boxer) 195.5 average (at 8 months of age!)
Ch.Diadem le Brigand du Coeur, CDX (193 average) Dog World for Outstanding Sire of 8 Champions
George, CDX (Border Collie) 195 average, HIT winner
Brighteye Wick, TD (Border Collie)
Karim's Pinny, UDT TT (Border Collie) 192 average
Karim's Buckaroo, CDX TD (Border Collie) 195 average, Dog World Award
Karim's Miss Lilly, CDX TD (Border Collie) 197 average, 2x HIT, 2x Dog World Award Winner
Karim's Mark, CD (Border Collie) 196 average
Karim's Kip, TD (Border Collie)
Karim's Taig, CD TD (Border Collie)
Karen Clanin at 9895 Santa Clara, Atascadero, CA 93422 (805) 466-3775 Or send e-mail to kclanin@sbcglobal.net