Barbara and her late husband, Robert Smith, were bitten by the “Cavalier bug” when they fell in love with a beer-loving Cavalier named “Tiger,” the icon of a pub owned by Barbara’s aunt in Castle Combe, England. Fittingly, their very first Laughing Cavalier was a Tiger son, also named “Tiger.” From that beginning have come more than thirty years of Cavaliers, a proud heritage of exceptional dogs, representing an exceptional breed.
Over the years their hard work has paid off, as Laughing Cavalier Kennel has garnered many accolades, including being honored by the editors of Dog Fancy magazine as one of its five “Kennels of Distinction” in America (2004).
Today we still maintain an active, conscientious breeding program, producing occasional litters for qualified adoption.
Rest assured our thirty years of experience and knowledge have only sharpened our dedication to excellence in all phases of Cavalier breeding. It is a responsibility and charge we take very seriously. In fact, we have dedicated our lives to it.
As they say, “Cavaliers are like potato chips. You can’t stop with just one.” And Barbara and Bob didn’t. As their canine family grew in number, their passion for and expertise in Cavaliers grew as well. From their first litter in the spring of 1982, they developed an active participation in the advancement of the breed. Bob and Barbara both served in positions of leadership within both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, USA (a.k.a. “CKCSC, USA”), and its western regional club, Cavaliers of the West (or “COTW”).
They both served on CKCSC, USA national boards, after which Bob was elected to two terms as president, serving from 1994 until his death in 1997. Additionally, Bob was elected to two terms as president of COTW in the 1980s, a position Barbara has also twice held.
In 1998, Barbara wrote and published The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in North America, a comprehensive and informative book on the breed that sold out quickly and is now considered a collectors’ item. Her two latest books are the highly acclaimed The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in Fact and Fancy and The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: A Tribute in Art.
In the summer of 1999, after a “hurricane” (as opposed to “whirlwind”) romance, Barbara married Roy Wilson, a retired actor/singer and fellow Cavalier aficionado. They relocated the next summer from Mt. Hood, Oregon to Prescott, Arizona. Then in February of 2003, it was back to “God’s Country,” the Pacific Northwest. Settling ultimately amid the mountain-and-sea charm of Hansville, Washington, where they proudly continue a tradition begun nearly three decades ago.
