About Us
The Danluke affix was established in 2007 and is owned by Helen and Luke Johnston. Danluke came together by joining my two sons names, Daniel and Luke.
Danluke is a small select kennel and occasionally breeding a litter when the kennel would like a new puppy or have a sufficient waiting list. Puppies are lovingly raised in a family environment with only the best care and attention. All dogs live indoors all their lives! |
Helen JohnstonI have known nothing but a life of dogs. My parents showed English Springer Spaniels before I was even born. My first dog that I owned was a very naughty Cairn Terrier, Nipper, a Christmas present when I was just 5 years old. Since Nipper, I have been very careful with name choices for my dogs as since then, I truly believed dogs took after their name.
When I was 14, a friend of my mam, Mary Finkel, of Maluk Whippets, invited me along to a dog show and this is where my life long passion for Whippets began. I quickly became hooked to the dog show scene and enjoyed going along to the local ringcraft club where Mary taught me how to handle her Whippets. It seemed I had a natural ability and rapport with the various breeds I practised with. I enjoyed some wonderful achievements as a teenager and still do enjoy handling to this very day. The first Championship Show I handled at was Darlington in 1985. It was a day I will never forget and one that only dreams are made of. Mary asked me to handled Mulak Gay Lark in Limit Bitch as she was handling her other bitch in Open who was sitting on 2 Challenge Certificates. We both won our respective classes and had to challenge each other for the Bitch CC, I went on to beat Mary getting the CC and BOB. A bittersweet day for Mary however she was thrilled to bits as I went on to win the Hound Group, a lifetime ambition for most exhibitors and I did it on my first outing! My claim to fame was beating Chris Amoo from The Real Thing pop band who was showing his champion Afghan Hound! I had the bug from then on! |
Luke JohnstonLuke grew up around Whippets and naturally became involved with the dog world. Starting out as a successful junior handler, Luke soon became involved with the breed ring handling Whippets for other exhibitors as well as his own. Luke was gifted his 'official' first Whippet as an 11th birthday present and reached new found heights of success with 'Chance'. Before eventually making up Chance, Helen had bred a daughter of his, who became the first 'Danluke' Champion and a Championship Group/RBIS winner at a young age, with Luke as owner and frequent handler.
Luke fell in love with Salukis and was gifted co-ownership of his first Saluki in 2012 after handling him to his first 2 CCs. 'Rafi' became a Champion at Crufts 2012 and achieved 3rd in the Hound Group. Luke has since campaigned 4 other Salukis to their Champion titles (2 of which he has owned) and much success throughout recent years, including numerous Group Wins and 3 RBIS, resulting in: Top Saluki/#2 Hound 2012, Top Saluki Bitch 2013/2014/2015/2016, Joint Top Saluki 2017, Top Saluki Puppy 2017, Top Saluki Bitch 2018, Top Saluki/#3 Hound 2019. As well as Whippets and Salukis, Luke has owned and made up a Champion in Afghan Hounds, as well as handling dogs to their titles in Deerhounds and Greyhounds. Luke also enjoys judging and will award his first set of CCs to Whippets in 2021 at the age of 23. |