About

Tibetan Spaniel Breeding Excellence

Meet Tony & Lionel

At Avigdor & Castafiore, our dedication to preserving the Tibetan Spaniel breed is reflected in our impact on the dog show world.

Tony Moran is from Ireland and got his first dog at the age of 7 years – a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, later followed by a Pyrenean Mountain Dog. In 1981, the first Tibetan Spaniel made an appearance - Crookfields Too Pi Jai, an English import, who was joined in early 1984 by Amichiri Chang Tru. This pair were to be the foundation of the Avigdor Tibetan Spaniel Kennel in Ireland.

The first litter was born in September 1985 and produced two Champions: Irish Champion Avigdor Sophia and Irish Champion Avigdor Sebastian. Even today, most of our dogs can be traced back to that pair.

Lionel joined the team at the turn of the Millenium and later on registered the Castafiore kennel name in the UK.

Tony is an FCI International (CACIB) licensed judge for multiple breeds and Groups. Both Tony & Lionel have judged Tibetan Spaniels in multiple countries.

Tony & Nina at Crufts 2024 where she won BOB & Utility Group 2

Our Passion

Avigdor & Castafiore is dedicated to breeding Tibetan Spaniels with exceptional breed features, sound construction, and outstanding temperament. We are committed to maintaining the breed's unique characteristics and producing high-quality dogs with a remarkable pedigree.

At Avigdor & Castafiore, we pride ourselves on producing typical head of great quality and have worked hard to hold on to the correct head type. However, we are not blind to the other features and characteristic of our breed. We endeavor to produce a Tibetan Spaniel of outstanding quality, with sound temperament and a unique pedigree.

We are not happy to follow what others are doing – we are continuously searching for unique and forgotten lines.

Lionel with CH Avigdor Jarko

Health

Health and the overall well-being of our dogs is paramount to us. All our stock are tested clear of PRA and we only use stock that also have clear certification. We are also keen to ensure that other eye-conditions, like dysticis & entropion are not introduced into our line.

Our commitment to the breed has shaped our story, and we continue to evolve while staying true to our values.