Memories

We have had some wonderful dogs enhance our lives. This page has my first two Shelties and their best friend Jaws, but all of our companions remain alive in our memories.

Am/Can Ch Carmylie The Merry Chase UD, Can CDX, ROMC (Chase)

March 30, 1986 - August 11, 1999

Chase was what I hope every puppy born here turns out to be. He was gentle, sweet, fun loving, silly and loyal--the perfect example of what a Sheltie should be. He was a clown who loved applause, much to my chagrin in the obedience ring. Despite his silly nature, he managed to win two Dog World Awards, three out of four High In Trials one weekend in Canada (a Sheltie beat him in the runoff for the fourth), and earned his Canadian Championship in three straight shows one weekend. He finished his American Championship the day my fifth grandchild was born, December 4, 1988, just a few months before he was three.

All of my sables come down from him. He sired several American and Canadian Champions and is the grandsire of Westminster winner Ch. Denahurs' Change Of Weather and the great grandsire of Westminster winner Ch. Hannalore Improvisation.

Can OTCh Carmylie Oreo Double Stuf UD (Oreo)

December 18, 1984 - April 13, 1998

Oreo lived to work--all she ever wanted was to be given another command. She was my first obedience dog and led me to believe that obedience training was child's play. Oreo retrieved from the first day I brought her home at four months of age and even articles were taught in just a few minutes. Of course, when I went to train my next dog, I realized it wasn't so easy.

She was fun to show because I was confident she would complete the exercises and most of the time she would be in the ribbons. Noise, people, dogs--they didn't exist for her when she was working. I often thought the sky could fall during a utility exercise and she would complete it before she would acknowledge the distraction.

I have had some excellent performance dogs since Oreo, but never one with her single-minded purpose in life--to work.

Jaws (Mixed Breed Novice Achievement)

February 1984 - June 14, 1997

No tribute would be complete without Jaws. A man brought two sacks filled with six 3-week-old puppies into the chemical plant where my daughter's boyfriend worked and asked if he could put them in their chemical waste pit, which they refused. My daughter Kim happened to be there and she brought the one yellow puppy home. Two of the other puppies were taken by others at the plant that day; I never did find out what happened to the other three.

By the time Jaws was four months old she was 23 1/2 " tall and weighed 63 pounds. She ended up a little over 24" tall and almost 90 pounds as an adult. She was extremely active and in order to make our lives bearable with her around I took her to obedience class and ended up with a Mixed Breed Novice Achievement Award through Albany Obedience Club. It made all the difference in her and we were able to enjoy her fully after that..

I can't imagine not having had Jaws in our life. She taught me a lot about patience but was a wonderful, gentle dog who loved children and puppies. The happiest times in her life were when I had a litter of Sheltie puppies for her to love--she was the only dog the mothers would allow near their babies.