SO MUCH LOSS

 It has been a hard month, the loss of Keeper and then the loss of my best friend Kathleen. She lost her three year battle to cancer. She is so missed!  Her daughters have split up the Shelties and Alicia has taken the largest group to her home in W Virginia. . There she is continuing with her mothers passion, the breeding and raising of quality Shelties. The younger daughter also has 6 Shelties and will continue on in Fryeburg, Maine. The girls will work hard to keep their mothers passion going. 

Kathleen left me an eight week old pup. I certainly could not refuse such a gift. She has become best friends with Skye! The two of them keep each other going most of the day. House breaking two young pups sure is a challenge. Although Skye is almost trained and about ninety percent reliable. 

Topaz is keeping me in suspense as she did with her previous litter. I keep saying any day now. She is ruling my life. I can't leave her alone for any length of time. She is getting me up at least once during the night, hopefully we will have strong healthy pups and everyone will sleep during the night. I am so ready, these four thirty am mornings are getting very hard to handle. 

Once Topaz's pups have left, and I do plan to keep one this time, I plan to take a year off and see how I feel about breeding. I am ready for a very long break. 

Our Sheltie club has been in existence sine 1982. A long time and most of us who are still members are getting older. We need some new faces and new ideas to keep the club going on into the future. We would love some new people who are interested in learning more about the breed. We have programs for everyone's interest. We have educational events, fun events, some of the members show in conformation and obedience. Many are involved in agility and just having fun with their Shelties.  First and foremost they are our pets and friends. 

Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings and most meetings our Sheltie friends can also attend.

I hope to be more active with the blog. I am happy to answer any Sheltie related questions. If you need help with something, don't hesitate to ask.

 

 

THE LOSS OF MY BEST FRIEND

 I have not written for a few days as it has been hard to even think. On April the third, Kathleen Hathaway passed to her cancer. She was so strong and fought so hard. Finally the cancer took over. It has been a very sad week. Kathleen has produced so many lovely, quality puppies for so many people. We have lost an experienced and talented breeder. The quality of her dogs surpasses many. Years ago I bought some foundation stock from her and have had many beautiful dogs throughout the years.  Many other breeders have benefited from Kathleen's dogs and her knowledge.

Kathleen's daughters are going to carry on to preserve the heritage of the Illusion shelties. 

We are running a go fund me benefit for Kathleen's Shelties and her daughters who will set up in W.Virginia and Fryeburg, Maine. If anyone feels that they would like to help it will be greatly appreciated.

Jody Quinlan Abrahamson would like you to support preservation of Kathleen Hathaways Shelties by making a donation and spreading the word.

On Saturday, the third of April, the Sheltie world lost a very dedicated, experienced and talented breeder. Kathleen Hathaway lost a three year battle with cancer. We lost a best friend. Kathleen had a wealth of Sheltie knowledge. She bred Shelties that were more than bred to the standard, they were... 

  View fundraiser 

 

 

 

MY FRIEND, MY PROTECTOR

 I have not written in awhile as it has been hard to adjust to the loss of one of my Shelties. I lost Keeper on March 16. He went in for a dental and to have a mass removed and he never woke up. This was not how this was supposed to work. There may have been some underlying cause that did not show up in his blood work. 

Keeper came to me about three years ago. He had been a kennel dog but longed to be a house dog. He hated going out in the rain and the snow. His special place was under my desk with  his head resting on my foot. Never fail, every time I sat at the desk he was there and put his head on my foot.  A very comforting feeling. He was so sweet and so concerned about me. When one of the other dogs would jump up or get rowdy around me, Keeper would discipline them. He knew each one by name. When I would discipline one he would then follow up with his own method of discipline. He would run up to the offender and snarl and then come back to his spot under the desk.

He has been gone not quite two weeks and there is such a hole in my heart. Yesterday I sat at the desk and felt a head on my foot, just like Keeper, but it was Brooke. I know his spirit is still around here, I feel it all the time. He was so intuitive and knew when I needed him. I don't know that I will ever get over loving Keeper. 

I did not write about him before this as it was just too hard. But now I think of Keeper and all that he did for me and the other dogs. I am able to smile. Some dogs just have a special place in your heart and he was one of those special dogs.

 

 KEEPER

THE GIVING, A TRUE STORY

 

As I walk through the doors of the nursing home my mind wanders to the upcoming Christmas season. I think of all these who will not have a Christmas. They will not have a loved one come visit. There is so much sadness this time of year. Surely there is something I could do to brighten up the season for these people. So many are just old, can't get around, use walkers and canes and are in wheelchairs.  Then there are those who have been bedridden for years, do not speak or smile, have nothing to live for. 

My little black Sheltie pulls me towards the Alzheimer's ward and my mind snaps back to the present. We are here to bring these people a little joy and some contact from the outside world. My Sheltie, Amy, loves to come here. She does not mind that these people can't speak sensibly, that they pet her with shaky hands and faltering strokes. She wags her tail and smiles up at them. Some are able to smile back and others just stare at her. She continues on from person to person, she is happy to be there, happy to be giving of herself. She offers a paw to a hunched up old lady sitting alone. The woman reaches for the paw and speaks a little gibberish to her. Amy kisses her hand and wags her tail, the woman smiles for a moment.

An old man with a walker is leaning against the wall and holding on to the railing. He looks so thin and frail His head is bent and he seems so sad. He probably doesn't even know where he is. He reminds me of my old father who is in the beginning  stages of Demetia.  The ward is a horseshoe shape and as we continue around the ward he will be the last one we will see. As we approach, Amy seems to know that he is not really with us. She slowly goes around to the front of the walker; she does not want to startle him. She sits directly under his face that is staring at the floor. She is sitting, looking up at him and all of a sudden his eyes light up and he smiles at her. She stands and tries to lick his hand. His eyes are bright and alive, for a moment he is here in the present. Then just as quickly the light goes out and he has gone back to wherever his mind takes him. Even just for the two minutes it was wonderful to see him come into the present, to recognize my little dog.  As he went back into himself, Amy got up and headed for the door. She knew there was nothing more she could do. She was ready to continue on through the nursing home, making people smile and giving joy to many.

I wrote this story about 10 or more years ago. Amy was a little tri color Sheltie who was so intuitive and loved people.  She did many visits throughout her life time and was one of my best therapy dogs. She just knew people so well and she knew what to do. I had a sable male named Luke who was also an awesome dog. He was very gentle and perfect for visiting bedridden people. This is one of the short stories that will be in my Sheltie Heart book. I just need to set aside the time and finish it. 

Once the Covid crisis is over some of you may think of sharing your Sheltie with those who need some joy and outside contact from you and your dog.

Be safe, be well!

 

SHELTIES MAKE THEIR OWN FUN

 I had the dogs out for a little while before their supper time. I went out to the dog yard and I did not see Walter.  I immediately thought that he somehow managed to get out. But the snow was not high enough for an escape over the fence. I noticed that the others all seemed to be looking up. In my dog yard I have a lean to type of roof coming off the house which provides  shelter from the weather and from the sun. I looked up to and there was Walter up on the roof. The snow was starting to melt and slide off. Walter was having a blast, he was sliding off the roof and then running back up onto the roof and sliding off again. There is a dog house just below the bottom edge of the roof. It had several inches of snow on it, just enough to make a nice step up to the roof. I don't know what possessed him to even think to do that. But I watched him slide down and climb back up and slide down again. I guess a three year old Sheltie is just like a kid. I had my phone to snap a picture but so taken with what Walter was doing that I did not get a photo. This boy loves to learn new things. He loves to do a high five, with both feet. Time to get started training him for his novice trick title. I know that he would love it and it would be good for him to be learning. That sure made my day. Who says Shelties don't think have not met Walter.

WALTER