I went to college in September of 1989 and didn't graduate until May 1993.

Yet, with minimal time to train, mostly weekends, which I would drive home (two hours to and from college) to work with them, both Mauii and Wolfie completed titles with very respectable scores.

In 1991, I started the Purdue University Dog Training Club with other charter members including Michelle Redfern who is now a practicing DVM and avid exhibitor of Old English Sheepdogs.

I have moved with my job 4 times now in the last 7 years. First from college in Indiana to a rental house in New Jersey (93-94). Then from NJ to Tennessee (94-98). Then from TN to Columbus, OH (98-2000), and now we are moving again to the Cleveland Area in Ohio (2001-?? and hopefully for the last time for a long while). Even with all the cost and confusion of the moves (which cuts seriously into my show budget and training time)the LegendHold Collies continue to finish titles in spite of it all. Sure, I'd like higher scores and more placements, but what can you expect from only 4 to 5 serious training sessions before I just go and enter them in the trials and going for the titles? I can find no truer testament to their character, intelligence and natural abilities then that.

(Wolfie, making his only HT Run at the Collie Club of America Nationals in Columbus, OH - 1994
He is showing the moderate amount of "eye" that the LegendHold collies have inherited from their foundation, Mauii
NO He's NOT a Border Collie..
you'd never know that from the pictures!)

Wolfie was one of those dogs that when you looked into his eyes, you saw his soul. If you ever questioned whether or not animals have souls, you would have no further questions after meeting him. Wolfie finished his last leg on his PT title on June 21, 1998. Even being ill with cancer (and I truly did not know how ill he really was at this point) he completed a rather slow but excellent run, waging his tail the whole time.
He had the heart of a true hero and a true collie. He collapsed the day after he finished his PT title of a very rare form of cancer... myxosarcoma. See Wolfie's page for his tribute.

"Wolfie" was the essence of a true collie in heart and spirit. His temperament and courage still goes unequaled here at LegendHold.
Of my boy Wolfie, I can only say this:

"I pity not those who have never owned a dog such as you, I pity those that do."

This website is dedicated to the collies that will carry on the story of the LegendHold Collies.

I can only hope my feebile efforts to publish their stories, provide insight, provide links to other informative sites, and share a little bit about my breeding and training philosophies, will help educate those who would venture to be owned by the COLLIE.

Perhaps Albert Payson Terhune put it best in his forward found in "Buff: A Collie" --

 

                 "A swirl of gold-and-white and gray and black,
                  Rackety, vibrant, glad with life's hot zest,
                  Sunnybank collies, gaily surging pack, 
                  These are my chums; the chums that love me best.

                  Not chums alone, but courtiers, zealots, too, ---
                  Clean-white of soul, too wise for fraud or sham
                  Yet senseless in their worship ever new
                  These are the friendly folk whose god I am.

                  A blatant, foolish, stumbling, purblind god, --
                  A pinchbeck idol, clogged with feet of clay
                  Yet, eager at my lightest word or nod
                  They crave but leave to follow and obey.

                  We humans are so slow to understand
                  Swift in our wrath, deaf to the justice-plea
                  Meting out punishment with lavish hand
                  What, but a dog, would serve such gods as we?

                  Heaven gave them souls, I'm sure; but dulled the brain
                  Lest they should sadden at so brief a span
                  Of heedless, honest life as they sustain;
                  Or doubt the godhead of their master, Man.

                  Today a pup; tomorrow at life's prime
                  Then old and fraile; -- dead at fourteen years
                  At best a meagre little inch of time
                  Oblivion then, sans mourners, memories, tears

                  Service that asks no price; forgiveness free
                  For injury or for injustice hard.
                  Stanch friendship, wanting neither thanks nor fee
                  Save privilege to worship and to guard:---

                  That is their creed.  They know no shrewder way
                  To travel through their hour of lifetime here.
                  Would Man but deign to serve his God as they,
                  Millennium must dawn within the year.  
                                       --Albert Payson Terhune

Because each of the LegendHold Collies are special individuals, they have their own individual pages. Some pages take time to down load due to pictures, theme songs, and maybe even a video clip, so please take the time to explore these pages so you understand the effort that goes behind making a LegendHold Collie a true COLLIE!

 

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