Our Non-Aussies!

Well, as you can see, not all my dogs have been Aussies. No one is perfect! These ladies introduced me to dogs and obedience training and competition, for which I am forever grateful. I loved them both dearly, and will always miss them. I owe them both a great debt helping a rather shy and self-conscious teenager to find herself.

Diana's Copper Kelly, CD (Kelly)

Kelly	Kelly was really my first dog. I had had a puppy we got from the shelter several years earlier (Cocoa), but she died of distemper only a month or so after getting her. We didn't have her long enough, and she was too sick to enjoy. Poor thing! After losing her, I wanted another dog really badly. I liked collies and Irish setters (I wasn't at all picky!), so hoped and prayed to somehow get one. My prayers were answered when we saw an Irish setter running down the street one summer day. I ran outside, called her to come and closed her into the backyard. We did everything we could to find her owner, but never did. We finally decided to keep her, and I had my dog!
After Kelly tripped my mom when they were out walking (and broke my mom's arm!!), my parents decided I needed to train her. So we enrolled her in obedience classes. It wasn't long before I was hooked! I loved training. Though on graduation day of our second session, Kelly tried her best to embarass me! When I called her to "come", she ran back into the kitchen area and tried to eat the graduation cake. She knew where the goodies were! Not long after we started class, in about 1973, the people running the lessons got together and formed an obedience club. The club was called North County Obedience Training Club (or NCOTC). NCOTC is now officially the North St. Louis County Obedience Training Club, and has been hosting obedience trials for many years. I was lucky enough to be there from almost the very beginning, and was their first Junior Member.	Kelly, just days after finding her
Diana & Kelly winning their very first trophy	Naturally, after training her, I wanted to show Kelly. So we got her ILP number through AKC to allow us to show in obedience and junior showmanship. She and I did well together, earning her Companion Dog (CD)title, and placing often in juniors. I earned my first trophy (ever!) with her in juniors, and it is treasured to this day. Kelly was an ideal first dog for a young trainer, as she was very forgiving. When I lost patience, or yanked too hard, her tail wagged anyway. She taught me an amazing amount about working with dogs, and helped me learn patience, even if I was frustrated. One of my very favorite memories of Kelly was an obedience demonstration held at my Junior High School. I was pretty shy - one of those kids that no one but my immediate circle of friends knew exsisted. :-) So when NCOTC came to do a demo at the school, I got to participate. Kelly and I performed several exercises - I think heeling and a recall. I was thrilled when all my classmates clapped for us! Then so many people would see me at school in the weeks after and say "aren't you the girl that trains dogs?", and to tell me what a neat dog Kelly was. Pretty nice. If I hadn't already been "sold" on training and showing, I would have been then!
As I got more experience, I wanted a second dog to work with. So Kelly got a new "sister", Ginger. Kelly enjoyed having company, except when Ginger felt the need to exert her dominance. Unfortunately, we lost Kelly too soon. She had a bout with heartworm (unknown to us, she had been leaving her heartworm pill in her bowl, and Ginger ate Kelly's dose along with her own), but recovered fine. Then poor Kelly's body turned against her with autoamune hemoletic anemia. That means her body was ridding itself of her red blood cells. Fortunately, I was home visiting for a weekend from college. Kelly didn't want to eat, then was acting lethargic. We took her to the emergency vet, who gave us some pills and said she should see her regular vet on Mon. I knew she was in poor shape, and didn't have much chance to make it. It was very hard to say "Good bye" when I left to go back to school that Sun. evening. I was afraid I would never see her again. When my parents took Kelly to our vet on Mon., she wasn't able to walk at all, and the vets recommended they put her down. They made the right choice for her, and put her to sleep. I have always regretted that I wasn't there with her when that happened. It has been 22 years since she died, and I miss her cheerfulness yet. She was a good girl, and I am so fortunate we found her. Thank-you to my parents for letting me keep her!	Kelly & Ginger

Diana's Spicey Gingersnap, CD (Ginger)

May 19, 1975 - Dec. 13, 1991 AKC # SB749370

Baby Ginger at 6 weeks

Ginger was my 15th birthday present. She was born after my birthday, but I was waiting for the right puppy. We went to see her litter at 4 weeks old. There were 6 babies in her litter, and only two girls. Ginger picked me! After playing with the puppies, Ginger climbed into my lap and fell asleep. It wasn't hard to decide she was mine! We put a deposit on her, then came back to visit when she was 6 weeks old. We were going on vacation, so didn't pick her up until we got back.

Our Dogs at the Rainbow Bridge

Duncan

Andrew

Lucky

Di

Ginger & Kelly

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