Almost a Year Ago - An Awesome Birthday Present

Remembering, this past weekend BPIS Am/Cdn Ch Shelamo's Prospector left his mark on our world, and through him, his daughter MBPIB Ch Shelamo Tyme Descends.


Little did I know how events would come full circle last year.

Back around 1980 my parents would travel to one of our local towns, Almonte, on their Honda Gold Wing 1000 and would visit the Dodd's antique shop.  Dad tried to buy an antique clock from Kevin, as a young boy, but no way!  Through the years they watched him come into his own as an acclaimed artist.

All of the personal stories mom and dad would tell, I really wasn't aware of the connection they had had with him for so many years.  Just knew who he was by some of the paintings we had at home, and the one my mom bought me years ago with a tri sheltie in it, called "Heading Home".

It was in the late fall of 2011 that I went with friends and my mom to a local Christmas Craft fair, and time was spent chatting with Kevin at his booth (mostly mom catching up on their lives).  There was a painting he had there that he indicated he was working on, and he wanted a moving sheltie in it.  Well ....little did he know then that he was talking to a breeder of shelties!  So I offered to find a few of my shelties on the move for him to work with.

After a long waiting period for me, he finished one of his more intricate paintings in the fall of 2013.

Mom and I met up with him at the Carp Fair in Sept 2013.  There he had the original painting!  It wasn't until this point that the connection of me (my business card had my married name) being the daughter set in.

What ended up happening ? ..... the original is now proudly displayed in our home.

This is picture he choose to use.

  

Our MBPIB Ch Shelamo Tyme Descends

Gone Too Soon

(December 16, 2006 ~ January 26, 2012)

 Kevin Dodds and Maureen with the original painting (2013)

'Off To School'

Pretty fitting for this time of year.

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Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC - IN MEMORIAM

SHELAMO'S PARTY PACK ROMC

(May 21, 1998 - July 13, 2014)

It is with a heavy heart that we said good-bye to our dear "Opal" late Sunday evening.  She told it was time she crossed the bridge, so we peacefully helped her.

She was the foundation of most of our sable lines, producing either herself or through her kids many Best Puppy In Show winners, Reserve Best In Show winner, American Champion, class winner at the ASSA National, and many obedience and agility titled offspring.  She was our first Register of Merit Canadian, with 6 Canadian Champion offspring.  Maybe the best of all, is the pleasure her kids have given to our oh so many clients.

She was the best 'easy keeper' a breeder could have.  An easy whelper of 5-6 pups in each litter and the greatest of mothers.  She always wanted to please, even when the days came that her hearing went.

Mike and I will miss her wanting her bum rubs, her ears that never left the top of her head, and reminding us when cookies were due.

Many thanks to Amanda and Mark, and tech Ellen of the Mississippi Mills Animal Hospital for the 16+ years of excellent care they've given her.

 pictured above shown as a veteran at a CC&SSA show 2009 

 

 "Opal" and son "Rocky" January 2014

 

"Opal"  May 2014

Thank-you Mary Lou for helping me take these special pictures of her. And to Nancy (owner of an "Opal"grandson) for suggesting this lovely park in Ottawa to do the photo-shoot.

"Opal" in her later years found lots of time for sleeping on various beds

Food time you say?

 "Rocky" and "Opal" as they enjoyed snoozing on the deck

~mother like son~

Am sure "Rocky" you were there to meet your mom and show her how much fun you continue to have

So this is where we part, My Friend,
And you'll run on, around the bend.
Gone from sight, but not from mind,
new pleasures there you'll surely find.
I will go on; I'll find the strength,
Life measures quality, not its length.
One long embrace before you leave,
Share one last look, before I grieve.
There are others, that much is true,
But they be they, and they aren't you.
And I, fair, impartial, or so I thought,
Will remember well all you've taught.
Your place I'll hold, you will be missed,
The fur I stroked, the nose I kissed.
And as you journey to your final rest,
Take with you this...I loved you best.
-Jim Willis-

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Happy 11th Birthday Ebony!

Today, a BPIS Am/Cdn Ch Shelamo's Prospector daughter turns 11! 

Happy Birthday Ebony, Ebee, Ebnoneezer CGN ...... and to the great years you've given your owner Mary-Anne.

 

OH MY!!!  Had Mary-Anne only know when she walked out the door with Ebony and offered to help groom any time, what an impact she would have made on us and our kennel .... all the delivery nights, puppies she's socialized, dogs she's trained for the show ring (telling me I had to use a high show show voice!), helping at dog shows over the yrs, handling a Special's male at a DC&SSA in 2004 with laryngitis, and especially many Purina National Dog Shows, like this one in 2008!

and finishing our Rocky sister Ch Shelamo Show Case in 2005 when broke my foot.

The laughs we've had .... one only needed a Depends, just in case!

And what boss would understand 'I'm sick today as I'm helping deliver a litter of pups!'

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STILL MISSING!!! LOST SHELTIE - FLICKA - LOW, QUEBEC

STILL MISSING!

SEARCHES CONTINUE ON AN ONGOING BASIS.  THE COLD, WIND AND SNOWY CONDITIONS HAVE HAMPERED A LOT AND GIVEN THE TERRAIN OF FARMS/FIELDS/BUSH IT IS EVEN HARDER.

PLS CONTINUE TO SHARE! SPREADING THE WORD.

On Jan 19 2014 one of our sheltie owners lost her life in a car accident near Low, Quebec on Hwy 105.

Flicka fled the scene, police did some searching but couldn't find her.  There have been some flyers & searching by family members to this point.

Here are some recent pics I've received from a family member.  We need some sightings to try and capture her!  She may hunker down with it being SO cold right now; watch for tracks in the snow, and even brown fur on low bushes .... all signs can help follow her.

 

here is a picture of her being shown to her Canadian Championship.

PLEASE PASS this blog post onto any and all of your friends.  You just don't know who knows who!!!

If you're on Facebook, she's on my page, and also Ottawa and Valley Lost Pet's Network.

I have done a word & pdf file poster if you are willing to put any up I can send you the file

email me @ shelamo@sympatico.ca

WALKING, TALKING, SPREADING THE INFO TO EVERYONE CAN HELP BRING THIS GIRL HOME TO HER EXTENDED FAMILY IN THEIR TIME OF NEED.

IF SPOTTED DO NOT CHASE - EITHER CALL 613-283-7393, OR GET DOWN LOW TO THE GROUND, AVOID DIRECT EYE CONTACT, AND BEST EXPLANATION, PRETEND YOU'RE HAVING A TEA PARTY!

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2014 Here We Come!

As We Say Good-Bye To 2013

We here at Shelamo Wish You All The Best for 2014!

Our past year has been filled with some great times, and some sad times.

We are watching our two bi-black beauties CC and Ruffles grow up from our 1st biblack breeding ...

BIS MBISS Gold GrCh Serenity's Walk In The Park AOM x Ch Shelamo She's Got Moxi

 

CC says BYE to 2013

They got to meet Santa this year!

 

 CC and Ruffles

 

Pictured in the middle is CC with her buds at the Davidson's, Harley and Sadie

photo thanks to Marylou Davidson

 Ruffles is ready for 2014

Ch Shelamo Rais'n The Bar

We finished our girl at just over a yr of age from our Am/Cdn Ch Reinnmaur's Firecracker ROMC x Shelamo Seriously Sinful litter

with Raisin down near Cornwall, Ontario

Shelamo Man on A Journey CGN, RN, RE, PCD left for great things in the spring with new owner Judy Flanigan and in less than 6 months put all those titles on him, with only 1 more to go for his RNA!  CD trials, and a few agility trials are planned for early this yr.

I hear his bouncy, fun attitude makes many ringside admirers laugh!

We continue to cherish the days we have with Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC

who will turn 16 this spring.

Our fall was a hard one to swallow

 

losing my dear bud

BPIS Am/Cdn Ch Shelamo's Prospector in Sept 2013

and Laureate L'Anais, a little over a month later whom we took back almost a year after her owner passed away

Rocky and Corkie

our cockatiel, Corkie, we also lost in June.

From our home to yours, may your 2014 be a great year.

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Saying Good-bye - BPIB Shelamo The Sentinel (ptd) CCGC, CCGN, CD, MADC, MJDC, ExJ Bronze, MSDC

BPIB Shelamo The Sentinel (ptd) CCGC, CCGN, CD, MADC, MJDC, ExJ Bronze, MSDC

(Ch Arhope Jadeisle Still Dreaming x Arhope Oh Lonesome Me)

 December 20, 1997 - July 29, 2013

As I wrote on Kate Freeman's Facebook page ...

It saddens us deeply to hear that the boy that stole my heart from early on as a promising show dog, now leaves a big hole in so many people's hearts. He has done so much for the sheltie world, as a great ambassador in so many venues. He had a heart bigger than the 'space' that we could give him, and altho it took some 4 years for him to land in the right hands, it couldn't have been a better match with Kate - thank you Linda Howie for your perseverance in getting Kate to come and see him! I could add too, so many stories of his antics - how he figured out how to get onto the table and gobble up the butter; finished off Mike's steak dinner one night, but amazingly left mine! Good BOY! Figured out how to go from a chair, onto a desk, then over the 4' xpen, and down onto the puppy crate, to the floor, to eat a litter of pup's meal! Took me awhile to figure out just how he was standing in the puppy pen, asking to be let out. His excitement to see my mom one day, caused us to have to make a trip to the emerg to have the skin on her shin sown up. Oh Panda, the stories, the fun, the zest for life that you instilled in so many of us, the smiles you put on one judge's face as a Senior Puppy in the show ring, and on children's faces ... the memories will live on with so many of us for a very long time. Kate, may you know I couldn't have asked for a better home to work with this 'brat' and that I will cry with you for awhile. I am SO glad I was able to see him in May. He was a once in a life time dog. You came into the world living through the Great Ice Storm of January 1998, and have left on a Rainbow. Panda you are now free to play in the fields. Pls say hi to the Shelamo gang that has left before you. Hugs Kate.

Linda Howie's Shelamo boy 'Gryhpon' with 'Panda' July 2009

 

 

Panda started his CD title at our CSSA National in Carp, Ontario 2006

RIP Panda

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Memorial Day for "Annie's" Owner

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Celebrating a Life Well Done

Rod Keegan, Prescott, Ontario

June 28, 1916 - November 16, 2012

Many of you have followed my previous posts on the sudden death of "Annie's" owner last November, with her by his side.  Due to our sales contract, his executor searched us down, as per his wishes, and she came back to us to live out her life.  Rod's memorial was moved to the spring when family and friends from as far as Vancouver, down east (came by motorcycle in the chilly rain), and even a niece that resides during the winter in Mexico, were all able to come.

I was invited to come, and bring his beloved fur friend "Annie".  It was held at the Prescott Golf Course where Rod totally immersed himself, and as I've heard in his later years would wander several holes with "Annie", just hitting some balls for the fun of it.

 

"Annie" enjoying her chewie in between visits on the blanket Rod had for her

there was a large crowd of in-laws, 'out'-laws, friends, and family

his Executor Sue and partner Derek

They did an awesome job of putting out old photos, newspaper articles on his life working in the photo dark room, events @ the Prescott Golf Club done by the Prescott newspaper, his kazoos he loved to play, and a lovely power point presentation.

This said a lot about Rod's life

 "Annie" - the love she gave came back 10 fold

"Annie" doing one last walk on the last hole

After the power point presentation there were many friends and family members that were asked to tell their stories of Rod.  I was in total awe of this man's life and experiences.  And yes, I was asked to say a few words on the life I knew of him with "Annie" and a few experiences he shared with me.

I'd heard of the many stories of how Rod would go to the Prescott Library to sit by the fire and read, almost every day with "Annie" by his side.  She was the only dog allowed in the library!  They were there the afternoon of his passing.

So, since I was so close, I just had to stop by on my way home.  I let "Annie" lead me up the steps and to the door.  It was a very emotional moment to see her go to the door, stiff the opening, and stand there, waiting for it to open.  She'd sniff, look through the glass, sniff again .... patiently waiting ....

 

   

 looking back at me as if to say "well, aren't we going in?"

I let her lead me down the walk way and towards the street; it was as if she knew her way back home and towards the golf course.  She went with a purpose and a 'come follow me' presence.  I've never experienced this with one of our shelties, when in very unfamiliar territory.

The street was a very quiet one, so I knocked on a house across from the library, told them who I and "Annie" were - they remembered her well - and asked if one of them would take a 'memory' picture of me with "Annie".

It was disappointing that the library was closed as I would have liked to have seen what she would have done, although not unexpected given it was now around 5:30pm.  A long day for "Annie" as our trip had started around noon.

and so the journey of Rod's life ends .... however, not without some wild flower seeds to sow in his memory.

"Annie" on the right as she enjoys her senior years

with her 1/2 brother (middle) and his mother (left) all over 13 yrs of age now

RIP Rod

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Pups Growing Up

On March 31st with friends Marylou & Janet we packed up several dogs and headed to the Ottawa Kennel Club's 2nd Sanction Match of the year.

It was a fun day, show/ring training Journey & Cocoa. Cocoa's sister Mocha went along for more experience being around all different breeds. Shelamo She's Got Moxi honed her skills, taking a Group 1st again, with Cocoa taking Best Puppy In Group.

just over 3 months of age Shelamo Man On A Journey shows he's going to have fun with this!
shown by Marylou

I'm showing mom! Glad you're smiling!

Shelamo Moment Of Tyme - " Cocoa"

Shelamo She's Got Moxi in the BIMatch ring

Thanks to friends Steve and Jan for being there and helping to hold dogs & to the ones that used my camera to grab these photos.

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