In Memoriam - BPIS Am/Cdn Shelamo's Prospector

It has taken me a bit to compose this .....

January 30, 2000 - September 1, 2013

It was with a heavy heart that my dear "Rock Man" passed in my arms, at home in the wee hours of September 1, 2013.  Both Mike and my mom were here by his side.

He was born into litter of 6 on January 30, 2000 (3 would become Ch's), and little did we know how full he would make our lives.  From the beginning he was my heart dog, always being by my side, watching my every move, and becoming the face of Shelamo kennels from that point forward.

"Rocky" is on the left

He was our Ambassador for our breed here, taking up residency on any new client's lap without asking questions!

There were so many 1st accomplishments he did for us here @ Shelamo .... so many hearts he touched along the way. 

pictured ringside on his way to Grp 4th and BPIS in Nov 2000

photo with thanks to Lloyd Lambert, Pinnacle Shelties

 "Rocky" finishing his Cdn Championship OKC show November 2000 from the Snr Puppy Class over 3 BIS Specials - what a day!

 After a Canadian wide competition he was chosen for the Purina Campaign of Champions (1 of 20).

He was the April boy for the Purina 2002 Calendar and had his picture on their nationwide Show Booth for many years.

 Purina National Dog Show Booth 2010

"Rocky" winning in 2001 at just over a yr of age, against some top group breeds at the time, under respected judge Charles Bett, many of his group placements in limited showing

Thanks to Dr. Sherry Lee, FLA, for taking him under her wing and putting his American Championship on him in 13 shows in the competitive Easter US shows.

 under respected breed judge, Judith Byrne in 2004

 Winning over many specials from the Veteran Class, Best of Opposite at the DC and SSA Spec 2010, respected breeder judge Barry Hastings

He also won the 1st Helen Lovett Memorial Trophy

At the CSSA National 2010 in Saskatoon

 Being groomed by his adoring friend Mary-Anne

In May 2013 his last outing, he went to an evening of a Girl Guides meeting to teach about dogs

attention never waining 

"Rocky" and I January 2013

"Rocky"

 He leaves behind his mother Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC
 (15+ yrs of age)

and to name a few relatives .....

his 1/2 brother

Shelamo's Highland Eagle ADC RN-MCL, RA-MCL, AGN, AGDC, ADDC,AGN, AGI, SMADC, SMTRDC

Shelamo's Main Sail CD RNE
Shelamo Ticket To Success ADC, AGDS, ASDC, MJDC, MSDCS

through his daughter
Ch Shelamo Tyme Descends
her daughters
BPIG Shelamo A Moment Of Tyme (ptd)
Shelamo Tyme For A Mocha
Shelamo Gemstone

MBPIG Ch Shelamo Riding The Wind
daughters
MBPIS BPISS Ch Shelamo Flash Forward
Ch Shelamo Deja Vu
(her daughter MBBPIG Shelamo Bedazzle)

Son thru "Tyme"

BPIS Ch Shelamo's Riding The Sky HIC, SDGC
and son
Shelamo Tow The Line ADC, AGDC, ASDC

Grandson
BPIS Ch Shelamo Changing Winds
------------------------------------------

1/2 sister

RBIS Ch Shelamo Sugar Shack (4 Ch's)

 her 3 daughters (2 Ch's), 2 Ch sons

 
Son
MBPIB Ch Shelamo Jumping Jelly Bean 

 

Great Grand Daughters Thru her

Ch Shelamo Rais'n The Bar 

Shelamo Kenna

 

"Casino" would have been one of our dogs at the Bridge to welcome him

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

A tribute will be done in two weeks on Sheltie Strut.

Thank-you to the vets, Mark & Amanda, now at the Mississippi Animal Hospital for being there from the beginning of his life to the end.

You are sadly missed by Mike and I, dear Bud.  There will be a day we can play again.

Read more...

Breeding Dogs - Ups and Downs

The last two weeks, since June 25th, here at Shelamo have been very hard on us and has required many vet trips.

The wicked heat we've been through, breaking daily temps, has also worn us and the dogs out.  Just hoping our annuals, potted tomatoes and other gardens we're watering enough to sustain them.

  

Our Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC, at over 14 yrs of age, became ill and after 2 days of intensive IV fluid care and testing we found she's in stage 2 kidney failure. New food, meds and religious monitor has had to be upped to keep her stable.  She's doing well at this point, just means a lot of extra care.

Then, a bit earlier than expected on July 2nd, our Ch Shelamo Riding The Wind delivered two pups, unfortunately we lost one.  She's given us a real run for our money with just one!  She's one of the VERY few girls we have that wants to carry her pup around & move it to a different location from our standard whelping area of our kitchen.  I couldn't even leave for a minute without finding she was on the move again!  I was always asking - please give me your puppy!  With monitoring her, it meant sleeping on the couch for two days to ensure we got through the night OK.

 

and you're problem Mom is??

I was just about to .... you caught me!

(no pup was harmed in the taking of these photos :) )

She's had not wanted to eat well postpartum, so my stock of goodies, cooking up special meals has been endless, with a counter full of food, mostly that she hasn't wanted.  Her milk wasn't coming in well either, so I was supplementing the pup's feeding to try and maintain her birth weight, and then to gain some.  Trying to draw a fine line so that she'd at least nurse to try and cause the milk to come down hasn't been easy.  I think now, thanks to a Facebook neonatal page I'm on, I've found a natural remedy that I picked up this Friday that seems to have helped.  We're just 24 hours into it, so we'll see, but he pup now seems to have a fully belly when I check her and has put on weight.

Needless to say Chinook is a very attentive mom ... too much so!

She's gotten the nick-name of YoYo!

And then ... if that wasn't enough, on July 2nd ... in the afternoon, we had to rush our Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN, CD to emergency (long weekend!) .... new post to follow .....

Read more...

Rest Well Dear - Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN, CD

July 2nd brought concerning issues with our 12 yr old Casino.  She had been treated for a UVitis in her left eye for just over a year and all seemed to be OK.  However, serious signs, especially a nose bleed, meant a rush into our vets.  She was put on antibiotics in hopes that we were just facing an infection.

The week seemed to go slowly in waiting to get back to see the eye specialist on Thursday.  Although he couldn't find her UVitis was any more serious, he was very suspicious of something else going on behind the eye, which a tumour was highly suspected.  So, we got a quote for a CTscan and what could come of it to consider over the weekend and an appointment for next Wednesday if we wanted it done.

However, that wouldn't be the case.  Friday afternoon she seemed way worse and less responsive to people she enjoyed being around, she just wanted to sleep.  She refused her pill pocket meds which was not like her, a definite sign of trouble.  There was also more nose bleeding, and her ability to take in air seemed more restricted.  She also seemed very painful to the touch in that area if I tried to clean that side of her face.  I settled her down in the kitchen with blankets and supported her head with more so she'd be as comfortable as possible for the night.

Saturday morning I called our vet for an appointment as it seemed to be 'time'.  The vets tried a few procedures with her 'under' to determine if it might be a large infection or indeed the suspect of cancer was there.

Although they were not conclusive, a bit of what they did see told them it wasn't good.  We left her with no more pain, and said our good-byes.

She will be remembered as a teaching assistant at my dog classes, loved when she did Brownie demos, an attraction at the local market, and just a fun loving girl with a heart of gold that would do the best she could at any time.  She was a Champion by all means.

I thank Sandy Hawkins of Burleigh Shelties for acquiring Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC sister Shelamo Linden Decoration and breeding her to Am/Cdn Ch Toven Windertide Cdn CD ROM ROMC to produce our Casino. To Dr Sherry Lee of FLA for entertaining her for a year; to Cheryl Pike who handled her in the Breed ring after I took Winners Female, and then had "Rocky" as a Special, under respected breeder judge Tom Coen, finishing her Canadian Championship with Best of Winners. In one of the few shows we specialized her in, to respected breeder judge Denise Cornelsson for awarding her a Group 2nd.

 

 Group 2nd - 2008

 Our blue-eye'd beauty and her cousin our 12 yr old "Rocky" a few years ago.

  

 Casino went to live with Mary-Anne for a good year and a half and between them they achieved their CGN at Camp Dog Wood, and then their Companion Dog title

Bum rubs, and field running were two of her favorite past times.

 Dog Obedience 2010 - Dress Up Night - Oh, what she had to go through for Mary-Anne!

 Winter & summer sunny days were also high on her list of LOVES!

 

Rest well dear Casino - the sun will always shine on your face.

You will be sadly missed by many.

Read more...

Happy Birthday "Casino"!!!

Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN CD

(BIS BISS Am/Cdn Ch Toven Wintertide CD ROMC  x Shelamo Linden Decoration)

Our resident blue eye'd beauty turns 12 years old today (May 20/2000).  She is pictured with "Rocky" BPIS Am/Cdn Ch Shelamo's Prospector who turned 12 this past January.  Her best love is hanging out with Mike in his chair and getting tummy rubs.  She continues to go with me as a demo dog for the  obedience classes I teach.

Shelamo Linden Decoration is a litter sister to our "Opal" Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC which is "Rocky's" dam.

Happy Birthday "Casino", proud of you being such an ambassador here at Shelamo.

Read more...

Purina National 2012

part of the grooming area for over 1,000 dogs entered

This past weekend Mike & I went to the 6th Annual Purina National CKC Charity Event held in Toronto, near the airport. Altho a very windy weekend, with sun snow showers now and again, sun & warmth finally on Sunday, it was a great get away. Purina put on an awesome event again this year and treated their ProClub members like royalty.

BPIS Ch Shelamo's Riding The Sky HIC pictured on the wall of the Purina ProClub Booth. MBPIS BPISS Ch Shelamo Flash Forward was also showcased.

We had Shannon of Animates paint us another chair. This year we featured our 3 seniors Rocky, Casino & Opal.
Our own Canadian comedian, Rick Mercer was also there doing a taping for a show. Here he is having an intro conversation with the Co-Chairperson Richard Paquette. He also tried his hand at Rally - not sure if he passed :) - and handled a Standard Poodle in show ring format. He spent a lot of time walking through the grooming area talking with various breeders.

Read more...

Birthday Wishes to Casino TOO!

Yikes! With 3 on the go ... Opal, Mike's on the 21st too, totally forgot this one. On May 20th, our Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CD turned 11 years of age. She was bred by Sandy Hawkins, USA.

BISS BIS Am/Cdn Ch Toven Wintertide Am CD ROM ROMC x Shelamo Linden Decoration
(Shelamo Linden Decoration is a litter sister to Opal)

She is Mike's blue eyed beauty, and is my demo dog for my dog obedience classes.

Read more...

What You Find When Cleaning Up File Pics

As I try and get more organized for 2011, especially with all the pics I have on our computer, didn't I come across this one. It just wants me to smooch right thru the fence at these two.
On the left is my 'Rock Man', my soul boy (and I think his face looking back at me says that). He's our 1st Best Puppy In Show winner and our 1st American/Canadian Champion. The blue eyed beauty is "Casino", Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CD, CGN ... Mike's heart throb girl.

Now tell me how old do you think these two are??? I'll post their ages later, I think you'll be surprised.

As I work thru my pics, (quite a few from client's too) I'll post some of my FAVS over the coming weeks (might end up being months).

Read more...

Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN CD

More exciting news today!!! Mary-Anne obtained our "Casino's" Companion Dog obedience title. She's taken "Casino" from a show girl, to an obedience dog in just over a year and at just under 10 years of age. Am so proud of these two. This is the 1st dog Mary-Anne has trained at this obedience level, so it's been a real learning curve for her. It's certainly not like taking a 10 week old puppy and molding it as you go through the classes.

Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN CD

(Am/Cdn Ch Toven Wintertide CD, ROMC x Shelamo Linden Decoration)

Now a balanced dog ... beauty & brains. Always a willing worker and ready to please. Way to go ladies!

Read more...

CASINO - 2nd CD LEG

Today, Mary-Anne and "Casino" obtained their 2nd Novice leg towards their Companion Dog title. To top it off it was with a 1st place! Congrats again ladies!

Read more...

CASINO - 1ST CD LEG

Our blue-eyed beauty, Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN obtained a 3rd place in her Novice B class today at 91/2 yrs of age! She has been living with, and trained by our good friend Mary-Anne for the last year. Mary-Anne has had to take her from her show dog mentality and teach her that standing in front isn't a good recall position, nor is moving out at heel position.

Congrats Mary-Anne you've done a super job with her .... more trialing tomorrow so we hope she adds more legs.

Read more...