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My Heart Dog

angelsun

By angelsun,
in Rainbow Bridge

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angelsun

angelsun

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Competitors said he would never get his conformation title unless I cropped his ears. I tried anyway and he did, beating champions along the way and ranking in the top five in Canada. Some trainers snorted when I said I wanted to do obedience with a Manchester Terrier and an intact one at that....we trained and we obtained his Canadian CD with one high in class. We tried it in the states and in three straight trials, including a fourth place in class, (with an entry of over 30 that day in his class) we obtained his CD down there too. He picked up the top obedience Novice dog for the breed club for that year.

No one had ever had a TT (Temperament Test) successfully done on a Manchester, but we walked in there without classes or preparation on a dreary rainy Maritime day and got it. We did the CGC before it was recognized and again as a CGN after the CKC recognized it.

We tackled Rally and Agility but as he aged, I decided to let him do Agility only for fun, so we quickly went through Rally in Canada ending his Excellant courses with two High in Class awards. We gave it a go in the states and had only time to do Rally Advanced successfully.

Somewhere in the middle of all this, we went to the states for a five day cluster of shows to help out a friend by building points. He was never really expected to win at 6 years of age in the states, because so many told me, he wasn't good enough. We walked out of that weekend with four majors and missing a single point towards his American title which he picked up later that show season.

He sired champions and obedience champions. He was grandsire to group winning offspring.....not bad for a dog that so many said would never be much. He was the dog that people wanted in the pedigree because he was smart and stable. He was never flashy but he was correct and he was one of the very few natural ear champions at the time.

He warmed my bed, the only one allowed to do that in all the dogs that passed through my home. He was my shadow and he was the part of my heart that keeps you going during all the tough spots in life.

One of the hardest moments leaving Canada was the day I put his sweater on to keep him warm at almost 12 years of age and walked out the door and left him behind.

The moment that is harder, is finding out he is gone now and I wasn't there to pat him on the head, kiss his nose and tell him again how much I loved him.

Rest in Peace my darling Journey. You were an amazing dog and the guilt I have for having to leave you will haunt me. I can only hope you lived up to your name, enjoying the drives across the country with your 'dad' in the truck and stayed warm and under the covers during those Canadian winters.

Am/Can Ch.Moonshadows Precious Journey Am/Can.CD, Can RE, Am RA, CGN, CGC, TT (October 26 1996-November 4 2010)

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pie

pie

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Sorry for your loss Angelsun, the Mannies are special dogs that really work their way into your heart and soul.

I'm sure he knew you loved him to the end, and that you left him in Canada for his own good.

And WOW look at all his accomplishments, what an amazing journey you had together, quite fitting really given his name!

RIP Journey. :confused:

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fifi

fifi

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:confused: oh that made me cry Angelsun.

I understand losing a heart dog when you are not there, and I found that loss the hardest to come to terms with.

run free Journey, he sounds like one very special boy.

fifi

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