Reflections as Sutter Turns 8 Today ;-)

Sutter and I unexpectedly became "family" after my 10 year old Golden girl "Cedar" told me in her eyes (as only they can), that after declining ability to walk, "it is time for me to go Mom" and I respectfully granted her that last kind gift with unbearable heartbreak ... I then had no "Golden" companion, but as luck would have it, a co-worker mentioned that she had Golden pups that were 5 weeks old ... I made an immediate plan to take my Goddaughter Jessica to visit and pick out my "Sutter" (you see, I always seem to have the next unplanned/unborn dog's name picked out long before hand ... just the way it's been) ... Jessica and I picked out the "lightest" golden girl, shopped for a lil' purple collar (Jess' favorite color) and a lil' photo albumn to "get us started" ... remember Jess, how Ann told us that her "secret" name was "pinky" because her nose was pink ... that's been our lil' secret for 8 years!

So 2-3 times a week for 3 weeks, I visited that "lightest" golden girl, walked her up and down the farm's hills, checking out all the livestock, played and took naps in the back of my Dodge "dog" Caravan ... one-by-one my great nephews Jacob and Trevor had their turn to ride along for a visit with "Grauntie's" new pup!

So started our life together  ;-)

(Quote from December 2006 C.A.T.S. Agility club website "Spotlight")
"My journey with Sutter began in Puppy class and seemed to have stalled at the Intermediate level, as I researched "How to stop Sutter's "zoomies". Instructors, Seminars, Dog Camps, Behaviorists, an Animal Communicator, and Agility friends have all brought us to our first "Q" in 2006. Sutter is almost 5 now and although her "off leash freedom excursions" happen less often, the love of this special dog has shown me that it is the joy of our jouney together and not just the destination that matters. She has taught me patience, forgiveness and to have fun along the way." (note: a "Q" is a qualifying run in an Agility trial).

Sutter and I have car-camped: across Vermont to Lake Champlain, twice along the coastline of Nova Scotia (back on "The CAT" ferry), several times through Acadia National Park and to various Agitily trials to "watch" friends "trial" their dogs ... we've competed a few times, but the weekly training is more our thing!

Some weeks we would kayak numerous NH lakes and ponds as much as twice a week ... but that became a "comfort" challenge when Sutter, Lyric and I were just too big for our lil' kayak! We tried our canoe, but "bellie-up" was the quote of that day!

We've been through joys and heartbreaks and worked on challenges together that just seem to keep coming ... but this girl has been my "best friend" for 8 wonderful years and I'm ready for 8 more from this girl who's proven to be just a happy "Wild Child "

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SPECIAL GIRL !