Share Your Best of Times Stories

Robin, Carmen & Stormy

I know most of you know this story. But, for those that don't I thought I would re-post it here. This is about love, and friendship that started with a beautiful brown & tan little girl. Robin's beautiful CH Caroling's Peanut Butter Cup, or Carmen. Carmen was only 6. Robin posted on a board that we both belong to that she was looking to re-home a female that she was retiring from her show/breeding program. I contacted Robin expressing my interest. That started the dialog between not only Robin and myself, but between Robin and lots of you, my dear friends. Robin interviewed me very throughly, and asked for refrences from my friends. After that process was completed, and we talked several times on the phone, Robin decided to trust us with her beautiful little girl. This happened towards the end of October. Robin had Carmen spayed and we scheduled her flight for the following week. I even had my schedule at work done so I would have a couple days off to spend with Carmen and my crew.

Carmen passed away in her sleep just before she was scheduled to fly out.

To say that Robin was prostrate with grief is saying it mildly. Michael and I felt like a sledge hammer hit us. That was an awful couple of weeks for Robin and Richard and us. We kept in touch. Then the holidays were upon us. Robin is a master groomer, and she was very busy. She kind of dropped out of my life for a couple of weeks. I figured that it was just her hectic schedule, but, that wasn't it.

One day I emailed everyone about the results of our vets visit with Pogo. He has a fatty growth on his chest that we had looked at. I was relieved that our vet didn't think surgery was necessary at this time, only if it grew to a size that gets in Pogo's way. We will have it asperated in the future, but, our vet was so sure, he didn't think it was necessary to do now.

Robin answered that email with an offer that literally knocked me off my chair! She offered me her beautiful foundation stud.. CH Phantom's Gonna Steal Your Thunder CGC, TDI or Stormy.

You might think I am totally nutz, but, at first I said no..that it was too soon after loosing Carmen, and that I felt that a female would be accepted here better by my Pepper who is a troubled angel. I was so troubled, of course what do I do but go to Linny. She kind of told me that I was nutz (but in a nice way^_^).. that Stormy is a therapy dog, that he has to be of a great personality to achieve that title, and, that males are much easier accepted in a pack.. that females can be bitches (no pun intended) And the rest is history!

So a beautiful piece of candy named Carmen brought Robin and I together in friendship. And that brought Robin to this great group of friends!

I have been part of the AOL board for way over 10 years. I have known most of you from AOL for years and love you all. I also have known lots from Manuel's MSN board for years. It's wonderful to see old friends combined and become close to each other and getting to know great new friends like Kelly and Gina also.

I know that I speak for all of us. Our cockers bring us much more than unconditional love, they bring us each other also.
 
One of the coolest things I have is experienced is the gaining of friends through these forums. There are people that I've known for a long time, and only met in person once or twice, but these people count as some of my closest friends. It's through a Cocker Spaniel forum that I initially got involved with fundraising for rescue . . . by helping Betsy's Cocker Place with raffles. That grew for me, and I've now helped several rescues with raffles, with my focus on Cockers in Need for the past couple of years. Last year I set up the Cocker Rescue Auction Site for Life's Little Paws as well . . . which raised funds for many rescues.

Forums like this make me want to be a better breeder . . . because I want to breed the kinds of dogs people like you want. My next litter has two people waiting on it already, and both are people I've met through the forums. The litter isn't even planned yet!

Thank you so much Polly for inviting me to be a member here. I'm glad to see some familiar names, and very glad to meet more wonderful Cocker Spaniel lovers.
 
Wow I had noticed that the birth date and date of Carmens death was abnormally short. What a sad story.

I have had many Cockers over the past 23 years, there are some that have retired from the show ring to go to a wonderful loving pet home, and some that have lived out their life in my home. Each of them is special not only because of they joy that they bring me, but the joy they have brought to other peoples lives.

I think the nicest story I have heard was a Golden Retriever that I had that was retired to a wonderful pet home at the Saginaw Bay Coast Guard Station here in Michigan. Baily was 6 years old and a 'special girl' all the way around. No fence could contain her, she would climb it just to be on the other side. Many a time I would find her sleeping on the porch or the deck...because she had climbed over her play yard fence...Well Baily went to her new home and unti the age of 13 she taught water safty to children in the Grade Schools around the Saginaw area...Baily passed away at 18. But before she did Jean came back to us for a great great granddaughter to carry on Baily's legacy...they called her Beacon. And a beacon is what she was, just as great great granddam did she enlighted children far and wide. Since then, she and her trainer have won several honors in Michigan for all their dedication to the people of our state.
Every once in a while Jean calls me to give me an update on Beacon...It is very inspiring. It might not be a Cocker story...but it is a dog story just the same.
 
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Polly, that is so sad about Carmen. Did they ever find out why she died?

KLADCkrs, gives us the link to your Cocker Rescue Auction Site for Life's Little Paws. I'd like to see it. I'm also grateful, Polly invited you and her AOL friends here.

Clinton Oaks, I love reading memorials/stories about dog's lives and their deeds in the community. If I find those in the news, I try to share them in the forum. Thanks for sharing your story about Baily and Beacon.
 
Dylan came into my life at a very special time. Our son had gone off to his first year of college. Our 11 year old cocker spaniel, Ollie, died unexpededly. Our cat, Bunny, died the next week. Our whole house seemed very sad, gray, and our daughter kept remarking how quiet it was. I told a friend I was thinking of getting another dog. She told her friend Laura, who has marvelous agility and show cockers. Laura had no puppies at that time but a friend she showed with in St. Louis (about 3 hours away) had a litter on the way. When the time was right, we ended up with first choice of the boys. There were three boys and it was so hard to choose. We ended up with Dylan and the sadness immediately left our home. Dylan is the essence of merry! He is a very busy happy boy.

Riley was the just right addition to our lives. We had moved from Indiana to California where we knew no one. Our daughter began college at the same school as her brother....in Michigan. I was so lonely and I think Dylan was also. We had gone from a familiar house filled with kids coming and going, lots of cross country meets to run around at, to silence. I mentioned on the AOL board I was thinking of getting another dog when Pam, who posts here and was doing rescue, told me she would be picking up a dog not too far from me. We made arrangements to meet. We saw Riley just minutes after she got him. Riley was a mess. He was dirty and somehow looked like a little victorian footstool with a fringed skirt. He looked up at me, wagged his tail, and my heart melted. Even Dylan seemed to think Riley needed us as we needed him. Now Dylan and Riley are devoted to each other and all of us are so happy we have them in our lives.
 
Kelly,
I may not have known you long, but I think we have become fast friends fast. I think you are a wonderful woman, and your babies are beautiful! Which you know! I can't wait to watch you have a litter and see the beautiful pups.

Gina
It's so good to get to know you, you sure are an asset to our board. I loved your story of Baily and Beacon. Goldens are wonderous dogs, and, so beautiful!

Karen
You know I love you, I love hearing the story of Dylan & Riley every time you tell it. Pam is wonderful, isn't she! She and Linny kind of got together and that's how we got Bunkie, my little angel. My first brown. Now I never want to be without a brown cocker!
 
karenwalksthedogs said:
Dylan came into my life at a very special time. Our son had gone off to his...
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Thanks for sharing Dylan and Riley's story. I'm glad to hear they both took to each other so well and added joy in your life when times were difficult. :luv:
 
I agree Polly . . . I have felt a connection with you almost since the first time we contacted each other!

Karen, what a great story about Dylan and Riley . . . it's amazing how these animals come into our lives when we most need them.
 
I think we are all very lucky to have the dogs we have in our lives. I love reading the stories of how they found us!
 
karenwalksthedogs said:
I think we are all very lucky to have the dogs we have in our lives. I love reading the stories of how they found us!
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Yes Karen, they enrich our lives in so many wonderous ways.

Lets keep this wonderful thread going!

Robin! Please tell the story of how you got into show/breeding and how you became a Master Groomer!
 
Bump!

Polly said:
Yes Karen, they enrich our lives in so many wonderous ways.

Lets keep this wonderful thread going!

Robin! Please tell the story of how you got into show/breeding and how you became a Master Groomer!
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Come on Robin! :p
 
Believe it or not it was the AOL Cocker board that led me to Maxwell! I had just been introduced to the internet and found the board pretty quickly afterwards. I had been looking to add to my Cocker family of two for a while but did not want to go to a breeder nor go thru puppyhood again. When someone gave me a list of Cocker rescues in my area I found Maxwell! Then when he passed I got the current crew all from rescue! I now help out with rescue functions such as adoptathons and Christmas pics at PetSmart, etc and I love it! This from a person who HATES crowds! Geez I finally got a life! :) These boards have been sooo important to me just to be able to talk with fellow Cocker owners and see what works for them and their pooches. Love to look at all the beautiful pics even though I'm not such a hot photographer myself. Most of all I'm glad to see that the FLAMING days on these boards seem to be over! It's nice to have a rational converse about foods and stuff without name-calling and hysterics.
 
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Sharon!
So true. The AOL board was important for all of us. And, we won't allow any flaming here! Manuel takes his lap top to work, so he checks all the time, and Linny and I do also. We won't allow any gremlins here :naughty:
 
I think when you are involved in Rescue there are so many "Best of Times" its hard to pick. One of my favorite dogs was Percy. He was about 18 months old and going blind from cataracts. A single mom called us and she had taken him away from a friend who wasn't taking care of him but she couldn't keep him either. We took him in and met with the Dr. to see if there was hope for his sight. He didn't have much faith in us doing the follow up but agreed to do the surgery. Percy was solid black, soft and gushy and such a love bug. I didn't have room for him at my house so another foster took him but he needed drops in his eyes four times a day. Every morning I met her at a gas station and took him to work with me. I had a crate under my large desk and attached 4 leashes together so he could roam around but not get into the hallway. Every afternoon we met again and she took him home with her. We did this until we found him the perfect home. The other day a work Ginny came in and said she met someone I knew at the dog park. She had two cockers that she had adopted from me and she thought I was Fabulous! She is the one who had adopted Percy...Ginny didn't know I was "Fabulous" in my other life.
 
That's a nice story and demonstrates great devotion taking Percy to work to make sure he had his eye drops. :luv: I'm a little confused on the "Fabulous" thing though.
 
Getting Sassy

We got Sassy from a pet store. We didn't know back then that most puppies are from mills. But Sassy stole our heart she gave me kisses and bit Georges nose. We knew right then and there she was going to be ours. She is our buff girl who is near and dear to our hearts. She loves to ride in the car,play in the snow and swim.

Kelly
 
Oh Pam.. you are an angel. And you were wonderful in rescue. I remember when we bundled all 4 dogs into the car and drove to Pam's house to pick up Bunkie. Pam stood outside with her hubby waving goodby to us crying. Later she told me the tears were from relief because Bunkie was such a putz when it came to grooming.. and, he was! But we knew better, those were not tears of joy. She grieved with me last year when Bunkie went to the bridge. She grieved as much as I did.

Sharon! I remember the story of Maxwell. So many years ago. He was a beautiful boy.

Kelly..
We all know better now about pet stores, and other things that are bad for our babies.. like some of the dog foods that we all fed before we knew better.
 
manuel said:
I'm a little confused on the "Fabulous" thing though.
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You know how people say, "I hate people". I don't hate them but I'm not real good with them either and I work for Special Ed in the office...lots of people. I'm grumpy and not overly nice to the people in the office so I think when Ginny heard from someone who knew me away from work that I was "fabulous" it took her by surprise. I should have worked with animals but I ended up a single parent before I completed my education and the little buggers were always hungry.
 
Sassys Mom said:
We got Sassy from a pet store. We didn't know back then that most puppies are from mills. But Sassy stole our heart she gave me kisses and bit Georges nose. We knew right then and there she was going to be ours. She is our buff girl who is near and dear to our hearts. She loves to ride in the car,play in the snow and swim.

Kelly
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Cocker kisses are great :luv:
 
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