11/28/10

From Evelyn who has Splash, from Hero and Dakota, 2008

Elizabeth,

I can’t tell you greatful I am for Splash/Shadow ( Yes she has two names and she comes to both everyone can’t seem to help it!) God really moved with this dog. I was weary because I’ve never had a female dog growing up and I was always under the impression that they were the softer more timid sex of -any- dog breed. What I wanted was a male German Shepard or Belgain Terv. puppy that could be my dog. I have had dogs growing up and I had taken over a friend’s dog( A Boarder Collie who was a cat dog that finally passed away of old age at the age of 16/17) a few years before I got married but none of them honestly felt like -my- dog so a puppy was on the order. I also knew given my daughter a pound puppy was not an answer because I didn’t have anyone who could honestly vouche for temperment. I also was weary of the way Wisteria and Shadow first started off. It was rocky do to trying to close on a house, living with my mother ( not pet friendly) and my father ( pet friendly and loves Shadow like she is his. Very spoiled when we go visit), getting out of an apartment and moveing and the list is so much longer of the stress that this poor critter was under as well as her new family. While she’s shy when she feels she can be she is as bold as brass when the occassion calls for it.

I know this story makes me sound like one of the worest parents out there but I only left her long enough for a potty break with the instructions that she stay with Shadow (who is staked in the yard). However, as Nancy Wright continues to tell people it’s just not fair being Wisteria’s mom.

Wisteria decided to take Shadow for a walk( She would be with Shadow, right?) without telling me and they ended up walking to her daycare because she and Shadow wanted to go play with the kids( No fear in this 3yr what so ever). This means they not only had to walk close to half a mile with traffic and street crossing but she also had to open the gate to the back yard, take Shadow off her run, find and put the leah on the dog. She had to figure out what direction they had to walk in to get there ( Clearly -not- my sense of direction in this child.) They made it to the day care safe and sound.

Meanwhile, I am in an utter panick. The child is gone! The only witness who could taddle on her is gone. My yard is completely empty and no one is answering when I call names. I start walking and getting the sinking feeling I was going to have to explain 3 things to her dad: Why child services had his daughter; why she had been hit by a car or why I couldn’t locate her at all. One of my neighbors drives past me and wants to know if I’m looking for a little girl and a German Shepard. Relief!

Let me tell you why they made it all the way over there with nothing happening to Wisteria;as we come up the hill there’s Shadow holding two or three familys and two cops at bay. She is standing on the side of the road between Wisteria, cars and all these people. Not being overly agressive but you could tell she was not letting anyone near the child without an ok from the right person. Her attention would bounce between staying between Wisteria and anyone else moveing ( big job as this is not an easy thing to do with a toddler trying to get around you and 6+ adults with the same goal.) When I got out of the car I asked Shadow to Plots at a good distance. She laid down and let Wisteria around her finally however she only stayed there long enough for Wisteria to run to me.

I was told Shadow had stayed between Wisteria and traffic the whole way. That she ‘boofed’ and lifted hackles rather than barked or growled as someone tried to get close enough to talk to Wisteria. She was as soft with her warnings to strangers as she is takeing bones and toys from my daughter. I am in love( I hope Shadow feels the same) and forever greatful. With my husband serveing over seas this is exactly the dog we needed; someone gentle enough to be a family dog and bold enough to go through barrier to get to someone who didn’t belong. I have no doudt she would go through a door or window to be with us (because she has) or if something where wrong and I have no doudts in saying there is nothing Wisteria can do to her to cause an agressive bite ( something everyone worrys about. Me more so because I know the child Shadow has to live with)or growl. Shadow is very forgiveing of the handfulls of fur and skin that get hauled on, collars that get twisted or pulled, being used as a couch or pony and playing dressup( I really need to send you a picture of this you might die at the indignity of it all) .

Elizabeth, thank you so much for the care you put into breeding and thank you for sharing such a wonderful one of a kind ( I’m sure you hear this alot) dog.

Evelyn