The Spaniel Annals

Rozzie was a Kani daughter, sister to Reardon. Her loss has been the hardest of all, in August of 2022.  She nearly made it to 15!  We made many wonderful memories together, a UD, some agility titles, and an almost JH.  In 2016, she won High in Trial at the English Springer Spaniel National from the Open class, an unforgettable moment.  I still miss her terribly.

Journey was an extraordinarily intelligent and talented Irish Water Spaniel, always ready to work and show. She earned her UDX in February 2018 with many High Combined and High in Trial awards, with 71 OTCH points and all of her “majors.”  Her body finally said “we’re done,” even though her heart would never say that.  Sadly, Journey passed in March of 2020, after valiantly battling cancer for several months.

Gael was our honorary spaniel.  I’m very proud of her pedigree, which brags of dual champion Gordon Setters going back four generations.   Gael found  obedience work very challenging, as her vision of the world was pointing a bird a mile or so away from me rather than the small quarters of the obedience ring.  Despite that differing worldview, she earned her CD, JH and a rally title. I continued to happily fuss with her training in the “laboratory” of my little training building, especially after I switched to positive reinforcement training, which really seemed to suit her.  Sadly, we lost her to cancer in 2021. 

Reardon was Kani’s son, a black-and-white springer produced by breeding Kani to a show-bred springer with excellent work ethic and intelligence.  He enjoyed his obedience work and tracking, earning a UD and TD.   Reardon retired from obedience at around age 8 after earning his UD due to vision issues.  After retirement, he loved running in the pasture and roughhousing with my husband Jeff in the evenings, and most especially being his football buddy.  Reardon left this earth in November of 2019.  I will never forget him, my good boy who tried so hard for me.

Hank was my first competitive obedience dog, with a larger than life personality and boundless work ethic.  He represents the best and worst of the English Springer Spaniel show-breeding side, possessing drive, intelligence and boldness. Yet he suffered all his life from monthly petit mal seizures, and was dog aggressive (although never when he was working).    He won several national parent club awards.  I made a lot of mistakes training him, so we didn’t go as far as he was capable, but together we had a long life with many grand adventures.  Hank passed away at nearly 13 years of age.   I will never forget him.

Vita was my lovely Gordon setter girl that I dreamed of for many years before she came into my life.  Her two true loves in life were hunting birds and cuddling on the couch.  She performed in obedience trials for me, earning national awards in the Gordon Setter world for her work and completing her UD.  I’m grateful, though, that I recognized obedience trialing was not fulfilling for her, and in her last years she was able to devote to running in pointing dog hunt tests and field trials.  She passed away last April 2009 at age 9.   I deeply miss her soulful, graceful presence in my life.

Yeats was my soulmate, the dog who taught me the relationship between us was far more important than any ribbons or titles.   Although he competed at advanced levels in obedience and agility, most of all he was my buddy and my clown.  Yeats struggled with liver problems for many years, but the astute vets at Issaquah Vet Hospital, as well as home-cooked food, gave him many years of quality life, far beyond what was first predicted.  He was a blessing in my life.

Meghan was my very first dog.   When my obedience instructor, impressed by her abilities, asked “who was she out of?” I innocently said, “the pound.”  Little did I know the worlds she would open to me.   Meghan had tremendous heart and willingness to learn and relearn and relearn as I developed as a trainer.  She never got beyond a novice title because of hip dyplasia, but she taught me so very much.  She reminds me so much of little Rozzie today, in her fanatical love of her tennis ball.