My destiny to be
involved with collies began even before I was born, as a three legged collie
wandered up to
my house, as if to be awaiting my arrival into this world. Although
the owner of the dog was found, after
having to come to my house to retrieve "Lady" three times, the
owner gave her to us. "Lady" became my best
friend, babysitter, and confidante. She rescued me from running into
the street, pushed me away from the
back fence, saved me from falling off the couch, and intervened when I was
about to be spanked. She died
when I was six years old, and although my Collie dreams did not die, they
were put on hold until years later.
As an adult I had acquired
Am Staffs. When my most beloved Am Staff "Bandit" died, I
began my search for
another collie. I called Lou Davis of Misty-Blue Collies. She
said they had one at the house, who belonged to her granddaughter Amber, but she
was not very social
and had walked away from everyone that had come to see her. I
persisted in my phone calls,
and finally it was agreed that I could come to meet this dog that I later
learned to be Luv Echo’s Nut N' Honey,
aka "Peanut". "Peanut" took to me immediately,
much to everyone’s surprise, and after much begging,
I brought her home. "Peanut" made herself right at home, and
to this day is an avid bed hog. Some
time later, when sitting and watching the dog shows with my friend Martha
from Claremore, a stunning sable
puppy caught my eye that was being shown by Kim Atkinson and Amber
Wallace. His name was Luv
Echo’s Master of Fantasy, aka "Tanner", and I fell head over
heels for him, but was told he was not for sale. However,
several months later, I received a phone call from Kim telling me she thought he
would thrive better in
a setting where he was receiving more one-on-one attention, and this Master
of Fantasy came home to be my
own dream Collie. When "Tanner" sired his first litter,
there was a puppy in the litter who they think had her umbilical cord
wrapped around one of her front legs before birth, as shortly after she was
born, she lost most of her leg. I was reminded of my
childhood three legged collie, "Lady", and announced to Lou Davis
that I wanted this puppy for my own. Surviving against
odds that should have taken her life, it was as if this three legged collie
was meant to be, and became my
"Tootsie", and thus named Misty-Blue's Childhood Memories.
"Tootsie" had a sister, "Jessie", who went to live at
Luv Echo Collies, but then was placed with a newcomer
to the showing world. When she came back to Luv Echo, she was timid
and had seemed to lose her
confidence. Kim and I took her to some small shows in Dallas to try to
re-socialize her, and the bonding
between me and "Jessie" began, and she slept with me the entire
weekend. After
much re-socialization at Kim’s house, as well as having a litter for her
to carry on with, "Jessie" came to live
with me to assist in the formation of Lael Collies. According to Kim,
she picked me long ago. The
latest addition to Lael Collies was not an intentional one. I really
had never appreciated smoothies, but did
go to Amber and Buddy's house after a show to see their puppies. When
I walked in, I was mesmerized by this sable
smooth face, who would later be known as Reverie Lael's Celtic Warrior, aka
"Liam". Once again, as it seems, I was chosen by a
Collie. I have not only learned to appreciate smooths,
but "Liam" has been a blast. It
has been a long time since my Collie dreams started with that first three
legged collie, "Lady". And in the process
of being chosen by some awesome Collies, I have an extended dog family
too. Lael Collies, however,
will always be ruled by the one that re-started my Collie dreams.
"Miss Peanut", the boss lady.