Blackbullet Dogs: jewel memorial

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Jewel

Ch. Blackbullet Varazs Legacy NAVHDA NA ( Ch. Varazs On Point At Blackbullet X Am/Can Ch. Legacy's Leaps N Bounds). Born on Valentines Day, 2004. Jewel. One of 3 girls and 4 boys. The only litter of her mother Amber, Jewel was our chance to capture Amber..and she did and more.

She lived her name - Jewel.

She was mother to 3 litters. In 2007, Kathy Rust welcomed Jewel into her home for a breeding to her Hudson. 8 wonderful pups were born. Kati was selected to carry on from that breeding. In 2009 Carla Slabaugh welcomed Jewel to join with her Dezso and in 2010 we made yet another great connection with Sylvia Dorosh and her boy Blaze for litters of 8 and 9 pups. From that 2010 litter we kept our Sydney.

Jewel was an outstanding mother, nursing and caring for and teaching her pups until the day they left at 9 - 10 weeks of age.

Jewel had some success in the show ring. She took the breed 3 times over American and Canadian champions to finish her championship with a group 3 from Virginia Lynne. She won the VC Alberta breed booster in 2005.

Jewel was my first dog to experience formal field work with me as the trainer and handler. We were lucky that a NAVHDA group started up in 2004 so Jewel was able to run her NAVHDA NA with success in spite of my many errors. 5 of her offspring also were able to run and complete their NA titles in our NAVHDA club. Several of her pups are active hunting dogs on upland birds and ducks and geese.

Jewel was Grandmother to one litter, born in 2012.

Jewel's most wonderful accomplishments however were in our home. She was a dog that could be with any other dog, an outstanding leader, a very loving and patient personality who seemed to know what was needed in a situation almost before I had thought of it. She seemed to like to teach other dogs how to use the dog door, find their way around the property, use the toys etc. She taught me many things but most important was to stand back and not over direct dogs.
She was funny and smart, caring and sensitive, gentle and strong willed - she was Jewel.

October 1, 2014, after such a promising morning of her running in the pastures, playing like a pup and being able to see, she began to seizure and we could not pull her from them. Up to the time of her blindness a week earlier, she had never had an health issue. Her blood, and urine work, chest x-rays and examination done just an hour before she seized were not pointing us to an issue. We, in the end, believe she had a cranial tumour.

I am so thankful I was at the clinic with her, that the best of possible care was available to her and the wonderful love and respectful attention from the outstanding staff and vets helped to lead Jewel and me through this terrible time. Thank you so much Dr. Theresa Knox, thank you, thank you.

She was my girl. My heart girl. So much my child - dog. She was a Jewel, a shining Jewel. It is gut wrenching to be without her.

One of her favourite spots..in the sun on the back of the sofa. Here her daughter Sydney shares the sofa with her.