He stood 'very tall' for his small,
not quite 23" frame. I even sold him when he was 7 months old
because he was so small. The people that bought him put him in their garage
and then complained because he seemed shy and destructive. I took him back.
He had lost 10 pounds and was afraid of his own shadow. I stacked him up
for someone to look at and he 'wet' all over. This was going to take some
work.
When I finally decided to try
him on a lead, I was very surprised. He was a natural. He was Best Bred
By Exhibitor in Show twice for me. His show ring presence became undeniable.
One handler remarked that he was the easiest standard she had shown because
he did it all himself. He had only been growing hair about 1 year when he
won his first points by going Best of Winners. He had 16 points with NO
majors and he was 5 years old when I decided to send him to a well known
handler in the midwest. He was gone 8 months when I got a phone call. He
had won two days in a row.
My first
home bred Champion!!!!
In 1990, a friend of mine used
him with one of her girls. In lieu of a stud fee, I picked a white girl.
('CC') He was used at stud with only two girls in his lifetime, something
I've come to regret.
In January of 1991, I entered
him in the Veteran class.
He went Best Veteran In Show!!
He earned the haircut that he got, although he was so conceited he did not
approve!
About 2 months later my world
crashed. He was not acting his normal, bouncy self. I noticed he sort of
favored his left side, almost using the wall for support. We went straight
to the vet. He did the reflex tests plus any others he could think of with
no real answers. Off to the Oregon Specialty Clinic where we met the most
wonderful Doctor who got down on all fours to talk to Checkers. He suspected
an embolism of which there are two kinds. With one kind through therapy
there is a slight chance that partial mobility can return. He suggested
a mylogram to determine the exact problem. In the interum, Checkers became
totally unable to move from the neck down. (He could swallow okay so I would
get down on the floor, prop him against me to hand feed,
give water, love him and talk with
him) My choices were looking very grim. While I waited for the test results,
I contemplated selling my soul just to have my buddy back! The test results
showed a double embolism. There was a long, hard road to travel, but we
could do it (of that I prayed I was sure). For about 8 weeks, I would carry
him outside, do the 'necessary things' and carry him in again (put him on
incontinent pads, just in case). I would massage his legs, then do full-range
motion therapy for at least fifteen minutes every chance I got. My job suffered,
my husband (that Checkers picked out for me in 1987)suffered but, I did
not care about anything.....except Checkers. The doctor said if Checkers
struggled to do something, I could help him and risk having to help him
the rest of his life or I could let him try to do it himself. The HARDEST
thing I've ever had to do was watch and *DO* nothing as he struggled to
regain his abilities. I shed many tears during this time but, the most came
when he actually stood up and took 3 steps toward me. He fell but this time
I couldn't help myself, I RAN to him. He was such a Good Boy!! He still
struggled and fell at times, but imagine the doctors reaction when Checkers
'walked' in for his last check up!! He only got back about 95% mobility
but, that was better than the alternative. He even went so far as to go
Best Stud Dog (standard) with 3 of his children afterwards. (I made sure
to ask if this was hereditary. I was told emphatically.....'No'.)
December 7,1992, Checkers was
diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. This type of cancer is very rapid. Prognosis
: 30 days. Checkers showed a very strong will to survive and he proved the
doctors wrong. He was with us almost a full year longer. When he started
showing pain, I carried my friend into his Doctor's office for the last
time. (Thanks to Kathy Lamm for the photo above, taken January 3, 1993.)
Checkers was the love of my life
for 11 wonderful years. It has been 4 years since we said goodbye and I
still find it difficult to 'talk' about him...........without tears.
This page was created in loving
memory October 12, 1997
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