I
believe great dogs, touch many people's lives in one way or another.
"Val" is one of those dogs, whom walked into a room, and
made his presence known.
My late husband Roger used to say "Val is the MAN" and I
believe he was right.
There is a song, by Garth Brooks called "The Dance"
I believe my family would all agree, we would have never missed the
dance with "Val"
We lost our
Val just shy of his 14th birthday. On May 16th, 2003,
Val
left our hands, and went on we believe to a better place. My son
Trevor, says "Val" is now with his dad and his daughter
"Bat". I believe Trevor feels he is playing ball with his
dad. I know his soul may be gone, but his presence is felt everywhere
in our home.
"Val" came to us as his third home. Half way to his OTCH we
had to retire him due to a severe injury........... It is that injury
we believe that took him from us this Friday.
I would like to take this time, to thank his breeder Donna Polka of
Hidden Valley Border Collies. Mere words will never express how
thankful my family is to her for breeding him. I know Donna still has
Val's sister Ellie. Donna and I had some dreams of red babies out of
him.........I guess that just was not meant to be. But Donna, our
family can never express our gratitude to you....."Val" was
to us the perfect example of loyalty to his family, kindness and
biddability to his sheep, gentle with our kids.......unbelievable work
ethic.........
"Val" progeny says it all. 2002 Delaney System shows what
"Val" kids can do............. three of his offspring our in
the top ten Border Collies, and his son "Beep" is in the top
10 Herding Breeds.............
For those of you that have his kids...........I hope they give you
even just half of the love that
Val gave us. My father, who rarely
sheds a tear, found the loss of
Val this past week, unbearable.
I whispered into "Val's" ear before he left us to
"remember how much is he loved, to tell Roger how much we miss
him, and to make sure he watches over his two daughters
"Bat" and "Trigger"............. He licked my
face, laid his head into my palms and closed his eyes.............I
believe he understood everything I told him.
For those of you who loved him and adored him, we can remember him
with his gorgeous prance, proud flowing white main...............fast
retrieves, unbelievable drive.............loyalty to his
work...........
Val............if I would have know this time would have come, and
knew what I know now, I still would have never missed our
"dance"
Thank you "Val" for coming into our lives.........and thank you Donna for breeding
him.
Special note to Nirel Katz: Nirel thank you for being a sounding board
on Friday. I felt you felt my pain, having two
Val kids. Your
friendship during
Val's final hours.....meant more to me than I will
ever be able to express. I will always see "Val" in Gracie
and Crook........and I know you feel the same.
Maureen
Schultz Tobias
of
Wildfire
Border Collies, Lake Forest, IL |