Beatrice

The moment that Beatrice entered my life as a rescue wheaten she was special. And from that moment on she never willingly left my side. She was special in everything about her.

She needed work as she was terrified when she came to me in March 93 after being abused. But with the help of the members in the Regina Kennel Club and classes in Conformation with me she began an amazing career. In May - as a Junior Puppy she entered the ring and that weekend she started her show career with a Group 2nd in Moose Jaw. Her show career was exceptional from her many wins as a puppy to her stellar performances as a Veteran. Anybody who ever saw Beatrice being groomed properly and shown properly will not forget her exceptional movement and all that saw it mavelled and applauded her. ( Judges Ms Sandra Goose-Allen-judged - as a twelve year old, Sandra Anderson who placed her Veterans Winners and 5 th out of the 50 entries as a 11year old, Edna Joel saw her as a 10 month old and said she was a Group placer) She was 5 th in Canada the one year with very little showing. Many of her off spring have been Mutiple Group place winners and a BPIS winner. She easily got her obedience title in 3 consecutive trials. She soared through her Temperment Test . What more could I ask ??

It was not just her show career that was amazing it was her temperment, her gentleness, her love of all that she met whether it was the two legged or 4 legged creatures. As a very young puppy doing Pet therapy in Nursing Homes and Hospitals she learnt how to move from one wheel chair to the next without every putting her feet on the ground. She used the foot guards on the wheel chairs to move to the next person. Everybody who really met Beatrice fell in love with her. She was the consumate mother , grandmother and great grandmother of all the puppies . How many 13yrs do you see playing with puppies and loving every minute.? This last year Beatrice began a slow deterioration. It started when she could no longer jump on my bed to sleep with me last Nov. Then in April I found her on the floor unable to get up. She rallied and after several days she was her old self . Then in the middle of me having 14 puppies which she watched over on a Friday night she would not lie down. She was rushed to the vet on call- she was in congestive heart failure-- I screamed ,cried and hollered that I was not ready to let her go- the vet told me it would be expensive and she had little hope for her because she had an elevated temp and there were just no good signs . I was not to expect her to get through the night. I told Beatrice that I would be back tomorrow to see her and that we would be fine. I never once thought she would leave me that night because I had told her I wasn't ready. In the morning the vet phoned and she had vastly improved. She needed to stay and eat and the vet just hadn't realized that Bea only needed to be hand fed and she would eat then. Even at the vets she won over a visitor who went back to Saskatoon and raved about this wonderful wheaten she had met and she should really buy a puppy out of her line.

Beatrice came home that June afternoon and had one of the fullest and happiest summers of her life. She greeted all the visitors who came to see the puppies. She fell in love with an 8 yr old and her family which she pined for every time they left to go back to Alberta. She watched and supported the runt of the litters. It seemed as the puppies left and less people showed up it was more difficult for her to get going for the day. I then started to take her out for her loved van rides , hamburgers and ice cream cones. Beatrice was alert so alert that many times I would see her sitting staring at me - and think what is it that you want now?? Then I would realize that she was waiting for me to give her a pill. She knew me and recognized everything about me. She never gave up on me-In actual fact Beatrice spent her life looking after me - I really wasn't looking after her.

How do you ever get over losing such a close friend, companion and soul mate ?? I have her ashes here not far from where she would lie on the right side of my recliner where I could reach down and pet her for the support she would give me after a long day- especially this summer with all the puppies. She helped me look after them and then comforted me at night. She gave me the tranquility I so needed.

Beatrtice is here now with me- I talk to her all the time (call me crazy) and now know that we will never again be separated-- we are together again. The loss of my friend has been the most difficult thing I have had to deal with in many many years. But to know that that this special companion shared her life with me will in time ease the tears and be replaced with tales of her exceptional life. Then I will be able to smile and revel in all that she was.

PS. Beatice was tested in May- she displayed NO signs of any Kidney disorder.