|
Back in May of 1999, I received an email from Edwina Ryska about a pick male pup out of a field bred litter, available because the buyer backed out at the last minute. I really wasn't interested at the time, but filed the info in the back of my mind. A couple of weeks later, my old bitch died and I was devastated. I had one dog at the time and it was pretty lonely without the old girl. I decided to take a look at this pup….my plan was to raise him and sell him since this wasn't really the breeding I was looking for. I called Edwina and told her of my plans…..he was on a plane the next day and I picked him up at the Eugene airport in Oregon. Of course, I had to throw a bumper for him right outside the cargo area. He came right out of his crate and said "Hi, I am your new pup"…..and proceeded to not only charge out and retrieve the bumper, but bring it right back to me in a completely strange place - totally full of confidence as if he had been with me all his life. He was three months at the time.
I thought this was the most boring pup I had ever known….he was quiet in the house, if he tried to chew something that he shouldn't, I would say a quiet no-no and he would never touch that object again…..he was almost too good - yet he was always up for whatever I wanted to do. It was sort of like Rugby was this little old soul - he never seemed like a puppy. A couple of days after his arrival I headed up to Washington to do some training. I trained with a couple of people I know, one of whom has had a couple of FC AFC's including a Purina High Point Amateur dog…..I told them of my plans to raise and train, then sell this pup and they just kind of looked at each other. I have since been told that they both said later, "Is she crazy?? Selling that dog????" I had them throw me a little water double and he just retrieved both birds and delivered to hand…..this is still at three months of age. I was beginning to realize I really had something special here. By three and a half months, Rugby was doing hand thrown triples in cover and pinning all the marks - plus delivering to hand. I think by that time I realized he wasn't going to ever be for sale.
I started Rugby's formal yard work when he was four months old. I did this because he was just doing everything I threw for him…..I knew that in order to advance him without developing bad habits, I would have to start his yard work. He flew through the yard and was completely done with basics by the time he reached seven months of age…..including his water work. This was the first dog I had ever put through the yard, and boy, did he make my life easy. He just understood everything - show him once, and he has it. So on we went to the field work…..he was soon out-marking my then four year old dog in the daily set-ups. He just kept moving forward in leaps and bounds.
It was decided he would be entered in the first trial of the year in Anderson, California. Rugby was ten months old at the time and I was just hoping he could finish this trial….after all, he was awfully young to be entered. He ran an awesome trial and did the most incredible water double - I am not sure that any other dog did that double properly….it was terribly difficult. And he ended up winning that very first derby he ran! Rugby went on to become the only Golden to ever be on the National Derby List prior to his first birthday. A dog must accumulate ten points to be on the Derby List, and Rugby managed to get those points before his birthday. He ended his Derby career with 37 points. (next page)
|
|
