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My
History in Skyes
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Yep,
I was one of those dog-crazy kids. Pretty much from the time I could read,
I devoured every book about dogs I got my hands on.
My
parents finally told me that if I got good grades my freshman year in
high school (way back in 1966), I could get a dog. I dragged my Dad to
the animal shelter the day after I brought home a report card filled with
'A's. We came home with Ask'im (as in: 'What's your dog's name? -
Ask'im -' It was also the name of the dog my Mom's family had.)
A classy
aunt and uncle took me to a couple of dog shows when I was in my early
teens in Pittsburgh, PA and a whole new world opened to me. Little did
I know...
(Click here to see the Skye pages from the oldest
dog show catalog I have.)
When
I graduated from college, I chose my apartment based on dogs being allowed.
I pored over my dog books once again, and decided that a Pekingese was
the breed for me.In March of 1978, off I went to the Harrisburg Kennel
Club's show looking for a dog.
On
my way to the toy rings, I laid eyes on my first Skye Terrier, and that
was that. The Skye folks I met invited me to the Potomac Skye Terrier
Regional Specialty held in April. I made the trip 'all the way' down to
Maryland. (Funny how perspecties change. Never an enthusiastic driver,
a trip longer than an half-hour was a long one. Now, dog shows within
a four hour round trip travel time are considered 'close'.)
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Ch. Argent Maid O'Spirit,
Steel and Style, Ch. Argent Knight's Edge
Ch. Argent Maid of Fire and Ice...and Lynne and Bruce.
(photo by Shirley
Davis) |
Silverspun Limited
Edition |
Alex
joined me in Bloomsburg PA soon after that, but not before I'd been thoroughly
interviewed by his breeder Fran Johnston, and her friend Yvonne Wetzel.
Yvonne invited me to her home (she lived in my neck of the woods) to see
how I'd interact with her Skyes. I guess I did OK<G>
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I wheedled Fran into letting
me keep another of her Skyes for a while. Molly was the sweetest Skye
I'd ever known. Even my Mother, not a dog person, loved her. Sadly, I
put Molly down the day after this picture was taken, when she was diagnosed
with lymphosarcoma at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
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Silverspun Shining
Star |
Silverspun Storm Center |
Stormy (born during a summer
thunderstorm), also of Fran's breeding, next joined my household. I'd
decided by then that I would like to dabble in showing. Storm had other
ideas. She was so unhappy in the ring that she soon retired to the couch,
and Jenny joined the pack (1985).
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My parents didn't really
know what to make of my involvement in showing dogs. However, Dad gamely
helped out when I entered my first show with Jenny. It was that very same
Western Pennsylvania Kennel Association show that my aunt and uncle took
me to lo, those many years ago.
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Ch. Gleanntan Argent Maid O'Mist, CGC |
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When Jenny achieved her
championship, she was bred to the handsome MacKenzie (Ch. Gleanntan Going
In Style). This picture shows a very uncomfortable Jenner-beast just a
few days before she delivered on June 17, 1988. (That's Storm in the background.)
Donna Dale of Gleanntan Kennel made
the trek to Emmaus to be on hand to whelp the litter of six boys and one
girl. That's when Liam (Argent Stylish Cavalier) entered my life.
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What to say about my 'keeper
puppy' from Jenny's litter, Liam?
He was intelligent and handsome. He was hell on other dogs and heaven
with people. He loved to show and a couch potato when needed.
He was a treasure, the dog of a lifetime.
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BISS Ch. Argent Stylish
Cavalier, CGC |
Ch. Roblyn Ribbon
of Steel |
As
Liam grew up, my search began for a suitable girl to carry on the Argent
name, and the beautiful Helen joined our household. She was bred to Ch.
Buffalo Broom o'the Cowdenknowes and whelped a litter of 8 (2 girls, 6
boys, one stillborn).
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The
'keeper pup' from this litter was Morgan. Morgan was a bossy, rowdy puppy.
She never particularly enjoyed showing, but was willing to work with me
to get her championship. (Probably because she knew I meant it when I
said all she had to do was finish and she'd never have to go to another
show.)
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Ch. Argent Maid of
Fire and Ice, CGC |
Ch. Argent Maid of
Spirit, Steel and Style |
Morgan
was bred to Liam, and produced a rough-and-tumble spitfire of a daugher,
Rhiannon. After achieving her championship (which included a Best of Breed
award over Specials at the age of 9 months), Rhiannon was bred to Ch.
Glascon Steel Wheels and produced Brendan.
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Just
as Rhainnon hearkened back to her granddam, Helen, so Brendan is very
much like his grandsire, Liam. He's a bright, active dog, full of life.
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Ch. Argent Knights Edge, CGC |
Shawn Rae Lady Carmichael
(8 months old) |
Now Lucy
has joined the household. She's the first dog in almost 15 years to live
here who wasn't born and raised here. She's that special. |
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That's
the story of the Argent Skyes to-date.Each dog is loved for the individual
they were or are. They all were house dogs, who shared the bed. That's
the way life should be with Skyes.
Who
knows what the future holds?
 
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