A message from Cathy (Summer's Mom)
These are without a doubt the hardest words I've ever had to write. It is with an extremely broken heart
that I have to announce my precious girl Summer has gone to the
rainbow bridge. Summer developed pyometra
in which the infection infected her kidneys. She gave a good fight, but it got to be too much for her to
handle. In the end, I had to show my love for her with the hardest decision a pet owner can ever make.
What can you say about your best friend who you've loved and cared for only a short 5 years who's always
happy to see you and never with a bad thing so say? I will be eternally grateful for what Summer has given
me over the years. She was always there for me through good times and bad. Summer taught me so much. She
taught me many life lessons big and small like how to have patience, what unconditional love really is,
what it means to forgive, and how to laugh at myself. For instance, Summer taught me that not everyone
is the same. From the day I brought her home at 10 weeks old, I did everything with her as I had with my
shelties however, when it was time for bed she would bark and whine all night long. I tried everything
and she would not be quiet. This went over a course of several days and Summer and I were quickly
developing a love/hate relationship. She loved me and I hated her. Then finally one night I grabbed
her up and put her in a crate that was next to my bed. That was all it took and she was as happy as a
lark. At this point in time I decided I really needed to put my experience dealing with canine behavior
in action and do some research on this breed. From that point on I had a better understanding of the breed
and how it learns and its desire to be with you; after all this breed was bred for companionship. Summer
became my doggie sole mate and we had a very loving relationship. When I had a bad day Summer would make
my laugh.
Summer was my first keeshond puppy. Together we went through puppy obedience classes, conformation classes,
and agility classes (these were the BEST). Summer finished her championship and took a Group II as a puppy.
She became Nationally ranked and then gave me my first keeshond litter. I will never forget the day Hector
said to me “You always look happy when you are showing your keeshond”. I am very happy with my kees. They
are not like any other breed they truly love you with every inch of their being. Fortunately I have her
son TJ to carry on her legacy. I cannot express how happy she made me and can only hope I made her 1/4 as
happy as she made me.
I can't imagine going home and not seeing her BEAUTIFUL sweet smiling face greeting me at the door. I will
always miss her and will always cherish the times we spent together. She was my partner, my confidant, my
best friend, and most of all my baby.
Through all of this the biggest lesson I have learned from Summer is that having puppies is NOT
what is important to me!! I would give anything and I mean anything to have Summer back. Having said this
I have decided that more importantly then being shown and having puppies is to have loving home in which my
dogs can be the only dog or maybe with one or two dogs.
God speed sweet Summer!
Mom will always love you!!
Home
Summer is now living in her new home in Longwood, FL where she has many sheltie buddies to entertain.
Since going to her new home, Summer has successfully completed "Puppy Love" and "Puppy Plus" obedience
classes and has gone to a few agility classes. Her human mom decided to try her at herding, but it didn't
go so well. While Summer had a ball chasing the sheep around in the pen, herding was not on her mind.
Even though she's been known to entertain herself chasing butterflies in the ring, Summer easily racked up
points going Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and Best Opposite Sex multiple times and went Best of Breed
over specials at 14 months old. Summer became the Champion we knew she was at 15 months old! And took
a Group 2 before she turned 2 years old and made the Best of Breed cut at the keeshond Nationals when she was
5!! What a girl!!!