On August 3rd, 2015 our faithful friend. Kyodai passed away after of 16 wonderful years. She was a truly wonderful dog and we miss her dearly. Ky was with me since she was a puppy. When she first came to me she knew nothing, not even the word no. Jenny met Ky when she first came to America and enjoyed her for 8 years. Ky really helped Jenny adjust to life in America and stave off loneliness. She would follow Jenny from room to room and keep her company whatever she was doing.
After about a week of true depression, we decided to get a new puppy. Jenny was a bit hard to convince as she was concerned it would damage Ky’s memory. I told her that Ky wasn’t sad up in heaven, we gave her a good life, and Ky wouldn’t want us to be sad either.
I knew exactly the breed of puppy I wanted. Ky was a German Shepherd and Collie mix, with a bit more German Shepherd, and that’s what I wanted. I also wanted a newly weened puppy who hadn’t learned the bad habits taught by a negligent, ignorant and/or abusive owner. Call me selfish. The search began.
The internet was my tool, and I knew how to use it. The first thing you read is from the ‘save the world, don’t promote mutts, don’t buy from pet stores’ people. I delved into the rescue’s and the pet finders sites. Finding the breed I wanted was impossible. I didn’t just restrict my search to nearby, I was ready to drive cross country.
Thank God I finally found Stirling Collies, a breeder in Minnesota. Low and behold, they even had a mixed litter almost ready for placement. They had an AKC lineage and were 5/8 German Shepherd and 3/8 Collie- exactly what I wanted. After a very pleasant exchange with Diane over at Sterling, we had puppy female #6 on hold. Our new puppy had her first airplane ride and on August 24th and we picked her up late that evening.
Our journey had already begun. We’d already gone to the library and picked up a couple of books on dog training. I’ve trained before but it’s always a good idea for a refresher and to learn new ideas. Ky was an amazingly good dog who I swear understood English, and I knew with dedication my new puppy could do the same. We’d already purchased her food, supplements, and treats online using the brand the breeder used. Shipments from Amazon had rolled in the entire week before with training treats, chew toys, human grade vitamins, and more chew toys. The dog crate was setup and a divider installed to accommodate a tiny puppy. The house was puppy proofed. We were good and ready.
Our first meeting with our new puppy in the Delta cargo parking lot was divine. We met our new puppy, buddy, and companion and she met her new owners, masters, friends, and parents. She was wide eyed at the big world and the new surroundings in a grassy spot next to the roar of the airplanes. We had a quick visit and packed her up for the short drive home.