Flashback! Me, Beau and Jessie, 1978

What a flashback! I have been going through old pictures, and this is one of me in 1978 with my frst two Rough Collies, Beau Flambeau of Brackenbrae (on the right), and Ch. Banreigh of Brackenbrae CDX HC TT on the left. In this picture Beau was 9 and Jessie was 1-1/2 years old.

My family got Beau when I was nine years old in 1969 (OK, you can do the math). His great-grandsire was a famous dog named Int'l Ch. Lochinvar of Ladypark, a majestic British collie who some say was the greatest collie of all time. The Beswick figurine is modeled after Lochinvar. Beau was an old - style collie in appearance and temperament, a loyal and intelligent companion with a flashy temper and little tolerance for foolish people or dogs. He was a collie before the Lassie popularity phase influenced breeders to tone the breed down a bit and make them less 'sharp' and more 'gentle.' It is funny but because of Beau's influence, I have always enjoyed my dogs a bit on the edgy side - as long as they are solid in temperaent, a bit of fire is a nice thing.

He was an amazing dog to have from the time I was 9 until I was 21 years old. He came with me every day on my first job at a touristy place called Centennial Park, and often laid at my feet when I was in University (before all the dog rules made it hard to bring your dog to public places).

Jessie was also a great dog, but her background went to Ch. Chin-Peek Pacer, a Parader -based (Steve Field) dog on her sire's side and Ch. Bririch Gold Emblem and Dazzler of Dunsinane (British dogs) on the dam side. Jessie was the first dog I really did "dog stuff" with. Even though I wasn't into tracking, she was Utility trained and used to put on demos for boyscouts where they would pile their shoes into the centre of a room and she would find the match for any shoe I presented to her. She would have been a wonderful tracking dog! But she was a grand old lady of 12 when I discovered tracking, and lived to her 13th birthday. I will have to dig out the photo of her on her 13th birthday - she was stunning and in wonderful shape. One day she just went into a coma and I lost her, very suddenly. It is so hard when they get old!

I still remember the day I brought Jessie home that year, in 1978. She had won some trophies as a puppy - so I lined them up on our piano to convince my parents to let me keep her, I was so desperate for another dog! My parents fell in love with her, so much that when I left home they asked to keep her - but Jessie came with me, of course!

These were the two dogs that drew me into the dogworld. They were great dogs, good friends and I carry them both in my heart. This picture was taken at Centennial Park which was next door to my childhood home, also long gone but in my heart.