As sometimes happens, no matter how carefully a breeder selects their buyers, screens, interviews, follows up with home visits, writes contracts of exacting demands and extraordinary length, things don't always work out.
Gloria Damewood of Odyssey Kennels is a careful breeder. She whelped a litter of beautiful puppies from her very talented blue bitch Rae. Gloria and Storey decided to co-own a nice boy out of the litter so Gloria wouldn't have to run around the ring quite so much! Between the two of them, a nice, black tri boy was selected and took his own sweet time at growing up. But he's another story altogether. About 18 months later, Storey arrived at a show and spotted Gloria with a gorgeous blue bitch trotting freely, if a little confused, at the end of a long leash. "Like my new bitch?" Gloria asked. Storey immediately began planning ways, both devious and forthright, to get a hold of that girl.
The girl was Diamond and her story wasn't suppose to start off the way it did. Initially sold to a pet home in Alamagordo, NM, Diamond was living with a woman and her children. Everything seemed to be a good fit. But then months went by without Gloria hearing from the owner, who also owed Gloria the balance of Diamond's purchase price. Gloria stopped by to check on the girl and found her chained in the backyard. This was not the life Gloria had envisioned for her pup and she told the owner so. The owner protested that Diamond jumps fences and had to be chained. Gloria offered to waive the remaining purchase money if the owner would use it to buy a run with a top for Diamond. The owner agreed. Gloria checked on Diamond again a couple of weeks later. Her circumstances had not changed. Gloria demanded the return of the dog. There was no argument.
But Gloria didn't have time or the room for another blue bitch, so she was something of a pushover for Storey to convince. After a couple of delays, Diamond came to live at Black Rock. Diamond has a wonderful, steady yet protective temperament. She is a credit to her breeding, given the early isolation she experienced. The former owner was right about one thing -- Diamond can jump a fence! She is as agile as a dog can be.
Although Diamond's free and flowing movement ought to stand her in the show ring rankings against the very best, she does not have the confidence she might have had if her puppyhood had been better. She tends to pin her ears and generally make it clear that showing isn't a favorite past time.
Diamond was bred to Pacifico in January 2004. This blue to blue breeding produced a litter of ten puppies with eight surviving. Of the eight, and in defiance of the statistics of genetics, there was only one black tri, a girl, who will stay at Black Rock. The remaining merle pups are headed for show and pet homes as near as just down the road and as far as Boston.
Once Storey moved to Germany, Diamond was on the wait-list of dogs to move overseas. Storey planned on bringing her to Germany in late 2005. Unfortunately, the area of Germany to which Storey was assigned is a major military training area. Tank, artillary, and small arms fire can be heard around the clock -- distant -- but clear. Diamond has a phobia about thunder, fireworks, and gunfire. Clearly, moving to Germany would not be in her future. Gloria found a pet home for Diamond and her future seemed secure and bright. Following spay surgery however, on March 23, 2005, Diamond died. Her passing was completely unexpected and absolutely shocking. Forensic tests indicated significant kidney failure unrelated to the surgery, which could not have been reasonably anticipated in a girl who seemed to be in the prime of life and health.
