Happy birthday, Jamie!

Jamie turns 10 today! Happy birthday, Big Red Dog!

What an amazing 10 years it's been. I remember the trip to southern Ohio to pick up Jamie in September of 1999 like it was yesterday. Tammy probably does, too! And no, I am NOT sorry we did not stop to take pictures of that log cabin . . . the one with granny and her corncob pipe on the front porch and the moonshine still in the back yard. I swear I could hear "Dueling Banjos" as we drove by.

Jamie, 9 weeks

(the future OTCh., U-UD Ariel's Escape Through Time, 

UDX3, TD, MX, MXJ, MXP, MJP, RE)

Jamie, 3 months

Jamie's legacy is being the Most Patient Dog In The World. Nothing reflects this more than his tolerance of me as a trainer. I put him in the obedience ring when he was too young. I rushed to push him into Open and Utility before he was ready. I tried to make him "just like Connor," my first OTCh. He must have shaken his head in exasperation with me more than once, then slowly and gently nudged me around to his agenda.

Like his Scottish Highlander namesake in Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series, Jamie is full of surprises. After a completely mediocre Novice and Open career, he went High In Trial from Open B in the pouring rain at the ABTC nationals in 2004. Suddenly, our teamwork blossomed and he finished his OTCh. a year later. His obedience career was a roller coaster of highs and lows and the lessons he taught me were invaluable.

Jamie enjoyed an agility career that admittedly was not marked by blazing speed but was one of consistency and fun. He was a steady and reliable dog and I never under-valued those qualities even though they rarely found us collecting the blue ribbon when the class was over. I sometimes wondered if he read the course maps in his crate because he was so consistent. He retired with half the DQs for a MACH but I think we would have both been old and gray before getting 750 points. (We may be gray now but we are not old!)

Jamie, 1 year old

Jamie is a wonderful dog to camp with. He is a highly efficient, snuggly heater and camp guardian. Only once in all the years I've camped did I get a bad feeling about a couple of guys who were hanging around the campground. When they loitered close to my set up, Jamie stood up, stepped in front of me and stared at them. They left and did not come back.

He also sparkles with that ridiculous Tervuren sense of humor. This usually involves poking people in the butt with his nose and the list of poke-ees is long. He smiles when he sees people he likes, a happy, fang-baring grin that shows every tooth in his mouth.

Jamie, 10 years old

Ten years has flown by, measured by training sessions, trials, classes, ribbons, friendships, lessons, celebrations and above all, sharing the journey with my big red dog. His current jobs include holding down the couch and barking to alert when the Farmer comes in from chores at night. He is a wonderful "Belgian express" dog, carrying mail, messages and occasionally (VERY occasionally) food from me in the kitchen to the Farmer elsewhere in the house.

This is boring! Where's my cake?

Jamie sends happy birthday wishes to all his friends who also turn 10 this year: Simon, Syd, Ryelee, Breeze and Nina, in memoriam. They are our wonderful '99 models.