SPIDER
(Ch Tekoneva-Pikop Hezikia CD, AX, AXJ, AD, NAC, NGC, OJC, VCM,TD,TDInc X Ch Bandilane Breezy Kangaroo CD)
He was a troubled dog from a young age. He had a temperament problem and was a hard dog to live with. As he matured, this became more and more apparent. He finished his Championship, but hated the breed ring so we retired him. He is a whiz kid in the obedience ring and that is where he blossomed and thrived. He went out and got his CD very quickly. As a youngster he was not social with the other dogs and could fly into rages at the drop of a hat. Not wanting to continue this trait, he was neutered and tested and the anger continued. As he matured he started to have seizures. It is felt that the rages and the seizures are related. They were about once a month and over the months began to increase in length of time and severity. Determined to work through this naturally, we researched and decided to change his diet to a completely raw diet...he has gone over 11 months seizure free! His anger has deminished as well and he is in the prime of his life. He is happy, outgoing, playful...he is a real dog now and has a lovely sense of humor.
Spider has found his passion...LURE COURSING!!! He lives for it, he will course anytime, anywhere, any weather, and for any length of time allowed.
I must admit there were times when we were unsure what the future held for Spider. Some people recommended putting him down (which we could not do, we would never be able to live with ourselves if we had given up), others said to place him into another home (also not something we could do, we felt too responsible for his life), and so we took everyday as it came and continued to research, train and pray for help for this wonderful boy.
Today he is my best friend, rarely leaving my side or staying home without me. He comes to work with me and he is a joy to be with. His is a story of survival and perseverance. I wouldn't change a minute of the past, as it brought us to the lovely dog we know today and the knowledge we have gained.
Now in 2002, Spider has gone back to agility and is loving it. He is known as "The Spider", as in "The Spider will see you now" or "Will The Spider be joining us tonight?". It is a title given to him by his friends and it shows just far this little troubled dog has come :)
