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MARLEY

MARLEY CAME INTO MY LIFE IN JULY OF 2005, AFTER LOSING MY DOBERMAN, CALI, IN APRIL OF THAT SAME YEAR. I WAS LOOKING FOR A DOG THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DO AGILITY, AMONG OTHER PERFORMANCE EVENTS, BUT COULD ALSO EVENTUALLY BE A THERAPY DOG. THE DOG I WAS LOOKING FOR CERTAINLY HAD BIG SHOES TO FILL! I HAD ALREADY TAKEN ANOTHER DARE FEMALE HOME, AND HAD TO RETURN HER AS SHE DID NOT GET ALONG WITH MY CAT. I WAS FEELING PRETTY DEJECTED.

I HEARD ABOUT MARLEY (THEN CALLED STORM), AND DECIDED TO MAKE THE DRIVE TO WOODBINE TO LOOK AT HER. SHE WAS A 14 MONTH OLD, NATURAL EARED RED FEMALE, WHO HAD BEEN AN OWNER TURN-IN TO A SHELTER IN THE RICHMOND AREA. SHE WAS PICKED UP BY DARE, SPAYED, AND THEN TAKEN TO CHRISTINE TO FOSTER. SHE HAD NEVER BEEN IN A HOUSE BEFORE, WAS NOT HOUSETRAINED, AND HAD NOT BEEN HANDLED A WHOLE LOT. WHAT WAS I THINKING????

A FRIEND AND I MADE THE JOURNEY TO GO AND MEET HER, AND (PAUSE FOR EFFECT)…… SHE WANTED VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH US, ESPECIALLY ONCE I GOT THE CAMERA OUT. APPARENTLY SHE DID NOT LIKE CAMERAS (IT TOOK HER A LONG TIME TO FORGIVE ME FOR THAT ONE). BUT I WATCHED HOW SHE INTERACTED WITH CHRISTINE, WHO HAD ONLY HAD HER A COUPLE OF DAYS… SHE HAD ALREADY BONDED WITH HER AND SOUGHT COMFORT FROM HER. FOR SOME REASON…. SHE CLICKED WITH ME, AND I TOOK HER HOME THAT DAY. WE HAVEN'T LOOKED BACK SINCE.

WE STARTED TRAINING, AND SHE IMMEDIATELY SHOWED THAT SHE LOVES TO LEARN AND PICKS UP THINGS AMAZINGLY FAST. SHE IS STILL VERY EASILY OVERWHELMED, AND OVEREXCITED IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS; AND IT IS HARD FOR HER TO FOCUS AROUND OTHER DOGS, AS SHE LOVES TO PLAY. HER HOUSE MANNERS IMPROVE EVERY DAY, THOUGH SHE LOVES TO STEAL THINGS…. ANYTHING… AND THEN SHOW YOU THAT SHE HAS IT. WE ARE HOLDING OUT HOPE SHE WILL OUTGROW THAT.

AS FAR AS THE AGILITY GOES, SHE IS DOING FANTASTIC. SHE AMAZES ME EVERYDAY WITH HER DRIVE TO WORK. PEOPLE WHO SEE HER ARE CONSTANTLY SURPRISED THAT SHE HAS ONLY BEEN DOING THIS A FEW SHORT MONTHS. THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH HER. SHE IS FAST!!! SHE WILL PROBABLY MAKE HER COMPETITIVE DEBUT THIS FALL. WE HAVE ALSO JUST STARTED PLAYING WITH TRACKING, OBEDIENCE AND RALLY. I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT SHE CANNOT LEARN!

MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL, MARLEY HAS HELPED ME TO HEAL AFTER LOSING CALI. SHE IS SWEET, ALTHOUGH ALWAYS EXUBERANT IN HER AFFECTION. SHE CONSTANTLY MAKES ME LAUGH WITH HER OFF THE WALL ANTICS. SHE IS A HUGE PRESENCE IN MY HOUSE, MY HEART, AND IN MY LIFE!

KRISTIE TORLINE AND MARLEY (DARE TO STIR IT UP) JULY 2006