Meet YAY!

With a little help from alot of friends a little ball of sable fluff joined us last September.

Meet YAY!  Officially known as" Damask Jump for Joy at Obay".



It was a long journey on the search for this puppy. I had a few breedings of my own  that failed to produce or just produced boys. Then I had the possibilities of a puppy from other breeders that just didn't happen: either through not getting pregnant or just producing larger pups. It seemed like I was never going to find my little girl! I had my heart set on a sable girl but honestly would have taken any colour by that point!

Then I heard of a breeding to a dog that I have admired for nearly 8 years after meeting him as a young dog at a Clean Run camp in 2005. I loved this boy so much that I had plans to breed Hex to him. I had visualized that breeding as crossing two of the most perfect shelties. Sadly that never happened but I kept in touch with his owner (an old friend) just in case he was used at stud with a nice bitch.

So I contacted the breeder in Kansas and happily found myself on the list for a puppy. I was happy that the breeder had similar ideas on breeding and she knew I was looking for a smaller girl. The pups were born and I was feeling optimistic as there were two girls. Then tragedy struck and one of the girl pups died at only a few days old. So sad for everyone and I just assumed I was not getting a pup again... Then my luck finally turned when the breeder offered me the one remaining girl. I was so excited and began to plan the difficult process of importing a puppy into England. It is hard to believe but this would be my first puppy bought from another breeder in over 20 years! I had gotten used to breeding my own pups and knowing my own lines. It took a leap of faith for me to let go of the worry that not only was I not raising the litter but also I would not be getting the puppy until it was nearly 4 months old due to import restrictions into the UK.

How could I not love this puppy?

I flew from England to New York to  Kansas to pick up Yay when she was 8 weeks old. She then flew  back with me to New York where I spent a week with her. I hoped that this week would help to bond us together and allow me to start some puppy training.

 

Yay never left my side for that week. I was amazed at how  fast she learned tricks and so pleased with her tugging and play. She was the perfect puppy!  I cried when I left her a week later....

 

Luckily my lovely sister agreed to keep Yay  for the 6 weeks it would take to get her rabies injection and then wait the required time to do the paperwork necessary to import her into the UK. Not only did she take care of her but she also continued her training and socializing. I had a list of things for her to do with Yay and would speak to her every week asking if Yay was still playing and tugging. How annoying I must have been!

 

Yay had other helpers in New York. Friends and family who helped train her, let her out during the day when my sister was working, leash walk her and even friends who helped train those sheltie ears! How luck am I to have such friends and family? It  takes a village to raise a puppy!

 

 

 It seemed like forever until I returned back to New York to pick up 15 week old Yay to bring her home to England. Of course things wouldn't be as simple as just flying into England; that would be too easy!  The only way you can fly into England is to have the puppy in cargo and I wasn't prepared to do that with my puppy. I wanted little Yay at my side the entire trip.

So this required a flight from New York to  Brussels followed by a car ride through Belgium  and  France to get to the Eurotunnel.  Dennis drove from England to Brussels to meet us and on the same day turned around and drove us all back home. Another epic trip!  What a fantastic husband I have!

Dennis was going to take a photo of me and Yay after we passed through the Eurotunnel Pets Passport office. This never happened because after this amazing long journey and the worry of all the paperwork I burst into  tears as soon as we  walked out of the Pets Passport office! The relief of knowing that Yay was finally  mine was overwhelming.

I don't know what the universe has planned for Yay and I. I just know that I absolutely adore her and look forward to our journey together. I don't think I have ever enjoyed a puppy so much. She fits into our family perfectly and I see her and Giz-mo as my Yin-Yang. (or sometimes just as double-trouble!)

 

Yay is so meant to be mine. When I first found out about her it was because I loved her sire. Then I found out the most incredible thing....Yay's mom was related to Zen and Hex through their mom True.  Yay's great great grandmother was also Zen's grandmother!  Now Yay was able to bring me back to the fantastic genes of our gorgeous True.

And finally her name: Damask Jump for Joy at OBay is because she reminds me so much of my very special dog of a lifetime: Joy.

Yay!

 

 

Yay is now almost 11  months old. Agility training has begun and we are loving it!