Shadow 01.10.95 - 17.03.11
 
‎"She was my other eyes that could see above the clouds; my other ears that heard above the winds. She is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. She told me a thousand times over that I was her reason for being; by the way she rested against my leg; by the way she thumped her tail at my smallest smile; by the way she showed her hurt when I left without taking her. (I think it made her sick with worry when she was not along to care for me.) When I was wrong, she was delighted to forgive. When I was angry, she clowned around to make me smile. When I was happy, she was joy unbounded. When I was a fool,she ignored it. When I succeeded, she bragged. Without her, I am only another woman. With her, I was all-powerful. She was loyalty itself. She taught me the meaning of devotion. With her, I knew a secret comfort and a private peace. She has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. Her head on my knee would heal my human hurts. Her presence by my side was protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. She has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever - in case I need her. And I expect I will - as I always have. She was my dog, my love, my life."
Run Shadow run my darling...................

My beautiful girl - we were to grow older together. I loved your grace and majesty. Shadow and Jag will show you the way.

Jag was found as a companion to Shadow at age 6 months. They became inseparable the very large 45kg working line German Shepherd and the 15kg cross Belgian Shepherd/ Border Collie.  From Balgowlah to Katoomba to Woonona they travelled together over a span of 11 years.  They saw snow together for the first time, swam in lakes and oceans and creeks and played under a waterfall on their adventures. They stood a firm united unit when Ras the Rough Coat Collie joined the pack, all pastoral breeds, but not the same. Try as he might poor Ras was never quite accepted into the world that the two of them had created.

Jag became ill in the summer of 2007.

For a year he battled and fought his cancer with the heart of a lion. His nicknames were numerous and certainly showed off this warriors nature – D’Artagnan, Darth Maul and on his bad hair days Ziggy Marley. Jag closed his eyes and slipped peacefully away on the morning of December 20 2008 at age 11. He now runs free once again with Shadow over bridges and under waterfalls.

Over the fifteen years we had Baden he grew up to be one oif the most loveable dogs I have had in my life. He was born in March and began to do the things that every dog loves to do. We would pull our hair out with moments when we thought he had gotten out or when he chose to hide in dark areas. I felt about him like a mum does of a child and people may have thought I was silly the way I fussed over him. He had a connection with everyone in the family in different ways but  we had an extra special one. He would stick up for me when we were mucking around in the house and he would bark when I walked out the gate for any reason. He made us laugh as he followed the same track around the backyard and how he would change and go a different way - we thought he was looking out for bindies. As he aged and the weather got warmer he would hide in two spots, one down the side of the house, near the hot water system and the other just under my window.
We miss you Baden - by Laura Turner

Bear came from the Shellharbour pound. He had been dumped at the Albion Park hockey ground and he was found by a German Shepherd owner who phoned Dirk to see if he knew of anyone who had lost a dog. No one claimed him so he came to live with Dirk and Sandra. They found his breeder who belonged to the same club as Dirk. Bear was the runt of a litter from Goulburn and was called Gromit. Bear suited him better.
Bear obtained his BH in Schutzhund which is equivalent to the ANKC CD title and then he retired. He was a regular every Saturday morning down at the South Coast Dog Training Club. He had such a wonderful temperament that he used to help calm agressive dogs. He also used to go with the boys from Keelong Detention Centre to train when they came down to the club.
Bear was a gentle-natured dog but also very protective. He loved to say hello to everyone on a Saturday morning and some of the stories that people have told me about Bear and what he did for them show what a very special dog he was. Dirk and Sandra will miss him.  Once in a lifetime a special friend comes into your life and you have to appreciate them while you have them. As one of our club members said -  we only have them on loan and then they go so make the most of the time you have with them.