MELODIE

My life was pretty much running on a track of Goldens and Shepherds. A day came, however, after loosing my first Golden that I decided I needed a change. For years a dear neighbor told tales of growing up with Springers. I always left with my side aching from laughing so hard about this breed. I needed a laugh. I started a long walk learning about them and whether they would be a good companion for my other Golden. Abruptly I came to a screeching halt....Springer rage slapped me in the face and raised a red flag. This stood in my way because of the serious nature of the problem and how wide spread it had become. I talked to the breeder of my Goldens and she advised me not to bring a Springer into my home as a companion for Candi.

I don't remember how I found Julie but I'm sure it was through AKC. I called her and told her what I had hoped to find but that I was being advised not to look any further. There were a number of phone conversations between Julie and myself. She patiently told me all about the Springer rage and answered my many questions. She also told me about her breeding program and how she avoided getting the problem into her dogs.

It all seemed a like a long road and I wasn't sure if I should continue. But in the end I found myself at Julie's home and a litter of Springer puppies that stole my heart. It was so hard to choose. They were all wonderful. I came armed with advice from my vet as to what to look for and how to choose. However, that all went out the window as I watched one little female that didn't follow the litter. She pretty much remained independent and wasn't swayed by the others to join in trying to get my attention. Julie said she had been first out of the whelping box and was the Alpha puppy. I was bothered by her continuous scratching. But I knew that Julie was a very conscientious breeder as all of the puppies had learned to deal with grooming which included an electric trimmer and they all had been part of the family and handled by the children and been around the house. They knew about appliances and were comfortable with them too. So, I finally decided on little Miss Independent, who Julie said was "a mommy dog". After her explanation of that I knew this was the right Springer for our home since we were not hunters. Everything pointed to the fact that MELODIE would fit very nicely into our lives and be an excellent companion to Candi.

We took Candi with us when we picked up Melodie and let them get to know each other before we took off for home. Melodie had her own kennel next to Candi but it was so large since it had housed a Golden, we held her during the long trip. Once we got home, we let the dogs into the house. Melodie trotted around the house as if to check everything out. Once she had covered the main floor, she seemed satisfied and sat down and looked at me. It was time to let her out in the fenced backyard. She again proceeded to check it all out with Candi following her.

My memory has pretty much faded since that time except for the fact that the next step was to take her to my vet, to my Golden breeder, and to my obedience trainer. She totally captivated their hearts. Peggy, my Golden breeder was blown away by her and all fears about bringing a Springer in to be a companion to Candi went out the door. My trainer pronounced her perfect and a wonderful puppy. My vet said she was a healthy puppy all around but a little concerned about allergies.



At the time of Melodie's arrival, my office was part of our living room. I put the puppy pen nearby and placed Melodie into it. She had toys, water, and everything a puppy could want. However this was not Melodie's plan and she let me know it. She was not about to be kept in any type of container. It was a blow to her dignity and she kept at me until I took her out. My next alternative was to put a leash on her and attach it to my desk. She wasn't particularly pleased about this but she accepted it for a while.

Life got back to normal if you accept the fact that living with Melodie was normal. I don't think that living with a Springer is ever normal. Melodie immediately took over the house, our lives, and Candi. I was beginning to understand what Julie meant by her being a mommy dog. Our lives were changed forever. This little Miss made every day a new adventure.

When summer came, Candi took her out and taught her all about the puppy pool. The two of them had so much fun playing in the water. The time finally came when Melodie and I went off to obedience school. Candi went along to make sure all went well. Training went so well that we had to adjust a few things. Melodie was exactly like her Golden predecessor, Samantha, she patiently watched Sharon demonstrate things and then proceeded to do them exactly as they should be done - never making a mistake.

Melodie went on to graduate with honors and ribbons as the pictures will show.

To be continued: Melodie's unique life.