In early 2000 I started to look around for my next BC and had my mind set on a black & white female. I don’t know why as I love tri’s and males!
Susan Garrett was looking at some choices for me, but the bitch she was thinking about hadn’t come in season when expected and I decided to look around at other litters. Anyway I took a look at Fable’s full sister and there happened to be a repeat breeding due in November. I decided to take one if there was a black & white female. Well there was one, but I was third on the list and one of the people ahead of me wanted her so I figured she was not an option and I would continue looking. It was really apparent from an early age that Fable was “a lot of dog”. When the puppies were about 5-weeks old, I received a call from the breeder to ask if I was still interested in her. I figured it was obviously just meant to be and said yes.
Fable arrived home at 8-weeks old and was just full of piss & vinegar! She really didn’t have an off switch and her stamina was unbelievable!! She was also over the top when anything moved—hard wired from 8-weeks old. Yep she was a lot of dog!
I made some mistakes along the way. One was my home/work life. I was teaching agility, but not from home so I didn’t have the luxury of leaving her in the house, away from the sights and sounds of agility. I didn’t want to leave her home alone for very long days, so she came with and to this day her behavior when she sees and hears dogs work or hears handlers giving agility commands is—shall we say “far from exemplary”
Her behavior in the competition ring however is just awesome! Of all my dogs she truly has a passion for this sport and becomes quiet and depressed if she doesn’t get to play with her agility toys!!! Outside of the ring she’s a little tuffy, but inside that ring she gives her all, all of the time.
Fable’s career started to really come together in 2006. I believe in large part due to a change in my handling, thank-you Linda. I hope to continue building a great partnership with Fable and thank her for making me a better handler.
Fable is now retired and pretty much as she has always done, she is enjoying “doing her own thing”, especially on our summer trips to Barto PA where she obsessively splashes in water and eats stuff at the base of the BBQ!!!