Dezz

Sad news came to me this week.  Ch. Caerleon Sunset Boulevard 2CC died. Dezz was bred and owned by Wendy Mount (Sunebank Shelties) and Carolyn Vack (Caerleon). Her list of accomplishments is lengthy and impressive but to me, she was the Sheltie that clinched my interest in the breed.

The first time I saw her was at the shows in Westminster MD in May of 2004. I was interested in the breed as a possible second breed for me but really didn't know how to start. Ringside however I noticed this nice sable girl on the table in the group ring while cheering on a friend's Aussie special. (I think I can see Token back there in the lineup in this photo).

My first look at Dezz

Looking at this photo now I see why I was drawn to her; in addition to being well made, I could SEE her structure under all that coat. She is only 2 1/2 here so not in full coat but she always had a coat that fit her and showed her lines well. . She was also the consummate show dog, which helped!
I approached the owners about using her as a model for a portrait and a few months later did a quick photo session which resulted in the painting shown.

The breeder/owners became friends and over the ensuing years I watched Dezz stay up in rankings, always relatively locally handled by a wonderful sheltie specialist Zana Friend. At the end of her career she had more than 200 Best of Breed wins (a big landmark in Shelties) , had been top bitch in the breed and went on to produce a couple of lovely litters for her owners.

Dezz was a funny girl, very stand-offish actually, not what I'd expected with my experiences meeting shelties (mostly Obedience or agility dogs). As I got to know her and her family of siblings, I found that she was not really representative in that way; the boys of her litter were the outgoing gregarious types I was accustomed to.  However even though Dezz was not demonstrative, she was dignified and an amazing showdog when in the ring. I got to show her once (Zana had jury duty!) and I was truly schooled by her once off the table for her down and back and go-around; She simply took off ahead of me, because after all she'd done this hundreds of times more often than I had!

And she could MOVE! No pitter-patter, no bouncing around, just smooth big balanced gait and perfect coming at you.

Carolyn and Wendy did this cross twice and the last cross only produced one puppy, a singleton boy. A handsome sable full brother to Dezz, outgoing and bold. And mine, in 2006.

Encore

Encore

Encore had the family head (lovely with great expression) and build, though he did end up right on the oversize-in-size line. I was able to single him out in the breed ring and he was out with Zana for Nationals twice (won his class the first year, measured out the next, oops).  He ended up not fitting well into the dynamic here with my other dogs, and now lives The Life in Pennsylvania. But for a while I had a bit of Dezz here and I much enjoyed it.

Dezz was whelped in November 2001. A couple of years ago she was diagnosed with a lower abdominal cancer that was suppressed successfully for good length of time with radiation. However in recent months it was becoming clear to Carolyn that quality of life was slipping away, and she had to let her go last Wednesday.

The circle continues however, as Dezz's lovely daughter Tansy,Ch. Caerleon Sunset Sensation, delivered a litter of 3 healthy puppies this morning. Dezz grands, 3 days after Dezz died. Hoping to see great things from them.

Tansy (Ch. Caerleon's Sunset Sensation)

Thank you to Wendy and Carolyn for allowing me to be Dezz's Fan Club president and Official Photographer. Here's to the future with her descendents.

An ad after her first 100 wins.

Zana and Dezz

Carolyn and Dezz.

Dezz was my sheltie model for a painting that was a finalist for the Eukanuba Invitational Poster many years back...

'Girl Talk'