Keeper
Brentwood’s Promise Kept, NAJ, CGC (CHIC)
Ch. Ketka Sticks and Stones X Ch. Ketka’s Kelsea of Brentwood
“Keeper”
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Keeper acquired her name when Kelsea finally produced a litter with GIRLS in it, and I kept saying, “There’s gotta be a KEEPER in there!”
Keeper had a great topline, harsh coat, wonderful ear set, and great movement that set her apart from her sisters. Here she took a Terrier Group Three at a Match Show. |
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Much to my disappointment, Keeper’s tail curled over her back after six month of age; we only showed her a few times, but felt that was literally waving a fault under the judge’s noses and decided to discontinue showing her. |
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| Despite her “fault”, Keeper still had a lot to offer the breed; she passed all her health clearances (CHIC), and obtained her CGC (AKC’s Canine Good Citizen exam). She just seemed too nice a dog to waste in a breeding program, so she was bred to Ch. Conundrum Rambling Blues, CGC (CHIC) |
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As it turns out, Keeper did not enjoy pregnancy and had a difficult partial delivery of her litter in which two puppies had to be revived, and ended up with a C-section for the final pup, which was dead. Only one of the surviving pups thrived, and so Keeper was eventually spayed. |
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| I have always admired those who did agility — it looked like the dogs had such fun, and Keeper had such a quick mind (look at that intense gaze in the photo above center right!). I always said she’d make a good agility dog, and since she obviously decided against motherhood, I thought I would pull her out of retirement and see if she would like this sport. Well, it would be an understatement to say, “She loves it!”, as this dog *knows* when it is Monday (our night for class) and “bugs me” all day, letting me know that *she knows* it’s our night out! |
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At our first trial weekend (dog *and* owner), Keeper captured TWO legs in Novice Jumpers With Weaves. Not only did she “pass”, but she garnered a First and Second Place with two big rosette ribbons! On to complete that title!!
At our second trial weekend, Keeper finished her Novice Jumpers With Weaves title with a first place. She was moved up to Open Jumpers and ran a clean run her first time in it — but in my caution to make no errors, we ran 10 seconds over time.  On to Novice Standard!
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