Clean Run Magazine - May 2007 - 52

Epilog I remember reading an article in Clean Run about start lines, and how you should lead out, then look back and make that last eye contact with your dog before you start running a course. After you make that eye contact, don’t forget to smile because it is the last chance you have to tell your dogs that you love them and that you are ready to play. You never know when you will have that last chance to do that. Every time I led out, I would turn and smile at my Ceilidh and we would share a secret look that said,“Love you so much—now let’s rumble.” Two weeks after the St. Cloud trial Ceilidh and I drove down south to Fargo, North Dakota, for a two-day AKC trial. She had not had great luck in Fargo and found the building intimidating. I had decided that if she did not enjoy this show that I would not ask her to perform in that building again. Her happiness was more important than anything else to me, and I would not force her to be somewhere that was stressful to her. She quickly showed me that she was not afraid of any old building, and her performance that weekend was outstanding. Each class we had such a good time playing together and that invisible thread that connects a dog and handler was spinning between us. She read my mind and did distance handling with great speed, with so much life and so much happiness. And we partied at the end of every class, Q or no Q. It was another show where I really understood what it felt like to dance with my dog. We had so much fun the entire weekend that we spent together—just the two of us. Little did I know that those would be my last runs with my baby girl. Two weeks later she would pass away from an unexpected, swift-moving condition. My face was the last thing she saw in this world, and still the bond that we built over the brief four and a half years we were together held. It is devastating to me to think about going on without her as she was my soul mate. o if you ask me how important the Qs were, I will say that they don’t matter at all. What I will remember is the joy that we had playing together, the happiness on her face at the finish line to hear a “Yea, Ceilidh—you were so awesome,” from her Mom, no matter what had happened on course, and the love we shared cuddling, kissing, and hugging after every class. We both loved agility, but most of all we loved doing agility together. At any time for any of us the run or practice with your dog could be the very last one you get to do. Don’t do it in a way that will leave you with regrets.Treat every chance you get to play with your dog as a celebration. I did and I am so glad that at the very least I can hold on to that and know that I didn’t let her down, but instead gave her the confidence to go forward boldly and joyfully.We loved every minute that we had together because we both had fun and we both made each other so very happy. Over these ensuing days in my aloneness I have received many wonderful words of encouragement from friends and even some strangers who admired the bond of love that I shared with my dog. It was palpable. What more can we ask for? Our dogs don’t ask for much from us, and they deserve nothing less than to think that they are the center of our world, for most certainly she was the center of mine. They deserve to think that playing with us is the very best thing they could be doing in the whole world. For Ceilidh the two of us playing together was always her most favorite thing to do and she didn't care at all about ribbons or Qs.Thankfully in the end I can say with great certainty that not only did I think she was my best friend, but she also absolutely believed that I was hers. Rest in peace baby girl, Ceilidh. S D Glenda is a human resource professional with the City of Winnipeg. Since losing Ceilidh unexpectedly, Glenda takes great comfort in the fact that Ceilidh thought agility was only about fun and the chance to go and play with “mom.” Glenda is now enjoying her new little Aussie, Dream, who is following in Ceilidh’s footsteps. Glenda wants to express her gratitude to all who helped her learn to play agility for joy—JoAnne, Janet, her classmates, and Clean Run magazine. 52 Clean Run | May 07

Clean Run Magazine - May 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - May 2007