French-Vanila's My Fancy Vanila Wafer
Nelly.........
Nelly as I said on my name page was the beginning of FV LABS and we see her beauty and brains in every one of our dogs we can link back to her Below is Nelly at 1
Nelly OFA Hips Good, Elbows Excellent No PRA had her first Litter of 10 in 1996 at the age of 2 1/2 yrs old with a local boy Detering's Jimbo OFA Good No PRA
who was a beauty like Nelly but was not titled. Picture me with our runt Punky trying to help her feed.
Nelly's 10 kids 5 dogs 5 bitches Punky has her head over her sister 4th from left. Last puppy in row is Baby Boy Teal we would lose him to Parvo at 9 weeks old. It was heart breaking dealing with that disease!
Punky at 6 weeks was the one we kept back from Nel's first litter
Nelly at 3 with Punky now 1
Nelly now carrying her second and last litter in 1999 that she had 11 puppies with the #2 dog in Canada at the time
Can Ch Lindenhall’s McIlwain Protégé "Mac"
All Canadian clearances Good. No PRA sound Heart
Nelly and Punky again
Nelly's Mac litter Joey won puppy matches Angie was pointed. OJ and Sassy went on to become champions from this litter
Nell's Mac son we kept back Joey French-Vanila's PlayN to the Crowd more on his page later
All breeders must place puppies it is just a fact that our surplus to our breeding goals is living and we have to find homes for them, and we are sad to see our babies we so love go. But the saddest part of also being a small kennel is room wise we must retire and find homes for our adults once they have made their contribution to our bloodline. Our retiring adults need to be rehomed to make room for new stock and daughters and grand daughters. Punky was the only bitch, following her only litter I spayed and I intended to keep her entire life.
Nelly once she weaned her last litter after spending over 20.000 on showing and training (we get to live with the intact rowdy youngsters, our lucky families we chose for our adults always get a spayed well mannered settled adult) was retired in 2000 to a loving pet home and turned 15 in June 2009
Nelly is still going strong and shows no sign of aging no joint problems no health issues and is enjoying life with her family.
March 4, 2010 Update:
Hard to think of our "Nelaphant" ever getting that old and having to slow down let alone fighting for breath. Send prayers and I will also put Ripley's Angel here as she watches over them all.
Get well Nelaphant!!!!
Update:
French-Vanila's My Fancy Vanila Wafer
June 24 1994-March 11 2010
March 11 2010
Nelly lost her battle today and died at the age of 15 yrs 9 months Sleep peacefully little Nelephant you will be missed- Love mom
Tribute:
It’s hard to write for my own kids though you did not come from me. But you are the foundation of everything that French-Vanila will ever be. Your blood still runs in champions though you never had the taste for it, or wanted to follow the plan you were much happier just being Nelly the one who refused to learn to stand
You would much rather chase invisible snakes and jump into the pond carry on for goodness sakes long after the sun was gone. Stick your face in a bees nest and swell up ten fold, butt tuck for no good reason stop! Look, repeat! God when did you get old?
You will forever be frozen in time, locked in youthful glee! The dog I liked, but the one who worshiped me.
You were our little Nelphant when only 5 weeks old. You followed me in perfect step wherever I would go.
As a pup you were afraid of the fireworks and tried to hide in my lap. But even grown at 60 pounds BAM Boom! And onto to me you would splat!
Your first litter, labor pains sent you running for me once more. Your second litter you were a pro and just gave me a look through the door to let me know that you were fine to handle it this time as long as I was where you could see. God I have had a lot of dogs, but never one who was so bonded with me..
I made a promise as I make to them all that one day you will have a special home to share your whole life through. And though it was not an easy choice letting go is always difficult to do. But you had a very wonderful life being an only kid. Spoiled Queen bee of the household as long as you lived.
The birthday cards and pictures that your mom always sent me these years past have kept you in my heart and will a lifetime last and are a cherished gift I review though my tears. And when I would hear of how happy you were and saw that great big smile I knew that you were home at last, my crazy wild child!
So sleep softy my little Nelapahnt where all the puppies go, I think of you every time Sadie starts eating a path of snow- as she plows through, her mouth agape much like you used to do. And though it was not included in the wish list of the original poem below I also wish for some 8 foot drifts too, as Heaven would not be Heaven if that was not also waiting just for you.
The
sands of time catch us all- Two footed, four footed large and small.....
Goodbye
my little ray of sunshine as we must now turn the page
May you walk along the clouds and find contentment there free from pain or the
restrictions of old age,
May happiness light your face, at the tennis balls all over the place.
Kongs and toys fill the space.
May you chase those tennis balls through the sky with the stars as your guide.
May angels wait patiently for you to return the balls to their side.
May they throw them forever and never tire.
May you know only green grass, cool breezes and a warm fire.
May you have all the cookies and goodies that is your heart's desire.
After all this is Heaven.
May you only know joy and jubilation from now on and may you meet me at the door when I too come home, when my time is up and I am done. May you stand there, forever young.
Till then I have tucked you up inside in a special place. You may have to squeeze in just a bit as you see it is a very crowed space. But I always can make room for you. I reserved that space so long ago. I hoped it would never be taken, but I always knew one day inside you too would go.
Goodbyes are never easy, so I will just say the sun is shinning I'll open the door and let you out to play and I will see you in the evening when the sun goes away!
Why do dogs have to grow old? Why do they have to die? Why do they take our hearts, when they leave? Why oh why????
By Sandy
Original written 1998
