Ch. ESSpecial Believe It Or Not

(Ch. Amilyn Flying High X Ch. Tiffany's Image Is Everything)
LW, DOB 1/27/2004, CERF normal
Bred by: Monica Bowers & Robin Novack
Owners: Lou & Marie Cote

Her labor began on schedule and all appeared right. She told me she was ready and I followed her into the whelping room and watched her hop into the box. She knew the drill. An hour later, no puppy had resulted, so I called my vet. Because of her age, I wanted to make sure I didn't take any chances. He told me to be patient and call in an hour if no puppies resulted. She continued to have regular contractions and I could just feel the tip of a tail…it stayed there for nearly an hour without moving in spite of Opal's efforts. My vet suggested a shot of oxytocin and brief walk outside to be followed by another shot if no pup presented. Thirty minutes later, and no puppies, I decided a c-section was in our future. I began making a move for the running van when she delivered a perfect black and white female. Dead. She promptly followed with four more dead girls in various stages of decomposition. After the fifth pup was born, I checked Opal and could not feel any more puppies. I gave her another shot and put her in the bathtub. All clean and dry, we slept on the sofa bed. Opal slept deeply, I was haunted by the memories. About 8 am, my vet called to see how we had fared. I gave him the grim report and he suggest another oxytocin shot. Following that, Opal ate breakfast and settled in for a nap. I went upstairs, but quickly returned when I heard her barking. Inside her crate was something, which I assumed was an afterbirth or another dead puppy. It was a cold, skinny, but alive liver boy puppy. He did not look long for this world, so I set up the whelping box again and placed him on a rug with the heat lamp above and Opal to care for him. I just knew he would not survive, so I didn't tell my husband. He had seen enough loss.
As the puppy warmed, he began nursing. He got stronger and Opal was thrilled to have him. She still couldn't figure out why I had taken the rest of her babies, but she seemed happy to take special care of this one. Opal had always been an attentive Mom, but she simply would not leave this one...period. I caught her attempting to take him out the dog door on more than one occasion...not good in Michigan in January! She carried him around for several days and I became accustomed to making her "GIVE" before she could leave the room!

    The puppy was promptly named Ripley, as in Believe it or Not. He had survived in an environment that killed his five sisters and he waited for 15 hours after the first one was whelped to come out. When it was obvious Ripley was here to stay, I called a friend who had just whelped a litter which was very similar in pedigree. It was only her second litter, but I decided to ask…the worst thing she could say was "No". Would she consider letting Opal raise one or two of her puppies?. A couple of days later, she invited me to come pick up my loaners! I loaded up Opal and Ripley and off we went. Upon arrival, I noticed that my friend's puppies were very thin and desperate acting. I checked the Mom and realized she had very little milk. We brought Opal in, she jumped in the box, surveyed the situation and lay down. We lined the pups up and they eagerly nursed. Opal and Ripley stayed for four days. One pup did not survive, but the other eight were fat and happy. The other Mom's milk came in and she politely said "thanks and good-bye" to Opal. We brought the two loaners here and they remained until about 8 weeks.
     At 10 weeks of age, Ripley was in the wrong place at the wrong time. My husband and step son were playing catch. As Mark reached for the thrown baseball, Ripley appeared. He was struck, fell and stopped breathing. Mark instantly began mouth to nose and Ripley responded. Into the car they went and frantically drove to Michigan State vet school. I met them there and saw my adorable puppy with blue gums and tongue and his eyes going in opposite directions. It didn't look good. Youth was on his side and Ripley came home 4 days later…right as rain.
     Just before his first birthday, Ripley won two majors on a weekend we entered shows "for practice". Within weeks, he captured three more majors to finish. He was an AKC champion at 14 months. I had no plans for Ripley. I imagined he'd stay here forever and be our buddy. A friend called me with news that a puppy she had sold died tragically at 8 months. It was the perfect home. They were in such need. They came to the Chicago shows to watch and my friend introduced us. They stayed with Ripley for a long time. I could see the bond already forming and something in my heart just told me they needed him more than I did. Their pain haunted me and the decision was made within weeks. Shortly after they got him I visited. I saw his wire crate the size of an SUV filled with toys and looking rarely used. I knew it was the right place for Ripley to be.
     Champion ESSpecial Believe it or Not is beginning the important part of his life now. I hope the next 15 years will be less eventful... in a good way.
     This experience has taught me so much about the spirit our dogs possess and we humans possess. I am proud to have been a part in Ripley's life and Opal's taking care of business with someone else's litter. I just know this silly little brown puppy is going to make a bigger mark in life than I ever imagined. He and his mother have certainly inspired and changed mine.