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... CHARMAINE's and
ANNE's STORY ... . How a Little Dog has changed my life During the time Eddy was in the RAAF we moved around quite a bit and so we felt it was inappropriate to have a dog. It was when we decided to leave the RAAF, that the decision was made to own our first dog. After considerable research we decided on a Cavalier. One of our main criteria's was that it be small, for two reasons our house in Sale where we would be moving to only has a small yard, and most importantly I was terrified of large dogs. As a child I was bailed up by a group of trained guard dogs which had escaped from their yard. This incident although it left no physical scars left me with a terror of larger dogs. This fear was so great that I would walk miles out of the way to avoid any contact or avoid hearing a dog barking behind a fence. When Charmaine arrived I decided that I would take her to Obedience classes, not to train her so much but for me to overcome my fears so that I could take her for walks. Reading all of the books on dog Psychology and training would not help me overcome my fears, I had to get out and experience dogs first hand. Charmaine loved her Saturday outings and I learnt that not all-big dogs wanted to eat me. That truly opened up a new world for me, Charmaine learnt her exercises quickly with her daily practices and my own confidence grew. I was soon approaching large dogs and even began to pat them, as long as the owner was right there. Something that I had never been able to do. After classes Eddy and I would often stay and watch the higher classes and deep down inside I wanted to have a dog that would do all those fancy exercises. I loved to watch a couple of Shelties practicing the Utility exercises and was utterly amazed at what these dogs could do. I never once dreamt that one-day my Charmaine would become a Utility dog.
Our first Graduation day came around while we were still in puppy class, Eddy dragged me along kicking and screaming. As far as I was concerned there was no way I was going into any ring for a one on one test. Not this little black duck. Needless to say Eddy won out and Charmaine and I were placed second with a passing score. We remained in Puppies for about another month, as Charmaine was not yet six months. From puppies we were placed into grade 1 for 1 week and then moved straight up into Grade 2. Our next Grad-day came around very quickly and once again Eddy dragged me along. We once again placed second but no pass this time; Charmaine did every thing but me, well I was told that I was running poor Charmaine off her feet, most of the dogs in the class were large breeds and I was trying to keep pace with them and I had unknowingly learnt to take large paced leg strides trying to keep up with the class. There was no way she could keep up, and those turns were atrocious. The instructor organized a one on one with an experienced handler of small dogs, for the following week. I turned up minus one Charmaine. Charmaine had started her first season so was unable to attend. All my instructor had to say was "great we can work on the real problem with out distraction." I owe a lot to that instructor as she really sorted me out that day. I can still here her "little steps, put an extra step in that turn, little steps, 90 degree turns, smaller steps. Go home and practice." Well I took her advice and went home and practiced, but these little steps were not working for me. After about a week I seemed no further advanced so I decided it was time for a radical change. I found an old pair of Stockings and tied my feet together, so that I could only take little steps. After a week of this my whole way of walking was altered and little steps were now not a problem. Charmaine loved every minute of training, whenever her lead would come out she would do laps around the house until she would take up her position at the door and wait patiently for her lead. Her early training was done in our own yard, as I was still very touchy about encountering a wandering canine. While Charmaine was on her break from classes the club held an Obedience Trial. I had never heard of these so I decided to go along and watch. We were advised to watch the Novice ring so we set up just outside the ring. Eddy was the one who had to drag me away. I knew that day that Charmaine and I would eventually have a go. I knew we still had a bit to learn but I could see that Charmaine was already well on her way. One day I was feeling very brave, and spurred on by the Trial, I decided to take Charmaine to the local park for a run and to do some training. This was a big step for me as I usually waited for Eddy to come with me just in case we encountered a loose dog. On the way home I saw a large dog walking in our direction on the same side of the road. Panic stations. My heart started to race and I could feel the sweat trickling down my brow. I made a decision that day that would alter my future, instead of turning around and walking 3 blocks to get home, I stood there and let the dog approach. It just kept walking straight past us. Charmaine was not in the least bit perturbed and just gave me a puzzled look, "What's the matter with you, Mum. It's just a dog." Now to most people this was not a big deal, but to me it was like being told you could fly and jumping off a cliff and realizing you really could fly. I would never have realized this fact without my Charmaine by my side.
The end of the year was approaching rapidly and we prepared for our move to Sale. Eddy's time in the Air force was coming to an end and we hoped to be in our own home before Xmas. We had found out that there was a Dog Club in Sale and I planned that I would continue my training there. We started with our new Club on the first day back after Xmas. We were placed in Grade 3. This clubs training methods were totally different to what we had been used to, and it took a few weeks to get back in the grove. Our walks had become a relaxed affair as Charmaine continually reminded me that there was nothing to be frightened of. I could now even walk past yards with a barking dog. Charmaine even to this day has never reacted to a barking dog, she just walks right on past as if nothing is there. I heard that the Club was going to have a Trial on the Queen's Birthday weekend combined with 2 other clubs in the area. Eddy talked me into entering the Novice class, "Just give it a go," I reluctantly agreed, I felt that I was not quite ready. I knew Charmaine could do it but the thought of going into the ring was a bit intimidating. The first trial was to be held in Bairnsdale. I entered the ring a complete jellied mess, my stomach was in my mouth, and I didn't think my legs were going to hold me up. The judge was wonderful and really tried to put me at ease. Heel on lead was followed by a Stand for examination, Charmaine was taking it all in her stride. No big deal Mum. Heel free followed; I didn't see or feel Charmaine at all. All the judge had to say was lovely. The stand stay followed and once again no problem. On to the recall. Charmaine loved this exercise and would come in like a rocket. However on this day as I left her, she broke from position. End of exercise no pass. The next day was our own clubs trial at Sale. Charmaine passed all the individual exercises and we went into the stays sitting on a pass. Sit Stay no problem however with 30seconds remaining in the down she sat up. No pass. All the triallers commiserated with me and assured me that a pass was not far away. The next day it was the same story with only a very short time remaining she once again sat up. Although we were unsuccessful I was buoyed by all the support from the other competitors. Eddy and I had planned to travel to NSW to visit relatives and it was a joint decision to enter some trials while we were away. The first one was held at Deer Park in Sydney just a short trip from my brother's place. Charmaine once again broke the down stay. I was feeling very low, when the judge came up to talk. He had been very impressed with Charmaine's performance and told me that she had only lost 5 points up until the down stay. We talked for a good while and he showed me an exercise to practice with Charmaine to help with the stay problem. There was one other thing he asked me that day, and I did not have an answer. "Do you just want to get her title or do you want to go on to be a Winner of Winners?" I left the trial that day with a new prospective, but before we could have an answer we had to correct this stay problem. At my brothers place we practiced the new stay exercise. When I went to sleep that night I felt that we had made real progress. The following day was another Trial this time at Erskin Park to be run by the Penrith Club. Charmaine was cataloged last in a very large Novice class; we waited around all day for her turn. My mother and brother had come along to watch and we all enjoyed a very sociable day meeting and talking to lots of triallers. Mum was amazed to see me so relaxed around all the dogs and I suppose I too realized THAT DAY JUST HOW FAR my little Charmaine and I had come. Our time finally came to go into the ring; all the other rings had finished so a crowd had assembled outside our ring. When we had completed all the individual exercises the judge clapped, and as I left the ring a number of other competitors also were clapping and congratulating me. I said wait we still have stays to do. During the sit stay Charmaine made a slight move, but her bottom stayed put, the down stay was the longest three minutes of my life but she stayed. A PASS. Not only was it a pass but it was a FIRST in ring. We were over the moon. Charmaine had really just been waiting for the right time. Everyone was commenting on just how much Charmaine enjoyed being in the ring. "Doesn't her tail ever stop?" The following weekend was the Albury double header. On the Saturday Charmaine breezed through all of the exercises and once again came first with a 195 out of a possible 200. All the comments told me I really had a crowd pleaser. Charmaine never stopped wagging her tail and her whole attitude was "this is the best game on earth." How proud I was of my little girl. The next day I was beside myself with nerves. As I entered the ring my head was just blank I couldn't remember anything. I remember standing at the starting peg trying to work out which side was left. Suddenly I heard the judge say forward and I just went into automatic pilot. At some point during the offlead heelwork I heard a very noisy motor bike right outside the ring. "Charmaine's going to freak," I thought, as the judge called right turn, I turned left. We completed the heeling pattern. Back at the starting post the judge told me to calm down as I was loosing points. I took a deep breath and we continued on. As I left Charmaine for the recall I prayed for strength to continue. I called Charmaine and she came in like a rocket dead straight managing somehow to plant her bum down and slide into a perfect front. Her finish was fast and perfect. The judge came up and said she had never seen a recall like it and awarded her the perfect recall. We went straight into the stays and if I thought the stays at Penrith were long I had been sadly mistaken. A PASS A TITLE. Charmaine and I were over the moon 191 and second place. WE had done it TOGETHER and Charmaine had loved every minute. Charmaine was awarded Highest Aggregate in Trials that weekend, an award that I will never forget.
Charmaine, Eddy and I returned home Trialling addicts. We moved on into Open trialling and had a few hiccups but with Eddy's help (and a few other people) we overcame them all. Eddy now wanted a pup of his own so we decided to breed Charmaine. Charmaine received her first pass in Open when she was 4 weeks pregnant; she then went on maternity leave. She had four puppies on the 1st January 1995. Eddy had his pup; you can read all about Nelson in his own story. Charmaine's other pups were placed in pet homes and are all spoilt rotten. Charmaine returned to the obedience ring where she continued to shine. The more she trialled the more she enjoyed it. She has become very well known for her love of work. I also grew more and more confident with other dogs and it was now not uncommon for me to be seen playing with dogs of all types and sizes. The strange thing was dogs seemed to be searching me out not to eat me but to get a pat or play session. Charmaine gained her CDX title and then we moved on into training for UD. This was not easy, as we had no one in our club who had recently done UD. Eddy and Nelson were seriously looking at starting UD training as well, as little Nelson now only 6 months already had his CD title. Together Eddy and I studied the UD exercises and fumbled our way through. Charmaine was our guinea pig. We made so many mistakes at first, but Charmaine being Charmaine was so patient with me and slowly we started to put it all together. We entered a few trials to gauge where we were up to and were very surprised at how well we did, no pass but we didn't totally embarrass ourselves either. Her first pass came at Werribee in October '95. We entered a few more trials but without success Charmaine was just consolidating her routine and looking back now was not fully confident. Meanwhile Eddy had commenced Nelson on training avoiding some of the mistakes I made with Charmaine and sneaked away to a trial in NSW (a weekend where I had to work) and came back with a pass. Mother and son were even, but before Charmaine could catch up they did it again and Nelson was one up. In February 1996 we all went to Bega for a weekend of 3 trials. On her 3rd birthday both Charmaine and Nelson got passes but this was Nelson's title, (poor Charmaine she would never forgive her little upstart son for this and would eventually get even.) The next day Charmaine began to scratch and when I looked her skin it was fiery red. Charmaine was allergic to the grass where we were. I gave her a bath and applied cream and kept her off the grass as much as I could. We went in the ring and she performed like a trooper we went into the stays sitting on our title. The sun came out and Charmaine was looking very uncomfortable for the stand for examination when I returned to her she had a furious scratch. All I could hear was position your dog for the down, I knew at that point that we were in trouble. Behind the hide for 10 long minutes people told me she was still down, but when I returned she was a good meter forward. The judge told me she was creeping forward on her belly and ofcourse she couldn't pass her. I picked Charmaine up took one look at her red and now blistered belly and broke down in tears. What had I done to my Charmaine no pass is worth this? I rushed Charmaine to the car and washed and creamed her belly and told Eddy we had to immediately return home. 6 hrs later I was in at my own Vets and Charmaine was treated for a severe contact allergy. A few weeks passes as we waited for the trials to start up again in Victoria. The first trial we went to Charmaine was in great form passing the exercises with ease until the FOOD REFUSAL when I left her I said "Wait" judge said "EXERCISE FINISHED". I had just blown it the ONLY place in the rulebook that says you must use a specific word STAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I remember the Judge well and he consoled with me in the ring. Next trial guess what happened. I said WAIT AGAIN. I couldn't believe my ears. What was I doing, I could forgive myself for doing it once but twice would I ever be able to live it down. The next trial I vowed to be silent and not say anything for the Food Refusal just use a signal. And guess what we gained our title ARIETTY CHARMAINE UD. We continued to trial for a few weeks until Eddy came up with the bright idea lets try TRACKING. "Eddy you must be joking Charmaine Track, she hates the cold and wet, and tracking is done over the winter." However with a bit of encouragement we started to train, there was to be a Preliminary Tracking Trial locally in 4 weeks and all confident Eddy said we should aim for that. Well Nelson quickly got the idea but Charmaine was going very slowly. It was obvious to us that what we were doing wasn't working for Charmaine. We tried a new line of training for Charmaine. We headed to a local oval that was surrounded by trees, while Eddy held Charmaine, I disappeared across the oval and concealed myself behind a big tree. Once I was in position Eddy brought Charmaine out and she immediately started to look for me Eddy just stood there Charmaine began to whimper and finally put her nose down. She couldn't see me but realized "Hey I can smell mum went this way". Before long here was Charmaine licking my face and yipping at the top of her voice. This yipping was to become Charmaine's tracking trademark. Charmaine never looked back from this point, but I had missed the close of entry for the Prelim Test. Nelson would go and be successful but Charmaine would have to wait a month for the next trial of the season, 4.5 hours away. During that month it became obvious that although Charmaine loved obedience work her true calling was tracking. Charmaine hated the wet and is known for her excellent bladder control on wet days, also for her ability to walk around anything that appeared to be even slightly wet. In obedience to get Charmaine to drop or even sit on damp ground was an impossibility. But when she had her tracking harness on, neither rain nor sleet nor swamp would deter her from her track and articles. Articles were there to be not dropped on, but slam-dunked, then you yodel and tell the world what you have found, then run back to mum, and jump on her just to make sure she is as muddy as you. Our first Tracking trial arrived. I was expecting paddocks but when we got there all I could see was trees. I was in absolute panic. I had never practiced with trees. We camped overnight in the shed that is on the grounds, everyone tried to reassure me that everything would be OK, even going to the extent of telling me some tracks were in paddocks. The next morning arrived very quickly and we all went through the checking in procedure and lead measuring routine, then waited. All too quickly Eddy was called to lay my track and as he disappeared into the bush all hopes for a paddock track disappeared. The judge and steward returned and told me to get Charmaine ready, we then all headed off into the bush. My stomach was in my mouth, my legs like jelly as the judge said, "There is your start" as she pointed to this flag amidst the trees "when your ready you may start." I thought dam Eddy and tracking. I headed to the start post and Charmaine was tracking before we started. When she smelt the sock she bolted off like a greyhound out of its box. Full length of the lead I followed around trees through prickle bushes, at one stage Charmaine did a beautiful Fig 8 around a few trees I desperately tried to untangle the mess as Charmaine pulled and pulled. Off again my hands were full of prickles and I desperately tried to hold onto the lead. Finally Charmaine was jumping all over Eddy as the judge and steward approached with deep furrows on there forehead. "What the! #$%^&&^%$#~!@ do you think you were doing. Fantastic dog but your handling #%(*&$#@&@&#&$#*&". Charmaine passed and I limped away to lick my wounded dignity. I was later heard mumbling "no one told me that I could shorten the lead." I made a vow I would learn to track in the bush and how to handle the lead even if it killed me. Bush here we come. Eddy and I returned home Charmaine with her Prelim Pass, and well Nelson had followed some Kangaroo's so the pair was even yet again. We practiced and practiced in the bush and both dogs did very well through the season and when it came to the final track for the year both had their Tracking Dog Titles and were upto there Test 3's. Now this final track of the season was to be held at the same location as Charmaine's Prelim, however now I was in a much better state of mind I knew how to handle those dam trees. Once again Charmaine took of like a rocket but I was in much more control as I let the lead out to an appropriate length and followed Charmaine keeping an even tension on the lead. We proceed along the track managing to avoid tangles; at about the half waypoint I overheard the steward and judge talking. Judge "well who do you think is the better handler" Steward " Just wait and see how she gets herself out of this." Just as this conversation was taking place Charmaine had decided to double back around a bush, she was looking for the turn. I quite calmly dropped the lead and picked it up again on the other side of the bush and Charmaine continued on the track without any break in concentration or pulling of the lead. The steward then replied, "I will have to give it to Anne." My bruised and battered ego from that Prelim had just been fully restored, Charmaine was awarded a Very Good for that track and I had been given back my Ego. Nelson was also successful that day and we would return to the same place next year to finish our Titles. . We returned to the Obedience ring and Charmaine clocked up a lot of passes and her scores were getting higher and higher most of her placings were Firsts and she even managed a couple of Highest in Trials. Charmaine was a star not only to me but also to quite a few triallers. Judges loved the way she worked, always happy and her precision was excellent. There was one down side Charmaine still would not perform on damp grass. But I didn't care I knew when the tracking season started again Charmaine would be out there in the mud having a marvelous time, just never expect her to do it in the Obedience Ring. April 1997 rolled around very quickly time to bring out the Tracking gear again. It was still very warm so we practiced in the paddocks where snakes were not a problem. The 1st trial was to be held at the same place as last year and the Judges were going to be the same. We arrived the night before the trial and as everyone sat around the fire we reminisced about the previous year, but now it was just good memories. Ofcourse I was nervous I had 2 Tests to go before Charmaine could be awarded Obedience Champion, but I was more excited than anything, especially when I was told there probably would be track on tracks. Charmaine had another judge for her Test 4, and she performed very admirably to pass. Nelson also passed, would it now be possible for both of them to gain there O.C.'s together. It was decided that 2 dogs would be given the opportunity to Track on Test 5 the next day but there would have to be a ballot. Only 1 dog from each day would have the opportunity. Charmaine and Nelson's names went into the hat and Charmaine's came out. Would tomorrow be the day? The track on tracks were to be held after all the others had been tested. The next day no dogs doing test 4 passed so Nelson was chosen to be the other Test 5. 2 Cavaliers would be going for their OC's simultaneously, was it possible. A Cavalier in Australia had never accomplished this title it would be a first. Charmaine and I were going for the highest title awarded in Australia, we had come so far in such a relatively short time, I was now totally relaxed around all dogs and Charmaine was just 4 years and 3 months. To be honest I cannot remember all that much about the lead up to doing this track and really not all that much about the track itself. People have told me I was totally focused on Charmaine and that Charmaine tracked superbly, the only thing Charmaine did wrong was not to indicate an article. From what I was told she appeared to deliberately bypass the sock. Apparently the tracklayer did not have enough articles and had used the sock of her foot, I think Charmaine thought it was too stinky, it was and is the only article that Charmaine never indicated. Charmaine found the tracklayer and that part I do remember very well. Charmaine had done it, as Charmaine bounced around and gave everyone big kisses I was in tears. As we walked back along the track my mind was on Eddy, had he also been successful. We arrived back at the campsite to a blaze of car horns and congratulations, but no one knew about Eddy and Nelson. Finally they returned but only had bad news Nelson didn't quite make it and they would have to wait for the next Trial to gain their OC. With this Charmaine became the FIRST cavalier in Australia to gain the award Obedience Champion, and she finally had her sweet revenge on her little upstart son for getting his UD title before her. For the rest of that year Charmaine competed in both Open and Utility. Eddy and I decided to enter both dogs into the Victorian Obedience Dog of the Year contest. Both were accepted and Charmaine was placed 3rd.and Nelson 5th. That meant that Charmaine was ranked the 3rd best dog across all breeds in Victoria for 1997. Quite an accomplishment for any dog. 1997
VCA OBEDIENCE DOG OF THE YEAR AWARDS - STAYS. We went into the Xmas break and Charmaine began having a lot of problems with her eyes, they were constantly red and sore. My vet was treating them with Cortisone eye drops, which seemed to alleviate the problem, but she had to have them daily. We resumed obedience in the New Year but it became apparent that something was really wrong with Charmaine she was beginning to miss signals and her stays were becoming unreliable. Back to the vets and we were referred to an Eye specialist. Bad news followed, Charmaine had a cataract and he said it would be like looking through a fogged window. No wonder Charmaine was having problems with signals. I was not happy with either Charmaine's prognosis or the treatment that was suggested and decided to do some research into cataracts. I headed of to the local Hospital's library and there I spent the next few weeks reading everything I could on cataracts and their treatment. It was there I found a very interesting link between Cortisone and Cataracts. It had been found that in humans' long term use of Cortisone could lead to the development of cataracts. The description of the type of cataract fitted in with Charmaine's diagnosis. Armed with this information I approached my vet. Now before I say anymore my Vet (Annette) is no ordinary Vet she treats every animal as if it was hers, and will throughaly investigate any problem and do her own research and talk to you in a way you can understand. Annette did some more investigations and got back to me in a few days. Annette agreed that Charmaine's cataract did indeed appear to have been induced by Cortisone, however the level of Cortisone Charmaine had been on was well under the documented links. Charmaine had been on and off Cortisone tablets for her skin allergy, as well as treatment for her sore eyes. Now that we were both suspected Cortisone as being the cause we began investigating alternative treatments. I found that Charmaine's skin problem could be alleviated by Kelp. It had to be Granulated Kelp as Kelp tablets were found to be ineffective. She was also put onto vitamin C, and Indoptol Eye drops (a non-cortisone anti imflamatory). Charmaine still has her cataract but it has decreased if anything and with some modifications to my signals, now has no problems with her Obedience routines. However if the sun is very bright and in her eyes she may still miss the occasional signal or refuse to do the jumping, but I can live with that. She still loves her Obedience and becomes so excited when we train or trial it is a real pleasure to see. Charmaine has probably also learnt to compensate with her good eye. In May 1998 Charmaine was also diagnosed with MVD (Mital Valve Deficiency). Charmaine even with her problems still managed to qualify as First reserve in the 1998 Obedience Dog of the Year. She did not get to perform but as First Reserve that meant she was still right up with the best of the best. Early 1999 and Charmaine's eyes were great but she began to develop a cough when doing her obedience practice. I was very concerned it was her heart and when Annette checked her over and listened to her heart, her murmur had significantly increased and she felt it was time to commence her on heart medication. Charmaine was only 6 and I decided that in her best interest I would retire her. Charmaine became very depressed without her Obedience and was becoming very lethargic, so one day in early April I took her out to give her a run through Utility. Charmaine coughed after each exercise but it was so obvious that she was having the time of her life. That spark that had been missing for the last month or 2 was back. Back to the vets, her heart sounded like a washing machine I really didn't know what to do. Annette said it would probably be a good idea to take her of to a Cardiologist in Melbourne to have her fully assessed and to get an appraisal of what I could and couldn't do with her. That was the best decision of my life so far. We spent a full day at the Cardiologist and he did all sorts of tests on Charmaine. The results were excellent better than I could have dreamed. Although Charmaine had a Grade 6 murmer (they don't go any higher), all of the tests showed no clinical signs of weakness to the heart or related vessels. No enlargement, no congestion in the lungs, no significant EEG irregularities. He did pick up a very minor arrhythmia but said that this should cause no problems. Prognosis good he told me the cough is totally unrelated to her heart, and if I wanted to, she certainly could continue to do obedience and for that matter tracking. I returned to my vet a very happy chappy. Annette and I have now concluded that her coughing is probably mild asthma and as long as I control her excitability in the ring everything will be OK. If I could talk to Charmaine I really think she would be over the moon by the announcement WE'RE BACK!!!!! In May Charmaine returned to the Obedience Ring for the Cavalier Restricted Trial and put in a very admirable performance 193 and first in Utility. Charmaine will be competing in a number of trial during the remainder of the year and next year she will be there for the race to see who can be the first dog in Australia to gain the new titles of Tracking Champion and Obedience Champion. I know Charmaine will be in there giving it her best shot, I only hope I do not let her down. Before I go I must say that over the last 6.5 years that I have come along way, I am a club instructor, I have been Club Secretary and Trial Secretary and I have just become an Obedience Judge. I am no longer afraid of dogs and my self-confidence has certainly come a long way. All this would not have been possible without my Charmaine who has been right beside me, showing me the way. CHARMAINE YOU ARE TRULY THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS ... "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler It
must have been cold there in my shadow Did
you ever know that you're my hero Fly,
fly, fly away ...
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