~ Ailea's Family Photo Album ~
Beginning with my first litter whelped in December, 1995, and through all the litters I have bred and co-bred (a total of 11 litters, for 48 puppies), I have been inordinately fortunate finding homes for the shelties that have been placed as companions, whether puppies or adults. Without these wonderful homes, I'd have been at a loss, and am forever grateful and indebted to each and every one of them. Most of these homes I have heard from since placing my shelties, and so have updated photographs I'd love to share here, in Ailea's Family Photo Album. Enjoy!
Pictured right is Skylar, from my first-ever sheltie litter delivered in December, 1995. I considered Skylar the second pick puppy in this litter and he was placed with a lovely couple who at the time lived on the North Carolina coast with another sheltie, Justy. Skylar and his family have since moved, and they now live in the lovely Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He is a right properly loved and spoiled boy! Skylar's pedigree is the same as Dawn's (next proceeding picture), with a link to her page and pedigree below.
Pictured at left is Dawn, who we also called, among other names, Don-Don The Ding Dong, Don-Don Bay-BEE and Dinga-Linga-Ding-Dong. She is also from my first litter, and Skylar's littermate. I include both these puppy pictures of Dawn only because she was such an engaging little bit of fluff! Dawn was my pick puppy in this litter, and stayed with me for some time before she was shipped for a bit and a litter in Canada, then returned to me, and then placed as a companion in a lovely home in the Atlanta area. Dawn has her own page, which you may visit here.
This next photograph at left is Conner, Ailea's The Con Man. So named because he was so small he could skinny out of the x-pen at 8 weeks, Conner found his home and the two best loves of his life, Bette and Janet, in Nashville, Tennessee. In this photograph, Conner is seated on his Mama Bette's lap and is singing with his beautiful voice, along with Bette. Along with his singing expertise, Conner is a most excellent whisperer... When told to do so, Conner will lower his bark from a noisome thing to the merest "ooof! ooof!" - a whisper!
At left is Hallie and her human sister, Caroline, who is reading to her. Hallie, like her brother Conner who is pictured above, was placed to fill the void left by the death of another sheltie. Hallie went home with a young couple because their present sheltie was grieving the loss of another, recently deceased sheltie "sister". Once a two-sheltie home, always a two-sheltie home, eh? Hallie healed all those wounds (for both sheltie and humans alike) and is very much loved and spoiled in Charlotte, North Carolina. Another shining example of how shelties and children make such a great pair!
At right is Max, Ailea's Touch O' The Irish. He took his good time finding his home, finally leaving Ailea's Place at about 5 months of age. It seems there is one of those in just about every litter, doesn't it? Max now resides in Greenville, South Carolina and this photo of Max, taken when he was about two, I think, was a Valentine's Day surprise for Max's mama, arranged by her daughter. I continue to hear from Max's mama, and he continues to thrive and do very well with her in Greenville.
At left is Duff, a beautiful bi-black littermate to the tri-colors Conner, Hallie and Max, all pictured above. Duff was my pick puppy in this litter and was beautiful, but as fates will have it - and I was very good at choosing those - he wound up growing just a little too tall. Mr. Personality from the beginning, I eventually had to accept the fact I could ill-afford to keep another house pet, and so, though it broke my heart to do so, I placed him into the loving arms of my good friend, Nancy, in Concord, New Hampshire. I suppose I couldn't have chosen a better arrangement - one of my favorite shelties of all time with one of my favorite friends of all time. Duff lived with his full (younger) brother, R2, and his sheltie "sister", Angel (although R2 has, sadly, passed on to Rainbow Bridge). Duff is one of those very special shelties, and will always have a special place in my heart. Since Duff's bi-blue littermate sister, Stella, was kept by the litter co-breeder and is Ailea's link from beginning to present, the pedigree of this litter may be found here.
Pictured at right is Brandi, pick puppy from the repeat breeding of Keogh (Ch Cub Hill Banker's Hours) to Rookie (Willows Shadow Dresed in Blu), was a beautiful bi-black girl whelped in February, 1997. Brandi was whisked away as a young puppy and grew up for a bit at Cub Hill, returning home when she was about six months of age. Still holding onto the possibility she would yet grow into a beauty to knock the socks off the breed judges, Brandi was grown out and trained, showing in a series of UKC shows before the difficult decision to place her as a loved pet was finally made. She was eventually very happily placed in a pet home to live her life spoiled rotten, as she rightfully deserves. Thanks to Cindy Shenk of Ridgeway Shelties, for all her effort, patience and time spent on Brandi, and to Jean Wilson, TJ Shelties, for helping make this all possible. I know both we all did - and continue to do - our best - who could ask for more?
At left we have Miss Kerrie (Ailea's Kerrie Me Away, CD, CGC), a very cute tri-color girl wearing her favorite sun bonnet and kerchief of a bright sun-flower print. Kerrie was adopted when she was 6 months old, and quickly zoomed to her CD in only three shows with three placements (a first place, a second place and a fourth place), by the time she was only one year old (who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?). An avid therapy worker, Kerrie is a most happy girl, and Ailea most fortunate to have found Cyndee, Kerrie's mama. You can view some pictures of Kerrie in therapy action here.
Please continue your journey, by moving
on to
Ailea's Family Photo Album, Page Two
Please feel free to e-mail Amy with any questions or comments
