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2009
ESSFTA VERSATILE SPRINGER
CH KESWICKE GEORGIAN XACT TIMING CDX TD JH AX AXJ
Owned by Karen L. Foster
In
late 1999, Laurin Howard (Keswicke Springers) made an offer I couldn’t
refuse: choose a mutually agreeable stud dog for my (and her) favorite
Keswicke bitch, co-bred the litter, raise the puppies after weaning, and
choose my puppy. From this breeding of Ch. Regent Comes A Time and Ch.
Keswicke Once Upon A Time, born June 25, 2000, a black and white male,
as it turned out, chose me. That was Cabot.
I
finished his breed championship myself, with our best win a 5-point
specialty major from Bred-by-Exhibitor. We had help with upper-level
agility, but otherwise Cabot and I together accomplished his titles as a
team. He took me places where I thought I had no interest—particularly
the hunt test field and the agility arena. In return, I took him places
where he definitely had no interest—namely, the obedience ring. Utility
remains our nemesis.
A
Versatile Springer award was not initially on the agenda for Cabot. But
as he met one challenge after another, the possibility of a VS became
real. With a UD apparently not in the cards, we pressed on in agility,
and Cabot finished both his AX and AXJ on the same day in November 2009,
thus earning the VS award.
I
can describe Cabot in so many ways. He’s intelligent, gregarious,
outgoing, and friendly to a fault; reliable; sensitive but not soft;
easygoing; inquisitive; kind; happy; and funny. He loves all people and
almost all other dogs. He’s a willing and superb mentor to puppies.
But
he’s also BAD. His curiosity and amazing nose constantly get him in
trouble, as my houseguests whose suitcases he has raided can attest. And
ask anyone who has tried to lure him out of a pond at a hunt test or out
of a pool about his passion for swimming—anytime, any place, any weather
condition.
Ten
years ago, I’d have never imagined that my cute, boisterous puppy would
accomplish so much. But then, 10 years ago, I was only just getting to
know Cabot.
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