Woody was born in Effort, PA on June 25, 1987. We had pick of the litter and bought him from Connie Hubbard on or about August 8th or 9th at about 6 weeks and 3 days of age. Connie didn't want to let him go that early but it was the only time we had for several weeks to go get him, so she agreed. It was a 6-hour drive home from Effort to our house in Hickory, PA. Woody was as good as gold, sleeping most of the way, and going to the bathroom at a rest stop when we stopped about half way home.
Woody was the first Sheltie that Mary and I owned together. I had others before starting in 1970, but when I went away to college and eventually out to work and live on my own, they stayed with the family.
Woody loved Darwin-the-Dude (alias 'Dope on the Rope') a cat that came with Mary when she moved in. Woody and Darwin were inseparable. They played together, slept together, and ate together. Woody used to gnaw on Darwin's ears and Darwin would just close his eyes and cock his head to the side in kitty ecstasy. Darwin died suddenly at age 7 when Woody was about a year and a half old. Since he missed animal companionship and we had an interest in getting serious about showing Shelties, we searched out Ashley who was to be our first show dog. We brought Ashley home just about the time Woody turned two. Although Ashley eventually went oversize, her pedigree was outstanding and she produced a single litter which was the basis of our active sable line today. Her only litter also produced Callie our first home bred Champion.
Since Woody's testicles never descended, he was neutered. So, instead of confirmation, we trained him in obedience and he earned a C.D., our first ever AKC title, at about 2 years of age. Although he didn't seem to enjoy obedience much when we were training for a title, in later years he seemed to relish showing off his recall and swing. I actually feel he was a better obedience dog in later years, with little practice, because he really liked it.
When he was young, he had a favorite toy. We called it 'Santi Hippo'. It was a small stuffed Hippo about 6 inches long with a Santa Clause suit on. We have pictures of him with 'Santi Hippo'.
As a puppy he became the center of attention at a fun match when a bee stung him. From the yips and yelps you would have thought he was dying, but he was o.k.
He loved the snow. He would go out and stick his face down in it and push it around with his nose like a snowplow. Then he would come back with snow all over his face and bark at us.
As we got more Shelties (5 total by the time he was 4 years old), we started calling him Geez as a nickname (for 'Old Geezer'), since he was the oldest. We also liked to call him Woo-Woo. He responded to all these names.
Woody liked games. He liked tugging on a rope with knots on the ends, he chased down and retrieved Frisbees, and eventually learned to weigh himself at the vets. When we would enter the vet's office, we would take off his lead in the lobby, and tell him 'Woody scale'. He would run into the back room and sit on the scale until we recorded his weight. When we were done we would say 'O.K.' and he would bark and hop off.
Woody was always easy to care for. In fact, I could scale his teeth and pull 'wild' lashes out of his eyes with a tweezers. He didn't mind baths. The only thing that seemed to bother him was pulling his hair when we combed him out.
Some of the things that turned him on were the swing after recall, saying 'mouse in the house' (and he would go running and looking for the mouse), watching squirrels, looking for 'bunny rabbits', BeaMa and Pa (my parents), the lettuce spinner, shaking anything (like a thermometer or ketchup bottle). He was a pistol. It didn't take much to turn him on.
Although he liked to bully the other dogs some (he was the oldest and at one time the only dog), and liked to stir things up by running the fence and stamping his feet at the dogs on the other side, he was always tolerant of new puppies and dogs in the kennel. He just seemed to take it in stride. Even though we had no children, he always liked to play with them when they were around.
Woody listened well, so we were able to walk him off lead if we wanted to. He was our daily companion to the mailbox (a good walk) to collect the mail and he would always do what we told him to.
Right before Christmas 1997, when Woody was 10-1/2 years old, Rory a 1-year-old dog we had recently placed in a wonderful home with the Creasys, ran away. While I was searching for Rory, Woody would ride in the front passenger's seat of the van and look out the window for him. He always seemed to know exactly what was going on and what was expected. To see how this adventure ended, please read Rory's Story. Woody also liked visiting the Creasys because Ed would take him over to see the cows. Ed would take Shane and Woody for walks in the field and throw Frisbees to them. Woody and Ed loved each other. The Creasys have a picture of Ed sitting on the floor in front of the couch and Woody on the couch behind him with his head on top of Ed's head sleeping.
Woody didn't like to be held, but he liked to be near you, at your feet, beside you, touching you, and he liked to give Mary soft kisses. His favorite spot, after we moved into our house in Virginia, was on an old couch in the breezeway. He would lay there and guard the house and listen and wait for us. I guess it was a good place to hear and see everything from. Now every time I go out there, I expect to see Woody curled up in his corner of the couch.
Up until about 3 months before he died, he was still vibrant and young looking for a dog just shy of 11 years old. But during the last 3 months, he went down hill fast. He became tired and wanted to sleep a lot. He became lethargic at the end, finally going off his food. He was always a good eater - all the way up to 6 days before he died. Even during those last days, he probably ate about half his normal portions. But he still lost 3 pounds in the last 6 days. He threw up a few times, but he never messed in the house and I know he had to go, because he wasn't going out much, because he was weak and didn't feel like it. He never cried or whimpered like he was in pain, but I'm sure he had some because we think he had an abdominal tumor.
When Mary came home from work on 7/2/98, she put him out to go, and he collapsed on the deck. She rushed him to the vet, but he was in shock due to blood loss. It appears that his tumor ruptured and he bled internally. According to the vet his abdomen was full of blood. He just sort of drifted off into nothingness due to blood loss. Evidently his heart and lungs were strong since he continued to breath even after it was apparent his time was at hand. So, he got a shot to put him to sleep. I hope that when my time comes I can be half as brave. Woody died with dignity, just as he had lived his entire life.
I was at work, over an hour and a half away, when I received an emergency call from the vets and Mary. This was just a few minutes before 5:00PM. Since I didn't want him suffering waiting for me, I told them to go ahead and I would get there as soon as I could. It wasn't raining, but it was overcast. I remember distinctly, in fact I looked at the clock at 5:40PM, as I was driving, the sun broke through the clouds with what seemed to be a very 'holy' light. I remember thinking that is Woody's soul on the way to the Rainbow Bridge. But it should have happened about a half-hour earlier. When I talked to Mary later, I found out they called Virginia Creasy, who lived nearby, to come be with her while they put Woody down. Virginia arrived at the vet's office about 5:30PM. So, 5:40PM was just right for when his soul passed on. For about 2 more hours that evening the sunrays poured through the cloud just like you see in those inspirational pictures.
I know that Woody will be playing with Darwin when I finally meet him at the Rainbow Bridge.
We have many other Shelties and they all have their own personalities. Woody will always be remembered fondly because that was the only choice he gave us. We are proud of the life he lived. As we promised when we named him Rueckert's Astolat Prince, that is how he lived, like a Prince. He never wanted for anything. He always had food and water. He had lots of attention, love, and animal companionship. He was a happy dog and returned much happiness to us. The thread of is existence is forever woven within the tapestry of our lives.
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· Friends & Pets · Sheltie Tetherball · The Grapevine · Seasonal ·
· Rescue · Sheltie Links · Awards · Contact Us · Site Map ·
© 1999 - 2001 by John E. Rueckert - All Rights Reserved