Happy 14th birthday, Belle!
 i don't normally announce birthdays, but this one is for a very special girl:Am/Can CH Masquerade Mirabella CD RA AX AXJ JHD TDI "Belle" to her friends - born January 29, 1998 The summer of 1998, a year after losing my first OES, BYB and temperament challenged to say the least, at barely 11 years old, newfound online friends Greg Eckert & Jean Fleischer invited me to come out for the Southeastern Wisconsin OES Club's regional specialty. Such was my need for an OES fix that I drove 800 some miles each way for a long weekend. There I was put in charge of an OES puppy, Belle, who wasn't quite 6 mos old yet, so not eligible to be shown, plus her breeder, Marnie Harris, was judging puppy sweepstakes so entering her would have in any event been inappropriate. She was just there to be socialized and that was my job. It was love at first sight. A year later Marnie was looking for someone to help her take care of her dogs. She had a high pressure job and had lost her husband not too long before. I thought about for about three seconds and then started making arrangements to move to Wisconsin, where I also got a real job. That fall I packed Belle up and drove her to my first OESCA national specialty (1999) in Rhode Island. She had finished her breed championship at 15 months old, so she would be shown as a special by Ron Stinson, a friend of the family, so to speak, who owned her Dad. Belle and I at her grooming table before she was shown:  I had to wait another year before Jean, who showed her to her championships, and Marnie had time to go up to Canada to finish her Canadian Championship, which she did in one weekend, going Best Of Winners, as I recall, at the Canadian National Specialty that year (I could check - I have her ribbons in my closet - the Canadians give out great ribbons!) Now that she had both championships, hair restrictions were lifted and I was able to take her to a beach on Lake Michigan for the first time. Here she is, me chanting "Free at last, Free at last, Thank God Almighty Free at last" in the background minutes before she rolled on a dead carp:  I took her home and spent three hours bathing and drying her, not being able to chop off the hair I had spent so much time railing against  The next thing I did was enroll her in obedience and agility classes, though she took time out to have a litter up puppies that following February. I had her marginally (and I do mean marginally <g> ) ready to compete in agility at the 2001 OESCA National Specialty agility trial that folliowing August:   We didn't qualify, but we had fun. I had practiced obedience with her while visiting my parents and sister and her son that summer in NY. My nephew, Cameron, and Belle hit it off right away:   She even heeled nicely for him. I got brave and entered her at her first obedience trial in September 2001 at the Manitowoc Kennel club cluster. She earned her CD in three straight days, placing 2nd and 3rd respectively two of those days, despite a handler who was so nervous she was barely conscious. Not the last time she covered my behind:  I also started entering her in agility trials more seriously. She earned her first AKC agility title, her NA, in October at Fond Du Lac, WI during a thunderstorm. Here she is from that run:  We mostly focused on agility from that time on: At an agility demo for the Ozaukee Humane Society at the county fair, where we learned shavings and OES are not an ideal combination:   And regular trials as well:  We didn't always qualify, though she raced through her novice and open titles pretty quickly, but lord did we have fun!  I continued to suffer from an inability to chop the poor dog's hair off:  In our spare time we spent a year visiting an Ahlzeimer's home. She handled it better than I did. It was emotional to watch patients fade into some place where they could no longer be reached by me, but they often continued to reach out to Belle, and I like to think her presence gave them the kind of comfort she has always given me. With a little pressure from a good friend I entered her at the Twin Cities OES Club's regional specialty obedience trial despite swearing I would never do obedience again. She went High In Trial. It needs to be said that her only competition, her cousin, Isaac, better trained and more accomplished, made one mistake that cost him the HIT. In the mean time Belle spent 2 minutes plus of the 3 minute down upside down, rolling on her back. It was notable not only because the breed people actually left their grooming to watch the upside down obedience sheepdog  but also because she so endeared herself to the laughing judge that she refused to give her the NQ i thought she must surely have earned because, as she told me later, Belle never actually left the spot I left her and never actually was not down, but rather rolled back into a proper down shortly before time was up. Did nothing to alleviate the redness of my face... still evident in our HIT picture: I wowed we would never do obedience again, but gave in and tried for her Open title nonetheless, despite her abject hatred of carrying anything in her mouth. She gave it her best shot but something always seemed to get in the way. Here she is at the 2006 OESCA National Specialty during the recall, always one of her best exercises, at least if it didn't involve carrying anything in her mouth:  She was retired shortly after. In 2007, with no dog to enter at the OESCA National Specialty in Frankenmuth, WI, I dusted her off and entered her anyway. She was almost ten years old. Here she is in veteran obedience, ripping my armband off my arm, thankfully, once again to the judge's amusement - I don't know why obedience judges loved her because she was always naughty! But just within the bounds of legal:   The oldest OES entered, and her competitors wilting in the heat and humidity, she earned the highest score of the trial, though it didn't count because it came from Veteran's. So at least we went out with a bang. The next day I ran her in agility for the last time (thank you, OESCA Specialty Chair, Mary Anne Brocious, for providing us with the most incredible OES agility trial backdrop ever - the site was exquisite):     She earned an OESCA agility trial High and Trial and the first OESCA Most Versatile Performance OES competition, which netted me some fabulous prizes made by talented artist (and OES breeder) Karen Fischbach:  After that I told her she was truly retired, but she had other plans. In 2001 I had her instinct tested at the OESCA national specialty and she passed with flying colors:  The tester wanted me to consider training her in herding, but I was all about the agility, even though Belle made it clear this is what she was born to do. Almost ten years later I finally listened to her and she earned her Junior Herding Dog title at almost 12 years old. Her she is practicing with goats:  At 12 1/2 she got too pushy with some sheep (nothing new really) but the sheep pushed back when it bounced off the fence and rolled her. To her fury I retired her - I couldn't risk injury. She continues to run the house. Here she is with her daughter, Liz:  Her daughter to her right and her granddaughter, Ruby to her left from the summer of 2010:  Christmas 2010, my Dad terminally ill, I packed all of the kids into my van and drove back to NY to spend Christmas with the entire family. It was the first time Belle and I both met my nephew, Christian:  She approved. Through it all, some of the greatest highs of my life, and the lows too, she's been there for me. We've done things and gone places I never even dreamed of before I met her, and I will no doubt spend the rest of my life trying to breed an OES who is even half the bitch she is. Thank you, Marnie, for producing this incredible bitch, and Greg and Jean for indulging and encouraging me. It may sound melodramatic, but it's true: she changed my life. Above all, thank you Belle. Every minute of sharing my life with you has been an honor I can't begin to define. I love you with all my heart. Checking out great niece's, Macy's, recent litter:  Mom |
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 Happy Birthday Belle. No more need be said. I can tell you are 1 pretty special gal! |
| Thank you for sharing that. It was so heartfelt and it made me look at Pru and hope she and I have a story to tell in 14 years. This truly made my Sunday. |
| HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY....SWEET BELLE!!!!!!! Kristine, thank you for the great history of your Belle!!! She is remarkable!!!!   |
| An amazing love story--enjoyed every word! ]Belle-- may you have the HAPPIEST of Birthday's! Enjoy your special day! |
| Oh Kristine, that was a lovely tribute to a very deserving girl. She really exemplifies the versatility of the Old English Sheepdog. I hope that I give my girls a life filled with adventure, as you have done for Belle, and she for you! |
| HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY BELLE! Kristine, thank you so much for the wonderful story about your beautiful girl Belle. I can feel the love you have for her through your writing. |
| Happy birthday Belle, you've had a wonderful life and accomplished great things. |
| Not certain this post will work as I am not a member of this forum. Belle started out living with us when she was just a puppy....Jean 'finished' her as a Champion in both the USA and Canada. After that Belle just hung out at the house mixing in with the rest of our crew. As luck would have it (and my brother is quick to point out that there is both good luck and bad luck....lol - but this was indeed VERY GOOD LUCK....Kristine was living with us temporarily - when it was time for Kristine to move to her new digs - Jean and I started discussing Belle and her relationship with Kristine....we had already both independently come to the same understanding. Belle 'BELONGED' with Kristine. I think the expression on Kristine's face immediately affirmed what we had thought....and the rest as Kristine so eloquently wrote above is history. The two of them are soul mates and we are so grateful that Belle allowed Kristine to have so much fun with her !!!! Kristine (and I will deny this forever) your tribute to Belle can bring a tear to even an old cynics eye. Happy Birthday Belle !!!! |
| Happy Birthday Belle You are amazing. What a love story. You have indeed shown what an OES is capable of. Enjoy your birthday. Kristine what a great ride you have had with her. You can see the love you have for each other. Thanks for sharing. |
| HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY BELLE! Kristine, thank you for that beautiful love story of you and Belle! Your wonderful pictures and story had me smiling and laughing!Cindy |
| Happy 14th Birthday Belle You are a true inspiration |
Beautiful tribute, the pictures as well as the words. Brought a tear to even this old cat-loving gal's eye, I tell ya! Thanks so much for sharing it. And thanks to Mindy M. for directing me here to enjoy it.  |
| Happy 14th Birthday to Belle, the PERFECT one!!! I have been lucky enough to know Belle for the past 6 years, and she is just as sweet and wonderful as Kristine says.  |
| Happy Birthday Belle! Thanks Kristine for sharing Belle's life story with us, what a special pup. peg & howie |
 so sweet! Happy Birthday Belle!!! |
| HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE INCREDIBLE WONDERFUL BELLE |
| Brings a tear to my eyes. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLE!!! |
| Happy Birthday Belle! That's a special birthday for a special girl. I saw Belle in the ring in 1999 in Rhode Island and loved her then and I still love her to pieces today. She is a perfect combination of the perfectly well trained and well behaved dog ... until she feels like being just a tiny bit naughty and it pops out for a wee bit just because she can not and will not contain her enthusiasm for life! I watched in amazement as she aged in numbers but never seemed to physically or mentally. I got to see her in person as she was doing her energetic leaping and jumping on the rally course in between her perfect execution of the exercises. And I was there to witness Belle's amazing agility performance in Frankenmuth at the National Specialty. No one would have known her age as she tore up the course with gusto while still managing the precision needed to win it all. And throughout all this time I never cease to be amazed at the incredible bond that exists between Belle and Kristine. You two are the epitome of a MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN! Congratulations to both Kristine and Belle. You are an amazing team! luv ya, Linda Zimmerman P.S. My favorite picture (and they are ALL great) is the one of Belle exiting the closed tunnel because of her expression - it shows her love of life very clearly! |
| Happy Birthday Belle! |
Happy 14th birthday Belle, may you stay strong and naughty for a long while yet! A wonderful heartwarming story, it made me fall in love with Belle!  I love this flying sheepie!!  |
| kristine, a remarkable life story, thanks for sharing. does belle hop in wheelbarrows for the kids or do you put her in there? |
| Happy Birthday Belle! What a wonderful story told in pictures as well as words. What an amazing time you two have had! I always knew of Belle, now I feel like I know her. Thanks so much for sharing. |
| Belated Happy Birthday for a very special girl. Thank you so much for this wonderful story of your ongoing life with Belle. Debs x |
| Happy Birthday to an incredibly special (and clearly well-loved!) girl! |
| this is why we all love are sheepies the puppy to the old ones happy birthday you are the best of the breed |
| HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY BELLE |
| What a wonderful pictorial of beautiful Belle! Happy Birthday You make us sheepdog owners proud!!!! |
  Happy 14'th Birthday Belle! |
| What nice action pictures of your beautiful amazing Belle. Her look says it all. Belle has had a facinating life, thank you for sharing it. When I read these stories of ribbons, shows, therapy etc, I always think that while the dog has all that potential, it takes someone to see it, encourage it and bring it to fruition. Congrats to you too, Kristene. |
Happy Belated Birthday to a very special sheepie indeed! Belle, I've so enjoyed your flying sheepie pics! Not to mention what a special girl you have to be to keep up with Kristine!  |
Bit late but want to wish the golden special princess "Ms. Belle" a happy special 14th, what a darling and huge part of your life she has and is Kristine, a special girl forever. She is certainly one special girl that has taught you well !!  |
| Happy belated birthday Belle!!!! Wow 14 years young is a celebration of all celebrations!!!!  I realize by this story and all of the events thus far,you two share something truly "special", that most do not experience during their lifetime. Only an Old English Sheepdog could form such a strong bond. I am honored to read about such a "special" Old English Sheepdog! Thank you,Kristine for sharing a heart warming story of your Belle. Every picture had me envisioning I was there and "WOW" what a lovely girl she is with a heart of gold! Hugs, Robin |
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