Rush's Page
(Vapresto Carrera Gee-Tee: 12/02/03 -
24/07/04)
Rush was given rest on 24thJuly 2004 to prevent
suffering from heart failure: His life was sadly so short, but filled with
excitement and vigour up until the past few weeks. Right to the end his
head was as active as ever, but his heart problem had sadly caused the gradual
deterioration of his body, beyond anything an ever increasing dosage of drugs
could control, and the onset of pain and suffering was inevitable. We took
the hardest decision we have ever had to make and let him pass away, peacefully
with a tasty treat, after playing his favourite game with the lawn sprinkler:
We will miss him terribly - our home
will never be the same without him
In memory of our beloved Rush, we now
present an annual memorial trophy to the Belgian Shepherd who has the best
achievement record in it’s first year of eligibility for competition in
agility:
Winner 2005
Minka Morgan Check. 10th in the Vapresto Novice League in 2005, despite
being first old enough to compete in June - gaining 24th place in Novice Jumping
at his first show - Supadogs.
Winner
2004 Heidron Chasing Storm Skye - 4th
In Novice Agility at Bromsgrove
aged only 18 months and 3 days . (NB: Since receiving this trophy
Skye has also become BSD Individual and Team World Champion 2005).
July 2004
Sadly, Rush is a very sick boy, having been diagnosed with 'Mitral
Valve Dysplasia' (a form of heart failure) at the tender age of just 16
months. We had hoped that he really had survived the problem that caused
his littermates to be stillborn, but it seems that was not to be.
Rush has had to be retired from agility before he ever took part in a
competition, despite showing fantastic promise in training, and we will try and
give him the best life possible whilst he's still with us. Thankfully, he
is not in pain and doesn't seem to know he's not well - we hope it stays that
way for as long as possible.
Rush disobeying Doctors orders! (12/6/04)
As it looks like we are going to be keeping Hector on a more
permanent basis, I thought he ought to have his very own page! Whilst I
will probably keep the name for this page, Hector himself is now called 'Rush'
(amongst other things - depending on how much damage he's just done to the pond,
house, other dogs, us, etc...!)
Rush seconds before he learned how to open the door for
himself!
(Looks like butter wouldn't melt...)
Rush joining in the 'Fancy Dress' at Dogs in Need
Rush and family staying COOL...
(Note that he is now taller than his mum, but not quite 6 months old yet - HELP!)
Vapresto Carrera Gee-Tee
(aka Rush, Hector, Beeelzeebub, Pesty, and worse...) and the car
he is named after
Cloud under attack from the 'monster'
Rush doing a disappearing act from the awning at
Supadogs...
(He didn't find it so easy to get out of this though!)
I'm not going to be able to do this for much
longer! - 13 weeks
On guard! - 12 weeks
Finishing off his furry rat - note the lack of stuffing!
- 11 weeks
At 10 weeks - Out past his bedtime with
the baby-sitter!
At 9 weeks - discovering the pond.. look
out fish!
(Wreaking his vengeance for his first jab today)
At 8 1/2 weeks - accepting a kind
invitation from NatWest!
At 7 weeks (the toy is now in about 27
pieces!)
Today (31/3/03) he escaped from his puppy pen and climbed two
flights of stairs to the top room in our 3-storey cottage. We didn't ask him to
do this, as he is far too young to be climbing stairs at 6 weeks of age, but you
try stopping him! He is by far the boldest BSD puppy either of us have
ever met and is going to be a real handful.
Here comes trouble... (6 1/2 weeks)
The Vapresto A-Team
That cat looks dangerous... 'You're not wrong there
then! (6
weeks)
This rat catching is tiring work! (5
weeks)
I'm sure I'm an Andrex puppy really (4
weeks)
My ugly phase... so the beauty sleep didn't work then! (3
weeks)
Getting some beauty sleep... (2 weeks)
Mum looking after me and my 'sister'...
... well I couldn't see that she was only a stuffed sock at that age! (1 week)