Casanova

Dec 02 2014

Relationships and I am still here at Blyss

There is much death, death impending, death far away. But death is ubiquitous because one never knows when it will touch down. But until it does, there are many ways to avoid it, although one of the best methods may be running in circles.

Within two years, I lost all of the original Blyss Borzoi and my husband, too. Although I struggle hard to accept these events I cannot do so without performing behaviors that I have been informed by physicians are harmful to myself. It’s because my heart aches for these losses, and for all of the things for which they compensated. But in our own ways, “we all walk the long road.” Something got away and we keep chasing it.

In Hounds of the Steppes I write:

Eternal Hound, please, to be wherever you are!

My heart belongs to one lost long ago

Lost to the Hounds’ most open space

With blinding sun by day and dazzling stars by night…

‘Tis light, after all, a sight-hound’s true friend,

‘Twas light drove us apart…. and left me behind.

I could but stand by and watch her fly to the chase

And pray, a vision eternity cannot erase,

Having lost so much and so far the way.

*********************************

That is just one of the ways I look at all this death around me and try to understand it. But that was then and this is now. Now is the time to bring new things together and be future oriented.

Jul 19 2014

A Blyss Kennels Line of Demarcation

Lorene, Mikhailya, Paris, Casanova at Surprise Lake

The death of my last borzoi, Paris in July 2014 has brought me full circle back to 2002 when I no longer had a dog. Looking back, I see I passed through a journey as my level of interest in matters of the world diminished as that of my interest in dogs, especially borzoi, grew. Like all journeys, there were good days and bad, some laughs and some tragedies. It seemed anything and everything that could happen to one person did, as if I were a character in a Greek tragedy. Only the protagonist lived to tell the tale so perhaps my life story would qualify as a comedy. I do not see it that way, but I will leave that differentiaton to literary critics to judge.

One day, my husband Bob and I had the opportunity to purchase a young male borzoi that, we were told, was a show dog and needed to complete his Champion Dog title. We knew this was a stretch for us, because neither of us had ever shown a dog in conformation. However, it was something I thought I always wanted to do so we said yes. The breeder said it would be “fun and easy”! We purchased “Casanova” and brought him home to live with us. By the end of the week, we realized we needed a new house.

Blyss Kennels began that moment, but especially in September of the year 2003 when we bought our home that would serve as our kennel, too, Blyss House on the first ridge of the Watchung Mountain. That was when we acquired more borzoi: Mikhailya, Paris and Opal, soon followed, and everything began in earnest.

And so it ended, too, abruptly in 2011 really when Bob died suddenly. I had to downsize and although I stayed in the same town, the new Blyss House and its grounds were half the size of what it was. However, my borzoi were old dogs by then, and over the course of the next eighteen months, one by one they passed on. This then is the Fini, to the telling of their story.

My Blogs will not appear after this point in order that I can put them in a book format. I hope to have this prepared by January 2015, an event that will be well publicized. Please consult the Blysskennels.us website for updates. At that time, I plan to begin anew, Blyss Blog Encore. It will be interesting to see how I am doing and whether or not there is a borzoi at home. Shall I or shall I not continue on my course with my beloved breed of dog? There is much work that needs to be done, and many decisions I need to make. I have no doubt, the next permutation of my Blyss Blog will be as compelling as the current one so many people have come to read, and to return and return. I promise, no one will be disappointment. It can be said with certainty, I have found my voice. Thank you for taking the time to listen.

Jul 15 2014

Memories of Blyss Tresor, Blyss Casanova & Blyss Paris Borzoi (Somehow, these never got published when they were written)

Following are a series of thoughts and memories in note form in response to news about Tresor and musings about Paris and Casanova. No judgments are intended.

About Tresor, Mikhailya’s puppy from her only litter.

…..I responded by gently but firmly asking them to return him to me. At least they know it is an option. I told them the difference between now and when I gave him to them is that I have LT, and he has to live with a very strong man who can establish dominance over him. That is not happening in his present home. This may not the dog for them.

It is really interesting. I had a nightmare about this very topic, life at their home. In the dream, I had learned that Tresor was crated nine hours a day while they went to work, and he was miserable, and his behavioral issues were getting worse. I had to consider putting him down as an option. It was horrible, and I wondered then if I shouldn’t call her. But, I sent her an email message about the two of us, she and I, bringing Tresor up to Pennsylvania together to see R. and J. Z., who wanted to evaluate him to determine if he were in show condition. In her email to me yesterday, the wife told me he was not. So, that pretty much says it. If I do not hear from them in a week, I will contact them again.

About Casanova.

I had another nightmare last night. This one was about our first beloved Blyss borzoi, “Casanova”. He had cancer and arthritis, and extremely bad dog aggression that had worsened over the years. He was eleven and was dying. I believe I tried to reach out to his breeder at the time, I know I did. I believe I asked him to call me. In my dream, it was as if he called me today, in the present. I told him that I had to put Casanova down last year. He took it badly, he really suffered, and he had a break-down. I felt so guilty it was horrible. I tried to comfort him, and to apologize, but he would not be comforted. He said I broke the contract of sale, and I was wrong. I had tried to contact him in advance of euthanasia, but could not reach him at the time or since. It went on and on like that, and I could not make it right for him. I guess I feel very badly and guilty about putting poor Casanova down. Today, I remember waking up with a horrible migraine. It was a really difficult moment in time.

So owning these special dogs, and then, co-owning them with breeders who insist on being control freaks, can be heartbreaking for the buyer – owner. I can recall additional stories in my kennel that were very painful to me as well, especially concerning K. S.-C., but what’s the point. Without the breeders you would not have their borzoi so you tolerate much from them, try to be supportive of them and stay on their good side.

About Paris:

Even though I placed Tresor and Paris together in a loving home nearby after my husband died, and in so doing it made my life considerably easier, I never forgot them. They were a daily memory, as are the other two puppies that Karen received and subsequently sold. But all the good intentions in the world will be of no use if the placement is wrong or simply does not work out for unforeseen reasons. And sometimes one cannot determine that until after it is done.

This is the most difficult part of breeding dogs, the emotional part, worrying about what becomes of them when they leave your kennel. Having bred one litter, I would never do it again. Let’s just say I am too old for this and certainly lacking in the financial resources to do it right. But, if I can have my one Mikhailya puppy returned to me, I would probably be most happy about that outcome. I tried to suggest it as gently as I could to the family. Perhaps they are ready for that. As for Blyss Kennels, Paris is gone now, too. This leaves the door open for the next stage, Blyss Kennels Encore, so to speak! A new version, a new kennel, but do let it be wiser.