In Memory of Those Who Have
Passed over the Rainbow Bridge

Ch. Eire’s Guitar Gently Weeps CD CGC
11/08/00 – 6/12/07

- At the end of the end

It’s the start of a journey

To a much better place

And a much better place

Would have to be special

No reason to cry

No need to be sad

-Paul McCartney (Memory Almost Full)

Our dear companion and all around nice Irish guy recently passed away. George succumbed to lymphoma almost two months to the day he was diagnosed. During those two months he lived life doing everything he loved – swimming and eating and riding shotgun in the van. He even swam in our orchard pond the last day he was with us. He retrieved a bit slower but still with the grace and charm that marked his wonderful life. That night he quietly passed away.

Six plus years ago George was the only surviving pup out of a litter of 5. His mother Abbey quit pushing after the first pup and ended up needing a Caesarian. All the pups were alive afterwards but began to die one by one. That week was a time of quiet desperation and grief for us all. As I sat in the whelping box crying, next to the upset mother, holding the second to last pup as it died, the deeply touching song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by George Harrison, about loss and memories, came on the radio. It seemed so appropriate in this sad situation. Thus George was named.

Our George never missed a beat and grew into a wonderful dog. We were very proud of him. He was a handsome, big boy with the long loping stride of a hunter and the easygoing, sweet temperament so valued in IWS. George was the most honest, even tempered IWS male we have ever met. He got along with everybody, including other intact males in the house or yard, and would walk away from any fight (smart). He had a loving, happy personality and was not a pushy dog unless there was a tennis ball game afoot. Then he wanted to be in the forefront of the action! He had a quiet sense of humor and enjoyed the occasional cuddle and/or tummy rub. He was crazy about bumpers, tennis balls and ducks.

George sired four litters in his short lifetime. His offspring have accomplished championships, obedience titles and are boon companions to their folks. Best of all his children inherited his happy temperament and nice sturdy body. His last litter was born a few weeks before he died and consisted of one puppy – a handsome male that looks just like his father. It is bittersweet to look forward to this pup growing up to follow in his father’s big pawprints.

---

 

MEGAN

Ch. Eire’s Can’t Buy Me Luv CD
7/25/97 – 5/31/06

Anybody who has met me in the last 8+ years has also met my ‘shadow’ Megan. Ever since she was a pup she went everywhere I went. She loved to ride in the van and had her own special spot between the two front seats. She was reliable on or off lead and always willing to meet new people. Her petite size and sweet attitude charmed many.
Megan was the first to announce visitors at the door. She had a very loud voice! Although she was the smallest dog in the house she was the boss, putting even the biggest boys in their proper place and making sure all the dogs knew to ‘make way’ for the top dog! That attitude extended to the best nap spot next to me on the comfy chair. She would curl up on her side and place her head on my heart, heaving a deep sigh of contentment.
That is where she belonged. Megan was the dog of my ‘heart’, my boon companion on many adventures and the sweet repose of my affection.
Although Megan loved attention, she didn’t love the ring. Yet she cheerfully completed her Championship and Obedience titles for me. She was happiest organizing things at home, navigating in the van or meeting new people. However, before she became ill, she and I had taken a Rally class and really enjoyed it. I’m sure she could’ve whizzed through RN and RA.

A few years ago she went with us to find Penny, who was lost in NJ, and Megan discovered her - injured, curled up in a soybean field. Megan contracted lyme disease on that trip and I have felt it compromised her immune system permanently.
One of her many gifts to me would be a tennis ball. When she felt I was upset, or needed comforting and/or cheering up, she would find a tennis ball and present it to me as the very best thing. Perhaps she felt I needed a good game of tennis ball tag to cheer me up.
Early in April, when I noticed Megan’s lymph nodes were swollen, she presented me with a tennis ball. She was officially diagnosed with lymphoma. She had a couple of decent months where she went swimming in the new pond and travelling everywhere with us. Early this last week I was presented with another tennis ball. Immediately afterwards she began to decline rapidly. She died at home. She had been quiet most of the day but in the evening became restless. She got up, fell down and couldn't get up again. I picked her up and put her on the big chair, wrapped in a blanket. I could tell she was leaving and wanted to stay by her side. I held her and told her it was time to go, not to fight it. And that I loved her always. Then she died.

I can’t believe my little buddy is gone.
She is buried out back next to Bonny, up the hill a bit from Woody. The silver maples shade their final resting place, close to quacking of ducks on the pond.

---

BONNY

Ch. Eire's Bring Back My Bonny CD
7/4/94 - 5/27/06
(Ch. Artemon's Artie x Ch. Poole's Ide Wilnbris Hi Hope CD JH CGC TDI)

Bonny was a sweet, unassuming girl who loved to fetch, swim, sleep on a stack of pillows and go for van rides. She was a wonderful show dog, loving the ring and impressing the judges with her beautiful gliding movement. When showing her, I said that she was my reward for the more difficult dogs I've shown. She could be a bit of an airhead so sometimes we jokingly called her "Blondie".
Bonny had one puppy, Gracie (Ch. Eire's Don't Pass Me By). She was grandma to 9, 3 of which are champions. Her granddaughter Lucy (Ch. Eire's High in the Sky) is very much like her in looks and personality. I'm sure Bonny's influence will be felt in generations to come of Waterdogs Farm puppies.
In her senior years she was mostly companion to Woody and daytime sleep supervisor for Billy. Even tho she showed no overt signs of grieving, I'm sure Woody's recent passing affected her health and happiness.
Bonny was buried out in the orchard by the pond near Woody. Daffodils and iris will be planted. We hope to get a dogwood bush or two to mark that site as well.

---

 

Woody
Pictured on his 12th birthday.

Ch. Eire's All Gotta Cheer CD JH CGC
(Am/Can Ch. Castlehill's Go Quadrifolio CD JH CGC TDI x Ch. Poole's Ide Wilnbris Hi Hope CD JH CGC TDI)
SN051271/07 Born 3/06/93 Died May 12, 2006

Woody is our main Eire senior citizen, official door greeter, biscuit radar nose, van shotgun rider and social butterfly. He is from our first Eire litter, born to our Lucky and Maggie. He finished his Ch. in grand style going WD at the 1994 Utah Specialty supported entry. Earning his CD quickly, he then went on to earn his JH with panache and style. Woody loved obedience and hunting, really anything that had to do with attention and food. These days his main focus is power-napping and his daily van ride. He can still locate a biscuit so well hidden nobody else even knows it is there. In June, 2005 he visited the Stockton shows and helped George solidify his sit stays while waiting for the picnic to begin. The picture is Woody having a good time on his 12th Birthday in March.

---

 

Cady

Ch. Eire's Amanda Go Cadence CD JH CGC
(Am/Can Ch. Castlehill's Go Quadrifolio CD JH CGC TDI x Ch. Poole's Ide Wilnbris Hi Hope CD JH WC CGC TDI)
SN 051271/01  OFA Fair CERF, Thyroid
Born 3/06/93 died 2002

Cady arrived in our first Eire litter, born to our first IWS, Lucky and Maggie. I used to say of her father, "I've never loved a dog as much as I love this dog" but when Cady was born I amended it to "until I met Cady, who I love just as much." Cady was an opinionated rabble-rouser, queen of the pack, sweet companion. She finished her Ch., CD and JH in grand style meanwhile having 2 very nice litters. Two of her daughters went on to earn their Chs, and one daughter, Megan, (who I also love just as much) earned her CD and is studying to take on Rally obedience. Cady left us way too young and we still miss her to this day.

---

LUCKY

Am/Can CH. Castlehill's Go Quadrifolio CD JH CGC TDI TP

Am CH,Can CH,CD,JH,CGC/TDI
OFA /Good,CERF
Born 10/27/88-Died 1998

Lucky was our first IWS.
When my very old cocker-mix dog "Sunshine" died, we wanted to get a purebred dog that matched our interests and inclinations. I liked spaniels and Billy wanted something Irish. We both wanted a dog we could try showing in breed. We saw an IWS at a local show and fell in love. Subsequently, we got on the waiting list for a male from the Liza/Jake litter. When this 1988 litter was born there was only one surviving male and he was ours!!
Lucky was a wonderful, outgoing dog. He put up with our well-meaning but totally novice ways at the shows and finished his AKC Championship at 14 months, his Canadian Championship soon after. His good looks and outgoing ways caught the eye of a handler friend and she offered to do a bit of local specialing with him. They made a good team and earned numerous Group placements in the US and Canada. He earned his CD quickly, again despite the total neophyte at the other end of the leash. We took him to a trainer, Penny Connover, to be trained and handled to his JH. He did a good job with that too in his overenthusiastic, bombastic way, loving every minute of it.
Lucky sired two litters. His first was with our Maggie (Ch. Poole's Ide Wilnbris Hi Hope CD JH CGC TDI). There were many lovely pups out of that litter including two All-Arounders. His Son Woody is still alive and with us at 12 1/2 years. His 2nd litter was with Ch. Beaufield's Fame and Fortune (Fortune) and also produced many very nice IWS. These two litters earned him the title of Top Producer awarded by the IWSCA. We have frozen some of his sperm and hope to breed back to him again one day.
Lucky was a wonderful dog who left us way too early. I still miss him and feel his loving presence laughing over my shoulder when I am working with one of his particularily active descendants.