"Shine"

10 April 2007 - 12 June 2019

He was the second second puppy born to Dart and Marty.

His litter name was Jeff.

His name morphed into “Uncle Shine” when Wylie was born.  Shine became both a brother and an uncle to Wylie when he was born.  I thought Brother Shine was too evangelical, so his name became Uncle Shine.

Shine had always been male aggressive and I was afraid, when I had to keep Wylie, that we'd have turmoil in our home. But, as it turned out, Wylie worshiped Shine ..... and Shine loved being worshiped.

(Photo by Cherry Williams)

I can best describe him as the best dog I never knew I had.  As he was in the “middle” of Dart and Wylie.  Dart, who was my once in a lifetime dog, and Wylie who was a special needs dog. 

When all dogs were yearning for attention, Dart would take it, Wylie would move in, but Shine was just sit there saying, in his eyes, “please notice me.”    He got considerably more attention after Dart passed.  We cuddled so nicely.   I cherish those eight short months.

He was also my protector.  I felt safe with him.  Especially when we got caught in that flash flood in Tennessee and  had to spend the night in a bank parking lot.  I hugged him all night and could sleep.

I’m not sure he truly loved agility like Dart and Wylie, but he would do anything I asked. 

We did the Vizsla Club of America Iron Dog competition (agility obedience, rally and show) without any formal or organized training in obedience or rally.  He just followed me around the ring.   He actually earned two Novice Rally legs without any experience in Rally…..including me.

In AKC agility, Shine earned his MX and MXJ titles. 

At the Vizsla Club of America Nationals in 2013 In Minnesota, he took a first place in Masters Jumpers.

Shine was slow to get excited about birds.  His first experience was a failure. 

Watch this video of him eating the grass at the bottom of the tree as the quail runs around the base of the tree looking at him. 

At first, I didn’t have to drive all the way to the conservation club to train him.  The first training sessions were in the flower garden in my back yard.

Watch this video. 

Once he finished his puppy/derby seasons, he went to Randy Boggs for breaking to wing and shot.  Randy used clicker and treats. 

Shine responded well, but still had a renegade spirit to chase birds when his bracemate was unruly.  We took him to hunt tests to finish his Master Hunter before going back to field trials.  As, he needed more structure in his performance.  

His retrieve was reliable.  In fact, he finished his field championships with 15 retrieving points when he only needed four.

Pictured here winning his Field Championship in Georgia.

Hemangiosaroma was his demise. 

No dog survives hemangiosarcoma.  He had his spleen removed in May 2019.  We quickly formulated the Chinese herbs and mushrooms to give him the best opportunity for a quality of life.  Our holistic treatment gave him two more months.  The cancer had spread to his liver and he had too many bleeds over five days.  His spirit was strong.  He was happy. He ate his meals, even the night he passed.  He passed naturally, with his head in my hands, at home.