Kayla's Story -Icelandic Sheepdog Summer Newsletter Issue 2002

KOLTRYNA'S EARLY DAYS
Chase, British Columbia

The arrival of a new litter is always exciting, as it was for us on April 21st, 2001 when the litter from Lukka fra Keldnakoti and Kolur fra Arbakki was born. Four little girls and two little boys. Colour is always exciting too. Our pups that have been either predominantly cream or black, with white, tan and other shades, show very little change to the predominant colouring. However, this is not the case with the other colours, which lighten significantly from the birth colour.

We had a long list of people awaiting the arrival of this litter. Initially we had planned to exchange two of these puppies with two breeders in Holland, but the Raad van Beheer in Amsterdam would not recognize Miscellaneous CKC registration and wanted the papers issued with full breed recognition, so unexpectedly we then had two puppies to place that we already thought had a home.

We are very thorough in checking new owners and the home they will be able to provide for our puppies. Based on an earlier experience, we now send a notice with each pup leaving here requesting first refusal should a new owner find themselves in a position where they can't keep their puppy.

One family had expressed a very keen interest in a puppy for their daughter over quite a long period of time and we had had a considerable amount of contact with them. When they were selected to receive a puppy, they were delighted and decided to fly from Minnesota to pick up Koltryna, rather than have her take a long air cargo flight.

We thought Koltryna was a very lucky little puppy to have such care and planning going into her transportation. The family flew to Vancouver, rented a car and drove to our farm to pick up their puppy - spent some time here and left happily with Koltryna.

We ask people to keep in touch with us and I was surprised that I didn't hear how the journey home had gone. I e-mailed to enquire and didn't receive a reply. I e-mailed a second time and still didn't hear anything. This is unusual.

The next thing I received was an e-mail enquiry from someone who had chosen a puppy from the Humane Society nearest to them, and as Koltryna had also been left with the Canadian Sheepdog Puppy Book, the new owner had read it, seen a picture of who she thought was her puppy (and it was), seen our name and contacted us to see if we were the breeders.

Needless to say we were dumbfounded. Apparently the reason given for surrendering Koltryna to the Humane Society was that one of the owners was allergic to dogs. We couldn't believe that these owners, who were prepared to go to so much trouble to come and get her, couldn't go to the trouble of making a phone call to us, telling us what had happened and asking if we could take her back. We had many people who would have loved to have her.

Very luckily for Koltryna, she has found a new owner who has offered a loving home and has offered a home to many dogs who have found themselves at the Humane Society for one reason or another. We are very grateful to her for rescuing Koltryna and getting in touch with us.

We sincerely hope that all future owners of our puppies will contact us if something unforeseen arises that prevents them from keeping their new puppy.

We have asked Koltryna's new owner if she will write a short article telling the story from when she found her at the Humane Society.


MY RESCUE DOG
Minneapolis, Minnesota

On July, 23, 2001 I had to put my beloved Rusty to sleep. He had a stroke and no longer had a comfortable quality of life. He has been my friend for fifteen years. I was thoroughly devastated.

So, on Saturday, July 28, 2001, I found myself again at the Animal Humane Society of Golden Valley, Minnesota, "just looking". From past experience, I knew better than to go to the shelter "just looking", as I knew I would not return home alone. Of course, I did not.

I adopted an Icelandic Sheepdog, about eleven weeks old. She was not the first dog I looked at that day. What attracted me to her was her outstanding personality. She is extremely intelligent, outgoing, very friendly and exceptionally alert. After spending just a few minutes with her, I knew I had to have her. I named her Kayla even before I had signed the adoption papers.

I was told she is a purebred Icelandic recently purchased from a professional hobby breeder. She apparently was given up for adoption two weeks after purchase due to the new owner having allergies to dogs. After my veterinarian had found a tattoo in Kayla's right ear, I became curious as to her origins.

When adopting Kayla, I was provided with a copy of the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club's Puppy Package which featured dogs from Pineridge Icelandics along with other CISC members dogs. She looked so much like Pineridge Koltryna, I emailed this breeder requesting information. Jill Fike contacted me immediately, both by telephone and email. I was so excited to find out Kayla really is Pineridge Koltryna. Jill and I have been corresponding periodically since then regarding Kayla's care.

Kayla has made some very interesting choices for her favorite toys. I do not know if this is something particular to Icelandics, but Kayla's favorite treats are ice cubes. She has great fun when I give her a large non-spill bowl full of them. I even freeze her beef bones before giving them to her. She gets along very well with my other rescue dogs, Buster and Skye. Watching them all play together is most entertaining.

For me, adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment. I choose rescue dogs because they are most in need of loving homes. There is no greater return on my investment of the heart than the unconditional love of a new canine companion.

2008 Update, Kayla continues to be a much loved member of her new family and both her breeder and the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club continue to get yearly updates on this adored Icelandic Sheepdog.