Tammy (Araidh Sweetest Taboo) is out of
Sparstaff Spring Thyme at Araidh by Crossguns Dictator at Staffire, born on 14 September
1995 and was bred by Lesley McFadyen.
Tammy was the perfect puppy, never doing anything wrong, she loved to learn
and it was towards the end of an obedience course that we tried Agility for the first
time, whilst other dogs had to be helped and coaxed over the equipment, Tammy had found
her niche, she loved it. The instructor was amazed, he said 'If ever a dog should do
Agility, then Tammy is it'.
It all started from there, since then Tammy regularly competes in Agility and has done very well, at a recent show she beat the fastest standard dog (Border Collie) over the same course by 3 seconds.
It was in our quest to find a new challenge that we started
training for Working Trials, this is less formal than Obedience and you work with your dog
as a partnership.
We have only competed in 2 trials, so far we haven't qualified but are happily still trying.
When she is working well she is a joy to watch but
every so often that Stafford stubbiness comes in, at our first trial during the recall she
waited patiently until called then trotted over half way, rolled on her back and laid
chewing the grass!
We train most weekends with Neville Watson and his border collie, Tad. Neville is also our Agility instructor, he has been in most of the Agility finals and has judged Agility at Crufts.
Tammy is also the demonstration dog for our local Obedience and
Ringcraft classes, where she has sucessfully completed the Bronze & Silver awards
in the 'Good Citizen' scheme run by the Kennnel Club & more recently the Gold award
during the East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed show.
Tammy has regulary attended Discover Dogs at Earls Court and Crufts on the DOMINO stand supported by the Kennel Club, during her stints she is loved, patted, cuddled and kissed until she had bald spots and even had a ride in a black cab to help deliver a protest letter to the German embassy.
Then in December 2000, Tammy along with other dogs and MEP's
delivered a protest letter to Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street
Tammy has passed her assessment and is a registered PAT (Pets As Therapy) Dog.
She is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.
You are her life, her love, her leader, she will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of her heart.
You owe it to her to be worthy of such devotion.
(author unknown)