Rory brings the sun

CH Chelsea Here Comes the Sun, BN NAP NJP CGC HIC

October 2015: Everyone has sadness in their lives, everyone has disappointments and perhaps more “rain” than they would like, but when a blind-siding tragedy strikes it is often hard to bounce back, or to see it as just part of the circle of life. That tragedy happened to Tom and me in October 2015 when our beautiful 9-month-old golden retriever puppy, Teddy, died of torsion and bloat on a gorgeous autumn Saturday. No amount of money, or prayers, or hope, or love, or dedicated doctors could save him. The next nine months were hard for me. I had not only lost this wonderful young dog, but I had also lost the future I had planned with him; it was devastatingly hard, bearing the unbearable. This loss is a part of Rory’s story.

June 2016: Gayle Kaye (Chelsea Collies) told me she was going to breed her Harlow (Ch. Chelsea Blonde Bombshell) to Brody (Ch. Larkspur Shake Down the Stars II) and asked if I was interested in a puppy. We had our beloved tri Gabi (Ch. Chelsea Twilight Time, VCD1 CD TDX AX AXJ MXP CGC TKN) and our wonderful sable boy Josh (Chelsea Special Request, CD TDX ACT1 HIC CGC) who is a Harlow son. Did I want another puppy from Harlow? Of course, I was in! And this was going to be an exciting (and maybe a little stressful) breeding as Brody was coming to California as chilled semen! Little did I know the immense joy this breeding would bring.

Brody arrived in his chilled container, I guess I should mention he arrived twice because FedEx misplaced him the first time! Thank you to Trish Blakey for all her help and support. We were so excited when the sonogram indicated puppies! Harlow and Brody gave us two beautiful sable boys, born by Cesarian section, on August 6, 2016. Over the next two months I saw Rory and his brother, Andre, several times a week. It was exciting to watch them develop into darling little men.

Little did I know the immense joy this breeding would bring.

October 2016: I brought my baby Rory home. He was 8 weeks old, and it was also the one-year anniversary of our young Teddy’s passing. I looked at my beautiful and vivacious puppy and I knew immediately he was someone special. He knew he had brought happiness and comfort to our home. It was as if he brought the sun when he got out of my van and ran through our yard. I named him “Chelsea Here Comes the Sun” because he did, and he does, bring the sun every day!

He followed Cooper everywhere and learned all the things a smart puppy and a good dog should know.

As Baby Rory grew he proved to be a very outgoing little guy with a charismatic personality. He fit into our household with his relatives, Gabi and Josh and our 7-year-old Golden, Cooper, seamlessly. He followed Cooper everywhere and learned all the things a smart puppy and a good dog should know.

I enjoy performance activities with all my dogs. The two collies from Gayle Kaye both had advanced performance titles, and both were honored as “Top Performance Collies” by the CCA for their TDX titles, so I knew that Rory would excel too. The Chelsea Collies are known for their beauty, health, intelligence and sound unflappable temperament. Nothing bothers them, they can go anywhere and be comfortable. These are traits that make a happy, enthusiastic, and great performance partner; they are biddable and fun! Rory started off with “focus” training at 8 weeks of age (here, look, watch me, ready) and then at 4 months went to puppy agility class, and also puppy obedience class. He loved the attention and the new “tricks” he learned. He loves to be around people and other dogs. He wants to be where the action is. He is a biddable and “fun” companion.

It was as if he brought the sun when he got out of my van and ran through our yard. I named him “Chelsea Here Comes the Sun” because he did, and he does, bring the sun every day!

Rory matured into a lovely young adult. He had other activities that our family enjoys such as going for walks in Balboa Park, with the three other dogs, and swimming in San Diego Bay with our Golden boy, Cooper. I posted some of their swimming photos on Facebook and here Rory charmed strangers with his “joie de vie.” This year was this his second summer to enjoy the beach.

In December 2017, at 16 months of age he went to his first Specialty where he was Winners Dog for a 4-point major! He already had two minor points and a Best of Variety from his summer fling at his very first show, so now with a major he seemed to be on his way. I co-own my Chelsea Collies with Gayle Kaye, and Rory was shown exclusively in the Bred-by Exhibitor class by Gayle. Over the next weeks he finished his championship in whirlwind style with four Majors and four Major RWDs in 10 shows; he was a champion at 18 months and I was very proud.

Now with his championship completed and the winter shows over, Rory and I could concentrate on having fun in the performance arena. In April he met sheep for the first time and easily earned his Herding Instinct Certificate. He is now taking herding lessons with my friend Mona Boord, and we hope he will get a novice herding title.

We continued our agility and obedience lessons that he had started as a baby and in June he began to compete and earn titles. He has his Novice agility titles, in two weekends and with first places, and he is well on his way to his Open agility titles. This summer he also earned his Beginning Novice obedience title (with three 2nd places and nice scores of 195). He demonstrated his gentlemanly skills and easily was awarded his Canine Good Citizen title. He earned five performance titles by his 2nd birthday! Rory also takes tracking lessons with my friend Paula Cigota, and has already been certified to enter a Tracking Dog test. My Sun King is a renaissance kind of guy! Rory truly has charisma and people enjoy watching him compete. As always his joie de vie shines!

Rory sired a litter in March, out of our Gabi (Ch. Chelsea Twilight Time, VCD1 CD TDX AX AXJ MXP CGC TKN) and we have one of his darling daughters, aptly named “Chelsea Kissed by the Sun” and Gayle has “Chelsea Good Morning Sunshine.” The sun truly shines down on us, as we now have these little sunbeams to love.

I am looking forward to many happy years of good times with my boy who brings the sun. For competition, I am hoping for his grand championship; for obedience a CD and perhaps CDX; a herding title with my friend Mona; and some tracking titles with my friend Paula; and for agility with me, I think the sky is the limit . . . I am hoping to make him a dual champion!

But the very best part of Rory is that he is my constant companion, my bed dog, my lay-by-the-computer dog, my I-am-always-with-you dog! He is the best, and I am so very fortunate. He brought the sun back into our lives. Thank you to Ch. Brody and Ch. Harlow for my special boy and to Gayle Kaye (Chelsea) and to Trish Blakely (Larkspur) for the generations of great dogs who went before him.

I am so very blessed to have had so many wonderful dogs in my life. And Rory is one of the best of the best, he is the shining sun in my heart!

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