by Jordyalan
on 4/26/2008 at 9:12 PM
in First Post
I thought that I would take this opportunity to write to you all today to share with you our story.
Our Story started in April 1995, this was when I added a beautiful Black and White male Border Collie puppy to my family. His name was Coop,and he was the start of my addiction to the Border Collie breed.
Coop was a fantastic puppy and he grew into the most intelligent dog you could ever meet. But fate was to set in though, and Coop only lived to 2 years old. This was due to an horrific accident when he was out on his morning run with his dad. They were struck down by a hit-run driver and Coop was dragged 200 meters up the road and died instantly. His Dad was badly shaken but was ok, it was an extremely traumatic thing for him to have to go through though. Our family was distraught and it took such a long time to heal the wounds in our hearts.
I had fallen so much in love with Coop's temperament that I had already ordered another puppy from the same breeder before the accident happened. So we decided as a family that we just had to still take him, especially since he was from the same bloodlines and we called him Topper.
Topper was Coop's nephew and he joined our family helping heal the grief of losing his uncle, making it just a little bit easier to get through. So as time passed and our Topper matured and he turned into such an adorable dog, it only made me realize even more that what I really wanted to do with my life was to start breeding and showing Border Collies.
Yet another curve ball came though in 1999 when I was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Cytopathy (a Muscular Dystrophy). This is a non curable, and non treatable muscle disease, so my life as I knew it was gone forever.
As my disease progressed and my marriage collapsed because of it, my children and I knew that if I was ever going to fulfill my dreams I was going to have to do it on my own.
But fate once again stepped in, and in early 2004 a wonderful new man entered my life and we married that September.
Even though with him knowing fully well what the future would hold for me with my disease, he made it very clear that we would get through it together and my dreams could still come true.
So as my birthday present in 2004, I was given an adorable female black/white Border Collie puppy from my new husband, and I called her Coco. She was to start my dream off he said, and so Jordyalan Kennels was born. Coco had three litters of puppies, having produced 21 adorable and perfectly marked black/white babies over her three and a half years as our Dam. Coco has now been retired to the couch!!.
Our beautiful Topper passed away on the 22nd November 2005, and was nine and a quarter years old. He was absolutely a Border Collie with a personality that astounded everyone!!. He is so greatly missed every single day.
We then purchased a Blue/white male Border Collie called Bert in late 2005, who is our stud dog here at Jordyalan. He sired two of Coco's litters for us, and is now looking forward to many more with some new girlfriends!!. Bert is an absolutely wonderful boy, and he knows that if I am really in pain and need to stay in bed sometimes, he just settles down for a day in front of the TV. He then watches over me until his Dad comes home from work!! (my very own companion dog).
In December 2007 even though I know I am getting worse, we decided to get a new Dam for our kennel now that Coco is retired. I know that I have wonderful family and friends around me that are there to help out, and no-one wants me give up on my dreams. So I took possession of the cutest little chocolate/white Border Collie puppy I had ever seen, and I called her Elsa.
Now in 2008 as the severe muscle pain and lethargy is progressing at a fast rate, and my mobility has been severely affected. I can sit back in my wheelchair at any outing or event, and watch my husband or friend running my dogs around at an obedience trial or a dog show. And I can still feel just as involved as ever, even if someone else has to be my legs!! I truly feel blessed to have been able to fulfill my dreams, despite having such a severe disability.
It is with no doubt at all that I can say, my dogs truly make my life complete!!!
Wanda Ramsdell
Proud owner of Jordyalan Border Collies Est 1996
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