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SANTA PAWS

CH. BRENDA’S CHRISTMAS SANTA PAWS NAJ
12/12/94 - 08/16/02
Owner: Brenda Morris

Santa Paws was born shortly before I discovered agility. While he was growing up, Dewey and I were off taking lessons in agility. The first title Santa earned was his Championship in the breed ring. I was so busy with Dewey that I allowed a friend to pick a handler for him. This was a mistake. He left me with a cute personality and came home with a chip on his tiny little shoulders. After purchasing agility equipment for my yard, I endeavored to introduce Santa to agility. Although he did everything I asked him to do, this tiny, 3-1/2 pound little man hated the A-Frame. Every time I took him to an agility trial, he would run along with me and then suddenly come to a stop at the bottom of the A-Frame. Sometimes it looked like he was “flippin me” the paw!

I finally decided that Jumpers was more his style and he quickly earned his first two legs. His interest in agility waned and the third leg looked like it wasn’t going to happen. At a trial in San Diego, Santa and I began his run with some speed. Half way through the course he began to slow down which prompted me to say, “Santa...if you run real fast to the very end, you’ll never have to do agility again.” His response was to run so fast that I could hardly keep up. We Q’d and he’s been retired ever since.

Santa Paws had been debarked while in the care of professional handlers. He had a problem with scar tissue developing in his throat and had to be operated on again to remove the scar tissue. This led to an asthmatic condition. One morning, after a good night's sleep, I put the dogs out to go potty and headed down the hall to the kitchen. All of the dogs met me at the door and were barking furiously. When I opened the door, all but one came racing in the house. I looked for Santa and found him at the base of the door. His little body was lifeless. I began CPR and heart massage which brought him back to life. I began searching for my vet's phone number. The doctor's home phone had been placed on a fax setting and I couldn't reach him. It would be an hour before he would be at work. Santa again quit breathing and I again started CPR. Once more he came around. I held him while I tried to get dressed. The third time he quit breathing I again began CPR only this time I couldn't get the air down his trachea. His bronchial tubes had swollen shut.

Santa was a fiesty little character with tons of personality. He and Dewey didn't get along but they knew there were consequences if they decided to fight. For several weeks, all of the dogs expressed their grief over the passing of little Santa Paws...even Dewey.

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