One of my friends/training partners, Gen Dever, gave me this darling little set of cocktail glasses today after an awesome winter field session with our training group. She had purchased them several years ago, and they have crescent moons etched on them. She said these "really should belong to you." What a nice sentiment, and they will be a great addition to our glassware collection!
Anyway--the cocktail glasses got me thinking of our 2001 Yahtaris "Moon" litter, and all the other moon named dogs I didn't note earlier when talking about how we chose Apolo's name. I'd like to mention them here.
CH U-CD Yahtaris My Janus Sky Dancer CD RN WC FFX-OP CGC
Jay was my best friend and soulmate--I named him after the sixth moon of Saturn, Janus. Interestingly enough, scientists pronounce the name JAY-nus, while in Roman religion/mythology, it is pronounced JAN-us. *shoulder shrug* Those of us in science strive to be different, what can I say? The Romans believed Janus to be the god of doorways, transitions, and new beginnings--the god who is depicted as two faces, one looking forward, and one looking back. Do dogs take on the qualities of the name given to them? I have always believed that yes, they do. I couldn't have chosen a better name for my Jay.
Yahtaris Moon Over Clarenjoy JH WC
Maisy has been a joy for me to know and watch for over 10 years. She lives with Joyce Kruger, one of my greatest friends, and the breeder of my foundation bitch, Eva. She is Apolo's breeder, too!
Yahtaris Mollie Moonsong
Mollie was a sweet girl who lived with the Lockert family in Bowman, ND. She spent her days raising and cuddling children at Leigh's daycare, and her weekends with her family. Often swimming! She was a lucky girl and has been desperately missed. The Lockerts will also be taking a litter sister to our Apolo.
Yahtaris MoonShadow CGC
Shadow belonged to Leasa Gowett in Florida (weird to think that she lived where there are alligators?!) When Shadow passed away in 2009, Leasa wrote a beautiful tribute to her on the FCRlist, and included the lyrics from the Cat Stevens song, Moon Shadow.
Yahtaris Dark Side of the Moon
So, now you have the history of all our moon named dogs...likely way more than you ever wanted to know! Thanks for reading all the way to the end. Cheers!
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| These are so cool! |
CH U-CD Yahtaris My Janus Sky Dancer CD RN WC FFX-OP CGC
Jay was my best friend and soulmate--I named him after the sixth moon of Saturn, Janus. Interestingly enough, scientists pronounce the name JAY-nus, while in Roman religion/mythology, it is pronounced JAN-us. *shoulder shrug* Those of us in science strive to be different, what can I say? The Romans believed Janus to be the god of doorways, transitions, and new beginnings--the god who is depicted as two faces, one looking forward, and one looking back. Do dogs take on the qualities of the name given to them? I have always believed that yes, they do. I couldn't have chosen a better name for my Jay.
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| Jay and I above Duncan Lake in the BWCA, fall 2008 |
Yahtaris Moon Over Clarenjoy JH WC
Maisy has been a joy for me to know and watch for over 10 years. She lives with Joyce Kruger, one of my greatest friends, and the breeder of my foundation bitch, Eva. She is Apolo's breeder, too!
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| Maisy is on the left! She stayed with us a few times...you can tell Jay (on the right!) wanted to snuggle. :) |
Yahtaris Mollie Moonsong
Mollie was a sweet girl who lived with the Lockert family in Bowman, ND. She spent her days raising and cuddling children at Leigh's daycare, and her weekends with her family. Often swimming! She was a lucky girl and has been desperately missed. The Lockerts will also be taking a litter sister to our Apolo.
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| Mollie "supervising" TV time at daycare. |
Yahtaris MoonShadow CGC
Shadow belonged to Leasa Gowett in Florida (weird to think that she lived where there are alligators?!) When Shadow passed away in 2009, Leasa wrote a beautiful tribute to her on the FCRlist, and included the lyrics from the Cat Stevens song, Moon Shadow.
I'm being followed by a moon shadow
moon shadow-moon shadow
leaping and hopping on a moon shadow
moon shadow-moon shadow
moon shadow-moon shadow
leaping and hopping on a moon shadow
moon shadow-moon shadow
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| A young Shadow (right) watching the sunrise with her FCR companion, Caly |
Yahtaris Hunter's Moon
Potter was named for the full moon of November, the month in which he was born. He earned the call name Potter after Harry Potter, because his family said that as a puppy he was a bit reluctant until he figured something out...and then he would really take to it!
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| Baby Potter's first Christmas |
Yahtaris Dark Side of the Moon
Doug chose Vader's name "because of his color -- hopefully not his future personality." Where do I start with Vader? First, I would give Derek Broden, who was pretty young at the time, the award for the best call name not only in the breed, but the whole galaxy. Jon would love to name one of our dogs Vader, but I fear he may not live up to the original. Vader was one of my favorite dogs, he was not only beautiful, but a good mix of birdy and stable in temperament. As a puppy, he knew when to work, and when to relax. He was just cool that way. I loved his personality, his expressions, and the fact that he lived the dream life of a FCR out hunting with his family, and eventually his niece from my second litter. He was a dog I was always proud to say I had bred.
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| Duck hunting with his boy, Derek. Because every boy needs a dog, for real. |
Yahtaris Ion My Moon Man
Doc was my dad's dog, and occasional author of the Sedivy Christmas letter. He also sent me a $1 bill in a birthday card every year, and he must have had some fantastic in with the USPS (trust me, I don't,) because his card always seemed to arrive every year EXACTLY on my birthday! When Doc was born, his front foot had been crushed (presumably during the birth process,) so he needed some extra care as a puppy. We made him a small splint out of Popsicle sticks, which he quickly figured out would work well to shove other puppies out of the way at the "milk bar." When he was older, he moved to a plastic splint, and he used THAT to push other puppies away from the food, too! Doc never had much feeling in that foot, which didn't slow him down. He could swim and hunt with the best of the best. Doc was a very special dog to my dad, and he has been greatly missed by our family.
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| Doc at Pickerel Lake, home of my parents. |
Yahtaris Walking on Regolith
Regolith is the soil on Earth's moon. I never knew that, but Clara's young family did, and I have loved her registered name. Clara has filled an incredible role for her family. When Tom and Mary Deneka talked with me on the phone, I knew they were going to be a great home. They were high school sweethearts, and they had Clara a few years before their two girls. When Tom passed away suddenly in 2011, at the age of 36, he left behind two beautiful daughters, and the love of his life, Mary. Clara has been a huge comfort to the Deneka girls. And, each year, I receive a "Clara Calendar" as a Christmas gift! It arrived a few days ago, so I will be treated to 12 more months of beautiful pictures of the Denekas. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful for the strength and love Clara gives her family, she has been a blessing to us all. xoxo
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| Clara boating on Keuka Lake, NY |
CH Yahtaris Melody of My Neona
When I hold Nikka in my arms, I feel all the emotions of my (almost) 16 years in Flat-Coats. She is Eva's daughter. She is Jay's sister. She is Mac's mom. She is Apolo's grandmother. Nikka is the thread that connects all of Yahtaris. She is my mom's dog, and Nikka was named in part for Melody Daniels, who owned her father. Neona is the Greek name meaning new moon--I always think of Nikka on the darkest of nights, when the stars blaze due to the moon's rebirth. She is an amazing dog, and I can't wait to head to the lake this weekend to see her!
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| Nikka at nine years of age, stretching her legs and retrieving with the boys. |
So, now you have the history of all our moon named dogs...likely way more than you ever wanted to know! Thanks for reading all the way to the end. Cheers!
And today it seems like such a long, long time ago. In a galaxy far, far away. God, I missed that dog pheasant hunting this fall. I agree with you, Jess, that Vader was a handsome dog, but he was only the second best dog I ever had. His niece has proven herself to outshine him in every way this year. She always had a better nose, but now she is also a better hunter, more understanding of the concept that dog and hunter are a team. And a better problem solver. Without her, losing Vader would have been a lot harder to handle. But where Vader didn't have an evil bone in his body, despite his name, Gem can occasionally be a bit of a miscreant. I have read that a man is only entitled to one really good dog in his lifetime. I have been blessed to have had four in my 50 plus years, and two have come from the Yahtaris line. I hope to have a few more "really good dogs", and I actually expect that I will. But perhaps my standards are lower than many, as all I want is a hunting buddy who enjoys the sport as much, if not more, than I do, and who is willing to include me in the hunt. Jess, tell Jon that he has my permission to name a dog Vader, just so long as he isn't one of those liver colored dogs. It's not a name that I can imagine myself ever using again. He was my first Flatcoat, and I don't think I could bring myself to use the name again. Just warn him that if he does use the name, he may be called, as some of my friends called me, the "Master Vader".
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