Star
Nicknames: Snarps or Snar, Fabio, Maniac,
and Staaaoooor
Sometimes I think "Star" was short for Starving since she always acted like she was!
Am/Can Ch. O'Mal's It Was Love
23" 65 lbs.
mole's height/weight unknown
May 2, 1994 - October 13, 2004
Star was our "maniac". She always had two speeds - still and overdrive. At 9 she started slowing down and "turning into her mother" (Penny) - refusing to come when called or coming really SLOW, she could still sparkle. She wouldl climb your body for a treat. She could still slither under the lowest bed. She would lick your CLEAN dishes in the dishwasher before you can unload them. She screamed hello when you return home and was in your face until you give her a big long hug. She guarded the kid's bedroom and toys like the troll under the bridge in the story Billy Goat's Gruff. No mere dog dare cross her threshold or suffer the consequences! Her favorite cave was under the spare van seat in the basement (the other dogs have crates, she had a van seat!) which is where she rested so appropriately so the other dogs could say goodbye. She loved dog shows because she knew she was hot stuff. When we took her to dog class or dog shows she is in heaven she loves it so much!
She was the most affectionate and adored all people and especially kids (dragging us to a stroller to say "hi"), but hated other dogs, especially other female dogs outside her pack. Surprisingly, she'd always gotten along with Penny and together they greet us in the morning with wet kisses. She also liked Gracie, and of course doted on her "heir apparent" Holly. She LOVED to hunt birds, frogs and little critters. Her favorite snack is buttered popcorn and she was self appointed guard of the dog food bag but wouldn't dream of getting into it herself (at least not until recently).
She loved drive thru windows, and at a fast food restaurant or the bank, will hang half her body out the window at the prospect of getting a cookie or a few french fries. Star loved small booda bones (rope tugs) and will throw them into the air happily playing by herself. Easily tricked into doing something she didn't want to do by waving a treat in front of her nose, she was our sweet "airhead". She didn't cuddle often and got impatient if you wanted to pet her TOO much. Secure in her alpha status, she consented more and more to hugs and snuggles! (Maybe it just didn't seem too dignified before?) She always would rather play or do something instead though. Her movement was smooth and effortless and once at a seminar for movement was picking apart dogs and their movement, but he found nothing to critique about Star. She had wonderful car manners, and whereas going somewhere in the car wasn't very important to her, since retiring from dog shows, she liked to go a bit more than she used to.
She was also the pack "enforcer" making sure the other dogs stay out of the garbage, off the counters, and obey other "rules" she often didn't obey herself! You'd sometimes hear her "Grrrrrr-rrh" from another room because she saw one of the pack doing something they were not supposed to be doing (in her opinion). She was particularly hard on Nova while her favorite daughter Holly could do no wrong. She was slightly more tolerant of Gracie, but Holly is her star pupil for the future Alpha job. Star was also an incredible moocher. If you are eating anything, or even rattle a chip bag, she would magically appear and wouldn't leave until she got a tidbit. She acted like she was starving even if she'd eaten five minutes before. Star just loved food of any kind - even if it was a chipmunk for a snack in the back yard!
Star died peacefully after a long and bizarre illness. She had pyometra, was spayed, and was her old self for 2-3 weeks - but somehow bacteria got into her spine and though we caught the problem early, once again the vets let us down. Where at first glance, it looked like glaucoma, instead it was meningitis...but no one ordered a spinal tap to be sure what the bacteria was. She would do better, then crash, they'd change the medicine, and looked like she would recover, only to crash again. After the third crash she began seizuring. We gave her the best we could, the top vets in the area, but it was not enough. She died peacefully while asleep at the neurologist's office after a valiant fight. Sometimes you feel so helpless, and this was one of those times. We will miss you sweet Starry. Late at night, we will look to the heavens and know you will be there looking down on us (and giving our new showdog what-for because no one, and I mean NO ONE, could do it better than you). Sleep peacefully little Star, you will live always in our hearts and in the pretty faces of your grandkids you so enjoyed....
Star's Photo Album
