Autumn 1967; I was eight. My mom decided that it was time to get a dog. She had a dog on her grandparent's farm as a child, and had had a Samoyed named "Snuffy" during the early 1950s when living in Wisconsin. My dad had also had dogs as a child: a Great Dane named "Baron" and a little terrier mix named "Max".
Mom had trained and showed Snuffy in obedience and confirmation. I believe he completed his CD-X and was working on his Utility Dog when died unexpectedly. Mom said she believed that a "difficult" neighbor poisoned him. Mom was pretty knowledgable about dogs and had been giving a lot of thought to what breed she wanted to get. Dad left all that up to her...he was just excited to have a dog again.
Mom and I looked through the AKC Dog Book and went to several dog shows trying to narrow down the list of possibilities. We looked at Shelties, Huskies, American Eskimos....etc. Mom was interested in a "northern" breed of dog, as they seem to have less "doggy odor".
We went to visit a breeder who had Norwegian Elkhounds. Bea Cox and her son Bill had been breeding and showing Elkhounds for years. Our visit that day to Hickory Hollow Kennels was to give us an opportunity to get to know Elkhounds. Bea did not have a litter at the time. She had bred her NE male "Buffy", and had just received her pick-of-the-litter puppy.
After visiting with Buffy for a few moments, I spotted a small, grey mass of fur in the grass...it was the POL puppy...a female. It was instant love. Long story short: we took that puppy home. She was a sleepy girl, so we named her Yauni, short for Yauna av Engelman.
My Grandma (mom's mom) was adament about not liking dogs. She was totally against us getting a dog. Thanksgiving Day 1967 Grandma and Grandpa came over for dinner. She took one look at Yauni, and it was love at first sight for her, too.
Yauni and I were inseperable. She slept in my room and tolerated being dressed up in whatever I could find. The summmer of 1968 I went to a 2 week residence Girl Scout camp, and I thought I would just die for missing my girl.
Mom and I took Yauni to obedience school and started showing her. We won several junior showmanship ribbons. Mom showed her in the obedience ring, but I often showed in the confirmation ring. She got her CD title, but we never finished her confirmation title.
We had some interesting neighbors who found it scandalous that I was out chasing Yauni with a small frying pan trying to collect a urine sample. They were traumatized, however when they saw me helping with the actual breeding process. It was all very matter-of-fact for me...and my mom was a nurse. I didn't hear the conversation, but I'm sure that my mom let the neighbors know there was nothing to be concerned about.
I'll never forget when Yauni had her puppies. What a wonderful experience for me! Mom and I trained her, showed her in confimation and obedience. I showed her in Junior Showmanship. One of the puppies was returned to us when the family had to move unexpectedly. So, Cato joined us in traininag and shows. It all was a wonderful learning experience for me.
Cato died in 1978. He was 10. I remember the evening before his abdominal surgery, he and I spent cuddling on the living room floor. He couldn't get comfortable. He knew, and I knew. The next day, I called Mom from the student union: they opened him up and cancer was everywhere in his abdomen. They went ahead and put him down. I wandered around campus crying; I had never lost a pet before. I was devastated. Remember, I was present when he was born.
Yauni died in 1982 while I was on the road with the band. We were in Jamestown, NY, hometown of Lucille Ball. Yauni was almost 15. I was getting ready to leave the hotel room and go downstairs to the bar when the phone rang. It was my Dad. He told me about Yauni's passing. Eleven years later, Daddy would make another phone call to tell me that my mom had passed.
It was very difficult for me to go on that night. Yauni had been my best friend for years and years....and I was and had been far away from her for a long time. I still have some of her fur that Mom clipped off her.
Our childhood pets teach us so much about life, love, loyalty, responsibility, illness, death...a microcosim of life experiences. Yauni Paws-- play happily at the Rainbow Bridge until I can join you and all our other 4-legged loved ones....
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