I am still reeling from the news...I can't imagine how you feel now that Monday morning has rolled around, and the world goes back to work. I know that I will be in your shoes one day, and I intend to enjoy every single moment up to that time. Thank you for sharing Travis' life and accomplishments and foibles with us...you have taught me much. I remember the first time I met Travis. You came to my house to help me with my new adoption, Canoe. He was 'fraid of the dark and shadows....had tender feet and would stop on lead, refusing to walk. You helped me learn the basics of clicker training....You brought Travis and he was such a handsome boy...he immediately laid down...Canoe went over to "stand over" him...and I learned my first dog behavior lesson. You told Canoe to stop it...I had no idea what this meant, but you are a patient teacher, as was Travis, who took it all in stride.Later, at your obedience class, I admired your dogs, all calm....at a down stay....I was making googly eyes at Travis while you were teaching, and he broke his down stay to come over. I remember you calmly coming over muttering about how he had his obediance title and he should know better...you led him back over to his down stay spot and continued with the class. I felt naughty...but Travis was just delicious and sweet and irresistable. I love how Tara posted about the way he looked at you. He did. Thank you for sharing his romp with his bumper on your web site. I am still in awe with his dock diving prowess. He leaves a big space in this world.... - M.P.
I was thinking back to the night, so many hounds ago, when we brought Jigmo and 2 or 3 others to our house when we retrieved the JCKC 21. Our five were in the kennel so I just shuttled Jigmo et al into the turnout yard and put the slider in the dog door while I took my crew up to the house. Well, about the time I had mine in the front room of the kennel so I could leash-up, the dog door slider comes flying into the room with Jigmo leading his entourage into the front room with four of my five hounds that included an irascible cocker spaniel, PC. The dogs were all milling around looking uncertain at what to do next; I'm thinking, "stay calm stay calm stay calm," and Jigmo has PC pinned to the floor by the throat while my Amy is repeatedly poking him in the side with her nose. Fortunately, Jigmo had a muzzle on and PC, for once, had the good sense not to explode into her Tazmanian Devil impression. I really don't recall exactly how I was able to extricate all of us from the situation without injury but we were all none the worse for wear. As
with John, Jigmo is the only one of those dogs I remember. From the first time we saw him it was clear that he was not your average greyhound. He had a presence that just caught your eye, moving or standing still, and those eyes. But he also had his own "world order" making him a special case that would need a special home. He went to the perfect home.I also struggled with the name change from Jigmo to Travis. But Travis is an old French term related to "crossing over" and I think captures his transition from what he was as a head strong racedog to the world class agility dog and companion who loved his mom that he became.We will miss that boy. - G.D.Even though I knew you could be heading in this direction I am shocked and so saddened. How could a dog with so much life be gone.... I am so privileged to have had the chance to see you work as a team. I doubt any dog will ever break his speed point record but if there is one it will definitely be another Jen Bachelor dog. Please send me your snail mail address, I want to send you something.Take care of yourself. - S.S.
