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The "Spirit" of this German Shepherd is truly undeniable By Connie Fuller
Special to GSDbyDesign.com Undeniably, a 13 year old German Shepherd Dog is
an old dog. Many believe a 13 year old GSD that can
still run an Agility Jumpers course is amazing.
Spirit is that amazing 13-year-old.
Spirit is U-CDX Bittersweet High Spirit CDX, TD,
OA, OAJ, RE, Can CD, RL1, HIC, TC, CGC, TDI
Registered Therapy Dog, OFA H/E.
She was pick pup out of bitch I absolutely loved:
CH Merkel’s Hearts Are Wild CD, TD; and sired by
CH Hoheneichen’s Baretta Avalon CD, TD (a full
brother to Cassion - sire of BOSS). Her breeder and
were devastated when a weak ear dashed all hopes
of showing her.
I’m not wild about lemons, but I do like lemonade.
Spirit was heading for a career change.
As her name implies, Spirit was a WILD pup. She is
the only 4-month-old ever to leap with all four feet onto
our kitchen counter. Off we went to obedience class
and a new beginning.
Spirit enjoyed obedience and earned one all-breed
High In Trial, but she was equally capable of running
the ring and playing to the crowd. My training friends joked about which ‘twin’ I would be taking into the ring on
any given day; the ‘good twin’ or the ‘evil twin.’ As the old saying goes, "When she was good, she was very,
very good. And when she was bad, she was horrid."
My instructor strongly suggested we discontinue Utility training and Spirit was retired for a year or two while
I showed another bitch.
When agility classes became available nearby, Spirit – literally – jumped at the chance. Extremely agile and loaded with drive, she was trialing in the Open class within a year and finished her Open titles at the
2002 GSDCA National Specialty. I was having orthopedic problems at that time and was no longer able
to run Agility, so Spirit was again retired.
In January 2005, the AKC began offering Rally Obedience as a titling event. I felt Rally might be fun for a
retired senior dog and Spirit once again found herself in classes. She loved traveling to shows again and
strutted in the ring, easily earning Rally Novice, Rally Advanced and Rally Excellent in nine straight trials
that summer.
Now 13, Spirit is truly retired. Incredibly, she displays none of the rear end weakness so often seen in
older dogs. Her tail is still happy, her step lively, and she continues begging to “play too" when the
younger dogs practice Obedience or Agility.
Her hearing is diminished to only being able to hear the cookie jar lid. She has recently had some dental
extractions, and she has been on medication for incontinence for a couple years. Aside from this, she is
in remarkable physical condition.
Perhaps even more remarkable is the fact she has three littermates that also celebrated their 13th birthday.
Among them are CH-pointed, PAM, CT (Champion Tracker) Bittersweet Here I Am UDX, HT, HCT, HIC,
TC, CGC, TDI (aka Sweetie); breeder/owner Jan July. Another sister is an SAR dog, “Autumn,” and a
brother is a beloved family companion.
The journey I had envisioned with Spirit is not the path taken. However, it has been an incredible adventure.
Editor's note: The German Shepherd by Design wishes to thank Connie Fuller for sharing her incredible story about a dog with "Spirit - Undeniable."
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