He fought a good fight, but we had to say goodbye.
He was my first champion to finish exclusively from the BBE classes, my first Canadian champion, and my first GRC/SGRC, in addition to being the #1 LGRA Borzoi in 2000. He ran a lap in the Legends portion of the LGRA Nationals a little over a year ago - the photos show him still kicking up a dirt trail at over 10 1/2 years of age. He was also a son of my beloved Nikki, my first Borzoi, who passed a little over a month before her 14th birthday. He still has 3 siblings alive - brothers Merlyn and Lance and sister Gwyn. He has given me some wonderful children who remain here (Sassi, Magik and Deckard) and grandchildren (J/T, Shugah, and our recent Warriors litter).
He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in March of last year after a leg break. The experiences surrounding that event beginning in January and going until May brought way too much drama and stress and much too long to detail, and culminated in the amputation of his left rear leg. It gave us 10 more months with him and until recently he would zip along in the yard to do his business and would go over and visit his "grandkids" over in their pen. Funny enough he didn't visit the Silken pups - just his daughter Sassi's.
Arthur taking an Award of Merit at the Rocky Mountain Borzoi Club specialty show - Judge: Jon Steele, Auroral Borzoi
He would have been 12 years of age before the end of this month. I am despondent that I will no longer see him grin or get to give him a hug - he was a most special boy.
Am. Can. IABCA Ch. Gryffyn's Once N Future King, JC SGRC
3/21/1998 - 3/9/2010
It's never long enough.
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