I loved Ava from the moment she arrived, at eight-weeks-old, and

I love her now and every minute in between.  Ava was the

daughter of Fabian, 2006 U.S. Universal Seiger Champion, from

West German show lines. 

 

Ava was Schutzhund and bite trained, awarded a Canine Good

Citizen title, and a nursing home service dog for four years before

moving to Maui.  Everyone at the nursing home knew Ava. Very

few knew my name, and that was okay. She brought smiles to the

sick and aging. She got them talking about their pets, and the many good times they had with their beloved animals.  She was a big, cuddly, wagging ball of fur for those that needed a warm animal next to them in their nursing beds.

 

Ava loved to work, always endeavoring to do the right thing. And she had a remarkable knack for teaching other dogs appropriate behavior.  But, she was so much more...

 

When she would put her paw on my chest, we were so close it felt like my own hand. When she closed her eyes, I would fall asleep. When she gazed in my eyes, she didn’t just visualize my soul and understand my heart, she heard the words I was not speaking. 

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On Maui

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Her years on Maui were wonderful with mountain hikes, swimming at the beaches,

and enjoying a couple of fenced-in acres with perfect weather.  But one of my

most favorite things about her is that she desired, and even needed, to be by my

side every second of every day.  There was never a car ride without her. When I

worked in the garden, she would lie in the shade of the citrus trees, and shepherd

me.  She gave wonderful, sloppy kisses, on my cheeks, every chance she got.  Ava

taught me about love, the purest love of a dog, and loss … for now, Ava is near no

more.  

 

I want all Hawaiian residents who have an interest in German Shepherds to be able

to experience that kind of love and bonding.  I love all dogs, but I cannot tell you

how the German Shepherd has impacted, and changed my life fundamentally.

 

More than ten years ago, my wife and I showed two of our German Shepherds at the Valley Isle Kennel Club confirmation show here on Maui.  The girls performed beautifully, but, to our shock and dismay, there were no other German Shepherds in the show.  How awful for such an incredible breed not to be better represented!  And how disappointing for the people of Hawaii to not benefit from the amazing intelligence, love, and loyalty of the German Shepherd.

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It was a sad discovery that the State of Hawaii Quarantine makes it next to impossible to obtain high quality puppies.  I set my mind to finding a way to give those, in Hawaii, an opportunity to obtain German Shepherd puppies on the islands. There are very few breeders in the state.  So, I thought, if it is going to be difficult, and expensive, to obtain a top-quality German Shepherd, why not go the entire distance and bring the best-of-the-best in the world back to Hawaii?

 

Time slowly, and then more quickly, slipped by as I finally realized that, in order to make this happen, I would have to rent a house on the mainland, buy world-class puppies, comply with all the Quarantine requirements, and eventually get them back to my home in Hawaii.  That was no small undertaking.  And it would take considerable research into kennels and genetics.  Years began slipping by, and I had taken very little action.  Then, Ava passed.  It motivated me to fulfill my dream for others in Hawaii to be able to experience the joy of a German Shepherd's love.