Hooligan Irish Water Spaniels

I was angry when Clementine died. The anger faded, but there’d be twinges. I have to believe that things happen for a reason, even if that reason isn’t immediately apparent. I have to believe that maybe Clemmy had accomplished what she needed to & that her death was to make room for someone else, & that her brief life allowed me to complete Fi’s cycle.

Colleen McDaniel mentioned that she planned to breed her lovely “Whitney,” (Ch. Mystic Song of Whistlestop, CD, JH), Mabel’s daughter by Anglo-Irish Australian Grand Ch. Yehudi of Currabell, to “Gibbs” (Ch. Whistlestop’s Special Agent, CD, RN). I’d met puppy Gibbs when I’d gone up to get Clemmy, & he was such a beautiful puppy, that I would have gladly taken him home with me. Gibbs’ dam’s pedigree, like my dogs, goes back to Co-R’s stock, so a pup from that breeding would not only give me something from Fi’s Mabel line, but reinforce the Co-R’s connection + add Greg Siner’s Poole’s Ide stock on Gibbs’ sire’s side. From that striking puppy, Gibbs matured into a handsome group placing dog, was 2007 #1 IWS all systems + was just a generally good guy.

Colleen started sending photos of the litter when they were nine days old & the little Pink bitch’s head caught my eye. As photos continued to arrive, that Pink girl kept speaking to me. There were other wonderful pups in the litter, including a very pretty Orange girl & two especially handsome boys, but my eye kept coming back to Pink. Whenever Colleen sent stories about the pups’ exploits, it was always Pink who was the troublemaker.

I had a communicator read Pink & Orange when they were about eight weeks old. Orange was the more willing, laid back & contemplative, while Pink was full of herself with her own agenda. Colleen warned me about Pink & did her best to point me towards Orange.

I flew to Seattle pretty much assuming that I’d be bringing home Orange. I was glad that Greg Siner was also going to be there as he has an impeccable eye for dogs, as evidenced by the success of his extremely typey Poole’s Ide IWSs.

I met the litter & spent time with each of the two girls. I kept trying to listen to reason – Colleen’s advice & the communicator’s insights – but was torn. Greg & I spent time observing & analyzing. To make a long story short, I brought home the Pink collared bitch, Hooligan’s Hussy Home from Whistlestp, aka “Jezebel.” The pretty Orange collared bitch went to Carie Taylor, & became Ch. Whistlestop's Oidhche Shamhna, aka “Faethe.”

[On a side note – IWSs can be peculiar dogs. They can be insufferable puppies with their littermates, but once they find “their” person, somehow things fall into place.]

Once Jezzy was here, we had a few differences of opinion, but she is a smart, mostly good, generally cooperative girl, who maintains her independent streak. When she was about 5 months old, I brought her to a show to socialize. I was chatting with our local superintendent & one of the judges. The judge looked at Jezzy & asked who was behind her pedigree. The judge, & later her husband, also a judge, quipped that I’d better watch it or they’d put Jez in their suitcase & bring her home with them, so her first judge’s critique was a good one.

Jezebel picked up her first point at six months & two days old at the first show that she attended.

When she was about 18 months old, I had another communicator speak with Jezzy. She told that communicator that she’d chosen me because she was the spirit of a small dog that I’d helped when I was a young child – hmm...

Jezzy is a very pretty, funny, self-reliant, independent, demanding girl who definitely has aspirations. I was very pleased when she went Winners Bitch/Best of Winners at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in 2009 under judge Terry Stacy. After that, she went north to Seattle in search of her majors. She promptly picked up three of them & completed her championship in January 2010.

As she was still not fully mature looking, it made sense to find her a job, and it came down to obedience or fieldwork. Colleen suggested a local field trainer & that just made sense. Jezzy has shown a definite aptitude for fieldwork – she LOVES it. To date, she’s earned her UKC Started Hunting Retriever title & her AKC Junior Hunter degree. She’s in training for the more advanced retriever titles & will probably run in Upland Spaniel trials after we feel that she’s reached her limit in Retriever work. She adores trainer Andy Fontenot & it seems to be mutual. When faced with a choice between Andy or me, she’s definitely torn.

Sister Faethe also completed her breed championship. In 2011 she whelped a litter by Ch Whistle Stop's Venator, RN & is soon to be bred to BIS/BISS GCh Poole's Ide Got Water, RN. Brother “Bosun,” Whistlestop’s JollyBoatsman, went Reserve Winners’ Dog at IWSCA 2009 & has taken a hiatus from the ring since then.

Breeding is in Jezzy’s future too. When she next comes in season, she’ll be bred to “Harley,” Ch. Mallyree Here Comes the Son, RN, who is from Marion Hopkins’ final litter. I first saw Harley in Marion’s backyard when he was about five months old, and have been watching his progress since then. He and his littermates have completed their breed championships quite easily. There are subtle differences between them, but they’re a very handsome group of dogs. We hope that Harley bred to Jezzy will produce extremely handsome dogs with pretty heads, proper tails, good bone & coat, excellent type and sound, working temperaments.

Jezzy is: CHIC #69138, OFA Good hips, OFA Normal Elbows, OFA Normal Heart, OFA Normal Thyroid, CERF-distichiasis. Harley has: OFA Fair Hips, OFA Normal Elbows, Thyroid & Heart, OFA Eyes tested – distichiasis & PPM, CHIC #76778. His sire has OFA Good hips & his dam has OFA Excellent hips.

Like everyone, I have hopes, dreams & fantasies for Jezzy’s future. Only the future will reveal how her potential is fulfilled, & how our maybe hussy, definite wild child, Miss Jezebel ultimately turns out.

HR Ch. Hooligan’s Hussy Home from Whistlestp, SH, CD, RN, WC