MakiCaramela

I clearly remember the first time that I saw her. She was running behind Sandy, wagging her tail and clearly having a good time. A beautiful, fluffy, brown ball of fun. I had gone to the farm to pick up my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rustee. She had spent the weekend at dog shows with the Herzons. I was instantly enchanted with Caramela. Her registered name is Chambrays Greenhead Caramela, this is because she is the result of a joint venture between Chambray and Greenhead Labradors. She is the long awaited chocolate girl of Sandy Herzon's dream. I wouldn't know how to evaluate a puppy, but I know I can take Sandy's word for it that this girl was full of potential. I told Sandy that I wanted to be her godmother, and he agreed. I think that day was the first day of what would be a very wonderful and loving relationship between that brown furry ball and me.

What was obvious to me, even at the early age of 8-9 weeks, was that she had immense amounts of personality and charisma. She is such a sweet and funny brown girl. As she got older, I would see her from time to time at the training classes where she would never fail to get everyone's attention. She has a certain something that is hard to describe, she has moxy and charisma.

When Caro turned 6 months old, and began to compete in dog shows, it became apparent to Sandy that she could benefit from conditioning. Swimming is the best way to achieve conditioning, without causing strain or damage to the joints. Coincidentally, we had just finished installing a swimming pool at our home. Sandy asked if I would be willing to take her for a few weeks and work her in our pool. Of course I agreed, I was thrilled to have her, even if for only a few days.

I introduced her to the pool, where, as a true Labrador retriever, she took it like a duck to water. Before long, she was swimming the length and width of the pool easily, as well as diving to the bottom of the 5-foot depth to retrieve her toys. She swims and dives like a marine mammal. A chocolate sea lion!

After a couple of weeks, it was time to return her to her home. I packed her up, with her toy and we headed out to the Chambray estate. I have to tell you that I do this kind of thing on a pretty regular basis. Family, neighbors, and friends count on me to "puppy-sit" whenever they are going out of town. It's something that I enjoy doing and I have no problem caring for their dogs. I also had never had a problem when I have to hand them back. Except, for this one time.

As I was driving back, with her in my car, I felt a heaviness in my heart and a soft sadness that I could not shake. I remember thinking to myself, "What a fool! It isn't like you won't be seeing her again!" I knew that I would have plenty of chances to see her at conformation classes as well as dog shows. But, I also knew that I was going to miss her very much.

During this time, I was also raising a puppy for Paws With A Cause, and her time to return to the headquarters for specialized training was rapidly approaching. Zelda is a little yellow lab, bred for intelligence and temperament. Sandy knows her well, since he donated all basic and advanced obedience training for the "Paws" puppies in the South Florida area. He was aware of the looming deadline and the vacuum that would be created by her departure.

A few days later, Sandy called to ask me the most incredible question. He wanted to know if we would be interested in owning Caramela. As he was talking, telling me why he thought this would be such a good match, my mind was raising and I could hardly hear what he was saying because of the loudness of my heartbeats. I listened, as well as I could, and told Sandy that I would have to get back to him with the answer, because I had to discuss this with my husband before making a decision.

This would be a big financial, as well as moral decision. Owning any dog is not cheap - a show dog brings other expenses beyond the usual, show entries, handling fees, clearances, etc. The more pressing issue is the commitment we make to this animal. We were considering a 9-13 year commitment to this brown angel. Not a commitment that should be made lightly. For better or for worst, in sickness and in health, for the duration.

My husband just smiled at me as I described what Sandy had proposed to us. He looked at me and said, "Isn't this what you have been wishing for since she went back?" YES, it was - I had missed her and wished to have her back under our roof and by my side. So, I called Sandy and we agreed to the deal. The best move that I have ever made!

She has been living with me for less than a year now, and I cannot imagine our lives without her. She accompanies me to work several time a week, and keeps me company by sleeping under my desk as I type away at the computer. My co-workers love to come by and play with her. She is very popular, and I have to admit that I get many more visitors to my office ever since she started accompanying me. She has everyone charmed.

When she turned 1-year old, we went through the process of getting her registered as a Therapy Dog. This entails 3 separate observations as well as an in depth evaluation by Testers/Observers from the organization. Needless to say, she passed all of her observations, as well as her evaluation, with flying colors. We go to the nursing homes on a regular basis, where she always approaches the elderly and the sick with a gentle and tender demeanor. So different from her usual rough tumble and play. She seems to know that these people are frail and need to be approached in a soft and gentle manner. She is a natural!

She was recently registered with the Service Animal Registry of America (SARA) as a "service dog in training". I am working with her to teach her to provide me with assistance with balance and other service tasks. My hope is to have her fully registered as a service dog in the near future. The goal is that Caro would provide this type of assistance to me, periodically, when I go through periods of physical instability and balance problems caused by of multiple sclerosis. She is learning quickly and is so willing to stay by my side when I need her. She seems to know when I am not feeling well and, at those times, stays very close by my side. She is my guardian angel. My brown guardian angel.

In the short period that she has lived with us she has also acquired her Canine Good Citizenship, which she was tested for on a lark. We were at an AKC Fun Match, and the CGC testing was being offered for a small fee. I thought, "What the heck, we have nothing to lose." Since she had never had any formal obedience training, I was sure that she would not be able to pass all of the 10 scenarios of the CGC test. I was wrong. She passed all 10 and then went on to provide assistance as the "friendly dog" that has to be encountered by the animals being tested.

Aside from all these activities, she continues to compete at dog shows. She has done pretty well in the puppy classes, even getting a Best Labrador Puppy at the Fort Myers show last year. Recently, we moved her into the Open-Chocolate class, where she would be competing with adult bitches of her color. I did not expect much success for a while. She is only 16 months old, a very young girl, going up against physically mature and more experienced competition. Again, I was wrong.

At the December shows in Miami, she took back-to-back Winners Bitch and got her first AKC points towards her eventual championship. She moves like a dream and turns her charm on when the judges are looking at her. She is a natural!

More than anything else, she is my friend and my companion. I don't have the words to convey to Sandy and Andy Gonzalez (his partner in this breeding) just how grateful I am for the trust they have demonstrated in me by placing this amazing girl in my life. Every day, when I wake up and have my coffee on my veranda, with my chocolate dream by my side, I know that I have a good life. She is a wonderful service dog, she has her CGC, and is winning dogs shows, but more than anything, she is my partner and my beloved friend. She is sweet and funny and very loving.