Forever and Always...

Trivet...what can one say about a dog so unique and special that these simple words could never portray?  I suppose it could be said by those that new him that he was that 'once in a lifetime dog' that every obedience competitor dreams of having.

I set my eyes on Trivet when he was only a few days old.  I was in search of another red and white Border Collie to which all of Trivet's littermates were the color I wanted.  Seems there was something special about this black tri puppy that caught my eye - enough to choose him over the rest of his red colored siblings

Trivet had the work ethic that was unsurpassed!  He not only lived to please me but he breathed it throughout every fiber of his being.  He excelled at learning and strived to do his very best in all that he did.  Obtaining his obedience titles came easily while he amassed an amazing 8 perfect scores of '200'!  The key to keeping Trivet tuned to perfection was to keep him happy in his work! 

Sensitive was a part of being who Trivet was...sensitive to my every mood.  I often felt that Trivet was akin to being a Dolphin on land, my belief for many a Border Collie, for they are an intelligent soul sensitive to our human emotions and needs.

I am reminded of so many fond and deep set memories of my beloved Trivet.  One such memory comes to the forefront by the picture of him on the left pertaining to my first visit to Cruft's Dog Show.  As I searched the never ending booths for Border Collie mementos, I came upon greeting cards that had his picture showcased on the front!  Needless to say, I bought all the cards in this booth to give to friends back home:>)

My most passionate event with Trivet was in 1993 when he won the coveted Super Dog title in Memphis, Tennessee.  I traveled to this event from a week long camp in Pennsylvania, where I was instructing,  with 13 year old Widget and his younger cousin Juice as they were to be a duo performing for the first Freestyle Program at the Gaines Classic that year.

Upon arrival at the hotel, I settled the dogs and went to a local restaurant for a nice leisurely dinner with friends.  As I entered my hotel room, it was apparent that Trivet had become sick to his stomach as evidenced by the vomit and diarrhea soiling the floor.

Being the special competitor that he was, Trivet performed to his absolute best losing a mere 6 points out of a total of 1200 for the combined 6 classes!  Winning this coveted title at the Classic was a goal I had aspired to achieve.  I had a quiet talk with Trivet, as I knew his inner struggle with his intestinal virus was plaguing him throughout the competition.  I promised that if he performed at a level higher then ever before to take home the Silver Dumbbell, that this would be our last tournament performance together.  It had special meaning for me to win at this time.  You see, I had almost lost Widget that year with emergency surgery to remove his spleen. While Widget himself had won 2 previous Super Dog titles at Regional events, he was never given the center stage highlight for retiring due to an unforeseen incident.

So, with Trivet and Widget by my side, we stepped up to center stage for our coveted award as my rewritten profile was read that this was Trivet's last performance.  We dedicated this win to our mentor Widget...for you see, Trivet was an unselfish competitor as well!  There may not have been a dry eye in the building at that moment!

A few weeks later, I took Trivet and Juice on a Bermuda vacation where they competed for their Novice title.  With no training and just days spent swimming in the ocean, Trivet gained 2 additional perfect scores of '200' while he and his teammate Juice captured 7 High In Trial victories in 7 shows!

Trivet lives on in the legacy of his offspring.  Oftentimes, when I have his granddaughter Chisel performing at my side, I am so reminded of this remarkable black tri Border Collie affectionately called 'Trivs'  Jan DeMello

Trivs...Sometimes, when my heart is quiet, I feel you by my side.