PiP

My friend and fellow BCGS member, Sherri Feeney of Beautibully Bulldog Kennels offered this little girl to me when she was about 8 months old. Originally named “Ounce” due to the fact that she was about half the size of her siblings, she adored being with people and would sit at the edge of her kennel looking longingly towards the house hoping for any interaction she could muster. Pip had nearly died when she and two other siblings from the litter had contacted a nasty virus as young pups. But after several rounds of antibiotics she pulled through, though her immune system took a while to catch up. When she reached 6 months old she became the target of the self-proclaimed kennel “queen” who would break through the kennel barriers to attack and fight with her. Pip would never start these interactions but she refused to back down. After much thought, Sherry decided to offer her to me with the thought that she would make a wonderful performance prospect.

About a month after coming to live with me Pip had her first heat cycle, but with a weakened immune system she developed pyometra- a potentially fatal uterine infection. We had the choice either to spay her immediately, or breed her on her following cycle while using antibiotic prophylaxis to hopefully prevent further infection. We decided to breed her and the resulting litter of three produced two BCA Hall of Fame performance dogs: our famous boy Gabe, and his equally talented sister, Moxie.

Pip had some challenges to overcome at first, always looking over her shoulder, worrying that she might be jumped. But with the patient mentoring of my sweet girl Chubbs, she grew in confidence and within a year had earned four titles. Proving to be a wonderful performance partner as we had hoped, she not only met the requirements for titling but did so with aplomb, earning three Specialty High In Trial honors–including being crowned the 2007 BCA National High In Trial winner–with her son, Gabe, hot at her heels!

Pip had some lasting repercussions of having suffered repeated attacks during her formative months and when my grandkids started arriving she became very nervous and defensive at hearing their cries. A friend from church had always hoped for a Bulldog to love and so Pip spent her retirement years living a spoiled life and being the center of attention. But her mark as the foundation for my Sittingbullies lineage remains for all time.

• BCA Ambassador for Health Platinum
• 2007 BCGS High In Trial
• 2007 BCA Div V High In Trial
• 2007 BCA National High In Trial

OBeDiENCe: Companion Dog (CD)
RaLLY: Rally Novice (RN), Rally Advanced (RA) & Rally Excellent (RE) Titles