.Chekia Collies
Our Collies
Chekia Littlefield Lassey
You're listening to:
"My Love,
She's But A Lassey Yet"
(Scottish Folk Song)
I spotted Lassey in one of the photos that
Cathy Squire sent me of her then three week old
litter by group winning Ch Littlefield Country Squire ex Philia's sister, Littlefield Life's A Dance.
Once I spotted her, she never let me go. Something about that little mahogany girl with the big white collar and little white blaze just kept tugging at me.. I didn't
mention it to Cathy at first, but by the time she sent
me the pictures of the litter at eight weeks, I was
so completely smitten with "that little one" that I had to confess I wanted her. Cathy was smitten with her by that time, as well, but promised me that "If I decide to let her go, it will ONLY be to let YOU have her" Well, it took three more months of waiting before Cathy reluctantly decided to let Lassey come to California. Thankfully, the day finally came that she took the crate I had sent her "for a refill" (as it was the same crate in which she had sent Philia three years earlier!) and loaded it on a plane bound for LAX with the little five month old mahogany and white puppy inside!
"You'll probably want to change her name" Cathy told
me, knowing that "show Collie people" tend to look down on the name "Lassey" as being "overused" and
therefore "common". I thought about it, but I knew that
the minute she was born, Cathy had taken one look
at the big white collar and face blaze and said, "Well,
I guess you're Lassey!" and that had been her name
ever since. I saw no reason to take her name away
from her at five months of age. Besides, my feeling
was that with the Collie fancy so against the use of
the name, it had actually become UNcommon in
recent years. When questioned, I defied anyone to
walk onto a show grounds and find find ANY other
Collie with the name "Lassey", and everyone agreed
it would likely be impossible! Besides, "Lassey"
is an honest name for any Collie! With the historical
documentation of the pedigree of Trefoil, the Collie to whom ALL Collies can trace their ancestry, we know that he himself descended from a Collie by the name of "Lassie" -- meaning, in the Scottish dialect, a young female. That gives the name a history with the Collie that is well over 130 years old, and there
is no Champion show Collie today who's ancestry cannot be traced to a dog named "Lassie"! So much for "looking down" on such a beautiful and historical
Collie name!
Lassey fit right in with the family here immediately,
and took on jobs for herself as she decided there was need! Typically Collie, she was always particularly fond of all things young and helpless, as well as the "newcomer" Rescue Dogs needing to be welcomed into the group. With that as her forte, motherhood came easily to her, as well, and her tri colour triplets by Int Ch Chekia Dances With Rainbows were always fat and sassy.
Lassey and Japheth's son, Trust, and daughter,
Jessey, have remained here at Chekia and we
are very proud of how both have carried on
in the family tradition, reflecting the qualities
of both their lovely parents and illustrious pedigree.
As the self appointed "Welcome Hostess" for our
Rescue, Lassey has easily assumed another roll,
that of "Ambassador" for Rescue. Attending "rescue events" designed as fundraisers (we've never done "adoption events" with our Rescue Dogs as it's too stressful on dogs who have been uprooted) Lassey has manned the "Collie Kissing Booth", carried a
small back pack of "goodies" for delighted children, and simply helped to attract interest to her cause with her sweet manners and good looks. Accompanied typically by London, our Sheltie, and Joy the effervescent Toy Eskie, the "Lassey enterourage" has become somewhat well known!
With the arrival of Lad and Jessey's puppies,
Lassey became a grandmother, and in typical
Lassey style, she adores her grand-pups and
takes an active, loving role in their "education"!
While dog shows may or may not be in her future, any titles and awards she brings home will be secondary to the place Lassey holds in my heart.
My sincerest Thanks to Cathy for letting my dear Lassey come home to California!
