CH Snowfire's Big Splash

Go to Photo Album

Apri14, 2007 – March 27, 2012

We had no plans of keeping him. We already had an intact male in the house and a second one was out of the question. However, we never did find a show home for him so he stayed with us and he became my special boy.
He always loved water. When he was a puppy, he would climb into the swimming pool, sit down in the water and looked rather pleased with himself. Hence his name, Snowfire’s Big Splash or Duncan (Dunkin’)! Even as an adult, he would have his front feet in the water bucket and if something was going on behind him, he would manoeuvre around his rear end while his front feet are still in the bucket!
As a puppy, we were concerned about his show career as his left ear pointed towards his right but it eventually righted itself. His curiosity always got him into situations that would make me laugh. In one show, we had Maureen handling him as Paul had Emmy in the ring at the same time. Duncan wanted to know what was going on behind him because that’s where Paul and Emmy were, so he ran around the ring backwards (much to Maureen’s chagrin!) Somehow, the judge saw enough to award him the points to finish his Championship!
We initially had him running team with his dad, Maverick, but that position didn’t seem to work out very well. He was always trying to get Maverick to play while they were running. So we decided to try him in wheel next to his mom, Mercedes. Well, she didn’t brook any nonsense from this youngster and she definitely put him in his place, so he put his back into it and became great in wheel. Paul entered the Snowfire gang into their first race ever a few years ago. As soon as they were out of sight of the spectators, Duncan had to see what has happening behind him (again). While looking over his shoulder, he somehow ended up on his back with three of his legs wrapped up in the gangline. He had managed to hog-tie himself in a matter of seconds and any cowboy would have been proud of him!
I think his best trick, however, was when he was staying with his brother Harley. Duncan had somehow managed to escape out of his Vari-Kennel and dragged Harley in his wire crate all over the kitchen by Harley’s blanket! Well, Harley’s dad (Jim) fixed Duncan’s little red wagon and installed 6 U-bolts on the Vari-Kennel so that there was no way Duncan could get out……Jim came home an hour later and there was Duncan, half way across the kitchen floor, upside down in his crate, with one of the U-bolts off! The Great HouDunki strikes again!
He definitely let the world know he was here………he barked a lot. We were parked next to the Sencenbaughs at Sammy Nationals in Topeka. Duncan started barking and I would squirt him with the water bottle and tell him to be quiet. He stopped for a few seconds and then he’d start barking again. This went on for quite a while and I ended up with a very wet Duncan. I later found out from Debbie S. that Journey was in the trailer right next to Duncan barking at him and Duncan was merely talking back to Journey!
He was such a sweet boy but was he ever stubborn. He managed to flunk out of obedience classes three times (which really pained Paul a lot since he’s the instructor!) because he refused to do his downs. When I finally did get him to down, he would immediately roll over on his back and beg for a tummy rub!
He was the best babysitter ever. We have great video of him in the back yard with Fiona and Kevin last summer, herding them and bounding around them like a gazelle. He would let the puppies hang from his ruff and he was always at the bottom of the pile, everybody beating him up…..and then come back for more!
The house is much quieter without him. We will miss his antics, his goofiness, the clown, Mr. Personality, my special little boy……. Run free, little man, I’m sure that you will let Mak, Mickey, Tika, and Yuki know that you have arrived at Rainbow’s Bridge.