15 January 1999 - 15 January 2012

Tanana was larger than life. She flew into South Africa at 8 weeks of age and into our hearts forever. She loved life to the fullest, especially food, any food and loved to show. She was well known in the Jnr Handler ring after she Championed. No door in our household could keep her in or out and the other dogs learned to stick by her because they knew she would open the door. We will miss you Tanana.

1 Sept 1993 - 22 April 2009
Tokosha was our first Siberian who spent most of her active life mountaineering with us. She made us fall in love with this amazing breed. We did show her and she picked up some points, but we were told that she was not good enough to show. (If we had known then what we know now we probably would never have spayed her and she could well have been a good foundation bitch, but we loved her no less that we did any of our other dogs and life is about learning as we go along. She taught us so much.)

18 Dec 1995 - 29 Oct 2008
Traleika was shown as a young dog and easily gained points towards his championship title until he decided he didn't like the showring. It wasn't long after that when Roger thought he would take him on a weekend ward round. That was the beginning of many a visit to Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic and he probably was the first ever dog here in South Africa to be an untitled therapy dog. He really helped so many of Roger's patients, those that would not get out of bed, those that were recently incapacitated and had to come to terms with being permantly disabled, and some of the epileptic paediatric patients. He joined in many a breakfast with the patients and probably helped himself sometimes as well. We never bred him as we had spayed Tokosha and we were not sure about his temperment, but just like Tokosha he shared our love and attention and he always had a special place in Roger's heart.

18 July 1986 - 17 August 2004
Blackie was one of 7 border collie x puppies bred by Merle's parents. His sire was rescued from a farmer and the dam was a rescued pedigreed border collie, both owned by her parents. This was their one and only litter. Blackie was the first born, ugly, but right from the start was obviously the one puppy that had more brains than anyone else. He was the one puppy Merle loved and wanted. so he was the "keeper". In his life he did some serious hiking and mountaineering with us, survived a 50ft tumble down a rocky slope and landed in a bush, had a CT scan and MRI scan (all problems that cleared up, thank goodness) and lived to 18 years of age. He taught Tokosha as much discipline as he could and we still believe it was due to him that she was able to be off lead for so many walks that we did with her and him together. He never killed the geese we owned and didn't want to eat the cats when we brought them home, something that we realise now is very special, and a behaviour that is totally foreign to the Siberian.

Tickle (Snowshoe Siamese): 7 Feb 1992 - 7 Apr 2009
Tyler (Lilac Point Siamese): 5 Oct 1991 - 30 May 2008
Both Tickle and Tyler arrived in our home before we acquired our first Siberian so it was never too difficult to teach the Siberians to live in harmony with them. Tyler and Tickle were extremely good at letting the dogs know from a very young age that they were not toys to be played with. Each puppy got a scratch on the nose and after that they generally ignored the cats. Often on a Sunday afternoon after a long mountain walk the cats would sleep curled up with Tokosha on the couch and as Tickle got older she really loved to be with Peter; they had a very special bond. We miss them dearly.

23 Aug 2000 - 4 Jan 2008
Shado is the litterbrother to Aly and from 12 weeks old lived with Merle's parents together with his soulmate, Misty (a kelpie). He was dearly loved by her parents and was deservedly spoilt. He moved back in with us when Merle's father passed away and her mother built a small cottage onto our home where she now lives. He died tragically after an anaesthetic given to him to insert a drain due to bilateral lung collapse (spontaneous bullous emphysema/spontaneous pneumothorax). He was the life and soul of this household. No door knob, latch or catch could keep him out of the house if he wanted to get in. He played like a puppy with all the dogs here and especially loved the neighbours toy breeds. He loved going in the car on any trip and seldom let Merle's mother out of his sight.