Memories

"AYLA"

When Ayla came to us all we saw was EARS when we open the crate & they looked like they were going to slide off the side of her head. Always the lady, she met every challenge head on. There was never any doubt who was boss among the hounds and she controlled the yard with only her voice, get into a fuss with another dog and they had Ayla in their face roaring! She loved to go hunting and proved herself in the woods, the ring and the whelping box. At 6ys old she won BOS at the '96 specialty, was bred that night which produced the All time top winning Coonhound in AKC history. She passed away peacefully in her sleep in mid 2003 , Ayla was 12 yrs old.

This page is dedicated to our precious foot legged friends who have passed away long before we were ready to say good-bye. Each beautiful hound, in their own way, showed their devotion, their spirit, forgave us daily for our short comings - asking nothing more of us than an occasion cookie and to be loved. They will never be forgotten.

"BEAR"

This gentle giant came to us when he was 8yrs old. At 110 lbs he was big and bold and full of love. He was sired by the great Canadian dog Am/Can Ch Codach's Lyrical Rebel Yell, he was at home in the woods as well as the ring. Pictured here winning best Veteran in Show at the age of 9. He and his littermates are still present in many of today's pedigrees. Bear passed away at the age of 11.

"JUSTIN"

Born in 1994, Justin came into our lives just as our Tucker was passing. He became our housedog and companion to Tucker's Lab friend Reba. Then at 4 months old he ran into a tree and broke his neck, vets gave him little chance to survive but not only did he live, he obtained his Ch to boot! He was our constant companion and wet nurse for every puppy born here and a one man welcoming committee when we came through the door. Two of our best brood bitches are sired by him. Sometimes I can still feel his reassuring weight on our bed. Justin passed away after a brief illness in September of 2003.

"XENA"

I chose this picture of Xena because to me it symbolizes all she was. Her grace, gentleness and soul, with a hint of mischief, pours out of this shot. It was taken when she was 10 months old & yes, that is a live raccoon. Her show career, which lasted 3 short years, is one that will stand for many more years. She produced one litter of 5 pups - 3 have gone on to win multiple groups, one BIS, 2004 Pedigree award, top group point winner in 2004, a Specialty win & best of Opp to her brother at a specialty. She amazed and impressed judges and fellow participants alike at the 2000 National specialty fun night when she saw a wild raccoon for the first time and went crazy, slinging slobber with the best of em! She took 2nd place in the drag race behind a seasoned hunter proving that long eared, old fashioned B&T showdogs can still do what they were intended for, that night we were so proud to watch Xena and her mother work the tree together. She had a huge circle of friends and people still ask about her and tell us stories about the first time they met her or saw her fly around the ring with Victor Capone, her handler. She was a true Warrior in the ring or the woods, just ask her best friend Priscilla! It was a very sad day for many when Xena bloated and passed away in October 2003, she was only 7yrs old.

We got our first B&T in 1989 and named him Tucker. As you can see he was more black than tan but no one told us you couldn't finish a dark dog so we did just that. He was a great learning experience to the world of Coonhounds and we probably did everything you weren't suppose to do as far as raising these guys. He would not stay in a crate without screaming, had separation anxiety, was overly protective of me, no vet or boarding kennel would keep him because of the noise. But he was the love of our lives, together we learned about hounds & bench shows & hunting and the importance of fencing. He was a fierce hunter, wonderful housedog and great snuggler. His greatest joys was lying in front of the fireplace and sharing the recliner with Stan - his biggest fear were cow hooves! (never figured that one out!) Tucker was killed in front of our house by a hit & run driver in November 1994, he was 5 yrs old.

"REBA LOUISE"

Born in 1993, Reba filled our lives with love, joy and alot of laughs, she finished her jr hunters title at the age of 7 mo. and was then found to be very dysphastic and not able to handle the tough training needed to pursue the job she so dearly loved. With the help of a great vet, a new drug (for the time) and a patient Chiropractor Reba was given a new outlook and lived pain free for many yrs before she could not get up one day. She will always be remembered for the loving way she helped raise the Coonhound babies, sharing all her toys with whoever came to visit. She was Justin's constant companion and my best friend. She never forgot that it was her job every year to find and remove all the golf balls from our show site before the tents and rings went up. I know she is without pain and running wildly with a fuzzy toy in her mouth but my heart will always have a empty place that belongs to only her. Reba passed over in August 2005, she was 12 yrs old.

"CYRUS"

I picked this picture because it reminds me of how happy Cyrus was to see me and how I messed up by not bringing him home then. He was so full of love and life that he would do anything to please his people. A Xena son, he did us all proud with his wins and ribbons when all he wanted was to be a part of our daily life. Being away from home with handlers was not for him and he never recovered from the stress. He was a nervous wreck, he bloated and died shortly after I drove to Calif and brought him home simply because unbeknownst to me, he could not deal with the stress and demand on him. I will never forgive myself or those involved. Cyrus passed in Dec 2006 at the age of 4 yrs old. He had so much yet to offer.

Southchase's Buckskin HankSandstone's Emmy Award

"HANK" 13 yrs old "EMMY" 14 yrs old

What is it they say about a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, we never thought about needing pictures when they were alive. Hank was Stan's yellow Lab, a big, robust field dog that would go all day on ducks. He would not stay in a fence but never left the yard, he loved Stan more than any dog I ever saw and the feeling was right back at him! When we planned the move to Oklahoma in Jan 2006, I didn't feel at his age, old Hank could handle the cold, but with Stan's help and constant vigilance, Hank had a great last few months. His will and spirit most certainly outlasted his body, what a happy soul he was. We helped Hank cross that bridge in the summer of 2006 at the age of 13.

Emmy, what a wonderfully stoic Coonhound! She only produced one litter, having difficulty in that, we choose to spay her and she lived her life out for 12 more years as a kennel and life long companion to Eli. Always thrilled to greet anyone that would come her way, Emmy was the true goodwill ambassador for us and B&T's in general. Shortly after moving here, "M" was snake bit twice within a months time and true to her type, survived with flying colors. Old age finally won the battle and we once again assisted in the gentle passing of Emmy in May 2007.

"ELI"

Such a gentleman this boy was, always easy going with everyone he met and whatever we asked of him. He never quarreled with his kennel mates, in fact he tended to let the others push him around a bit. He was in heaven when surrounded by his ladies in the kennel, especially Emmy. Our highlight of Eli's showing was his 1996 Nathional Sweepstake win under Bob Urban. The highlight for production with Eli is of course Merlyn, Eli was constanted in his bringing solid toplines, heads and overall balance to any breeding. Eli passed Sept 2007.