In my opinion (and many others) – the most perfect dog that ever lived.
In 1983 I purchased a 7 week old puppy (for £6.00!!) from a local pet shop. I was with my sister and neither of us could resist her. She was a ball of fluff that screamed all the time because she was alone in a box – the last one left of her litter. I picked her up and she immediately quietened and snuggled into my neck. I put her back and she screamed again. I looked at the owner of the pet shop and said “I didn’t bring any money with me!”. He agreed I could bring the money in next week if I took her now. The rest is history. I had a bond with this dog that can never be broken.
I brought Elsa home and she was housetrained from the first day. She went to the door and cried – at 7 weeks. It took no time to teach her basic obedience and I never used a lead – she just followed me everywhere.
When Elsa was 3 years old I was walking her in the fileds local to where I lived. We walked past some dogs training on equipment which I later found out was agility equipment. The man there said “fancy giving your dog a go?” so I asked him what to do. We showed Elsa every piece of equipment ONCE. She then knew what to do.
Elsa qualified for every major agility final in the UK including Crufts and Olympia several times. She has 100++ trophies and countless rosettes. She had a temperament second to none.
In 1993, John Gilbert (editor of the Agility Voice) contacted me and told me of a lady in the USA who had dogs similar to Elsa. I would have done anything for another Elsa but I had had her spayed after an accidental pregnancy resulting in multicoloured puppies when she was only 18 months. So I wrote to this lady. In 1994 I met her and my quest for an English Shepherd began. The lady’s name was Kathy Lofthouse.
Kathy is a well known dog trainer, English Shepherd owner and agility enthusiast. She competes in agility in the US and does very well with her English Shepherds (as well as other breeds). Kathy wrote an article for the UKC magazine “Bloodlines” and also in the Agility Voice, about Elsa. (see below)
