At the Bridge

Lillan

Lillan came to us in Dec 2000. She was our first show dog and she taught us a lot about the Gordons. Lillan was owner-handled all the way by Jerry! She finished in CO, July 2003 and then went onto her agility career. Lillan was the proud mama of ELEVEN puppies--the Dream Litter.

In June 2006, Lillan made the final cut for Best of Breed at the GSCA Nationals. That was an exciting time. Lillan was also invited to the AKC/Eukanuba Agility Invitational three years in a row, 2007 - 2009.

In Dec 2008--Lillan, Lana (my best friend) and I went to the AKC Eukanuba Agility Invitational! It was so exciting to be one of 4 Gordon Setters who were invited. We ran the best we could, and I was so proud of that little girl. Overall, it was an exciting trip--seeing Long Beach for the first time, watching so many great handler/dog teams, and cheering on the other dogs. We traveled through wind, rain, and snow, and were almost home when we were hit by a pick-up truck. I thought we were all 'goners', but some 'agility-god' was watching out for us.

I am so thankful for my best friend Lana, and to the ranch hands that let us wait in their house for the paramedics and highway patrol, and to my vet who waited for us to bring Lillan in. She wound up with stitches over her eye. After a few months of healing and going to Physical Therapy, we were ready to hit the road again--traveling to agility trials.

My Ford Freestar mini van and Lillan's crate. The crate was crumpled around her, saving her from being thrown around.

In April 2009, Lillan bloated and twisted. It was a rough time for her and for Susan. She made it through that surgery and was back on the agility circuit by mid summer.

In March 2010, she woke one morning and decided she didn't want to eat. This was a little girl who lived for food! After x-rays and an ultra-sound, we found she had a tumor on her spleen. It was hemangiosarcoma and we let her go on March 22, 2010. This was one of the saddest days of my life.

LIllan is at the Bridge, and a day doesn't go by that I don't miss her. She was my partner, my heart dog.

Run Free Lillan, we will meet at the Bridge.

Lillan's Last Dance is a beautiful tribute to Lillan written by Jerry.