DOG-HAVEN, LLC is owned by Tracie and David Franke and primarily operated by Tracie. We are originally from the midwest, living both in Illinois and Wisconsin before moving to the Spokane area in May of 2001. Our addiction to dogs started as a wedding present to each other in 1990. A Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) purchased from a back yard breeder (we didn't know much then...) was the foundation for the future dog path we were then unknowingly on...
U-AGI, U-AGII, U-ATCH, U-ATCHX U-CD Fiona Lyn Dream Come True, CGC, CD, NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ, AX, AXJ, MX, MXJ Two Time AKC Agility National Qualifier/Competitor "FIONA"
Having never owned a puppy, but always wanting to, Fiona's registered name included 'Dream Come True'. How little did I know what dreams she would create, and how, together, we would make them come to life. Because of Fiona's long coat, in 1990 I went to grooming school at night. It seemed to make more sense to groom her myself, and I enjoyed our time together. At the school, I learned about grooming other breeds and mixes. I practiced by grooming the shelter dogs at the Kenosha County Humane Society in WI, making them look better for adoption. It was there I was introduced to the ever growing problem of pet overpopulation. I eventually earned a weekend job at Shel-Ray Pet Chalet in Bristol, WI, where I groomed dogs of all breeds for two years. While working there, I met Jan Brinkman, who invited me to come watch her Boxer do this "obstacle course thing" called dog agility. After watching the fun the dogs had, and the camaraderie among the handlers, I was hooked. I signed up for the next session and have been doing agility with my dogs ever since. That was in 1994. In 1996 I started teaching agility classes at the facility. Teaching is something I love, and I continue doing classes and private lessons today. Fiona retired due to health problems in 1997, and passed on to the great big agility course in the sky in December of 2002. She is greatly missed, but never forgotten. Every time I step foot on an agility course, I remember how I got there. Godspeed Noni Girl - I can hear you barking from Heaven. Unfortunately, Jan was already there, passing on unexpectedly, leaving behind several high honor Boxers.
Having Fiona was so rewarding, we decided to get a second Sheltie. The breeder was repeating the litter, so we would get a full sister.
U-AGI, U-AGII, U-ACH River Shannon of Heather Glen NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ, AX, AXJ NAC "BINKY"
Binky is still with us at the ripe old age of 16 years. Her show career was driven by husband, David. He was one of the first 'men in agility', making many other wives wonder how I got him involved?! Binky is no longer competing, but did manage to earn a NADAC agility title with David at the age of 11. She is plagued with many ailments commonly found in backyard breedings, where health testing wasn't done, but we say she's still 'got it'. She is now the Grandmother of the group, instilling order with the younglings.
After Binky's arrival, and our move to a larger home and yard, we studied more breeds and decided we loved the wolfy look of the Siberian Husky....
U-AGI, U-AGII, U-CD Grawyn's Bristol Kianna, CGC, CD, NA, NAJ, NAP, NJP, OA, OAJ - Two time High In Trial Obedience Winner, including a National Specialty HIT "KIANNA"
Kianna is still with us and is now 13 years old and completely blind and deaf. She developed juvenile cataracts at the age of 18 months. All of her titles and wins were earned with impaired vision. This is a testament to the trust and faith she put in me, her trainer and handler. Working in obedience or agility came naturally to her. To this day, she will do just about anything for food. Her CD (AKC Companion Dog Title) did not come easy though. After an unpleasant dog encounter during the long stay exercises, she felt threatened; and from that point forward decided that part of the trial wasn't required. Many a shows were spent with her heeling perfectly with me across the ring when the judge said 'leave your dog' (versus staying put as she was supposed to do). However, hard work, perseverance, and outside help from a great trainer named Linda Baker paid off. Kianna was finally convinced that those stay exercises were there for a reason! We finished her title with a 195.5 (out of 200) and won our first High in Trial award. At the age of 10, we went to the Siberian Husky Club of America's National Specialty and again won High in Trial - a day I will never forget. We celebrated by running in the waves along Oregon's Cannon Beach.
While Kianna was a young pup, we decided she needed a playmate bigger than our Shelties. We went back to the same breeder and added our first boy dog to the family.
U-AGI, U-AGII Grawyn's Klondike OA, OAJ "KLONDIKE"
Klondike was a stunning Siberian Husky with a heart the size of Texas. He took to agility like a duck to water. I called him my "Border Husky" as he acted more like a Border Collie. Easy to train and willing to fly through agility courses, he earned us many high honors. He turned quite a few heads while we trialed; and hopefully inspired others to do agility with their Siberians too. Unfortunately we lost Klondike at the peak of his agility career. While striving to be the first Siberian Husky to earn the AKC Master Agility title (MX), Klondike succumbed to hemangiosarcoma - a nasty form of cancer. His death was quick and relatively painless. He left us within 36 hours of collapsing in the backyard, after giving a squirrel a run for his money. Klondike was just 4.5 years old and was the first dog we ever had to say goodbye to. The hole he left was immense, and we think of him often. Godspeed Mr. Bucky - we'll meet again, I promise you that.
Sometime during the retirement of Fiona and Binky, and the addition of Klondike, we added another Sheltie. This time a male. By this time in my dog career, I had learned the difference between a reputable breeder (one who does health testing, does not breed for profit, and who has betterment of the breed as their foremost goal) and everyone else who just breeds dogs (backyard breeders and puppymillers). After a thorough and exhausting breeder search, I found just what I was looking for 19 hours away in Tennessee...
U-AGI, U-AGII, Wildrose Meant to Be, CGC, NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ, AX, AXJ, MX, MXJ - More than half way to MACH (Master Agility Champion) "BAYLEE"
Baylee is now retired due to a compressed disc in his spine. He was the fastest dog I ever owned, often breaking speeds of dogs much larger than him. He was my dynamite in a small package. We affectionately call him the "Jumbo Shrimp". Baylee was my learner dog, and taught me more about agility handling than all of the other dogs combined. My goal was to finish his MACH before he retired, but now competitive training/jumping could paralyze him. His health and well being is more important than a title. However, we hope to return to the obedience ring and strut our stuff there. Baylee supports his agility cousins: 'MACh Wildrose Taylormade Tazmania' and owner Jean LaValley and 'MACh Strathsprey Saphire Rock-It' and owner Barb Davis - both five time World Team competitors.
After our move to Spokane, I met reputable breeders Gail and Kirk Dickson of Weatherman's Shelties. We now have three Weatherman's dogs in our pack:
Weatherman's Tekayla Sunrise, NA, NAJ "KAYLA" Kayla is now retired from showing and is our 'all sorts of cuteness' couchwarmer!
Weatherman's the Snowman, NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ, AX, AXJ, MX, MXJ - 2007 AKC Agility Nationals Top 10 FINALIST - "YETI"
Yeti is a dream of a dog. For several months I tried to sneak him away from Gail and Kirk Dickson by hiding him under my coat as I left their house. After almost a year, they made the difficult decision to place him with me, as he was a bit small for their selective breeding program. Yeti is now 6 years old, in perfect health, and can be seen with me flying around an agility course wherever we can find one!
Cilydd Weatherman's Ruffcut, NA, NAJ "PIPER" aka "Hyper Piper"
Piper is now 3 years old and is Yeti's nephew. Piper came to us at almost a year old, again from Gail and Kirk. He is a stunning bi-black Sheltie, our first of this color. He is true to the Sheltie breed standard, but is a bit more outgoing than most Shelties are known for. Because of that, we say his motto is 'Hi, I'm Piper, You're pleased to meet me!' Piper has many first place wins so far in his agility career, and is making Uncle Yeti proud!
Along the way, we added another admired breed, the Golden Retreiver.
Tairis Gold Medal Ribbon, CGC, NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ "SCOOP"
The Scoopster is quite a clown of a dog. He has been trained for obedience, field trialing, and agility, but prefers the training over the trial setting. We joke that he sees ghosts in the trial crowds - and the judge is the devil himself! He has an awesome working ethic, and will retrieve anything from ducks to car keys, he just doesn't like the stress of showing. Scoop's presently employed as the "official food bowl picker upper", retrieving the empty bowls before each meal. When feeding 7 dogs in the house, this is a huge help! He also excels as a face washer and exfoliator, earning him yet another nickname 'IckyLickySticky'.
Tashel Tairis Diamond in the Ruff "CUTTER"
Cutter arrived after Klondike's death. We were helping the breeder we got Scoop from. Cutter was living a less than ideal life in a show home and needed a place to be loved. The breeder bought him back from his home, and sent him to us for attention. Klondike's death left us feeling empty and Cutter helped fill that void by sleeping between us in bed the first night we brought him home from the airport. He developed his famous 'Cutter Hugs' which could easily break your sternum if you weren't ready. I started training Cutter for the show ring. We won Best of Breed, and then won the Sporting Group in his first Sanctioned Match. After two years of love and affection, he was returned to the breeder to continue his show career. However, he was loved too much by her family and is now the official baby sitter to the Grandkids. He is truly Golden.
Both Cutter and Scoop are from reputable breeder, Cyrille Young, of Tairis Golden Retrievers.
When it came time to find another Siberian Husky to train for agility, we researched reputable breeders and found one nearly in our own backyard....
CH. Kivalina's Kawsinakmotion "RIOT"
After it was too late, someone told me 'never name a dog something you don't want him to live up to'. Oh brother... Riot was exactly that. He was a dog on a mission, HIS mission. I was merely along to feed him. We tried obedience - if there was something of a doggy finger, I'm sure he signaled it. Agility was merely 'food on the run'. If a smaller dog was near by, he was more interested in making IT run. So we tried the conformation ring. We did quite well as an owner handled team. He singled out his points easily and was making a name for himself. He also excelled in the dogsled area, even running his first sprint race at 9 months of age. However, he was to be an agility dog, and in this area he failed. So the breeder and I swapped. She got Riot who finished his Championship easily...and I got....
Kivalina's Double or Nothing "DEALER"
If Klondike was here today, Dealer and him would be twins. Some say we will again cross the paths of those we've loved and lost. I now agree. Dealer is another 'Border Husky'. He thinks I've hung the moon and absolutely is a joy to be with. He is so loving and connected, not usually the words used to describe the Siberian personality. Dealer ran in wheel position on my sled team and gave several rides to Shriner's Childrens Hospital patients during the "I-KID-arod". He had started agility training and showing, but cataracts cut his career short. Instead, he'll be happy to show you his tricks: paw and other paw, two paws, jump, roll over, and the list goes on....
We can't forget the SLED DOGS:
Innisfree's Jessie Rides Again "JAMIE"
Jamie is 14 years old (young!) and is the Grandpa of our pack. Jamie led my recreational sled team on several races and would still run if given the chance today. He now oversees order with the younger Huskies and still alerts everyone (within a 5 mile radius...) of feeding time.
Stormwatch's His Master's Voice "NIPPER"
Nipper went to the Rainbow Bridge in September of 2007 after a long battle with many illnesses. We were lucky to own this special boy. We miss him greatly and continue to support his relatives at Team Stormwatch as they run the Iditarod in Alaska.
and the RESCUED DOGS:
JASMINE "JAZZ-O-DOG" - Found drinking out of the soapy puddles at a local carwash on a very hot day. We tracked down her owners and returned her with the instructions that we would take her if they ever wanted to find her a new home. A few months later, she became part of our pack and is still with us today, seven years later.
"CIENNA" - Rescued from Adopt a Husky, Inc. She is our Princess in Training...
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