Sadly, Diesel (Ch Oakridge Intercooled CCD) was put to sleep today after eventually succumbing to the cancer-related illness which he was diagnosed with over 8 months ago. By all accounts, he shouldn't have lasted a month, but he prevailed, without chemo, in his signature happy, smoochy, active way right up until this past week or so. The Vet was amazed, and we were thankful, for those bonus 7 months.
A huge thank you to Sue and Mal for providing Diesel with such a wonderful and loving home during his senior years - a dog could not have wished for better.
Diesel had a very limited but successful show career, from Puppy class (multi Puppy in Show and R/up Best in Group) right through to Veteran (winning Veteran Dog at the 2012 National), dabbled in retrieving trials with a young and inexperienced handler for a while, had a brief foray into obedience trialling, taking on slipper-retrieving duties during winter for wheelchair-bound Suzanne for a period of time, before retiring from active service to chase rabbits with his partner in crime, River, whilst living with Sue and Mal.
Significantly, he has been able to impart his confident, sound and stylish, happy and biddable qualities in the progeny he has sired from a small number of litters. He has good-looking progeny who are titled in retrieving, field, agility, obedience and the show ring, as well as some very competent hunting dogs. He may not have collected the great number of titles for which his sire (Am Dual Ch AFC Trekker v Grunbaum UDX TDX VCD3 HOF) is renown, but he has certainly been able to pass on the heritage of versatility of his bloodlines.
Vale Diesel. The world is a poorer place without you, dear sweet boy.