Meet Candace Sasser who is like a daughter to me because I have known her since she was in diapers.  Her family lives across the street from us and she started out coming over to play with the dogs and puppies as a child for fun but eventually took an interest in helping me get them ready for shows and events.  Even then she had a natural gift with the dogs and a true love for them.

When Candace was 9yrs old she had been helping me socialize and train a little corgi we had named Teddy.  Well as nature would have it, he had a testicle that did not descend so he needed to be neutered and placed since he would not be eligible for the showring.  I phoned Candace's mother to see if I could gift Teddy to her since she had become so fond of him.  Her mother declined and I found out later that Candace had cried herself to sleep every night until her parents gave in and let her give Teddy a 'try'.  It wasn't too long before they loved him as much as she did.  Teddy knew tricks I didn't even know a dog could learn and it became apparent to me that Candace truly had a gift with training dogs!

Candace loved to help me whelp puppies and learned quickly, always available to help me do the dew claws and eventually whelping litters by herself if I had to be out of town.  I can't tell you how many times over the years I have called on her to help me in one way or another and she has always been there!  She is now a trusted partner with Misty Mount Shelties and very involved in the decision making process as to our future plans for our program.  While in high school she began working for PetSmart and was eventually sent to Dog Training school after which she taught people how to train their dogs.  Sometimes now, I feel she knows more about it than I do!!!  She's incredibly smart and studies canine nutrition, sheltie pedigrees, health issues to keep us current on the latest findings!  Please know that if I ever refer you to Candace, you are in very capable hands and the information she shares with you can be trusted!

Here Candace and Teddy join me at the local nursing home for pet therapy visits that are so enjoyed by all!  This was Halloween and our babies all had their costumes on.  Teddy was a pumpkin. Addie was a bumble bee and Dyna was a little clown.....so appropriate!!