Aspen (Int’l Ch OTCh U-CDX Sunshine’s Hope MD Cotton UDX6 OGM VER RAE2 JH NA OAJ NAP NJP), born 12/30/2003
Aspen is the foundation of our line. She is truly a once-in-a-lifetime dog. As Aspen’s titles attest, she is a versatile performance dog. I was told many times that she looks like the dogs that won conformation classes in the breed ring a couple of decades ago, before the English-style became so popular.
Some of the distinguished field champions and other famous dogs in Aspen’s pedigree include ’76 NFC FC AFC San Joaquin Honcho, NAFC FC River Oak’s Rascal, 2XNAFC 3XCNFC River Oak’s Corky, FC AFC Honey of Kimbrough Woods, Krugerrand’s Honeybee, Lakeland’s Charlemagne, FC AFC Candlewood’s MD Houston, FC AFC Cotton Pick’n Cropper and NFC 2XNAFC Super Chief.
I knew that Aspen was special the moment we had our first private obedience training session when she was 4 months old. She had superior attention and was a lovely heeler from the very beginning of her obedience career.
Aspen earned her Obedience Trial Championship in October 2012. Aspen competed in the AKC’s National Obedience Invitational, placing 17th out of a field of over 100 dogs in December 2012. She earned a spot and showed at the National Obedience Invitational (now called the National Obedience Championship) four times (2012-2015). She qualified for competed at the AKC Obedience Classic in the Master class in 2013 and 2014. Aspen earned her OGM title in October 2015.
After Bonnie (Aspen’s daughter) died suddenly, I took Aspen out of retirement in February 2016 for one day, and she earned the last leg towards her UDX6 title at the age of 12. Her ability to show well past the age of 10 is an indication of the soundness of her structure.
Aspen also served as a Therapy Dog before her retirement, visiting Shriner’s Hospital for Children in the step-down burn unit, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (primarily in the psychiatric units), Bethesda North and various nursing homes around the Cincinnati area.
Aspen has OFA-Excellent Hips, OFA-Normal Elbows, CERF Clear (eyes), Optigen A (no PRA gene), Clear CNM gene, Clear DM gene, Clear PKD gene, Clear D (no dilute coat color gene), OFA Normal Thyroid, OFA Normal Heart, Clear Curly Coat gene, Clear Coat Length gene.
Link to Aspen’s health clearances.
Aspen’s offspring from her two litters have carried on in her tradition:
U-CDX Sunfire’s MD Cotton Bonnie UDX2 OM3 RN GN GO JH (5/12/07-1/27/16 – died due to medical error)
U-CD Sunfire’s MD Cotton Boomer UD GN GO RE JH (born 5/12/07)
U-CD Sunfire’s MD Cotton Thunderbird CDX BN RE (born 5/3/11)
Sunfire’s MD Cotton Caliber CD BN RE (born 5/3/11)
Sunfire’s MD Cotton Porsche (not shown in performance events…yet, but loves to retrieve balls and toys in the back yard) (born 5/3/11)
Other dogs owned by other handlers out of Aspen’s two litters have also titled in AKC companion dog events.