Tribute to Nikki Aug 1994-Jan 2010
Nikki retired and enjoying life
What can you say about a companion that has been around a large portion of your adult life? I was not looking for another dog when Nikki came along. I had two Border Collies and I considered myself a two dog man. My theory was (and is) I like to have experienced dog and then one young dog to start so I always have one dog going at all times. I like to keep at least four years between my dogs so I can focus on training the pup and so I do not end up with many old dogs all at once (that is the theory anyway).
It was in the fall of 1994 that I was just about to start a young dog. He was a very handsome dog. One day while I was photographing a collage rodeo, the rodeo coach from the collage I was attending came up to me and told me he had to have my young dog. I struggle letting go of a dog once I get them so the coach and I talked back and forth for a few months till finally I gave in to reason and traded my young dog to him. The deal was I could go to this one breeders place and choose any dog I wanted on his place, that was for sale, in exchange for my young dog. To my surprise I came home with a three month old shy “female” with no name. I did not normally run bitches cause breeding was not what I wanted to do and I did not want the hassles of making sure I had no accidents. Not long after she came home she was dubbed Nikki.
Nikki was a shy girl. Her breeder assured me that all of his pups were like that but came out of it as he began working with them. Nikki became kind of a one man dog. Her shy streak made it so she would not let anyone really do much with her. My Aunt Gloria was the first one that took the time to get to know Nikki and was the first person other then myself that Nikki would let handle her. There were a couple others people after my aunt that spent some time with Nikki but it wasn’t until I began dating Trudy that Nikki began to show trust in people other then myself.
Trudy Looked after Nikki for me while I went to interview for Vet school. When I came back she had stories of all the things her and Nikki had done while I was gone and was very excited to show me all the “tricks” she had taught Nikki. Well cowdogs and tricks just did not seem to mix in my mind but trying to impress Trudy I smiled and told her I could not wait to see them. True to Nikki’s image of a one man dog she did not do any of the tricks Trudy had taught her and went as far as to stick close to me and look at Trudy like she would never do tricks. This would happen over and over so when ever Trudy did anything with Nikki that she wanted to show me; I would go into the bleachers in the arena, Trudy would go get Nikki from the truck and bring her into the arena and do their tricks until Nikki would eventually notice me andthen stop doing the tricks and just come hang out with me. Once Nikki noticed me she was one hundred percent mine (this would drive Trudy crazy). When I was not around Nikki would give all of her attention to who ever she was with making them feel that they had broken through Nikki’s shell, when I would come back she would act like she had never been with the other person often acting like they were not even there. She was probably the most loyal dog I have ever met, a loyalty I could never truly deserve. It did make Trudy happy that Nikki would leave me if the truck started up, she use to say the one thing Nikki put above me was the truck. If Trudy was having trouble getting Nikki to leave me she would start a vehicle and Nikki would come at a run.
Family photo at one of the family reunions not long after Trudy and I were married
Nikki probably deserves credit for getting Trudy and I together. Trudy was more impressed by Nikki and that I brought her to university with me then she probably ever was just with me. I like to think that changed with time but Nikki and I were a package so Trudy put up with me.
Nikki was with me as I rode feedlot and for ranches. She had toubleleaving my side. If I tried to send her for stock much over a hundred yards she would either leave them and come back to me or she would stop and look back at me as if to say ” well are you coming or what?” then continue just a little farther each time I told her. When she got to the point that she wanted me to keep up with her it was often easier to go with her then to keep telling her to go a little farther. Nikki excelled in the pens or as a push up dog. She loved to follow me on my horse and just push up the lagging cattle that were close to me.
I always considered Nikki as a chore dog rather then a trial dog. At the age of nine I ran Nikki in some AKC trials to help some friends with a trial they were hosting. To my surprise Nikki placed in each of the runs she did. She earned her advanced herding title and finished fulfilling my requirements to be elegable to Judge AKC.
I remember when we left the ranches I would hear people talk about their herding dogs and the levels they were running at. This would intimidate me until these same people began asking me if I could help them move stock since there were no fences between the fields they were moving from and to. I would think ” Nikki is just a chore dog you have a dog with all these accomplishments what do you need us for?” Nikki did these tasks with ease.
Nikki did not like to get far from me but she never failed to try to do what ever I ask of her. Looking back I can think of many times that I asked Nikki to do things that bothered her (even things she was afraid of) but she would put her fears aside to try to do what I asked.
photo- Eric Viklund
It was very hard for me to say good bye to my faithful friend but after 15 1/2 years, on January 2nd 2010, it was time to let my friend go. It is hard for me to not have her following me around; I still catch myself looking for her when I am out in the yard and she is not by my side.
The most loyal dog I have ever known, Nikki will alway have a special place in my heart and memories. She has been instrumental in helping me become the trainer that I am today. She helped me learn more then I can put into a simple tribute andwill always be a part of who I am. My dog, my friend, my family… My Nikki.