(Reprinted from The Dalmatian Quarterly, Spring 1993) DQ's Centerfold Ch Melody Sweet CD March 1965 - July 1980 |
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| Ch Melody Sweet CD, her success as
a show dog and even greater success as a brood bitch, founded Melody Kennels. She is the
leading producing Dalmatian bitch, with sixteen champions. Sweet's dam, Calculator's Miss Sincerity, was purchased as companion and stable mascot in 1963 when I was in the Army and stationed at Fort Sam Houston,Texas. I eventually bred Sindy to Ch Long Last Ripcord, simply because he was liver factored. I was not intending to breed for the show ring, I just liked the liver color. Sindy produced thirteen pups, and a local breeder, Gladys Booth (the original Amorous Kennels), evaluated the litter for me. She picked Sweet and her sister Cleopatra as the best in the litter. Gladys kept Cleo, and Sweet and Sindy returned home with me to Delaware when I was discharged. Shortly thereafter, my family and I moved to Colorado. There I began showing Sweet in the breed ring.
The sixteen champions that Sweet produced were from five litters sired by Ch Colonsay Olaf the Red (L), Ch Doubletree's Break in the Rein, Int Mex Am Ch Melody Ring of Fire BB CD, Ch Green Starr's Brass Tacks, and Ch Melody Dynamatic (L). Among them were Group winners, and obedience dogs. These sixteen champions were: Ch
Melody B Sharp CD |
Several other offspring were near
their championships but for various reasons didn't finish. Of course, we can't count them!
Strong, reaching and flowing movement was her trademark, and it stil shows today in her
descendants, including many BIS, BISS, Group and National Specialty winners. Sweet, herself, did earn a CD title, the exercises for which she learned in a local eight-week class. The open work came even easier, and so too, the realization that no one could really make her do it in the ring. Sweet, who would still do her open exercises as late as nine years of age, NEVER did it in the ring. Her first and last score in Open was a 76, failing everything... I was so embarrassed that I never entered her in obedience again. She was just too smart for me.
Sweet was well past fifteen when we lost her. She coached with the horses, swam in the water holes, supervised calving, ran in the field, and thoroughly enjoyed life. I loved my years with her and am thankful that she was part of my life. Had I not had that lovely lady who so many admired and ultimately talked me into showing, there would be no Melody Kennels today. Bless you, Sweet! Notes by Jack White |
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special, she amassed an
enviable record of Group wins and placements, especially for a bitch, and was in the Top
Ten for two years.
Sweet was actually responsible for our kennel name. I
thought she moved like a sweet melody, but I didn't want to name her that exactly. My mom
and I finally ended up using Melody Sweet. With her offspring, Melody became my prefix.
Sweet was a lovely companion and yet a "queen" in her own right. At least once a
night Sweet would position herself in front of the TV and hold her head high, as if to say
she was holding court. We would always assure her that she was still special, as lovely as
ever, and ask her to PLEASE let us see the show! When you admired and praised Sweet
(respect rightly due a real "queen"), life was good.
At twelve years of age Sweet returned to
the show ring as a veteran at DCA. We think it is the only time that a parent was beaten
by an offspring. Her daughter, Ch Melody Mystic Melody UD, took her blue ribbon! But, at
Chicagoland the next day, Sweet got a blue ribbon too.