JoLyn's Vanilla Spice


Timing is, indeed, important. JoLyn's Vanilla Spice was born on June 2nd, 1999, less than one month after Flying Dutchman's Dream of Fowler died. I found her on the net, being proudly announced as one of eight babies born to Sage - Janit Johnson, the owner/breeder. JoLyn's Vanilla Spice (Vanna) was to "replace" DD. In my mind was the image of my old friend, a powerful 50 pound Kees, with a calm majesty of life and little or no intrinsic needs of her own. Driven by my loss, I was absolutely sure that I could jump right in and grab a female of one of those eight babies.

Calling as a stranger, waving bucks and saying something to the effect of "I might take two females", I was immediately rejected by Janit. I did not understand how much I sounded like a puppy mill monster. So, I continued to work through all my state connections, telling my story of Keeshond addiction to anyone who would listen. Many of those who listened kept pointing back in the same direction. With the help of an Indiana contact, I was once again placed in communication with Janit Johnson. This time I was introduced to her, and almost all contact was by email. I am still not sure that she knows it was me that called much earlier…

The negotiations went well, and I was to get the non show dog. By the time that Vanna was picked up, she was still on judgment tour with the other pups. Nothing specifically could be found wrong with her, so she was sold to me because…well, maybe because she was the smallest, but I am not really sure. When I first saw her, I am sure that I was supposed to say how beautiful the little baby royalty was. But when I saw her and became shocked with site of the four pounder (half the size that DD was at the same age), all I could come up with was "What do you feed this?" Only later did I remember the let down on Janit's face. I bundled the pup into the front seat of my car, and took it 175 miles north to its new home. There we had one day of angelic actions, followed by the "Take over by Vanna".

The little pup did not know that she was little, had a powerful sense of leadership, and took over the whole house on the second day. The adult 35 pound Keeshond and the two humans, anybody and everybody, were to take orders from this L E A D E R. Further, this bottom of the litter, like so many before her, turned into the swan "in the looks department". She began to look more and more beautiful, at each stage in her development, till it was finally apparent that poor Janit Johnson had made a mistake! She had given the best dog to me! (Hey, it's my story; I'll interpret it the way I want, thank you very much.)

This Vanna was and is no DD. She is a very poor replacement and had no intention of replacing anybody anyway. She's pushy, proud, is in the show stance 24 hours a day, is still small (a new style), incredibly beautiful and certainly all Keeshond. This is JoLyn's Vanilla Spice. She will soon be the most famous dog in the World. Ah, the power of the internet - beyond all shows, all awards, all titles. Stand back everybody, stand back and make way for Vanna.

Would you like to see Jo-Lyns's Vanilla Spice's Pedigree? Please click here.

...the years of friendship with her humans passed too quickly, and Vanna passed away 02-19-2009