Aggie and Thea - Lifelong friends
Thea
THEA
Lady Arthea of Middangeard (just Thea for short) came to join us about ten and a half years ago, at the age of 11 months or so. She was born on January 5, 1993. She was a bit shy, not having been socialized much as a young puppy. She came to our home after a one-day trip from San Antonio to Vidor (on the Louisiana border) and back - now THAT was an epic drive... Anyway, she came to live with us and immediately accepted us as her own pack. She fell in love with Chance at first sight. She didn't enjoy the show ring; we tried showing her a few times, and the judges all said more or less the same thing. She was a beautiful bitch, but she obviously did NOT want to be in the ring. She showed no interest in Obedience work, either. She was the only one of the four first-generation Mastiffs who did not earn her TDI certification, but that was okay - she was our own private therapy dog.
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Aggie and Thea - Lifelong friends
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Thea |
The Devil Dog - all she REALLY wants is a belly scratch...
Thea had the softest fur known to humankind, and she loved hugs - from "her" people. She was friendly when we took her out, but reserved. When a child walked up to her, she would wag her tail and give a friendly sniff, then tolerate being petted with good grace. However, she did not welcome hugs from strangers, so we didn't force the issue. She was just happier at home, I guess...
While Chance and Rion had the limelight, and Aggie came later and joined the parade, Thea was the quiet presence behind it all who meant just as much to us as her more outgoing kin. We were surprised how well she took Chance's death, but as we feared, she followed soon after. She went to join Chance, Rion and Aggie on August 27, 2004, at the age of 11 years, 7 months and 22 days. She passed in sleep, under the huge bougainvillea that was her favorite shady spot in the yard, in Tina's arms. She was the last of the first generation, and we miss her terribly. Her loss would have been much more difficult without the presence of Junior and Clayton, who gave us the company of Mastiffs for many years to come.