Crysti (December 18, 1999 - March 16, 2009)

At age 10 months Crysti obtains her first 4 points going Best of Winners, Best Puppy in Breed, and Best Puppy in Group at the Northern Alberta Canine Association Dog Show. My name is Crysti. I am the star of this family, FAI and Teka (you'll meet them later) will try to say different, but don't believe them. I am the star. I was the beginning. I am the biggest. I'm my mom and dad's favorite.

When mom and dad chose me, it was because my mom wanted a pup for company and to do obedience with cause Dad was always working and she needed some company. Dad wanted a little dog that didn't shed, mom wanted a standard poodle. The only thing they did agree on was it had to be smart. Remember, Dad was a member of the RCMP and had spent some time as a dog handler (notice I didn't say dog master), so the new dog had to be smart. Well mom won and I arrived. Dad never looked at another dog. He had his shining star.    ME!!!!

Mom was adamant I had to be obedient. So we went to classes to learn how I was to train mom. And I was on my way. Well, to make a long story short, at six months old, mom and dad took me back to my birth place. The lady there told mom and dad she thought I was perfect (as if we didn't know that already) and I should go to the dog shows. So off to visit Teri Taplin we went. Mom asked Teri if she really thought I was good enough to show. She said yup, gave me my first hair cut and told me to come back in a couple of months. And so my obedience training continued. At six months I did my first obedience trial. I don't understand, nobody appreciated my little walk about on the free heel. But, I can tell you this, I never did it again. Next time out, at nine months I had my CD in three straight trials. I also won Grand Aggregate. What a great weekend, I made lots of new friends. A month later I went to live with Teri Taplin. I had a great time, we went to dog shows on two weekends. Wow, I got to stand on a table, I could see the whole place, nothing got past me and my tail didn't stop waving. The first time I was in the ring there was this tall man that looked me over (I think I intimidated him, he didn't smile). But he did let me stop and scratch, do you know how tight those elastics are? The next day, I had to go back in the ring, the nice lady gave me a pretty ribbon. I could see mom and dad, trying to hide behind a pillar, getting really excited. They thought I didn't know they were there. I let them play the game. I got to go back in the ring a number of times that day, and I got more pretty ribbons and even a present. Gosh, that was fun. Any way that was pretty much the way it was the rest of the weekend and again the following weekend. Lots of pretty ribbons and nice presents. Well, at the end of the second weekend, they told me I was a Champion with a Companion Dog title and I got to come home.

Now that my show career was on hold for a while, I went back to training. Mom said I couldn't get by with just a pretty face, I needed an education. So I started working on my CDX (Companion Dog Excellent), WC (Working Certificate), and tracking. At approx 18 months I got my CDX. To date I am still working on WC and tracking (Personal issues sidelined me for a while and retired me from the show ring). I recently added agility to my repertoire.  I even got to go to Montana and do my American CD with Dad.  And as with everything else I have done, I am magnificent.

And then came FAI. Mom and dad decided I needed a sister and friend. Huh, I didn't really, but what the heck, it was somebody to boss around and besides, she would never be able to live up to my image, tall, dark, extremely beautiful, and exceptionally brilliant. Well FAI was tiny, only 21" and smart (but I won't admit I said that). She was so cute, I loved her to bits, (again I will deny saying that). We were so different, it was like night and day. I want to know and see all. She was more laid back, she often gaves the impression that she didn't care, totally bored. But, that was a lie. She never missed a thing. She was also very sneaky. She knew where all the good stuff was hidden and never missed a thing. When mom offered us cookies, she would take a whole mouthful and then walk away like she didn't get anything and hide them for later.   But we had some great times, she and I.

FAI  did something I never had the opportunity to do, she had babies. They were soooo cute, but they were so scary. FAI didn't want to share with me, so much for being a friend. And when the babes went to their new homes one of them left and then came back a couple of months later. Her name is Teka. And let me tell you she is a pain in the .... All she wants to do is play, and run, and play. If I try to ignore her, she pokes me. She just never gives up. She just doesn't realize that as you grow up, you mature and you don't have time to play all day. Besides, it just isn't dignified. There is a time and place for everything and Teka has to learn, the best time to play is late at night on mom and dad's bed.

As the star of this website, I should also tell you the reason I haven't had babies and why I didn't get to wear a fancy hair cut at dog shows. I have Addison's Disease. Don't say "Oh no!" I am very happy and live an almost normal life. My life changed when I was two years old, I was doing all the necessary testing (hips, skin, eyes) to ensure I was perfect (I already knew I was, but mom wanted to make sure) so I could have babes. Then I got sick. Yup ...Addison's. Thanks to a great vet Dr. Crystine Murdock, I am here today. With her guidance, mom and dad got on a great regime and now I get my meds twice a day and live a normal life. I do obedience, tracking and now am learning agility (I love to weave and boy can I wiggle my butt). I also get to keep Teka in place and play aunty to all the future KushNivas babies. The down side is I was spayed. Mom and Dad didn't want to chance babes inheriting the genes that carry Addisons. (My life span is as long as any other poodles, as long as I take my meds every day. My friend with Addisons, just passed at the wonderful age of 14.) By the way, people get Addisons too. Well enough about me, almost, after you enjoy my photos.  I will introduce you to the rest of the family.