RIP Phoebe 

Am Ch Excelsior ‘Sno Problem (Phoebe) was born on July 18, 1996, one of eight of the breeding of SBIS Am Ch Zabarre el ‘Rish Alsander (Buddy) to Am Ch Jidda Nafdah (Sparkle).  She died on December 11, 2009 from complications from mammary cancer at age 13 ½. 

An exquisite porcelain doll, Phoebe had a very satisfying show career, including a Best of Breed from the BBE class at the prestigious Palm Springs KC show in Southern California under Frank Sabella.  She was never specialed, but managed to be in the top 10 the year she finished just based on her breeds from the classes alone.

 Phoebe was bred once, to one of my all time favorite dogs, Ch Desert Rose Sarea Masai, a dog I fell in love with before Phoebe was born.  Of that litter, Paco, Am & Can Ch One Fine Day, owned by Marie Anti, was our shining star, achieving his American and Canadian championships, and adding a Group 1 along the way. Harley, Honeywood Ultra Classic, owned by Masai’s owner Carol Rivette, is waiting for that last major but meanwhile gifted us with a lovely litter when bred to Am Ch Akissla’s Truly Madly Deeply.  Sasha, Excelsior On Wings of Gold, was retained at Excelsior.  She has both her majors but a serious accident has prevented us from finishing her. 

But what made Phoebe special was her endearing personality—her cute way of soliciting attention by poking you with her paw, her insistence on supervising her grooming by pushing her nose right up to the brush or the nail clippers.   

Phoebe is intensely missed.