Asher came to us on the 28 August 1998 and at 11 weeks old, he was huge compared to his littermates. He was meant to be a birthday surprise but I guess I couldn't wait! By then Çhance had already arrived and watching close friends, Melissa and Bernard coo over Çhance was enough to make me crazy with envy! I can't remember now, what exactly perpetuated our decision to own a dog but whatever it is, I thank Melissa for bringing it up! Having kept more than 10 dogs before, I decided that this time is going to be different. I did everything a responsible dog owner should do - did my homework, research all dog breeds, read up on behavioural problems, dietary needs, best grooming tools, training hints - everything! (Hence the list of links in Beagle Info) Finally , Melissa and I decided a beagle would suit us best, although I was a little apprehensive about the "Beagles are challenging to train" part. I bought beagle books, downloaded all information about beagles and even compiled a dossier for both Melissa and I, to accompany us on this 'challenging' course. We saw Çhance in a pet shop - a beautiful tri-color bundle of joy! Melissa couldn't resist and in an hour, Çhance was sitting in between us at the back seat. About a week of sulking later, Kian woke me up and told me we're going to "take a long drive" . Completely unenthusiastic about the prospect of motion sickness, but overwhelmed by my curiosity, I got ready. We arrived at the hills an hour later and were greeted by animated howls and barks (see Asher's littermates at the Photogallery!). Kian didn't have to say more... I dashed out of the car and met Truda Mawby, Asher's breeder who has been breeding beagles for more than 30 years. She introduced me to Asher, who immediately folded his ears back and wagged his tail. In that magical instant, I knew he was the one for me. During the car ride home, Asher was less than impressive - he threw up in the car thrice, tried to jump out of the window and refused to keep still. As we were completely unprepared for his arrival, we stopped by a pet store to get his dinner. On our way home, while struggling to contain Asher and juggling with my mobile phone, I called Melissa to announce my new baby boy! Naturally, she agreed to meet me immediately. We were so excited at the thought of our little boys playing together and becoming friends that we were a little disappointed when the of both of them ignored each other. How silly we were. Their aloofness didn't last long, they were soon playing so wildly together that we had to separate them every 5 minutes to check for injuries! They spent the next 6 months forming a bond so close that neither Melissa nor I could infiltrate. Although Çhance has left Australia with Melissa, I know that no one else can take his best friend's place in Asher's heart. They will always be binded by fate. Asher's amazing gift is that he has a heart that is huge and whole and open - always knowing when I am calling even when I am not making a sound. I should probably thank Asher for he has taught me more about myself than I ever knew. Through him, I found that I was capable of so much patience and tolerance. He has helped redeemed my faith in this otherwise cold and cruel world. Most importantly, he taught me about loving without expecting anything in return. That, I believe, is one of life's valuable lessons.

ASHER

This picture won him Top Dog of May and Chazhound's Best Dog. It must be those eyes...

Here's Asher - dog-tired after playing with Çhance.

My favourite picture of Asher...sitting majestic at 3 months

Asher, lounging in the sun, at 6 months

Asher's favourite place in the yard - where there are twigs and leaves. (9 mths)

His favourite expression, to tell us he doesn't like something. (11 mths)

For more pictures, visit the Photogallery.

Created by Morta|siN