"Rumor"
U-CD Vintage Tales Traded Here CD SH MX MXJ WCX CGC
4/23/1998  --  2/23/2011

Owner:  Lee McCuistion
Wimberley, TX

Rumor is not my first golden retriever, but she is the first dog I purchased with the purpose of performance in mind.  I chose her for her agility and hunting abilities and she has not disappointed me. She is a delight to train and has achieved high levels of agility and hunting titles.  In her first obedience trial (UKC), she earned a score of 198 and a High in Trial in Nov B.  When not training or showing in these events, she prefers to play with her housemates Molly (cocker spaniel) and Lexi (golden) or sit with her head in my lap.  She loves to play at the Vintage Acres ponds.  She is a calm dog, ready for action.  She is an all-purpose golden with a wonderful golden temperament. I could not ask for a better dog.

"Julie"
MACH2 Vintage My Friend Julie CD TD MX MXJ FDCH ADCH
4/23/1998  -  12/27/2009

Owner:  David Bull
Waxahachie, TX

 Julie is a very energetic and attentive girl. She is able to maintain focus during training sessions and is always looking for ways to please. She loves her dog and people friends, long massages and the couch. She is however just about worthless as a watchdog. Her understanding of the job means to make sure she always knows where a tennis ball is so it can be found when a stranger approaches. She has gladly yielded her watching duties to her pack mates.

"Chester"
Vintage Gunsmoke Side Kick WC CGC
certified therapy dog
  
Owners:  Terri & Mike Lee
McAllen, TX

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Born April 23, 1998 at Vintage Kennels, Houston, Texas

Died December 31, 2011 at his home in Mission, Texas with all his family by his side.

Almost 98 years old

For those of you to young and never seen the original TV show Gunsmoke, Dennis Weaver played the Deputy to Matt Dillon and his name was Chester.  Hence the name Vintage Gunsmoke Sidekick, call name Chester.  Sidekick was his Granddaddy’s name on is daddy’s side and he was a Field Trial Champion.  I don’t know if Chester wanted to be a Field Trail Champion or not but he sure had the attitude, desire and smarts to do it, if not for the damn parasites in his blood that made him sick (almost dead) and prevented training.  The years (5 plus) that it took to properly diagnose, treat and kill the parasite, we had missed our opportunity for Field Trialing.  Oh well, Chester and me were best friends and we didn’t need no Field Trials.

We did everything together, we hunted, swam, slept, walked, chased, moved, worked, relaxed, hung-out, shopped, traveled, visited nursing homes and everything else we did in almost 14 years together.  That’s almost half the time I have been married to my best friend Terri.  Terri will understand and forgive me when I tell you I had two best friends and Chester was my other best friend.

 The two attachments show Chester on December 14^th, 2011 in front of his house in Mission Texas with his Christmas bandana and the other is him in his chair, in his house in Henderson Nevada in August of 2007.

 I already miss Chester more than I can say.  I have cried and I am so very sad that I do not know how I will ever replace the emptiness that I have in my soul.  I can not begin to tell you the depth of my sadness.  I know that God made all the animals for us and they do not go to Heaven, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that we are not to Love with all our heart and soul an animal and that we are not to grieve to the bone at the loss of a loyal, faithful friend.  So I mourn without guilt and I hope each of you reading this understands my loss.

 I will miss Chester’s breath on me in bed, when he would sleep with his head next to mine.  I will miss him being smarter than me and already knowing what I was going to do before I did it.  I will miss is constant presence beside me, wherever we were, he was always right there!  I will miss his never complaining about anything and always loving everything we did.  I will eternally miss Chester and although I may have other dogs that will be really terrific dogs, they will never be Chester and I am sad that I will never know again the same joy of living my life with Chester.

 I want to thank my wife for allowing me to spend the time that I did with Chester and allowing me to call him my other Best Friend.  To Doug and Anne McGuire, thank you for giving us Chester, as you know, I believe he was the best dog you guys ever produced, bar none.

 I love you Chester and I will miss you for the rest of my life.

"Mabel"
Vintage's Summer Marigold
4/23/1998  -  3/15/2011
Owner:  Kelly McIntyre
Houston, TX

"Bo"
Rob's Vintage Boeing
4/23/1998  -  1/20/2003
 
Owners:  Rob & Marie Yobp
Kittanning, PA

Bo went to the Rainbow Bridge long before Marie and Rob were ready to let him go.   He was a beloved companion and best friend.   His was a wonderful life, and he brought smiles to all who knew him.   He is dearly missed.  Cause of death was respiratory & cardiac failure, possibly as a complication of a rickettsia infection.

"Destin"
Vintage Destin Del Sol
4/23/1998  -  2/2/2009
Owner:  Ann Andrews
Katy, TX