Rutland Manor Australian Labradoodles 
Born to Serve - An Incredible True Story of an Australian Labradoodle Dog's Amazing Intuition and Loyalty

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The Cool Dude Story - Tribute to A Dog's Amazing Intuition and Loyalty

TEGAN PARK COOL DUDE, KAYLINDA AND LISA

Note: Wayne shared his story with the followers of his wife's "Chloe's World" internet site before it was finally closed down after her passing, and Doodle lovers around the world traveled his sad journey with him and his two daughters.  His story is published with his consent and wherever he is now, I hope that he has found peace and contentment.  Beverley

 ‘Tegan Park Cool Dude' was born at Tegan Park Labradoodle Breeding & Research Centre in December 2000.  This maternal grandson of an Irish Water Spaniel was a tall Standard, with a chocolate wool coat.  His sire, 'Tegan Park Ima Collectors Itm' (spelling correct)  had a profound influence on the intutive nature and working bloodlines of the Australian Labradoodle breed, and he went on to father pre-potent sires such as 'Rutlands Magnum' and 'Rutlands Kelby' as well as producing outstanding dams such as            'Tegan Park Shania'.  One of Kelby's best known brothers is the much loved and popular figure, 'Austin' owned by Doodle Groomer Ivy Bates, of  Doodlestyle.com in the New York/New Jersey area.  His blood continues its influence at Rutland Manor through his daughters 'Rutlands Ava', 'Rutlands Anya', and a daughter from  'Tegan Park Shania',                 Rutlands Shakea.
 

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I watched Dude with great interest as he grew up and acquired him when he was  already a young adult.  He sired some magnificent puppies, all with the same keenly intuitive nature and easy going ways as himself.  In the year 2000, Australian Labradoodle puppies were just starting to emerge at the two Breeding and Research Centres with the exceptionally intuitive nature which now characterizes the breed.  

At just a few weeks old, Dude stood out from his litter mates in the way he would choose human company over that of his own siblings.  While other puppies played and tumbled about on the grass, Dude would leave the group and come sit at your feet, with his little tail wagging, his shaggy little face uplifted, and his eyes keenly seeking your own.  He knew, even at ten weeks of age, when you were happy and when you were sad.   

Tragic News

Then in 2003, Wayne in Melbourne Australia, contacted Rutland Manor with the tragic news that his lovely young wife Lisa, was suffering from a rare, incurable and debiltating congenital disease.  He told me that it wasn't known how much longer she would have with her husband and two teenage daughters.  The family's first Australian Labradoodle, 'Chloe', had been purchased as a puppy from Rutland Manor three years earlier.  She was a much loved pet, but typical of the Labradoodles of that time, she was hyperactive and too boisterous to live inside the house, due to Lisa's frail condition.

Lisa was well known and loved across Australia and the world, because of her website she called 'Chloe's World', the first of its kind on the internet and the sad news shattered all who knew her from her forum and website.  Chloe's World and the Rutland Manor Chit Chat were flooded with messages of sympathy and support for many months.

Wayne asked me if we had an adult Australian Labradoodle available who would be a gentle enough companion for Lisa, because she was missing the interaction she had previously with Chloe.  I asked Wayne to describe the effects Lisa's disease had on her behaviour and when he explained these to me, I realized that it was going to be a challenge to select the most ideal dog for his wife.  I didn't share my concerns with Wayne, but only told him that I would give it some serious thought and get back to him as soon as I could.

After we hung up, I got out paper and pen and made a reference list from what Wayne had said. It went like this:
 

A Tall Order
► A dog who would be her constant companion night and day, and never leave her side
► A gentle and calm but confident natured dog who won’t bump her, jump on her, nor pull on the leash
► A dog with an affectionate loving nature, but be more giving than needy
► A quiet dog who won’t bark without reason, and mustn’t be yappy or excitable

 OK I thought to myself, so far, that should be easy.  

 Next  I made a list of the symptoms of Lisa’s disease and the way they affected her day to day life so that I could fine tune the matching process.  Now it wasn’t looking quite so easy.  

 SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE

 ► Progressive muscle weakening 
► Loss of balance and equilibrium
► Lapses in cognition and progressively more frequent  and sudden mood changes
► Mental deterioration and frustration
►Increasingly frequent episodes of physical and verbal violence

 As I worked through my lists I soon realized the disastrous impact on any dog I chose, if I made a mistake in assessing it’s temperamental capabilities.  This concerned me, because I felt a duty to the dog as keenly as I felt a responsibility towards Lisa and her family.

This family was drenched in shock and grief.  A dog too sensitive in its nature would stress inwardly as it absorbed the constant intensity of emotion around it, yet a dog not sensitive enough, would not be the intuitive companion Lisa needed.

As I prayed about the decision I must make, the name ‘Dude’ came to me time after time.  But Dude was still only a young dog, I hadn’t had him for long and he was just approaching the height of his stud career.  In later years I would have known that I could have had his semen collected and frozen, but at that time I hadn't taken this road.  I agonized over the decision, but I didn’t have much time.  Wayne had said that we needed to move quickly because Lisa may not be able to travel by car for much longer.  Struggling with my own selfish wants, I  must confess reluctantly, I called Wayne the next day and told him we had the perfect dog and he should bring Lisa to meet him as soon as possible.  I decided not to neuter Dude until I saw how the meeting went.

The day that Wayne brought Lisa and one of their teenage daughters Kaylinda, to Rutland Manor was one I will never forget.  At first it was difficult to accept how ill Lisa was, as she greeted us with her usual sweet smile.  

I asked them to be seated while I went and fetched Dude.  Kaylinda went to the back of the chair and stayed standing, and  Lisa smiled at me again with the smile that lit up her whole face and said she was excited to meet Dude.   When I returned with Dude on the leash, we were walking towards them when without warning, Lisa lost control and began to shout and swear.  Her face was contorted and she was behaving so violently that I was shocked at the suddenness of the change in her behaviour.  She screamed, burst into hysterical tears and with her hands clenched into fists, she punched the air and anyone near her.   Wayne encircled and restrained her with loving and firm arms and spoke to her in low comforting tones, trying to soothe her.  

This was the reality.  This was what the dog was supposed to understand and accept.

DUDE AND LISA'S FIRST MEETING

WAYNE SUPPORTS WHILE DUDE COMFORTS LISA

My own heart sank.  But Dude was not phazed.  He walked ahead of me, pulling on the lead,  and without any hesitation went straight to Lisa and put his front paws up on the sofa.  His eyes flinched a few times as he ducked her flailing punches,  but he tucked his nose, and pressed  his big shaggy forehead close against Lisa's chest.  

While Lisa continued to scream and punch the air, Dude just stood there motionless until she finally calmed down.  She went limp like a rag doll then, and the big dog lifted his face and lovingly licked her cheeks.  His tail was softly waving.

Tears were pouring.  This wonderful  and precious dog had made my decision for me.  I had Dude desexed and gave him to Lisa. 

Taking Dude Home

Over the next two years, Wayne kept in close contact and relayed many heart - stirring stories of Dude’s faithfulness to his self imposed duty of soul mate and protector of Lisa.  One of the most memorable was an occasion when Lisa had an episode inside the house while Dude was outside in the yard for some time out.    Dude trotted agitatedly up and down for a few minutes, and then unhesitatingly launched himself through a plate glass door, and ran whimpering to her side.  As always, his close presence calmed her.Lisa spent her last few weeks on this earth in a major Melbourne hospital, where Wayne visited her daily.  She was weak and often incoherent, restless and unhappy.  She communicated to Wayne that she needed to see Dude.

Australian hospitals were/are far behind the times as far as dog visitations go, but Wayne managed to get special permission to take Dude into the hospital to see his dying mistress.  Wayne told me that he and Dude took the lift up to Lisa's floor.  As the lift doors opened, Dude pulled the leash out of Wayne's hands and raced off along a corridor with his leash flapping around his legs and tripping him up as he skidded on the polished floor.

 Dude had never been in the hospital before but he ran unerringly down several corridors and straight into Lisa’s room, where he put his front paws up onto the bed, just as he had done on that first day two years before, and kissed her cheeks, his tail gently wagging.  
 

How did the dog  know where she was in that huge building?  Only a dog could say.

 Wayne watched as Lisa wrapped her arms around Dude's big curly  body and saw that  her drawn face was lit up by the first smile anyone had seen for many days.  They stayed like that for quite awhile and Lisa looked at peace at last.   The following day she passed away.

 Not long after,  Wayne came home from work to find that Tegan Park Cool Dude had disappeared from the back yard.  He posted the sad news on the Labradoodle chat forums, but Dude was never found again.  Was he stolen?  Did he set out on a journey to try and find his beloved mistress?   We will probably never know.

Later that same year, Wayne called with more tragic news

One of his daughters had been diagnozed with the same illness that killed her mother.  This young girl's sister, Kaylinda, who had so recently lost her mother, would now go through the same heartbreak all over again and lose her sister as well.  She badly needed a canine soulmate since Dude had never turned up.  Did we have another wonderful adult dog to be her friend?

Enter Rutlands Magnum

RUTLANDS MAGNUM

Rutlands Magnum was sired by the same dog who fathered Dude.  Magnum was born in 2001 and was approaching the height of his stud career just as Dude before him.  At the time, I was raising 'Rutlands Kelby' also by the same sire.  Kelby was born in 2004 and was not yet of breeding age.

But this time I didn't hesitate,  I knew what I must do, and history repeated itself.  Magnum was desexed and given to Wayne, where as at August 2006 he was the devoted friend and comforter of Kaylinda, kissing away the salt tears that flowed.

Magnum leaving Rutland Manor

I lost contact with Wayne and Kaylinda not long after that. Perhaps they moved away, and needed a fresh start far from painful memories.   I think of them at times and wonder what became of them.  I hope they have peace and that tragedy is for them a thing of the past. 

In January 2010  I sent Rutlands Kelby and his son Rutlands WH Kelbys Pride  with a number of other beloved  Rutland Manor breeding dogs, to trusted friends in Texas where I was to stay for a few months of each year with them under a business / mentorship agreement.  In June 2010 the dogs were taken hostage and held to ransom by my trusted friends for a huge amount of money well over a hundred thousand dollars, that I could not afford to pay.  I have been told that my beloved dogs are being sold off to breeders under different names and identities, but Like Dude,  I may never know what has happened to them and I will always grieve over that.

In Australia the legend of Tegan Park Cool Dude will continue to live on through progeny of two daughters of  Kelby being  Rutlands Ava and Ava’s  litter sister Rutlands Anya and through Tegan Park Shania's daughter, Rutlands Shakea

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