CHUBA

Jhelum Ben son de la Chevaucheee des Dieux X Kangchung Lady Cleo of Heronsview
 Grey bitch Born 19 January 1997 Hips: 35/35 Eyes BVA tested clear
The top winning TIBETAN MASTIFF bitch of all time in the UK

19.1.97 - 23.6.08
R.I.P
We obtained Chuba in 1997, and although never intending to enter the world of dog showing, got hooked after successfully showing her at the Tibetan Mastiff Club Show. Since then, we have never looked back, and she has been a great success in the show ring. Her many wins include the following:

Best Bitch-Crufts-1999 and 2000.
Best Bitch, TMC show, 1998, 2000, 2004 & 2005.
Top winning Tibetan Mastiff, dog or bitch, 1998 (UK). (Championship Shows-as recorded by Dog World/Pedigree)
Top winning Tibetan Mastiff bitch, 1999,2000,2001,and 2002 (UK) (")
Joint top winning Tibetan Mastiff 2003 (with her brother, Heronsview Downtown Boy-"Kaos") (")
Top winning Tibetan Mastiff bitch 2004
Numerous BOB and BOS at championship and open show level.
Best Bitch, Best of Breed and Best in Show Dutch TMC - Sept 2001

The top winning TIBETAN MASTIFF bitch of all time in the UK
*44 x Best Bitch / BOS awards *10 x Best of Breed awards
*1 x Best in show award

CHUBA OBITUARY 23.6.08
 
It is with great sadness that Janet and I announce the loss of our beloved "CHUBA" (HERONSVIEW BLUE CHUBA IN SOBARNA) on Monday evening this week. She was 11 1/2 years old, and had been in good health, although had slowed down somewhat this last couple of years (but anyone who knew Chuba from years ago would know what a steady laid back girl she was anyway.)

She was fine when Janet checked the dogs at 3pm, but when I came home from work at 4.30 she was laid in a corner of the barn and I knew straight away something was wrong. I rang the vet to alert them I was bringing a dog in which might have had a stroke or possibly heart attack. She could only walk a couple of paces then collapsed, and her breathing was very laboured indeed.My son and I lifted her into the van, and took her straight to the vets. The vet came to the van to examine her, and looking at her very pale gums told her she was a poorly dog. She checked out her heart and chest and said it was really full of fluid. I asked if we should PTS there and then, but she said no, maybe give her the benefit of the doubt overnight. She injected her with adrenalin, and a diarretic to clear the fluid. The vets advice was to consider our options the following morning regarding euthanasia, and added that she might not even last the night.

Got her back home 20 mins later and the adrenalin had obvioulsy kicked in; Chuba walked from the van up the drive and into the house on her own. Her breathing had steadied, and I decided that I would spend the night downstairs with her in case she took a turn for the worse. However, less than an hour later she did; her breathing became very laboured and when I went to take a closer look was dismayed to see that her tongue had turned purple, and was hanging out the side of her mouth.I rang the vet immediatley and asked her to do a home visit asap to PTS. She promised to be with us within half an hour. The 10 other dogs KNEW what was happening; they all laid in the kitchen around her but at a slight distance, giving her breathing space, and remained very quiet indeed. It was just as though Chuba the matriarch had called them all around her for this final farewell.

Meanwhile, Janet and Chris took the rest of the pack out of the house and back down to the kennels.

I felt rather helpless, and lay on the floor alongside her; the best I could do was wipe her lips and tongue with water to try and keep it moist and make her as comfortable as possible until the vet arrived.

As I laid with her and reminissed about our years together, and reminded myself what a wonderful, well travelled fulfilled life she had had, travelling thousands of miles around the UK and Europe, she looked me in the eyes one last time to say goodbye Dad, then closed them as her head gently sank to the floor, just as Jan and Chris came back into the house.Five minutes later the vet arrived as promised. and I went down the drive to meet her. "Hi Becky, thanks for coming so quickly, I think the only thing you need now is your stethoscope." This confirmed what we already knew, and we carried Chuba into the garage, where she would rest overnight before burying her in the corner of the field in our little pet family graveyeard.

Chuba was our first Tibetan Mastiff, and the reason we became so involved in the breed and ended up with nine! First and foremost she was a family member, and secondly she was a showdog.Her 44 BOS and 10 BOB's, including Best in Show in Holland in 2001, made her the top winning TM bitch of all time in the UK.. and all this with owners who had no intention of entering the world of dog showing!. I would like to thank Richard Gardiner for entrusting me with this wonderful ball of fluff who camt ot live with us in 1997, and changed our lives forever. i would also like to thank all the judges who have thought so highly of her over the years until her retirement at 8 years old in 2005. Thankfully, we have Gus and Chila her offspring and Dorje her grandaughter living at home and keeping her memory alive.

Andy and Jan 23.6.08

I HAVE ADDED A SMALL STILLS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE AS A TRIBUTE TO CHUBA. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AND FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU WISH

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=n1zgUJhNATM