Wrap in a relaxed moment at Oliver's Tavern. I'm hoping that those who knew Wrap will share some of their stories about her. Or share a story I sent them long ago about something special, silly, wise, clever, gentle or even naughty.This is a story I wrote to explain the coming of The Alien. I had forgotten all about it until Steve Kuhn was kind enough to share it with me.
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Stories of her will live on._______________________
Steve Kuhn
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 1360
-----Original Message-----
Wrap started out life as a pretty normal Doberman pup. Then one night there was a blinding flash of light in the southern sky and a blast of sound like the falling of a thousand 300 year old trees. No one could figure out what had happened and it wasn't until a couple of days had passed that anyone noticed anything different.
The difference? The difference was that a normal Doberman pup was now acting very strangely. She seemed able to levitate and stay in the air for much longer than would be considered normal. She seemed to be able to cause small items to just lift from the ground and end up in her mouth even when she herself was airborne. There were many other small things that were now different. Her breeder was in a total state of despair of ever being able to do anything with her. For one thing, she seemed to have forgotten her name. Things just seemed to fall over and break as she flew passed, she was never where you would have expected her to be and where ever she was, she didn't stay for long. What to do, what to do?
A far away trainer, a trainer living in the cold north was looking for a new dog and the breeder decided to take a chance. This pup who now didn't seem to know her name any longer was sent away. Away to the cold, cold north to stay. If they would have her.
In the north, it was snowing and the wind was blowing and the trainer said, "I know you. Your name is Wrap and you are that Alien I was warned about. When did you land? Why did you pick a Doberman pup's body to hide in?"
Wrap, The Alien, just flicked her ears, crossed her eyes and grinned. It's going to be a fun filled few years. Get ready, humans.
And so it was. A glorious, exciting ride full of small and large pleasures, just enough bumps to keep things interesting and sadly over way too soon. mw
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Molly and I first met Wrap in October of 2001 when we came to Margot for training. Molly spent lots of time in Wrap’s company both in training and in day care, and they grew older together. Molly modeled much of her behavior after Wrap, and to this day, nearly eight years later, I still see some of Wrap’s behavior in Molly. Wrap taught Molly how to do the squirrel dance, and they spent many hours dancing together under the trees, until they both started to get too many aches and pains to dance as much. Then, they retired together to Margot’s office to watch the youngsters play outside. Margot, remember when the two old hunters went from squirrels to turtles, and you took the picture of them with the turtle Sydney put in the baby pool?
Wrap taught Molly how to run between two dogs that were beginning to face off in order to break them up. Today, Molly still uses that skill quite effectively to break up our cats when they begin hissing at each other.
Wrap also taught Molly how to be a very good nurse when I’m feeling ill, just like Wrap cared for Margot when she was having a bad day. That’s probably the most special thing that Wrap passed on to Molly.
And, Wrap taught Molly how to be a good demo dog and help younger, less experienced dogs learn. So, when Lightning joined our family, and Molly had her own protégé, she was able to help Lightning learn the ropes, just like Wrap had helped her.
Thanks, Wrap, for being a very special dog. I’m so glad we got to see you one last time just a month ago, and I got to give you one last massage. Rest in peace.
Diane, Molly and Lightning
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I remember and was even able to find the picture. mw
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I met Wrap during your Mundelein Seminar with Mary and Pam. During "half time" you had evidently turned your back as Wrap had to have crossed the training room floor. I turned around at the touch of a dog's nose on my hand with a quick lick.. I turned just in time to see Wrap heading away from me and back to you. It left such an impression because to this day I never knew if Wrap was scolding me for not having a dog present or feeling sorry for me. She was such a magnificant dog Margot and I just loved her dedication to her purpose on this earth.
Glenda Williams
You got to experience one of the reasons why she was called The Alien. She seemed to be able to appear and disappear pretty much at will. Most of the time she used that ability to make someone feel better. mw
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Margot: As I type this email my eyes are filled with tears. Wrap was an extraordinary dog with integrity and kindness that far exceeds some humans. Caesar learned a lot from Wrap. Wrap was a role model that affected so many dogs, and thus families. Wrap trained and taught Caesar how to behave and how to be a leader. Whenever Caesar encounters pups or small dogs, you can see Wrap's insight come out of him because he tries to show them what to do.
Wrap was just so precious and loved to be 'loved.' Even now, Caesar will use Wrap's tactic of nudging your hand onto his head to get 'love.'
My prayers are with you and all the lives that Wrap touched. Wrap will never be forgotten!
With Love,
Tammy, Patrick, and Caesar Copernicus
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Margot,
I am so sorry to hear about the Wrap. Every time I saw your sign about whether one could make it to the fence before Jaws clenched on the thief’s posterior, I thought of Wrap. Besides you, Wrap was one of the few earthly creatures that could make Trevor behave.
Jim
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Margot,
Dave, Nate and I are so grateful to Wrap for training our beloved Jing to be such an inspiring dog that the first family had to follow suit and get their own well trained porty-Jing dog clone.
Nance
What a great creature she was.....sigh
Nance Pettit
I just remember how funny it was to see her cover herself with a blanket when she laid down and was cold! It took awhile to get that blanket JUST right and get herself comfy. So sorry to hear that she has left this world.
ReplyDeleteKris Chichester (Gilbert and Oliver's mom)
Dog gone. Back to the mothership. Wrap welcomed two of my Weimies to Margot's training. KiMo, the extra-gentle guy, with love and play. Roscoe, the rascal who was too brown to be a blue and thus too close to Dobie hue was not so well received, but tolerated. What will Wrap report to the Aliens from which she came? First and foremost that a DB lives on Earth who must be respected and adored. And that she is ready to sign up for another tour of duty, if there is a guarantee she can be by Margot's side again.
ReplyDeleteMay thoughts of Wrap fill your heart with light and dry the tears, dear Margot.
Love, Victor, Christine and Roscoe
Hi Margot: Oh, I'll NEVER forget Wrap, and Gift as well, what cute names... I learned so much from you and Wrap for when my own service dog, Amando, a Czech GSD, was receiving training from you via long distance w/ Toni Drugmand and when you came to Arizona and stayed at my home for 2 weeks to summarize the training.
ReplyDeleteThe MOST memorable moment was when we were at the Mall doing retrieval training and Amando was really good at that but would NOT carry a grocery bag w/ anything in it until he saw Wrap do it! You gave Wrap the shopping bag and she strutted thru the Mall w/ it in her mouth and Amando was watching her in disbelief! Then, you said lets see if Amando would do it... so, I gave Amando the bag that Wrap was carrying and all of a sudden Amando was carrying the bag all thru the Mall without hesitation! He just had to see another dog do it to have the confidence in carrying a bag... ever since then, he would carry a bag in his mouth the entire time I would be shopping unless I told him to stop. Amando would pick up and carry almost anything, as he watched Wrap pick up and carry all these different things. Wrap also showed Amando all the little service dog "ettiquet" stuff that a working dog needs to know for public work being around crowds , in elevators, etc...
Now, that Amando has since gone in 2006, what I learned from Wrap and Margot, I'm now teaching my new service dog, Woody, to do the same.He hasn't quite mastered the skill of the retrieve that Wrap and Amando had, but he will get it in time.
I'm sorry to hear about our good friend passing on but her memory will be cherished w/ those of us that had known her and her silly ways and her exceptional service dog skills... I know that I will miss her and have since my training was over in 2006...
Think PAWSitive,
Karen Morin
Woody, CSD
Dear Margot: I am so sorry to hear about our dear
ReplyDeletefriend "wrap" the Alien. I could write a book about all our times together. She helped train and was "Bitsy's" role model. I use to love when she would roll her eyes at Bitsy.(just like she did at you when you were stuck on the scooter in the elevator). We have so many memories of her at
Inwood House with Bitsy. I can see her now riding on my scooter, off into the sunset over the Rainbow Bridge to meet Delta to do some serious squirrel hunting and chasing. "She could do the best squirrel dance." We all will
grieve with you. She will be missed from this
planet "earth". May the Force be with her!!!
With love,
BLT (Bitsy, Lauren and Tyler)
I got to meet Wrap last May at Margot's. I never saw her working in her prime, but it was clear that there WAS a prime, and don't you forget it. ;) She was very good at getting attention when she wanted it, and seemed to welcome affection from anyone deserving of the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteShe hobbled around a bit, but her aging body still showed signs of the strength of her youth. There were a few times when a squirrel chirp or a youngster's obnoxious behavior would cause her to spring to life so she could take care of business. Margot would chide her for trying too hard, she would agree, and then she'd snuggle back in a bed, but always keeping an eye and an ear open to any need that may arise. I don't think she ever truly "retired". It was easy to like her.
I have thought of her often during the past year, and for some reason just last Sunday was wondering to myself how she was doing. I knew that she was something special, and if she left this much of a trace on my mind, it is easy to believe that she left a far, far greater impact on those who knew her better.
I am sure that she has made world a better place for dogs and people. Truthfully, not every dog gets that opportunity. Dogs like Wrap make it happen. Regardless, her spirit clearly does live on in many others.
May you find moments of joy and peace in all of these memories and good thoughts, Margot. And if you need a little extra help, you know where to find your marbles. :) (an inside story, and I hope that Margot reads in that comment a most sincere, compassionate grin)
Karen Palmer
I remember the first time I came to you with Sammy for training. My then 14-year-old son was with me. As we were just meeting you, you said to Wrap "Get the puppy." She went off obediently and picked up a light rope that had been attached to the puppy's collar and brought the little dog to you. My son and I marveled, "Now that's one special, amazingly well-trained dog!" We talk about that often. Wrap will live on in our hearts and stories. Elaine
ReplyDeleteWRAP. WRAP. Wrap....
ReplyDeleteI met Wrap before she retired and did not see her afterwards so my remembering Wrap is of the vivacious, spritely, beautiful bitch she was.
I went to Margot's and while waiting for her to come out saw this incredibly beautiful Dobe. But something was definitely wrong. This Dobe seemed to think it was a circus poodle standing up on its hind legs and spinning around to the left (counter clock wise) non stop. It was was looking up and not at all where it was going or ending up even though it stayed in the same spot without moving or banging into anything.
Well, Margot came out of the house and the Dobe went over to her side. I had remembered that Margot told me she had a Dobe Service Dog Bitch. Could this poor scatterbrained thing be Margot's perfect Service Dog? And how was I to ask anyway? There was no way then or now I'd say anything knowingly to hurt Margot's feelings.
Seeing my face looking first at Wrap, after Margot had called Wrap by name, and then at her she suddenly broke out in a grin.
Now how could I ask Margot ever so politely what the heck her perfect Service Dog was doing? Curiosity was killing me but better curiosity than Margot!
She put me out of my misery and said, "Ah, you saw Wrap chasing the squirrels."
Well, no, if she had been chasing anything there would have been an obvious answer. Still smiling broadly, Margot pointed up into the tree tops. Yup, there were many squirrels. Seems that they knew not to be on the ground when the hunter came out of the house and Wrap was being sure they fully understood they were to stay UP THERE or dire consequences would follow.
So much for my first meeting with The Alien.
Judith Heishin-Sacks
formerly with RockyToo
now with Keeper and DJ
Judith - Thank you so much for that special memory. Wrap in her Alien guise managed to cause much confusion in new-comers. Once the joke was played, laughed at and enjoyed, it quickly became just a much fun to be one of those "in the know" when Wrap stepped aside and The Alien took over.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, how I miss that dog and her little tricks to make me happy. Right now we are going through that early phase where we are all "seeing" her just out of the corner of the eye and always when she would have turned up in life. mw
Wrap was the first of Rugby's red doberman entourage. She thouroughly enjoyed teaching him the ropes of proper play with the 'big dogs.' There was a certain pleaser she took when he leaped up and hung from her neck. He was HER toy dog. The first time he braved the yard of big dogs, Wrap was there as his prortector and whenever he found himself in trouble he made sure to locate himself directly between her legs. Wrap would ward off the bad guys for him with her prescence.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have known Wrap in her prime. On the few occasions I was able to see her work her whole demeanor changed. That is what she lived for. Rest in Peace Wrap, Rugby and I will miss you!!