The Rodenburg's

The Rodenburg children in 1966

 

 

I grew up in Illnois, USA and am one of eight children. On this picture you’ll see  only seven.  That is because Sara was born after we “older ones” were in our Teens.

We always had a dog or two in the house: Dachshund, Dalmatian, and many Heinz 57’s .

As one can imagine, the poor dog never had his “own” Master. They were never properly trained. With so many children, my parents were happy if the human kids were “well-trained”! A well-trained dog was my dream, even as a child. Unfortunately, our dogs never had the joy of a “proper training”.

Nevertheless, as a young girl my desire to have a long-haired dog was relentless. I would scour dog encyclopedias for the long-haired look…. Afgahns, Old English Sheepdogs, etc. Such dogs would always take my eye. (Never saw a Beardie in those books in those days, though.)

My mother warned, “You’ll just spend all of your time grooming such a dog!”

As I was then  a child, I thought…”Oh, less time for playing…” So my Mom was right! (Actually, she knew that she would get the grooming job in the end, so she was right again.

Points to ya’, Mom!)

The years passed, I studied singing and acting (see biorgraphy), and  met a charming German fellow (Georg Wuebbolt – see his biography), and married him, in 1993. Subsequently moved to Hamburg where I had to register myself.

At the registery  office in Hamburg, I saw  man sitting there with a a beautiful (long-haired) dog. I then asked the man what sort/breed of dog he had there,. He replied, “This is a Bearded Collie.”

Well, I had NEVER heard of a Bearded Collie, but I knew that that was the dog for me.

We bought our house, south of Hamburg in 1994, and it was time to complete the picture. (we have 2650 square meters of land. Room enough for a dog…or 3…4?!)

 I knew the breed that I wanted, and as I read in the Hamburg newspaper about a 6-month old, black/white Bearded Collie bitch in Flensburg, I knew I had to go and have a look.

She was so happy to meet me that she peed on the floor! I fell in love instantly…with her dark eyes and gentle character.

That was 8 and a half years ago.

Jessye (Ghostbuster's Gentle Star) has established our kennel with the name, “Full of the Dickens”, and has given her "gentle" character on to all of her offspring.

 

 

The Rodenburg's in 2003