Bedford’s Tasha Yar, AWD ‘Motes’

September 18, 1992-January 21, 2008
Rest in peace, sweet girl.

DOB: September 18, 1992
OFA Hips, GM-1, Optigen Not tested
CERF: not able to register, last exam 2004, old age cataracts

Motes, was our first PWD, she was born in 1992 to one of the first breeders in Canada. This breeder breezed in and out of the breed, foretelling the continuing situation of breeders who are in the game only for short term gain. Many of this breeder’s dogs were not registered with the CKC, however, in Motes’ case, her pedigree goes back in the fourth generation to ‘Taro’ an RI dog from Portugal. This dog and others like it, essentially foundlings, were accepted and registered by the Portuguese Kennel Club and given a ‘RI’ number as a pure-bred PWD based on phenotype. This was necessary in order to rescue the breed from near extinction and to broaden the genetic pool. But for Motes it meant she couldn’t be CKC registered. Ironically, if she had been born in the U.S. and imported, the CKC would have registered her as the AKC does accept RI numbers. She was never shown or bred. Motes was an ‘easy-keeper, she suckered us in and 15 years later we are immersed in the PWD world. Motes competed in Water Work, earning an Apprentice Title at age 10. Motes combined great working drive with a sweet even, easy-to-live with temperament.