Tristen came into my life in the fall of 1991. He was a beautiful boy, and was best buddies with my son.
Unfortunately, Tristen had many health problems during his lifetime. As a puppy, he was diagnosed with Dermatomyositis (DM). This is a genetic immune deficiency condition that affects both Shelties and Collies. Sadly, it prevented him from entering the conformation ring, as he had a good deal of hair loss on his head, legs and tail. This is a devastating disease.
He was able to earn his CD, but had to be retired young due to the DM. The stress of training and trialing was affecting his health. We were working in open and agility, but sadly, those titles were not to be. His health came first.
So, Tristen enjoyed a "couch potato" life. He was a dear, sweet boy, and we had a wonderful time playing fetch and cuddling.
We lost Tristen to cancer in the fall of 2003 at age 12. He is missed to this day.
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