We welcomed Marnie home in September 2022, and she immediately fit into our home & our hearts like she'd been there all along. Nowadays, it feels difficult to remember what life was like before Marnie; she is such a steadying, constant presence, and her sweet nature makes her a quick fan favorite among new friends, whether that be dog or human. She is confident in novel scenarios, always willing to at least try anything I ask of her, and wicked smart when it comes to figuring out what new training task I'm asking of her. 

Marnie was the first of our Silkens and the only one to experience apartment living, until we moved into our house when she was 1.5yrs old. As a result, I expressed a strong preference for a quiet dog when reaching out to her breeders initially, and Marnie definitely fits that bill. The only vocalizations Marnie ever offers are moans & groans while getting cozy or falling asleep, and ocassionally a sparing bark during play - never any alarm or demand barking. Marnie was a bit of a busybody as a puppy, but has always been very skilled at self-entertaining, so even in an apartment she was extremely easy to manage. As an adult, she is our resident couch warmer, and spends her days napping like she gets paid for it, though she is always down for whatever the next adventure may be. 

One of her - and my - favorite activities to do together is offleash hiking. Marnie has always had a predisposition for strong handler focus, and this made teaching her how to navigate a trail an absolute breeze. She auto checks in around bends, and her perked ears always let me know when there's a person or dog up ahead, just before she comes trotting back. Marnie has spent a lot of time going to various dog sport events with me, and is an experienced traveler & a perfect guest in hotels, camping (van or tent), and crashing with friends. She has no inclination for carsickness. 

Marnie is my working Psychiatric Service Dog, and has easily taken to her tasks and public access from day one of training. While she doesn't work "full-time" or even very frequently nowadays, on the ocassion I do utilize her on an outing, she never misses a beat with picking up right where we left off. As my Service Dog, she has had the opportunity to work in a variety of interesting settings, and I have always been able to count on her anywhere from jury duty to the zoo. She is beautifully neutral to dogs & people, but once you are in her circle of friends, she's eager to lean on your legs to ask for pets, or attempt to mooch a bite of whatever snack you're eating. 

She is a clean, honest runner, though not the fastest (28.81mph). While she doesn't quite have the grit required to jockey for position with rowdy competitors in LGRA, she loves to run for the squawker. Her drive for plastic has unfortunately waned a bit as she has matured & figured out how the "game" works in lure coursing. (The bunny always comes back - why chase it, silly humans?) In the show ring, she has a certain "look at me!" pizazz that certainly knows how to charm. She free stacks on a dime, and has always been confident and sure for the judge's exam; I truly could not have asked for a better first show dog. 

Litters