About Us and Our Dogs
We made 'Sheepiehollow' our home in January, 2002. "We" are Ray Salmon and Ann Rambaud. Living in Saskatchewan and Southern California, respectively, through our dogs and the Old English Sheepdog email list we became friends in 1996 and began corresponding regularly. After we both suffered major family losses we joined forces and found an ideal spot on Vancouver Island, Canada, where we and our dogs established our new home.
We would like to tell you, in pictures, about the dogs that have been and are an important part of our lives. You can see the picture albums either by clicking on the button menu above or on the links in the text below.
We brought with us Ray's Old English Sheepdogs, Horatio and Shelby, and Ann's OES, Penny and Bearded Collie, Chester. But for now we'll start with a more recent arrival, Molly.
This little Beardie was found badly injured by the side of the road on 12 November 2003. Turned over to the SPCA by her owners, her shattered leg had to be amputated. We determined to foster and rehabilitate her, but quickly fell in love with this dear little girl and adopted her as the fifth member of our canine family. See this game little girl as she recovers from her injuries, dated to 22 December 2003.
Here are a few Christmas Day shots, and here's our whole canine family in the late winter and spring of 2004.
Following our losses of Shelby and Horatio in early 2004 we increased our pack again with our new Bearded Collie puppy, Summer (Surfsong's Summer Promise). Summer is the daughter of Lori Fournier's Cooper (AM MEX INT CH Surfsong's Highland Legend CD PT NA CGC) and Harlow (AM INT CH Ha'Penny Harlow At Surfsong HIC). See Summer as we meet her in California and bring her to her new home on Vancouver Island, Canada. Then watch her grow up as a puppy of three to five months old.
Forward to 2007: Our dogs never stay with us for long enough. In June, 2007, we had the sadness of losing Ann's beloved Chester after a short illness. Then in August we learned of a 12-year-old Beardie in the care of the SPCA. We believe that however few or many his remaining months or years might be, a dog that has given his love and loyalty for so long to his original family deserves the comfort and dignity of a loving home for the rest of his days. Our new 'old boy', Blue, fitted in with our pack as if he had never left, and turned out to be as gentle and loving a creature as one could hope to find. Despite some relatively minor health issues, as of late October 2007 Blue is a vigorous, active and noisy member of our pack and gives every indication of staying with us for months, perhaps for years.