Gravin Onyx vom Neerland Stamm
B, Sch III, TIII, CDX, VC, Delta PP, WH, GHC, CGC
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We had discovered the sport of Schutzhund while we were looking for a breeder from whom we could get another Doberman, having lost our old girl, Athena, nearly two years before. A great bunch of people who were fierce in their caring about this noble breed taught us so much that we had never heard of; AKC, health issues, stable temperaments, ethical concerns regarding breeding, and dog sport. We found and fell in love with Onyx and were excited to share with our new friends this lovely young bitch. We were living in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, at the time and met with other enthusiasts in Spokane, Washington, on a weekly basis. Onyx' pedigree showed many champions in Schutzhund and the conformation ring. When we brought her out of the van to introduce her to our new friends, she turned her back and would have nothing to do with the helper.
This attitude lasted over a period of weeks and, though I was disappointed, I didn't care all that much. We had gotten Onyx for companionship and, if it had worked out we could do the sport, then that would be icing on the cake. One day a strange dog wandered into the area where we met and Onyx barked at it. Everyone immediately began praising her. She looked at us as if to say, 'Oh, I get it', and the rest is history. Shortly after this happened we moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and found another wonderful group of Schutzhund people. Onyx and I learned about obedience, tracking, and man work. Together, we achieved the coveted Schutzhund III level and at the same time earned a CDX in AKC obedience trials. Onyx was High in Trial repeatedly and held the unique position of being the only Doberman bitch to attain a Schutzhund III in the state of Utah for years.
As she aged I withdrew her from competition. She had a litter of 11 puppies with Prince, one of which we kept. Testarosa became my dearest friend. Onyx was a wonderful ambassador for the breed and I wanted to, somehow, reach the public and educate them to the qualities of the breed. A friend of mine was doing therapy dog work at a local rest home with her Bouvier des Flandres. At her urging I took Onyx in after getting her evaluated for a stable temperament. After several months I began to envision a use for the dogs that was more specific and started talking to physical therapists about how the dogs could help with the therapy.
One day I received a phone call from a woman who was also trying to open doors with health care professionals about using dogs for therapeutic means. We met and, after a period of time, a lot of work, and many frustrations, we started The Good Shepherd Association, later to be called Intermountain Therapy Animals. Jo Coudert wrote the book 'The Good Shepherd' which goes into detail about how we began this program. Currently, there are over 200 teams who visit over 170 facilities in Utah, Nevada, and Montana, and the R.E.A.D. program, started by ITA, is rapidly spreading across the United States.
In the meantime, Onyx had another litter, this time with Ch Bruda Teller of Tales. One of their daughters, Ch Marienburg Coral Pendant, became the dam of one of the most winning Dobermans of all time, Ch Marienburg Repo Man. Onyx touched many people, made some amazing inroads to breed acceptance, and left a legacy that will go on for a long time. She truly was a versatile Doberman and I was blessed to live with and love her.
If you have any questions about Onyx you can contact me at this link.