A Member of the Original Motley Crew
5/5/90 – 10/06/00

Chelsea was USDAA’s first MAD Labrador Retriever. Together with Paul Greer, the duo left their mark on agility history. With everything going their way and high hopes for future greatness, on Dec.17, 1995, she suffered a spinal embolism that would later end her career just a couple of legs shy of her ADCH. She never fully recovered from this medical accident, although she remained an important member of the Greer household for 5 years after the stroke occurred.

Two grand friends of Chelsea’s, Virginia Gilmore and Heather Smith, visited her as she lay paralyzed at the local veterinary office in the early days after this happened. The camaraderie of agility friends is absolutely remarkable! Chelsea enjoyed their visits tremendously, only able to raise her head slightly and wag her tail. It took 4 months for her to be able to pull her chest up off the floor, and at 6 months she was rising to a stand again. She had that tremendous Labbie heart, and made it back far enough to maneuver her own way around the yard! We were, and remain, grateful to have had the additional years to share with this grand dog.

During the summer of 2000 it was clear that the medical emergency she had suffered years prior, and her age, was taking its toll on her life. This was a difficult time. She also had developed cataracts that impaired her vision that compounded her difficulties with mobility, especially at night. The ramp out the back door became difficult for her to maneuver. While it had always been difficult to get around after her partial recovery, she was always game to be part of all the activities, and never lost that Labrador Zest for life. If anyone else in the Greer pack was out training, she had to be there as well, barking her demands through the fence. She ate with gusto as Labs will, wagged her tail always, and let everyone know just what she thought of life. Whenever she was able to be included she loved visiting old friends, canine and human, at the local trials. A Labrador memory is remarkable, she never forgot a friend.

When it became clear that Chelsea could no longer carry on, she was sadly released to go to Rainbow Bridge, to become whole again, and to run and play with the others as she had been so happy to do years earlier!

You’re a Good Girl, Chelsea Roux, we love you.