We all know the proveribal tale of a dog or cat being "sent to the farm" to live "happily ever after," never to be heard from again. Cynics quite naturally suspect a much shorter trip and a very short ever after.

But this is a story where it really does come true. Ukkie, born in 1989, was living happily in the Netherlands, producing wonderful puppies and demonstrating special devotion to her favorite hobby, recreational barking.

Not only was she sent to the farm, the farm was away beyond Europe, over the Atlantic ocean, a land far far away where Iron had gone to play, kind of a new/old playmate for another Dutch Bouvier. This was in 1995. In the year 2000 Ukkie moved on up the road to our daughter Meri's house; although she often came back to visit, she was always ready to go home.

(If you know Meri, ask her about the punching bag...)

Ukkie's titled offspring are numerous in Europe - they include: Alpha Ukkie V Caya's Home IPO III, VZH, UV
Alf Ukkie V Caya's Home IPO I, VZH
Anubis Ukkie V Caya's Home IPO III, SCH H III, Tracking
Baboes Ukkie V Caya's Home IPO III
Darco Ukkie V Caya's Home UV
Darn Dog D'Ukkie V Caya's Home IPO III, VZH, Int. Champion
Leroy Ukkie V Caya's Home III, VZH, UV
La Beau Ukkie V Caya's Home VZH, UV
Pancho Ukkie V Caya's Home VZH, UV
Luka Ukkie V Caya's Home, Sch H III
German DBC ClubChampion, Czech Champion, Austrian Champion
     International Champion, Centauri's Ultimo Cayas Home, IPO I, HDtc
Centauri's Utterly Ironic, Sch H III, OFA
Centauri's Xorro, BH

The longer we have had Ukkie (who is almost 14 years old!) the more respect I have for her. She is intense, energetic and dominant - all the while being very affectionate and personable. 46 lbs. of whirlwind - perfectly willing to cuddle in your lap for a nice nap. Her offspring can be both intense and beautiful - Thank You Caya!
Ukkie is now retired and living with our youngest daughter, Meri and her family.

Ukkie was euthanized on Tuesday, December 10, 2002, a few weeks shy of her 14th birthday.
She was in great pain, not eating well, losing weight and having difficulty walking. She is truly missed!

Ukkie Tales - Short Stories from the past!

Ukkie the Weirbouv

By Meri Winchester
It was a dark and stormy night. Midnight, a full moon was hidden behind the clouds. Ukkie was sleeping on the sofa underneath the picture window. Suddenly she began to change shape, and to stretch. Her dewclaws moved and got longer, her toes stretched till they took on the appearance of hands. Her back legs straightened and her feet grew larger.

Suddenly, Ukkie woke up. She looked at her paws and tried to stand up, but she was standing on two legs. She thought quickly, looking at her paw-hands, and made a quick decision. She had been powerless all this time, at the mercy of human beings, now it was time to GET EVEN!!!!

She slunk into the kitchen, laughing quietly to herself. Thirteen years waiting, hoping, and planning. Now it was time for action. She went up to the refrigerator, and tried her new hands. IT WORKED! Ukkie was able to open the fridge. She opened the meat door and removed two packages of smoked salmon. Ukkie lost all restraint, ripped open the packages.... and tore into the fresh meat.

A few minutes later, completely satisfied, Ukkie crawled back to the sofa and fell asleep. The moon came out, a moon beam touched her side, and she slowly reverted back to a bouvier.

The next morning Ukkie woke up, and excitedly thought about what she was going to do with her new powers. Then she looked down in sadness to realize that she was a dog again.

It was just a dream. Life was so unfair. Thirteen years and the human's still had control of the refrigerator. While Ukkie was pouting, she heard her human's steps on the stair. Then she heard yelling

"Who left the refrigerator open???? Who ate all my salmon????"
.... To be continued

Sometimes Love Hurts ...... an Ukkie story

By Meri Winchester
Eli has injured me. Sigh.
He didn't mean to.
He was just SO happy to see me.

I was sitting in my office chair reading a textbook when he came in from outside. My delightful, wonderful, sixty-pound bundle of joy took one look at me and launched himself from five feet away at my chest, hoping to land in my lap and get a hug. He did not expect me to scream and grab at my desk so that I wouldn't fall backwards and hit my head. I seriously pulled a muscle in my back. Ow!

Ukkie has decided that I must be protected from re-injury. I took a few Tylenol, put some ice on my back and was lying on our futon sofa watching movies. Eli was playing with the children. Ukkie was curled up behind me with her head on my knees watching the world. Eli came in, saw me, and tried the leap again. Suddenly - in mid air- he stopped and turned the other way. I looked up, and Ukkie (50 lbs soaking wet and almost 14) was standing over me growling. Eli left the room. Ukkie curled up in front of me and hit me with her nose, saying "Those kids just have no respect these days." and proceeded to go back to sleep.

Don't anyone tell Eli he is bigger than Ukkie, it will ruin all her fun. She likes to herd him and teach him manners, occasionally she likes to tell him where to go.
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Ukkie's List of Things to Be Thankful for

By Meri Winchester
1. Faithful servants (her family)
2. Soft Sofa's
3. Warm Sunlight
4. Beef Jerky
5. Hot Dogs
6. Rides to Grandma's House
7. Grandma's fridge
8. Grandma Kathy
9. Puppy Puppy Eli to boss around
10. A happy retirement home
11. Grandma's Couch
12. Slave boys to pet me (The kids in the family)
13. Fenced Yards
14. Towels to steal and play tug with
15. a long life (Ukkie will be 14 in January)
16. Snow
17. Warm quilts
18. Going for Rides in the van
19. Doggie bags
20. Lox

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How Spoiled Can You Get????????? Ukkie & Lox

By Meri Winchester
HMmmmmmmm........Ummmmmm.........Ahhhh I wasn't going to mention that Ukkie's favorite treat is Lox, hold the cream cheese and bagels. (I told this to my mom and she just rolled her eyes at me. Ukkie likes the honey-smoked kind the best (I do any way, and she seems to appear whenever the package is opened)

I tried to tell my mom it was a healthy treat, low fat, high protein. Something about $7.00 a lb on a Dog, to which my response was shhhhhh. Ukkie doesn't know she is a dog, and we don't discuss her little hair problem.
Meri and Ukkie (Did you say Lox, where are the lox? are you holding out on me??????)

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Ukkie (13½) Won't Chew Meat Bones Any More.

By Meri Winchester
Ukkie (13½) won't chew meat bones any more. They hurt her teeth now. She lies on top of them and guards them from the household, which can be dangerous. I have been known to use a butter knife to scrape the marrow out of the bone for her before passing the bone to one of the puppies. (After having and argument that it was my bone and I was just sharing it with her. I was laying on the floor in front of her giving her little pieces of the bone with my hands between her paws holding the bone so she knew I was in control of the bone, and my husband holding the leash in case she forgot.) What is NORMAL?????

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Hello Again - Ukkie, Reggie & Eli

By Meri Winchester
For the last several years I have been a retirement home for Bouviers. Sadly, my favorite dog Quinn died this spring. For those of you who remember Ukkie, the dog who I adopted at 11, she is 13½ and doing fantastic.
Ukkie was very depressed when Quinn died and refused to eat. She had never been an only dog and was terribly lonely. We were fortunate to be able to get one of Caya's puppies. We call her Reggie, and being from Europe she has a natural tail and natural ears. She does not LOOK like a bouvier. But she definitely ACTS like a bouvier. She is a delight. Ukkie was not impressed, but started eating again to prevent Reggie from stealing her food. Ukkie is now angry instead of depressed and had gotten used to Reggie. (How do I know she is angry? Does a dog who has been house trained for over thirteen years shit in front of a cage and walk it in on ACCIDENT? By the way, having your own steam cleaner when you have dogs and kids is a good thing! Oxyclean works great on carpets)

This week we got a male puppy from Renaissance Bouviers. He has the greatest puppy temperament!!! He is confident and happy. He loves people and is very smart. He loves Reggie (he is 12 pounds, she is around fifty, he tries to mount her head, herd her, and grab her tail.) Poor Reggie, the other kids just won't leave her tail alone. I will be training Reggie, and my husband will be training the male, whom he calls Eli.

(Reggie's real name is Regal Uranie v Caya's home, she is Ukkie's great granddaughter, and Ukkie wants to know what is so great about her?) Regal just didn't stick as a call name; she will have to grow into it. I will post pictures of the two puppies playing together when I get them developed. Prepare for cute puppy stories......

Ukkie - Rainbow Bridge

By Meri Winchester - December 2002
Yesterday we put Ukkie to sleep. Ukkie would have been 14 next month. She came to live with us when she was 11; she had been my mother's dog since she was five or six. My youngest son adopted her, and he was HER kid.

Matthew and Ukkie were very close, she loved to watch TV curled up with him, she would share meals with him (his meals of course) and they were devoted to each other. Matthew grew up a lot taking care of Ukkie; she did a great job helping to raise him.

Ukkie had more personality than almost any other dog I have ever met. She was the ultimate Bouvier bitch. She assumed she was top dog in the house, and anything she wanted she deserved. If she wanted on the bed or the sofa she would make eye contact with Quinn (who was more than twice her size), growl softly, then jump up and take her place. He always moved over for her. When she wanted your attention, she would start by putting her head in your lap, if that didn't work she would use her nose to lift up your hand and put it on her head. As a last resort she would hit you with her paw and bark at you.
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                         Zigo ten Roobos  HD-
               Bernard Anouscka v d Oude Karse  KNPV   '78
                         Anouschka Ferna v d Boevers Corner  HD- '76
      Basco v Eltons Home  KNPV PH2 obj rhlof HDTC
                         Marco v h Vogelsplein  '71
               Cartoech  HD- (HD0) uv vzh ipo1 '75
                         Flicka Cita v h Lampegat
Ukkie Rataplan v Caya's Home  HD-
                         Yagus de la Thudinie  SchH III
               Faisal Emeth v Caya's Home  IPO I, VZH, UV, HD-
                         Emeth Aquarius Jardin du Michony  HDtc
      Rataplan Peggy v Caya's Home  HD0
                         Wilson v d Boerenhof  KNPV m.lof HD+-
               Peggy  KNPV m.lof IPO III HD- '80
                         Sonja v d Veldmolen

Ukkie Rataplan v Caya's Home  HD-

Regst:  	NHSB.1645473 AKC.DL596038/01 
Brdr:  	J.W.Krijnse Locker
Ownr:  	J.R.Engel
Born:    Apr 11,1989 
Imported:July 14, 1995