I am a great lover of animals and, although I grew up with dogs (all of them
large), I married a man who was never comfortable with the thought of owning
one. All that changed, however, when my husband, Dan, was diagnosed with
terminal cancer in October 1997. Dan reluctantly told me to get a dog ...
"You'll need something to replace me," he said. And so began the quest
to find the perfect companion ... a pet to offer comfort and unconditional love
during the difficult times ahead and for all the times to follow.
Before we even knew what kind of dog we would find, we had decided upon a
name. Our daughter was about to graduate from college and had majored in
religious studies. 
She
was planning to become a rabbi and suggested the Hebrew name "Tikvah,"
which means "hope." I remember thinking that this name would be so
appropriate for out family circumstances ... we could certainly use a little.
I started my search for Tikvah with a book entitled "How to Pick Your
Pure Bred Puppy" and dutifully completed the questionnaire/personality test
that was offered in the beginning chapter. This was supposed to help narrow my
search by matching my responses with a number of prospective candidates who
possessed the qualities I was looking for. This is how I found the Cesky
Terrier, who presented with a perfect score of 10 in the section titled
"rare breeds." With a little detective work, I was able to track down
Lori at Blarneygem, and I spent the next six months sending Lori e-mails and
attempting to convince her that I would be the perfect Mom for one of her
babies. Tikvah was born May 19, 1998 to the "Lapis" litter, and eight
weeks later, my daughter and I drove from New Jersey to Goldsboro to pick up our
new family member.
Now, I know that every Mom likes to brag about her children and certainly I
am no exception; however, I've got to admit that this dog is, by far, the
smartest animal I've ever owned! Tikvah was really easy to housetrain and
accomplished this in a very short time. Of course, the fact that the Cesky is so
food-oriented did help a bit. We started our first obedience course when she was
about six months old and Tikvah was the star pupil. Again, carrots and other
assorted treats were a great incentive. We followed up the first class with two
additional levels, and we graduated with the highest honors after the
"super advanced" class. Tikvah made lots of friends ... most of them
much larger ... and always gave the participants' owners something to laugh
about. I remember how funny she looked when she would run towards me following
the "come" command: her back legs just couldn't keep up with the speed
of her front legs! And, least I should forget to mention it, Tikvah has yet to
meet a food group that she doesn't like!!
Anyway, back to my super intelligent Cesky ... Tikvah's vocabulary is quite
extensive. 
She really
does know the difference between "carrot" and "deer" as she
makes a mad dash to the refrigerator when asked if she'd like the former, and
runs to look out the window when told that the latter is outside!
Tikvah and I take at least two walks every day, weather permitting. She has
made lots of friends in the neighborhood, both human and animal, and when
approached by a familiar body, Tikvah rolls over on her back for a belly rub.
She also loves snow (and we've had plenty of that to keep her happy). Her
favorite activity in the white stuff?? She puts her face in it!
I've also observed that my canine "phenom" is truly a clown at
heart. If I've decided that it's time to return home after an extended stroll
outside and Tikvah doesn't want to comply, she puts on all four brakes and
simply plops down in the middle of the street or sidewalk and won't budge! We
then begin a tug of war that usually results in her rolling over on her back
with all four paws in the air ... she's learned, you see, that this behavior
gets her much attention and smiles. I sometimes think I should have named her
"mule," and I can only get her to advance by claiming there's a deer,
bird, squirrel, or other tempting creature down the road. It all becomes just
another one of our games, of course; eventually, Mom lets her know who is boss.
My husband passed away July 14, 2000. Tikvah had become quite attached to Dan
in the two years they shared together. He was the one who spoiled her with
treats from the table, and during the last weeks of his illness, she didn't want
to leave his side. 
Tikvah would lie next to the chair that had become Dan's bed and I do believe
she really sensed that he was critically ill.
Dan died at home, and Tikvah grieved along with my daughter and me. Her
demeanor changed considerably during the weeks following Dan's death and it was
as if she kept looking for him in the room where he had been. Until I had the
special recliner chair removed from the house, Tikvah would sit in it and look
quite forlorn. I never understood before what others meant when they talked
about animals grieving for their deceased family members. I certainly do now.
And, so, this lively little CT has become a very important part of my family.
She helped us all get through some extremely difficult times and has, indeed,
given me comfort and companionship since my husband's death. Tikvah is an
extremely affectionate dog who doesn't really know that she IS a dog! Well,
that's because I don't treat her like one; and I'm looking forward to many happy
years ahead with her.
Reprint from Cesky Chatter Vol 13 No 3 June 2001 Copyright
(c) 2001 Lori Moody & NCTC
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