December 1, 2023

**This is a guest contribution by Jeannie Jansen Allen

Monster’s Tale – For Maureen

(Maureen Scott Robinson – handler, photographer and wonderful person 1949 – 2020)

Early Spring in Northern Wyoming

is exactly what you think, COLD, colder than a dead Eskimo one might say.

It was early morning. The coffee pot hadn’t had the opportunity to perform its magic for the day. Joni’s husband Blake looked out the window and erupted in thunderous laughter.

“Hey Joni, you might want to head out and fish that sheep out of the water tank one of your lesson gal’s dog just chased in the tank.”

Not yet dressed for the day, Joni wrapped her robe and slogged out to retrieve the soggy creature. Shearing time had not yet come and the ewe was carrying nearly a year’s worth of wool. She was frantic, sloshing in the stock tank, heavy with a fleece full of water. In her robe Joni dove and grabbed her, heaving with all she was worth to pull the heavy ewe out of the tank. The struggle was long and the cursing was persistent. Joni sat on the edge of the tank, feet pushed against the fence, and pulled on the ewe. Finally the thrashing sheep flopped out of the icebath onto her rescuer who had landed beneath the ewe. Joni was now wet from head to toe and covered in green moss slime. The ewe got her bearings, leaping off of Joni, digging in with a couple sharp hooves as she made her getaway. Joni crawled up off the ground dripping, freezing cold.

Joni’s good friend Jan came out to investigate the scene, and was directed to get the sheep in for today’s lessons with her seasoned dog, while Joni stiffly walked away, blue lipped, red faced, and green slimed, to go change into dry clothes.

Jan fetched the stock,

unaware that that the little devil that had put the ewe in the stock tank was still running unattended, refining his sheep scattering skills. When Jan headed to the sheep they bounced, scattered, leapt, and battered right into Jan’s knee as they struggled to get away from the young pup that was most definitly “turned on.”

Maureen Robinson stepped out of her camper, stretching and smiling, admiring the crisp clean Wyoming air. She had brought her young pup there for his first few lessons on sheep and was very excited to see what the day would hold. Maureen was oblivious to the already eventful morning her young pup had had.

“Here Gila Monster”, Maureen called.

The pup came bouncing over to his master, tongue happily hanging out the side of his mouth.

“He is so obedient and comes right when he’s called, I really have high hopes for him” Maureen remarked.

Jan straightend up, rubbing her newly injured knee, eyeing Maureen with one eye brow raised. A response didn’t seem appropriate to the proud owner who was completely unaware of the state her beloved, unattended pup had left things in.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Maureen was blessed with an artistic eye and an appetite to experience life to the fullest.

When she did things she did them with her whole heart. She loved adventure and her admiration for Stockdogs brought her to Joni’s house. Though she was in the Autumn years of life, Maureen would load her camper with her Border Collies, camera in hand, and head west from her home on the east coast. Her travels would bring her to Joni’s home in Northern Wyoming. She would work dogs and take pictures of ranch life, wildlife, whatever caught her attention. Maureen was well known for her photography. Her ability to capture emotion in her pictures was stunning.

Most would describe Maureen as “a character”.

She named all her dogs after lizards. As you may have guessed the young tyrant of our opening story was named Gila Monster, or Monster for short. He was by Joni’s dog Ben who had been a successful competitor for Joni. Ben went back to Joni’s old Spot line of dogs that she imported from Bobby Henderson of Scotland in the early 2000s. It was for this reason Joni cautiously hoped that Monster would hold the qualities of these older lines of the working breed that made such versatile and efficient work dogs. As Joni (and many others) have said “as far is breeding goes, it feels like we need to get back to where we used to be”. The hill shepherd of yesterday required a strong, thoughtful dog with the stamina to work all day, the power to move difficult stock, and the aptitude and brains to navigate difficult terrain effectively.

Monster showed early promise and steadily progressed with each work.

 

Maureen began to feel unwell.

She put Monster in training with Joni, asking Joni to train him until she was able to work him. Having already beaten breast cancer, Maureen was not one to let anything keep her down. Unfortunately, Maureen was given grave news. She was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig’s). Joni continued to train Monster for Maureen. Joni would send Maureen regular video updates as Monster progressed in training. ALS soon robbed Maureen of most of her motor skills and the videos of Monster became more precious to her. She would eagerly wait to see what today’s lesson had been. Monster’s progression became ever more important to her as her own ability to pursue adventure diminished. She would phone and text Joni regularly discussing Monster’s future. Much to Joni’s relief, Monster was proving more and more capable of high level training. This delighted Maureen. As Maureen’s body diminished it became apparent that Monster’s future should be addressed. Maureen asked Joni if she would be interested in overtaking Monster’s ownership.

“I don’t generally keep dogs into old age Maureen,

I usually move older dogs along to good working homes after they are trained in order to make room for youngsters”, Joni explained.

“I know you will do what is good for him but it would mean the world to me if you would keep him long enough to make the finals at Meeker, and one other thing. Don’t change his name!” Maureen requested.

“I can’t promise you anything Maureen but I will do my best to train him and I would be honored to own him”. Joni replied

Maureen’s body deteriorated quickly and one day Joni received a message from Maureen’s son explaining that Maureen’s sight had been taken and she was no longer able to see the videos Joni sent.

Back in Wyoming it was a busy day on the ranch. Joni was pushing cattle up the alley to be worked with her dogs. Her phone dinged in her pocket. It was Maureen’s son again.

“Mom can still hear, she has asked if you would video Monster again so she can hear you work him one last time.”

Joni slowly put the phone back in her pocket, closed the gate behind the cattle, wiping tears with a heavy heart.

——————————————————————————————————————————

As fate would have it,

Monster rose to the hopeful expectations that he could not possibly have known about. He could accurately be described as the court jester of Joni’s kennel. Like his owner who has now passed her final gates and completed life course, Monster is “a character”He can be seen jumping and dancing in excited anticipation of heading off on an adventure to work stock. For him it doesn’t matter, sheep, cattle, whatever stock is in front of him. He has won many accolades in both the sheep and cattle trials, including Reserve Champion USBCHA Nursery Cattle Dog, Mountain States Ultimate Stockdog and now Reserve Champion at Meeker Classic. Monster has proven a fine tribute to the dogs of yesterday and now our beloved friend Maureen Robinson. From scattering sheep into a water tank to shedding at Meeker, Monster is fulfilling Maureen’s life adventure.