Where to start with this very special lady? I suppose at the beginning. We purchased Toyah at 8 weeks from Claire Kirk on the 8th August 1994, she travelled to Rugeley from Stoke with no problems, looking out of the window on my knee. At home we introduced her to our 3 German Shepherds and the Yorkie and there the fun started, she was afraid of nothing and tantalised the Shepherds as if she had been born into them, taking no notice when they had had enough of her and tried telling her so by trying to give her a quick nip but Toyah would think this was a game and bugged them even more, running through their legs and pulling tails (GSDs have great tails to hang onto) she found that out very quickly. The Yorkie didn't like this thing on long legs and did his best to keep out of her way, on the odd occasion he did give her a few nips but again Toyah didn't bother, she would just shake her head and toddle off to find someone else to torment.

As the weeks went bye she soon learnt to sit, stand and down on command, at 11 weeks old she was doing it just by hand command tempted by Canovel calcium tablets (the only thing she would eat) no chew sticks, tripe sticks or any kind of tit bits or food!  We had to hand feed her until she had her litter at 7.5 years old, what a nightmare!  Toyah was brought as a pet but on her walks with the big dogs we noticed how much ground she covered (and believe me to keep up with the gait of GSDs you need to cover some ground) and how she would click into another gear to keep up with them without breaking into a gallop, I wondered to myself  “is she any good for showing?”  Cutting what I could turn into a book very short we decided to enter her at a local open show at Bingley Hall, just a stones throw away from us. She was 6 months and 2 days old, at the show she was jumping up at every one and bouncing off of dogs backs she thought great fun, I was so nervous as the class was to have 8 pups in it according to the catalogue , in we went and all pups were present , her turn came and to my surprise she stood wagging her tail at the judge, she moved well as if she had done it all before, she won the class and we were delighted, she then went Best Puppy and RBOB .  Later in the day Toyah won the puppy GROUP and to top what was a great day she went Res BPIS, she was on her way.

At her next few open shows she won Best Puppy's and Best of Breeds and at almost 11 months old she was entered at Stafford Agricultural  2 day show where she went BP and BOB GROUP 3 and the PUPPY GROUP and on the next day BP In Show, that same week she went to her first breed open show BHAH and you guessed it, she went BP and BP In Show. Now was the time to try the big one and see if she was Ch show material so in at the deep end and we entered Yorkshire Afghan Hound.  Toyah won puppy bitch and qualified for Crufts, good old Toyah but she didn't think that enough, she won the minor puppy for BPB and then won BPIS at her first ever Ch show (the same day her uncle got his 3rd CC)

Photo Below

Winning many more BOB's and her double Junior Warrant before 17 months of age she need not have done any more but Crufts came, and although I had handled dogs there so many times before I was a nervous wreck. Toyah was in special yearling if I remember rightly, a class of 23, my hands were shaking so much Toyah's head was bobbing up and down on it (a good job her temperament was sound) The judge went over her very quickly so I thought he wasn't interested in her, but as I moved her all my fear went, I felt her go into second gear and sweep round that big ring and I new she looked good, he did not hesitate for a moment, she was pulled into1st place before I had even stacked her, I was crying but Toyah took it all in her stride and stacked herself for me, she need never have done any more, she was the best ever Afghan to me.

CRUFTS 1996

After Crufts she had a break and started doing tracking with my GSDs (thinking now not a good idea as the Afghan has to carry it's head high and I was teaching her to scent along the ground) anyway she enjoyed it and that's what counts. The Shepherd folk used to laugh but Toyah soon showed them, she has her own harness and that now hangs in her grooming shed and will stay there as long as the shed does, I quite often look at it while I groom her and give her a hug as I think of the good times I have had with her.

 Not only a great show dog but Toyah also was a good racer winning all her grades with fastest bitch grades most months through to triple distance at Hinkley and Warwick and winning the 'show race award' her first racing season. There is a photo of her in the 1996 year book with all her trophies and winning 'Best Performer on the track dog or bitch'.

 From 2.5 years to 4 years some of her most memorable wins at Breed Club open shows were:-   Midland 2 BB and BIS.  Northern 4 BB 3 RBIS and 1 BIS.  Birmingham 2 BB  2 RBIS,  Yorkshire 2 BB, 1 BIS  1 RBI and 1 RBB.  Western 1 RBB.  East of England BB and BIS. Toyah won her first CC and BIS at North eastern 19-10-97. Her second CC one month later at BAHA   30-11-97  and her CROWN under Gail Link at City of Birmingham 4-9-98.  Toyah went on to win another 3 RCCs and retired after the last RCC under Clive Winters at the SKC (where she won her first one at 2 years old) to be mated.

TOYAH'S 1st CC and BEST OF BREED

TOYAHS 2nd CC and RESERVE BEST IN SHOW

BEST IN SHOW BAHA

BEST BITCH & RESERVE BEST IN SHOW at the NAHA

 BEST BITCH and RESERVE BEST IN SHOW at the YAHA

THE PHOTOS BELOW ARE ALL FIRST PRIZE CHAMP SHOW WINS

TOYAH as you will all know was a superb show dog who never once let me down but there was only a very few special people who ever saw her true character as the clown she could be, because once she was at a show her show head came on and you didn't exist but there was a few as I said whom she loved and made a bee line for, Jim Lacey, Leonard Pagliero, Paul Wood, Brian Kennedy, Debbie Coates and her best friend Clive Winters to name a few, she was admired by both UK and overseas judges as her show record shows, and I felt very proud when overseas judges asked if I minded if they went over her on many occasion.

TOYAH was a hound anyone would have been proud to have on the end of a lead A HOUND OF BEAUTY, SPEED AND BRAINS

A TRUE CHAMPION IN EVERY WAY

The above is a very short description of her life before her pups and the retirement of her show career, below her as a truly magnificent family pet and the mother of three very special children.

CHAMPION ISTANI GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY

The one and only at home retired age 8 years.

TOYAH left the show ring at the age of just 4 years old not for any reason other than to have a long earned rest and she had for me won all she needed, why chase around the countryside, what did she have to prove?

So on to the next chapter of her life. (My eyes are full of tears writing this so please accept there may be spelling mistakes and perhaps the odd other mistake)

We had always said Toyah would never be bred from as she was brought as a pet and after her first season she had the most awful phantom pregnancy (something i had not come across before) and before her second was injected to stop it but with no success she didn't have the season but still the phantom was as bad, anyway Toyah had a season every 4 months after that for 5 weeks at a time and then the horrific phantoms so most of her life was in season or phantom (how very lucky we were she showed at all)

After visits to the vets we were told if she wasn't going to have a litter we should get her spayed, once your faced with this option it does make you stop and think especially if you have a champion, After a long time at looking at pedigrees, I'm someone who does study them not just the dog I like, because this always worked for me in the past with my other breed and I'm not a believer in using a dog then finding the pedigrees ar'ntt the best matched.

Anyway I had always admired Claire Todds and Bob Savages CH Sashkan in high spirits and also his litter sister, I rang Claire who in turn spoke to Bob and this is the dog we chose, we tried for over two years to get a litter from these two but it was not meant to be.

So after the Southern Afghan CH where we had taken Toyah for the champ parade in 2000 her first appearance for some 18 months we spoke to Pat and Steve Moon who owned Maringo man after midnight, another dog we had liked and whom would give the classic red line and keep Toyah's type (yes I hate that word to but it is there).

We were a little worried about her age as she was turned 7 but was very fit, so off we went on her next season expecting her to hate him to but no not this time, we walked in Steve let in Meshac and it was love at first sight, no messing, we took her back two days later and again she couldn't wait to get in, Steve opened the door and she dragged me behind her to her man.

Toyah for the next 4 weeks was her normal self still not eating and having to be handfed ,normal exercise, and swimming once a week not looking any fatter at all, so off to be scanned and YES she was in whelp carrying 3 pups at last she was to be a mum.

The next 5 weeks went very slow and Toyah didn't change a bit as above not eating etc still going up the chase with our other dogs and being a nutter rolling in anything nasty like fox poo and bird muck at every chance she got (her daughter Cher does just the same) but she did put on a little weight and her nipples were that lovely pink colour, so we knew all was well.

Photo just days before her litter and yes we were gutting Marks house after it being rented out for 5 years, we lived in mine and Toys spectated while we worked.

On the 15/10/2001 her babies were born three of them Cher, Homer and then little Chyna Rose.

Toyah  did have them very easy and had no problems, despite her age, she kept them very clean and was good letting people see them she was a fantastic mother, something I did worry about as she wasn't the friendliest character with other dogs, unless they bowed to her every command, she was the boss and that's how she liked it, although saying that she never fought, just gave that look and most dogs thought that enough......................I reckon that's the afghan glare we talk about.

After Toyah's first litter we watched them grow enjoying them along with her then we had a devastating decision to make, Chyna Rose was a very poorly pup (read her tribute page) and at the age of only 6 weeks she was put to sleep.

This hit us like a ton of bricks as the saying goes, and we were left with just the two who have both stayed with us.

Because Toyah had only had three pups and Cher her only daughter was a little apprehensive we decided to mate her again, yes she was going to be over 8 but we got permission from the KC to have another litter with a vets certificate saying she was fit and healthy  in his opinion to have one more litter and so on to the next chapter :-

We had decided to go back to our original plans to bring in El-khyiras lines and use a Boxadan give me a break son, this being the spectacular Amudarya boy George, so off again on a long journey to Tricias and Toyah was full of herself now being use to this sex lark, but George just didn't fancy this pushy blonde, his first introduction to a lady and he wanted to flirt a bit but Toyah just wanted to get on with it and got angry with him so we said ok lets leave it as we didn't want to upset him.

Instead of messing about we had already got another in mind as George was a maiden dog, so we used the lovely Mandhina Days of thunder again with the El Kyrias breeding, both these boys got made up after Toyah had made contact with them as did High Spirits.

Once again no change in Toyah so off for a scan and yes A puppy possibly two, 5 more weeks and Baby J was born on 16/10/02 one year and one day after the trio were born, she had her easily but gosh what a nightmare she was, I suppose because she had three before she was looking for the others, she cried, screamed, pushed Jlo out, tried burying her and wouldn't feed her, we had to get the vet out and he said he hadnt seen anything like it only in pigs, so she had to go on diazapam to calm her down it took her three days to settle with little Jlo but after this she was again a good mum but didn't nuzzle and wash her like she did the others she clearly didn't love her just did her daily duty.

PHOTO JLO A FEW DAYS OLD

Once Jlo got older Toyah although would play a little with her she did not have the bond with her she had with Cher and Homer and even to the latter days of her life she wouldn't have her, Jlo has always accepted that and just gave her a wide berth were as Cher could even lay under the stairs were Toyah slept at night and Toys would let her, but Jlo wouldn't even dare look under there, still that's how she kept them under control.

TOYAH as the family pet. (this is the hardest part for me, and yes the tears are flowing again)

Toyah has had to be one of the most loyal family pets I have shared my life with, I say one because Gemma my first GSD was a dog whom taught me everything there was to know about the dog world, being both a show dog and an obedience winner, and she could honestly never be replaced by another, but Toyah showed me a different world of dogs, being an afghan but still being a dog who could go everywhere with me because she did do relatively most things she was told although not on first command but then I wouldn't have wanted that or the true Affie character wouldn't have been there and all her funny little ways wouldn't have been funny.

We have had many a laugh over her, one of her funny little ways was when anyone came and we went into the lounge, where she has always had her sheepskin rug if she wanted your attention and you were talking and ignoring her she would get one end of it and throw it in the air and keep doing so until you told her to "stop it", she then had your attention and would lie on it most of the time whilst it was upside down or curled up from how it had landed, then get up and start pushing at it until it was laid flat again.

She would also get up from it at times and go and push open the door to go into the dinning room you would get up and shut it behind her when it was cold in winter months, then a few minutes later she would tap on the door to come back in and would do this until you let her in, so up you get let her in settle back down to entertain or watch TV and she would let herself back out again, she would do this often up to 3 or 4 times if she thought she should be getting the attention.

One evening Liz and Mike came over (remember guys)? and Mike said" I will stop her" and he did something to the catch and it wouldn't open, she got very frustrated when she pushed it with her paw and it didn't open so she tried with her head a few times, still wouldn't open so she got her rug and tossed it into the fire (gas one so no harm done) so again she got our attention the old devil............must admit when Mike left I made it so it would open again, so for some 4 years she had me up and down when she wanted, who said afghans are stupid?

I remember how very protective she was over her sheepskin none of the others dare to lie on it in fact when they came into the lounge (not very often as Toyah got older) I had to roll it up and put it behind the settee because if I had ever forgot to and she could smell them on it again it would get tossed aside and pushed and pocked at and I would have to wash it before she would lie on it again, funny girl.

As a younger girl of 9 after her pups she would often play silly games with them, like chase me but when she had had enough she would stop in her tracks give that glare and the three of them along with Kaine (the GSD) would do a wide birth and run past her or hit the deck, she would then in turn lift her head into the air and trot off usually if in the summer months on to my sun bed and watch for them to dare walk past, they never did ha ha.

Then old Kaine was left to do the puppy sitting, not bad for a dog that I rescued because he was said to be to nasty for anyone else to take on and if I didn't have him he would be put to sleep, bless him he was 9 years old himself before I took him on and almost 11 when he was to become a babysitter.

Toyah 'Chilling out'

Kaine 'babysitting'

Toyah as a youngster before her pups and whilst a show dog still lived the life as any other breed despite her coat, she went up the chase daily then with our GSDs, Springer, Giant Snoz, Lakeland and poodle and rolled in sand, mud and anything horrid she could find she permanently looked like she had wellie's on from walking in muddy puddles and doing her upside down legs in the air rolling about in them.

She would always look like the "what a mess" character dog by the time we got her home, but it never damaged her coat she lived her life to the full being a dog not a coach potato or a full time kennel dog.

She would live in or out and never kick up a fuss, she was as happy in a kennel (but on her own she would never share anything) as in the house.

Her kennel and run was 20ftx15ft and her in house was a conservatory of 3meter sq the others then GSD and Springer had to share their kennel of only 10ftx10ft and the dining room.

All my dogs have lived the same outside with kennel doors open through the day and then in the house from 5 ish onwards till next morning, then as older dogs from 9 years they are permanently in the house or conservatory with the doors open to come and go as they like, except at night of course.

Toyah being the exception and being able to go were ever she pleased accept for bed rooms, she wasn't spoilt it just happened this way and my other dogs all accepted this.

My dogs Toyah included never miss out on anything as I am lucky enough to be with them daily, they go out walking 3 sometimes 4 times a day and are never left more than 3/4 hours.

When Toyah was younger she went everywhere with us and had never been left until 2000 when we went abroad with Marks mum for her last holiday with the family as she had been diagnosed with cancer.

We had to go for her, but i felt very selfish because I didn't want to leave Toyah, but I had to after all it was only once...............so time came and we had decided to leave her with my mum and dad whom she loved, we had taken her and left her for a short weekend a few weeks before and she was fine, except when we picked her up she wouldn't have anything to do with me Mark yes she gave him a tail wag (that's enough for Toyah, she never went over the top, once she got older) but she walked past me got into the car and lay down ready to go, I must admit I got upset after how much I worried about her.

Anyway time came to go on holiday and off she went on hers, she was a nightmare for my mum and dad, she wouldn't eat anything for 3 days, then dad tried her with corned beef and yes she ate that but only now and then just enough to keep her going, she would only go to the loo if he took her to the field (a car journey away) and would only sleep outside on her dry bed on the lawn (good job it was summer and no rain) she wouldn't even sleep in at night so they left the porch door open for her to do her own thing.

At least this time she went mad when she saw me but had gone down to 19kilo in just a short time......................the only time she was ever left after this was with someone to look after her at home and this carried on for the rest of her life.

Toyah stayed in full coat until the photo below age 13 years old taken by Jon Hope on our local field were as you can see she only sports her leg coat, she was clipped off fully aged 14 as can be seen on her Christmas photo.

THE BEAUTIFUL TOYAH age 10 years

TOYAH aged 13 years

And her last Christmas photo aged 141/2 years 2008

I had to say goodbye to my girl on 23/02/09 a Monday morning after sleeping the night with her, well I was not sleeping I was just laying on the floor with her head on my knee the whole of the night, I did what was best for her, not for me or she would still be here with me now, but only the shell of a dog she was, and I owed it to her to not let her go that way.

She had hardly moved for 24 hours only to go for a wee and with me lifting her to go out side with her old tracking harness she used so many years ago so that was what made me make the decision, I phoned my good friend Leanne at 6.30 am with out her I could not have got through that day.

She came round we talked and Toyah didn't even lift her head to say hello and at 8.30 I called the vets, we waited and waited it seamed hours but it was only an hour or so and still Toyah wouldn't get up to pee or even move, after what seamed hours Craig phoned to say he was five minutes away and as we put the phone down he was here, Leanne went out to him (this is killing me to write this, but I must do it in my floods of tears) and he walked in to the living room and said "come on then old girl lets have a look at you" and the old devil Toyah being Toyah got up with no help walked past him into the kitchen and lay under the stairs were she lay every night accept last night.

Both Leanne or myself could believe it no crying with pain or any help just up she got, Craig got her out from under the stairs and checked her legs and said she was riddled with arthritis and her muscle had faded away (all this I knew anyway, but she had quality of life and until yesterday walked over the field 3 times a day) he checked her heart and said that was still fine, but she was a very old lady and in pain, he said he could give her pain killers but I would be calling him out again in a month may be two and by then she would be incontinent and stressed along with not being able to get to the field.

I said "what do I do now", I had made my decision but because she was being her stubborn self and got up and made me look a liar without showing any pain I had my doubts, then I took that split second thought about what Craig said about calling him again in a few weeks I looked at her lying there still as Toyah defying us all and said "do it now before I change my mind"

I lay with my head in to her neck and kissed her it was so peace full not even a groan or a sigh in fact as soon as the needle went in her little shaved leg she was gone, she didn't know, and she was still Toyah to the last breath not the girl I sat with last night old and in pain, so I write this last chapter of her almost 15 years remembering her as that loving stubborn, defying, doing her own thing old lady we all loved so much

TOYAH, CHAMPION ISTANI GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY

thank you Toyah for all the good friends I have because of you , for achieving my life long ambition of owning a champion and for the four very special children you gave to me, I miss you so very much my girl and will never forget all the things we did together, you were a dog in a million.

GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU TOYAH, mum.

TOYAH'S last photo taken only minutes before she left for the rainbow bridge to be with Chyna Rose (under the stairs where she always lay at night)

Gemgwynad Afghans & GSDs