Mistfield Oliver CGC
August 3, 1987 to July 3, 1998

Rochelle and OllieThe slide show above is a glimpse into our sweet Oliver's life's journey. On July 3, 1998, we did a very brave thing for a very brave soul. Our Ollie was found to have lymphosarcoma, only a few weeks before, found too late for him to respond well to chemotherapy. So we allowed Ollie to be out of his pain forever. While we stroked Ollie and told him how much we loved him, and how good he would soon be feeling, our veterinarian gave him medicine that allowed him to die peacefully. Ollie, though, will always be alive in our hearts and in our memories. Please be sure to read our Memorial Tribute for him.

Ollie’s beautiful soul, which clearly radiated through his vividly dark-rimmed eyes, created quite a legacy during his lifetime. And, while that spirit will always brighten the hearts of many, his recent physical departure is a painful reminder of the treasure that has been lost. For, there could be no finer goodwill ambassador for our breed than this noble gentleman.

Mistfield Oliver CGC, or Ollie for short, entered our family into the world of Golden Retrievers. He was born on August 3, 1987, the photo here showing his first day in his new home. His parents and grandparents and his great-grandparents were breed champions. His parents were Ch. Westben’s Might Tango and Ch. Mistfield Bardot. And one grandparent was the famous Ch. Mistfield’s Mr. Bill! Named for Oliver North, Ollie remained a paper shredder throughout his days.

Ollie’s favorite thing in the world was people. He loved everyone, but especially that of kids. The day we went to bring him home, we saw lots of lovely little puppies, all with different colored yarn around their necks. We didn’t know which one had been selected for us by Jane, but the first guy to come up to the wires of his kennel to investigate us had a piece of red yarn around his neck. It turned out that this guy was our little Ollie. While he was the runt of the litter, he was the little lover of the bunch, preferring people to being with his brothers and sisters.

Ollie was a wonderful helper with young children, especially boys, as they struggled over having to spend their free time inside, working with me. Yet, with Ollie added to the picture, these sessions became must-attend events! He easily calmed my anxious patients, bolstered the insecure, and lifted the spirits of the depressed. And, while it’s tough to admit — on more than one occasion — it was our four-footed therapist rather than this two-footed one whom in fact scored the victory.

Ollie was also a great entertainer, but far more importantly, he was the consummate teacher. He helped innOur Golden guy Ollie's soulful eyesumerable children and adults learn just how valuable his presence could be. My kindergarten demonstration work with him, although exhausting, not only helped youngsters who were fearful of dogs, but allowed children to learn some valuable dog safety lessons within a comfortable and fun atmosphere. Ollie, was very much the show-off, and loved to be applauded for his actions. He simply loved our “Go Search” game that involved him smelling a glove and then being taken out of the room. I then hid the glove, the kids all knowing the hiding place, before having him return and telling him to “Go Search.” Of course, he always found his precious glove!
   
Ollie was the most cherished of teachers, so gallantly fine-tuning my awareness of the substantial role that canines play in our lives. Yet, always a kid at heart, I made sure that the obedience work that I did with him would allow him entry into the world that he so coveted. While Ollie’s sit and down-stays grew to be quite impeccable, it was his ability to combine these with retrieves — and retrieves that reliably would be relinquished — that allowed him to become a favorite visitor throughout several neighborhoods. It was so heartwarming to be able to teach even two-year-olds how to play independently with him, for both benefited so greatly from the sense of mastery that they ultimately experienced.
   
With only canine children to speak of, it is embarrassing to admit that much of the door ringing at my house was for Ollie. Simply known as Ollie’s mother, I was forever being asked by the little ones in our neighborhood, “Can Ollie come out to play?”

We were so proud when he was involved in an important photo shoot, then appearing in Time, Newsweek, and Reader’s Digest magazines in an ad for the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America. Who better than a Golden to help someone from being depressed? That’s why he was so perfect for an advertisement about an illness, like depression, being treatable. Be sure to check out the wonderful brochure spread.
 

image