STORMNANGELS Tibetan Mastiffs

Shenyen

Himalaya's Nying Dang Draba
November 21, 1999 ~ March 29, 2010

"Let there be spaces in your togetherness.

Let the winds of the heavens dance between you."

Her name meant "precious beloved" and "same as my heart." And she is gone.

My Kalyana-mitra.

My noble friend.

Shenyen was "that dog" for me. My girl. She secured my heart with her very essence. She was solemn, aloof and definitely not confident or comfortable in the presence of strangers. She took her guardian duties very seriously and she could be an intimidating dog when on the other side of the fence. It was all theatrics, of course. She would become an alabaster statue and stare far off to the distant horizon when having to deal with strangers as if to say that Tibet was somewhere out there and that she would prefer to be anywhere but near these people she did not know. She tolerated all of my family as much as to say that she put up with things as long as I realized that her heart only belonged to me. There was a silver thread of connection between the two of us as Shen always knew exactly what I wanted and she would have walked over a bed of hot coals if I had only asked. While others took her seriously, the depth of her solemn nature never failed to make me laugh.

Whelped on November 21st, 1999, "Queen Shenyen" was sired by World Winner '99, Ch. of Mexico, Ch. of the Americas, ATMA Ch. Himalaya's Emir Pasha, T.T., C.G.C. and ATMA/ARBA Champion Himalaya's Isis.

It took her first litter and a full 7 years for Shenyen to blossom into an impressive bitch of bone, height and weight. She had a unique character wearing her endearing solemn expression, and she remained true to the enigmatic nature of the Tibetan Mastiff breed. I often witnessed her quiet reserved nature yet I knew that she was not adverse to displaying typical TM guardian behaviour at a moment's notice. She had that famous "gonging" warning bark that I am sure was heard for miles. While Shenyen was wary of situations, she proved to be totally trustworthy with strangers and children. She was a gentle girl underneath it all and liked her hugs and cuddles from those she knew well.

I know that many have labeled me "the black dog lady" but it wasn't always that way. I didn't appreciate the truly primitive nature of the TM until Shenyen came to me. I didn't always understand the beauty that "lies beneath." Primordial peoples feel that photographs can steal the soul. Perhaps that is why I was never able to successfully capture the glory of Shenyen in a photograph because I don't believe that any picture ever did her justice. The story of her revelation as I know it only came about with the coming of her first litter. A natural breeder and whelper, from her first litter of 9 to her last litter of 9, she delivered and tended to her litters with all the quiet confidence of her experience and devoted patience. Bred to Himalaya's Tale of Kasura Meru, Himalaya's Zhiji Chang, Himalaya's Lin Gyi and Sina Baku Manu, Shenyen gave us all the D, F, H and I litters. She is dam, granddam and great-granddam to most of the StormnAngels dogs. Her sons and daughters are beloved companions and involved in breeding programs around the world.

Shenyen's decline seems to me to be directly linked to her spay in June of 2009. She rebounded beautifully after a difficult surgery but the procedure seemed to age her horribly. The autumn bought a kind of slow nondescript decline. She gave us a health scare in December and I thought the end was near...until...Shenyen realized there was a new litter of puppies. She perked up and did much better when she was given access to her grandkids. She took her duties seriously and I would often see her grooming the babies. I firmly believe the puppies gave us an extra 3 months with her but, as the puppies aged, did not need her anymore and were not part of her everyday, it was as if Shenyen's life force simply faded.

As a breeder and care giver to many Tibetan Mastiffs, it is always difficult to state how much I am affected by and how much feeling I hold in my heart for every single dog and puppy that passes through my life. And today, I am at a loss. The intensity of my feelings cannot undergo that alchemical writing transformation. Like the song says "My words were cold and flat/And you deserve more than that."