Rachel Page Elliott - From Hoofbeats to Dogsteps: A Life of Listening to and Learning from Animals

From Hoofbeats to Dogsteps

A Life of Listening to and Learning from Animals

Rachel Page Elliott

From Hoofbeats to Dogsteps

A Life of Listening to and Learning from Animals

Rachel Page Elliott

Dogwise Publishing

A Division of Direct Book Service, Inc.

403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee, Washington 98801

1-509-663-9115, 1-800-776-2665

www.dogwisepublishing.com / info@dogwisepublishing.com

2009 Rachel Page Elliott

Photos: Elliott family albums, Jane Donahue, Chris OConner, and Hal Ungerleider

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, digital or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty:

The author and publisher shall not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance, or use of the instructions and suggestions contained in this book.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data

Elliott, Rachel Page.

From hoofbeats to dogsteps : a life of listening to and learning from animals / Rachel Page Elliott.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-929242-60-3

1. Elliott, Rachel Page. 2. Pet ownersMasschusettsBiography. 3. PetsMasschusettsAnecdotes. 4. Domestic animalsMasschusettsAnecdotes. 5. Human-animal relationshipsMasschusettsAnecdotes. 6. Farm lifeMasschusettsAnecdotes. I. Title.

SF411.45.E45A3 2009

636.0887dc22

[B]

2008031418

ISBN: 978-1-929242-60-3

Printed in the U.S.A.

More praise for From Hoofbeats to Dogsteps

Rachel Page Elliott has been the most notable spokesperson for structure and gait for the past five decades. We met at one of her lectures and decided that we could join efforts and offer a two day seminar that featured several topics. I would speak on breeding to produce a better dog and Pagey, would through her film presentation and lecture, explain the principles of structure, gait and its importance to breeders. She was gifted at taking what can be a complicated topic and making it understandable. These seminars were especially popular because breeders were hungry for information. Pagey was prepared for the challenge and would explain why shoulders (lay-in, lay-back, length of upper arm etc) were so important to good movement. She clarified the expression a good front by explaining what it meant and then visually demonstrated the important principles through lecture and film

Pagey has, over the past 50 years, served as the beacon of light for those interested in understanding the principles of structure and motionHer book and DVD on these subjects are a must read for every dog breeder.

Carmen Battaglia, author of Breeding Better Dogs book and DVD, AKC Board Member and Judge

This book gives us a glimpse into the life of a woman whose life-long love of animals led her to become one of the worlds most widely respected authorities on canine structure and movement.

Anne Shannon, Past President, Golden Retriever Club of America

Pagey has been a cherished friend of jigsaw puzzlers everywhere for decades, as well as a stunningly talented puzzle cutter in her own right.

Anne D. Williams, Professor at Bates College and author of The Jigsaw Puzzle: Piecing Together A History

Family Retrospective

As my brother, David, sister, Betty and I have sat with our mother over the last ten months working on this memoir we have had the joyful opportunity of reliving our own lives. Poring over scrapbooks, reading old letters, looking at news clippings and sharing memories has been a treasured experience. We all knew Pagey was a golden lady but until now we did not know how important she had become to dog and animal lovers around the world. She was just our mother who traveled in and out of River Road Farm on canine and equine missions as easily as most mothers would go to the grocery store. All along she was a writer, researcher, speaker and leader as this wonderful memoir describes. She was also our role model since we never knew she was doing anything out of the ordinary.

Our living room was always full of visitors with dogs and animals of every size and shape, now with familiar names in this book. Most of the time, Mother was on the phone, at her typewriter, holding a meeting or somewhere with her four-footed friends. Until now, we never knew she was in the vanguard of so many important projects. She was just Mother who loved Dad and gave us all a very remarkable childhood. We are glad to have shared her with so many people from around the globe and we extend our gratitude to everyone who has touched her life in so many ways all of these years.

Ruth Elliott Holmes

July 2008

CONTENTS

Dedication

To my late husband, Dr. Mark Elliott, who joined me on this memorable journey.