Sullivan Cody Butchko,CD,FD,FDX,CGC, Therapy Dog 
Birthdate: June 12, 1994

     Cody is not only my first Sheltie, he is my Novice A dog.  It is because of him that I
am as involved in Obedience training and competition as I am.  At six months of age he had
learned everything it took me three years to teach my last dog, a Pekingese! I knew I needed
help and I needed help fast. I joined the Wilkes-Barre Dog Training Club in Wilkes-Barre, PA
and began taking classes.  We were in the Drill Team and even participated in parades
before he was a year old.


     Cody got his first leg in Novice A before he was a year and half. We enjoyed Novice so
much that we went on to get seven more qualifying scores for a total of eight! Just call
him "Spider Dog!"  We missed qualifying for Regional competition by only a point because he
was recovering from liver damage due to sumac poisoning during his last three trials.
All in all, we got three first places, 2 seconds and 2 thirds!  


     He is also a wonderful therapy dog.  He seems to know just how gentle he needs to be
around the patients we visit and has great patience with the ones who like to grab. It's
uncanny how he knows which patients need that little extra nose touch or kiss. 


     In his heyday, Cody did it all... obedience, freestyle, frisbee, flyball, herding and 
even tracking. No matter what I asked him to do, he gave his all. Now at 13, Cody is hard 
of hearing and happy just to sleep at home. On some days the puppy in him comes out to play 
and take full advantage.

     Cody is my "heart dog" and I doubt I shall ever find another Sheltie that 
could come close to measuring up to him. He can read my mind. The bond we have 
is amazingly close... the type you find once in a lifetime. I thank God every day
for him and wonder what I did right to deserve such a wonderful dog.

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