Cora | Windwalker Azeri, FCh, SC, CRX, SR, OTR

Windwalker Azeri, otherwise known as Cora, was the result of a breeding of Julie's favorite lure coursing bitch of all time, Deil, to the incomparable racing dog Eddy. She knew when she saw Deil lure course that she wanted a puppy from her, but when the time came for Deil's litter in 2001, she wasn't in a position to take care of a puppy, so sadly let that opportunity pass (and what an opportunity it was—the 2001 litter has been phenomenal!) but vowed that she would get a puppy from the next litter no matter what. So when Mike asked her in 2002 about which stud she would pick for Deil's next litter, she was elated, and asked about Eddy, a dog Julie'd heard about but never seen. Mike agreed and made the arrangements for the breeding, and Julie was so determined that she personally took Deil to the west coast to be bred in March 2003.

Of the five resulting puppies, Julie had her pick of the females. Julie was thrilled to have a solid black bitch after loving two brindle and white dogs, and so Cora came home. She came to the household protesting very loudly, but she did become accustomed to the routine, and almost immediately began her primary duty of pestering Bart and Elroy. The boys were disgusted with this new intolerable rat, but they came around—and how! Cora has a magical ability to make all creatures [except prey species] love her, no matter what.

Then, disaster struck at one of her visits to daycare, and she was diagnosed with two broken metacarpals in her right fore. Dr. Beth assured me this was no big deal, that puppies heal quickly, and Cora most certainly did. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, Cora jumped off a couch and landed on the wood floor, hyperextending her wrist. This was not a simple injury, so we paid a visit to Dr. Jim Radcliffe, of Town & Country Animal Hospital. Dr. Jim is well-known in the sighthound world as a first-class orthopedist and sports veterinarian, and his reputation is well-deserved. Dr. Jim diagnosed the carpometacarpal hyperextension, and fused one of the two joints, a procedure called a partial arthrodesis. The surgery went well, but Cora was back in a splint with the direction that she be kept from vigorous exercise—not a good combination for a young puppy. We suffered through it; Cora learned to use her splint as a battering ram of sorts, bashing at the boys with it and wreaking havoc in general. The plate came off later, and the process of rehab began. Fortunately, at the time Julie was living in the horse capital of the world, Lexington Kentucky. Thanks to the kind folks at KESMARC, most notably Marci Smith (who runs Stepping Stone GSD Rescue), Cora was able to swim twice a week as part of her recuperation.

Since her orthopedic experiences and rehab, Cora competed enough to achieve her CRX under WRA, her SR under NAWRA, and her OTR under NOTRA. Cora also completed her Field Championship under ASFA, and earned her SC from lure coursing under AKC. She dealt with arthritis but rarely let it bother her. Cora enjoyed playing with Ned and Sirius. She helped Feet keep an eye on happenings at home, and always loved to hunt whenever she could. She was a menace to stray chickens, but we couldn't ever blame her for what she was—a true sighthound.

Cora slipped out of the dog yard on a Friday morning only days after her 10th birthday. She probably went after one of the cottontails that refuse to leave the farm. She was hit by a car and died instantly. We miss her outsize presence and personality.