TOE die agterdeur oopgaan, tel die energieke honde wat soos elegante wit wolwe lyk, spoed op \u2013 reguit stoep toe.<\/p>\n
Hulle naels klik-klik-klik op die ou houtvloer. Een vat die draai te vinnig en gly . . .<\/p>\n
En dan uit by die voordeur \u2013 al stoeiend om eerste te wees. \u2019n Bondel spierwit hare en uithang-tonge.<\/p>\n
Stertswaaiend hardloop een nader en spring bo-op my . . . sy groot o\u00eb smeek vir \u2019n kopkrap. Een spits haar ore. Haar stert waai vinniger en haar nat snoet stamp-stamp aan my hand.<\/p>\n
Die ander wag ongeduldig vir hul kopkrap-beurt.<\/p>\n
\u201cRustig nou!\u201d maan gerekende Suid-Afrikaanse hondeteler Henk Schoombie (58) in \u2019n ferm \u2013 maar liefdevolle stem \u2013 voor hy oorkant my op die klipstoep van sy kleinhoewe, Nobles of Camelot, in Tweeriviere kom sit.<\/p>\n
Die honde gaan l\u00ea dadelik \u2013 twee is naby genoeg om eerste te wees as n\u00f3g aandag uitgedeel word. Die ander l\u00ea op die groen gras onder die groot bome.<\/p>\n
Die atmosfeer is vredig.<\/p>\n
Schoombie beduie trots: dit is trop-leier Baron (ingevoer uit Denemarke), Helen Bila Merci (ingevoer uit Tsjeggi\u00eb), Prinses, General Primus en King Arthur (ingevoer uit Serbi\u00eb). Lady Bea-trice en Lady Blanchefleur is die jongste toevoegings tot die gesin \u2013 Baron en Helen se kleintjies.<\/p>\n
Almal wit Switserse herdershonde met top-bloedlyne.<\/p>\n
Hy glimlag: \u201cHulle is nie net honde nie, hulle is deel van my familie. Hulle is my skaduwee \u2013 selfs in die donker.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy honde is my alles. Die lewe wat ek hier leef, lewe ek vir hulle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sy redding<\/strong> <\/p>\n Maar hoekom met di\u00e9 honde teel? Liefde.<\/p>\n \u2019n Hartseer-trek flits oor sy gesig: \u201cBaron en Prinses, asook my oorlede Duitse herdershond (Fido), het sewe jaar terug my lewe gered.\u201d<\/p>\n Schoombie is in 2012 met rumato\u00efede artritis gediagnoseer. In 2013 het di\u00e9 siekte sy organe begin aanval. Vasgekluister in \u2019n rolstoel \u2013 met net \u2019n jaar om te leef.<\/p>\n \u201cEk kon nie meer aangaan met werk nie, ek was ongelooflik stukkend en deurmekaar van al die medikasie wat ek gebruik het,\u201d s\u00ea hy. \u201cEk moes noodgedwonge my finansi\u00eble praktyk ver-koop \u2013 daardie tyd die middelpunt van my bestaan.<\/p>\n \u201cDit was \u2019n baie moeilike tyd in my lewe. As dit nie vir my honde was nie . . . hulle het my deurgetrek.<\/p>\n \u201cHulle sou by my kom sit en \u2019n poot op my skouer sit \u2013 dit is soos \u2019n mens wat s\u00ea: \u2018Dit is oukei; ek is hier\u2019. Of met hul kop op my skoot kom l\u00ea. Hulle het geweet wanneer om stil te wees en wanneer om my te troos. En wanneer om my te bemoedig.<\/p>\n \u201cDit is vir my moeilik om dit in woorde te omskryf . . . dit . . . Sonder hulle sou ek nie vandag hier kon sit nie. Hulle is ongelooflike metgeselle wat soms verder as mense kan help met genesing en terapie.\u201d<\/p>\n Schoombie, wat in 2014 begin herstel het en vandag sonder enige hulpmiddels loop, deel nou di\u00e9 opregte hondeliefde en omgee met ander diereliefhebbers deur met die diere te teel. <\/p>\n Maar baie konserwatief.<\/p>\n Vierpotige kinders<\/strong> <\/p>\n Sedert Nobles of Camelot in 2015 op die been gebring is, was daar nog net twee werpsels. Hy werk streng volgens \u2019n waglys \u2013 voor hy toelaat dat die honde aanteel.<\/p>\n Dit is beslis nie vir die geld \u00f2f ten koste van die ras-standaard nie (al die honde val in die A-kategorie). Hi\u00e9r is redelik algemene heup- en elmbo\u00eb-probleme nie \u2019n kwessie nie.<\/p>\n Baron het intussen by sy voete kom l\u00ea.<\/p>\n Schoombie, wat by die Suid-Afrikaanse Honderasregister (SACBR) en Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA) geregistreer is, vertel dat hy di\u00e9 honde net aan iemand sal verkoop wat hy ten volle vertrou. <\/p>\n \u201cDit is nie omdat ek \u2019n beheervraat is nie; dit is die suiwerheid van die ras wat tel.\u201d En die welstand van die honde.<\/p>\n Enigiemand wat een van sy herdershonde as kleintjies koop, onderteken \u2019n onderneming om die diere te laat steriliseer en vir basiese opleiding te neem.<\/p>\n Verdere kriteria sluit in: die honde moet deel van die familie wees, hulle mag nie buite slaap nie, hulle mag slegs goeie-gehalte kos kry en moet vir al die nodige veearts-besoeke gaan.<\/p>\n \u201cDit is nie onderhandelbaar nie,\u201d s\u00ea hy.<\/p>\n Karaktertrekke<\/strong> <\/p>\n Die honde is volgens Schoombie sinoniem met die ideale familiehond: gehoorsaam, beskermend, lojaal, dapper, intelligent en maklik opleibaar.<\/p>\n Hy vryf liefdevol oor Baron se kop: \u201cHulle is my hele lewe.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Suid-Afrikaanse hondeteler Henk Schoombie (58) het nog altyd `n passie vir diere gehad. Sy honde was sy redding toe hy deur `n donker tyd in sy lewe gegaan het. Vandag deel hy di\u00e9 opregte hondeliefde met ander diereliefhebbers.monique bassonhet 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