Australian Gr/Am/Can/ Ch Innisfree Alexander (imp USA)
‘Alex’

*Winner of 68 x Best in Show *Winner Pedigree Australasian Dog of the Year - 2 years in a row * Winner Best in Show Brisbane Royal

How does one speak of a dog who took us on the first road to glory and world friendship? To a record winning 68 Best In Show and winning the Pedigree Australasian Dog of the Year two years in a row - the first Queensland dog ever to do so & the Brisbane Royal Show and many other prestigious events?

Perhaps with admiration, perhaps with awe, fond memories and excitement and yet, perhaps it is more than that? It is with visceral sadness that he is no longer here but combined with love and delight that we had the moments in time to share together. “Alex” now lives in a mahogany box in my front room at home alongside “Casper” (Am/Aust Ch Karnovanda’s Gray Spirit) where they lend their expertise to all my decisions just by knowing they are there in spirit with me.

Alex loved everyone. Alex demanded everyone loved him too. He would grab your sleeve between his front teeth and yank your arm to his neck to scratch it. Wo betide the lady judge at Sydney Royal who came to visit the dog box and turned her back and didn’t acknowledge him - he nipped her pants on the bottom and pulled her over towards him forcing her to notice he was there and scratch him. She thought it hilarious that some fellow had pinched her bum! That was just Alex doing his Alex thing again.

We’ve been told by many he was the best dog they ever put their hands over and that is nice and something to remember, and, we’ve been told that people would come to watch him ringside just to see perfect balance and harmony at work and that is nice too. I prefer to remember him showing to the crowd one day, revelling in the applause and going even better as the clapping increased to the very next day when he basked on the grass at home allowing his babies to climb all over him nipping his ears and only occasionally opening one eye a little wider to outstare them when they nipped too hard.

Where do you find another Alexander? Hopefully in his children and grandchildren and the worth to the breed as he passes on the greatness before him. Hopefully in the knowledge and expertise he gave us to know what a good dog looked like and what to do with it to make it a winner, and, hopefully in the sheer love a human has for a dog - that wonderful binding of emotions that lifts the spirit and the mind to always remember an “Alex”.