RPK Celeste

Title(s)

Show Name: RPK's Hold or Fold

Call Name: Celeste

Gender: Female

Age: 5 years old

Coat Color: Isabella Pinto Tanpoint with Snowflakes and Extreme Ticking

Genotype: kk/bb/dd/AtAt/Ee/IiIi/SlSl/SoSi/Gsg/mm/TT/fcfc/nhnh

Number: #0484

Special Notes: Bobbed tail is cosmetic

Career Change: Celeste was bred for bomb detection. Her parents were two of the best, paired specifically because they both had an aptitude for it, and the intention was for Celeste and her littermates to follow suit.

And until she was 3 years old, Celeste did. Celeste went through all of her training, and, upon graduating, was working alongside her handler on the battlefield. She was great at what she did, a natural just like they expected her to be. That all changed when Celeste's handler was shot in combat. Though they survived, the injury resulted in them being discharged, as they could no longer serve. Due to her skill, they tried to pair Celeste with another handler, but they could not form a connection. Three others attempted to pair with her, but the result was always the same: Celeste would not cooperate with another handler.

With no other choice, they were forced to retire her a few months later. They reached out to her first handler to see if they would like to adopt her, and though they wanted to, they were not in a position to do so. They were still recovering (and so did not believe they were physically capable of providing the exercise and stimulation a Baltic Husky needed) and had already adopted a smaller dog shortly after being discharged as a recommendation from their therapist for emotional support. With that no longer being on the table, a deal was eventually struck with Rose Petal Kennels.

It took some time to coax Celeste out of her shell. She was stubborn as heck, refusing to open up to any of the new dogs or humans, and it was a struggle to get her to eat, drink, and move. That depression continued until Scylla found her way to the kennel. Scylla had been found on her own, and though she was old enough for solid food, she was obviously still a pup who desperately needed a parent. When someone suggested they see about introducing the two, there was a slight hesitation, but it was eventually decided that it was worth a try, provided a handler remain with them the whole time. Maybe a puppy would be exactly what Celeste needed.

It wasn't some magical love at first sight. Celeste ignored Scylla at first, going to the other side of the room and looking rather pointedly towards the wall. But Scylla was a persistent little thing who didn't seem to understand that Celeste wanted nothing to do with her, and slowly but surely she forced her way into Celeste's heart. She kept following the older Baltic Husky around, barking every now and then after trying to sniff at her and curl up next to her. Celeste eventually seemed to give up, reluctantly allowing her to curl up by her paws and sleep.

An hour or so later, the handler removed Scylla from the room, believing it to be a bust, only for Celeste to scratch at the door, wanting out. It was the first time they ever saw her try to engage them in such a fashion, let alone hear her howl when she seemed to think they were ignoring her. The handlers were confused as to what had her so riled up, as the only thing they had changed was removing Scylla as they tried to figure out who else could potentially care for the little puppy. With no better leads, they brought Scylla back into the room, and were shocked to find Celeste immediately settle down.

From there, Celeste finally opened up to them. It seemed that serving as a foster mother for Scylla was exactly what she had needed; though it was entirely different from what she was bred and raised to do, Celeste took to it like a fish to water. It wasn't just Scylla either; Celeste was a natural with puppies, even opening up and playing with them in a way they never imagined she would before. Scylla had knocked down whatever wall was keeping Celeste from opening up, and it was like the life had been breathed back into her. Moving forward, Celeste has been the primary choice for fostering puppies that find their way to Rose Petal Kennels, and she has never seemed happier.