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He’s a Keeper
Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: 2018/11 - November
When Event Planner Elizabeth Fletcher acquired a Bernese Mountain Dog pup, bred in Moscow, she knew he was a keeper, so “Keeper” he became.
That was three years ago and Keeper has been her constant companion ever since.
He’s won numerous awards including a Canadian championship and a Grand Championship in the United States. Between Elizabeth’s event planning business in Atlanta and Highlands, and entering her champions in shows, she is a super-woman-on-the-go. But she couldn’t resist an opportunity to enter Keeper in a competition for a movie op.
Bernese are a working breed. Keeper loves to show. He is smart, eager-to-please, calm, obedient, and stunning in every stance. In a field of 77 candidates, Keeper was one of seven finalists. A handsome fellow, with wag in his swag he won, paws down.
That was a triumph, but also the beginning of a three-month ordeal, much like childbirth. After it’s over, all that’s remembered is the joy of accomplishment. But there were 12-hour days, training (though Keeper was such a natural, he rarely needed prompting), waiting…and waiting and waiting, staging, wrangler conferences, more waiting, a run-through, then on-camera, and yes, more waiting.
In spite of all that, Elizabeth reflects, “In the end, it was well-worth the effort.”
You can see Keeper in “Instant Family,” starring Mark Wahlberg, directed by Sean Anders, opening November 16. The film is a true story based on the director’s life. He and his wife, feeling biological clocks ticking, decided to adopt a five-year-old to make up for their late start. They wound up with a package deal, three siblings, the eldest and most difficult, a teenage girl portrayed by Isabela Moner, who’s scheduled to play “Dora the Explorer” next summer.
Wahlberg and Anders produced the film, which received such an enthusiastic test run, it will hit theaters several months early. It’s a heartwarming story. Keeper plays a significant role, symbolizing love, family, and loyalty. It’s a must-see family/holiday film. And if you run into Keeper in Highlands, you don’t have to give paws. He’s used to puparazzi. His owner/agent, Elizabeth Fletcher, can be reached at (404) 569-9104.
