April Musings

 

“April is the gateway to the joys of summer.” ~ Fennel Hudson

and

"April is a moment of joy for those who have survived the winter." ~ Samuel Johnson

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I found out that April is National Poetry Month!

With that in mind, I will begin:

There once was a girl named Joyce Kay

and, for once, she had nothing to say.

She cried in a loud voice, "Guess I haven't a choice.

 I'll just post the next blog anyway!"

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Four main highlights since the last blog:

1) Our son's marriage and wedding reception. For the Mother/Son dance, he chose "Mama Mia"and spun me around the dance floor! That got my heart pounding!!

2) Cataract surgery on my right eye, followed by days and days of no makeup and lots of eye drops.

3) A long drive to Columbus, Ohio, to meet a person who owed me a dog. Then a long drive home. I think it was about 8 hours each way.

The new addition (Athena) is a sweetheart. She and Haven are enjoying playing with each other.

4) Our 53rd Anniversary.

Then:

Now:

Puppy News

The only news at this point is that Emmy was bred at the end of March (the day we had to leave for the wedding! Talk about bad timing!)

If she is pregnant (and I think/hope she is), puppies will be born around May 21.

Other breeding plans involve Ebony and Athena and one or both are due to come in season within the next month.

Those of you who are waiting, keep in mind that  gestation is just under 60 days and then I do not let puppies leave before 9 weeks old.

Trying to Help A Lhasa in Need

I was recently contacted and asked to assist in finding a new home for a 3 year old male Lhasa.I feel sorry for him having to go to a new home, so I agreed to post about him on the blog.

Just know that I have never seen the dog. What I have been told is his name is Frodo; he is 3 years old; he is golden; a new home is needed due to owner's poor health; he is good with kids; he is from the Columbus, OH area.

If you want more information and photos, contact Mary at 614-373-5851 or swimfan2@gmail.com

Photos and Notes

This is a picture of my 5-month-old Haven (AKA Joyslyn's Miss B. Haven) sporting her very first topknot.

Lisa sent this one of Duncan with his housemate, Dresden.

The Johnson family sent this one of Snickers with his new Easter toy.

Renee wrote about Rio: "Hi Joyce - Rio’s doing great.  We left Sun. to play golf/have lunch 4 hrs. and although he escaped his enclosure (my fault) - no accidents!  Met me at front door happy as a clam!!!  He can now take a nap or sleep w/me and settle down quickly - another major step!"

Yes there is a Lhasa in that picture!

Lynn shared this of Autumn. Lynn has done a marvelous job with Autumn's coat. In this photo, she looks ready to walk back into the show ring!

Raquel shared this picture of Minnie, sporting her "Veronica Lake" look!

Courtney sent this one of her Amelia.

Here are Sally's Ginger and Jaxon.

Judy L. took this photo of Raven who is 14 years old and still a beauty.

From the Archives! More Photos of Joyslyn's Lhasas from the Past.

This is JaMa Joyslyn's Confetti. She was co-owned by Janet Whitman and me. In this photo Janet is showing her to a group placement. Janet would call me after each show and always said, "Confetti took 1st place." One day she called and said, "Well, I have to tell you that she took 4th place today." I told her that was okay. I did not expect that she would always take first place. She started laughing then and said, "Fourth place in the Group!" This photo brings back memories, as do they all.

This beauty is CH Joyslyn's Deja Vu. DJ was shown by Greg Larson in 1994.

Greg also showed another of my dogs. This is CH Joyslyn Mi Toya Escapade (call name Jordie), co-owned with my dear friend JoAnn Hays.

JoAnn owned CH Joyslyn's Dazzling Marquis (Maddie). She was a beauty. Here are two photos of Maddie.

This is CH Mi Toya Joyslyn's Dust 'N The Wind (Windy)

Here is CH Joyslyn's She's A Saucy One.

This is CH Joyslyn's Risque (Call name Risky)

She was shown by Terri Lyddon. Another Lhasa I was proud to have bred!

I have many many photos of our GCH CH Joyslyn's Inherit The Wind, call name Rafe. He was a wonderful show dog, winning a major the first time he was shown at age 6 months. He finished his championship when he was 8 months old. The day after he finished, he was moved to the Best of Breed (BOB) class and won it. From there he went on to more BOB wins and group placements. Rafe now lives with my friend Mary R in MN. This photo was taken when he won his first BOB at 8 months old. What a thrill!!

Now, after looking through many photos and seeing my dogs without me showing them, you might wonder why. The reason in basically boils down to lack of time to travel due to raising 3 kids, having a full time job in addition to teaching a night class at the community college, two years of classes to earn my Masters degree; and serving as an advisor to the Chi Omega chapter at Western Illinois University. What I usually did was train the puppies, show them myself until they got a few single points, then hire a handler.

I don't know how I did it either!

Thanks for reading this and taking a trip down my Memory Lane. Those of you who have puppies from us can refer to the pedigree I gave you when you picked up your puppy and look for the names of the dogs whose photos I have been posting.

Enjoy the spring weather.

Regards,

Joyce

  

  

March 2025

 

“The stormy March has come at last,

With winds and clouds and changing skies;

I hear the rushing of the blast

That through the snowy valley flies.”

~ William C. Bryant

Better Late Than Never...or Not

Thanks to all who sent emails asking if everything was okay because I had not yet posted a March blog. Let's just say that I have had better months. I will not bore you with the details. (You are welcome!).

When I last wrote, I was getting ready for our first shows of the year. We went to Madison, WI for 4 days. I enjoyed seeing friends but was disappointed by Deacon's performance. He did not show with his tail up. A Lhasa with tail down is an ugly sight.

I recalled the slogan I saw on someone's t-shirt:

Dog Showing

When Ordinary Humiliation is Not Enough

We were supposed to go to 4 days of shows in Louisville. My friend Jane had packed her stuff, my stuff, and her mom's stuff in the RV and we were set to go. Then Jane called to tell that she and her husband had just received news that her father-in-law had passed away. I thought about getting my show stuff from her and driving to Louisville anyway but then disaster struck at home when one of our dogs needed emergency care. I was not going to leave him.

A bright spot was our son's wedding. It is great to see him so happy. The couple had a quiet ceremony and then planned a big party for the weekend.

Puppy News

There isn't any puppy news. But here is a picture of Haven. She is a mommy's girl.

Photos and Notes from Others

Renee wrote, "Rio is doing great - although he’s starting to tear up his piddle pads . . . solved by removing right after he’s used.  He knows he’s not supposed to, but the devil makes him do it!!!"

Stephanie wrote about her Augie, "...I couldn't pass up sending a picture of his beautiful eyelashes!  He is as sweet as he is handsome - but he still has his mischievous side, too.  He loves to go to Grammie's house (my parents') who keep him and Lady Bug while I'm at work each day.  He is a treat hound - he prefers his treats to his meals and will sometimes stage a hunger strike until my mother hand feeds him (which I have implored her not to do) or gives him treats to "tide him over."  Yep, he's smart and manipulative!  But, he's fun-loving, playful, and sometimes a cuddle-bug (on his terms).  He is just a precious little soul and a very happy-go-lucky pup.  Thank you for all of your efforts to preserve this wonderful breed!..." 

Nanda sent this photo of Gigi and Ty. I finally had to break down and ask her to remind me which was which. Ty is the one with the big white chest! Thanks for clearing that up for me, Nanda!! She wrote, "Thanks to you and the wonderful lineage they came from, Ty and Gigi are healthy and have endearing personalities."Later she sent photos of the dogs playing with their niece and nephew (ages 5 & 6) and wrote, "Ty and Gigi are friendly with every single creature on this earth. They love cats, dogs, birds and turtles. A friend of ours has a parrot named Goonie and the dogs are great around him. We actually have to keep on Goonie because he does snap once in a while."

Lynn K sent photos of Autumn. And I got a message from Autumn herself! She wrote, "I went to the groomer this week and want you to see how I look and I feel so soft and silky!..I was such a good girl for the groomer. (I guess I learned how to behave from the best —people and dogs!)...But oh wow did I impress Lynnie! She said we were going downstairs and to maybe bring LambieChop with me. So I did. I brought my LambieChop to the kitchen and put her on my kitchen blankie and lay down then with her.  Lynnie looked pretty amazed for some reason and took our pictures... Lynnie wonders how you ever trained/train Lhasas to exhibit. Seems we take turns being Alphas and when we walk, I can be pretty stubborn. And she’s pretty patient… I have really transitioned well to my home here. Lynnie says before me she’d never experienced a dog who didn’t jump on furniture, beg for table food and get into the garbage. You’d be proud of me!I miss you but I am happy!" 

Jan sent this photo of Aasha (Haven's sister) playing with her friend Bubbles (a Josh daughter). Jan tells me that, like Haven, Aasha is very demanding, thinks she owns the place, and has a LOUD and annoying bark. I wonder it their brothers inherited those traits also?

Lisa wrote, "Duncan is sporting his new winter jacket from Talbots. He does not like things pulled on and over his head, but he likes this little jacket. He wears it all the time." Later she wrote, "Duncan is a delight. He is very well named as he is a good little hunter. I can give Duncan and Dresden the same treat or identical toy and Duncan always wants Dresden‘s. Duncan lies very still, concentrating and staring on one spot. When, all of a sudden he will spring and pounce and grab Dresden’s item. I remedy the situation immediately afterwards Dresden is very good natured. Duncan is very intelligent and cunning.Traits appropriate for my little “dark haired warrior.Duncan continues to snuggle with me and follow me from room to room.  He and Dresden are playing more than ever now that Dresden is healed from his recent maladies."

The Carpenters sent this photo of their beautiful Harper. Prayers for her as she is quite ill.

Judy L posted photos of Raven and Lippy. She told me Raven has really come out of her shell since the death of her litter sister Whisper. Raven has taken over Whisper's spot on the bed.

Lippy is sporting his crazy new "do."

Raquel sent this photo of Minnie, who loves to cuddle and really loves tummy rubs!

Thanks to all who took time to share their photos with all of us. I get comments from followers who say they enjoy the photos.

And if I forgot anyone, I apologize. From mid-February to mid-March has not been great around here.

Looking Back

More pictures from the 70's, 80's and 90's albums. The first is from the late 70's and is of 

CH Joyslyn's Clown Prince (Clown) shown with a handler whose name I cannot remember. He looks better in this picture than he did in the one I posted in February. Better coat and more mature. He was sent from Nebraska to a handler in New York. We got a frantic call...they had gone to the airport to pick him up and he was not there! Panic time!!! Long story short: my husband sent him to the wrong airport.

Clown finally got to where he was supposed to be, but I don't think that handler ever forgot or forgave. 

Here is one of me with CH Joyslyn's Elfin Magic of Jokang (Elf) -- a beauty and a winner!

This is CH Joyslyn's Promise, ROM (Promise) 

She holds a very special place in my heart. She was a beauty inside and out. The ROM is short for "Register of Merit," based on the number of champions she produced.

This is Promise's litter brother, CH Joyslyn's Rachmaninoff. His call name was "Screamer" because from the time he was born, when his mom would leave the puppies for any reason, he would scream for her to come back. We started referring to him as "that screamer puppy" and the name just stuck. He also answered to the name Murry (based on the "mer" syllable of his name). His handler was Marge Lewis.

Screamer and Promise had a half sister whose call name was "Hexie." Her AKC name was CH Joyslyn's Enchantress. Marge handled her also. Like Promise, Hexie wa a gorgeous Lhasa.

Two of Promises's 9 champion offspring are pictured below. We kept and showed "Fancy" -- CH Joyslyn Tammering Fantasia and the co-breeder chose to keep and show CH Tammering Joyslyn's Bucklea (Bucklea).

Here is Fancy, handled by C.L. Euty.

And Bucklea, who was handled by Carol Smith.

Finally, for this month anyway, we have CH Joyslyn's Masquerade. His call name was "Bert," given to him  because he was a fat, roly poly puppy and, at the time, there was a cartoon featuring a character called "Fat Albert." Our kids wanted to name him that! I refused the Fat Albert name so they decided Bert would be his name. Here is Bert with me in the 1990.

Do you and your dogs walk a lot? AKC has announced its second annual2025 Spring Scurry 5K. Find out more below or go to akc.org and search "Spring Scurry."

What is the AKC FIT DOG Spring Scurry?

The AKC FIT DOG Spring Scurry is a virtual 5K (3.1 miles) that people do with their dogs. The non-competitive 5K Spring Scurry can be done all at one time, or in smaller segments on multiple days so that everyone (people and dogs) can participate at their own pace. This can be a walk or run activity.

Details

• Starting on March 1, 2025, you and your dog can begin walking/running towards your 5K.
• The 5K (3.1 miles) can be walked/run all at once for people and dogs who are fit, or you may break your 5K into as many days/sessions as you need to keep you and your dog safe.
• You and your dog can do the Spring Scurry on your own, with a group of friends and their dogs, or with your AKC FIT DOG club.
• This Spring Scurry can be done anywhere that you and your dog are welcome to walk/run – in a local park, on a trail, or in your neighborhood.

Registration Fee

• A $20 fee that includes the attractive 3” AKC Spring Scurry medal with a ribbon.

How It Works

• Between March 1, 2025 and June 1, 2025, complete the 5K (3.1 miles) with your dog. This can be all at once, or in as many days/sessions as you need.
• Document your distances and times on a smartphone, smartwatch (or similar device), or on an AKC FIT DOG Documentation form.
• Order your AKC FIT DOG Spring Scurry medal.

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That's it for now. Thanks for reading and following my blog. Remember...

Please appreciate and love your Lhasa while you have him/her. They give so much and their lives are too short.

Happy Spring!

Joyce