Wednesday, February 27, 2013

More Notes from Friends, Pictures, and Updates

After reading about Oliver in the last blog, Sherri, who owns his sister wrote, "Libby is doing great.  I loved your blog where you are talking about one of her littermates (I think)—Oliver.  Everything the owners said described Libby: the licking, the chewing, the stubbornness, loving snow.  It is funny to think her siblings might be the same way.  She is a real princess and I think she knows it.  Today we got about five inches of snow-and she just ran through it like she was in heaven! She is a joy in our lives!"

Griffin I
 Tom and Penny, owners of Rafe's litter brother, Griffin I, sent photos of him and wrote, "Joyce, Griffin sends regards on his 15 month birthday and hopes you and family are well. We selected Griffin on Valentine Day in 2012  and he continues to be a joy."  

Max's new owners picked him up on Friday evening and sent this email Saturday morning: "We love him!! He never cried once on the way home. He woke up at 4am for a short cry and went back until 5:55am. He is such a joy to have...Thank you for giving us a beautiful new addition to our family!!P.S. He loves the snow." Max's new name is Snickers. His new family of four includes two junior-high aged boys. They'll keep him busy!!! It was charming that the whole family was so excited to see him and fell in love with him immediately. He was thrilled with them too!

Max/Snickers dozing in his new bed
I love it that all three messages say what a joy the dogs are to their families!

Lisa and Stacey wrote, "Just a quick note to say hi on Lola's second birthday (OK, 3 days late). Lola is quite the character -- smart, cute, sweet, opinionated, and very little (9 pounds now!!)...She also still loves going to the Saturday morning play group, but is much more particular about her playmates now. Some weeks she just focuses on the human attention, but if her favorite dog friends show up she runs around and wrestles. I'd hoped to get a photo of her to send you, but she absolutely hates the camera and even runs from my iPhone. I'll send a photo when I can get a decent one. Anyway, we absolutely love her!" (And, although they didn't say it directly, I know that Lisa and Stacey think Lola is a joy too!)


Ellie, 12 weeks
With Max's departure with his new family, little Ellie has been alone since Friday night. She doesn't care, and I really thought she would. She's enjoying getting all of the attention, has learned to amuse herself by batting a choo hoof across the tile floor, and has turned into a little diva (sounds better than "brat!"). She's been  playing with Maggie (her mom), Raven, and Windy. Rafe wants to play but she pulls and chews on his coat so I nixed that! I think he was relieved. She's also been trying to play with Raven's two boys, but they are not too sure they want to play with her! She's used to roughhousing with a puppy her own size. I warn her that soon they are going to be bigger than she is (like Lola, Ellie is a dink) and they'll gang up on her and get even. She doesn't listen.

The little boys each have a name now. The black is Gus and the gold is Duncan. I'm still struggling with the name "Duncan," but I looked at the black one day and said, "Hey Gus," so that obviously is supposed to be his name! Then I felt pressured to come up with a name for the other puppy. Duncan could have been "Hunter" (my suggestion) or "Buster" (Lynn's suggestion) but since we have three dogs whose names end in the "er" sound (Walker, Breaker, Connor), we decided that a fourth would be too much! Gus and Duncan are both beautiful puppies, with great personalities and very nice structures. I'm impressed!
Duncan, 5 weeks

Gus, 5 weeks
The new, horrible thing: Information and warnings about a rodenticide that has no antidote has been circulating among various dog-related listservs lately. The substance is bromethalin, a neurotoxin affecting mitochondria in the brain and liver. The information I received said that the poison killed GCH Polar Mist Cruz’n T’Party At Zamosky (Cruz), the top winning Samoyed of 2013. Speculation was either that he was purposefully poisoned or that the rodenticide was in the hotel room where he and his handler were staying. Either scenario is possible, but given that there is a reward being offered, my guess is that people think he was purposefully poisoned. Unfortunately, poisoning at shows does happen, either by animal rights activists whose agenda includes attacks on people who show (although why they take their anger out on the animals whose welfare they claim to champion, I have no idea) or by jealous competitors who want to eliminate the competition. Either way, the whole idea of it sickens me. Here is a link to the information about the rodenticide and why its ingredient is such a danger to dogs (and I would think humans as well. We have brains and livers too!). It works fast. Once signs are evident it's almost too late. There is no antidote.

The article about the rodenticide in the January 29, 2013, DVM Newsmagazine is "New Rodenticide without Antidote Alarms Pet Toxicology Experts: 2008 EPA Regulations May have Unintended but Dangerous Consequences," written by Julie Scheidegger.

We are hoping the recent snow storm was the last for our area and are looking forward to March and perhaps warmer, calmer weather and the beginning of spring. I was writing appointments on the March calendar and noticed that Daylight Savings Time begins on March 10th! Wow…so soon!!

I am also hoping for decent weather for our travel to this weekend's dog show in Gray Summit, MO. There are not many Lhasas entered, which is nothing unusual. There are only two class bitches entered, one of them being my Windy. Unfortunately, our training class was cancelled due to the snow storm, so she did not get the practice I was hoping for. Wish us a lot of luck. My goal is for her to get over being uncomfortable at the shows and to enjoy herself in the ring. If she does that, I'll be thrilled. The wins can come later. I hate seeing her so scared and nervous. She is the total opposite at home -- full of herself, confident, bossy. The big entry is the Best of Breed class. There are two champion males entered, one being Rafe. There are also two champion bitches entered. I'll let you know how things go.

I'm also including a video of Rafe and me in the ring at the show in Des Moines a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to my friend Rebecca for taking the video and surprising me with it.



Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Puppy Updates and Notes from Friends -- Pictures Too!


Daisy and Friend
Gabe
I received a Valentine's note from Daisy via her owner, Barbara. Daisy was a litter sister to our Ch. "Zach," now known by his new owners as Zeus. You've seen pictures they've sent of him. Mary also sent a Valentine's greeting from Gabe, Rafe's litter brother. Look at that tail!!

Daisy was instrumental in helping Barbara through the loss of her husband to cancer. "Daisy" wrote that "… she says I was the BEST medicine for Dad that he could ever had right to the end.  Do not quite understand what she means cause it just comes natural for me and was doing what I do best - give unconditional love to everyone!  Everyone I meet wants to take me home with them but Mom is right there giving them the eye that will never happen!!!  She told me that I AM her BEST OF SHOW…" Daisy also reported that one of her jobs is "goose patrol." She said, "…we have huge gaggles of geese coming from the two retention ponds and Mom can yell and chase them but they ignore her.  I just come the door and they start to squawk and take off.  The neighbors call for me if I can come out for goose patrol.  When I do my job, I do get a treat each time and they all treat me like a queen!   Love getting those phone calls for help!!!!"

Barbara added a P.S., "Joyce, just want to thank you again for blessing me with our "PP" like Tom called her - Precious Puppy…Guess you know that she is dearly loved and cared for and brings smiles to everyone!  Still thinking of taking her as a therapy dog..."
Whisper

Judy posted a photo of Whisper on her Facebook page. Whisper is a litter sister to Maggie and Raven. Like Maggie, Whisper likes to carry around her stuffed toy. Judy and I both refer to the toys as the girls' "babies." Maggie's favorite is still the green alien. According to Judy, Whisper's favorite is whichever toy her other Lhasa Sophie is playing with! Judy wrote, "Whisper is such an intelligent Lhasa. She learns fast....Doesn't Whisper have the prettiest and most feminine face? I love her eyes. Those are so striking and inquisitive. Whisper still is the one who initiates play with the others. In spite of her always leaping on Sophie, they are like best friends and constantly are racing around together."

Mallory left Friday morning with her new owner. They had a 13-hour drive back to South Carolina. Catherine wrote, "Just a note to update you on Mallory.  She was a trooper on her  13-hour trip to SC!  She was a perfect traveling companion and only whimpered for the first two blocks!!  To use your words, she IS a  doll!!  She has been playing and getting acquainted with her new  surroundings.  She is such a sweetie and full of kisses!!   She really has a great personality!!  We just love her, and she appears to  love us!"  Then she added a P.S., saying, "Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love and Mallory kisses!!"

The dog show in Des Moines last weekend was a fun "first show of the year" for me. Rafe remembered his ring manners. He looked good, showed well, and received compliments from both judges. Alas, in spite of all that, he ended up with the Select Dog Award and not the Best of Breed. Those two Selects gave him two more points toward his Grand Championship. Now we are down to needing only 6 singles.

I saw the cutest t-shirt at the show last weekend that really hit home for me. On the front it said, on three lines:
I don't need another dog
I don't need another dog
I don't need another dog


and on the back it said
Do you want to see my new puppy?

Then there was another that had a fourth line on the front that said
…Unless it's another {fill in the breed} . (I, of course, would add the words "Lhasa Apso!")

Miss Windy went with us to Des Moines, not to be shown but to try to get her acclimated to the world of dog showing. She is frightened by the environment -- the noises, etc. and was not at all comfortable being out of her crate  and on the grooming table. She was even less pleased with me when I put her on a lead and we took a walk outside and then inside around the grooming area and vendor area. I waited for a quieter time when there were fewer people and less hustle and bustle, but she still was worried. She is basically a Lhasa with a strong ego and high option of herself so it was difficult for me to see her so  uncomfortable. We're going back to training class next week, then to another show the following weekend to see what happens. She just may have to go along for the ride until she gets more comfortable with the shows.
Max, 11 weeks

Weather permitting (a winter storm is forecast for our area), Maggie's boy, Max, is leaving this weekend for his new home where he will be re-named Snickers. He looks grumpy in this picture. He wanted to play and squirmed to get down. He had better things to do than pose for another picture! He was also a little irked at me because he had to sit still while I combed his mustache.

Ellie, 11 weeks
Ellie will be lonely without her siblings, and I'm sure her protests will be loud and lengthy. She'll enjoy more attention though and, once Raven's boys are a few weeks older, Ellie will again have some playmates. I think Windy will enjoy playing with her too. Windy can be quite bossy at times, but she is very playful, outgoing, and loving to her people. The older Lhasa girls do not always appreciate her, but I think Ellie will. Windy wants to be alpha. (She's a "legend in her own mind.") Ellie doesn't care, so they should get along fine.

Raven's boys, 4 weeks
And of course, Raven's baby boys are growing and learning. One of them barked (if you can call it that) last night. So cute. They've begun exploring and playing with toys and just falling asleep at a moment's notice. Raven likes playing with them. The lighter one seems to be the more inquisitive one at this point. Notice that they still do not have names. I am thinking about recycling a couple call names from previous litters because they seem to fit these two. We'll see.

I've appreciated the numerous calls and emails asking about our next litter. We are hoping for a breeding at the end of March/first of April, and that's about all I can tell you right now.


Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you! Give yours some kisses!!!

Joyce




Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Updates and Puppy Photos

Izzy when she was a year old
This week, I've heard from Judy in Indiana, who has two Joyslyn's Lhasas that she is training for agility. One of them, Izzy, recently was entered in her first agility trial. Judy wrote, "Izzy was true to form, and looked at the first jump as if she had never seen one before! We will be attending a 'dog motivational' seminar in Leslie's new building in late March. She loves attending class, but you know Izzy. Her larger than life personality makes her a very special special dog. She is still my doctor." Judy's other Joyslyn's Lhasa, is Ty, who is a half-brother to my Rafe (same mom) and who is a son of our GCH. Joyslyn's Heartbreaker. Judy wrote, "Ty is doing very well in class. Leslie says he will be my best dog. He loves all the contacts and is a beautiful jumper. He is still a puppy with all his antics. He is the class clown at home." He comes by the antics and clown business honestly. I  think he must be much like Breaker. Another of Judy's Lhasas, Odie, did very well at the trial and nearly qualified! I'm looking forward to seeing Judy with them when ALAC holds its agility trial in association with the National Specialty in October 2014 in St. Louis.

And the gifts just keep coming…

Citrine on her 14th Birthday
This morning, I opened my email and found a letter from Lois in NY. Here is part of it, so you will understand why I call it a gift: "Today, February 12, 2013, is Citrine's 14th birthday, which seems like a good day to send you an update on one of your older Lhasa's…Citrine is doing well. She went to the vet in January for a routine check up, and the vet told me that she is in good shape for her age, except for her teeth…Citrine is a happy, mild-mannered girl.  I call her Citrine the Beauty Queen because she prefers to sleep until 9 or 10 AM, doesn't like going for the 6 AM grooming appointments, and doesn't like to get her feet wet.  She likes to see visitors, but will sit quietly on the floor while someone pays attention to her.  She isn't overly friendly (like the two Dachshunds), but she doesn't hide behind the couch and bark (like my two other Lhasas). Citrine definitely isn't a lap dog, but she does like to sit next to me on the couch and loves to sleep on my bed. Occasionally she will play with the youngest Lhasa who is almost 6. The one dog that Citrine doesn't like is Heidi, the 10 year old Dachshund. Heidi isn't a particularly bright dog, and she repeatedly steals Citrine's treats. Heidi will stand and look at Citrine until she forces Citrine out of one of the dog beds because Heidi wants to take it. Both of these actions are always accompanied by a lot of growling from Citrine. It has been a pleasure having Citrine in my life, and I have no regrets adopting her. She is such a joy to me."
This is our Ch. JaMa Joyslyns Deja Vu (DJ - Citrine's sire)

Lois' reference to adoption is because she adopted Citrine in 2005 from the person who was Citrine's original owner. I point this out because sometimes people are reluctant to adopt older dogs. As you know from my own stories recently about Davy, Zach, and Belle, many times breeders have wonderful dogs that they decide to part with (never an easy decision) in the hope of finding wonderful, loving retirement homes for them. I have been fortunate in that regard, and as a result, have met some great people who love my dogs sincerely.
Belle

Mary sent a Valentine card with a photo collage of her Lhasas on  it. Very cute. I especially liked this one of Belle. She must be yawning, but it looks as if she is yelling. I thought it was funny so I cropped it out to share.

The puppies are all doing well. Two of the older ones will soon be leaving. Mallory leaves on Friday for her new home in SC. Max leaves next Friday for his new home near Chicago. Ellie is going to be beside herself! She is staying here for a while until I can determine whether or not she'll be a viable show prospect. If not, I have a long list of people waiting for a female puppy who I know would love to have her. She is adorable but is a tiny thing. She seems to be all fluffy coat, although there is definitely a dog under there, a very determined young lady indeed! She knows what she wants.


Ellie, 10 week
Max, 10 weeks
Mallory, 10 weeks
The "little boys" or "the babies," as they are known right now are growing and getting cuter by the day. As yet they remain un-named, although names in the running today are Mason, Hunter, Riley, Shadow, Rowdy, Luke, Moses, and Bishop. I had eight other names on the list before I narrowed it down to those! And these are just the call names, mind you. The exercise gets more complicated when it's time to individually register them with AKC. Naming my kids was easier! The lists were not as long, that's for sure.

The colors of the babies are fascinating. The black puppy seems to have some red color in his coat, giving it a rusty appearance in the right light. The dark gold puppy is marked like a black and tan on his legs and butt, with tan cheeks and eyebrows. Of course, that marking was easier to distinguish when he was born than it is now. Interesting. He looks dark because the gold is dark, nearly a brown, and it seems that he will have a black overlay across his back. Right now his back looks black but if I push his coat the wrong way, I see a deep gold color. It'll be interesting to see his color in a few months.
Raven's boys, 3 weeks

The next two days will be busy for me as I bathe Mallory for leaving and Rafe and Windy for this weekend's show. Rafe is being shown. Windy is going along for the ride, the goal being to get her acclimated again to the sights, sounds, and smells of a dog show. Her last show was in Belleville in December. She was in season and did not have a good ring experience. She held her tail down and generally was not into it! Our training classes have not yet started. I also have to get in gear and pack my clothes as well as all the dog paraphernalia! The bulk of it seems to be "contingency packing." If you have show dogs, you  know what I mean. If you don't, but if you have ever had young children you had to take anywhere, it's the same concept!



Wish us luck!

Being "grandparents" to an Affenpinscher, we were excited by the Affie's win at Westminster. What a grand way to end a show career! Many congratulations to Susan Giles and "Kid" who won the Breed at Westminster and who represented the Lhasa Apso and all of us Lhasa lovers well in the Non-Sporting Group. We were cheering for you, Susan and Kid.

Show dog or not, give your Lhasa(s) a big hug and kiss today and everyday. They give us so much love.

Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce





Friday, February 8, 2013

A Tirade that Has Nothing to do with Lhasas and Some Email Excerpts and Photos that Do!


Puppy battle!
Update!!! I wrote the following tirade this morning to share a problem and get the anger out of my system. Imagine my surprise when my husband just walked in and announced that he had received a call from Hollisters Home Center and they were going to replace the entire floor! OMG...talk about happy and pleased. Lynn said the person he spoke to said they were tired of trying to deal with Congoleum. The old floor is coming up completely and a new one going down. I wanted to let you all know that whether it was just coincidence or whether my social media blitz worked, I don't care. I'm just pleased that this problem will soon be over! It seems that mid-March is the date of the new installation. Happily, that is the time I'd already planned to be out of state visiting my mom! Lucky me...I get to miss the mess!

I thought it was interesting that I've been the one calling them for months but that they called HIM to let him know their decision to replace the floor!

Now, you can either skip the tirade and go down to the photos or, if you want to know what I was so mad about, read on...
 
I like to think of myself as a patient person. I know I am stubborn. I know I am happiest when things are done "my way." My husband always asks me, "Why do you always think your way is the only way?" Hmmm…because it is??? Poor guy. He's had to live with that for almost 41 years now.

But yesterday I ran out of patience with a situation that has been ongoing since the end of August. To alleviate my frustrations and perhaps prompt some action, I am turning to social media!

Here's what happened…For over a year I put aside money each month in a savings account so we could afford to remodel our family room. In July we met our budget goal and started looking for flooring. We went out of town to Quincy, which has a Menards, Lowes, and Home Depot, but then decided that since we live in a fairly small town, we should support the local retailer and we went shopping at the Hollister Home Center. There we found helpful staff and some nice flooring. We ordered the Congoleum Duraceramic tile and it was  installed on August 23, 2012. Choosing that date was purposeful! I left for a dog show and when I came home 4 days later, the tile was installed, the mess was gone, and the new floor looked great! (That's another thing about me -- I can take only a few days of construction mess and I've had it!)

One reason we selected that tile was that it gave us the option of using grout or a sealant between the tiles. No fan of grout lines, I opted for the sealant. So…a few days passed after installation, and I found pieces of sealant peeling from random places on the floor. I called the installer. He came back, examined the floor, and resealed it. A few days passed…and I found pieces of sealant peeling from random places on the floor. This time I called Hollisters Home Center. Well, long story short, they were not going to do anything about it, saying they were not responsible and that Congoleum was responsible for any flaws. The person I spoke to assured me she would contact Congoleum to get an inspector to our home.

That was in September. October came and went. I continued to phone Hollisters on a regular basis. "What's the word?" "Have you heard anything?" "When will the inspector be here?" More sealant peeled from the floor.

November came and finally an inspector showed up. He left no name or card (I was not home; Lynn was - which may explain that oversight). Lynn said the man did a thorough job, getting down on hands and knees and looking at the floor through what looked like a jeweler's loupe. He said he'd write a report and someone would be in touch.

In the meantime, I cannot wash the floor! With no sealant between some tiles, I can't take the risk of water seeping between them. UGH…so it gets vacuumed and dusted with a Swiffer. I cover it with a big quilt when the puppies are on it for fear of random puppy piddles.

December came and went. Still no word. Phone calls to Hollisters continue. I bet they hate me by now and roll their eyes whenever I tell them who is calling.

Then in early January I noticed a dark spot on the floor between the tiles. So I grabbed a damp cloth to wipe it up. No dice. A closer exam showed that something was seeping from beneath the tiles and staining the underside of the sealant that was still there. Oh great. I called Hollisters. Same old answer…"We have heard nothing from Congoleum." Am I irked? Ya think?

The seepage continues. My assumption is that it probably is the adhesive. It's dark brown, feels oily (I pulled up a strip of stained sealant to look at it) and is really gross. It's bad enough that it has stained the sealant, but even worse when I found it oozing between tiles that had lost their sealant.

A post to the Congoleum Home Decor Facebook page and a complaint via email on their website garnered a claim form, which I filled out immediately and mailed, along with sealant samples, photos of the stained floor, and copies of receipts. Now we wait…Wish me luck!
Now, the rant is over. Thanks for reading…if you managed to make your way through it all. We're on to happier things. What follows are photos and excerpts from two emails I received recently. The first is about Oliver, one of Breaker and Mira's puppies from last year's litter. The second is about Zora, who is a litter sister to Rafe and who looks much like him in color. As I've said before, I so much appreciate hearing from people about the Lhasas they've gotten from us, seeing pictures, and reading about the dogs' personalities and behavior. I enjoy sharing them via the blog too (as you have probably figured out!)

Oliver, 10 months
"Oliver is now 10 months old. He is a very vocal and stubborn boy! But he's also very loving. He loves to lick. Most of the time we have to push him away because the licks are just too much…he's definitely a power chewer. He goes through his toys within a week or two! Lol… He's been loving the snow... He's so funny! And I have to jingle his food in order for him to come inside. That's his stubbornness! I yell for him to come inside, and he just looks at me and goes on about his business.(not coming inside)! Lol But, we love him so much…"


Zora
"Our first year with Zora has flown. She is a happy and playful dog...Here are some of the things we have learned about Zora. Don't let a cute Lhasa face fool you.  When we picked her up, she was this cute little angelic puppy.  Okay, she does look all Disney Princess on the outside, but she is Xena Warrior Princess on the inside! She tries to boss us all around, and has not figured out yet that we all (including Zeus) choose to ignore her most of the time.  Her new nieces and nephew (Maggie's puppies) have the exact same look so buyer beware. We can all learn everything we need to know about going for something we want by watching Zora.  Her self confidence is amazing.  She also shows how not to get upset when you don't get what you want the first time.  She just keeps going for it until she gets it! Every house needs a Director of Security, and she has filled that role in our household.  The monks in Tibet would be proud of her…Okay plug all other Lhasa ears for this one:  I think she is one of the most beautiful dogs that I have ever seen.  She has this beautiful, thick coat that changes from strawberry blond (inside) to red (outside) depending on what light she is in.  She has lightened since shedding the puppy coat. She has a very pretty face. She is one of those dogs who knows that she is beautiful.  I chuckle when I pick her up from the groomer or take her to the vet. Last time there were three groomers fussing over her to make her perfect.  Zora had a "Finally, people who appreciate me" look on her face.  
Zeus...it's all about Zora!!!
"The last time as the vet went on and on about how perfect she is, I swear Zeus rolled his eyes.  (See him getting bored with the Zora the Great discussion in the picture attached!). Zora feels fully dressed once she has two bows. Really. She does not try to remove the two bow look.  One top knot and braids are fair game to rip out…she shows us on a daily basis how much she loves us. If you need some help with soccer, Zora will play. She is a really fun dog. She is very good at pulling on pants of her opponents (not fair) and blocking shots (fair).  She is also very happy to spend hours playing monkey in the middle and she is okay with being the monkey. Life really is better when you have two very different Lhasas to love and to love you back.  Your words are so true.  I can't tell you how much having little Zora improves the quality of our lives."
Zora


Thanks to Ellen and Laurie for the updates and photos. And to those of you who made it through this whole blog post, thanks for "listening!" I'll post puppy updates and photos next week.

Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

It's February Already!

Our first Lhasas, Buffy and Pheebe
Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while.  ~Kin Hubbard

Ah yes...the February weather. Ours was cold and now it's warming up again before it gets cold later in the week! It's nice to have these little "warm spells" but then the cold temps and winds seem twice as bad when they return. Spring will be here soon. Right?

I have a lot to share with you this week. Most of it is pictures. One happy thought that popped into my head this week was that it will soon be 40 years since we bought our first two Lhasas and "Joyslyn's" first showed up on an AKC registration certificate. Little did I know at the time what adventures, thrills, and yes, some heartbreaks awaited me in the coming years. People sometimes ask, "Would you do it again, knowing what you now know?" I can't answer that question not knowing what the alternative would have been. For sure there would have been less dog hair, no poop to pick up everyday, no daily grooming schedule, no grooming tables "decorating" the family room, no baby gates to climb over, no sitting up at night trying to save failing puppies, no worrying while one of the girls whelps a litter. But there are also a lot of people I've met who have positively impacted my life, and friends I have made through puppy sales, showing, working on ALAC Board and serving on various ALAC committees. So, it's a toss up. My life is what it is and the dogs have been an important part of it since I was 21. I'm grateful for the many ways they have enriched my life.

Raven's boys are growing fast! Their eyes opened last weekend and they started trying to get up on their feet. They are still quiet and content and I'm looking forward to the next few weeks when they'll be up and about more and their personalities will start to develop. Raven continues to fret if she can see the other puppies running around the adjacent room, yet when she is away from her own babies, she invites the other three to play.

Ellie, 9 weeks
Here are the most recent pictures of Maggie's puppies. They are adorable, charming, and ornery. What one doesn't think of, the others do. Right now, their favorite past time seems to be flipping up the corner of the family room area rug and chewing on it. They think it's funny when I get after them about it! All three enjoy tugging at any blanket that is hanging within reach, especially if a person is using the blanket!
The rug - Ellie and Mallory
 
Max and the blanket
Mallory, 9 weeks
Max, 9 weeks
Max and Mallory have both been spoken for and will leave us in the next few weeks. We'll be keeping Ellie for a while to see how she matures and if she seems to be a good prospect for the show ring. Of course, she would have to be the one with the loudest mouth. She is still protesting when I put the puppies in separate crates for the night. The protests no longer go on all night long but they are loud and intermittent.

Rafe, who is Mallory, Max, and Ellie's sire, has a show next weekend. Last night after I groomed him, I decided we should take some pictures because I wanted to see what his coat looked like in a photo. I was pleased! Here is Rafe, age 14 months.
Rafe, 14 months










Rafe, 14 months








Windy also was groomed last night. She does not have a show next weekend, but she is going to show in early March. Again, I wanted to see what a photograph showed of her coat's progress. She is 10 months old. She has a slower growing coat than Rafe. Although they are both Walker kids, Windy and Rafe are very different when it comes to heads and coats. He resembles his sire and she resembles her dam. However, both have wonderful happy dispositions and also beautiful movement. I am eager to see what the spring show season will bring for each of them. I certainly am hoping it brings Rafe 8 more points so he'll have his Grand Championship.
Windy, 10 months    




  








Windy, 10 months




















I have more photos to share plus some snippets from some really nice letters people have emailed me recently, but I will leave those for another day. 

 Finally, as always, please remember that life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce