I realize that Valentine's Day was yesterday but I wish you a life filled with love of family, friends, and Lhasas!
And that wish is for the whole year, not just February 14th.
We in Illinois celebrate two President Days. One covers them all, and the other honors President Lincoln, him being an Illinoian and all that. Government offices, banks, and Schools are closed; parents wonder what to do with their kids while they are at work, teachers get a day off, and (IMHO) they would all be better off a day in school was devoted entirely to the person/people who are being honored, so the kids can actually learn something about the country's history.
That goes for Memorial Day and Veterans Day also.
Now I am off my soap box!!
So far, February has been a dull month around here, unless you count my dryer breaking (again) and the resulting purchase (ouch!) and delivery of the new one. The old one lasted 20 years and I am willing to bet the new one won't come close to that.
Confession: A dull month and boredom led to a jelly bean and chocolate binge.
We celebrated Lynn's 75th birthday, went to dinner with friends, and made numerous trips to the vet for meds and appointments for a sick dog. She is doing much better now.
The frigid weather makes staying in and reading or watching TV very inviting. As for TV watching, I try to steer clear of the news channels. It's all so aggravating and depressing. But the video about the guy who was swallowed and spit back out by a whale was amazing!
Things will get busy soon. We have a 4-day show next week in Wisconsin. Temps are supposed to be in low or single digits with minus zero degrees at night. I am taking Deacon. The last time he was shown was at the end of September. I hope he remembers what to do! And I hope I am still able to get up and down in the ring!
Some of you have already seen my favorite of Deacon, but here it is for those who have not seen it yet.
It was taken by a ringside photographer at the show in Des Moines last fall. I had no idea she took it, and it was much later and only by chance that I found out when a friend told me to check out her photos that were taken at that show.
Anyway, wish us luck! It will be fun to be in the ring again and to see friends I have not seen since fall.
Other major upcoming events are shows in KY, our son's wedding and reception, and another cataract surgery for me.
Speaking of favorite things, last month I meant to show you one of my favorite Christmas gifts. Here it is now--A welcome mat! I laughed so hard when I saw it.
It now sits in front of our door to the dogs's room.
Some Photos of The Last Litters
I did hear from a few people who bought puppies from the fall litters. This first one is from the Josh and Ebony breeding. His name is Rio and he was a single puppy. His new owner flew here from CA to get him. Jim wrote, "He did really well on his car ride in his sherpa bag to Peoria and then on his 45 minute flight to Chicago and then the 4.5 hour flight to San Diego."
Rio is the 4th Joyslyn Lhasa this couple has had. Rio has made positive impressions on his new people, their friends, and the vet. These photos were taken of him before he left here. Age 10 weeks.
I wonder what color(s) his coat will be??
Puppies from the Monkee and Pearl litter were named Henry:
Aasha (the black one) playing with her pal Bubbles :
Louie's and Pepper's owners did not send pictures, but let me know that all was going well.
Notes and Photos From Others
I did not get many emails and/or photos from others, but want to thank those who took the time to keep in touch.
Lynn K, who now owns Autumn, wrote, "This little girl sits politely through the washing and conditioning and is patient throughout the drying process as well! Did you train her to behave so wonderfully or did she learn it by being there observing other dogs.. or what??? It’s a joy to bathe her!"
Here is Autumn after her bath:
Paul wrote, "Rusty is sitting in front of the heat duct. He makes sure to prop his head against the cabinet before he goes to sleep. He amazes us every day."
And wonder of wonders: Paul also told me that now Rusty will actually accept a treat! When he was here, he never would. Just turned up his nose at whatever I offered.
Lauren E wrote, "Henry and Charlie are best friends already. We love them both so much. You guys do an absolutely amazing job with these guys!"
This is a picture of Charlie, whom DJ and Lauren bought from us a few years ago. The Henry she refers to is the puppy pictured in the previous section about the Monkee/Pearl puppies.
Michelle wrote about Sunny's dog cart and the trip to Florida. "...we are really enjoying this weather, Sunny has been out every day and we have walked at least 5 miles or more each day...here I am walking my dog in a cart because obviously he can’t walk several miles at a time. ...He has far exceeded my expectations with everything on this trip. He has begun to like car rides, riding in elevators, being fairly good or at least better around strangers, he is certainly getting a lot of attention from people who say he’s a lucky dog indeed!"
They are enjoying the sunny beaches and not looking forward to coming back to the frigid midwest weather!
Lori Mc posted this picture of her Fin.
Nanda sent this of Ty and Gigi.
In my last blog I wrote that Judy L's Whisper had passed away. Judy wrote about Whisper: "Whisper was such a wonderful and always joyful girl. She loved to play, and especially with her tennis balls. She would always have one with her, and occasionally she would leave one in her feed dish when she was done.
I have 14 years of good memories of life with Whisper. She definitely was a girl who knew what she wanted. If I gave out treats and she wasn't in the kitchen, she would soon show up and look at me with, "Where the hell is MY treat?"
Judy L. also owns Raven, Whisper's litter sister. She sent this photo of Raven, who at first was taking her sister's death hard. Judy wrote, "Raven is going to be fine. I believe that without Whisper as her focus, she is going to be bonding more with me. She is already spending more time near me. When I am watching TV or on my iPad, often Raven will be up at the top of the bed, lying/sleeping on the pillows/towel I had set up for Whisper."
Sally sent these of Ginger (gold) and Jaxon black & tan).
I love Jaxon's fluffy paws.
Thanks to all who took time to write and/or send photos. I enjoy getting and sharing them!
Something From My Archives!
I ran across this piece that, given where I found it, probably was something that appeared in a magazine in the 1980's. It's a bit of fun about being involved with breeding and showing dogs. If you can't read it well, clicking it will enlarge it.
Here are some photos of Joyslyn's Lhasas that were shown in the 1980's and early 90's.
This is CH JaMa Joyslyn's Blaze of Glory. He was bred by my dear friend and mentor, Janet Whitman, and co-owned by Janet Whitman and me. In this photo Blazer is pictured with a handler, whose name I have forgotten because I failed to write it on the back of the photo!
This is CH JaMa Joyslyn's Star Bar. She was bred and co-owned by Janet Whitman and me. She is pictured with Janet.
This is me with CH Joyslyn's Clown Prince.
This is Joyslyn's Flash of Gold. Again, I failed to note who was showing here. I am sure that at the time, I thought I'd never forget.
This is Joyslyn's To Be or Not To Be. We called him Toby. He was a beautiful boy, shown here by his handler. He did not finish his championship because we just could not get that last major win we needed. I ran out of money for the handler even after I cashed in a life insurance policy to his handler. So he came home and later was sold as a pet to some people in Texas.
And finally, for now, this lovely black Lhasa is CH Joyslyn's Mirage, whose call name was Raj. This is Raj, pictured with me, after winning Best of Breed. Note the permed hair-do and the 1980's earrings.
Miscellaneous
Mats? If you are grooming your own Lhasa and having problems with mats, I recently discovered a product that works nicely. Here is a photo. I found it on Amazon and have been happy with the product.
Lepto Vaccination. As all of you who have previously bought a Lhasa from me know, I have always cautioned you to avoid the Lepto vaccine because the Lhasa is a breed that often has a negative reaction to the vaccine. Until recently, not one of my own dogs had been given the Lepto vaccine. With the increase in the number of dogs getting Lepto and either dying or going through long, expensive recovery AND with the news that the new Lepto vaccine is much safer now AND the knowledge that people can get Lepto from the dogs too, I vaccinated my dogs. Yes, I was nervous about it.
The process is this:
An initial vaccination followed by a second vaccination (my vet says) three weeks later.
Then annual vaccinations.
It should not be given along with another vaccination.
A puppy should not be given the vaccination until age 12 - 14 weeks
I kept a close eye on my dogs following their vaccinations.
An Article That Might Be Helpful
Training for Groomingby Joyce Johanson
Regular grooming is a necessity if you plan to keep your Lhasa Apso's coat free of mats and tangles. Therefore, it is necessary to teach your Lhasa puppy--when he is young and before he really requires a lot of brushing--to accept grooming as part of his routine.
First teach him to lie on his side or back while he is being brushed. So many of the trouble spots for mats, such as the insides of the legs, the chest, the "arm"pits, and the stomach, are difficult to reach unless the Lhasa is on his back or side.
Begin your grooming training as soon as you get your puppy. Hold him on his back on your lap and gently rub his tummy until he relaxes. It's best to do this during the puppy's quiet time and not when he is full of boundless energy and wants to play.
Yes, the puppy may squirm and fuss about being on its back. That is, after all, a submissive position! Keep calm, be determined, reassure the puppy with a calm voice, keep the sessions brief but do them often. Praise and treat the puppy when relaxes on its back on your lap.
Even though the puppy has little coat to brush at this age, accustom him to the feel of the brush by using a small pin brush to groom his legs, feet, chest and stomach. Then allow him to lie on his stomach, sit, or stand while you brush his sides, neck, head, and face. Constantly reassure him and praise him when he is still. Be sure to tell him how gorgeous he looks when the grooming is done.
Keep these sessions short. Their purpose is to familiarize the puppy with the routine of grooming and the feel of the brush.
Of course, not all puppies tolerate lying on their backs or sides and cooperating with you. At times you will be amazed at how stubborn and strong a puppy can be when he is determined not to lie on his back! Be persistent and patient. Do not strike the puppy. You are training him for future grooming sessions that both you and he should come to enjoy. Don't spoil the future by letting your temper flare when the puppy gets uncooperative.
Some puppies will try to convince you that you are "killing" them by making them lie on their backs. Don't be taken in by a con artist. These same puppies are the ones that you will later find sleeping soundly on their backs in their crates with all four legs spread wide.
Once the puppy accepts lying on his back or side, move him from your lap to a grooming table. The transition may cause some regression in the puppy's behavior since he may feel less secure on a table than he felt on your lap. Again, be persistent and firm. Don't be abusive, but insist on the behavior you want.
From the age of six months on, your Lhasa puppy will need grooming on a regular basis. That's when your early training sessions begin to pay off. Depending on your puppy's coat texture and stage of development, mats and tangles will begin to develop behind the ears and on his underside. You're in for a terrible ordeal if you have not taught your puppy what grooming is all about. Sometimes it hurts when mats are taken out. Sometimes you need to use both hands to loosen the mat and remove, and if you have to hold the puppy down, try to reach one of those hard-to-get-at mats, and remove the mat all at the same time, you are in for an unpleasant grooming session. Neither you nor your puppy will enjoy it. And, for the puppy at least, the unpleasant experience will be remembered the next time and the struggle will begin again.
Both you and your Lhasa will enjoy the grooming sessions which will be so much of your lives if you take time now to teach the puppy what is expected of him when it comes time for grooming. The younger you start, the more accepting the puppy will be. The old sayings about an "ounce of prevention" and a "stitch in time" may be trite but they are certainly true in this situation.
Now, I know most of you who are reading this either already take your Lhasa to a groomer or plan to do so. Most of you keep your Lhasas clipped and that is okay! Unless mine are being shown, they are clipped too. However, your groomer will appreciate you a lot more and welcome your Lhasa with open arms if you have trained him/her as suggested in this article. No groomer appreciates a dog that does not sit still, fights being combed or brushed, and growls and snaps because it is frightened. Train your puppy BEFORE it needs a trip to the groomer. I have 3 friends who are dog groomers and the stories they tell about the behavior of some of the dogs brought to them to groom are not good ones. Training your dog to be groomed is not your groomer's job. It is yours and it is part of being a good Lhasa owner.
Please note: Permission to reproduce and/or circulate information in this article is granted. However, the article must be disseminated in its entirety and credit must be given to Joyce Johanson, Joyslyn's Lhasa Apsos. Thanks!==============
Finally: What About the Next Litter?
We have plans to breed a couple of our girls in the spring. My "guess" is April. So plan on about 2 months gestation and then another 9 weeks until the puppies can leave.
If you are on the waiting list and have not been in touch with me recently, please email me at joyslynslhasas73@gmail.com either to let me know you found a dog from another breeder or to confirm you want to stay on the list.
Thanks for reading!!
