Show Results

The dogs in our lives, the dogs we come to love and who (we fervently believe) love us in return, offer more than fidelity, consolation, and companionship. They offer comedy, irony, wit, and a wealth of anecdotes, the "shaggy dog stories" and "stupid pet tricks" that are commonplace pleasures of life. They offer, if we are wise enough or simple enough to take it, a model for what it means to give your heart with little thought of return.
~Marjorie Garber

Mothers should get to do what they want on Mother's Day, and my choice was to enter a dog show. May 8-9 were the first shows we'd been to since the Saturday before Easter. Belle and I went to the Dairyland shows in WI. Results were disappointing, not because we took second place both days (Saturday second out of two and Sunday second out of three), but because Belle once again decided she was not going to walk. She would take a few steps then suddenly, for reasons known only to her, would stop and lie down. Liver helped coax her back to her feet and a few more steps until she would again stop, lie down, and wait. Saturday she did a nice job on the down and back. Not so much on Sunday – plus Sunday's judge was an impatient man who seemed to want to be somewhere besides in the ring judging dogs—so that added some extra stress.

If Belle were not already entered in her next shows, I believe those would have been her last. As those of you who read this blog regularly well know, she has been telling me in her own way since she was a baby that she does not want to walk on a lead. It is time I listened. Not every dog enjoys the show ring. She is obviously one of them. She'll go to the next shows because the major will break without her there. Then I guess we'll hang up her show lead for good. (Actually make that "show leads" since I have tried at least 8 different ones with her, hoping to find one she will respond to!) Something different about these upcoming shows is that the majority of the rings are carpeted. I'm wondering if Belle will be more inclined to show on that surface rather than on mats. Or not.

Desi got to go to the show with us. It occurred to me that Belle had never once gone to a show by herself so I thought she should travel with a companion. Desi gets car sick so she wore a little snood that my daughter knitted for her. It held back ears and mustache enough that she did not slime them. I also put a baby bib around her neck to cover her chest hair. She looked cute but didn't seem thrilled with her new look! (I should get a picture to show you!) By the end of the weekend, she was no longer drooling so the long trip and the car rides to and from the show site each day may have "cured" her.

Back at home, Zach, who I predicted would deal Lynn fits because he would be lonely without Belle and Desi, had a great time playing with Boris, our Russian Blue cat, and did not seem to miss any of us in the least. He always seems to rely on Desi for direction, so I thought it would be good for both to have some "away time."

Bob and Lynne, if you are reading this, thanks for coming to the show to meet us and for not laughing at me in the ring with Belle! Desi appreciated the extra attention! It was good to meet you at last.

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

Joyce