All you moms reading this…I hope you had a great Mother's Day! I would have missed knowing Mother's Day was on the 8th had I not been bathing dogs on Friday and listening to the radio while doing so. The announcer kept talking about a contest with prizes for Mother's Day. It finally got through to me that he was talking about THAT Sunday, not the 15th, which was the date I thought was Mother's Day. For those of you who think I am nuts (okay, I'll grant you that), I can explain by saying that generally we are at a dog show in Rock Island on Mother's Day. At least I always equate that show with Mother's Day, and that show is THIS coming weekend. Anyway, the result was that the gift I had purchased for my mom way back in mid April was mailed Friday afternoon and I don't know if she has it yet or not. I did, however, call and explain. She got a kick out of it because normally she is the one who forgets!
Lucky me, my own children knew the correct date for Mother's Day!
We were indeed at dog shows last weekend in Jefferson, WI. I entered Belle and Walker. Walker won the breed on Saturday but did not place in the Group. Belle took second (out of two) in her class. She was so unremarkable that the judge (Ann Hearn) did not even call her back in the ring to try for Reserve. How sad is that?
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| Belle: Joyslyn's Beauty Secret |
Saturday Belle took second again (but this time out of three) and then took Reserve. Walker did not win the breed but did take a Select over one other male special.
Regarding Belle, people at ringside told me she actually showed well and looked good in the ring. I don't enjoy showing her because if she feels the slightest tug on the lead, she stops dead in her tracks. It is really hard to remember to let her lead hang loose and at the side of her neck rather than at the top. It goes against my habits of 38 years of showing! She did okay in the ring but the experience only underscored what I already knew: Belle doesn't really like showing or want to be a show dog. She is an adorable, small Lhasa, who wants to be a lap dog. So now I have decided that if the right home comes along for her, she can have her wish. (Realize please that I have known since she was 6 months old that she hated the lead and disliked the show ring. It has taken this long – two years later – to convince myself it is a lost cause and that, love her as I do, she needs to be someone's lap dog.)
The excitement over the weekend was because my friend Jane's Shiba Inu puppy won a 4-point major on Saturday and a 3-point major on Sunday, taking the breed both days and placing 4th in the Group on Saturday. We were thrilled about that.
It was nice to get home Sunday night to Mother's Day calls and cards. The puppies were happy to see me. Jake left for his new home on Saturday, and I got an email today from his new owners who are absolutely in love with him. That made my day. He is such a people-loving puppy. His sisters seem to have grown in the short two days I was gone. I'll post some pictures.
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| Callie and Temp, 11 weeks |
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| Penny and Dreamer, 11 weeks |
A good thing that happened yesterday is that the contractor finally sent his crew to repair the damage to our roof and front porch ceiling caused by a determined raccoon who wanted to nest in our attic. I think falling through the porch ceiling must have scared her off because she hasn't been back (thank the Lord) since she created all the havoc.
I've been thinking a lot lately about all the people I have met because of the Lhasas. It has been such a blessing, whether they be puppy buyers, fellow Lhasa Apso club members and exhibitors, or exhibitors of other breeds. Good people, giving people, grouchy people, downright nasty or unprincipled people – they have all shaped my thinking and served as examples of how to (and not to!) behave.
We'll soon be preparing for the Rock Island show. Lhasa entries are way down…only two specials this year. One class dog is entered but is not going to be shown since there are no points. Walker and I are going. He is entered for Best of Breed both days and for the veteran's event on Sunday. For you non-dog show readers, the veteran's competition is for dogs that are 7 or more years old. After the Memorial Day weekend shows in Bloomington, Walker will probably not be shown again until the national specialty, except for perhaps a weekend just to remind him what shows are all about. It is time for Breaker to hit the ring again and see what he can do. We'll show him a bit this summer and go from there.
Is anyone watching American Idol? Whom are you cheering for? I'm sort of thinking James or Scotty will win. We'll see…
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!
Joyce
Funny you mention that Belle stops in her tracks if tugged...Tashi does the same thing, so I had to loosen his collar and the leash has to be loose as well! If I give the slightest tug he will stop and give a little cough..even though I KNOW I haven't pulled on him. It's very cute because he has his regal lhasa attitude and makes his likes and dislikes very well known :)
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