Puppies Have Arrived

Born Nov. 29, 2011, between the hours of 4:30 and 9:45 AM
Proud parents are GCh. Joyslyn Mi Toya Wind Walker and Joyslyn's Dance Sensation (Walker and Dancer) (Well, Dancer is proud. Walker couldn't care less! LOL!)
4 boys (2 gold, 2 parti-color)
2 girls (gold)

I'll try to post pictures each week, as usual.

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

Joyce

Your Laugh For the Day

I just had to share this picture of Maggie with her favorite toy. We call this little green alien her "baby" because she carries it all the time. Seeing her with it in the upright position cracks me up! We were finally able to get a picture. Usually she drops it when she sees the camera.

I hope it makes you laugh too!

If I thought I could get her to carry it in the ring, I'd give it to her. We all need a good chuckle and this would do it for sure!

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

Joyce

Pictures from the Past

As I look back at old photos, I think how remarkably fortunate I have been to have known so many beautiful Lhasas, beautiful inside and out. So today I decided to share some pictures and little stories about three of our Lhasas from the mid-to-late 1970's.

Ch. Joyslyn's Raggedy Rebel,  shown by Bev Thompson

Our first champion was Joyslyn's Piece of the Rock. I have described him in previous posts. His litter brother, Ch. Joyslyn's Raggedy Rebel, was also a beautiful Lhasa, as you can see from his photo. Rebbie was owned by my friend Beth James who lived in Omaha. He was handled for a while by a mutual friend, Bev Thompson, and later by Dorothy Kendell. Rebbie had a pretty head and bite. He was well balanced and a good mover. What attracted most people to him was his color. As you see, it was not really white, nor was it cream. It had a natural sheen to it that highlighted the light color.

Joyslyn's Well I Can Do That! ("Socks")

A disappointment (and there have been many over the years, my most recent being Belle!) was Joyslyn's Well I Can Do That. We'd named him "Socks" because as a young puppy the white socks on his legs were quite apparent. When it came time to register him, I tried to think of something that went with his call name and chose the title from "I Can Do That," a song from A Chorus Line. Why was Socks a disappointment? He never finished his championship, or I should say that the person who bought him intending to show him, never saw it through. That, of course, is the chance a breeder takes when she sells a show prospect to a novice. It takes a great leap of faith because, no matter how intent and fired up a novice to dog showing is, the fact is that showing is not as easy as it might look at first glance. It takes time, effort, and persistence that often discourage newcomers. That is what happened to Socks. His new owner just couldn't quite manage all that preparing him for the ring and showing him required. However, she loved him, and that was the important thing. In the photo, Socks is pictured with handler Marge Lewis.

Ch. Lutzmor's Ja-Ma Janie ("Fancy") was quite a character. She was also a challenge for a couple of reasons. First though, here is the story of how we came to have her. Our third Lhasa was Lutzmor's Dolsa Bo Jangles. I've written about Bo in previous posts. I bought him from Pat Lutz. In 1976, Lynn and I drove to the east coast so he could visit graduate schools he was considering. As part of that trip, we took Bo to a dog show and then visited Pat Lutz so she could meet him. She introduced us to Janet Whitman, who was to become a great friend and mentor. Pat and Janet had a litter and agreed that we could take a puppy home with us. At that time, when a person registered a dog with AKC, the registration paperwork required two names be listed as choices for the dog. Pat had written "Lutzmor's Ja-Ma Fantasia" as the first choice and "Lutzmor's Ja-Ma Janie" as the second choice. I disliked the second choice, but Pat assured me that AKC always gave the first choice so I should not worry. Well, that did not work out! We'd been calling the puppy "Fancy" since we took her from Pat, so Fancy she stayed, in spite of her official name.

Ch. Lutzmor's Ja-Ma Janie ("Fancy')

Fancy had fantastic movement and a lively disposition. She was eye-catching in all ways, except her head. She had a "down face," which greatly detracted from her appearance and earned her many side-long glances from competitors at ringside. In the beginning, she disliked the ring and lost at quite a few shows. I recall one in particular when Fancy was one of two in her class and the other bitch was rather long and caterpillar looking. The judge obviously preferred Fancy, but she was not putting her tail up, even though the judge gave her multiple chances. So, we took second and received a "too bad" from the judge. Competing for Winners were a puppy and the adult from Fancy's class. The adult won because the puppy was not behaving. Meanwhile, outside the ring another exhibitor took the wrapping off a cigarette package. (Yes, that was in the dark ages when people could smoke whenever and wherever they wanted.) Fancy perked up and got all excited, so I took the wrapping back in the ring as "bait." She showed like a dream. The judge said, "Now why couldn't she have done that in the first place?" as she handed me the Reserve ribbon.

Ch. Lutzmor's Ja-Ma Janie ("Fancy")

Fancy continued to show hot and cold, never quite sure if she liked it or not. The day I knew she'd be just fine was at an outdoor show in Paducha, KY. We were waiting at ringside and across the ring was a Doberman, just standing there minding his business. Fancy caught sight of him and started barking and barking! She was totally "on" in the ring that day and never turned off again.

I've posted two pictures of Fancy. I am with her in the show picture. And yes, those of you who know me, you are right. My hairstyle has not changed much over the last 30+ years!

In the spirit of the season, tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you who take time to read this blog. I wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you spend the holiday as you want to spend it—enjoying family and friends or just chilling out or maybe shopping 'til you drop at all the early Christmas sales.

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you! I am thankful for each one of mine through the years, for their love and admiration, for the lessons they've taught me, and for the friends and acquaintances I've made because of them.

Joyce

Just Some Photos

I have had a busy November and remarked to a co-worker today that I have not been in the office a full week yet this month! I left on the 4th to go to Florida. I was back for one day on the 11th. This week I was in Chicago for meetings Tuesday - Thursday. Next week, we are open only 3 days. And Christmas is getting closer and closer...

Here are the promised photos from the National Specialty. I am missing the photo of Walker, taken after the Top 20 competition. I received a photo of another person's dog so imagine someone else received mine. If I ever get it, I'll post it also.

Enjoy the photos and enjoy Thanksgiving. I hope you each have long, long lists of blessings to count. And I hope at least one of those blessings is a Lhasa Apso.

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

Joyce

Walker, Award of Merit

Walker, Select Dog

Raven, Select Bitch

A Vacation and Puppy News

A rainy, overcast Miami day

Sunny, with strong waves and wind

The morning of November 4 found me driving to Bloomington to catch a plane to Chicago and from there another to Miami to visit our daughter. The Miami weather was much nicer than the Macomb weather, that is for sure! However, it did rain a couple of the days but that did not dampen my vacation spirits. The trip was fun and restful and, of course, it was delightful to be with my daughter again. I'm posting a couple of pictures just to prove I was there!

I was fascinated by the Banyon trees.

The trip home was "something else!" It began routinely, but perhaps 15 minutes into the flight, the captain told us we'd have to go back to Miami because there was a mechanical problem. One of the cargo doors had not sealed properly. But first, we had to fly around for a while to get rid of fuel since we were too heavy to land. Long story short: I missed my connecting flight and had to spend Wednesday night in Chicago. The airline (American) was very gracious. By the time we landed (from boarding to landing, I was on that plane 6 hours and 50 minutes), the staff at the gate had us all re-ticketed for Thursday flights and gave us vouchers for hotel rooms, dinner, and breakfast the next morning. I'd packed my coat in the luggage I'd checked, which turned out not to be such a great idea! Fortunately, I was wearing a sweatshirt, which helped a little, but not much, as I waited outside for the hotel shuttle Wednesday night. Thursday's flight was uneventful, as was the drive home.

A co-worker & I at the "O'hare Hotel"

That "delayed flight" experience was a far cry from a previous overnight in Chicago when a flight was canceled and a couple of my co-workers and I were stranded at the airport on cots! It was an adventure we laugh about now. It wasn't much fun at the time.

While I was away, Belle had a vet visit to determine if she was carrying  puppies or not. The disappointing answer was "not." I suspected as much, but held out hope that perhaps she was carrying one or two. No such luck. As those of you who read this blog regularly know, Belle does things her own way and in her own time! I suspected she was not pregnant and since this is the second time she "missed," we've decided that motherhood is not for her. She is still in full coat and beautiful, and one of these days I'll get a call from the right family who wants Belle to live with them. She is beautiful inside and out.

Belle. Disappointing news.

Other news, although not "officially" confirmed as yet by ultrasound or x-ray, is that Dancer is pregnant. Her puppies are due around Thanksgiving. I'll keep you posted.

The pictures have arrived from the specialty. I just need some time to scan them and post them. That won't be today. As you all know, the problem with taking a vacation is the work that awaits you when you come home! I have dogs to groom, bills to pay, groceries to buy, laundry to do, etc., etc... you all know what it's like! It's a good thing I took pictures or I'd be wondering, "what vacation?"

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

Joyce