Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my readers! I hope that you enjoy every minute of this blessed season and that you are surrounded by friends and family who love you.

My December began with a dog show in Belleville, Illinois. The entry was smaller than expected because one dog was absent on Saturday and Sunday, and one bitch was absent on Sunday. Even so, things worked out for all of us who entered. Josh needed one last single point and he got it on Friday. I showed him on Saturday. He took reserve and Pat's Tashi got the last single points he needed. Both Pat and I showed our boys on Sunday so that there would be a point available if the judge decided cross over the point for the bitch. Tashi took Winners Dog; Josh took Reserve, and Sandy's bitch took Best of Winners and earned her championship! It was a happy weekend for us all.

That ended our show schedule for 2014. Josh just needs a 3-point major to earn his championship. We'll work on that in the spring.

I traveled with my Shiba Inu friends, Jane and Rebecca. They needed to do some Christmas shopping. Mine was mostly done, except for a couple small things. Here is what one of the beds in our hotel room looked like on Saturday evening. By the way, only one of the bags on that bed was mine!

You should have seen us as we packed all this extra stuff in the van Sunday morning, upacked it to get the dogs and the show stuff out of the van, and then repacked it once we were done showing. I wish we had before and after pictures. We accomplished the task!

Once home I had three days to prepare for company. Our daughter, son-in-law, and 3-month old grandson arrived from Florida for a visit. The next day my sister, brother-in-law, and mom arrived from Nebraska, as did our son who lives in southern Illinois. Our oldest son, his wife, and daughter live in Macomb. We had a houseful. What fun to be surrounded by my family!

Lhasa-wise, Lizzy left for her new home, and Luna did not even bother to be upset. I think she was secretly glad to be an "only puppy." Luna is very full of herself and is very stubborn. She is not fond of having her face groomed or her nails clipped and is quite adamant about resisting. She is not afraid of Henri, our daughter's Affenpinscher who is living with us for a while. So far Henri has been tolerant of her, which was a shock to me.

As predicted, Luna is not always called Luna. She has become "Luna-Tuna" and "Looney Toons" on occasion.

Ella had a birthday recently and I received a nice note from her owner. Maria wrote, "We wanted to share the pictures of Ella's birthday!  She was very excited all day and climbing the tree was a first. She usually looks out for mr. squirrel. But today decided to search him out!  She still has her pink baby that you sent her home with and cares for her ever so gently!  She celebrated tonight with a peanut butter honey paw pop treat that she couldn't stop eating until it was gone..."

Here is Ella on her birthday:

Some of you will be glad to know that Windy is definitely pregnant! Her puppies are due on January 3rd.

I'm including some links you might be interested in. The first is an article in the December 5, 2014 issue of Dog News that features pictures and a narrative from the Lhasa Apso National Specialty week.  Here is the link to the issue.  issuu.com/dognews/docs/120514/3?e=1543084/10528140. The article is on pages 142, 143, and 167. It is a nice summary of the high points of the specialty week in St. Louis. The 2016 specialty will be in MA in October.




The second link is to an article in the recent issue of Best In Show Daily, "Pet Overpopulation - Prove It" by Elizabeth Brinkley.

Brinkley's opening paragraphs speak to the myth of pet overpopulation: "The time has come for ALL breeders to take the high road against the animal “rights” threat to our animals. For too many years we have been playing catch up and even repeating the propaganda put up by the AR groups. It is time to say stand up and say – PROVE IT!!  We hear over and over again about the “pet overpopulation” and yet there are NO accurate statistics to prove that this is happening. No one has gathered an accurate accounting on a national level. NAIA has started a shelter statistics study but they haven’t even begun to get total figures on a national level. We hear that rural shelters have an overabundance of animals being euthanized.
Yet there are rescues transporting animals from one state to another, one shelter to another by a form of underground railroad run by volunteers." 

In the remainder of her article, Brinkley proves her point and offers some solutions for accountability, endorsing Nathan Winograd's book, Redemption, the Myth of Pet Overpopulation, as a good source of information for shelters.



Finally, I wish you all the best for this holiday season. Have a safe and happy holiday and a
Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year.

Always remember that Life is Better When You Have A Lhasa To Love You!

Joyce

Where Does Time Go?

I noticed that the last time I posted was November 7th. November 7th!! Wow...and here it is, nearly a month later. Oh, I have excuses, lots of them: "Time flies." "I've been busy." "There is nothing to write about." "I forgot."

The one that comes closest to reality is "I forgot!" I had a post started before Thanksgiving; then I got "busy" and here we are in December.

So, I found this cute graphic but I think it is backwards. The clock should be winning the race.

Then, to make me feel even more guilty, I found this quotation from the Wall Street Journal: “Instead of saying “I don’t have time” try saying “it’s not a priority,” and see how that feels. Often, that’s a perfectly adequate explanation. I have time to iron my sheets, I just don’t want to. But other things are harder. Try it: “I’m not going to edit your résumé, sweetie, because it’s not a priority.” “I don’t go to the doctor because my health is not a priority.” If these phrases don’t sit well, that’s the point. Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don’t like how we’re spending an hour, we can choose differently.”

Two things with the Lhasas that have taken up a lot of time lately are (1) the puppies that are almost 8 weeks old now and (2) Josh going through his coat change. Those things, of course, are in addition to the day-to-day care and grooming that goes on at our house.

The puppies are Luna and Lizzy. They are both as cute as can be. I am keeping Luna to show, and Lizzy is going to her sire's owner. Being black Lhasas, their photos don't show much detail about their faces and expressions, but trust me, both are pretty. They are sweet girls, fairly quiet and polite with occasional lapses in behavior when they decide to rip up piddle pads. (Well, really, what else could they be for?)

Here are the girls' latest photos. The first two are of Lizzy.

These two are of Luna.

 Mira, grandmother to Lizzy and Luna, now lives with Sarah and Allen. Sarah recently sent me a photo of Mira, who, it seems, has taken over the household. Mira is the black Lhasa. Their other Lhasa, Tashi, is on the right. Notice who decided she got the cushy spot for her nap!

Sarah wrote about Mira: "She's adorable and funny and is the queen of the house, at least she thinks she is anyway!  We adore her and are ever grateful that we are her new people."

I also heard from Mary, Belle's owner. She sent the cutest JibJab greeting card for Thanksgiving and also wrote, "Thought I'd throw a little agility Belle update.   I never dreamed she would be a prospect. Today we had some open time to train. A friend helped, mainly to practice with Roman; she may run him at the TCLAC trial  (I want to watch the 11 yr. old Lhasa do his thing.....plus would have to run him and Moka back to back.)...   Little Belle, ran with me but also ran a full course of jumps, tunnels and the A frame, with my friend.  It was fun to watch, see her enthusiasm."

Belle hated the show ring and refused to walk for me in the ring. Her expression is beautiful, and she has the most beautiful coat. But boy was she stubborn when it came to shows. She knew she was meant to show her stuff in the companion events. She earned Rally titles with Mary and now is training for agility. At my house all she did was play queen and look pretty! I love it that she has found her niche with Mary. Here is a photo of Belle when she was still at my house. Mary has kept her in coat.

And now back to Josh. He has three shows this weekend. The entries at this show in Belleville, IL,  are disappointingly low. He still needs a single or two, so we'll see what happens. These are our last shows of 2014. We probably will not start again until early spring.

As I mentioned, Josh is going through the "dreaded coat change," a time when Lhasa puppies blow their puppy coat and make way for the coarser adult coat to come in. Grooming can be a challenge during this time, even for people who've been doing it for years like we have. Fortunately, Josh is patient about being groomed and lies still on the grooming table. My husband was grooming him recently, and I walked into the room, did a double take, and said, "Wow!" The pile of hair that had come out of Josh's coat was huge. I should be used to seeing sights like that after all these years of seeing Lhasas go through a coat change, but it still amazes me to see a pile of hair like that and to wonder where it had been hiding and if the dog has any left on his body!

For those of you who are new to Lhasas and have a puppy who has yet to go through his coat change, be prepared. Preparation means teaching your young puppy early to lie down to be groomed, even if his coat is still very short and easy to care for. Get him used to the routine now. And be prepared to take time (there is that word again!) and to make grooming a priority. It's around coat change time that many Lhasa pet owners have their Lhasas clipped down, but it doesn't have to be that way. I always watch TV while I am grooming, so I can see my favorite shows and still get the grooming tasks taken care of.

Here is an article I wrote about coat change that I want to share with you.

Coat Change in Lhasa Apso Puppies

by Joyce Johanson

Each Lhasa Apso puppy should come with a warning label, "Attention: This puppy will undergo a coat change. Be prepared!" The alternative, of course, is for Lhasa breeders to inform their puppies' new owners about the grooming required to see a puppy through his coat change without having to resort to clipping him down. 

The owner of a Lhasa puppy should be prepared for the puppy's coat change anywhere between the ages of 9 to 14 months. Since individuals differ, the time frame may also vary somewhat: some Lhasas may begin as early as 6 months, while others may hold off until 16 months. One thing you can be sure of, unless your Lhasa puppy has a really sparse coat, the coat change WILL happen.

What's so scary and all important about watching for the coat change? It has to do with matting and grooming.

Remember, a Lhasa's coat does not shed as most other breeds' coats do. What happens during the coat change is that the softer puppy coat is being replaced by the harsher-textured adult coat. As the adult coat comes in, the puppy coat "dies" and needs to be brushed out or it will tangle and mat terribly. At this time, your puppy may need daily grooming to remove the soft, "dead" puppy coat. You will be surprised at how much loose coat can be brushed out during coat change time. You may remark that the pile of hair on the floor by the grooming table would easily fully coat another dog! And you may wonder if your little Lhasa will have any coat left by the time you've finished brushing him! Don't worry, if all you are getting out is dead, loose hair, there's no problem. 

While grooming difficulties may vary, depending on the amount and texture of your Lhasa puppy's coat, keep in mind that the coat change is a natural part of a Lhasa's development, and when it is over, your Lhasa's softer puppy coat should have given way to the harder-textured adult coat, which is usually a lot easier to take care of. Now that's something to look forward to!

Knowing what's going to happen is only part of "being prepared." The other part of the preparation lies in training. Since getting through the coat change requires that the Lhasa be groomed, start your preparations by teaching the puppy to accept grooming as part of his routine and to lie quietly on his back or sides while you comb and brush him. Prepare yourself also by learning how to groom your Lhasa properly. Refer to any of the books (by Herbel, Helf, Brearly, Nicholas) written about the Lhasa. Most contain excellent grooming suggestions or entire chapters devoted to grooming. 

When the coat change does begin, don't get discouraged. It usually lasts less than a month. Set aside time each day to groom your Lhasa. If you don't have time to brush him completely each day, then at least do some spot grooming in the troublesome areas (neck, insides of legs, behind the ears) on a daily basis. Don't go longer than two days without a complete brushing, though. Those darn mats surprise you -- a puppy may not look matted, but his undercoat may be a real mess. 

My best advice is to be aware of what will happen, be prepared to do some heavy-duty grooming for about 3 weeks, train your puppy early to accept being groomed, watch for and take care of tangles and mats as they appear, and do not put off grooming thinking the mats will disappear by themselves (they don't!). Finally, don't be discouraged; just hang in there until it's over -- the coat change period really does end! *



And with that, all I have to say is

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

Joyce

*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!

Coat Change, More Specialty Photos, Good News about the Band, Lhasa Photos,Etc.

"I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its tone is mellower, its colours are richer, and it is tinged with a little sorrow. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and its content." ~ Lin Yutang

Josh is going through an awkward, adolescent stage. He's high in the rear and I hope that topline levels out before his next show. He's also going through his coat change. This is not a pleasant time for him or the people who have to groom him. Years ago I wrote an article for Dog World Magazine about Lhasas and their coat change. If you have a Lhasa puppy that suddenly seems to have ballooned in size from side to side, you just might have a puppy experiencing his/her coat change. Here's how you handle it:

Coat Change in Lhasa Apso Puppies

Each Lhasa Apso puppy should come with a warning label, "Attention: This puppy will undergo a coat change. Be prepared!" The alternative, of course, is for Lhasa breeders to inform their puppies' new owners about the grooming required to see a puppy through his coat change without having to resort to clipping him down.

The owner of a Lhasa puppy should be prepared for the puppy's coat change anywhere between the ages of 9 to 14 months. Since individuals differ, the time frame may also vary somewhat: some Lhasas may begin as early as 6 months, while others may hold off until 16 months. One thing you can be sure of, unless your Lhasa puppy has a really sparse coat, the coat change WILL happen.
What's so scary and all important about watching for the coat change? It has to do with matting and grooming.


Remember, a Lhasa's coat does not shed as most other breeds' coats do. What happens during the coat change is that the softer puppy coat is being replaced by the harsher-textured adult coat. As the adult coat comes in, the puppy coat "dies" and needs to be brushed out or it will tangle and mat terribly. At this time, your puppy may need daily grooming to remove the soft, "dead" puppy coat. You will be surprised at how much loose coat can be brushed out during coat change time. You may remark that the pile of hair on the floor by the grooming table would easily fully coat another dog! And you may wonder if your little Lhasa will have any coat left by the time you've finished brushing him! Don't worry, if all you are getting out is dead, loose hair, there's no problem.

While grooming difficulties may vary, depending on the amount and texture of your Lhasa puppy's coat, keep in mind that the coat change is a natural part of a Lhasa's development, and when it is over, your Lhasa's softer puppy coat should have given way to the harder-textured adult coat, which is usually a lot easier to take care of. Now that's something to look forward to!

Knowing what's going to happen is only part of "being prepared." The other part of the preparation lies in training. Since getting through the coat change requires that the Lhasa be groomed, start your preparations by teaching the puppy to accept grooming as part of his routine and to lie quietly on his back or sides while you comb and brush him. Prepare yourself also by learning how to groom your Lhasa properly. Refer to any of the books (by Herbel, Helf, Brearly, Nicholas) written about the Lhasa. Most contain excellent grooming suggestions or entire chapters devoted to grooming. I also have articles devoted to grooming on the Joyslyn's website.

When the coat change does begin, don't get discouraged. It usually lasts less than a month. Set aside time each day to groom your Lhasa. If you don't have time to brush him completely each day, then at least do some spot grooming in the troublesome areas (neck, insides of legs, behind the ears) on a daily basis. Don't go longer than two days without a complete brushing, though. Those darn mats surprise you -- a puppy may not look matted, but his undercoat may be a real mess.

My best advice is to be aware of what will happen, be prepared to do some heavy-duty grooming for about 3 weeks, train your puppy early to accept being groomed, watch for and take care of tangles and mats as they appear, and do not put off grooming thinking the mats will disappear by themselves (they don't!). Finally, don't be discouraged; just hang in there until it's over -- the coat change period really does end!*

More Specialty Photos

Many who attended ALAC National Specialty have been posting photos on Facebook. Here are some of Josh and me, posted by our friend Ronnie Crowder. Thanks, Ron!

Josh stacked on the floor during the 9-12 month class judging

Josh on the table during the 9-12 month class judging

Judge Steve Campbell awarding us the RWD Ribbon and Trophy

Walking back to our grooming set up. Yes, I was happy!!! Josh was, like, "What just happened?"

The official photo of Josh's Major

 Great News in Our Family

You have read previously that our youngest son plays guitar for Black Fast. The announcement this week of the band's signing with eOne Music made us so happy and proud of the guys' accomplishments. (You can skip this part if you don't care to read about it or if you've already seen the announcement on Facebook.)

That's my son, Trevor, on the right

(NEW YORK) - Midwestern progressive thrashers BLACK FAST have announced a worldwide deal with eOne Music. The band plans an all new full length LP next year and could not be more excited. "What an amazing day for not only Black Fast, but for every local heavy metal band out there," says guitarist/vocalist Aaron Akin. "Our signing to eOne Music is a reminder to keep grinding, writing, rehearsing, opening up for nationals, developing relationships and doing whatever it takes." The yet to be titled LP will be the bands followup to their highly buzzed about self-released Starving Out The Light.

BLACK FAST has a short but concentrated history. Started in 2010 by fellow music students Aaron Akin, Trevor Johanson, Ryan Thompson and Ross Burnett, the band has bulldozed on an upward trajectory ever since. Akin continues, "We want to thank everyone who helped make this day happen, including our favorite national bands like Havok and Battlecross for spreading the word, the metal blogs for the great reviews, our management for guiding us, promoters for booking us, and to eOne, for thinking we are worthy of joining a roster of artists that include legends like Overkill, Unearth and High on Fire."

You can read more about the band and listen to their music here and here.

Notes and Pictures from Joyslyn's Puppy Buyers

Bert wrote about Andy's reaction to the construction workers who've been working on their house:  "Through all the noise and  strangers in the house, Andy has been an angel." Bert said Andy "loves to cuddle up with my daughter when she is studying or doing homework. He likes to socialize with the neighbour's dogs. In the morning when I am running water  for the coffee, if his bowl is empty and he is thirsty, he will look at me and vocalize his request for water."

 Andy's photo was featured in the last blog post.

Jennifer wrote, "Mozzie is doing great and getting along (somewhat) with his sister Kaia. He is a ball of energy and loads of fun! He potty-trained very quickly but seems to dislike walks and runs away every time I bring out the leash lol!"

Mozzie (he is Josh's litter brother)

Helen posted this photo of Sassy, litter sister to Mozzie and Josh, on my Facebook page. Helen has other Lhasas, but Sassy is the first Lhasa she has as a show prospect. According to Helen, Sassy is not only very cute, but she is smart and loving as well. When I saw her at the specialty, I wanted to put her in my pocket and take her home. She's so adorable and full of personality and charm!!

Sassy

Raven's two girls are now four weeks old and getting cuter by the day! Here are their most recent photos, taken today on the occasion of their fourth week of life! The first picture is of Luna, who was given her name by our granddaughter. (I'm so afraid her nickname is going to end up being "Loony!)

And this is Luna's sister, Lizzy. I named her. (I know, I know..."Dizzy Lizzy"...it already occurred to me.)

Etc.

The Canine Health Foundation has a great thing going right now. It is seeking donations, and AKC has agreed to match the donations. Here is an announcement and a link. Take time to visit the website and learn what the Canine Health Foundation does that is worthy of your donation.

Here is a link to a great video about the National Purebred Dog Day and its potential educational website. This is another worthy cause for people interested in the preservation of purebred dogs.  

Someone recently asked me if I let my show dogs play with toys. My response was, "Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Pictured here are only a tiny fraction of the toys we have for our Lhasas. Others are in closets upstairs. Toys are rotated to keep the dogs from being bored with them. While the dogs have their favorites, they are never satisfied until the floor is littered with toys. Heaven forbid I should pick them up and put the toys in the toy basket! The dogs consider it their duty to pull them out and strew them across the room.

Our family room once the dogs have "decorated" it to their satisfaction!

Thanks for reading!

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

Joyce

*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!

Part II: American Lhasa Apso Club National Specialty - Results and Some Pictures

Wednesday (continued)

The Top 25 Competition featured an entry of 16 of the Lhasas eligible to compete. Of those, five were absent. The Competition was judged by three judges, AKC Judge JoAnne Schullier, Handler Judge Wade Koistinen, and Breeder Judge Ida Watts.

The Winner was GCh Ch Kumi Kian Mion Parti in the USA

The Runner Up Award went to  GCh Ch Windwick Hylan Shotru Hidden Talent

And the People's Choice Award went to GCH CH Ha-Lee Kiki-Ari Captain Morgan

Thursday

Thursday's judge for the ALAC Regional Specialty was Craig Grein.

• Best of Breed was GCH Kumi Kian Strike A Pose
• Best of Opposite Sex was GCH Ha-Lee Kiki-Ari Captain Morgan
• Best of Winners was Mokiemas Once Upon A Time from the 9-12 Month Bitch Class
• Select Dog was Ch Sundancers Rinchen Jimmer
• Select Bitch was Ch Black Boots Stars and Stripes
• Best Puppy was Mokiemas Once Upon A Time
• Best Bred By was Sundancer Gypsy At Heart
• Best Owner Handler Ch Black Boots Pardon Me Boyz
• Winners Dog was Ta Sen Westgate Michel Gonet
• Reserve Winners Dog was Riverview Hylan Shotru Our Wildest Dream (the dog pictured in the front of the line in the photo below)
• Winners Bitch was  Mokiemas Once Upon A Time
• Reserve Winners Bitch was Sundancer Gypsy At Heart

Josh took second in his 9-12 Month Class
Here's the lineup. The placements 1-4 were as the dogs are standing in the photo.

 Thursday evening was the Awards Banquet, Awards Video Program, and Auction. It began with a nice video presentation of the Top 25 Lhasa as puppies. Very cute! A second video featured the Lhasas who earned titles in 2013. Marsha Susag, pictured below, was awarded the Member of the Year Award.

Friday
The judge for Friday's ALAC National Specialty was Stephen Campbell.

• Best of Breed was Ch Black Boots Stars and Stripes
• Best of Winners was Ta Sen Westgate Veuve Clicquuot from the 6-9 Month Bitch Class
• Best of Opposite Sex was Ch Monarchs The Messenger
• Select Dog was GCh Red Fox Strike It Rich
• Select Bitch was GCh Kumi Kian Strike A Pose
• Winners Dog was Riverview Hylan Shotru Our Wildest Dream from the 9-12 Month Dog Class
• Reserve Winners Dog was Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker (my own Josh) from the 9-12 Month Dog Class
• Winners Bitch was Ta Sen Westgate Veuve Clicquuot from the 6-9 Month Bitch Class
• Reserve Winners Bitch was Sundancer Saskia Ladybug Fly Away Home from the 12-18 Month Bitch Class

Yes, you read correctly that Josh took RWD. The great thing about that is that there were enough males entered in this show to put into effect the AKC ruling that RWD earned a 3 point major! I was thrilled! I told friends (well, actually, anyone who was within earshot) that that is the first time in all my years of showing that I was thrilled to get reserve to the major. For those of you unfamiliar with dog shows and point awards, usually reserve is like 1st runner up in a Miss America contest. It's nice to be recognized but doesn't get you much unless the winner is somehow eliminated on a technicality.

This is the first year that ALAC has been able to present the 3 point major to a male. Last year there were not enough entries to make it happen.

Another nice thing that happened to me during the week was that Bobbie Wood asked me to show one of her Specials bitches in the Best of Breed class. She gave me her Lily to show and I just fell in love with Lily. She is beautiful and a dream to show. Here's a picture of me with Lily during Friday's Best of Breed. We made the first cut!

For those of you who want more information about the results - the placements in each class, the Awards of Merit, names of breeders and owners, etc. please go the the website of the American Lhasa Apso Club. The results are posted there.

So, the show is over but the day is not. After the show ended, I ran back to my room, changed into comfortable clothing, and helped tear down and clean up the ballroom area and storage area.  Then I began packing items and taking them to the car. A nice meal with friends at Ruby Tuesdays, followed by a long talk, some popcorn, and wine with my roommate, it was time to sleep.

Saturday (the 7th day)

On the 7th day, I did not rest. Up at 5:30 I continued packing, taking things to the car, removing things I'd thrown in on Friday evening, reorganizing things so they would fit again, and shushing Josh whose cries could be heard down the hall because he was certain I was leaving him behind whenever I walked out the room's door with another load. Once the car was loaded, I drove to a nearby filling station, gassed up the car, set the GPS for my son's house in Edwardsville, and Josh and I headed north. A quick stop to see my son and give Josh a chance to romp and chase Trevor's cat, and then we were back on the road.

Josh with Trevor (the cat was hiding)

Trevor is a member of the metal band Black Fast. You can find them on Facebook and hear their music if you go to the Bandcamp website. I have to put a plug in for them because I am proud of the guys' accomplishments. Buy their album online and help support four "starving" young musicians.

Finally, I wanted to point you to an interesting article I found while I was whiling away the time at the agility trial on Tuesday. Check out the Canine Chronicle's article beginning on page 230, "Ancient Breeds: Shih Tzu, Tibetan Terrier, and Lhasa Apso" by Amy Fernandez. It's in the Volume 39, Number 10, October 2014 issue that has a Shar Pei on the cover. I hope this URL works to get you there. If not, google "Canine Chronicle" and you should find it. http://www.onlinedigitalpubs.com/publication/?i=228267&l=&m=&p=&id=8717

The End!

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

Joyce

Part I: American Lhasa Apso Club National Specialty - Results and Some Pictures

ALAC Specialty Week is chock full of activities. Of course, everyone attending has a different experience depending on their role in the club. A member who is only attending and showing a dog has a different experience than a member who is helping to put the show together, or one who is in charge of the raffle baskets, etc.

Sunday

This year, Specialty Week started for me on Sunday. The Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club members (of which I am one) were hosting Monday's sweepstakes and specialty shows. Thus we and a few other ALAC member volunteers were responsible for setting up the hotel ballroom for the show. First we had to roll out plastic to cover the carpet for the grooming area. Let me point out that there are no "spring chickens" among the people who did this. We were on hands and knees rolling out and smoothing adhesive-backed plastic. Below, Karen and I make our first attempt at the job. We later perfected our technique and things went much faster (and smoother). The award for Fastest Plastic Layers went to David and Marsha Susag.

Once the grooming area was covered, we all proceeded to the storage room where we began loading the hospitality bags with goodies for Lhasas and people. Afterwards, some of us stayed to help the show chair and her husband set up the ring, lay the matting, and tape the matting down. Once the matting was in place, the show chair and I taped the corners, while her husband kindly offered the hotel staff a hefty tip to finish taping the rest of the mats' sides. Thank goodness they agreed to do it! My legs and back are still "feeling it," but by golly the tape held all week! Later other GMLAC members set up the trophy table for Monday's show. It looked great.

Trophies for Best of Breed, Best of Winners, and Best Opposite Sex

Ribbons and Prizes for Winners, Reserve, Select, National Owner-Handler Series, Best Puppy, Best Bred-By, Award of Merit

 Monday

The GMLAC Sweepstakes on Monday was judged by Joan Lester. Winners were

• Sashellie Sundancer Rhapsody's What About Bob from the 6-9 Month Dog Class
• Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker from the 9-12 Month Dog Class
• Apsolutely Red Red Whine from the 15-18 Month Dog Class
• Bodnath Maharani from the 6-9 Month Bitch Class
• Riverview Hylan Shotru Oh What A Dream from the 9-12 Month Bitch Class
• Sundancer Sakia Ladybug Fly Away Home from the 15-18 Month Bitch Class

From among those class winners, the judge chose Riverview Hylan Shotru Oh What A Dream as her Best Puppy and Grand Sweepstakes Winner
The Best Junior was Sundancer Sakia Ladybug Fly Away Home

And thus the week of competition began!

Here is a short video taken of Josh during the judging. He's the second dog.

That afternoon, Karen McFarlane judged the GMLAC Specialty show.

• Winners Dog was Black Boots Pimp and Shrimp from the Bred By Exhibitor Dog Class
• Reserve Winners Dog was Ta Sen Westgate Michel Gonet from the 6-9 Month Dog Class
• Winners Bitch was  Ta Sen Westgate Veuve Clicquuot from the 6-9 Month Bitch Class
• Reserve Winners Bitch was Sundancer Sakia Ladybug Fly Away Home from the Bred By Exhibitor Bitch Class
• Best of Breed was Ch Black Boots Stars and Stripes from the 7-10 Year Veteran Bitch Class
• Best of Winners was  Ta Sen Westgate Veuve Clicquuot from the 6-9 Month Bitch Class
• Best of Opposite Sex was GCh. Ch Ha-Lee Kiki-Ari Captain Morgan
• Select Dog was GCh Furchila Autumn Breeze from the  7-10 Year Veteran Dog Class
• Select Bitch was GCh Kumi Kian Strike a Pose

Josh took 4th in his class (of four) at this show.

Here is a movie of Josh's grandmother, GCh. MLS Desiderata Lindy, who competed in the 7 - 10 Year Veteran Bitch Class. Lindy is being shown by Marsha Susag, Josh's Co-Breeder.

Tuesday

Tuesday was a different story. Instead of conformation judging, this day was set aside for Companion Events, held at the Purina Farms Event Center. It's a wonderful building, designed especially for dog shows and companion events.

This was the first year that ALAC has held an All-Breed Agility Trial during our specialty week. The trial was a great success. The day was long for those of us who volunteered to help with the trial, starting long before 8:00 and lasting until shortly after 5:30. It was wonderful watching the dogs run the courses. The Lhasas did not do so well but provided some comic relief for sure. I took a couple turns as a leash runner and as a pole setter.

A Joyslyn's dog, Ty (half brother to Josh) was running in the trial. He gave up early on and decided to run the course the way he thought it should have been designed. Here he is with his owner, Judy.

Obedience and Rally were judged by Virginia Kinion.

• Obedience Novice Class B first place went to GCh Alasara Northwind Anbara Maestro BN, PCD, Rn, CGC with a score of 188.
• Beginner Novice A was Ch Sterlings Diamond in The Ruff NR with a score of 190
• Rally Advanced A was Ch Sterlings Diamond in the Ruff NR with a score of 85
• Rally Advanced B was Ch Kumi Kian Forget Me Not CD RAE with a score of 98
• Rally Excellent B  Ch Kumi Kian Forget Me Not CD RAE with a score of 96

Here's a photo of one of the Rally entries, Ch Takashi's Handsome Heartbreaker, who earned a score of 95 in the Rally Advanced B class.

Purina Farms is set in a lovely hilly countryside. Here are some photos taken from the parking lot in front of the Event Center. The fall day was lovely. Sadly, the photos do not do justice to the colors of the trees.

 Later Tuesday evening, ALAC held a Cut-Down Sweepstakes, an event featuring Lhasas with hair clipped to less than 2".  This Sweepstakes was judged by Donald Schwartz. The winner was Ch. MLS Dakota The Man in A Suit. Best of Opposite Sex was Ch. Hi Tide Evening Star.

Are you tired yet? We've just finished Day 2!

Josh -- Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker

 Wednesday

Wednesday's events included the Futurity,  the Maturity, and the Top 25 Competition.

The Futurity and Maturity were judged by Catherine Marley.
Futurity Results

• Best Puppy was Ta Sen Westgate Vueve Clicquuot, from the 6-9 Month Bitch Class
• Best Junior was Westgate Monogram Samara Murphys Law from the 12-15 Month Bitch Class
• Grand Futurity Winner was Ta Sen Westgate Vueve Clicquuot

I'm proud to say Josh won the his class (9-12 Month Dog Class).

Maturity Results

• Best in Maturity was Furchila Sasha De Oro from the 24-31 Month Bitch Class
• Best of Opposite Sex was Ch. Apsolutely FFT Tell Me No Lies from the 24-31 Month Dog Class

I'll post more results in the next installment.

Life is better when you have a Lhasa (or two, or three, or....) to love you!

Joyce

Happy Halloween, National Specialty Preparations, and Some Pictures

On Halloween what you must do
Is pretend that nothing frightens you
But if something does and you want to run
Just act like it's all in Halloween fun.
~Author Unknown

Happy Halloween, everyone! If there is such a thing as a Halloween Scrooge, this year that is me. Halloween is a holiday I would not miss if it went away. I've hated costume parties for as far back as I can recall. My childhood memories about Halloween are lukewarm. I remember crying most years because my costume was never as impressive as I'd imagined it should be. (My poor mother!) I remember huge barn parties at my dad's cousin's place. All the kids in town were invited. It was a big deal. But, being a shy child, I was often the wallflower during the apple bobbing and other games. Once I grew up and had children, they gave me a taste of my own medicine about the costumes.  I am so very glad those days are over. (I did, however, enjoy raiding their Halloween candy. The Snickers were mine!)

So this year, I'm a Scrooge. No porch light will be on at my house for the cute little trick or treaters. One reason is that we have no young children in our neighborhood any more. The other reason is that I am just to tired this week to have to keep running to the door every time the doorbell rings.

Why am I tired? Well, as you probably know, the American Lhasa Apso Club's National Specialty Week was held  last week in St. Louis. It was a great week. I was, for the most part,  pleased with Josh's performance in each of the 5 shows. It was fun -- but very tiring. Once home I had piles of laundry and other Lhasas that required grooming and bathing.

So here's what happened:

I spent much of the week of October 13th getting things packed for Josh and me. We had an entire week in a hotel to look forward to, so I tried to think of everything we would definitely need and then added a bunch of stuff that I hoped we would not need but that I wanted to take "just in case." On Saturday morning I finished the packing, took everything outside and spread it across the drive way, and then began to figure out how to pack it all in my car.

Speaking of my car, I have a new car. My previous car was a 2008 Impala. I loved that car. Its trunk was huge and all my show items, plus my friend's show items when I traveled with someone, fit in the truck quite easily.

But, it was time for a new car. Unfortunately, the trunk configuration of the 2014 Impala did not allow me to fit all my show things in it. Darn! Bless the salesperson at our Chevy dealership who patiently worked with me as we tried to load all the items in the 2008's trunk into the trunk of the 2014. Nope!

So, I went to the Ford dealership and bought a Taurus (red, of course). Here it is. 

The trip to the National Specialty was our first long trip together. We have a friendly relationship so far but a cautious one. I'm still getting to know the car and its features and am not quite comfortable with it yet. But, she got me there and back and was easily able to hold all my stuff, so high marks in that regard for her. Gas mileage was good - a bit over 30 mpg. It was also great that gas prices that week went down! In the St. Louis area, the lowest price I saw was $2.51.

To start with, I carry my basic show items in the trunk all the time. Those include two exercise pens, an ex-pen mat, a grooming table, three ringside tables, a grooming stool, a chair that fits in a bag, a flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth, a bag containing a heavy-duty extension cord, another containing a lot of bungee cords, a tire inflator, an umbrella, and the trolley (or "wheels," as I call them). Here is what the trunk usually looks like.

(Note the old bedspread I use to protect the car's paint in case the car gets bumped during loading or unloading.)

But would the new car hold all the extra things I had to pack for the specialty? I knew from experience my previous car would have. Here are the piles of boxes, bags, luggage, and equipment that needed to fit on top of the "usual" trunk items.

Here are pictures of the trunk and car interior once I finished packing.  The trunk looked like this:

The back seat looked like this:

The front seat looked like this (until I put my purse and an audio book box on the passenger seat).

More about the specialty trip later. Here are some Halloween pictures people sent of their Joyslyn dogs.

First, Mary from MN sent this picture of Belle, writing, "Here's Belle, waiting for her broomstick express."

Caroline sent pictures of Magoo and Mallory all decked out for Halloween.

She wrote, "Magoo -- where do I begin? He's just a unique character! Our groomer says she has never experienced a puppy in all her years of grooming that is as laid back as Magoo is. I always say he's just an old soul. He loves his toys and loves playing with Mallory. He yawns every morning and you always know when he's yawning because he always makes a funny noise when he does. He also gives tons of kisses…his coat's absolutely beautiful -- it's so thick!"

About Mallory, she wrote, "Mallory is such a dainty little girl. She has the cutest habit of putting up her left front paw when she approaches you. It's almost like she is giving you a high five. She loves for you to hold her and gives lots of kisses. She loves to play fetch with my 84 year old father. She's just a bright light in our household! Also, she is such a beautiful dog...If you have not guessed Robert and I are crazy about these two! They have provided a lot of love and laughter to our lives!"

I also received other "non-Halloween" pictures and updates on two other dogs. First is Abby Gale, who recently passed away.  She was getting on in years and was ill. This photo was of her before she became ill. Our condolences to her owner, Marilyn, who loved her very much.

This picture is of Andy, a litter brother to Magoo.

And finally, you know we have two black female puppies from Raven. Here is their photo at age 2 weeks, taken the day I returned from the Specialty. They'd grown a lot in that week!

The next post will be about our adventures in St. Louis during National Specialty Week.

Remember, Life is Better When You Have a Lhasa To Love You!

Joyce