The Dog Days of Summer

"Summertime and the livin' is easy..."~from the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess







We are currently in what is known as the "dog days of summer," the hot, sultry time in summer when the Dog Star (aka Sirius) rises at the same time as the sun. Although this summer period (from early July to mid-August) is traditionally marked by laziness, lethargy, and inactivity, I find myself wishing for some down time. We always seem to be on the go!

(I will also point out that the "dog days" seem to have missed us here in western Illinois this year. We've had many unusually cool days in July and early August.)

Josh's first weekend as a 6-month-old eligible to compete in AKC point shows was a success. We went to the shows hosted by the Burlington, IA kennel club on August 2nd and 3rd, and had a wonderful time. Friends LaVonne and Karen came from WI and stayed at my house. LaVonne brought Josh's sister, Cinder, and Karen brought her 6-month-old male, Jack, and her adult female, Mabel. Josh won a point each day, which was a great start for him. Cinder was more comfortable in the ring on Sunday than on Saturday. She has great movement! Lots of reach and drive. Jack, who was just 6 months old on Saturday, was intimidated by the noise. Mabel took Winners Bitch both days and earned two points. She also placed second in Saturday's Owner Handler Group. Congrats also to Tami Bagley (from MN) whose special, shown by Greg Larson, took a Group I on Saturday.

Sadly, not one of us took a single picture of the dogs! However, Karen did take quite a few photos of the car show in Macomb on Saturday night as we strolled around the town's historic courthouse square, attempting to walk off the huge platter of nachos we'd eaten at the Jackson Street Pub!

Please take time to read this article in Dog News, "Lhasa Apso: Sturdy Little Mountain Dogs," by M.J. Nelson. The article begins on page 78. Its focus is on Lhasas in companion events, such as obedience, rally, and agility. American Lhasa Apso Club (ALAC) members Marsha Susag, Julie Timbers, and Bobbie Wood, who have trained Lhasas for companion events, are quoted. The three offer great training advice based on the Lhasa Apso personality. Whether a person is interested in companion event competition or not, that advice makes the article well worth reading for anyone even thinking about owning a Lhasa.

Although he is mentioned but not pictured in the article, Marsha's Joyslyn's Leader of the Pack NJP NAP RE (aka Oreo) made Marsha (his owner) and me (his breeder) very proud. Here are some photos of him in action at an agility trial.

I've received some nice photos that I'd like to share. This first one is of Lindy, who is my Windy's mother and Josh's grandmother. Lindy was bred by Marsha Susag and Arlene Miller and is owned by Marsha.

GCh. MLS Desiderata Lindy

Duncan's brother Jimmy, the Lhasa who hated dog shows, has a new pet home. As you can see in this first photo, he has a wonderful (and large) friend!

 

Jimmy, relaxing at his new home

Here's a photo of Sassy, Josh's litter sister:

And, finally, here is a photo of Flame (Ch. Joyslyn's Winds of Fire), posted on Facebook by her owner. Flame is the daughter of Walker (GCh. Joyslyn MiToya Wind Walker) and Secret (Ch. Joyslyn's Secrets of the Heart), who also happens to be Josh's grandmother. Both Walker and Secret will soon be 12 years old. Where does the time go??

Poor Duncan had an emergency visit to the clinic yesterday. I put him out to potty and all was well. I went outside later to get him and he was lying down, refusing to move. Since he generally enjoys playing "Keep Away From Mom by Dancing Just Beyond Her Reach," I was concerned. I picked him up, set him on his feet, walked away, and watched. He took a few hobbling steps and sat down. He was holding his right foot aloft. I took him inside and examined his foot and leg. He did not whimper. I put him down, encouraging him to walk. He limped but did not cry or whine. At the vet's office, we discovered what appeared to be a bite, well two bites actually, between his toes. Hair was shaved from his foot so the area could be cleaned and more easily examined. Then he was given antibiotics, pain relievers, and ... a cone! He does not like his cone. That, plus people laughing at him, on top of having a sore foot, did not make him a happy Lhasa. He was doing better this morning but still not putting weight on the foot. He'll be fine.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that Raven, who will be bred this week, will have puppies in October.

And we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new grandchild sometime this month.

My monthly report from Ezine indicates that my article about Lhasas and children is the one most frequently read and that the one on bathing a Lhasa runs a close second. Here is a link if you'd like to read those and others of my articles posted on Ezine.

Enjoy the remainder of summer's "dog days" and always remember that, as good as life is,

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

Joyce