Winding Up July

A month ago I shared with you that China had petitioned and won from the FCI the right to "change past history" and claim the Tibetan breeds to be of Chinese origin. As you might imagine, Tibetan breed owners, breeders, and exhibitors across the globe protested the FCI decision. Here is one of many letters:

"Dear Sirs and Madame,

As American Kennel Club (AKC) member clubs, we represent the Tibetan breeds, their owners, their breeders, and their supporters in this country. Please note these are Tibetan breeds, not Chinese breeds. It is outrageous that the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) has changed the country of origin of these ancient breeds from Tibet to China. These breeds share a culture that is indigenous to Tibet. Their unique and distinctive characteristics were shaped by the terrain, the climate, the culture and the people of Tibet. They were not of Chinese origin when they were developed, and they are not Chinese now. This attempt to revise canine history dishonors those who made these dogs into the wonderful breeds they are. While we understand AKC and FCI are independent of each other, we also understand that the position of AKC, as a recognized authority throughout the dog world, is well respected and carries considerable weight. As such we call upon the Board of AKC to affirm that, as a historical fact, these breeds are of Tibetan origin.

The FCI has also decided to hold the 2019 World Dog Show in China. This decision was made notwithstanding the generally poor treatment of dogs in China, with the Yulin “Meat Festival” being a particularly egregious example. The politics associated with allowing China to host the World Dog Show and acceding to their request to be given origin status for the Tibetan breeds shows that the FCI, at least where China is concerned, has abrogated any standing as a moral force for canine welfare. As member clubs, we ask that the Board of AKC support the dogs in China by issuing a letter refusing to support or participate in the 2019 World Dog Show unless legislative steps are taken to improve dog welfare in China and the Yulin “Meat Festival” is banned.

Very truly yours,

Ronald Pankiewicz, President - Tibetan Terrier Club of America

Martha Feltenstein, President – American Tibetan Mastiff Association

William Chaffee, President – Tibetan Spaniel Club of America

Bonnie Prato, President – American Shih Tzu Club

Tom Worlton, President – American Lhasa Apso Club"

The American Lhasa Apso Club also sent a letter, as did many local Lhasa clubs and exhibitors to decry the FCI change in the breed's origin. AKC posted a statement saying no change would be made to its records unless requested by a parent club.

In addition, AKC published a statement regarding China's "Institutionalized Inhumane Treatment of Dogs:"

"The recently held Yulin Dog Meat festival in China has resulted in cries of protest among the dog-loving public worldwide. The American Kennel Club believes that these protests are completely justified and imperative for there to be any chance of eliminating this institutionalized and heinous treatment, torture, and consumption of thousands of dogs each year. The AKC, as well as other purebred registries in the world, recognizes dogs as devoted companions and working partners, and denounces their use as food products and subjection to cruel and inhumane treatment.

AKC urges all of the purebred dog registries in China to implement educational programs to help put an end to the barbarous practice of torturing and eating dogs, and extends the offer to assist in this effort in any way possible."


And while China holds a meat festival and kills dogs, Nepal has a tradition that honors dogs and celebrates their loyalty.

Below is a photo of Tibetan prayer flags. You might be interested in reading something about their history.

Tibetan Prayer Flags

While I am on the topic of Tibet, I'd like to recommend the novels of Eliot Pattison to you. My friend Marsha first recommended them to me, and I very much enjoyed reading them. The books contain mystery with history and promote understanding of the plight of the Tibetans, as the Chinese protagonist, Shan, travels the remote mountain country with friends who are forbidden lamas. A Booklist review stated, "Pattison thrills both mystery enthusiasts and reader fascinated by, and concerned about, Tibet."

My New Puppy

Now, you may wonder why I needed a new puppy when I already told you I was keeping Kimmi from my last litter. I decided I needed some diversity as everyone is getting too closely related. To that end, when the opportunity arose, I took advantage. Meet my new addition, Journey.

 Here is a video of Journey at a training class. (If you hear the name Harper, that is what she was called before I bought her.)

 Journey's registered name will be Kunza FFT Journey of the Heart at Joyslyn (Yes, I have to pay extra to AKC to register that name!) She joined our family last Saturday. Kimmi, who had been lonely after all her siblings went to their new homes, was overjoyed when she saw Journey. Here are some video clips of their first meeting. (Note: Turn down the sound. Lynn thought the dogs were making too much noise so he had the TV blaring!)
This is Kimmi's First Reaction:

This one is Excited:

This one is Journey thinking Kimmi is Too Much!:

This one is Journey thinking Maybe She's  Okay:

And this one I call Friends:

Journey is a half Gompa. Each of her parents is half Gompa. Here is a 3 generation photo pedigree:

For information about the Gompa Lhasas you can refer to one of my earlier posts about the Gompa Lhasas or to articles and resources on the Gompa website.

Notes and Photos from Others

From Marilyn: "Hi Joyce, I enjoyed reading your last blog entry and the pictures of Josh, Luna, and the puppies. All are so cute. I was thinking the other day as Maci was doing "puppy stuff" like stealing shoes, eating leaves, and barking at cars, how lucky we are to have connected with you. I was worried that because Abby was such a wonderful dog, that somehow this one would never be as sweet. How foolish of me to worry! She has captured our hearts, and we are so happy that she chose us.
Dennis is convinced that she bribed Cocoa to be docile, telling her that that is what we were looking for! Anyway, thank you again for allowing us to have one of your dogs. I hope you are well, and that you enjoyed your trip to Miami. That is real service, to have your puppy personally delivered to your doorstep. Here are a few pics of Maci Mae. No gold stars at the groomer yesterday. Vicki said she was all over the grooming table and she had trouble holding still. Of course it was storming, and all the other dogs were riled up. It took over an hour to groom. Dennis thinks we will have to have private grooming sessions if that keeps up. Hopefully next time she will be better. Take care and enjoy life without puppies for awhile. Good choice on keeping Kimmi. She is darling!"

Marilyn sent a couple photos of Maci, noting that her new talent is jumping on the bed. She worked hard at it until she succeeded!

Success!

From Diane about Becca (now Zoey): "It has been a whirlwind week with our wonderful new puppy.  We named her Zoey (Grace) and she certainly knows her name.  I can’t tell you how much we love her already! Zoey is VERY attached to me---she keeps me in her sight and wants to be near me as much as possible. She is my little shadow---it’s so cute!   ...She has a very sweet and loving personality---she wants to give everyone kisses. 
Zoey (like most Lhasa’s ) is so smart!  She understands “Come,” “Sit,” and almost has “Stay” down-pat also.  She also fetches her toys and small tennis balls and brings them back to us.  She loves, loves, loves her cow hoof to chew on, which is great since we’ve caught her chewing on my flip flops and slippers.  She is very playful...Up at my brother’s house, she insisted on coming in the walk-in shower by me, so she had her first shower.  She really is quite a character---we love her personality.  She seems very happy and content.  I can’t believe that we have only had her about a week and how well she has adjusted to her new environment."

From Cindy: "Hi Joyce. I certainly hope life has slowed down a bit for you now that the babies are gone. I wanted to catch you up on Luther and his antics. I chose him over Thor because he seemed more "outgoing." What an understatement! He knows no fear and is all boy! It's been an  adjustment from our Honey who was so timid and easy going. Luther is a live wire, but wow does he learn fast! He speaks on command..has since the first week. We are working on "come," but if he's typical lhasa I think he will obey when it suits him! The best part is the bell on the front door. We don't let him out until he rings the bell, and he always does! Now if we can transfer the idea that you ring the bell on your own to tell us to take you out...that will be a miracle worth waiting for! He's good with the grandkids and provides lots of smiles. He's still chewing but the bitter apple works. He still thinks fingers are the best chewies especially when he's excited. That will be a challenge to break him of doing. Today I caught him teething on a large rock we have as a door stop, and the other day it was a brick on the hearth! He likes the cow hooves, but rocks must taste better."

From Kristi: "Joyce just wanted to let you know the boys are best friends.  Vader will tell Tricki off when he has had enough it is so cute!  Tricki was treated to the doggy spa and got his first ever summer cut the other day. Here are a couple of pictures and a video of the boys. Enjoying the boys so much!" 

Vader (right) with Kristi's other Lhasa,Tricki

Other Stuff

AKC interviewed Mark Forbes, the trainer who trained the dogs for their performances in the new movie, Max. The whole article is found on the AKC website at this link. Here is an excerpt that applies to pets:
Q: What training tips do you have for the average pet owner?
A: "It’s not rocket science. There’s no substitute for time, so spend a lot of time with your dogs. And be consistent. Dogs want to know what the rules are in the pack, and they get confused when the rules change. They really do want to do what you want them to do. If you’re clear about your expectations with very little gray area, that will cut training time down quite a bit. We use treats on set as motivation because there are distractions, but you’ll find a pat on the head means just as much as the treat. Praise them even when you’re teaching them not to do something. Make it fun, and make it positive."

That information is especially important for Lhasa Apso owners. Lhasa respond well to praise and not so well to being jerked around and treated harshly! Come to think of it, who does respond well to being jerked around and treated harshly?

In my last post, I mentioned that I'd hit a raccoon on the way to the airport. Would you believe it caused over $2600 worth of damage? That raccoon must have huge and made of concrete!

Finally, Josh's photo from his July 19th Group 3 placement arrived. The judge is Richard Miller. Judge, handler, and dog all took decent pictures!

This has nothing to do with Lhasa Apsos, but since it's my blog and my kid that I am going to brag about, here we go. My son Trevor plays guitar for Black Fast. The band is debuting its album on Saturday in St. Louis. I think it will be available for purchase online on August 7. A sneak preview of the music is available here. (Scroll down on the page a bit then click the arrow in the red circle.) Now, if you dislike metal music, don't let that stop you from listening. The first part of the piece is all instrumental (up to 1:30), as is the last part (starting about 4:30). The guitar solos are Trevor's.

 

Life is Better When You Have a Lhasa to Love You!

Joyce

Where Do I Begin?

“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland


 Hmm...That sounds as if it might work.

The Beginning

Many things have happened since I last wrote just prior to the July 4 holiday. That weekend was no holiday for me as there were some family concerns that resulted in some late night driving and a worrisome week. Things worked out okay, for which I am extremely grateful.

Puppies have left for new homes. Hawk and Thor were the first two to leave. Then a few days later Becca's new family arrived to pick her up. In the meantime, because Jenna's new owner had had surgery and was unable to get a medical clearance for travel, he made last minute arrangements for me to fly to Miami to deliver her in person. What a whirlwind of activity that entailed. He made the flight and hotel arrangements while I was busy making arrangements at work to use up two of my vacation days and taking Jenna to the vet for her airline required health certificate.

Let me tell you about that health certificate. It's a piece of paper that basically identifies the breed of dog, the weight, the most recent vaccinations, and the name and address of the person the dog is traveling with, as well as the signature of the veterinarian who examined the dog. That piece of paper cost $45 and not one single person at Delta Airlines even asked to see it! When I checked in for my flight, I said, "I have her health certificate." I pulled it out of my purse with my I.D. to pass it to the person behind the counter. "I don't need to see that," she told me. "Okay," I replied, stuffing it back in my purse, all the while thinking, "Damn, $45 for a health certificate that was 'required' and no one wants to see it."

Now it is true and just my luck that if I assumed no one would ask for it and, therefore, save myself $45, then sure enough, they would want to see it and not allow the dog on the plane. It's not worth the risk.

Jenna was an excellent traveler.  I woke her at 2:00 AM and put her in a crate. We drove almost two hours to the airport. When we arrived, I took her from her crate and put her in a Sherpa bag. We got through security just fine. Back in the Sherpa she went. While waiting at the gate, she fussed a bit so I took her out and she made a whole lot of early morning bleary-eyed travelers smile as they walked by. Once on the plane she made not one peep. During our layover in Atlanta, she fussed again and I took her out of the Sherpa to hold her. This time some children came over and asked to pet her. She was happy and so were they. A cute puppy makes a lot of weary travelers smile. The final leg of the flight to Miami went as well as the first. She was a quiet puppy.

I worried about her need to potty and wondered what to do. As I was walking through the terminal in Atlanta, I spied a family assisted restroom. Unlike the open-bottomed stalls in the other restrooms (from which I feared she might escape), this restroom was a room in and of itself with a full door, so in we went and I put piddle pads down to protect the floor. She used them. I threw them away and ta-da!, she went back into the Sherpa bag and we were again on our way.

(I'm pretty sure that pottying a puppy was not part of the plan for family assisted restrooms, but it worked, so keep that in mind if you ever need to fly with a dog and need to figure out where he can potty.)

The trip, as quick and unexpected as it was, was a gift for my family. My daughter and her family live in Miami so I was able to spend the rest of my time with them. It was great to see the three of them and to spend time re-introducing myself to my grandson. He is 10 months old and lives too far away for my liking!

The major "bump in the road" of the trip was that at 3:00 AM when I was on my way to the airport I was assailed by a number of wildlife who were intent on committing "suicide by automobile." I was successful in evading the skunk, the fox, the four deer (two together sauntering down the middle of the highway, the other two about 4 miles apart one on each side of the road staring at me as I drove by), and one raccoon. The second raccoon was granted his death wish. The only problem is that he did a great deal of damage to my 10-month old car! Luckily, it is still drivable.

I arrived home just before midnight on Thursday. The only wildlife I saw were a trio of baby  raccoons about a block from my house. They were playing in the street. I guess they are all born with a death wish. I managed to pass them without incident.

Vader left on Friday afternoon. His departure meant that Kimmi was now an "only puppy." Kimmi was not happy. She is still not happy and seems to be missing her littermates quite a bit. Maggie is enjoying playing with only one puppy and the two of them are quite a comedy act. Kimmi often gets what we call the "Lhasa crazies" and takes off running full speed around the room.

Let's Call This the Beginning of the Middle: Show Results

Lest you think all I was doing was traveling across the country delivering puppies or waiting at home for people to come to pick puppies up, let me tell you that I also attended three dog shows. On July 12, Josh, Luna, and I went to a show in Ottumwa, Iowa. (We did not go to the Saturday show because the people who were picking up Becca came that day.)

Luna and Josh were the only Lhasas entered. There were no points for Luna but I showed her anyway, thinking she could use the practice. Besides, I'd paid my $28 entry fee and thought I should just use the experience as an expensive training class. She did just fine.

We're working on points towards Josh's Grand Championship. He can earn them by winning Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, or Select Dog.

Josh, the only Lhasa Special entered, took Best of Breed. We also participated in the National Owner Handled Series. He placed second in the NOHS Non-Sporting Group. Having won Best of Breed, he went on to compete in the Non-Sporting Group and took 3rd place. I'll post the actual show photo when it comes. In the meantime, here is a picture we took at home. The yellow ribbon is the 3rd place ribbon for the Non-Sporting Group. The brown one is the 2nd place ribbon from the NOHS group.

He was tired after his long day of showing.

While we were taking pictures, we took a couple of Luna also.

That night we also took some puppy pictures. Here is Kimmi, the puppy I decided to keep in hopes she'll be a good show prospect.

 On July 18 and 19, Josh, Luna, and I attended shows in Ft. Madison, Iowa, sponsored by the Burlington (IA) Kennel Club. The weather was unbearable on Saturday, with a heat index of over 116. Dogs and people were panting and sweaty. The fans were busy trying to cool things off, but the show went on.

Saturday was our day. Luna took Winner Bitch and Best Opposite Sex for one point. (She now has 2 of the 15 she needs.) Josh won the Best of Breed, took a NOHS Group 3, and then a Group  4 in the regular Non-Sporting Group. I am very proud of him! I'll post his photo when it comes.

Sunday was not our day. Luna took Reserve Winners Bitch. Josh won Best of Breed but did not place in the regular Group. (There was no NOHS competition on Sunday).

I had one experience on Sunday morning that was new to me. We were stopped as we began crossing  the Ft. Madison bridge that spans the Mississippi River. A large part of the bridge pivots to allow river barges to pass. We had to wait for two barges to pass; then the section of the bridge slowly pivoted back into place, and cars could once again cross the bridge.

I was very glad to hear from Helen that Sassy, Josh's litter sister, won two majors during shows in Houston and now just needs one point for her championship. Here are photos of Sassy. The judge is  Eugene Blake. It was he who gave Josh the Group 4 at the Burlington KC show on Saturday.

Sassy - what a pretty face

Let's Call This the End of the Middle: Notes and Photos from People

Judy wrote about Ty, her 4 year old Lhasa that is training for agility: "Ty is doing much better in class. He should be ready for a jumpers course this fall. He has a wonderful jumping style and is so eager to please. He is a Mama's boy. Ty knows his left and right and runs a course listening for directions now."



Barbara wrote: "Daisy and I are doing great and Miss Daisy is Precious and a Doll and Princess and Queen as always - what can I say!  Daisy is Daisy and am soooo blessed to have her.  There will NEVER be another Daisy Mae!"

Cindy tells me that Hawk (now Luther) is learning to ring a bell to go outside to potty. He is not minding the wet grass. It seems he is a chewer though so they have to  watch him carefully. He has settled in and is now sleeping quietly in his crate. (That was not the case the first few nights!)

Here is Luther in his new home.

Kristi had an 18 hour round trip drive to get Vader.  She wrote: "We made it home. Vader received a clean bill of health from Dr. Oehmke today and Tricki and Vader are getting on great so far. This little guy is amazing and has stolen my heart. Thank you again for allowing Tricki and I to welcome Vader to our family!"

Vader at 10 weeks, a few days before he left.

Vader visiting his new vet's office

Joe sent a photo of Jenna, saying she was keeping them very busy.

 

And here is one of her taken before she left home. She's quite a charmer.

Regular readers of this blog know that I often seek pet homes for my retired champions. Recently Raven (Luna's mother) retired to home with my friend Judy, who lives in CA. Judy also owns Raven's litter sister, Whisper, whom she bought when Whisper was 5 months old.

This is what Judy had to say about them: "Joyce, I think we have created a TTT (twin-tag-team) Monster. Whisper and Raven are pretty much inseparable. Wrestling, chase, wiggling around side-by-side, growling, a bit of fighting following by make-up kisses. Whisper absolutely REFUSES to not be allowed to come in the house when Raven does, instead of the doggie door to the dog's room. She believes it is where she belongs, and I guess she is right. I have no idea if they have rekindled the littermate bond that they had 4-1/2 years ago, or if this is a new bond. I don't care - I'll take it, because what they have is exactly what I was hoping for in a lifelong companion for Whisper. And Raven also has her lifelong companion. I'm sure they can become closer - but they are pretty danged closely bonded right now. Success! It only took 3 months, which I think is fabulous. Raven also races around with the other Munchkins like she's lived here all her life. And the very best part... A TTT snuggle fest with me!"

Raven and Whisper, the "twins"

You may also recall that not too long ago I wrote about an adult Lhasa whom I bred and sold to a pet home needing a new home because she was so fearful of the new baby. Because of that post, Cleo found a new home. I was recently sent pictures of her. The first is of her before her new haircut. The second is after her visit to the groomer. Cleo is happy in her new home (no infants!) and her new owner is happy with Cleo.

Cleo before her haircut

Cleo sporting a new style!

Mary, who bought my Belle as an adult, is training Belle for agility now. Belle also does rally - in full coat. Mary has two other Lhasas that she is also training. I'm hoping to see Mary and Belle again this year when I go to MN for the Twin Cities Lhasa Apso Club's specialty shows. (I missed last year because of my grandson's birth -- an excellent reason to miss a dog show!)

Mary recently wrote, "We play some jump games in the yard, at distance;  2 jumps set up;  Roman I just have to say go, he does both, Moka’s pretty good;  Belle has started doing them at distance with enthusiasm. Before I’d have to get closer to jumps. The expression on her face is priceless. Happy.
Had a nice comment from my new vet, asking about if any of my dogs came from breeders who sold puppies; she is impressed with my Lhasas."

Mary's Lhasa girls, Mocha (L) and Belle (R)

I guess one of these days I need to gather some data from people who have purchased my adult Lhasas by asking them about their experiences with training and otherwise acclimating the older dogs to a new environment. It might make an interesting blog post. In all the years I've had only one bad experience with the dog missing me so much that he became a basket case and worried himself sick. He came back to me. Otherwise, the adults have done well in their new homes. It's hard to part with them though. I'm so happy when people take the time now and then to let me know how the dogs are doing.

The End: Time to Stop Now

Life is Better When You Have a Lhasa to Love You!

Joyce

Happy Independence Day! Puppy Photos and Show Results

“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” ~ William Faulkner

 

The Puppies

Adorable. Loving. Into Everything. Ornery.

Those are descriptions of my puppies. They investigate. They experiment. (What would happen if I tugged on this cord?) They get into puppy battles. They tear up piddle pads faster than I can put them down. (We switched to newspaper. Evidently it is not as much fun to tear up.) They insist on walking  under my feet. They love to be held. They enjoy their toys. They chase balls. They slide bones across the floor with their noses. They have learned to bark. They like to cuddle. They sleep in piles.

I love them.

This week they got their first baths. They had their first experience in a crate. They went for their first car ride. They got their first vaccination. It was a busy week!

Here they are, growing cuter by the day.

Vader 8.5 weeks old

Hawk 8.5 weeks old

Thor 8.5 weeks old

Kimmi 8.5 weeks old

Jenna 8.5 weeks old

Bekka 9.5 weeks old

Show Results

We drove to West Bend, WI, for the Kettle Moraine Kennel Club shows and for the two Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club specialties.

At the all-breed show on Saturday afternoon, Luna took 3rd place in her Bred By Exhibitor class of three. Josh won Best of Breed. By doing so he earned a 5 point major toward his grand championship and also met one of the three requirements of defeating another champion. He also won Best Owner Handled. In the Owner Handled Group, he was awarded a Group 2 placement. He showed nicely in the regular group but did not place.

Here we are back at the grooming area with LaVonne holding the ribbons. I owe LaVonne a big thank you for watching my dogs outside the ring and keeping them groomed while I was in the ring on Saturday and the same to Cindy who helped me on Sunday. Both told me Josh was a pill when he saw me in the ring with Luna. Mr. Jealousy fussed about it.

Brown ribbon is the Group 2 Ribbon; Purple and Gold is Best of Breed; Green is the Best Owner Handled in Breed Ribbon

GMLAC hosted the Saturday evening specialty. Luna won her Bred By Exhibitor class of three and went on to take Reserve to the 4 point major. Josh did nothing, but he showed well.

Sunday was the all-breed show and the Lhasa classes were designated a GMLAC specialty. This time Luna took 2nd in her class of three. Josh did nothing and he did not show well. He refused to focus and evidently decided he did not like the judge because he shied away from her on the table.

The ride home was not as smooth as hoped for. Rain came down in buckets so the going was slow, but we made it in one piece.

Have a Happy 4th of July everyone! God Bless America!

Life is Better When You Have A Lhasa to Love You.

Joyce

I don't care what China claims. Lhasas originated in Tibet!