Happy New Year

As we close the book on 2018, I wish all my blog readers and puppy owners a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year. 

All my best wishes to you and yours as 2019 begins. What new adventures and opportunities await us in the coming year? What joys? What sorrows? What triumphs? What disappointments? The book is yet to be opened.

May God's blessings continue to give us strength and courage to face whatever the new year brings.

As always, Lhasa good wishes.

Joyce

Merry Christmas!

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, and hope for the future.  ~Agnes M. Pahro


As this is the final blog for 2018, I want to wish all my readers a joyous holiday season. Our tree is up, my shopping is complete, presents are wrapped. Whew! This will be a special Christmas for us because it will be the first time in three years that all of our children, our son-in-law, all three of the grandchildren, as well as my mom, will be with us. I am excited for us all to be together again.

Not much has happened since I wrote last. Autumn and I went to a show in Belleville, IL, the first weekend in December. She showed so well. She defeated the other puppy that was being shown in her puppy class, but ended up taking reserve to the older female. That was fine. She showed well and obviously enjoyed herself. 

I have had a number of people asking about 2019 litters. All I can tell you is that we are waiting for two of our girls to come in season. They will be bred and, if those breedings result in puppies, we should have puppies ready to go in April and May.

I have also had inquiries about any adult females we have available for sale. We have nothing available right now. It will be the fall I think before we are ready.

Finally, thanks to puppy buyers who have been keeping in touch now and then and sending photos of your Lhasas. Your communications are very much appreciated. Here are some notes and photos we received.

Tom and Penny sent a photo of their Griffin. He is now 7 years old. They wrote, "7th birthday celebrated a few days ago, as you know. Griffin is a wonderful boy. Smart and affectionate.   Still prompting smiles from strangers.  Another champion! Best regards."

Another birthday photo and note came from Kim about their Snickers. She wrote, "Hi Joyce, Here’s a picture of our birthday boy!!  Again we can’t say  enough about the joy and many blessings he has brought our family. He is truly part of our family and we love him so much.  Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and wish you Blessings in the New Year. We all watch your blog wondering when to get him a sister :)"

Maria sent a dramatic photo of their Ella and wrote, "Hi Joyce. We have been thinking about you. Here’s a picture of our sweet Ella!  She celebrated her birthday today with her favorite treats!  Ella has been such a perfect addition to our family. We love her!Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!"

Marilyn also wrote to wish us a Merry Christmas and to send photos of her Lhasas, Maci and Hunter.

Again, many thanks for the photos! I appreciate each and every one!

One final thing: The latest issue of Dog News has a nice feature on the Lhasa Apso that I think you will all enjoy reading. The article starts on page 72 and continues on pages 144-148. "The Lhasa Apso: The Dalai Lama's Dog."

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

Joyce

 

Hello, At Last!!!

We have had snow already. Pretty but UGH!

The wild November comes at last
      Beneath a veil of rain,
      The night wind blows its folds aside—
      Her face is full of pain.
The latest of her race, she takes
      The Autumn's vacant throne;
      She has but one short moon to live,
      And she must live alone.
~R.H. Stoddard (1825–1903), "November," c.1863


Catching Up!

Yes, November is half gone; Thanksgiving is around the corner, and the stores are loaded with displays for Christmas. Does anyone else feel like, "What the heck? What happened to October?"

As you know, the last time I wrote I was preparing for the American Lhasa Apso Club's annual National Specialty, held the week of October 22-26. What a week it was! We left for Frederick, MD, on October 20 and arrived on the 21st. Weather was cold and rainy. I really hate driving at night in the rain. The reflections of red tail lights on the wet pavement are so annoying.

I took only one of my Lhasas, young Autumn, who turned 7 months old on the 21st. I was not sure how she would take being alone because one or more of the older Lhasas had always been with us at other shows. She was pretty pleased to be the center of my attention for a whole week and even managed to make herself a bed dog for a few nights!

She loved being in the ring and was very showy. I was disappointed on Monday when she did not even place in her 6-9 month class. On Wednesday, she took second in her class. On Friday, she won her class! Then she went on to win Reserve Winners Bitch. Now, for those of you who do not know, Reserve is basically "runner-up" -- nice to be recognized but short of the big win. However, at a National Specialty show, if the number of (in this case) females entered is at least double the number it takes for a 5 point major, then the Reserve placement also gets a 3 point major. That is what happened! Very exciting for such a young dog.

A quick photo after Autumn's win

 

Autumn's official show photo with Judge Cozart and Show Secretary Don Evans

Later, a friend pointed out to me that since the same thing had happened when Josh was a 9 month old puppy that took Reserve at our National Specialty show in 2014, I am (so far) the only ALAC member that that has happened to twice. I'll take that!

9-month old Josh with Judge Campbell and ALAC President Tom Worlton in 2014

Actually, the judges were very appreciative of puppies that week. On Monday, Winners Dog was a puppy owned by Sandy Sorth and Juha Kares, and Reserve Winners Dog was puppy owned by Susan Giles and Steve Campbell. On Wednesday, 8-month old litter brothers owned by Polly Naumann and Pat Keen Fernandes took Winners Dog and Reserve Winners Dog. On Friday, one of those brothers took Reserve Winners Dog. 

As for the bitches, two puppies took Reserve: my Autumn on Friday and Rita Cloutier's puppy on Wednesday.

Other winners that week included Tia McLaughlin and Ann Laterman's male - almost a puppy since he was 1 day past his first birthday when he took Winners Dog on Friday. His litter sister took Winners Bitch on Wednesday, the day before her first birthday. The other Winners Bitch, who won on Monday and again on Friday, was also a puppy (shown in the Bred By Exhibitor class). She is owned by Ronny Junkins and Clay Williams.

Best in Specialty Show Winners were GCHB CH Siimline's Love Legacy Truth, owned by Susan Giles, Mivian Muttik, and Kersti Paju. He won on Monday and Wednesday. Friday's BISS winner was CH Shut Up and Kiss Me Del'Allberico at Xeralane, owned by Xeralane Kennels.

Another highlight for me was Thursday's Judges Education Seminar and Workshop. I am the Judges Education chairperson and each year look forward to opportunities to teach judges about the Lhasa Apso. As a former teacher, I appreciate being able to help others understand the attributes of the Lhasa. On Thursday evening, at the Awards Banquet, I was honored to be among those who received Lifetime Achievement Awards: Leslie Baumann, Keke Kahn, Marvin and Janet Whitman. Sami Payne was given the Member of the Year Award, and Clay Williams received his Breeder Register of Merit status.

After all the excitement, Friday evening consisted of a quiet dinner with friends, loading the car (in the rain), and going to bed early. Saturday our plans for leaving early were delayed by foggy gray weather and rain. We decided to wait until the sun came up and made the day brighter. My drive home took about 15 hours but I was glad to have made the trip in one day rather than two. Sunday was spent unpacking, doing laundry, and getting reacquainted with the Lhasas (and husband) I'd left at home. Oh...I should mention re-packing. On Monday at 6AM I was back on the road, headed to Tinley Park, IL, for a 2-day meeting for work!

Home again for two days, then Chance, Autumn, and I left (in the rain - again!)for a show in Winona, MN, where we shared a hotel room with friends Jan and Karen. Fortune smiled on us there. On Saturday, Chance took WD, BOS, and Best Owner Handled. In the Owner Handled Group ring, he took Group 1. The OH group was well represented with Non-Sporting dogs and it was a great honor to be selected as first from among them. Autumn took WB and Best Puppy. She also took first place in the Non-Sporting puppy group.

Sunday was a repeat of Saturday and I am pleased to report that Autumn now has 5 points (1 major, two singles) and Chance is a new champion! Here is a photo of him at home with all his ribbons from that weekend.

And here is the show photo of his finishing win. I think he is gorgeous! A big thanks to Jan Graunke for making sure he looked his best for this photo.

A damper on the weekend happened after I had loaded the car (in the pouring rain). I'd moved the car from where I'd parked it to the loading/unloading area near the building.

When I was all loaded, good-byes and thank yous said, I got in the car, turned the key and..nothing! Dead battery! A helpful woman with jumper cables came to my aid. Then about 45 minutes later my car informed me that I had a low tire. Ugh. However, it was not kind enough to tell me which one. So when I finally found a gas station, there I was, in the rain, checking each tire's pressure. We made it home without another tire incident, but when I took the car in to have the tire fixed, it turned out to be "un-fix-able." A nail was in the wrong place for a fix to be possible. Evidently, a person can't just get one new tire (I knew that, but was hopeful), and based on the mileage on the current tires, I was convinced to get four new ones. Merry Christmas to me!

Thankfully, no more long trips until the first weekend in December when Autumn and I go to Belleville, IL, to some shows. That will be it for us and dog showing until March. I am sure my husband will appreciate me being home for a while. The burden of adult and puppy care fell to him while I was away all those days. 

Puppy Photos and Notes From Others

Last weekend was puppy pick up day for Josh and Luna's three puppies. Here are some photos we took a week before they left.

Jet at 9 weeks

Jet profile

Molly 9 weeks

Ginger 9 weeks

 I had been agonizing over whether to keep Baron or not. I've been so tired with all the running around lately that I just could not fathom training another puppy. So, I decided that if I really felt that way, it was probably a sign that I should try to find him a home. My husband, who has a great eye for a dog, argued that Baron was too nice of a puppy to sell to a pet home. I argued back that he would not be the first nor the last really nice quality puppy I sold to a pet home because the majority of our puppies could easily be shown and finished. Anyway, I tried to sell him. I offered him to four people who were on my waiting list for a gold male. They all turned him down. By the second time, I said, "Okay, God, if a third person turns me down, I guess that's a sign I am supposed to keep him." Then the third said, "Not a good time for me." Not one to argue with God (ha ha), I tried a fourth person. Nope. So, I guess Baron will stay with us.

He has an exuberant disposition and constantly wags his tail. He is smart and funny. Best of all, he likes to show. I took him to a training class -- his first -- on Wednesday night, and he had his head up, tail up, floating around the ring like he owned it. He stood on the table for exam without fussing about it and did not budge when the trainer looked at his teeth. Now, if he can only keep that attitude through the winter months while we sit around waiting for the spring shows. He'll be 6 months at the end of January.

Actually, as I have looked at Baron, I am reminded a lot of our first Champion, Rocky, when he was a puppy. Perhaps it is just my imagination or maybe wishful thinking. Time will tell.

Here is a picture of Rocky when he was 7 months old and won his first point. (I wish I still looked that young!) 

From Carol about Jaime: "Hello Joyce! I’m finally sending some pictures of our wonderful puppy Jamie. He has brought us so much joy! The first couple of photos were taken with his hair at full length… 6 inches long! Over the last several months he’s had a couple of puppy grooms until last Tuesday, two days ago when he had a full grooming. I think he’s so beautiful and so do many others 😊...Joyce, it was well worth the long trip north. Jaime is a real joy. Thank you for appreciating the Lhasa breed and sharing your love for them by producing such wonderful dogs. It is obvious was raised in a healthy environment, with caring, affectionate owners who prepared him for his future owners and for the world at large.  Since the moment we picked him up he allowed me to play with his feet, look in his mouth, rub his tummy, and play with his ears.  And early on he liked the game of fetch and seemed to understand how to play it!  I’m proud to say that within eight weeks after we became his owners he had been introduced to 90 people..... as I kept a list 😃.
Thank you again for this beautiful little doggy. I will send you some pictures and a little message every now and again."

Jaime

Jamie with Carol

From Marilyn: "Hi Joyce, I was doing a bit of decorating for Christmas the other day, and Maci and Hunter were overseeing the operation. The one of Hunter alone is his guilty look after having just eaten some angel hair, and I don’t mean pasta! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving."

Hunter and Maci

Hunter

From Deborah: "Here is Jet’s first selfie and I can’t believe Ron took this on the train on the way home!  Jet is a sweetheart!"

Jet with his new Dad!

From Vernita: "I just wanted to give you an update on Ms Livvy. She is such a joy to have and is really starting to come into her personality. She is finally on a schedule with sleeping but she still finds the leaves of Autumn too much to handle when she goes in the yard. I assume because the yard is so big, and must look even bigger to her, she has a million toy leaves. My husband grabbed his blower and blew leaves in the air and I sat on the deck and watched her trying to catch just one. She had her first trimming, by me of course, this past weekend and we can now see how gorgeous her eyes are. I think she’s starting to get used to the other dogs coming over on Sunday and the minute they arrive she becomes ten feet tall.

She grabs their tails and ears and they just drag her along but she loves it because she gets her way with them as well. She is a charmer so my grand dogs are playful yet firm with her when she tries to bite eye’s and ear’s. We really allow all of them to run and play for as long as they wanted while my daughters were gone to a baby shower. One picture will show you how they all came in and were done. They turned my ottoman into a large dog bed She has grown a lot and her little bark is too funny. She has discovered that if she works hard enough, she can jump. Our first big hurdle in the last few days was she’s finally able to go in and out of the house without assistance." 

Ms Livvy - tired little pup

Ms Livvy and friends after a hard day's play

Lisa about Molly: "Hi, Joyce! This little sweetie is so much fun!! I took her to the vet on Sunday, and they told me she is healthy. They gave me a schedule for her shots. I told the vet about the Lepto vaccine, and she is looking into it… She sleeps all night, and is a pro with the piddle pads. I will stay in touch!!"

Debra about Seng Kye: "Just thought you might like a note.  He is growing so much.  He is a beautiful joy to have around.  Everyone in the family and office have fallen in love."

Let's End With A Smile 

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

Joyce

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

 

 

A Repost and Some Notes and Photos

I want to share an article with you written by Diane Klumb in 2002. I’ve posted it on this blog in the past and ran across last week as I was searching my files for something else. The point of the article is probably more important today than it was 16 years ago when the article was first published.

Diane Klumb is a monthly columnist for ShowSight  magazine, an award-winning dog author, and dog breeder. In the article that follows, Klumb discusses the ensuing "war" on dog breeders and makes some logical arguments.

With so many economic problems, natural disasters, uprisings and wars across the globe vying for our attention, it's easy to gloss over the difficulties animal rights activists are creating nationwide in all areas related to animals. For dog breeders and dog owners, as city after city and state after state are besieged by anti-dog legislation under the guise of protecting animals, and as animal rights activists strive to make anyone who breeds dogs a criminal or an object of disdain, the worry is that our own rights as citizens will be compromised in the process. I lost count of how many of my own puppy buyers shared with me that some of their very best friends chastised them for buying a purebred instead of "adopting" a rescue dog. One even said that a friend of hers for many years was no longer speaking to her because she decided to by a purebred Lhasa!!

Legislators fall victim to smooth talking lobbyists, big contributions, and tear-inducing commercials on TV. Many choose to support legislation that will negatively impact who can breed and own dogs. Not one single reputable breeder of purebred dogs wants any dog, be it purebred or mutt, to endure the conditions many dogs are found in due to poor breeding and housing practices in many rural kennels across the country. However, all breeders should not be punished for the sins of those who mistreat dogs with shoddy breeding and housing practices. As a result, some dog breeders are giving up, laying low, or hiding their heads in the sand, hoping the endless battle is all a bad dream. Others are standing proud and fighting back. The battle continues and, while it often seems as if the other side is winning, it is refreshing to hear a voice such as Diane's "tell it like it is." It’s just too bad that so few improvements have been made over the past 16 years.

Joyce
---------------------------------
"Hi. My name is Diane, and I am a Breeder. I am good at it, and I am damned proud of it. I bought my first show dog in 1969 and whelped my first litter in April, 1975.

I have, since that inauspicious beginning, in partnership with my long suffering husband and a few good friends produced a few dozen champions, some top producers, a handful of Specials, and a lot of superb close-working grouse dogs and well loved companions. We kept a fair number over the years and sold the rest. (NOTE: I said sold, not 'placed'...we'll address that particular idiocy later.) We owned a kennel for many years, and trained gun dogs. This involved the killing of untold numbers of game birds, all of which we ate. I have more recipes for pheasant, grouse and woodcock than you can shake a stick at. We showed our hunting dogs and hunted over our show dogs.

I do not believe for a minute that the whelping or sale of a single one of those purebred dogs is in any way responsible for the euthanasia of a million unwanted dogs a year at shelters around the country, any more than I believed that cleaning my plate when I was a kid could in any way benefit all the poor starving children in Africa, no matter how much the nuns or my mother tried to make me feel guilty about it.

I couldn't see the logic then and I can't see it now (although today I would maybe refrain from suggesting that we bundle up Sister Edlita's meatloaf and actually send it to the poor starving children in Africa.)

Look at it this way: If I go to a bookstore specifically to buy Matt Ridley's The Human Genome (which, as it happens, I recently did) and that bookstore does not have it, I will do one of two things - I will order it, or I will go to another bookstore that does carry it and purchase it there. What I will NOT do is take the same money and buy Martha Stewart's latest cookbook instead, because this is not what I want.

Guilt without logic is dangerous.

Show breeders are simply not responsible for the millions of unplanned and unwanted mongrels produced in this country. Period. So don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it.

I do not understand why the top horse farms in this country are not in the least embarrassed by the fact they make a lot of money doing it, yet in the world of dogs if one is to be respected, one is to lose one's ass financially. That is a load of horse shit, pure and simple, yet we accept it meekly and without question.

Why is that?

Basic economic theory suggests that if we are not turning a profit, one of two things is wrong - we suffer from poor management, or we are not asking enough for our product to cover our production costs.

What are our costs?  Well, if we are breeding good dogs, besides basic food and veterinary costs we ought to be adding in the costs of showing these animals, and advertising, and health testing, which are not expenses incurred by the high volume breeders (puppy mills).

OK, so we have much higher costs involved in producing our healthier, sounder animals. Yet the average pet shop puppy sells for about the same as the average well bred pet from show stock, and often they sell for much more. What's wrong with this picture? We're stupid that's what's wrong.

Q. Why does a Jaguar sell for ten times more than a Hundai?
A. Because it's worth more and everyone knows it. "And everyone knows it" is the key phrase here, folks. But somehow no one knows our puppies are worth more and we're embarrassed to tell them. Why is that?

The difference between the sale price of a multi million dollar stallion and what he's worth as horsemeat on any given day at a livestock auction is quality. Yet we cannot address this issue in dogs because we are embarrassed to talk about money and dogs in the same breath.

Why is that?

OK, I'll tell you, because someone has to come out and say this sooner or later. There is a war going on. Unlike most wars, however, this one actually has three sides rather than two.

1. We have Show breeders, who are producing a small number of purebred dogs.

2. We have High-Volume breeders who are producing a large number of purebred dogs.

3. We have Animal Rights Activists, who believe that neither group has the right to breed or even own purebred dogs, much less make a profit at it.

While the first group is busy trying to get rid of the second group because they don't like the way they breed dogs (which by the way ain't gonna happen as long as the American public wants purebred dogs and the first group won't produce them) the third group is winning the war.

You think I'm making this up?

Then how come we've started saying we "placed" our puppies instead of sold them? We talk about the new "adoptive homes" instead of their new owners. What's next? Instead of price of a puppy, we'll charge an "adoption fee?" What's wrong with this new language? I'll tell you.

We didn't come up with it, the Animal Rights Activists did - we are just stupid enough to use it. We are stupid because it's based on the premise that we have no right to own dogs. It is based on the premise that dog ownership is the moral equivalent of human slavery, and that the species Homo sapiens has no right to use any other species for any purpose whatsoever, be it food, clothing, medical research, recreation or involuntary companionship.

Now, I don't know about you, but my politically incorrect opinion is: Our species did not spend the last million years clawing our way to the top of the food chain to eat tofu. The stuff tastes like shit no matter how you cook it, and there is absolutely no sense pretending otherwise.

 Zoology 101: Animals who kill other animals for their primary food source are called predators. Their eyes are generally on the front of their skulls, they have teeth designed to tear flesh from bone, and a digestive system designed to digest meat (like us). Animals that live primarily off vegetation are called herbivores. They have better peripheral vision, flat teeth for grinding, and the most efficient of them have multiple stomachs, which we do not (like cows). And lastly, Animals who live primarily off what other have killed (carrion) are called scavengers (think about that one long and hard.)

Man like the canis, is a pack-hunting predator, which is probably why we get along so well. (If that fact bothers you, get over it.) How did we get to the top of the food chain? We are the most intelligent and efficient pack-hunters ever to suck oxygen from the atmosphere, that's how. We are certainly intelligent enough to understand that maintaining that position on this small planet depends on responsible stewardship, not guilt. And we are so damned efficient that we can support a tremendous number of scavengers in our midst -- Like the Animal Rights Activists, for instance. (Me, I think we should dump the whole lot of them buck naked in the Boundary Waters and see how well this egalitarian philosophy of theirs plays out, but that's probably too politically incorrect for anybody else to consider )

So what do we do?

Well, to begin with we need to regain control. The first way we do this is with language, which is the tool they have been using on us. These people who don't want us to "own" dogs are likening themselves to Abolitionists. That's a fallacy, unless you accept the premise that dogs are really little humans in fur coats, which frankly is an insult to a species that has never waged war on the basis of religious differences.

No, the group they really resemble is the Prohibitionists - remember them? A particularly annoying bunch of zealots who firmly believed and somehow managed to convince our duly elected representatives that alcohol was a bad
thing, and any beverage containing it should be illegal in these United States of America. Very few Americans actually agreed with this, by the way, but by the time Congress got its head out of its collective you-know-what, a whole new industry had developed - Organized Crime.

We look back at that whole debacle now and wonder how anything that stupid and wrongheaded ever happened. Well, boys and girls, in the inimitable words of the great Yogi Berra: "It's deja vu all over again." The Prohibitionists are back.
And once again, we are buying it.....amazing."
~published in ShowSight Magazine September 2002
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of Chance and Jenna's puppies have already left for new homes, and some of their new owners have sent notes and photos that I will share. Baron is still here and still lobbying to stay here and be my next show puppy. He is making a strong case for staying and will probably get his wish. Soon he will be the only puppy left from that litter. In the meantime, he and his sister Roxy are enjoying playing together and thinking up mischief. Like a true Lhasa female, Roxy bosses Baron around and, like a true Lhasa male, he's okay with that as long as I hold him first!

Miss Roxy - 12 weeks - very full of herself

Baron - 12 weeks

 Here is a profile view of Baron during one of our practice sessions as I am trying to teach him how to stand for exam. Note that I wrote "trying." He's not really into the show dog thing yet.

Baron 12 weeks

Josh and Luna's puppies have all been spoken for. They are now 7 weeks old and just as cute as cute can be. The girls are "stunning!"

Ginger - 7 weeks

Molly - 7 weeks

Jet - 7 weeks

 Notes, Updates, and Photos From Others

From Lynne about Stone: "Dear Joyce, Just thought I’d let you know that Stone is doing really well in his new home and with his new “big sister”! It took a couple of days for Lizzie to get used to Stone, but she’s been really good with him. They actually started playing with each other yesterday afternoon! … He’s just the sweetest little guy, it’s not hard to love him! He’s feeling much more comfortable here now and is keeping me on my toes. So many new things to check out and do. He’s been sleeping through the night with his “Snuggle Buddy”. He loves to cuddle with it during the day, as well…Thank you for trusting me to love him forever! Everyone he’s met have fallen in love with him, as well. He’s a snuggler now, but I’m sure as he gets older that will change. So I’ll take all the puppy snuggles I get get now!"

Stone, obviously comfortable in his new home!

From Marilyn about Hunter and Maci: "Hi Joyce, I hope all is well with you and your family. Finally it seems like fall is here to stay for awhile. I am so ready for the cooler weather. I wanted to send a cute pic of Hunter. It will be a year on the 14th since you brought him to us. He is such a joy. Maci has her moody “princess” times, and he is just always in a happy, goofy, mood. He is a true Lhasa in that he guards the house as well it’s occupants. Our groomer says it takes her twice as long to groom him because every time she puts her face near him, she is greeted with kisses! We are so happy we have him. I am thinking you may be attending the National show soon…Pics of the puppies in the last blog were adorable. I am thinking they have all left for new homes. Hope you have fun at the show. Can’t wait to see pics."

Hunter

From Vernita about Ashley: "She rode on my chest back the whole time and I think it’s a bit too late. She’s already spoiled and loving every minute. My husband and I caved Saturday night and put her bed in our bed and she slept for six hours. I want to thank you for making the house breaking process so easy. When she came in the house for the first time she sniffed around and when I put the pad down she went straight to it. She got to meet the others in the family yesterday so it tired her out pretty good last night. So funny to see adult dogs run from her in the yard. She did everything she could to keep up and they did everything they could to keep away. They all eventually started to calm down and by evening, I had four dogs in my house all trying to sit on my lap. Their owners used that time to go get ice cream and shop. So I ended up dog sitting…she is so full of energy and fun. Here’s to our next chapter with Lizzy the Bear, which is what the girls call her."

From Barbara about Lovie: "Hi Joyce, I have to thank you for the perfect little puppy.  She is doing AMAZING at potty training.  She seems to know exactly what she is supposed to do when we go outside.  Very very few accidents in the house – almost none!  Everyone in my vet’s office fell in love with her.  We have an appt Oct 19th for her second round of shots – my regular doctor at our vets had surgery and has been out but will be back that day and I am SO excited to show her. She is the smartest puppy ever - we are so in love with her. Pictures to prove how we are trying our best to spoil her!"

Lovie (known at our house as Sparkle)

Lovie, looking like a princess

From Debra about Seng Kye (known here as Mick): "He rode quietly in my lap for 5 hours.  When I got home he promptly used the piddle pad at the door.  Everyone loves him.  He had five visitors the first day. He is now sleeping on my desk…He follows me everywhere. I couldn't have a more beautiful friend…My good fortune. He fits my life perfectly. I think it was meant to be also.  He seems to love the sound of my voice. He is perfect."

From Mary: "Attached, cute pic of the big and the small. My pet sitter calls Belle the Hoover vacuum surrounding Rafe, from the ground to his mouth, looking for crumbs. Rafe tolerates." Mary also told me that her eventual goal for Rafe is rally. He’s a smart guy, so I am eager to see how he does. She worked a "miracle" with Belle who, when at my house refused to show and preferred to sit around looking lovely. Now she has rally titles and loves running agility. 

Rafe and Belle at Mary's

 These next photos of Shadow were sent by Violet. Shadow is a litter brother to Bekka and Chance.

Shadow and the blanket I sent home with him when he left here

Shadow, again with his blanket near

And, speaking of Chance, here is the photo taken at the Sheboygan show after he won his 2nd major. Only two points to go! 

Joyslyn's Moon Shadows

What's Next?
What's next in my life is preparing for and going to the American Lhasa Apso Club's National Specialty Week, held this year in Maryland. I have a dozen or so lists of things to remember and things to pack. Things will have to come together by Saturday AM because that is when I'm leaving. I always look forward to the National Week. It's a great time to see friends from around the country and also to see so many beautiful Lhasas looking their best.
The schedule for the week is a busy one with very little down time. I'm taking Autumn, who will be 7 months old on the 21st. We'll be showing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the 6-9 month old class. On Tuesday, I have a Board meeting and a Breed Standard Committee meeting. On Thursday, I will be presenting the Judges' Education Seminar and Workshop in the AM, then attending the Breeder Education presentation and annual meeting in the afternoon, followed by the Awards Banquet in the evening. It will be a full, busy week, but lots of fun!

As far as what is next regarding breedings -- because I know a lot of you are waiting for puppies -- if all goes as planned, we will be doing the next breeding in December or January.

That's it for now!
 

Joyce