ALMOST AUGUST

 I have always thought of August as "my month," evidently because it is my birthday month. I like being a Leo. Why? Well, first of all I have no choice so I might as well like it! But look at all the great things they say about Leos: Compassion and big-heartedness, consciousness, drive, and natural leadership are the four main characteristics of the Leo personality. Leos are known for their generosity of time, energy, respect, and money. There's some negative stuff too, but we won't go into that here...

I realize August is not quite here, but I was up most of the night with Winter who was acting as if she was going to have her puppy (yes, singular), but she did not, so I am sitting in my home office, which frequently, as now, doubles as a whelping room and nursery. Anyway, I decided to write the blog while I wait and keep an eye on Winter.

Winter on the day she earned her championship

If all goes as planned, our next litter will be born at the end of September. 

I was recently surprised and very humbled when the 

ALAC Online July issue came and, as I was browsing through it, I noticed a 2-page ad from ALAC members who evidently wanted to be anonymous. They were congratulating me for my years of owning, showing, breeding, and promoting/preserving Lhasas. That was a super gesture and, whoever you are, thanks for doing that. It was just the lift I needed that day! 

Notes and Photos From Others

Lynne and Robert sent birthday pictures of Amie celebrating her 6th birthday and wrote, "Here’s the star of our show! We all celebrated her birthday yesterday with no rain or thunder….which was a miracle considering the amazing monsoon season we’ve been having in New Mexico…..she was happy😍 Thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful little character! She gets more beautiful & lovely with each passing year….love her to pieces💕🐾

Mary R sent pictures of Rafe and Belle and wrote, "Attached individual pics of the dogs.The first, Rafe with his favorite toy in front, Sloth. Behind sloth is his next favorite, no arm turkey. We call NAT. The next is Miss Belle.  Every groom, I think of cutting her coat down to be easier.  I don’t think short hair dos are always the easiest. I just can’t cut her locks off. I can trim her coat shorter so she doesn’t trip, band the mouth so she doesn’t swallow coat, just can’t cut it down.

Debbie wrote about Sparkles: "She is adorable and amazing. She is such a sweetie. Walks well on leash, good with the grandkids and LOVES to cuddle. Good eater but has nice body proportions and beautiful coat. Very friendly little dog.  Thanks so much for making it possible."

From Priscilla about Trixie: "She and Ozzie are getting along well—they play well together, are becoming great pals and I am glad that he is here for her (she loves to play!) and she is here for him (he loves her company)." 

Raquel posted a photo of Hilo. He has such a sweet face.

Molly Anne wrote about Luna, "You may add a CGC to Luna’s CH. Needless to say, she made it easy. The original plan was to do therapy work, but post-covid there is no group here, and only one TDI evaluator in the state, and she is unavailable until November. Luna has already experienced what they test for (plus small neighborhood children) so I anticipate it  should  go well.

     As you have probably seen on the news our summer is turning especially hot and humid this year- fit only for “mad dogs and Englishmen”. Every other morning I get up at 6 , and “breakfast” is peanut butter with Benadryl. By 6:45 we are on a trail walk lasting  about 45 min to an hour.  When Luna stops and sits down she is  telling me it’s time go back to the car. Predictably,  it is the humidity which is hard on her. The rest of the day is spent quietly in the house (thank goodness for A/C), except for quick “necessary “ trips outside: I carry her where the asphalt is too hot.  Our car excursions are limited, even tho she has iced water, a frozen chill mat under the pad, and a fan in her crate.  

     She prefers evenings with television, when she lounges across my lap. Dog TV did not impress her one iota. Looking back, it is amazing to realize she will be 8  in October!"

Sally wrote: "Today marks the one year anniversary of me adding Jaxon to my home. He is just the best puppy! He makes me laugh every day as he loves to play all the time. He and Ginger are pals although there are still those times.... but that's ok she has to remain #1.😂. So a few pictures.... the one of Ginger and Bob shows how much those two love each other. The one of Jaxon laying on the grooming table, do you think his hair will stay that way? It's so puffy! He looks like a bear😄 He isn't fat he's nice and lean but he's a big guy.  I really enjoyed your blog and Pearl is so pretty, I love her eyes."

Judy G wrote this about TY: "Ty earned his first leg in Novice Rally last night. I am so proud of him!!. He started in rally in January so he has come a long way. He is very proud of himself. He knows he did well. I have registered him at UKC also. Their trials are only 45 minutes away, and the group has many people working to keep it afloat. He will start there in November. They have a trial in the middle  of August, but his down isn't perfect yet. Little miss queen, Nyx, should be ready for agility in late fall. She is the boss now. The boys don't care so that's good."

From Michele P about her Trinket: "Just thought you might enjoy seeing some very recent photos of Trinket, fresh out of the groom shop. This is the first Summer that we have been able to keep the coat long which is a mighty challenge. Apparently with age (3 yrs. old as of March) her colors seem to change to more of a golden hue. I know you had mentioned those Labradoodle dogs (non pedigreed). Evidently, people are buying those dogs in my area and definitely overpaying. The groom shop that I patronize is also seeing an upsurge and quite honestly the shop doesn’t want to take them in for grooming. The coat is basically difficult and most people don’t do the required grooming at home. In addition to that the groomers claim that those dogs lack manners on the grooming table and can be quite difficult. Trinket was groomed at an early age like you suggested and is well adjusted to grooming. She is such an amazing pet and seems to be able to understand everything you say to her. Also, Chris Christianson has a wonderful selection of Butter combs for drop coats.  I recently invested in their most recent comb which is a heavy, weighted metal, wide double toothed comb.  This comb pulls through the tangles effortlessly without tearing the coat. I enjoy reading your blog and seeing the photos of those gorgeous puppies. Hope you have a wonderful Summer."

Ruth wrote about Dani: "She is still a bundle of energy but is getting sweeter and more loving."

Paula sent this photo of Eleanor:

And here are pictures of Gwen's Mozart:

Thanks to all who took time out of your daily lives to write and to send/post photos of your Joyslyn's Lhasas. I enjoy reading about them and seeing how they have grown. Readers also tell me they look forward to seeing the photos and reading about their own Lhasa's relatives.

Other Stuff

Michele mentioned the Butter comb. If you are interested, here is a link. 

https://chrischristensen.com/buttercombs/

And AKC has this helpful information:Medical Emergency Care Tips for Your Dog

From the Lhasa Apso Standard:

“Head: Expression - Alert, thoughtful, intelligent. Heavy head furnishings enhance the proper Lhasa expression with good fall over eyes, good whiskers, and beard. Full depth of dark pigmentation on eye rims and lips is essential to achieve the desired softness of expression. Eyes - Dark brown, almond shaped. Round full eyes and very small sunken eyes are undesirable. Ears - Pendant, set slightly above eye level and carried close to the cheeks, heavily feathered. Skull - Narrow, falling away behind the eyes in a marked degree, not quite flat, but not domed or apple-shaped. Stop - Moderate. Muzzle - Straight foreface of fair length with the length from tip of nose to eye to be roughly one-third the total length from nose to back of skull. A square muzzle is objectionable. Nose – Black. Bite - The preferred bite is either level or slightly undershot.”

That's It For Now! Enjoy the rest of your July and have a great August! 

Joyce

P.S. I was hoping the puppy would be born before I finished this post so I could tell you if we had a male or female. No such luck!

It's Summertime and the Living Is...HOT!

 

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” ~ Erma Bombeck

All of our puppies are now in new homes, except little Minnie. She is now up to 4 lbs. and is doing well. She has a vet appointment coming soon and if she passes all the health tests will be leaving for a new home in August or September.

Speaking of puppies, I know a number of you are waiting for word of new litters. We did have an accidental (unplanned for) breeding that, according to the ultrasound, resulted in one puppy. Otherwise, we have 2 breedings planned for late summer/early fall which should give us puppies available by the end of the year or beginning of 2023. I know many are waiting for puppies, but I cannot hurry the process!

As I wrote in June, the dog showing this year has been a disappointment. The majority of shows Pearl and I have attended have been just us, basically expensive practice sessions. This past weekend we were in West Bend, WI. The Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club hosted a designated specialty there as part of the Kettle Moraine dog show. There was a nice Lhasa entry for a change! We had a chance at some points. But no luck getting them! Pearl showed okay - not super well, but not terrible! She was awarded Reserve Winners Bitch on Saturday. And, being the only puppy entered was automatically awarded Best Puppy. Here is a photo of her and her Reserve ribbon by a fountain in one of the show buildings.

For as much as the dogs and I travel, I am always grateful for safe homecomings. We have been very fortunate in the past and I hope that good fortune continues. Yesterday as I was coming home, we were almost involved in an accident. Thank goodness my guardian angel was on duty! I was driving in the left lane on an expressway, just passing a car to my right. Then that car was in the right lane basically keeping pace with mine. No other cars in sight. Suddenly, the other driver decided to change lanes and began drifting into my lane. There was no reason for it. We each had no cars ahead of us and none behind us. If there had been an animal or something else on the highway, the other car would have moved quickly, not have drifted into the lane. Maybe the driver went to sleep. Whatever the reason, I had to step on the brake and take to the shoulder to avoid being hit. And he (or she) continued driving in the left lane as if nothing had happened. (And, yes, I honked the horn--loud and long!) 

Now, onto happier things: here are some recent photos of our two of our Lhasas.

These are of Minnie.

These are of Rusty. (I cannot keep his headfall out of his eyes for any decent length of time! I guess he enjoys the eye cover.)

A Tip For Summertime Cooling

Debi likes to be over-prepared on hot days when she takes her Lhasa for a car ride because, as she says, "you just never know if your car will break down." She has a tip to pass on to those who are worried about having their dog in the car with them on a hot day, even for short rides to the vet or training class. She said that it can sometimes take a car's air conditioning a while to cool down when you first get in it, so she freezes either one liter soda bottles or figi water bottles and puts them in a large 2 gallon zip-lock bag that goes in the dog's car carrier to keep her cool for the trip. She said it works really well as extra air conditioning. She added that "Lacey gets a little wet from the condensation but does not seem to mind."

Photos and Notes from Others

People send me email saying they enjoy seeing and reading about other's Joyslyn's Lhasas, most that are somehow related to their own. So, here are the notes and photos sent since the June post. Thanks again to all who keep in touch, even if it is only occasionally. 

From the Johnson family: "We wanted to send you Snickers picture. Again we love him so much!!  He recently had a eye ulcer that needed a mini surgery but he did great and the whole family took off to care for him! We love him so much!!! Hope your doing great!!  We love your blog and puppies!❤️❤️❤️"

From Betsy, "We celebrated Willow’s 2nd Birthday! We love her to pieces and she has such a fun personality!"

Judy sent photos of Gus and Lippy at their Blue Barn Ranch training center. She also called with an update to tell me how quickly Lippy is catching on to everything with his training and to assure me that Gus is being a good big brother and helping Lippy learn the ropes both at home and at the Blue Barn Ranch.

She wrote, "Lippy Maverick Jones successfully completed his Basic Obedience Training at Blue Barn Ranch this afternoon. Mr. Jones is one smart little Lhasa Apso! He learns very quickly to perform what the new command is and what is expected of him. Treats are required for his smartness to kick in. He is extremely food motivated, which is a good thing when you are training a dog. Next session we start Intermediate Obedience."

Michelle wrote, "Thank you for your blog Joyce, it is something I really look forward to reading because it’s positive and makes me smile to hear about and see all the beautiful Lhasa’s from your breedings. Sunny is doing great! We have started fully grooming him ourselves, I did most of it anyway all along, we are just trimming him now, he still gets anxious and doesn’t like the clippers when we have to use them but I think he’s doing better for us than the groomer we had come to our home. Pearl is so beautiful! She has really grown the last few months since I saw her!I understand your frustration with the shows being so limited with Lhasa entries. I’m happy our show was one you were able to get Rusty his championship."

Kathleen wrote, "Today is Beau Jangles 2nd birthday.  He continues to be a sweet lovable Lhasa and I contuse to adore him.  I want to thank you again for giving him to me." 

Note: Beau, Willow, and LeeLu (pictured last week) are siblings. Greta is their mom and Chance their sire.

Jody wrote, "Bernie’s getting so big! He is such a delight!! He has quite a few puppy friends in the neighborhood-a Borzoi, German Shepherd and a terrier mix. He doesn’t seem to be intimidated by size and is friendly to all. We just love him-thanks!"

From Jan: "Thought maybe you would like to see a few pictures of Pebbles.  I can’t believe she is THREE years old🎉🎉. We love and enjoy every minute of the past three years.. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t make us smile or laugh so hard.  Example the last picture is the next day after grooming.. 🥰 you have to laugh!! Mike and I have enjoyed your blogs. We so  appreciate all the hard work you have put into preserving this VERY SPECIAL BREED OF DOG."

Jim wrote, "Daisy thinks she's cute. She got groomed for her summer cut and our groomer sent us this."

From Stephanie, "Auggie got his next round of boosters today. He weighed in at 9.2 lbs! He’s growing like a weed! He’s gotten longer & taller - and he’s just as feisty. I’m sending to you a few pics (with captions) so you can see how he’s enjoying life. He’s doing fairly well on his house breaking - when he wants to!  He & Lady Bug are playing together some, but mom’s pug Lucy Lou is his best friend. They play constantly when they’re together!!

I really enjoyed reading your blog this month (as always) and it was fun to see some of Auggie’s siblings.  My heart hurts that this wonderful breed is in jeopardy!! If people only knew how wonderful these little pups are, they would be one of the most popular breeds I’m sure!!"

caption: Look mom! Another stick for our collection!!!
(One of his favorite pastimes is finding new sticks!)

Gwen wrote about Mozart: "should have named her Devil Went Down to Georgia vs Mozart based on current mood, She's all full of energy very playful or asleep nothing in between. But she is a sweetheart."

From Sheila: "Hi there, just checking in , love love our new family addition Bogey. [FKA Griffin]

Got his hair cut so looks a little different. It has been 95+ degrees and we could not see his eyes so decided it was time ...Training going well, a few accidents but getting through it. He is going to go to dog school in September. Just wanted to THANK YOU, we love him and he is a perfect addition to our family. 

Priscilla let me know that "Trixie had her vet visit on Friday. She was perfect and everyone just loved her sweet disposition and person." You can certainly tell that Trixie and Minnie are sisters!

Maggie wrote about Finley: We are in love with Finley! She is the sweetest dog.  She is playful, sweet, and full of spunk.  She just had her 2nd vet appointment with our vet and got a glowing report of good health.  I will send you pictures soon! (We're up north for the summer, so the wifi can be a bit spotty). She's getting along well with my sister's shihtzu and my lhasa, Skylar.  Finley's favorite thing to do is cuddle and she loves, loves, loves all of her toys.  I can't believe we've only had her for 5 weeks, it feels like forever already! 

Debi sent an update on Lacey, who will be a year old in August: "Lacey is doing well.  I can't believe she will be one year old already in August!  We had her cut short for the summer.  She started dipping her front paws and face in her water bowl when she got too hot from playing, even indoors with air conditioning.  I picked her up from daycare and she was all wet.  They told me that she went swimming in her water bowl.  She started doing the same thing at home, lol.  she hasn't done it since she was groomed, so we think she is more comfortable.  We will probably let her coat grow longer again in the winter.

She has her own boat to ride in when we are in the pool.  It took a few tries before she started liking it, but she even lays down and takes a nap in it now.

We have an umbrella set up so she is in the shade most of the time and keep her on a leash in case she decides to jump out of the boat.  She hasn't

yet, lol....She is such a happy and playful girl!  She likes my daughter's cat's toys so much, we had to buy her some (those little balls with the bell inside).She loves to toss them in the air with her mouth and then move them around the house with her paws.  It is so funny watching her play with them! She is just such a wonderful dog!  We have so much fun with her.  We can't imagine a day without her!"

Kim sent this photo of Olivia, looking like a princess.

Pam and Paul sent this one of their Josie making sure the refrigerator is well stocked.

Other Random Things

1. Of course, we all need to keep in mind during this hot weather to never leave our dogs in the car, even with the windows cracked for air. That is not enough to protect them from heat stroke!

On the many long drives I have to take to get to shows, it is often necessary to stop at a gas station or rest stop for a quick break. I am fortunate that my car system allows me to lock the car yet keep it running and the air conditioner on while I am gone for a few minutes.

2. Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) is a program that helps people teach dogs how to live in harmony with humans. NILIF will improve your dog’s behavior and teach him to trust and accept you as his leader in a non-confrontational way. NILIF builds your dog’s confidence by providing clear rules and enjoyable outcomes for good behavior. Soon, your dog will voluntarily be following your commands more and more of the time. The program can be used by all people, regardless of age, size, or personality type. It is a non-confrontational technique, designed never to put the people or dogs involved at risk.
https://www.sfspca.org/sites/default/files/dog_commands_nothing-in-life-is-free.pdf

3. The YouTube promo for Lynn's novel, Corrupted Souls can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbRB4XPg5qQ.

 4. If you want to see a lot of Lhasas from all over the country all in one place, the Lhasa Apso National Specialty in St. Louis in October is the place to be. 

There are regional specialties on Tuesday and Wednesday, but if you can make it on Friday, that would be the day to come. The tentative schedule is below. (Note that Thursday is set aside for meetings. No showing that day.)

That's it for now. Thanks for reading the blog and for sending me updates and photos. 

Keep yourself and your dogs cool and safe in this hot weather, and if you are flying anywhere this summer, good luck! I hope your flight is not cancelled! We live in crazy times!

Joyce