Welcome June!

 This too shall pass.

It may pass like a kidney stone,

but it will pass.

Okay, I know it has nothing to do with June or anything else in this post, but when I read it, I thought it was hilarious (and true!) so I had to share it!

Let's get started!

May was a month of driving, dog shows, and family. 

Ebony and I went to two 4-day shows, one in Davenport, IA and one in Bloomington, IL. We only took Winners Bitch once in those 8 days. But that win gave Ebony her second point -- and she was a 7 month old baby at the time, so I am not complaining. She does need a lot of work and practice because she is not comfortable with strangers touching her. ("Chary of strangers" as the Standard says.) Anyway, the other 7 days she took Reserve Winners Bitch ("always the bridesmaid...")

A good thing that happened (but too late to save me nearly $400) at the Davenport show was I found my lost car keys! For some reason, they were in the bottom of a tote bag under the square piece that covers the bottom of the bag to hold its shape. I have no idea how they got there! 

Speaking of shows. I finally received the photo of Rusty taken in Louisville when he won Best of Breed. I do not think I posted it previously. I don't really like that busy background. I guess Purina really really wanted everyone to know they sponsored the show. The other thing that bothers me is that the photographer did not notice that the hair was not brushed over Rusty's foot so that it could be fixed. Otherwise, it's a nice photo (of Rusty!). 

Judge Adam King, me, CJ Kenon (Rusty's breeder) and Rusty

One of the favorite songs I sang to my kids and grandkids is "I love you a bushel and a peck." A Mother's Day gift:

Between the two May shows, I drove to Nebraska to visit my mom, sister, and brother-in-law. On the way I stopped in Iowa to drop off the stand dryer that would not work, hoping that it would not cost a fortune to fix it. (It didn't -- whew).

Evidently Mom decided that since I was coming, she would clean out the huge storage tub of family photos. I came home with a sack full of pictures, well aware that what I was feeling about that is how my kids are going to feel when I decide to foist on them all the photo albums I've put together over the years. Hey-- at least I put the photos in albums AND wrote on the back of each photo.

She also dug out of the closet an art project I did in high school. LOL...when I first saw it, it was upside down and I had no idea what it was until I flipped it a couple  times. I brought it home and now it is in the back of one of our closets. 

The other weird thing we found was a warranty for the casket sold for the burial of one of our relatives. We laughed and laughed. Read it and see if you can figure out what is so absurd about that 20 year warranty!

So are you supposed to dig the casket up annually to check on it water-tightness??

On to other things:

Puppy News

There is no news - yet. Millie has been bred and an ultrasound this week will let us know if she is pregnant or not. I'll be letting people on the waiting list know the results of the test.

Not a puppy but a darn cute baby:

Here is a photo taken of a fawn whose mom bedded it down this morning in the plants surrounding one of our trees. I have nothing against deer except I wish they would stop eating our hostas.

Puppy Coat Change

Ebony is now 8 months old and her coat change has begun. Here is a photo of just some of the hair we have brushed out of her coat in the last few days. This mess was from yesterday.

If you have a young Lhasa, it too will go through a coat change. They all do it! Perhaps this article will help you get through it:

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!

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!

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Another helpful article, "Sorry, Not A Winner!" by Cassandra de la Rosa, was published in the June issue of the AKC Gazette, page 73. In the article, Cassandra outlines things a newbie needs to do to be successful in the show ring. I would add the following to her list: socialization and practice, practice, practice at home and at a conformation training class.

One of Ours

Many of you already are fans of Lynn's detective novels featuring Chicago detective Joe Erickson. His fourth novel, One of Ours, was recently published and has received some nice reviews. If you have not read any of the books, perhaps the following reviews will entice you to order a copy of each from Amazon or your local book store. You can also ask your local library to order them.

Excerpts from various reviews: 

 

Literary Titan:  https://literarytitan.com/2023/04/02/one-of-ours/ 

"One of Ours is a compelling and engaging true crime novel that will captivate readers with its intricate plot and well-crafted suspense. Highly recommended for those seeking a thrilling literary experience that challenges their deductive skills and keeps them guessing until the very end." 

 

Midwest Book Review:  https://www.midwestbookreview.com/mbw/may_23.htm#dianedonovan 

"Mystery readers, including newcomers to Joe Erickson's world, will find One of Ours compelling, action-packed, and hard to put down, while libraries looking for satisfying intrigue and puzzle-solving paired with psychological intrigue will find the story a fine addition to any detective or police procedural mystery collection." 

 

The US Review: https://www.theusreview.com/reviews-1/One-of-Ours-by-Lynn-Steven-Johanson.html#.ZHY49NbMJnZ 

"Johanson writes clear, controlled prose and does an excellent job with the story's pacing. It is a book that is easy to read for longer periods than expected. He is obviously versed in the noir detective genre because that DNA is found in this novel. However, the work is modernized, and the main characters are more reformed and refined than fallen and fatalistic...the well-written adventure and likable characters make this an easy book to recommend to anyone who enjoys detective fiction." 
 

Online Book Club: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=298211 

"I love One of Ours by Lynn-Steven Johanson because it is a very intriguing book. It centers around mysteries, murders, and blackmail…Each character was well-developed...The story was fast-paced, conflicts were being resolved...In so many ways, I found One of Ours to be a humorous book. The characters' witty expressions and remarks made me chuckle from time to time, and they helped relieve the suspense."

Oh, there is also a Lhasa named Autumn in this book, and she will play a bigger part in book 5. 

Photos and Notes from Others 

Paul wrote, "Josie is really unique.  She has found a way to sleep by watching us. Josie goes under all the covers, sometimes all the way to the foot of the bed, turns around,  goes back up the bed until her head is just out and lays her head on her pillow. We are so happy that we have both Little One and Josie."

Condolences to Judy G, who wrote to let me know of Izzy's passing. "Joyslyn MIToya Is It the Wind CGC, TKN, Spot-On crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday afternoon at Hobart Vet. My girl Izzy was 16 years and 5 months. The last several months she has had problems with her right rear leg. I have carried her in and outside and up and down the stairs. Yesterday she told me it was time.

Izzy trained and competed in both agility and rally, but she did it her way. She would lay down on a rally course, and run the agility course the way she felt like. Of course we never finished but she was very entertaining.

She was a very good girl, always happy and interested in the other dogs and people. Iz could stare a hole right through you. Even laying on the heart blanket yesterday she looked right at me as the doctor put her to sleep for the final time. She will always live within my heart."

Izzy was about a year and a half old when she left our home to live with Judy and her other Lhasas. Many thanks to Judy for keeping in touch over the years and always updating us on Izzy's accomplishments. I know she was well loved and that she loved Judy in return. Here is a photo of Izzy, taken before she left our home to live with Judy.

Cynda sent this 8^th birthday photo of Luther.

Lisa sent this photo of Duncan and wrote, "He still has his cute light eyebrows. So far, he still has the adorable spots on the backs of both ears."

Nanda wrote, "Gigi and Ty are fantastic and delicious! How did we live without Gigi for 2 years? She is the sweetest dog ever. We can’t stop hugging her. And the two of them can’t stop cuddling and playing. Total besties ❤️"

Jim wrote, "Daisy is doing well! She and the baby are best friends already; I can’t wait for them to really start playing with each other by the end of the year."

Ingrid sent photos of Jempa and wrote, "My Lhasa Apso puppy, Jempa, is now fully grown and he continues to attend AKC obedience classes and agility classes.  Jempa loves attending canine school and he enjoys learning new things...Jempa is true joy. My family and I love and appreciate him so much....even when he is a little rascal!"

Michelle wrote, "When camping I have Sunny wear a harness which typically requires a lot of brushing nightly to make sure no mats start but this time we came home and bathed and there were not really any and his hair just seems so much easier to manage lately, I’m wondering if they have another coat change as they mature? Whatever it is, I’m happy!"

Michelle sent pictures of Sunny enjoying his favorite spot on the dashboard of their RV.

Judy wrote, "Nyx went to her first trial last Friday night. It was a UKC tunnels course. We train on fake grass on their flooring is mats. The 7 tunnel course only interested her for 4 tunnels then she ran past the openings of the next 3. She did that twice!...Winter is doing very well in Rally and Donna, our trainer, feels she will be ready to trial in the fall." 

Mary R sent this artistic rendition that a friend made of Mary's three Lhasas.

 Raquel sent this picture of Miss Minnie.

That's it for this blog. Thanks for reading and a special thanks to those of you who sent photos of your Joyslyn's Lhasas. Also, please let me know if there is a Lhasa subject you would like me to address in a future blog. My email is joyslynslhasas@outlook.com

Joyce