Sharing a Photo and An Article

This is a picture of Joyslyn's Beauty Secret ("Belle"), taken after we got home from the Iowa City show. Our 2008 Christmas baby is now 18 months old and definitely living up to the "beauty" part of her name!

And, because I wanted to share this with you, here is an article I once wrote:

Yes, I Learned It in Kindergarten

by Joyce Johanson

At the shopping mall the other day, I happened to see a poster with Robert Fulghum's* list of things he learned in kindergarten. For some reason, seeing that list again really "hit home." Therefore, with apologies to Mr. Fulghum, I have to say that all I needed to know about breeding and exhibiting Lhasas I too "learned in kindergarten." Fulghum's kindergarten-garnered knowledge is appropriate to many situations in life, even to dog breeding/showing.

LOOK. Breeding and showing Lhasa Apsos might seem a simple thing--get a male, get a female, have some puppies...train the dog, enter a show, win a championship... However, I'm a true believer in watching and learning, reading and learning, asking and learning. Go to some shows -- more than one or two -- and look at the Lhasas being shown; think hard about what you see and ask yourself which Lhasa appealed to you most and why. Look at pictures of Lhasa Apsos (past and present) in breed books and breed magazines. Watch the AKC videotape on the breed. What attributes are considered correct? How do the dogs you have seen or perhaps own measure up? What do you want in a Lhasa? Read about pedigrees, breeding, and genetics. Look around at the vast amount of knowledge contained in books and in peoples' heads--and take advantage of it! Then, once you have learned, don't become complacent or have an "I know it all" attitude. Continue to look, listen, and learn.

SHARE EVERYTHING. All too often, once dog people learn, they become stingy with their information. Share what you know with others -- and not just those others who buy your puppies or promote your particular line of Lhasa Apso. Grooming, handling, health, and breeding information are vital to the positive growth to the breed. If you have important knowledge, you owe it to the Lhasa Apso to share it with others, especially with newcomers who are trying to learn. Take time to talk with those who have questions at the shows, offer grooming lessons to someone whose poor little Lhasa obviously needs some correct grooming (and I'm not necessarily referring to the show Lhasa here. What about that bedraggled little pet Lhasa across town whose owner obviously tries but has no clue?).

PLAY FAIR. This is a tough one. "Dog people" and "fair play" often seem contradictory and the dog world seems to be a "do unto others as they have done unto you" place. There's a good deal of unfairness, backbiting, and at times, downright illegalities involved with showing and breeding. So you have to decide, do you succumb or do you rise above it all? Do you pass off a so-so puppy to an unsuspecting, trusting buyer for an exorbitant amount, claiming it's got "definite show potential?" Are you honest in your dealings with puppy buyers, handlers, fellow exhibitors, and those who come to use your breeding stock? Are you interested in the betterment of the breed or the promotion of yourself?

DON'T HIT PEOPLE. In keeping with fair play, this rule simply means "don't hurt others" whether you physically knock around an opponent whose ugly mutt just won the five point major over your gorgeous Lhasa or whether your gossip harms someone's reputation as a breeder, exhibitor, or person. It also means "don't hurt the breed." You can do that through indiscriminate breeding practices, by promoting your stud dog even though he may not possess the right characteristics for a particular bitch, and by caring more about how much money you make or how many champions you have bred than you care about doing what is right and best for the future of the Lhasa Apso.

LIVE A BALANCED LIFE. I know a lot of people whose dogs are their lives, people whose whole lives revolve so much around dogs and dog shows that they forget there's a whole world out there to appreciate and enjoy. Yes, we've all been guilty of going to dog shows on Mother's Day or missing one of our kids' big games because we were at a show. But, think about it...there are shows every weekend. And, yes, the dogs are important, but so are the people in our lives. It's necessary every once in a while to step back and examine our priorities.

BE AWARE OF WONDER. As a breeder, you are a god -- your decisions on which dog and bitch to breed affect not only one particular litter of puppies but also the lives of the people who purchase your puppies, not to mention the future of the breed itself. Be conscious of the wonder of it all. Too many breeders see puppies as little dollar signs, rather than as individuals that may have a profound effect on the future. Who's to say that that tiny 5 oz. puppy won't someday become the breed's top winner or top-producing champion? Be aware of the possibilities and the wonder of life.

WHEN YOU GO OUT INTO THE WORLD, WATCH OUT FOR TRAFFIC, HOLD HANDS, AND STICK TOGETHER. It's human nature to be competitive, but those of us who feel an obligation to the breed know that often competitiveness has to be set aside so we can work together for the betterment of the Lhasa Apso. Join a breed club, either locally or nationally, and participate with others to promote the breed and make decisions which will positively affect the breed's future. It doesn't matter if you think you're "nobody special" because you aren't some big-name breeder. If you truly care about the breed and have made yourself knowledgeable, you owe it to the breed to contribute that knowledge to others so the group can make positive and informed decisions.

FLUSH. Face it, there are times when it's necessary to regroup, rethink, evaluate, and call it quits whether it means deciding that wonderful litter really isn't so wonderful after all, not showing a Lhasa you had your heart set on being your next champion, or scrapping an entire breeding program that just isn't working out. You get past the mistakes and get on with reaching your goals.

Thanks, Robert Fulghum, for some great advice and food for thought!

*Robert Fulghum. All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Ivy Books: New York. 1986.


That's it for today. Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

Show Results

We suffered through a hot, hot muggy day on Saturday at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa City. Our grooming set up was in a covered livestock building that would have had decent ventilation had there been any breezes blowing through its many windows and doors. As it was, we hung crate fans on the dogs' crates in addition to setting multiple larger fans, including a nice Wind Machine, in front of the crates so the dogs would have plenty of air circulating.

We showed at 10:00 on Saturday, early enough to escape the heat, but since Walker took Best of Breed, as did Rebecca and Jane's Shiba Inu, Cleo, we had a hot, lengthy wait until it was time to go into the Group in mid afternoon. Both Cleo and Walker held up well in the heat. Cleo placed 3rd in the Group. Walker did not place.

In addition to showing Walker on Saturday, I showed Zach and Belle. Zach was happy and tail-wagging but moving more slowly than I wanted him to. He was the only one in his puppy class, and when he had to go back in the ring to compete against another dog for Winners Dog, he was much more animated and walked at a quicker pace. I showed him again on Sunday, and he was definitely more comfortable in the ring. He'll be fine!

Belle showed like a dream. What a difference since the Bloomington shows! She won a point on Saturday and, because Jane had to take her back in during the Best of Breed judging, I was able to watch Belle as she moved. She's doing just fine, and I am so glad! She's a tiny thing with a lot of lovely coat. Now that she has decided she's going to do show, I think she actually will!

A thunderstorm Sunday AM created some havoc as we unloaded the dogs and equipment at the fairgrounds. However, the rain soon stopped and the temperature shot up again, making Sunday another sweltering day.

Belle and Walker were not entered on Sunday. I wanted to focus only on the two puppies so Sunday was just for Zach and Desi. Like Zach, Desi was rather tentative at first, especially when she was the only one in the ring, but she held her tail up and wagged it at the judge. She stood very well on the table for examination. Like Zach, she livened up when she had to go back in for Winners and got to follow another Lhasa around the ring.

AKC has instituted a new award, a Grand Champion title, so in addition to Walker's earning breed points for his Best of Breed wins, he has also been earning points toward his Grand Championship. With his win on Saturday, he has met all the requirements except the number of points. He needs to earn 25 points and now has 19. He has beaten the required 3 champions, has won under 4 different judges and, with points earned on Saturday, has exceeded the required 3 major wins.

We're staying home for most of July. Our next shows will be in Waukesha, WI at the end of July.

As far as news about puppies…Dancer goes to the vet on Wednesday afternoon for an ultrasound. I'll have news after that!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce

Flame and Her Foster Babies

No, those are not Lhasa puppies you see at the top of this page! I have to share this story!

You've all heard me talk about Belle. Her mother is Ch. Joyslyn Winds of Fire (or Flame as she is more commonly known). Like Belle, Flame is a small Lhasa, about 12 pounds – a little more red than Belle is. A picture of her in show coat is at the top of the page. Unlike Belle, she loved to show. She finished her championship very fast, winning back to back majors when she was just 12 months old. (Belle, you should be following in your mom's footsteps!)

I had a great opportunity to place Flame in a pet home. The decision was difficult, never doubt that, but some things are meant to be. Flame went to Courtney, the daughter of a longtime friend I met because of our Lhasas back in the mid '70's. This family has always been very animal-oriented. For many years, they have been involved in rescuing Great Pyrenees, adopting strays, and volunteering at the local shelter.

This background leads me to Flame's most recent role. A few weeks ago, three 2-week old puppies were found near a country road. Their mother had been killed by a passing car. The family of the young girl who found them took them to the animal shelter where my friend was volunteering that day. She took them home to bottle raise them. Flame became their foster mother who taught them how to be dogs. I am not sure what breed or mix of breeds they are, but Flame did not care. She loved them and cared for them and played with them. Now they have a bit of the Lhasa stamped into their personalities!

The other picture of is Flame with her three foster puppies: Peter, Paul, and Peony.

My friend is hoping that soon all three will be placed in loving homes. As for Flame, her reward is a Florida vacation with her owner Courtney, where she will get to play with Bea, another Joyslyn's Lhasa owned by Courtney's sister Rebecca.

So hats off to Courtney, Shari, and Flame. You know as well as I do that…

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

Joyce

George Carlin on Dogs and the Secret of Life

I found this quotation from George Carlin and just had to share:

"I love my dog. I love all my dogs. Every dog I ever had, I still love 'em. And in my life, believe me, I have had me a bunch of dogs. Because you keep gettin' a new one, don't ya? It's true. As life goes on, you keep gettin' one new dog after another. That's the whole secret of life. Life is a series of dogs."

It may not be true for all of you readers, but it is so true for me! My life has been, among other important things, a series of dogs.

As a matter of fact, I am a little leery about dying one day because there will be a mob of dogs waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge. (It will truly be heaven if the angels will groom them so I don't have to!)

Cheers!

Joyce

Updates and a Good Book

Walker's latest show win photo arrived and here it is. It's hard for me to believe that he will be 8 years old at the end of September! He and I are going to hit a few shows here and there this summer and fall while I wait for the puppies to grow up and get their acts together. I've been walking Zach with Breaker, who is such a smooth easy mover, so Zach is learning some good lessons from his big brother. I'm doing something similar with Desi and Mira. It's working well too! Both Breaker and Mira seem to be enjoying their new roles.

Last weekend was one of those rare stay-at-home weekends for me. I did the usual chores: grocery shopping, laundry, dog grooming, etc. but I also found time to read. One book I read was one I did not want to put down. Since dogs, albeit not Lhasas, are at its heart I can write about it in this blog! Here is the story of how I came to read that book:

In February and March, while reading comments on The Mudflats blog, I became interested in this year's Iditarod. You can find out more about it at http://www.iditarod.com. Basically it is an annual dog sled race over 1150 miles of rugged Alaskan terrain. It pits people and dogs against terrain and weather. That is definitely NOT something I'd ever want to do, but I certainly admire those with the courage to do it.

At any rate, I started reading about the race, its history, and various mushers involved in it this year. That was when I first read about Lance Mackey, a musher who'd won the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Iditarods and was going for a history-making four years in a row. Wow! Best of all, he actually did it; he won the 2010 race.

Most of us are familiar with another Lance — Lance Armstrong, who refused to allow his cancer to stop him from meeting his athletic goals. In Lance Mackey, I found a new hero. This Lance is also a cancer survivor, whose surgery left him with no salivary glands and extreme discomfort in his hands and feet. If you are into reading about come-from-behind people with the gumption to overcome obstacles and set and achieve goals in their lives, then I highly recommend that you ask your local library for The Lance Mackey Story: How My Obsession with Dog Mushing Saved My Life. ISBN 978-0-615-34423-2. Published by Zorro Books, the book takes readers from Lance's early years through his 2009 Iditarod win. Once you finish it, you'll definitely wish you could read on and learn the story of his 2010 race, when Lance finished in first place with a time of just under 9 days. I was especially impressed with the bonds he forges with his dogs.

Back to what is happening here:
• Secret is no more pregnant than I am. There will be no puppies whelped next week. Our hope now lies with Dancer.
• Our next shows are in Iowa City on the 26th and 27th of this month. The entry is small and I'm hoping the young ones behave themselves. For them, it will be a training weekend. Walker is entered on Saturday only, and he'll enjoy being in the ring with me again. Speaking of Walker, if you want to see him in action at a show, doing his "down and back," go to http://s461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/rpowell7905/?action=view¤t=DSCN2567.flv

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce

June is Zooming By! Updates!

Wow…this month is already zooming by --- only 13 more work days! As for today: TGIF is my only comment!

I returned Wednesday night from five days in Phoenix where 3 co-workers and I attended the annual professional development institute sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. A day of flying, gaining 2 hours, attending three FULL days (8-5:30) of conference sessions, then another day of flying, and losing 2 hours made me wonder "where am I now and what am I supposed to be doing next?"

I am here and I should be grooming a dog!

As for Lhasa updates:
• If Secret is pregnant I will fall over in joyous shock. I have a waiting list of 12 people looking for puppies! However, Secret still has a lovely, trim, girlish figure that shows no signs of a pregnancy! Her due date is the 22nd, so I've resigned myself to disappointment. I'd thought perhaps she would "blossom" during the five days I was gone. Sadly, she did not!
• Dancer was bred in mid-May so perhaps we will have a July litter.
• Congrats to friend Marsha, co-breeder of Desi and Zach, whose two young males each won a major at the recent Fargo show.
• Speaking of Desi and Zach, Desi came into season while I was in AZ and poor Zach is beside himself wondering why he has suddenly been denied opportunities to play with his sister. I think Desi is enjoying her chance to play with Belle, who is more her size and who is much gentler in her play than Zach is!
• Our next shows are in Iowa City on June 26 and 27. Zach is entered both days, Desi one day, Belle one day, and Walker one day.

At one conference session we discussed "healthy emotional climates for children" and how such climates lead to the emotional skills of identifying, labeling, expressing and managing feelings; delaying gratification; controlling impulses; and reducing stress. Having the ability to handle frustration, control emotions, and get along with others as a young child predicts that child's success in school and later life. Children need a climate that makes them feel respected, important, accepted, included and secure. So do you… So do I… So do our Lhasas! Go give yours a hug!

My Lhasas certainly make me feel respected, important, and accepted. In their eyes I am faultless. Bless them for their loving hearts!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce

Show Results

Where do I begin...?

The 4-day Memorial weekend shows in Bloomington, IL are now history. The weekend started for me on Thursday when I took an afternoon off work to drive to Bloomington (slightly over 2 hours from here) to snag a space for a grooming set up for myself, 2 Lhasa friends, and 3 Shiba Inu friends. Two hours to get there, a half hour to haul grooming tables and wire crates in and set them up, then 2 hours back home. Once home I had to exercise and feed the dogs then bathe and dry Belle. (Zach and Desi had been bathed before I left for Bloomington.) Friday night when I got home, it was Walker's turn for a bath. That was another late night.

Friday I showed Zach and Belle. Desi went along for the ride that day. Saturday was the busy day: I showed Zach, Desi, Belle, and Walker. All went smoothly thanks to much-appreciated help from Rebecca, my Shiba Inu friend, who showed Desi for me, and Sandy, my Kuvasz friend, who kept Walker groomed at ringside while I was in the ring. Sunday and Monday Zach stayed home. Desi, Belle, and Walker were shown. Again, I realize how very much I depend on friends and how very lucky I am to have such good ones who are willing to help me. So Jane, Rebecca, and Leslie...if you are reading this, know that I feel very fortunate to have your support and friendship. You do so much for me.

So, you may be wondering, "What happened. How did those Lhasas do?" It was the debut weekend for the pups, who turned 6 months old on the 13th. In a nutshell: Zach walked. He was not 'showy.' He was tentative, not too sure what was going on or what was expected, but he walked and held his tail up, even wagging it for the judge when he was being examined on the table. Rebecca took on the burden of showing Desi the 3 days she was entered. Desi walked on Saturday and Sunday (but Rebecca had to walk backwards coaxing Desi around the ring with liver bait). On Monday Desi had had enough, thank you very much. She stood still and that was that. The judge was upset and excused her. Rebecca had to listen to the judge's lecture about training a dog to walk. I felt so guilty! As far as placements go, Zach took 2nd out of 2 both days he was shown. Desi was the only one in her class.

Belle actually walked all three days. Now that was close to a miracle. We've been working at home and had some serious training sessions. So...she is walking but requires a very loose lead or she stops and lies down. The problem with the loose lead is that she doesn't hold her head up as she should, so she looks rather dumpy going around the ring. We'll be working on getting that head up now that she is cooperating about walking. With Belle, it is one step at at time. Belle was the only dog in her class all three days.

The most exciting part of the weekend was showing Walker. Actually I entered him because I knew the puppies and Belle would be reluctant to walk, so at least with Walker I'd be showing a dog that moved out and loved to show. He did not disappoint! He was not entered Friday. He won Best of Breed the three days he was entered. Group competition was tough. On Saturday he placed third in the Group under Dawn Hansen. On Sunday under Ed Bivin he made the cut in Group but did not get a placement. On Monday, the Group judge was Kent Delaney. No placement Monday either.

Jan and Karen came from WI. Karen's puppy dog won a point; Jan's Open Bitch took a major on Sunday. The Open Bitch Karen was showing for our friend LaVonne won the major on Monday. Marilyn came from OH and her Open Bitch finished (i.e., got the final points for her championship) on Friday. A lovely puppy dog from the 6-9 Month class won the major Friday and Sunday. Those were nice wins for him. His handlers were excited, and I am sure Sherry his breeder and Linda his owner were also thrilled when they heard the news!

The pictures at the top are of Belle (the light colored dog standing on the grooming table) and of Walker, the red sable dog that is moving. That picture was taken during Group judging on Sunday.

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you. (But it's better and much less stressful if they SHOW when you take them to a show!)

Joyce