Photos, Article, and a Request

“If only one of the presidential candidates would make it part of his platform to do something about making Monday part of the weekend. I think he would get a lot of votes”
- Thomas Wayne

Oh yes, lovely Monday mornings! Why is it so difficult to get out of bed and face a new work week each Monday? A bright thing about my Mondays lately is that each Monday means the puppies are another week older and another week cuter! We take pictures of them each Monday so that I can post them here throughout the week. Here are this week's photos. They are now 5 weeks old. Max is the bravest and most adventuresome, followed closely by Mallory. He is definitely the trailblazer and she the follower. Ellie was content to watch and make sure that what they are doing was okay – until last night when she decided watching was no fun and she'd do some exploring herself.

Ellie

Mallory

Max

 

I know that some of you are waiting for information about Raven. We'll know more in a few weeks but right now she certainly looks pregnant to me. The puppies are due around January 27th.

As I watch my puppies grow and eagerly await the arrival of the new litter, as I work with my up and coming show prospects and take care of the "seniors" at our house, as I try my best to do what is right and good for my dogs, for my parent club, and for the fancy in general, I sometimes wonder where it's all headed. I happened to read a post on the DogKnobit blog, "Is the Dog Fancy at a Tipping Point?" that echoes the sentiments I often feel. Please take time to read it at http://dogknobit.com/2012/12/29/is-the-dog-fancy-at-a-tipping-point/. You don't have to be involved in showing, only in loving dogs, to relate to the article.

I've had some questions from a reader about allergies in Lhasas and what to do, so anyone who has information about a product or food that has worked for your dog, please send me an email at Lhasas@joyslynslhasaapsos.com and I will certainly share your experiences and recommendations in a future post.

Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

Puppies at Four Weeks

The time has gone quickly. It is hard to believe these puppies are already 4 weeks old, well...4 and a half by now, since I am so late in getting the pictures posted. Max seems to be the brave explorer with Mallory close behind. Ellie hangs back and lets them do the exploring. She is apprehensive about walking on the tiled floor and prefers the quilt under her feet. (I don't blame her. I don't like our new flooring either. In my opinion, it is much too slick for people and pets. Let me know if you decide to buy new flooring and I'll tell you what kind not to buy!)

Here are the most recent photos:

Max 4 weeks

Mallory 4 weeks

 

 

 

 

 

Ellie 4 weeks

I hope you enjoy the pictures. I'll post more next week.

Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

The Latest Pictures

Christmas was great at our house, and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday also. Both our sons were here, as were our daughter-in-law and granddaughter. We had fun opening our gifts, laughing a lot, eating too much, and just being together again. I am thankful for technology and its ability through Skype to allow us to be with our daughter who lives in Florida. We Skyped a couple times on Christmas Day, and all of us felt closer and better for it. Now if someone could just figure out how to send hugs and kisses across the miles....

Our living room looks so sad and bedraggled. The tree is still up, but with no presents under it, it just looks forlorn and depressing. I'm tempted to take it down and put the decorations away.

We received both paper and electronic Christmas cards. All were very appreciated. It's great to be in touch with family and friends, to read the reviews of everyone's year, and to receive photos of kids, grandkids, and Lhasas. I managed to send electronic cards to friends and family who have email, but I still have to mail paper cards to those who do not. I admit to being so lazy this week. I am fortunate that I work at a university that gives us a paid week off between Christmas and New Year, and I've simply enjoyed the time off by reading and relaxing. It's been great, but it's starting to get old. I'll be ready to go back to work when the time comes and will certainly be more productive!

Here are the latest photos of the puppies taken on the 24th when they were 3 weeks old. They are getting so cute. They are up on their feet and toddling around. They are responding excitedly to the sound of my voice. They still nap frequently but are more and more active for longer periods of time. Enjoy their photos!

Lazy Max

Max again

Ellie (or maybe Nellie)

Ellie/Nellie again

Lazy Mallory

Mallory again

Oh...and we finally got around to taking pictures of Raven. Here are a couple of the better ones from her photo shoot. Click the photos if you want to see larger images.

Ch. Joyslyn's Midnight Enchantment ("Raven")

Another picture of Raven

I'll post puppy pictures again next week. In the meantime, please have a fun but safe New Year's Eve, and always remember that

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

Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2013!

Joyce

Christmas Greetings

My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that? ~ Bob Hope
 

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. ~ Calvin Coolidge
 

As the final countdown to Christmas day begins, I wish you all the warmest of greetings – for yourselves and your families.
 

Thanks to those of you who sent Christmas cards, especially the ones that included photos of your Lhasas that bring such joy to your lives. Although I enjoy receiving Christmas cards, I admit to having a "Bah, Humbug" attitude when it comes to sending them, so I really admire those of you who take time to send a card and note of greeting during this special time of year.
 

Here are some precious early Christmas gifts we received on December 3rd. Now two weeks old, the puppies are eating well and doing great. Their eyes opened on Sunday, always a momentous occasion! Max reminds me much of Rafe. Our granddaughter was not too pleased when I named Nellie, and thought "Ellie" was a better choice, so we'll see. Mallory was named by her new family who have been waiting for her arrival for a long time.

Mallory

Max

Nellie (or maybe Ellie)

Since I began this blog in March 2009, I've signed off by saying, "Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you," but with this post, I am changing it. Life is "good" no matter what. "Good" doesn't necessarily mean "easy" or "happy all the time." Life is "good" when we love ourselves and others. Life is "good" when we make positive choices to make it "good" for ourselves, our families, our friends and neighbors, and the millions of others in the world. Life is "good" when we are optimistic and caring in spite of all the crap the world and other people pile on us. Life is "good" when we choose to persevere in the face of defeat and not give up when it would be so easy to do so.

But…

Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Merry Christmas, my friends. May God continue to bless each and every one of you, not just during this holiday season but throughout the coming year.

Joyce

Just Some Puppy Pictures

How many days until Christmas??? The tree is up and decorated. I am waiting for two more online orders to arrive and think I have only two more gifts to purchase for one son. My goal is wrap a few presents each day from now through the 21st. In the meantime, there are Lhasas to love...

Here is the weekly photo update on Rafe and Maggie's puppies. The babies are a week old today and doing very well. Maggie is a good mom who cannot stand to be away from her puppies for more than 5 minutes. (That will change in a few weeks!)

So here we go...
These first two photos are of the gold and white parti-color female, taken just as she was yawning. Cute! I love how symmetrical the markings are on her head.

This one is of the gold female...

and this one is the gold male.

In the last post I mentioned not having taken pictures of Windy for a while, so we took care of that and here she is...

Windy

I enjoyed an email and picture from Cooper's owner. Cooper was one of Breaker and Mira's puppies, born in April. Melissa wrote that Cooper "is such a joy. We all simply adore him. He and my daughter Amia are the best of buddies. I think Cooper believes she is one of his litter mates! He will only eat breakfast when she does and the same for dinner. They enjoy playing chase throughout our house."

Who said Lhasas and children don't "click?" Here is cute little Cooper:

Cooper, 7 months

More pictures next week. By then the puppies' eyes will be open!

In the meantime, I hope your holiday preparations are going well.

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

Joyce

A Lot of News and Photos

Gabe, one of Rafe's siblings

With this post, I have a lot of news and many photos to share.

Griffin I, one of Rafe's siblings

Why does it seem as if Thanksgiving was months ago instead of less than two weeks ago? Rafe and his siblings recently had their first birthdays. I heard from most of their owners and received pictures which I am sharing. That year went quickly!!

Zora, Rafe's sister

I also received an email from the owner of a puppy whose picture appears on my website. The picture originally drew so many emails from people who wanted to buy him that I had to post a note saying the dogs shown on that page were not for sale. So here is Yogi as a puppy and as a much older adult. I'm not sure about his age but think he must be close to 10 by now. He is a much cherished Lhasa Apso! Note the color change.

Yogi as a Senior Citizen

Yogi as a puppy

Rafe, Windy, and I went to the Edwardsville Illinois Kennel Club show on November 30, December 1 and 2. We traveled with our Shiba friends, Jane and Rebecca, who were a great help to me at ringside. (I helped them with their Shibas too.) We all had good fortune. Jane's male took a major. Her bitch finished on Saturday. She moved her up to BOB and she took Select Bitch on Sunday, earning her some Grand Championship points. Rebecca's specials bitch also earned points toward her Grand Championship each of the three days, and her Bred-by Bitch took the points on Sunday.

Rafe in the Breed ring

As for my Lhasas…Rafe took Select Dog on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, he won the Breed, so he garnered point toward his Grand Championship all three days also. He had six Grand Championship points going into these shows. He has now completed the requirement for three majors (he has 4) and the requirement involving defeating other champions three times. He now needs only 8 single points to get the Grand Championship title. Here is a picture taken of him in the ring on Sunday. At the end of this post is a video of him in the Group ring (turn the volume down on your computer). I am so proud of all the accomplishments of this young dog. He has done a lot in the short time he's been shown. Now we will take it easy for a while, perhaps going to a few shows starting in February but mostly just waiting for spring and warmer, safer weather for travel. He still has not gone through a coat change so I imagine that will be coming very soon and will keep me busy on long winter nights.

Windy was not happy in the show ring. I did not enter her on Friday, thinking to give her some time to get used to the show – its smells and sounds. I was disappointed in her performance as she does so well at training class. She did not put her tail up in the ring on Saturday but she did walk and she did a nice job standing for examination. She had just come in season a couple days before we left, so that was not helping matters either! On Sunday, she was better. The tail was sort of halfway up and at times she forgot herself and managed to get it briefly over her back. I think if we would have had another day, she would have been more comfortable in the ring. Ditto if she had not been the only one in her class. She did much better during the Winners Bitch competition when she had other dogs to follow. I need to get some photos of her too. She is a pretty Lhasa.

Maggie went to the vet on the 28th and the x-ray showed three puppies. Her due date was December 7th. I say "was" since when I came home last night, Lynn, who had gotten home from work before I did, was at the door saying, "You should see Maggie and her three puppies!" Oh my goodness, was that a surprise. She showed no signs, not even a temperature drop that AM that would have led me to believe she would have her puppies that afternoon. Thank goodness the labor and delivery went well. So, here is a picture of the newborns. The parti-color is a girl, as is the gold that has a tiny spot of white on her shoulder. The gold with the large white spot is a male.

Rafe and Maggie's puppies

I'd been interested to find out what colors they would be. Blacks and reds were possibilities, as were either gold and white or black and white parti-colors.

During the weekend after Thanksgiving, we did a "Maggie Photo Shoot" since I knew I'd soon have to clip her coat in preparation for the coming litter. Two of the photos taken of her are at the end of this post. She is so pretty. (If I do say so myself!) :-)

It was hard for me to take a clipper to that lovely coat. I'd put it off much longer than usual.

Now that the puppies have been born, you can expect frequent postings of them as they grow.

In the meantime, for those of you shopping for Christmas gifts, may you find discount prices on everything you buy.

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

Joyce

Maggie

Maggie

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Happy Thanksgiving! As you prepare your holiday meal, take time to appreciate all the things in your life that are good and positive. We all have "bad" days and a multitude of lousy things that happen to us that make us cry, "Why me?" but I truly believe that if we take even a few minutes to count our blessings, we soon realize life is good.

I tried that last night as I walked from my office to the parking lot after work. My goodness, even in that walk of no more than a block, I had a long, long list and I had not even begun!

We're soon headed to the three days of shows in Belleville, Illinois, on November 30, December 1 and 2. I'm taking Rafe and Windy. As far as plans go for now, these will be our last shows until spring. It will be good to be together with the midwest Lhasa people again. This show has drawn quite a few Lhasas from WI, IL, MO and I don't know where else! We have majors in both sexes each day and five specials.

The news that many of you have been waiting for is that we will soon have puppies. Maggie was bred to Rafe and the puppies are due December 7. If you emailed or called and asked to be put on a waiting list, let me know if you are still interested.

Below are pictures of Rafe and Maggie, the sire and dam of the expected litter. The one of Maggie is a portrait drawn by AKC judge and artist Ann Hier. Ann really captured Maggie in her drawing.

Ch. Joyslyn's Inherit the Wind

Ch. Joyslyn's Moonlight Magic

Finally, let me end with this Thanksgiving wish for you all:

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
and your pies take the prize,
and may your Thanksgiving dinner
stay off your thighs!
~Unknown

Count your Lhasa(s) when you count your blessings because….Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce