Updates, Show Results, and Some Photos

“Dogs are minor angels, and I don't mean that facetiously. They love unconditionally, forgive immediately, are the truest of friends, willing to do anything that makes us happy, etcetera. If we attributed some of those qualities to a person we would say they are special. If they had ALL of them, we would call them angelic. But because it's "only" a dog, we dismiss them as sweet or funny but little more. However when you think about it, what are the things that we most like in another human being? Many times those qualities are seen in our dogs every single day-- we're just so used to them that we pay no attention.” ~ Jonathan Carroll

I agree with Mr. Carroll's assessment of the dog. However, my youngest 'minor angel' seems to have a devilish streak!

Although I do not have a new picture to post of Lila, I do want to tell you about her. You might recall that Lila was the only female in the litter born May 4. Her two brothers have left for their new homes and she is staying with us to be our next "show dog." Almost every evening for the last week, I've said, "We need to get a picture of Lila." But we never seem to get around to taking one, so I have nothing to post. Like her mother, Lila seems to be a bossy girl. She is tough too. She and Duncan, who is now 6.5 months old, roughhouse each night, and she keeps right up with him.

Every week when our granddaughter comes to spend the night with us, one of the things we do is take puppies for a walk. Lila has been on a lead and has learned to keep up with Duncan on our walks. However, that fact was not apparent on  Tuesday night when Lila attended her first show training class.

Those of you who are regular readers know that the time from when I leave home to drive to Peoria, attend class, and arrive back home is nearly five hours. Tuesday shortly after 5:00, Lila and I set off for Peoria. It was her longest car ride yet and she was very good. She did not fuss in her crate nor did she get car sick. (Her mother always did, so I was somewhat apprehensive.)

I expected her to be a little shy at class. It was a new place, new people, new dogs - most larger than she is. This week every dog attending was under 7 months. We had a Newfie, a Shiba, a Klee Kai (a breed that was new to me), a mini Dachshund, and Lila.

Little Miss Lila, whose middle name must be "Stubborn," decided to humiliate me.  She did not want to walk on the lead and acted as if she had never been on one before. She decided she wanted to play victim and cried and screamed and tossed her body back and forth to prove she could throw a champion tantrum. She sat her butt down and refused to budge.

She loved the trainer but wanted him to "rescue" her from me, so she flirted with him and asked to be picked up and acted so sweet and kissy when he held her! Everyone was laughing (it was funny)! When it was time for us to do a "down and back," she would go away from the trainer, but not back toward him. We all decided that in her mind, she'd been there/done that and saw no need to retrace her steps.

She ignored the treats I'd brought for her, so others offered her cheese and pupperoni. She liked those treats, for a while, then ignored them too. She was definitely irked at me, so when we'd stop at our place in the line-up behind the dachshund, she would go to that dog's owner, crawl between her legs, and lie down on her shoes and totally ignore me. The lady's little dog tried to protest. Lila gave him a look and he rolled over on his back!

That was our first adventure at class. Wednesday AM I put her on a lead and took her for a walk. She was perfect - except for the fact that she wants to walk between my feet rather than to the left! (She's determined I'm goin' down!)

Now for some updates from the show we attended last weekend. The show was in Burlington, Iowa. The weather was beautiful for an August show. The club members were friendly and welcoming, stopping by to chat and make sure things were going well for us. It's always been a favorite show of mine (1) because it is only an hour's drive and (2) because the venue is comfortable.

This year, my friend LaVonne, who co-owns Duncan's brother Jimmy, came from WI to stay with me so she could attend the show. We had a great visit and fun at the show. I planned to help my friend Jane with her Shibas and we were hoping that the show superintendent would schedule the two breeds far enough apart so we could help each other at ringside. She had three Shiba entered and I had three Lhasas entered. Wouldn't you know, the two breeds were scheduled with only 2 breeds between them, both breeds had such small entries that one breed did not even show up. Things were hectic but we managed to get all the dogs in the ring when they were supposed to be there.

By the end of the weekend, Duncan had two points. Windy also earned another two, giving her 11 points including one major. Rafe was the only Special entered so he won the Breed more or less by default. He did not place in either group.

Jane took some photos and video of him while he was in the Group ring on Sunday.

Here is a partial clip from the video:

I received notes from Lucky's and Ella's owners this week, as well as from Sarah about Mira. Lucky is still chasing geese and getting into the stinky pond. Ella is growing and looking cute, as you can see from her picture. Mira is fitting into her new home well, and Tashi is glad to have another dog to play with again. I love the picture of the two of them. Tashi has such a pretty face and Mira looks so content. Note the way she has her front legs curled.

Ella (She is Rafe and Maggie's daughter)

Tashi and Mira

I've had quite a few calls recently from people searching for Lhasa puppies and becoming frustrated because they cannot find one from a reputable breeder. I understand their frustration and wish I could be more helpful. As we all know...

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

Joyce

Show Results, Letters, and Some Photos

The Waukesha weekend was a good one for the Joyslyn dogs - in spite of the weather. Friday morning the Lhasas were in the ring at 10:00 for the Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club Specialty Show. The sky was overcast and the breeze was chilly. It was threatening to rain!

This was the first show weekend for Raven's two sons, Duncan and Jimmy. Jimmy (formerly called Gus) is known to AKC as Joyslyn Golden Tu Mon Ami Inka Dinka Doo. He is owned by my friends Jan Graunke and LaVonne Bennett. LaVonne showed him on Friday only at the Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club Specialty. Not only does Jimmy look like Raven, but he also moves like her. That little guy is amazing!  He won the 6-9 puppy class and then went on to beat the Open Dog for Winners Dog and earn two points! His first show! Following in his mother's footsteps, like her at that Specialty show in 2011, he took Best of Winners.  When it came time for the Best of Breed competition, LaVonne had a Special she was showing, so I got to take Jimmy in the ring. I was thrilled to be showing him and, for not having seen me for a few months, he showed very well.

Windy showed nicely in the grass, which pleased me because this was her first show on grass. She took Reserve Winners Bitch.

Fortunately for Lhasa exhibitors and their dogs, the rain held off until we finished showing. The first few sprinkles began as we were through taking pictures.  Then the sky opened and it poured for most of the day.

I was glad that I thought to pack a sweatshirt and wished I had a rain coat! Other breeds were scheduled for the rest of the day, and I felt so sorry for the dogs and their handlers who were showing in the downpour! Many exhibitors had spent the morning washing, drying, and primping their dogs to look their best. Everyone came back in the building soaked to the skin!

Saturday and Sunday were cold and windy days. There was no rain. By Sunday, I was thinking, "why bother grooming?" since the wind was high and the dogs' coats were blowing all over.  I confess to not doing my usual thorough job! Windy took Winners Bitch on Saturday and Sunday. She now has 9 points, including one major. She needs another major and some singles to get to the 15 points with two majors required for her championship.

Duncan

Duncan made his ring debut on Sunday. He showed nicely for me but did not win. He took Reserve Winners Dog, which sounds good until you know that there were only two dogs entered! He had fun, was happy in the ring, and had a great first experience.

My friend, Jane, took some video of Jimmy, Windy, and Duncan. Jimmy's and Windy's videos were taken on Friday. We knew we were not going to be able to video Duncan on Sunday, so I walked him in the grass at the hotel and Jane took the video there.

In spite of the excitement over Jimmy's big win, Friday was also a bittersweet day. Mira left us for a new home with Sarah, Al, and their Lhasa Tashi (also a Joyslyn's Lhasa). Here is a picture of Mira and me in the car on Friday saying good-bye. It was pouring rain outside so we had to crowd into my car to stay "dry." Of course, we were soaked by the time we ran to the car! My hair and face were wet with rain, which helped cover up the teary eyes.

Sarah, knowing how hard it was for me to let Mira go, has sent a lot of photos and updates. Among the notes: "I just wanted to let you know that everything is going well with Tashi and Mira!  At first Tashi was a little shocked, but as per usual the lhasa girl is leading the way. She has found her favorite spot on my comfy chair with her bone…She has investigated the house, found it suitable and is now settling in. She has stolen Al's heart!" and "She has such a cute little growl/muff when she wants her way, and Tashi just jumps back as if he's seen a ghost! They run around together and behave very well on our walks. Life is so good when you have two adorable lhasas to love you!"

Tashi and Mira sharing the sofa

On Saturday, Violet, Roman, and their Lhasa Yogi drove to Waukesha from northern Illinois to watch us show, cheer us on, and visit with me. Yogi is nearly 11 years old. He was so calm and collected around all the hubbub of the show. Yogi is related to Walker. His sire is Walker's grandsire -- and I'll let you figure out the relationship! It was fun to see them all again. I had not seen Yogi except in pictures since he left our home. Violet and Roman came to see me at another show about 7 years ago when I was showing Connor but they left Yogi home that time.

It was fun on Sunday to see Pat W. at the Lhasa ring. Pat had a pet Lhasa for many years and really appreciates the breed. She shows a lovely Soft Coated Wheaten named Flynn, who had some nice wins on Friday and Saturday. After we showed the Lhasas, we went to Pat's grooming area to visit with her and to meet Flynn. He is 11 months old and such a sweetheart.

Flynn

Our next shows are this coming weekend in Burlington, IA. The Lhasa entry is all Joyslyn. Duncan and Jimmy are the only class males. Windy is the only bitch entered, and Rafe is the only Special entered.

I have been blessed again this week with emails from people who have Joyslyn's Lhasas. Some also included photos.

Mary sent a cute photo of Gabe. Poor Gabe has been ill with  an inflamed bowel and had to start a hypoallergenic diet. We're happy the vet was able to diagnose the problem because Gabe had stopped eating and was feeling low. With the new diet and some meds, his appetite has returned and he is himself again.

Gabe, just chillin'

 A note from Barbara reminds me how much she loves her Daisy:  "I pick up my Daisy, and her big eyes and look always perk me up - she always understands me - happy or sad!  Who needs a support group - get an upper like my Daisy!  All I can say is, thank you again and again from the bottom of my heart for my Daisy!  Just when one thinks she cannot get cuter  and smarter, she never fails to amaze me everyday.  Like Tom said, she is a PP - Precious Puppy!  Everyone loves her and then they want to take her from me - have you ever seen a protective Mom - no need to say anymore!!!!"

Laurie tells me that Hunter has learned how to go up the stairs and that he is growing fast. She wrote, "Hunter loves his time with the other dogs. Zora is teaching him how to have a really big bark (great). Zeus likes to play with him when Zora is getting groomed. Our puppy has brought much needed balance to the animal kingdom. Hunter is half snuggle bug and half stinker. He is so happy and his tail constantly wags. He so wants to run with the big dogs." She went on to tell me about his vet appointment and wrote "… he went on and on about how wonderful Hunter is. He is always impressed with your breeding program. Hunter charmed the people in the reception area. It's my little secret that as handsome as he is now, he is going to be even more gorgeous when he gets older."

Hunter learns to climb stairs

Laurie's Lhasa Trio: Zora, Hunter, Zeus

Ted and Ev wrote about Lucky's latest adventure. (Lucky is a half-brother to the Jethro/Hunter/Lila puppies. Mira is also his mother.) You might recall from previous posting about him that Lucky is trying out various jobs (e.g., WalMart Greeter and golf ball retriever).  Most recently Lucky decided to try on a new hat and become a geese chaser at the local pond. Ted wrote, "Lucky is walked daily in a park-like setting with homes on 2 sides and an open park on one side.   In between is a manmade lake that attracts hundreds of geese every year.   Some remain throughout the Spring to Fall. Lucky has walked past this lake numerous times with geese swimming around or just having a power nap.  The stench from the lake and surrounding area with all of the goose dumping  is high.  I’m not too sure why Good Old Lucky decided that he was going to chase the geese out of the lake, but he jumped in and started barking at them, making lunges towards them----the geese are honking away and Lucky is barking and charging them in the water.  This went on for about 5 minutes until he got closer to shore and Ev was able to scoop him out of the water. Like I mentioned the stench from the water and surrounding area is very very high so you can imagine what our  “guard dog” smelled like.  It was awful.   He had a ball and we had to scrub him down (a couple of times) to rid him of the stench…He is certainly a character and keeps us smiling and laughing at the various things he comes up with daily."

It might have been fun to see a video of Lucky policing the geese! I'm so glad I did not have to be in charge of that clean up. Ugh! Poor Ev!

An article by Frank Losey, "ASPCA Violates Dog Breeders"  discusses possible repercussions for hobby and show breeders (like me). And here's a little tongue-in-cheek poster to help you understand why breeders breed dogs. LOL

Life is better when you have a Lhasa (or two) to love you!

Joyce

"My Bags Are Packed, I'm Ready to Go...."

...NOT!

The dogs are bathed, dry, and looking good. Their bags are packed and ready for the show. Mine, however, are not. I do have a list though and a couple hours before I need to have the luggage packed and the car loaded. All I can say about procrastinating last night is that the novel was more interesting than I thought packing would be.

We are headed to the Waukesha shows. What will be different this year is the weather. Usually, as I wrote before, the temps are beastly high and the humidity is too. This year, according to the Weather Channel's website, the temps will be in the low 70's during the day and close to 50 at night. I'm taking a jacket!  Except for the rain/thunderstorm forecast on Friday, it should be lovely weather for showing dogs outside.

Well, the boys have gone to their new homes. Lila doesn't seem to care. She did not fuss when moved to her own crate. She plays with Duncan and manages to get under my feet wherever I walk -- the little dickens. For some reason she must think it is fun to live dangerously!

I've heard from the boys' new owners. Cindy wrote, "Jethro is settling in and getting acclimated...I thought we would have a quiet week and get a schedule worked out but there is nothing like a puppy to draw people and they all came with toys and treats.  Jethro loved everyone and all the toys!  He is really quick and so smart... Right now we are a household of two word sentences, go potty, no bite, no chew, lots of good boy, and kennel up.  He is doing really well with the potty training, really well... We visited the Contented Canines and signed up for beginning obedience starting in August.  I think those are mostly for the humans!..."

Laurie wrote this about Hunter, "...Every day the dogs get better together. Hunter is playing with both adults now. He's starting to hold his own.  Zora looked happy when I told him to cut it out this evening.  For once she did not get blamed.   She liked the one on one time while grooming her last night.  Tonight Zeus gets a turn.  Tomorrow is Hunter vet time.  On walks people in the neighborhood admire all the dogs, especially that cute little puppy.  Consider them your Chicago goodwill ambassadors..." 

Oliver - what a cutie!

And, I received a nice email from Ellen about Oliver, "Just thought I would send you an updated picture of Oliver. He has been so much fun this past year! He kisses more than any dog I've ever known. And he's got the true Lhasa stubbornness. I think I may take him back to school to refreshen what he learned last year. He's quite the barker, too! All in all, he's been such a wonderful addition!..."

That's it for pictures and updates this week. Wish us luck at the show! Sunday will be Duncan's first show. His brother Jimmy's first show is tomorrow. I'm so excited to see them in the ring. They are both lovely Lhasas.

For now...I probably should start packing my bags soon.

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

Joyce

Photos and Not Much Else

It ain't the heat, it's the humility. ~ Yogi Berra









This week has been rather hum-drum, except for the night we went to see the new Lone Ranger movie. Both of us are, of course, old enough to remember seeing the Lone Ranger movie when we were young children, and both were fans of the TV show. Ahh, Saturday morning memories....the Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Sky King, My Friend Flicka...

Johnny Depp gave Tonto a whole new dimension! LOL

So, what I have for you this is week is nothing of any substance. Here are the most recent puppy pictures and some show pictures that finally arrived of Rafe and Windy.

Jethro, 10 weeks

Lila, 10 weeks

Hunter, 10 weeks

Not the best picture of Windy, but oh well...
And, seriously, I am wearing a shirt under that jacket. It's a pale coral color and evidently blends in with my skin tone! LOL I may have to rethink that combination.

Windy, Best of Winners, 2 point, GMLAC Specialty, Judge Richard Miller

 Finally, a good picture of Rafe! It took us a little extra time, but the result was worth the wait.

GCh. Ch. Joyslyn's Inherit The Wind

This has absolutely nothing to do with dogs, but I was reading a novel involving some courtroom drama and found some information that intrigued me. The expert witness for the defense was giving testimony about the unreliability of eye witnesses. He referenced a video on YouTube that made his point. It is a selective attention experiment. Watch it and be amazed.  After you have seen it, go to this site and do some short reading about the experiment if you have nothing else to do! ;-)

Windy and I are preparing for a trip to the Waukesha shows next weekend. The Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club is having a specialty show on Friday. I've entered Windy all three days and Duncan only on Sunday. It will be his first show. I hope he performs well. I'm keeping it a secret from Rafe, but he is not going. I hate the heat, humidity, uneven ring surfaces, clods of dirt and clumps of weeds/grass in the ring at that show. He doesn't need to be out in it. I go each year to support the club and because I enjoy being with my WI Lhasa friends, but I always question my sanity! I have a feeling Rafe's nose is going to be out of joint about being left home and hope he doesn't find a way to get even with me!

Have a great weekend everyone, and don't forget...

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

Puppy kisses

It's About Time!

How long a minute is, depends on which side of the bathroom door you're on.
    ~Zall's Second Law

Apologies for being so tardy with this post. So much has happened that I do not know where to begin when it comes to writing about it.

Apologies to those of you who were hoping to see updated puppy photos of our now 10 week old puppies. We just did not get around to taking photos,  something quite unusual for us.

So...here is what we've been up to. The first couple days in July were spent getting ourselves and the dogs ready for us to leave for Miami, where our daughter lives and where her wedding was taking place. I drove to Burlington Monday AM to pick Mom up from the Amtrak station there. She rode the train from Nebraska so she could go with us to the wedding. We spent the rest of Monday and most of Tuesday grooming and bathing all the dogs. A few went to the veterinary clinic to be boarded and the others stayed home. I hired a dog sitter to come in to care for them. (She did a great job!)

We left for the St. Louis airport early Wednesday AM. Unfortunately, delay after delay for our departure seemed to be the theme of the day. The major worry was that we would miss our connecting flight in Atlanta. All the later flights to Miami were overbooked and we'd have to wait until Thursday. Fortunately, Atlanta weather caused delays there also and, following a mad dash from one concourse to another, we made our flight.

The visit was great. The wedding was beautiful. The reception was fun. Our son-in-law's family was warm and welcoming.

All too soon, Monday morning arrived and it was time to fly home. It was so hard for me to say good-bye. I miss my daughter a lot!

Unlike the flights to Miami, the return flights were on time and we arrived in St. Louis ahead of schedule. Soon we were back in Macomb and being happily greeted by the dogs who seemed thrilled to see us again.

Fortunately, I'd made arrangements with my friend Jane for her to groom Rafe once while I was gone. I should have done the same for Windy! Oh...hindsight is wonderful! Evidently Windy decided that the week I was gone would be an excellent time to go through a coat change. I also think the rain and high humidity exacerbated the problem. When I picked her up from the vet's office where she'd been boarded, I could feel how tightly packed the mats were on her sides and chest. My heart just fell. I know we were "in for it."

Thus began Tuesday's marathon grooming session. My husband spent over two and a half hours grooming Windy Tuesday morning. He had to stop since both he and Windy were getting tired and more than ready to have the session end. After taking Mom back to the train station Tuesday afternoon, I had my turn tackling the severely matted Windy. I also spent a little over two and a half hours grooming her. What came out was soft undercoat, which we refer to as "the scuzzies." By the time we finished, the pile was huge. Here's a picture.

The pile of Windy's undercoat after 6 hours of de-matting!

I feared that Windy would be bald. She was not. I think we're going to be okay, but I am very glad we returned home when we did.

Then Rafe had a turn and I was so thankful Jane had groomed him a few days earlier. He was easy to do compared to Windy.

Right now, we have only three dogs with long coats. Breaker has an easy-to-care-for adult coat and took less than an hour to groom out.

Windy after the marathon grooming session

Since then, it's been back to work where we've spent a lot of time catching up on all the things that piled up during our time off.











So, here are pictures from the wedding and the reception. I have more, of course, but I know how boring it is to look at other people's vacation pictures, so I'll limit the number I post.

Erikka with me after Friday's ceremony

Our daughter and son-in-law

Lynn with me at the wedding reception on Saturday

I also received a great photo of Tashi from Sarah. It was good to see him again. He has such a pretty, expressive face.

Here is a funny picture Lynn took of our granddaughter as she jumped into the pool at our Miami hotel. He caught her just before she went into the water. When we saw the photo, we laughed and I commented that we always knew she was perfect but evidently she walks on water!

We also spent an enjoyable afternoon on South Beach and Lincoln Road. It was a perfect day for visiting the beach -- clear blue sky with just wispy clouds; gentle cooling breezes; lots of sun, sand, and warm ocean water.

I got a kick out of speaking to Miami people about weather. They seemed to think they had the market on heat and humidity and, it seemed to me, did not quite believe me when I assured them that the midwest did indeed have high summer temperatures and many horrible humid days.

Hearing we were from Illinois, people automatically assumed "Chicago."  We had to explain that Chicago is NOT the only place people live in Illinois.

Two of the babies will be leaving soon. We'll be keeping Lila and hoping she will enjoy the show ring. Duncan loves to play with the younger puppies, but he has a tendency to be a little rougher with them than I'm willing to tolerate. Lila has learned to give it right back to him and is already establishing herself as the "boss." Those Lhasa girls! Since she and Duncan will soon be traveling to shows together, it's good she's establishing some boundries.

Duncan's first show is coming up at the end of this month. I hope he remembers his ring manners. Our training classes don't open again until August and, obviously, I haven't had time for a couple weeks to work with him. Rafe is staying home from those shows so I can focus on Windy and Duncan. Rafe's going to be upset!

Nutura is recalling some of its dog food. If you feed that brand, check the list on this site.

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

Joyce

Some Pictures, Some Updates

The Group 4 photo of Rafe, taken at the Fargo, ND, show in early June finally arrived. As you know, Rafe is not a dog who wants to have his picture taken, so I was pleased that it turned out as well as it did. The judge is Charlotte Patterson.

I received an email from Ted, the owner of Lucky, who is a half brother to our current puppies. I appreciate Ted keeping me updated on Lucky's antics! Ted wrote, "I thought I would share with you a funny situation with our WalMart Greeter.  He seems to be expanding his functions in life.  I think he also wants to be a ball retriever. Ev and I went to a resort for a few days to relax and do some golfing  (I golf , Ev and Lucky drive the cart). Hole by hole I would pitch my ball onto the green and put it into the hole and then walk back to the cart and drive to the next hole. On the 15th hole , I pitched the ball on to the green and was getting my putter out of the bag when all of a sudden Lucky jumps out of the cart with his leash still on and runs to the golf ball---puts it into his mouth and runs back to the cart proud as punch. He surprises us most days with something new. He is quite the character." 

LOL!! Lucky obviously learned a new trick by observing Ted. "Hey, I wanna golf too! I'll just save Dad the effort and bring back that ball for him!"

Lucky's half-siblings (Mira is their mom) are growing and exploring and figuring out new ways to flummox me each day. They love trying to beat me through the baby gate! It's their newest game. The gate is new and does its job but I liked the old one much better. We had to forgo using it because Duncan figured out how to get out of it. The new one is higher, so I cannot step over it as I did the other one, which means opening and shutting it multiple times each day.

This week the new experiences for the puppies included a bath and a session under the big blow dryer on Tuesday and, on Wednesday, a trip in the car to the vet for first vaccinations. As usual, they were a hit at the clinic, with multiple staff members stopping by to see them and tell me how cute they are.

My girl, Lila, 7.5 weeks

Hunter, 7.5 weeks

Jethro, 7.5 weeks

Rafe and I had an interesting experience on Monday as we conferred via phone with an animal communicator. I'd had two previous experiences with an animal communicator, one regarding our dog, Davy, who simply did not want to show for me. Based on what she said after communicating with Davy, I turned over his handling to my friend Jane, and we let him go home with her and play with the Shibas. That was what he wanted! A couple months later, he was a champion and could rest on his laurels and not go to anymore shows!

The second experience was a face-to-face with a communicator at a show in MN. Breaker was a great dog to show -- as long as there were no loud or unusual noises around the ring he was in. Well, if you have ever been to a dog show, you know that loud and unusual noises are all part of the background and have to be endured. Breaker finished fast, getting his first points in May and his championship in late August, shortly after he turned a year old. However, the noises made him antsy and unreliable, so when I saw the communicator's booth at the show, I thought I'd see if she could provide insight into his problem. Unfortunately, she could not. He was willing to communicate about how he liked the showing and going to shows with me. But when she asked him about being afraid and antsy in the ring, she said it was like a black curtain fell down between them. He shut off communication and, she said, he obviously did not want to talk about it! She felt so bad that she did not even charge me for that consultation.

When we were at the Bloomington, IL shows in May, I began a conversation with a friend who lives there. Eventually, we began talking about a mutual friend whose husband recently died. She was taking her Lhasa to a communicator to help the dog get through her grief, which was making her act totally out of character. I mentioned I'd like to get inside Rafe's head to find out why he insisted on shaking his head in the ring and why he disliked having his picture taken. And that is how our Monday session with the communicator came about.

Did she provide some insight for me? Yes, indeed! I know now that I have some things to work on. For instance, Rafe feels confused and slighted because he does not understand why I used to show him first and now he has to wait until Windy shows. He doesn't like me leaving him at ringside with other people to show her. He doesn't like the rushing around when I come out of the ring to get him.

Now, if you know dog shows, this makes sense. Before the dogs are champions, the classes for males are judged first, then the females, then the champions. So, yes, for his first shows Rafe, being a puppy, always got to go in the ring first. He was only 8 months old when he finished so he was always first in the ring. I was also showing Maggie then, and she had to wait to go after him. Now it is different. I do have to rush, especially if Windy wins her class and has to go back in for Winners Bitch. The specials go in immediately after the WB class, so there is very little time to switch dogs and armbands and get back in the ring with Rafe. So we worked on a strategy and will see how it turns out. I'll try it this weekend.

Oh...and he prefers his headfall be airy and fluffy! It bothers him when I brush it down close to his head, so he shakes. (He's gonna have to get over that by himself! LOL!)  I have a strategy, and will let you know if it works!

The communicator also told me not to use the word "don't." She said dogs do not understand contractions. So "don't shake" is no good. "No shake" is better. They understand "no."

Finally, the photos: He dislikes the high energy that surrounds the area where pictures are taken. It makes him nervous and uncomfortable. He thinks there is too much stuff there. Okay, I understand his point...you have a judge, a photographer who usually has an assistant, me (who tends to be happy and excited by the placement or win), generally a couple of my friends who are fans and supporters of Rafe and who help groom him for the picture, and then there are the props--often big baskets of flowers--and a sign indicating name, date of show, award. The groomers are brushing. I'm trying to stack him. The photographer is giving directions (e.g., move the front foot on your side back a bit; fix the tail, etc.). The assistant is squeeking some damn toy, trying to get the dog's attention. You get the picture.  And all the while, he is thinking, "Just get me out of here."

I understand what he means about the high energy in the area where the pictures are taken. At the end of the day, during the group judging, there is a lot of high energy in and around the ring. People are cheering for their favorites and, of course, those who win or place in the groups are super-charged with excitement and energy. The first place they all head to is usually the photographer's set up to get  a photo to commemorate the event.

So, I understand...but I still wish he'd focus and hold still for the picture. We'd get out of that environment he dislikes much faster that way!

All-in-all, the conversation with the communicator was a good one. I came away with some insights into Rafe's experiences and opinions. He does like going to the shows and doesn't want to stop. He feels special and enjoys the attention he gets when people say how pretty he is. What he wants is more attention from me (hmmm....some jealousy of Windy perhaps?). I'm a little apprehensive about his response when I start showing Duncan! Oh...and Rafe likes his name. He thinks it is funny when people mispronounce it and I correct them.

We're headed for two all-breed shows and a Lhasa Apso specialty in West Bend, WI, this weekend. Wish us luck!

Here's a recent article, HSUS Says No More Animals, I thought some of you might be interested in reading. It was printed in the June 21, 2013 issue of the online publication, Dog Press.

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

Joyce

Weather on Our Minds

You can't get mad at weather because weather's not about you. Apply that lesson to most other aspects of life. ~ Doug Coupland





You'd think that weather was the only topic people are interested in. What's the temp supposed to be today? Is rain forecast? Did you hear they got 4  inches over by (fill in name of town) last week? Can you believe this wind? People complain that it is too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too windy...LOL. I guess weather is one thing we all have in common.

On to the updates...

Day 15 of my summer cold. Enough said on that topic!

Remember when you were a child and the summer days seemed long and endless—in a good way? The kids in our neighborhood were not bored in the summer. Our parents and caretakers were more than ready to scoot us outside and tell us to stay there. We played with neighborhood kids, went swimming, and created new games and made up new rules for old games. Summer isn't like that anymore—not for this adult! June is more than half gone and, for me at least, none of those days have been lazy ones.

I received a note from Gail about Piper. Gail wrote, "Piper is doing great... She still plays like a puppy with her squeaky toys. You would never guess she is a senior citizen with limited vision - except for a few gray hairs - but then of course I have a few more gray hairs too - so we are still a perfect match. You still have my sincere thanks for letting me have such a sweet girl with such a joyful disposition." Piper is known to the AKC as Ch. Joyslyn The Charmed One.

A photo taken of Piper when I was showing her (about 9 or 10 years ago)

I had a good conversation today with Mary, Gabe's owner, who updated me on his antics. He sounds like quite a character. Mary adores him and evidently the feeling is mutual. They seem to make a perfect pair.

I also received a call from Carol, a woman looking for a new Lhasa puppy. I was sad to tell her we had nothing available. Her Lhasa died three weeks ago. She would have been 20 years  old in September. Wow! I was impressed by that. Our oldest lived to be a month shy of 17 years old.

Laurie wrote that she is taking Zora to obedience classes again (they were dropouts the first time!): "She is such a smart dog. Now I just have to practice. She's a little bugger with other dogs sometimes, so I'm going to get her to group class. Also, she barks loudly. Yes, she was bred to alert us, but she is really, really loud. Our trainer explained that we just have to give her tasks to get her to focus and then learn what "Quiet" means. So far, I think it is working. She's catching on quickly. If she can get over the barking at other dogs, I would love to get her in agility eventually. Hey, she is competitive and she has a registered name that was meant for something really cool. We can channel her energy into something positive."

Gabe and Zora are littermates of Rafe. It seems they all have that little stubborn streak. Rafe is smart and finds little ways to get back at me if he gets irked -- only he waits until we are in the show ring. He knows I hate it when we start moving for the judge and he shakes his head. (Why do I hate it -- it messes up both his headfall and his gait!) He also knows he is supposed to stack and stand still on the floor in the show ring. So what does he do? You guessed it. Like Laurie with Zora, we're working on that!

LaVonne, who co-owns Duncan's brother Jimmy (formerly known on this blog as Gus), sent a picture and description of Jimmy's favorite game: "We play a game every morning, I put them [the toys] in the middle of the living room and he 'sneaks' (he looks both ways before taking off) them back one at a time into the dining room in front of the table and then plays with them.  He is also willing to share them with the two older dogs.  He'll take one and lay it at either Tiki or Mandy's feet and then go into play mode.  Then they chase around the house playing tag."

Jimmy with a couple of his toys

Duncan has been attending training class the last couple of weeks. We made a special effort to attend because classes end this month (note that we leave home at 5:15 and usually don't return until after 10:00 -- all for a one hour class). He's been doing well! He has a great attitude and is happy and playful but able to get down to business, except he, too, wants to wiggle around when he is supposed to be stacked on the floor! Unlike Rafe though, he is not yet even 5 months old, so I'm cutting him some slack!

Below are pictures taken of Duncan today. He'll be 5 months old on the 23rd. The color is true in the photo on the left. It's washed out by the flash in the photo on the right. Also, the white you see on his back is the white tip of his tail.

I'm hoping Duncan's first show will be in Waukesha at the end of July, just a few days after he is 6 months old. That is a 3-day show weekend but the weather is usually hot and muggy, so I will not enter him all three days. That is the only outdoor show we go to, and I'd rather get him acclimated to an indoor ring.

The babies are growing. They have taken over the utility room, much to Duncan's dismay. He wants

Lila at 6.5 weeks

to play with them but the size and age difference is a big one so their play together is supervised. Lila, being a female Lhasa, refuses to take any crap off Duncan and barks at him and gets after him if he gets too rough with her. The boys tend to be more tolerant and less territorial.

The puppies love being in the family room. I have a big comforter on the floor and they run, roll, and wrestle on it. Each will claim a toy or bone and stake out a spot on the comforter. Lila and Jethro play "cat," crouching low, sneaking up on each other, and pouncing at the last moment. Hunter has discovered the water bottle. I have a water bottle as well as a bowl of water in the 3 x 3 where they sleep. Hunter is intrigued by the water bottle and investigates how it works. They are learning, albeit slowly, about piddle pads and newspapers.

Hunter at 6.5 weeks

Jethro at 6.5 weeks

I'm an avid reader and recently finished reading Suspect by Roger Crais. The plot involves an injured police officer and a war dog wounded in Afghanistan. They meet at a police K-9 training center. The story was a good one, but what I enjoyed most about the book was the insight into dogs, how to talk to them, how to pet them, etc. that the trainer imparted to the police officer (who had lied and said "yes" when asked on his application if he'd ever had a dog and who really did not know much about relating to dogs). I wished I could have copied excerpts from the book just to give to people.

I'm gearing up for a trip to West Bend, WI for a dog show next weekend. Rafe and Windy will be going with me.

Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you!  Give yours a hug!

Joyce