As a mentor for our breed, I had the opportunity at the Waukesha show to talk to a prospective Lhasa Apso judge. Like others before her, one point she tried to make with me was that she thought our breed standard was too vague. I countered with the fact that the Lhasa standard emphasizes the features that set the breed apart and if the standard doesn't mention a trait, then a judge should take that to mean "normal canine [movement, structure…whatever]" is expected. I could see the light bulb going on in her head. "Oh," she said, "then for front movement one would expect them to converge toward center." Yes.
Those of you interested in reading about the Lhasa Apso standard can find resources at the web site of the American Lhasa Apso Club. At the top menu, click "Education" and select "Judges Education." When that information comes up, go to the menu on the left and select "Breed Standard," which will give you the official AKC Standard for the Lhasa Apso, "Annotated Guide," which will give you a written explanation of the Standard, or "Illustrated Guide," which provides the written explanation along with illustrations and photos. You might also want to watch the AKC video about the Lhasa Apso. Note that this video is divided into 6 chapters, so be sure to watch them all!
One of the activities at the American Lhasa Apso Club's national specialty will be a judges' education seminar. This will include the official ALAC Judges Education Committee presentation, opportunities for hands-on examination of Lhasas, and ringside mentoring. The specialty will be held October 14 -16, at the Hotel Carlisle and Embers Convention Center, Carlisle, PA.
Speaking of the specialty, if you want a week of Lhasas, Lhasas, Lhasas, you should plan to attend. The week includes 2 local specialties, a futurity, the ALAC regional specialty, and the ALAC national specialty PLUS seminars, banquets, games, and a fun match! People and their Lhasas from all over the U.S. will attend. Find more information on the American Lhasa Apso Club website.
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.
Joyce
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Wow…talk about a hectic two weeks! Two weeks ago I was frantically trying to get ready for vacation: dog grooming & bathing; laundry & packing; instructions repeated ad nauseam for my husband (poor man!) I left Illinois in the wee morning hours of the 16th to catch a flight to Ft. Lauderdale. I returned home on the 20th, after spending a delightful time in Miami with our daughter who moved there a year ago. Back home, I played catch up at work and at home, especially since I was preparing to leave again for a 3-day dog show in Waukesha, WI! (You guessed it: more grooming, bathing, laundry, packing, and repeated instructions. My husband is a saint to put up with me!)
Friday I left home at midnight and my friend and I, along with 7 dogs (Lhasas and Shibas) made it safely to Waukesha early enough to find a place to set up our grooming area. Since the show is an outdoor show, we were lucky the weather for the weekend was the mildest at that show in 30 years – something that dogs and handlers (and I'm sure spectators) all appreciated. Because I was showing Mira, who is black, I was very glad for the lower than usual temperatures.
The Good: Mira showed two of the three days and took Winners Bitch both days. She earned 3 more points toward her championship and now has all the single points she needs, plus one of the two required majors. I pulled her entry on Sunday since there was no possibility of a major win that day. Now she sits at home for a few weeks while we wait for a chance at majors at an upcoming 4-day specialty and all-breed show in MN.
The Bad: Belle was entered only on Saturday and she was her usual stubborn self. When I finally coaxed her into walking a few steps, the ringside crowd clapped for us. These Lhasas keep me humble.
The Ugly: My male, Joyslyn's Heart Breaker, certainly lived up to his name on Friday! He loves to go to shows; it is just that lately he has decided the shows are fine – except for the going in the ring and showing part! That attitude was not helped on Friday when, just as he was about to enter the ring, an older woman with an unattractive voice and a faulty sound system chose that moment to announce the class placements in the Great Dane ring next to ours. Oh my… many Lhasas at ringside totally lost it then, including Breaker. He freaked out. He was skittish as he went around the ring, tail down, looking behind him, weaving from side to side, just sure "something" was going to get him. On the table, he hesitatedd to stand for examination and was shaking and pulling away. I was mortified and, of course, so concerned that the entire weekend was going to be a repeat performance.
While others had the opportunity to settle their dogs down, I did not as Breaker was the only dog in his class and we were in the ring when it happened. It was not pretty, and neither he nor I had any fun in the ring that day. Saturday and Sunday were better days for him so I'm hopeful he'll bounce back. He took 2nd out of 3 both days and on Sunday took Reserve. He is going to be a challenge that I hope I am up to meeting. I'll keep you posted.
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!
Joyce
Friday I left home at midnight and my friend and I, along with 7 dogs (Lhasas and Shibas) made it safely to Waukesha early enough to find a place to set up our grooming area. Since the show is an outdoor show, we were lucky the weather for the weekend was the mildest at that show in 30 years – something that dogs and handlers (and I'm sure spectators) all appreciated. Because I was showing Mira, who is black, I was very glad for the lower than usual temperatures.
The Good: Mira showed two of the three days and took Winners Bitch both days. She earned 3 more points toward her championship and now has all the single points she needs, plus one of the two required majors. I pulled her entry on Sunday since there was no possibility of a major win that day. Now she sits at home for a few weeks while we wait for a chance at majors at an upcoming 4-day specialty and all-breed show in MN.
The Bad: Belle was entered only on Saturday and she was her usual stubborn self. When I finally coaxed her into walking a few steps, the ringside crowd clapped for us. These Lhasas keep me humble.
The Ugly: My male, Joyslyn's Heart Breaker, certainly lived up to his name on Friday! He loves to go to shows; it is just that lately he has decided the shows are fine – except for the going in the ring and showing part! That attitude was not helped on Friday when, just as he was about to enter the ring, an older woman with an unattractive voice and a faulty sound system chose that moment to announce the class placements in the Great Dane ring next to ours. Oh my… many Lhasas at ringside totally lost it then, including Breaker. He freaked out. He was skittish as he went around the ring, tail down, looking behind him, weaving from side to side, just sure "something" was going to get him. On the table, he hesitatedd to stand for examination and was shaking and pulling away. I was mortified and, of course, so concerned that the entire weekend was going to be a repeat performance.
While others had the opportunity to settle their dogs down, I did not as Breaker was the only dog in his class and we were in the ring when it happened. It was not pretty, and neither he nor I had any fun in the ring that day. Saturday and Sunday were better days for him so I'm hopeful he'll bounce back. He took 2nd out of 3 both days and on Sunday took Reserve. He is going to be a challenge that I hope I am up to meeting. I'll keep you posted.
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!
Joyce
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Getting Ready for Meet the Breeds
This weekend, in addition to preparing for a trip to Miami to visit my daughter, I'm getting Walker (Ch. Joyslyn MiToya Wind Walker) ready for the Meet the Breeds event at the fair in Peoria. I chose to take Walker because (1) he is a beautiful Lhasa; (2) he loves to show and now that he is "retired" he seldom gets to go to a show; (3) I love to show him; and (4) I groom his long, lovely show coat a couple times a week and I want to show it off!
At this particular Meet the Breeds, the dogs will get to go into the ring and walk around it while information about the dog, the owner, and the breed is being read. Walker will enjoy being in the ring again and it will also be a good 'practice' session for a couple shows I plan to take him to in August. As I said, he enjoys the show ring and I enjoy showing him, so each year we go to a show that is nearby and strut our stuff. Sometimes we even place in the Group! Walker is not a good traveler, as far as staying in hotels is concerned. He fusses and whines all night, and unless I stick him in bed with me (which I have been known to do when I get frustrated with his noise), neither of us spends a very restful night. Thus, the area show is "it" for him. We can drive back and forth and be rested for each day.
Walker will be 7 years old at the end of October. He will then officially be a "veteran" and can be entered in the Veteran classes at the dog shows that feature those classes. His coat is easy to maintain so I'll probably keep it long and take him to some of those shows – as long as we don't have a lot of overnight trips!
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.
Joyce
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Mystery Solved!
Will she walk? Won't she walk? How will Belle respond to her first experience in the show ring? The mystery is solved!
Today our little beauty made her debut in the show ring at the Blackhawk Kennel Club show in Amboy, IL, under judge Luc Boileau. Let me first say, that that man is definitely a judge you want to show under if you are showing a puppy. He is gentle with them on the table and very patient with an apprehensive puppy.
We did not show until after 2:00 so Belle had a lot of time to get used to her surroundings since we arrived at the show at 9:00 so Jane, the friend I travel with, could show a Sammy for another friend. Belle went to ringside to watch and we took a little walk around the rings that were less crowded. She had her tail up and was happy to greet people and other dogs. Ditto outside the Shiba Inu ring where Belle and I watched our friends Jane and Rebecca show their Shibas. We heard lots of "what an adorable puppy," "what a cute face," etc.
When it was Belle's turn to enter the Lhasa ring, I carried her in. Both judge and steward said, "What a cute puppy!." When Mr. Boileau asked me to "take her around," I informed him that this was her first show and going around might take some time! He told me to take my time and let her go where she wanted to go. With some coaxing and baby talk and help from a fuzzy "flat rat" toy, Belle took off, stopping occasionally to investigate the shiny green tape at the corners of the matting, a crack in the floor, and some bait another handler had dropped. She did fine on the table and the down and back. The only one in her class, she came home with her first (of many I hope) blue ribbon. Her first experience was a satisfactory one for both of us.
The same cannot be said of Breaker. He was the only dog entered in 9-12 puppy. Some noises from people scraping chairs and moving equipment spooked him and he was a handful. Back to class for Breaker!
I guess there always has to be something to fret about!
Mira took Winners Bitch and Best of Winners. She earned 2 points and now has 10. She needs one more major and some singles.
I owe many thanks to friends Jane, Rebecca, and Jill who helped at ringside.
That was my 4th of July! Up at 3:45; potty and feed the dogs; get myself groomed and dressed; load the car; leave at 6:00; drive; spend time at the show; drive; get home at 7:15 and unload dogs; potty and feed the dogs; throw some dog laundry in the washer; change clothes, feed myself, sit down at the computer and type this note. It is now 8:45 and I'm proud of my day's accomplishments! I hope your 4th was as satisfactory for you.
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!
Joyce
Today our little beauty made her debut in the show ring at the Blackhawk Kennel Club show in Amboy, IL, under judge Luc Boileau. Let me first say, that that man is definitely a judge you want to show under if you are showing a puppy. He is gentle with them on the table and very patient with an apprehensive puppy.
We did not show until after 2:00 so Belle had a lot of time to get used to her surroundings since we arrived at the show at 9:00 so Jane, the friend I travel with, could show a Sammy for another friend. Belle went to ringside to watch and we took a little walk around the rings that were less crowded. She had her tail up and was happy to greet people and other dogs. Ditto outside the Shiba Inu ring where Belle and I watched our friends Jane and Rebecca show their Shibas. We heard lots of "what an adorable puppy," "what a cute face," etc.
When it was Belle's turn to enter the Lhasa ring, I carried her in. Both judge and steward said, "What a cute puppy!." When Mr. Boileau asked me to "take her around," I informed him that this was her first show and going around might take some time! He told me to take my time and let her go where she wanted to go. With some coaxing and baby talk and help from a fuzzy "flat rat" toy, Belle took off, stopping occasionally to investigate the shiny green tape at the corners of the matting, a crack in the floor, and some bait another handler had dropped. She did fine on the table and the down and back. The only one in her class, she came home with her first (of many I hope) blue ribbon. Her first experience was a satisfactory one for both of us.
The same cannot be said of Breaker. He was the only dog entered in 9-12 puppy. Some noises from people scraping chairs and moving equipment spooked him and he was a handful. Back to class for Breaker!
I guess there always has to be something to fret about!
Mira took Winners Bitch and Best of Winners. She earned 2 points and now has 10. She needs one more major and some singles.
I owe many thanks to friends Jane, Rebecca, and Jill who helped at ringside.
That was my 4th of July! Up at 3:45; potty and feed the dogs; get myself groomed and dressed; load the car; leave at 6:00; drive; spend time at the show; drive; get home at 7:15 and unload dogs; potty and feed the dogs; throw some dog laundry in the washer; change clothes, feed myself, sit down at the computer and type this note. It is now 8:45 and I'm proud of my day's accomplishments! I hope your 4th was as satisfactory for you.
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!
Joyce
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Trimming a Lhasa's Feet
On my to-do list for this evening is "Trim Mira/Breaker/Belle's feet for show next weekend."
I have to admit that one grooming job I hate is trimming the show dogs' feet! It has to be done, but I put it off all the time and then, of course, the task only becomes more difficult.
Why do we trim the hair on the show dogs' feet?
Shaggy feet make even the most neatly groomed Lhasa look "unfinished." The unkempt appearance of those feet can be improved by trimming and rounding the coat around the feet. It makes a prettier picture in the show ring.
Here's what you can do to trim feet:
Stack your Lhasa on a grooming table and keep him still(this is the hard part!). If you are lucky enough to have a willing spouse or friend handy, he/she can hold the dog steady (you need to keep the dog from leaning or you'll trim shorter than you should). You can also use a grooming noose. (I've had limited success with that because the dog can still manage to lean.)
If your dog has heavy furnishings on his legs and feet, push the hair up and away from the foot itself and hold it there. Brush or comb a layer of hair over the foot and trim it all the way around fairly close to the foot. Then brush a second layer over the foot, this time trimming it so it's slightly longer than the first layer. Depending on how heavily coated your dog's foot is, repeat this until the foot has a neat, rounded appearance. Do all four feet in the same way.
If your Lhasa doesn't have heavily-coated feet, you may be able to get by with just combing all the hair over the foot and cutting it. I've seen a lot of Lhasas' feet look chopped up when their owners or groomers do this though. I prefer the layering strategy, but do whatever works best for you.
One thing that has helped me tremendously when it comes time to trim feet is raising the height of my grooming table so I do not have to "walk" around the grooming table on my knees to see what I am doing. If you are interested in reading how you can increase the height of your grooming table, read my grooming table transformation article. The article contains a picture of the table so you can see what it looks like when it is "transformed!"
I think the main reason I dislike trimming my show dogs' feet is that it is so easy to make a mistake and cut too much off or cut crookedly or take a chunk out when the dog decides to move unexpectedly.
To make matters worse, Mira is black, which makes trimming difficult. My husband helped by rigging up one of his shop lights so I can see what and where I am cutting when I trim her! Mira's coat is long and gorgeous. No way do I want to mess that up!
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!
Joyce
I have to admit that one grooming job I hate is trimming the show dogs' feet! It has to be done, but I put it off all the time and then, of course, the task only becomes more difficult.
Why do we trim the hair on the show dogs' feet?
Shaggy feet make even the most neatly groomed Lhasa look "unfinished." The unkempt appearance of those feet can be improved by trimming and rounding the coat around the feet. It makes a prettier picture in the show ring.
Here's what you can do to trim feet:
Stack your Lhasa on a grooming table and keep him still(this is the hard part!). If you are lucky enough to have a willing spouse or friend handy, he/she can hold the dog steady (you need to keep the dog from leaning or you'll trim shorter than you should). You can also use a grooming noose. (I've had limited success with that because the dog can still manage to lean.)
If your dog has heavy furnishings on his legs and feet, push the hair up and away from the foot itself and hold it there. Brush or comb a layer of hair over the foot and trim it all the way around fairly close to the foot. Then brush a second layer over the foot, this time trimming it so it's slightly longer than the first layer. Depending on how heavily coated your dog's foot is, repeat this until the foot has a neat, rounded appearance. Do all four feet in the same way.
If your Lhasa doesn't have heavily-coated feet, you may be able to get by with just combing all the hair over the foot and cutting it. I've seen a lot of Lhasas' feet look chopped up when their owners or groomers do this though. I prefer the layering strategy, but do whatever works best for you.
One thing that has helped me tremendously when it comes time to trim feet is raising the height of my grooming table so I do not have to "walk" around the grooming table on my knees to see what I am doing. If you are interested in reading how you can increase the height of your grooming table, read my grooming table transformation article. The article contains a picture of the table so you can see what it looks like when it is "transformed!"
I think the main reason I dislike trimming my show dogs' feet is that it is so easy to make a mistake and cut too much off or cut crookedly or take a chunk out when the dog decides to move unexpectedly.
To make matters worse, Mira is black, which makes trimming difficult. My husband helped by rigging up one of his shop lights so I can see what and where I am cutting when I trim her! Mira's coat is long and gorgeous. No way do I want to mess that up!
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!
Joyce
Friday, June 26, 2009
Show Dogs Die Tragic Deaths from Heatstroke
This post is not about Lhasa Apsos but relates to any breed or mixed breed dog. I'll catch you up on the antics of Belle, Mira, and Breaker, as well as my weekend at the class reunion another day.
By now, most of you will have heard about or read about the AKC handler from Missouri who returned late from a dog show and left the dogs overnight in her van, only to find them dead or dying when she checked them in the morning. This tragedy makes all dog lovers sick at heart. If you have not read the story, here is a link.
www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/191EDA28F711396D862575DF005870EC?OpenDocument
Seven beautiful show dogs (an Akita, a Dalmation, a Malamute, 3 Golden Retrievers, and a Siberian Husky) died horrific deaths because the handler their owners entrusted them to had poor judgment.
This is not a news flash! Animals should not be left in a vehicle when the weather is hot. Common sense and multiple print and radio/TV public service announcements warn us consistently about the dangers. Yet each year, pets die because their loving owners decided to leave them in the car while they ran into the store for "just a few minutes!"
Anyone who has ever gotten into a closed car on a hot summer day realizes how hot a car can get – and how fast it can happen. Heatstroke can also happen to dogs housed outdoors, dogs accompanying their owners on walks, trail hikes, or to parks and carnivals. Most people are unaware that dogs are more susceptible to heatstroke than people are.
The American Kennel Club offers information regarding heatstroke:
Early Stages:
• Heavy panting
• Rapid breathing
• Excessive drooling
• Bright red gums and tongue
• Standing 4-square, posting or spreading out in an attempt to maintain balance
Advanced Stages:
• White or blue gums
• Lethargy, unwillingness to move
• Uncontrollable urination or defecation
• Labored, noisy breathing
• Shock
Actions to take if your dog begins to exhibit signs of heatstroke:
Immediately try to cool the dog down by
• Applying rubbing alcohol to the dog's paw pads.
• Applying ice packs to the groin area.
• Hosing down with water.
• Allowing the dog to lick ice chips or drink a small amount of water.
• Offering Pedialyte to restore electrolytes.
Interested readers may want to read "Heat Stroke and Malignant Hyperthermia in Dogs and Cats" for more information.
Many people think it is no big deal to leave the dog in the car if they roll the window down slightly. The sight is not uncommon. You can drive into any WalMart parking lot and see dogs locked in cars in all kinds of weather.
Many people think it is no big deal to leave the dog in the car because they are just going to "run right into the store and back." After all, what can happen in 10 minutes? Good question. Illness and death if the conditions are right.
If you leave your dog in the car, you should read the results of a small three-day study on outside temperatures versus temperatures inside cars, found at MyDogIsCool.com. You may decide not to leave your dog in the car the next time you are tempted to do so! Remember, he is at the mercy of the owner he loves and trusts to take care of him. You betray that trust every time you close the car door and leave him inside the car on a hot day.
Understand that a dog's entire body is covered with hair and that the normal body temperature for a dog is 101-102 degrees. Because dogs do not sweat, their temps rise quickly, much faster than a person's temperature rises because we sweat and our sweat helps to cool our bodies. Dogs pant – and their panting adds heat and humidity inside the closed vehicle. Once a dog's temperature exceeds 104 degrees, evidence of heatstroke occurs. Three degrees higher and you have a dog that will probably die unless quick, heroic actions are taken.
With the hot humid summer we are already experiencing in the Midwest, a good thing that can come of the tragic deaths of these seven show dogs is that the publicity and resulting wake up call may prevent other dogs' deaths at the hands of loving but careless owners.
Joyce
By now, most of you will have heard about or read about the AKC handler from Missouri who returned late from a dog show and left the dogs overnight in her van, only to find them dead or dying when she checked them in the morning. This tragedy makes all dog lovers sick at heart. If you have not read the story, here is a link.
www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/191EDA28F711396D862575DF005870EC?OpenDocument
Seven beautiful show dogs (an Akita, a Dalmation, a Malamute, 3 Golden Retrievers, and a Siberian Husky) died horrific deaths because the handler their owners entrusted them to had poor judgment.
This is not a news flash! Animals should not be left in a vehicle when the weather is hot. Common sense and multiple print and radio/TV public service announcements warn us consistently about the dangers. Yet each year, pets die because their loving owners decided to leave them in the car while they ran into the store for "just a few minutes!"
Anyone who has ever gotten into a closed car on a hot summer day realizes how hot a car can get – and how fast it can happen. Heatstroke can also happen to dogs housed outdoors, dogs accompanying their owners on walks, trail hikes, or to parks and carnivals. Most people are unaware that dogs are more susceptible to heatstroke than people are.
The American Kennel Club offers information regarding heatstroke:
Early Stages:
• Heavy panting
• Rapid breathing
• Excessive drooling
• Bright red gums and tongue
• Standing 4-square, posting or spreading out in an attempt to maintain balance
Advanced Stages:
• White or blue gums
• Lethargy, unwillingness to move
• Uncontrollable urination or defecation
• Labored, noisy breathing
• Shock
Actions to take if your dog begins to exhibit signs of heatstroke:
Immediately try to cool the dog down by
• Applying rubbing alcohol to the dog's paw pads.
• Applying ice packs to the groin area.
• Hosing down with water.
• Allowing the dog to lick ice chips or drink a small amount of water.
• Offering Pedialyte to restore electrolytes.
Interested readers may want to read "Heat Stroke and Malignant Hyperthermia in Dogs and Cats" for more information.
Many people think it is no big deal to leave the dog in the car if they roll the window down slightly. The sight is not uncommon. You can drive into any WalMart parking lot and see dogs locked in cars in all kinds of weather.
Many people think it is no big deal to leave the dog in the car because they are just going to "run right into the store and back." After all, what can happen in 10 minutes? Good question. Illness and death if the conditions are right.
If you leave your dog in the car, you should read the results of a small three-day study on outside temperatures versus temperatures inside cars, found at MyDogIsCool.com. You may decide not to leave your dog in the car the next time you are tempted to do so! Remember, he is at the mercy of the owner he loves and trusts to take care of him. You betray that trust every time you close the car door and leave him inside the car on a hot day.
Understand that a dog's entire body is covered with hair and that the normal body temperature for a dog is 101-102 degrees. Because dogs do not sweat, their temps rise quickly, much faster than a person's temperature rises because we sweat and our sweat helps to cool our bodies. Dogs pant – and their panting adds heat and humidity inside the closed vehicle. Once a dog's temperature exceeds 104 degrees, evidence of heatstroke occurs. Three degrees higher and you have a dog that will probably die unless quick, heroic actions are taken.
With the hot humid summer we are already experiencing in the Midwest, a good thing that can come of the tragic deaths of these seven show dogs is that the publicity and resulting wake up call may prevent other dogs' deaths at the hands of loving but careless owners.
Joyce
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Our Belle
Apologies to readers who have been checking for a new entry for a couple of weeks now. We've had company and I've been so busy at work that I just have not had time to write.
Tonight I want to tell you about Belle, our five month old female puppy that was born on Christmas morning. She was one of five puppies from the Connor x Flame litter. Her call name "Belle" was given her because shortly after birth, all the puppies were given Christmas names. There was a Nicky (for St. Nicholas), a Christmas Spirit, a Decker (Deck the Halls), a Holly (Happy Holidays), and Christmas Bells (Belle). You can see her photo at age 3 months at the top of the page.
"Belle" is also fitting because she is a very pretty puppy. She is a red sable color and has the cutest face.
So, now Belle is nearly 6 months old and it's time to enter her in her first show. I decided I did not like the name Christmas Bells for her AKC registered name. What to do? Oh my, the brainstorming and the tossing back and forth of suggestions ... all rejected for one reason or another. This is hard!
One great resource for names is the Jockey Club Registry website. https://www.registry.jockeyclub.com/registry.cfm?page=namesrch&rand=813&init=&CFID=3773956&CFTOKEN=54018630
There you will find many many names of horses. Hopefully you'll find something to inspire you, especially at the last minute when your own creative juices have dried up. I am so angry at myself. After all, I put off naming her until the last minute and it was so unnecessary. I've had MONTHS to do it! I just know that as soon as I mail that registration paperwork to AKC, I'm going to have a flash of inspiration and come up with something unique and just perfect.
Belle is also the epitome of "stubborn." She could be the icon for "stubborn" next to that word in the dictionary. She refuses to walk on the lead! At home (under supervision) she runs and plays in the family room wearing a lead. No problem. The cat often picks it up and tugs it. No problem. But if a person picks it up, the brakes go on, and she sits sweetly and just looks at the person as if to say, "Nice try!"
Outside she does not budge. No amount of coaxing works. However, if I pick her up and walk up the street to one of the neighbors' driveways, she will hightail back to our own driveway as fast as those Lhasa legs will travel. Then she sits down and refuses to budge. As I said: "stubborn!"
Training has been a frustrating experience, to say the least. I finally started taking her to a training class in Peoria on Tuesday nights. Peoria is a 90 minute trip each way, so I have to leave by 5:30 to make the 7:00 class. It lasts an hour but generally I don't make it home until close to 10:00. The sacrifices I make!!! LOL
The first two nights of class Belle did what she always does when someone is holding her lead. She either sits and freezes to the spot, or she puts herself in a pretty stack and stands there. Lovely...but not what I'm going for at the moment. So she stood (or sat), watched the activity and processed what was going on. On the third night, she came out of her crate excited to be there. A breakthrough! She actually walked on the lead, with lots of coaxing with treats and a flat rat. Last night she was so-so, but we seem to be making progress.
So, I'll try to keep you updated on Belle's progress. Her mother, Flame, was so easy to train and show. She was the perfect show dog. She did what I wanted and did it well. She showed herself off and was finished before I knew it. Not Belle. She seems to be a throwback to her Grandma Secret (Ch. Joyslyn's Secrets of the Heart), who also refused to walk on the lead. What I hope is that Belle repeats Secret's performance, because Secret saved it for the show ring. At her first show, I put her on the floor, said, "Let's go." And she did! She took Best Puppy that day and a 2nd place in Puppy Group. The next day, she won a 3 point major! Maybe Belle is saving it up for the "real deal." I can only hope!
By the way, since she is such a pretty puppy and because her call name is indicative of a beautiful woman and in honor of her similarity to her grandma, her name is going to be Joyslyn's Beauty Secret. It'll sound great with the word "champion" in front of it one day!
Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.
Joyce
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