TGIF...and some other things...but Mostly TGIF

"Starving Out the Light" album cover

I was pleased to find out via a Facebook posting this morning that my son's metal band, Black Fast, earned the "Best Metal Band 2013" Award given by the St. Louis Riverfront Times. In 2011, the band received the "Best New Metal Band" Award.

Here's the brief article: "The members of Black Fast don't play games; they play metal. Blistering, bludgeoning, no-holds-barred metal. The band's latest, August's Starving Out the Light, nimbly hopscotches through subgenres while maintaining an impressive technicality throughout. The lightning-quick guitar work by axmen Trevor Johanson and Aaron Akin is particularly noteworthy, as is Akin's unique, scorched-earth vocals. This is the music that the metal nerd who spends every waking moment sitting on the edge of his bed with a guitar in his hands dreams of playing. Black Fast's hyperfocus on musicianship — as opposed to petty nonsense like self-promotion — is paying off: You can hear the 10,000 hours of practice in each expertly executed riff and fill."

Black Fast's new album, "Starving Out the Light," can be purchased at blackfast.bandcamp.com for $10, while the digital album is only $5. iTunes also has it. Even if you are not a huge fan of metal, buy it anyway. It will help further the careers of some young, talented "starving artists!" (Yes, I am a blatant promoter of my son's band. I want them to be a huge success!)

Belle

Back to dog topics...

Some food for thought from the Time4Dogs blog.
The September 22, 2013, article titled 'Rock Bottom' begins, "Imagine you live in a state where it is illegal to buy or take possession of an animal in a public place. Where you cannot buy a pet in a pet store, unless it is a "rescue" or shelter animal that may be trucked in from another state or even another country. Where dogs must be spayed/neutered by law in many localities, and where the state  government actually wanted to pass a mandate that every dog in the state be sterilized." Read the rest here.









Congrats to Mary Rees and Joyslyn's Beauty Secret ("Belle")! Belle now gets an "RN" (Rally Novice) designation behind her name. I was present to see her in the rally ring only once but I was so impressed. Regular readers of this blog might remember how stubborn Belle was about showing in the conformation ring. Mary did a great job training her for Rally.

I will end with this. It is has been a miserable two weeks. I am exhausted physically and emotionally. Fading puppy syndrome sucks!! My heart aches.

Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you -- and right now it's a very good thing I have multiple Lhasas that share their love daily.

Joyce

More About the APHIS Rules, Show Results, ALAC National Specialty

“It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to.” ~ J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

More About the APHIS Rules

"Confusion" seems to be the key word when it comes to dog breeders—well actually cat and other animal breeders also—understanding the intricacies of the new APHIS rules that will go into effect in a couple of months. (By the way, APHIS is part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The acronym stands for "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.") A recent conference call during which APHIS representatives attempted to answer sincere questions from breeders hoping to get some much needed clarification resulted in frustration, confusion, and more (unaswered) questions.

Can anyone say, "intentionally vague?"

"Before I came here, I was confused about this subject. Having listened to your lecture, I am still confused -- but on a higher level.” ~ Enrico Fermi

Today I am sharing some links regarding the new rules, just to keep you up to date. Those of you who are pet owners, not breeders, may think this ruling has nothing to do with you and others like you, but it does. The intent of those behind the drive for these new rules is to eliminate dog breeders, not just "puppy mills"  but all breeders. Where  are you going to get your next dog when we're all gone?

So, read on folks, and think about it.

I'll begin with a link to the September 18th "Read Between the lines - USDA Conference Call" posting on the Time 4 Dogs blog. This clever article says it all. It's a good insightful read.

If you go to http://tinyurl.com/nyb4s5g you can get a pdf of the actual transcript of the conference call.

The Sportsmen's and Animal Owners'Voting Alliance (SAOVA) posted the following article to its blog: APHIS Final Rule Revising Pet Seller Exemptions and You

AKC provided information in a "Frequently Asked Questions" format.

Intentionally vague rules and intentionally vague responses to concerned breeders' questions are scary. They leave a lot of issues open to "interpretation" that most of us are pretty sure will not be "interpreted" in favor of the breeder.

Show Results

Windy and I went to shows last weekend in Rochester, MN. The results were not good for us. She decided she did not want to show. The only one in her 12-18 month class, she let me know in no uncertain terms that she did not want to be there. Tail down, skittish. Then we went into the Winners class and she showed like a dream. Unfortunately, first impressions seemed to be the lasting ones.

I guess she does not like being in the ring by herself. 

However, there was good news for my friends whose dogs actually acted like show dogs. Karen's Secret took the major both days. Marsha's 11-month old male, Reece, took the major on Saturday and also placed first in the Non-Sporting puppy group. Her female, Happy, took RWB on Saturday.

ALAC National Specialty

October is the month members of the American Lhasa Apso Club target for the club's National Specialty Week. This year the Specialty takes place in Sacramento, CA, from Monday, October 21 through Friday, October 25. The site of the Specialty is the Clarion Inn Arden Conference Center. Activities include shows on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Tuesday ALAC's Breeder Education Committee sponsors a presentation by Myra Savant Harris, followed by the judging of ALAC's Top 20 Lhasas. Obedience and Rally events take place on Wednesday, as do the Futurity/Maturity and Cut Down Sweepstakes judging.  Judges during the week are Janet Allen, Mary Lou Just, Cindy Butsic, Sherry Swanson, and Barbara Dempsey Alderman. If you live close to Sacramento, you should consider going. There will be many gorgeous Lhasas there for you to see.

P.S. You'll be able to read the flyer if you click on it.

Baby Pictures

Little girl

Little boy

Keep your chin up, think positive thought, and kiss your Lhasa!

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

Joyce

Oh...and here is an interesting picture of a weird mushroom found in our yard. Looks like a stack of pancakes!

Photos, Updates, and Links to Articles Providing Food for Thought

"Think of life like driving a car. The windshield of the car is really large so you see where you are heading. The rear view mirror is really small because you are not supposed to spend a lot of time and energy focusing on your past, on where you have been." ~ Anonymous


Look at these little cuties. They are almost 3 weeks old. On the right, a girl - black with white stockings. On the left, a boy - black and tan. These are Raven and Breaker babies. (Both have already been spoken for.)

I have some photos to share with you of Rafe's last shows. He was the only Lhasa entered so there was no pressure to "win." All we did was enjoy being in the ring together. Rafe was happy to have me all to himself at these shows and was very "up" all weekend. It was a good way to "end" his early show career. Of course, I am hoping that he'll mature well and I'll one day be back in the ring with him. We'll see...

The first two photos were taken by Jane Chapin.

Waiting Impatiently (Yes, he shook his head!)

This is better! (He's so pretty!)

 This photo is from Claire Sloan:

Waiting to go in the ring

We were joined by friends, the Sloans, who live in Des Moines and who own Ella, one of Rafe's daughters. Here is a photo Claire took of Ella and me:

Another exciting part of this trip was my friend Jane Chapin and her Shiba "Tux" (Ch. Hi-Jinx Black Tie Affair) participating in Tux's first rally events. He did a great job, earning two of the required three legs toward his Rally Novice title. He scored a 98 out of 100 both days, taking second place each day. (The first day another dog had a 99, and the second day a different dog had a score of 100!) Jane had not been able to take Tux to any training classes so she'd trained him at home. I'd say she did an excellent job! Tux knew we were proud of him!

Tux with his 2nd place and Qualifying ribbons

A former post highlighted some proposed rules that would hurt hobby breeders. As a result of that post, many of you wrote letters to APHIS requesting that some of the rules be reconsidered or done away with all together. Thanks for that.

The letters from many hobby breeders and owners of dogs purchased from them did no good. The new rulings came out recently and do not bode well for many of us. I'm going to provide you with some links to other bloggers and articles that will help explain the repercussions of the new rules to you.

A report in the Canine Chronicle from the AKC Chairman said in part, "Just 20 years ago, a purebred dog was the dog to have in your life. Twenty years ago, a responsible breeder was viewed as a respected resource. Twenty years ago there were virtually no important legislative efforts aimed at eradicating all dog breeding. What changed in those 20 years? The noble quest to give every dog a “forever” home was co-opted by the animal rights organizations as a method to raise funds for their mission to completely eliminate pet ownership. Under the guise of supporting adoption, they have been raising a significant war chest – over $200 million last year alone – to fuel a campaign aimed squarely at destroying our ability to preserve breeds for future generations."

I hope you are able to take time to read the rest of the report.

Another interesting post from the Katharine's Musings On Liberty and Tyranny blog points out the dangers of the proposed rulings. It's an interesting tirade, ending with, "The animal rights movement is deliberately targeting the knowledge base of the dog breeds.  They are trying to wipe out that insider knowledge that you can't find in a book or on the internet.  Breed magazines run articles on the history of their breeds, certain dogs, and breeder interviews but that is still nothing more than the tip of the iceberg.  They have figured out that wiping out the knowledge base is the key to wiping out the breed.  You.  And APHIS is coming.  One generation and out is here." 

The last sentence reflects back to a previous paragraph in which she wrote, "The vast majority of people who face a choice between removing all animals from their home and putting them in a sterile concrete kennel in their back yard and give up their rights under the Fourth Amendment will say no.  They will simply spay and neuter everything they have and retire.  No puppies for you!  After all, vegan Whiney Wayne ever so famously said, "One generation and out."  There you go.  45 AKC dog breeds are already facing extinction.  Just what do you think this regulation will do for that situation?"

Again, I hope you can find time to read the rest of the blog post. She makes some good points.

Susi, author of the Dogknobit blog, writes that pendulum swing away from purebred dogs and toward shelter dogs paints purebred breeders and those who buy their puppies as "killers." The logic of the animal rights activists is that if you buy a purebred dog you are causing the death of a shelter dog. What? Seriously?

What happened to our right to buy what we want from whom we want?

I recall a puppy buyer from a couple of years ago telling me all her friends were laying guilt on her for not getting a shelter dog. But she knew what she wanted - a purebred Lhasa from a reputable breeder. So she ignored the guilt trip. That's what I thought of when I saw the clever title of the Dogknobit posting: "Guilt: It’s Not Just For Jews and Catholics Anymore (Purebred Dog Owners Can Play."

I've always wondered, why go after the purebred breeders. Who is out there breeding all those mixed breed dogs that are the ones that generally end up in the shelters? Why doesn't somebody target them? It seems they and their indiscriminate breeding practices are causing the problem.

For years the rallying cry of activists has been pet over population. Interestingly, the Dogknobit blog post goes on to explain, "Animal shelters in the USA have been casting a wide net to fill their kennels for years. According to the US Public Health Service, Chicago O’Hare was the destination airport for 10,125 dogs imported from overseas in 2006, half of which weren’t vaccinated. Scientists from the Center of Disease Control estimated that over 199,000 dogs (38,100 unvaccinated) came into the country through the Mexican border that year alone, and in 2007, one organization in Puerto Rico by itself shipped more than 14,000 strays in seven years to the United States for adoption at shelters. ABC News reported that according to G. Gale Galland, veterinarian in the CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, as many as 300,000 puppies a year – most from countries with little or no health safeguards, are being imported to satisfy the demand for puppies at shelters.
"And yet the responsible breeder of purebred puppies is to be blamed for the overpopulation at shelters and dumb friend leagues?  The same person who runs health screens on the sire and dam, keeps a careful vaccination schedule, tirelessly socializes their puppies and screens potential owners  – THAT breeder?
"These caring shelter workers, whom I really do admire, are guilty of painting breeders with a very broad brush. They fail to place blame squarely at the feet of owners who were responsible for their dog in the first place, and because it’s a dirty little secret, they likely don’t know that the dogs overcrowding their shelters may not even be from America. And finally, they don’t realize that when that purebred dog is adopted, American born or otherwise, it’s often by someone acting for a breed club."

And speaking of a breed club and rescue, the American Lhasa Apso Club has a breed rescue network. It has a few dedicated, hard-working volunteers around the country who try their best to provide foster care and seek new homes for rescued Lhasa Apsos.

Give your Lhasas a hug.

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


Joyce

A 4-week-old puppy from a long ago litter

This Will Be Quick!

“If you don't own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.” ~ Roger A. Caras


 It's been a crazy week. I don't know why.

Tuesday, Lila and Duncan went to training class. What fun! Lila is going to be quite a show girl if she keeps up the spirit of fun and liveliness she has now. Unfortunately, she will not be 6 months old until November 4, and there are no shows nearby in November and only one that we traditionally attend in December, so she'll have a long wait before she makes her ring debut.

Duncan is full of energy. Even in class it takes him a while to settle and get down to business. He dislikes being stacked on the floor and thinks that if I am down there with him, it must mean we are supposed to play, play, play! He is a happy, funny puppy. He is not entered in any shows either, so his wait will be as long as Lila's.

Today I am leaving for the show in Des Moines, Iowa. Rafe is entered both days and is the only Lhasa. As I said last week, this is his "swan song," at least until next spring - and perhaps longer - as we wait for him to mature and, hopefully, get excited about showing again. In many ways, I dread taking him to this show, especially after his poor performance in MN a couple weekends ago. I need to conquer my negative attitude because surely he will live "down" to my expectations if I do not. I am hoping that not having to share me with the other dogs will improve his attitude.

I don't know who said it, but I believe it: "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."

I know who said this and I believe it too: Life is better when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

P.S. Here a photo of a well-loved Lhasa: Yogi, owed by Violet and Roman. Yogi is 10 years old and a half brother to our GCh. Ch. Joyslyn MiToya Wind Walker.

Show Results and Photos

What? That's not a Lhasa! My "granddog" Henri!

“No matter how close we are to another person, few human relationships are as free from strife, disagreement, and frustration as is the relationship you have with a good dog. Few human beings give of themselves to another as a dog gives of itself. I also suspect that we cherish dogs because their unblemished souls make us wish - consciously or unconsciously - that we were as innocent as they are, and make us yearn for a place where innocence is universal and where the meanness, the betrayals, and the cruelties of this world are unknown.” -Dean Koontz, A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog.

A week ago today four of the dogs and I got up early and headed to Minnesota for two days of Lhasa Apso Specialties, hosted by the Twin Cities Lhasa Apso Club, and two days of all-breed shows, hosted by the St. Croix Valley Kennel Club. The shows were at the fairgrounds in Lake Elmo, MN. It was darn hot there and we had to groom and show in un-airconditioned buildings. Miserable!

However, we had a great time. The members of the TCLAC were great hosts. The shows ran smoothly, and we enjoyed wonderful meals provided by the club. The raffle was fun, even though I did not win anything (as usual!). This show is where I get to see friends that I see only at this show or at our national specialty, so hot, humid weather or not, we had fun. I wish I could say I had as much winning as I had fun. Alas, that was not the case. Thursday, Duncan took 3rd in his 6-9 month class of 3. Friday he won his class. Saturday he took second. Sunday he won the class and also Reserve Winners Dog to the 5 point major. That was an achievement due to the number of dogs competing in the Winners class. It was nice for the youngest to be selected and for the judge to recognize his fine quality, even if there were no points involved.

Windy showed like a dream on Thursday and Friday. She decided on Saturday and Sunday that she did not want to stand still on the table for exam, but she still moved and showed herself well. She was entered in the 12-18 month class and was the only entry. On Thursday, she took Reserve Winners Bitch to the 5 point major. Again, it was nice to be recognized from among the many lovely bitches, even if no points were involved.

Rafe was shown only on Thursday and Friday, for reasons you'll read later in this post. On Thursday, he did nothing. Friday he took Select Dog.


I saw Belle and Mary at the show in Lake Elmo. Mary had Belle entered in the rally trial. I was fortunate to make it from the conformation building to the obedience/rally building in time to watch Belle perform. She was great! I was so proud of her. She scored a 94 and qualified for another leg toward her rally novice title. Only one more leg to go!  Mary wrote about Belle: "It was very good to see you and Belle agrees. It was fun and heartwarming to see her excitement to see you…I am still very proud of Belle's first 2 legs with the little training we have done and her willingness to please…Thank you for letting Belle into my life.  She is my jewel that sparkles, all the time…"

Cindy wrote this about Jethro: "Tonight is week 3 of beginner obedience training.  He has sit, stay, come mastered but is struggling with heal.  Again he is motivated by treats even if the treats are just hand fed pieces of dog food so I am confident he will get it mastered.  He is the smallest student and very social with all." Jethro is having some issues about grooming, especially around his face. I'm having similar ones with Lila, who is determined to keep her mustache messy and that comb away from her face. Both Cindy and I are working on overcoming this aversion to face combing!



Cindy sent some cute pictures of Jethro:

Jethro chillin' out on the deck

Jethro at the gate!

 Speaking of Lila, she went with us to the MN shows and, for the most part, endured the travel, the heat, and being crated quite well. However, when we got home she ran and ran and ran, getting rid of all that pent up energy. Then she decided to play soccer with her chew bone and batted it with her front feet, banging it into furniture and baseboards as she chased it around the room. So cute!

Unfortunately, puppies seem to pick up bad habits faster than they do good ones. Windy has a terrible habit at shows of barking at other dogs and people who look "odd" to her. (I have yet to determine the criteria for people. For dogs, it seems to be anything bigger than a Lhasa.) Little miss copycat Lila decided Windy has a good thing going with the barking. Oh no!

The photos below were taken at the Twin Cities Lhasa Apso Club Specialty on Thursday, August 22, 2013. Photo credit for the specialty photos goes to Paul Bagley.



Duncan (Joyslyn Highly Classified) photos:

Judge Beverly Capstick exams Duncan on the table

Duncan on his "down and back" for the judge

Jimmy (Joyslyn Golden Tu Mon Ami Inka Dinka Doo) photos:

Jimmy with co-owner LaVonne ready for table exam

Jimmy

Windy (MLS Dakota Dancing in the Wind at Joyslyn) photos:

Windy entering the ring

Windy ready for table exam

Windy - she can sure move out

Windy - rear movement

Windy in line in the Winners Bitch Class

Rafe (GCH. CH. Joyslyn's Inherit the Wind) Photo:

This photo, taken of Rafe at the Bloomington, IL, show in May, was recently posted on my Facebook page by a friend. It made me sad to see it, mostly because it shows how Rafe used to show! Rafe's days as a show dog will end after next weekend. He simply no longer enjoys the shows. Oh, he likes going in the car and being at the show. He likes the extra attention. But, he no longer enjoys being in the ring. That carefree, happy gait has been replaced by a slow, almost grudging one. He needs a break from the shows, and I need a break from his attitude. He is not yet two years old (end of Nov. is his birthday) and he has accomplished a great deal between May 2012 and the end of June 2013. This includes his championship, his grand championship, and a ranking in the Top 20 Lhasas in the country. One ranking system has him at #6 for breed points from 1/1/13 - 7/4/13. He deserves a rest. It is time for a break. We'll try again at a few shows next year and see what happens.

I was recently made aware of the Yellow Dog Project. If you see a dog of any breed wearing a yellow ribbon or bow on collar or leash, that dog's owner may be involved with the Yellow Dog Project. As its website information tells visitors, Yellow Dogs are dogs who need space - they are not necessarily aggressive dogs but more often are dogs who have issues of fear; pain from recent surgery; are a rescue or shelter dog who has not yet had sufficient training or mastered obedience; are in training for work or service; are in service; or other reasons specific to the dog…" Visit the website to read more about the Project.

I've mentioned before that one of the joys of being a dog breeder is getting updates from people who have purchased dogs from us. Years ago, a gentleman from Indiana purchased a puppy. This week I got a letter from him, "Dear Lynn and Joyce, On 9/18/98, I purchased from you a pet Lhasa, born on 6/13/98. Her name is Miss Pumpkin and her father was Ch. JaMa Joyslyn Deja Vu and her mother was Ch. Marlo Bobbet Tootles. I want you to know what a wonderful dog that she has been. She has been perfect in every respect. We both are getting old, but she enjoys perfect health. She sleeps a lot and she has never spent a night in a kennel. When I have gone on vacation, I have somebody come in and stay at the house and take care of her. As she has aged, she now wants to be by my side most of the time. I just want you to know what a joy that she has been and we are now going on our 16th year." I remember him well, and was so pleased to hear from him and to know his Miss Pumpkin has been a loving companion and is still going strong at age 16.



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

Joyce

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