A Happy Birthday Month

“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


August is a month full of birthdays (plus an anniversary) for our family. People-wise, I celebrated my birthday last Friday; our daughter has one coming this weekend; our son-in-law's is next week; and their baby's will be any day now. My sister and brother-in-law have an August anniversary. Two of our Lhasas also have August birthdays.

Breaker (GCh. Joyslyn's Heartbreaker) turned six years old earlier this month. That's him at the top of this post. Yesterday, Secret (Ch. Joyslyn's Secrets of the Heart), Breaker's mother, turned 12. She doesn't act like a 12 year old. She is healthy, happy, and as playful as ever. Killing squeakers and pulling stuffing out of toys are still her favorite sports! Here are some pictures of Secret. The first one was taken at a dog show. We were attending the national specialty week in CA and she won Reserve Winners Bitch at the regional specialty the day before the national.

The next picture was taken after she earned her championship:

This one is how she looks now with her shorter haircut. She's a small Lhasa and a real sweetheart.

Breaker's son (and Secret's grandson), Josh (Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker) earned four more points toward his championship last weekend, winning Winners Dog and Best of Winners both days in Marshfield, WI. He had his 7 month "birthday" on the 16th.  Here's a picture of him with his ribbons and prizes from that show. He now has a total of 6 single points.

My Lhasa friends threw a birthday party for me on Saturday after we finished showing. Here we are in the grooming area, beneath the "Happy Birthday" banner and balloons!

 And speaking of my birthday, here is one of my gifts:

(For readers who do not know, I am originally from Nebraska. We moved to Illinois in 1989.)

My computer has a screen saver that flashes photos from a file on my desktop. One appeared and when I saw it, I thought, "Hmmm...looks kind of like Josh." So I started going through photos and created this three-generation photo of (from the left) Connor (Ch. San-Dhi Joyslyn Icon), Josh's grandsire; Breaker (GCh. Joyslyn's Heartbreaker), Josh's sire; and Josh. Breaker and Josh's photos were both taken at age 7 months. Connor's was taken when he was a month or so older. They look much alike, don't they?

Here is a side shot taken of Josh after he was groomed:

I also received a few pictures of Josh's sisters. The first is of Cinder. She is a black and tan. The caption her owner sent said, "She put herself in jail!" Cinder was also at the show in Marshfield and even got to spend one night in the hotel room with Josh, Jan, Flash, and me. She showed very well on Sunday, very pretty movement! Congrats go to Jan and Flash for Flash's first points, earned on Sunday!

These photos are of Sassy. She's also practicing and preparing for the show ring -- way down in TX.

Carol sent a note and picture of Sadie. Sadie is a daughter of Rafe and Maggie. Carol wrote, "Just took this after a brush session.  Sadie undid all my work in about 5 seconds. She looks like Nick Nolte's mug shot!"

Dawn sent us a note when she sent us Bailey's proof of spaying.  "Bailey is doing very well and gets along just great with her big brother Dusty. She likes to pick on him and play rough but he doesn't seem to mind! Her personality gets bigger every day and we feel extremely blessed to have found her!" Bailey is also a Rafe and Maggie daughter.

The breeding that produced Bailey and Sadie was a repeat of an earlier breeding. The next picture is of an older brother of Bailey and Sadie. His family calls him Snickers, and here is what they wrote: "Just sending you a funny picture that we caught him in the act helping us clean our dinner plates. We can't tell you enough on the joy and love he brings to our family. He just loves to be with us everywhere we go in the home. He loves to play and run with the boys. He just is so loving to us and at night needs to always be by his "mommy". Hope everyone is well. Thank you again for a wonderful family member."

Here are a couple of links you might find interesting and helpful.
The first is a link to a common-product medication list and dosage conversions chart.
The second is a link to a video entitled "The Puppy Puzzle: The Hastings Approach to Evaluating the Structural Quality of Puppies," which is narrated by Pat Hastings. If you are new to dog breeding and showing, this step by step method of puppy evaluation could be of help. Even if you are an old hand at it, you can watch and perhaps pick up some new information. Hastings recommends evaluation at age 8 weeks, something I learned from old-timer way back when I first began this journey.



And with that I will remind you that

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

Joyce

How Well Do You Know the Lhasa Apso Standard?

Many Lhasa judges and would-be Lhasa judges criticize the Lhasa Apso Standard, approved on July 11, 1978,  for being too brief or too vague. As I've pointed out before in this blog, when the Standard is silent on a trait (such as movement) then the writers of the Standard expected those who read it to interpret that silence as meaning "think 'normal canine.'"

Lhasa Apso Standard

Character: Gay and assertive, but chary of strangers.
Size: Variable, but about 10 or 11 inches at shoulder for dogs, bitches slightly smaller.
Color: All colors equally acceptable with or without dark tips to ears and beard.
Body Shape: The length from point of shoulders to point of buttocks longer than height at withers, well-ribbed up, strong loin, well-developed quarters and thighs.
Coat: Heavy, straight, hard, not woolly or silky, of good length, and very dense.
Mouth and Muzzle:  The preferred bite is either level or slightly undershot. Muzzle of medium length; a square muzzle is objectionable.
Head: Heavy head furnishings with good fall over eyes, good whiskers and beard, skull narrow, falling away behind eyes in a marked degree, not quite flat, but not domed or apple-shaped; straight foreface of fair length. Nose black, the length from tip of nose to eye to be roughly about one-third of the total length from nose to back of skull.
Eyes:  Dark brown, neither very large and full, nor very small and sunk.
Ears:  Pendant, heavily feathered.
Legs:  Forelegs straight; both forelegs and hind legs heavily furnished with hair.
Feet: Well-feathered; should be round and catlike, with good pads.
Tail and Carriage: Well-feathered, should be carried well over back in a screw; there may be a kink at the end. A low carriage of stern is a serious fault.


How well you do know the Lhasa Apso Standard? You can find out more by going to the website of the American Lhasa Apso Club, selecting Publications in the menu on the left and clicking the Home Study link. The club also has an Illustrated Guide to the Standard that can be downloaded as a pdf from the Breed Information menu. 

The Illustrated Guide to the Standard identifies the Standard as "a description for those who are familiar with the breed and dogs in general." The Guide was written as a "more in-depth study of the unique qualities that set the Lhasa Apso apart from other breeds and, at the same time, emphasize the characteristics that cause the Lhasa Apso to be representative of the breed."

Check your knowledge of the Lhasa Apso Standard by answering the following questions. The answers are below the quiz. (The answers contain a few clarifying comments from the Illustrated Guide to the Standard.)

The Quiz 

1) How tall should Lhasa Apso dogs be at the shoulder?
2) Does the standard mention a preference for lighter colors, such as cremes and goldens?
3) Should a Lhasa be longer than tall or taller than long?
4) List three adjectives used in the standard to describe a Lhasa's coat.
5) What is the preferred Lhasa Apso bite?
6)What color should a Lhasa's nose be?
7) Length from tip of nose to eye should be roughly
(a) 1/3 of the total length from nose to back of skull or
(b) 1/2 of the total length from nose to back of skull
8) What color should the eyes be?
9) Is a kink in the tail acceptable?
10) What is the only "serious fault" listed in the standard?

 

Answers

1) The Standard says, "...about 10 or 11 inches at shoulder for dogs..."
The Guide points out, "...10 or 11 inches at shoulders suggests a dog whose bone is in proportion to his height and weight...Not only is height a factor, but consideration must also be given to weight, proportion, and length of body, for these all contribute to the final picture of overall balance."
2) No, the Standard actually says, "All colors equally acceptable with or without dark tips to ears and beard." What more is there to say on the matter--except perhaps to encourage some judges to judge the dog and not his/her color?

3) The body shape of a Lhasa from the point of its shoulders to his buttocks should be "longer than height at withers," according to the Standard.

4) The Standard refers to the coat as "heavy," "straight," "hard," "of good length," and "very dense." It also says the coat is "not wooly or silky."
Concerning the coat, the Guide adds, "...not light or fine or flyaway...a moderate amount of undercoat is desirable...hard in texture, so that when it is rubbed between the fingers, individual hairs will be felt...the coat should not be wiry or rough to the touch."

5) The preferred bite is "either level or slightly undershot."
The Guide goes on to label two other bites as "not desirable." They are a scissors bite and an undershot bite "with canines visible when the mouth is closed."

6) Black.
The Guide also emphasizes, "...full depth of pigmentation is essential to good expression and requires dark pigment on eye rims and lips."

7) The answer is (a).
The Guide describes a muzzle whose "planes are parallel when viewed in profile."

8) Dark brown.
The Guide describes eyes as "somewhat frontally placed," oval," "not prominent," and "minimal white showing."

9) Yes.

10) "A low carriage of stern."
The Guide explains, "When the dog is moving, the tail should be up and carried well over the back."

Life is Better When You Have A Lhasa to Love You!

Joyce

The Dog Days of Summer

"Summertime and the livin' is easy..."~from the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess







We are currently in what is known as the "dog days of summer," the hot, sultry time in summer when the Dog Star (aka Sirius) rises at the same time as the sun. Although this summer period (from early July to mid-August) is traditionally marked by laziness, lethargy, and inactivity, I find myself wishing for some down time. We always seem to be on the go!

(I will also point out that the "dog days" seem to have missed us here in western Illinois this year. We've had many unusually cool days in July and early August.)

Josh's first weekend as a 6-month-old eligible to compete in AKC point shows was a success. We went to the shows hosted by the Burlington, IA kennel club on August 2nd and 3rd, and had a wonderful time. Friends LaVonne and Karen came from WI and stayed at my house. LaVonne brought Josh's sister, Cinder, and Karen brought her 6-month-old male, Jack, and her adult female, Mabel. Josh won a point each day, which was a great start for him. Cinder was more comfortable in the ring on Sunday than on Saturday. She has great movement! Lots of reach and drive. Jack, who was just 6 months old on Saturday, was intimidated by the noise. Mabel took Winners Bitch both days and earned two points. She also placed second in Saturday's Owner Handler Group. Congrats also to Tami Bagley (from MN) whose special, shown by Greg Larson, took a Group I on Saturday.

Sadly, not one of us took a single picture of the dogs! However, Karen did take quite a few photos of the car show in Macomb on Saturday night as we strolled around the town's historic courthouse square, attempting to walk off the huge platter of nachos we'd eaten at the Jackson Street Pub!

Please take time to read this article in Dog News, "Lhasa Apso: Sturdy Little Mountain Dogs," by M.J. Nelson. The article begins on page 78. Its focus is on Lhasas in companion events, such as obedience, rally, and agility. American Lhasa Apso Club (ALAC) members Marsha Susag, Julie Timbers, and Bobbie Wood, who have trained Lhasas for companion events, are quoted. The three offer great training advice based on the Lhasa Apso personality. Whether a person is interested in companion event competition or not, that advice makes the article well worth reading for anyone even thinking about owning a Lhasa.

Although he is mentioned but not pictured in the article, Marsha's Joyslyn's Leader of the Pack NJP NAP RE (aka Oreo) made Marsha (his owner) and me (his breeder) very proud. Here are some photos of him in action at an agility trial.

I've received some nice photos that I'd like to share. This first one is of Lindy, who is my Windy's mother and Josh's grandmother. Lindy was bred by Marsha Susag and Arlene Miller and is owned by Marsha.

GCh. MLS Desiderata Lindy

Duncan's brother Jimmy, the Lhasa who hated dog shows, has a new pet home. As you can see in this first photo, he has a wonderful (and large) friend!

 

Jimmy, relaxing at his new home

Here's a photo of Sassy, Josh's litter sister:

And, finally, here is a photo of Flame (Ch. Joyslyn's Winds of Fire), posted on Facebook by her owner. Flame is the daughter of Walker (GCh. Joyslyn MiToya Wind Walker) and Secret (Ch. Joyslyn's Secrets of the Heart), who also happens to be Josh's grandmother. Both Walker and Secret will soon be 12 years old. Where does the time go??

Poor Duncan had an emergency visit to the clinic yesterday. I put him out to potty and all was well. I went outside later to get him and he was lying down, refusing to move. Since he generally enjoys playing "Keep Away From Mom by Dancing Just Beyond Her Reach," I was concerned. I picked him up, set him on his feet, walked away, and watched. He took a few hobbling steps and sat down. He was holding his right foot aloft. I took him inside and examined his foot and leg. He did not whimper. I put him down, encouraging him to walk. He limped but did not cry or whine. At the vet's office, we discovered what appeared to be a bite, well two bites actually, between his toes. Hair was shaved from his foot so the area could be cleaned and more easily examined. Then he was given antibiotics, pain relievers, and ... a cone! He does not like his cone. That, plus people laughing at him, on top of having a sore foot, did not make him a happy Lhasa. He was doing better this morning but still not putting weight on the foot. He'll be fine.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that Raven, who will be bred this week, will have puppies in October.

And we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new grandchild sometime this month.

My monthly report from Ezine indicates that my article about Lhasas and children is the one most frequently read and that the one on bathing a Lhasa runs a close second. Here is a link if you'd like to read those and others of my articles posted on Ezine.

Enjoy the remainder of summer's "dog days" and always remember that, as good as life is,

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

Joyce

The "Lazy, Hazy, Crazy" July Days

The best joke I've heard so far this month:

A husband and wife were sitting on their deck, drinking wine, and watching a beautiful summer sunset.
The wife broke the quiet by sighing, "I love you so much. I can't live without you."
The husband chuckled and responded, "Honey, is that you or the wine talking?"
She said, "Oh, it's me...talking to the wine."





I confess that nothing too exciting has happened lately. The 4th of July passed uneventfully. Our town's fireworks display takes place at our university, which is only a few blocks from our house, but I had the radio on for the dogs and no one seemed to mind the "booms" that sounded frequently.

Josh went to class on the night of his 6-month birthday and seemed to enjoy being there with the other dogs. He is a lot of fun to work with and has a natural affinity for showing. I hope that attitude stays with him. At 6 months old, he is now eligible to compete in AKC shows for championship points. We're going to the Burlington Kennel Club show in Iowa in a couple of weeks. The Lhasa entry is small, but we're all planning on having a good time together. Three of us are starting puppies who just turned 6 months old.

When I last wrote, I told you how excited it was when Josh was chosen Best Beginner Puppy in Show at the Kettle Moraine show in WI. Here is the photo that was taken then. He was 5 months old.

Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker (Josh)

I've received some notes and photos also.

Renee has two Joyslyn dogs that are half-brothers. She sent photos and wrote,"Their personalities are TOTALLY different.  Dalai still acts like a 2 year old, does whatever he wants whenever he wants and doesn't care what we think (barking at critters in the back yard). But he's bouncy and lots of fun and loves to snuggle. Namri has always been an "old soul".  Calm, cares if I'm upset.  Doesn't bark much-- hangs out by himself on his chair in the office. "



Here is a photo of Namri and Dalai enjoying the warm California sun, followed by photos of them just relaxing around the house.

I received a lovely note from Andy's owners, who live in Canada. Regular readers may recall that Andy was the red male puppy sired by Rafe (GCh. Joyslyn's Inherit the Wind) out of Maggie (Ch. Joyslyn's Moonlight Magic). Here are parts of the the note, "Andy is doing great. He is a wonderful addition to our family and his antics generate smiles on our faces every day…He is a gentle, loving puppy who loves to be cuddled and who prefers to snuggle up to my daughter on the couch for his afternoon nap. "Me too" also loves to follow up wherever we go and eagerly greets the family when they come home from school or work. You will be glad to know he was the quietest and calmest puppy in Puppy Class…Every day we are thankful for this lovely pup that you raised with such care and love. We continue to marinate him with love on a daily basis and look forward to spending many wonderful years together…"

Letters and notes such as this are what come to mind when people see my puppies and ask me, "How can you ever part with them?"

Andy's people sent me some wonderful photos of him. Here are two of them:

Jimmy, Duncan's brother who decided that the show ring was not for him, is enjoying life and a new hair style. He has a new owner who says he is doing great. When I see this photo and look at how he holds and head and neck, I think how much he looks like Raven, his mother.

Raven's other son, Duncan, was the subject of photo session at our house Sunday night after his bath. We took a lot of great pictures of him but I'll share just a few. He is such a pretty dog. His color is unique and his head and expression are lovely! (The rest of him is very nice also!) He'll be 18 months old on July 23.

We've been waiting and waiting for Raven to come in season. She's now two months past the time I expected her to be in season, so if you are impatiently waiting for me to tell you puppies are on the way, you will have to join me and impatiently wait a bit longer!



Now is the time to make plans for the 2014 American Lhasa Apso Club National Specialty. Here is the update flyer of events and hotel information. If you live in the midwest and love Lhasas, drive to St. Louis that week and you'll see Lhasas from all over the U.S. gathered for the National!

You may recall in December or January I mentioned receiving an annual Christmas card from John and Sparky. John and his wife, who has since passed away, purchased Sparky from us 18 years ago. I was saddened by a voice message John left on our machine yesterday telling us that Sparky passed away on Sunday. I called to express my sympathy, and John told me how much Sparky meant to him and how much company Sparky was when his wife passed away. John said Sparky could no longer go up steps and could not see well but otherwise was doing fine. His death was caused by a reaction to a medication the vet had given him. John wants another Lhasa! Don't we all!

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

Joyce

Where Did June Go?

Just what happened to the month of June? Here it is July 1 already (thankfully payday!) and June went by so fast I have no idea what happened to it. I've certainly been "on the go" so that might have something to do with days passing quickly. From the 7th through the 11th I was busy driving to, attending, and driving home from the annual National Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Development Institute in Minneapolis. In addition to sitting in conference sessions all day, we enjoyed many fine Minneapolis restaurants, one of them being Hell's Kitchen. Here's a photo of our group taken after our dining experience.

And for those of you who remember the old TV show "That Girl," starring Marlo Thomas, here we are at the statue of her in downtown Minneapolis.

Naturally, the night before we left we had to visit the Mall of American, where we did some shopping and where I succumbed to the plea of a co-worker to join her on a couple of roller coaster rides. Here are some links to give you an idea of the thrills. Twice was enough to last me for many years to come!

Home at last from Minnesota, I next packed for a trip on June 18 to Florida to visit our daughter and son-in-law and his family and to join in the baby shower celebration. The theme was "What Will It Bee," with decorations of yellow and black and cute little bees.  The visit was great but the trip home on the 23rd was hectic. The weather was stormy and flights were delayed. After a panicky few moments in the Miami airport, I found an alternate flight, thanks to a wonderful Delta representative. I was able to make my connection in Atlanta because of a flight delay there. It was great to arrive in Peoria where the weather was just fine for the drive home.

Our annual town celebration, called Heritage Days, began on June 26. Since I was leaving for a dog show the next day, I took my eight-year old granddaughter to the carnival for "armband night." We had a great time. I treasure such times because soon she'll be at the age where she no longer wants to hang out with a "grandma." However, a 12-year old standing in line behind us as we waited for a turn on a ride, commented that my granddaughter was "lucky" and had an "awesome grandma" and that it was "so cool" that I was going on the rides because her grandma "refused to do that, which was a good thing because she threw up just watching the rides!"

This carnival was really lacking a variety of rides, but we coped and had fun in spite of that. We discovered a ride called the Tornado and managed 4 or 5 rides on it. The big hit of the night was something called Gee Wizz. We got off and got right back in line every time. It was worth the wait.

So, if nothing else, June was a time for travel and some wild rides!

Then on the 27th it was time to hit the road again.  My friend Jane and I packed up my Impala and drove to West Bend, WI for the Kettle Moraine dog show. The Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club had its June Specialty show on Saturday evening, so across the two days, we were able to get in three shows. I took Duncan and Josh. Duncan took Select Dog on Saturday and did not place at the other two shows. He seems to like the going around the ring part of showing, doesn't mind the table examination, but hates the standing still to wait for the other dogs to be judged! I am so glad he is finished. Now he can sit home for a while and grow up in both body and mind! Speaking of him being finished, I finally have his finishing photo to share.

A great highlight of the weekend was the 4-6 Month Beginner Puppy Competition the club hosted on Sunday afternoon. There were 39 beginners entered. I had Josh entered. LaVonne had his sister Cinder entered. (If you remember the litter, Cinder was the black puppy that we called Cherry before LaVonne renamed her.) Josh won the breed. Then he won the Beginner Non-Sporting Group. Then he won the Best Beginner in Show! I am so proud of him. He loved being in the ring and was a true showman. We did not get any photos or video of him in the ring but we did get a professional photo taken which I will share when I get it in the mail. However, here is a photo of Josh at home. He sort of blends in with the floor tile!

Josh (Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker) 5 months

As you  might imagine, I received quite a few emails and photos while I was away. I'm sharing some of them below.

Lila (renamed Lili) has owners that dote on her. I asked for a photo because they wrote that she'd had a haircut. They responded, "She is hard to photograph , she is so fast , plus she doesn't sit still for very long. Miss Lili is a laugh a minute. She is an absolute beautiful dog , a perfect Lhasa Apso. The soft honey color of her coat is gorgeous......She is irresistible. I have to pick her up and give her hugs and kisses ...(you get  about two minutes max). She constantly follows Collin around and jumps in his lap the minute he sits down. He calls her Wild Ninja Dog. The other night we were eating dinner, and she got on a tear running in circles, then jumped & took the napkin right off my lap, and paraded in front of Tam 100 miles an hour to [entice her to] chase her!" (Note: Tam is their older Lhasa female.)

As difficult as it is to place an older puppy like Lila or even one of the adult dogs, it's notes like this one that warm my heart and tell me that I have made the right decision.

Mary's Belle is doing great with her agility lessons. Mary wrote, "Belle is climbing the A frame, without leash!!  It's at a lower level but she charges for it…We started weave pole class last week. Maybe by next winter/spring we can do a Teacup agility trial or start with CPE." I am so amazed. This is the little dog that absolutely refused to budge when I tried to lead train her and who resisted nearly every step of the way as we tried to finish her championship. She ended up needing a major win and a single point when Mary took her. And now? Belle loves the rally and agility. I am so proud of her and am so grateful for all Mary has done to enrich Belle's life. Here is the latest photo of Ms. Belle.

Magoo's owners sent a photo of him and his big sister, Mallory. Both have Rafe and Maggie as parents. "Just a note to update you on Magoo!! First off, we love him!! He has been such a great addition to our family!! Mallory loves him, and our older Lhasa, Madison, can get into some barking showdowns with him which  Madison loves!! He is such a little character with a big personality - he's a HOOT!!  He has definitely found his voice.  He makes these  funny little noises that aren't really barking and not really whining!  He  will sit in front of his food dish and his bed just to talk (for lack  of a better word) to them. He loves Mallory's long hair and like the little boy he is, he likes to pull it.  He went to his first  grooming appointment on June 9th, and our groomer said he  was really easy to groom (her words were Mallory and Magoo were sweet  angels), and she, also, commented on his beautiful coat!  Just like Mallory, he is so lovable - he loves to sit in your lap and gives lots of  kisses!! Just like you, we have a ton of nicknames for him from  Boo Boo Magoo to Magoover!! His personality just calls for  nicknames!! We have tried several times to get a picture to send you, but it is  hard trying to get Mallory and Magoo to slow down long enough to get a  picture. Attached is a picture we were able to take when they took a  short break from playing…Thanks for our two Rafe and Maggie puppies!! Mallory and Magoo have brought so much love and laughter to our lives!!"

Carol sent a photo of Sadie (littermate of Magoo) and wrote, "My little girl is growing up!!  She's very social with everyone.  Human & Canine. Potty training going well & learning her manners, too.  She loves playing with all her toys.  I'm her favorite Chewy Toy!!"

I found a photo of another of the sisters on Dawn's Facebook page. This is Bailey.

The fourth puppy in that litter was Andy. His owners wrote a quick note saying all was going well and that he had started a puppy obedience class.

Helen sent a picture of Sassy (Josh's sister) after her bath. She said, "Sassy just had her bath.  After drying, we worked on parting.  Her face is sooo ticklish!!!  It's not perfect, but we got a part nose to tail:-). I think you'll see on her head how light most of the coat is coming in."

Another sibling of Josh's is Brigsley. Miranda sent this photo of him.

Judy sent me a picture of her lovely Whisper, who is a littermate to my Maggie and Raven. (Maggie is the mother of Andy, Bailey, Magoo, and Sadie. Raven is Duncan's mother.)

Raquel sent me a link to her Facebook photo of Hilo. Hilo is a son of our Ch. Joyslyn's Heartbreaker so is a half brother to Josh.

Sherri wrote about Libby, "It will be two years this July 4th since we adopted Libby (Liberty Belle).  I took this picture with my phone yesterday of her resting on our deck. She seems to prefer the cold weather but will rest outside in the shade if we are sitting with her!Libby is great and is the perfect little girl. She is so well-behaved and is great with other dogs and kids!  We take her to doggy day care every few weeks for 1/2 day just so that she can play with other dogs!  She has a "big dog" spirit and is not afraid or timid. Her health has been fantastic-no problems with anything! We love her so much!" Libby is pictured below. She is a half sister to Maggie, Raven, and Whisper and is also a Heartbreaker daughter.

I receive great photos and video all the time from Yogi's owner, Violet. Yogi is getting up there in years (he might be 10 or 11 now) and has never been around children, but recently a family has moved in with Violet and her husband. It turns out that Yogi loves children. Here he is making himself cozy in bed with one of them, after hopping from the other bed where he'd been snuggling with another child.

And then there is Henri, the Affenpinscher. He is our "grand-dog," staying with us until our daughter and son-in-law live where they can have a dog again. Henri has had to learn to share toys, dog beds, and people. He was an only dog before he moved in with us, but he's adjusting well. He has a cute personality and mannerisms. His favorite toys are latex balls. He will not share his favorite green one! (and I don't expect him too.) In Henri's perfect world, he'd be an only dog again. In the meantime, he's doing okay in the Joyslyn's Lhasa world!

People have been writing and calling to inquire about puppies. We have none. I was expecting Raven to come in season in June, but she did not, so that sets things back at least a month. We have plans to breed her when she comes in, but I believe all her puppies are spoken for. I have quite a notification list. We will also do a breeding sometime in October or November, so puppies will be available in late winter/spring of 2015.


I received an email from a friend saying she has a 2-year old adult that she bought as a show prospect and that just does not have the temperament for the shows. She is looking for a pet home for him, so if anyone is interested, email me at lhasas@joyslynslhasaapsos.com and I'll put you in touch with my friend.

As many of you know,

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

Spread the word!

Joyce