Meanderings and A Few Pictures

“Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.”  ~Vernon Howard

I'm employed by Western Illinois University as the Associate Director of the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood. Our work is all about lifelong learning. We provide workshops and webinars to teachers, other professionals, and parents for the purpose of improving education and opportunities for young children ages birth-5.

I was thinking about that this morning and about how so many people go through life blindly, as if they know it all, and refuse to learn anything new or to embrace new ideas that challenge old ways of thinking and doing. They enjoy the comfort of the status quo and don't appreciate change. Others purposefully pursue learning, many times because their jobs depend on them getting continuing education credits, but other times because they find a new interest, want to start a new career, or simply read something online that sparks an interest to learn more. Sometimes learning is accidental (e.g., touching a hot stove, overhearing a conversation, adding too much hot sauce, expecting x will produce y and finding out it produces z and wondering "why did that happen?").

Here's an example of accidental learning that happened to someone who shall remain nameless. LOL
She wanted to buy Diet Cherry 7-Up, so she took some off the shelf and put it in her shopping cart. However, when she got home, she discovered she'd purchased plain old Diet 7-Up instead. (What gremlin came along and switched bottles in her cart?) What to do? It seemed stupid to go all the way back to the store to exchange a $1.38 two liter bottle of soda. This person can be a creative thinker and problem solver, so she thought, "I know! I can add a bit of flavored Crystal Light to this soda and that will do the trick." So she did. And suddenly the bubbling began, and huge red bubbles started a rolling boil right out of the open bottle of soda, and they came and they came and they would not stop. Startled, she raced to the sink, attempting to get there before the bubble mixture hit the floor. She made it! The rolling boil continued for what seemed like ages until it stopped. Finally! What did our anonymous friend learn from this unintended science experiment? Don't do that again? Or perhaps it gave her a new idea, "What would happen if I poured out some of the soda and then added the Crystal Light?" She has yet to try that.

A good example of purposeful learning is happening with Helen, Mary, and Deborah, all of whom have recently become interested in showing Lhasa Apsos. Each purchased a show potential puppy from me. Helen bought Sassy, a litter sister to Josh, last year. Mary and Deborah each bought puppies from our last litter - Riley and Mysti. Each woman is in the process of learning about showing and all it entails, which can be confusing, and about coat care, which can seem complicated. I'm so proud of all their efforts!

I don't have any new news about Maggie. She has an x-ray appointment on Monday to determine how many puppies she will have.

Luna and I attended a training class on Saturday and she did so well. The class was small, so I am unsure how she'll react to being in an actual show ring. She has gone to shows with us before but has never been shown. We call her "Wiggle Butt" because her tail is always wagging, and her entire rear end gets in on the action!

Notes and Photos from People

These dogs are Mallory and Magoo. They are brother and sister and are offspring of Maggie and Rafe. They were both the only puppies in their respective litters to be gold and white parti-colors. (Thanks, Catherine, for posting the photo on Facebook.)

Helen posted this photo of Sassy and emailed, "Sassy is just a doll!  I love her too much... I groom her and as I finish and put her ponies in, her sweet face is just too kissable!"

Sassy

Carol sent pictures of Sadie, saying she wanted me to see "all her pretty colors."

Sadie

Nap time for Sadie

Marilyn emailed, "Just want you to know that Maci is doing so well. We have gone to 2 puppy classes, and she is sooo smart. She is learning to sit, to come when called (depending on her mood), and to walk on leash. She has a friend Daisy at class who she can't wait to see each week."

Maci

Violet wanted me to see Yogi's new dog bed. She commented that he is "very spoiled."

Deborah wrote,  "Mysti is so smart with loads of personality.  She had the last of her shots last week and this past Saturday had her first conformation class.  There were 10 other dogs in the class and she was the youngest.  She was fine with the trainer putting her hands all over her and looking at her teeth.  The trainer said she looked great and could almost show herself the way she strutted and pranced in the ring.  She is fearless."

Mary wrote,  "I took Riley to the conformation class this morning and had such a good time. The class was all big dogs who were seasoned in the show ring. Riley was unflappable. Nothing seemed to bother her and she just pranced across the  circle. I couldn't believe she was moving out for she had only been leading for about 3 days."

Back to the Beginning Topic - Lessons Learned??

"Each experience presents an opportunity for learning." ~ Joyce Johanson (wearing her rose-colored glasses)

My family room is bare. Well, not totally bare. To be honest, there's a recliner there, a couple of end tables, and a couple of grooming tables. What is missing is the sofa and love seat. See, I decided we needed new furniture in the family room. What was there looked great, but the sofa fabric was a dog hair magnet. After 6 years, I'd had it. My husband said that before I purchased new furniture I should get rid of the old. Okay, that made sense, but selling the old set might take a while, so I posted a picture and an ad on the Facebook group "For Sale in Macomb." It sold right away!

Being optimistic, before I placed the ad I ordered the new furniture. Since the family room is where the dogs hang out, I had some requirements: leather, not dog hair-catching fabric this time, and nothing that was over-sized, which is sort of hard to find when you look at most leather furniture. They seem to be inclined toward big rolled arms and heavily padded backs.

Now, what you have to understand is that the doorway to our family room is narrow so I had to find furniture that we were sure would fit through the door. Past experience, resulting in the door and part of the frame being removed, proved that is difficult to do. We were not going to go through that again! (I say "we" but really mean "my husband.") There was barely room to get the old furniture out, and it was low backed. Inspiration struck! Surely our house was not the only one with a narrow door. What about city apartments? What did people do who had walk ups with narrow stairways? So, using the internet to research the problem, I found many places made furniture for just those circumstances. The items were boxed to be assembled on site. Problem solved.

IKEA had a style that I liked. We do not have an IKEA nearby, so I called my daughter in Florida and asked her to go to the nearby IKEA to check things out for me. She gave the items a favorable review.

So I ordered a sofa and loveseat, received an email confirming the order and explaining that my items would be sent to a freight company that would contact me to set up a delivery date and time when someone would be home to accept delivery. What a good plan! I was very proud of myself. So, I sat back and waited for a call.

And waited.

And waited.

Then an email came the evening of April 21st! "Delivered" it said. What? What? Panic set in. I had no new furniture in my family room waiting to be assembled. Where was my ordered delivered? Who had my furniture? (Why do these things happen in the evening when nothing can be done about fixing them?)

The next morning I called IKEA's customer service line and was put on hold, so I waited and waited. Finally someone answered. She heard my story and put me on hold. More waiting. At last, she came back on the line and told me she had asked someone to look into the problem and that person would be calling. So I waited.

By mid-afternoon, there was no call. Irked as all get out, I went to IKEA USA Facebook and wrote a nice polite post about the problem and asked for help. Hurray! I got a response. Someone would check into it and let me know. I had hope.

More waiting. Nothing. So the next morning, I messaged them again via Facebook asking for a status report. The response was "We don't have an update yet Joyce." Okay, more waiting. I can be patient.

Except when my patience wears thin, as it did about 9:00 last night.

I messaged IKEA again this morning via Facebook. No response.

What have I learned? I'm not sure.

Patience? Nope.

Don't be so trusting? Nope.

Don't order online from IKEA? Getting warmer...

IKEA has sucky customer service? Warmer still...

I'll let you know how this turns out. (Yes, my credit card company has been informed.)

It's a Darn Good Thing That Life is Better When You Have A Lhasa to Love You!

Joyce

A Few Quick Items

 

 

Good News/Disappointing News

I never know which should come first, so I'll start with the disappointment. Charli and I went to the vet clinic on Thursday, and the result was as I expected. Charli is not going to have puppies. I was so disappointed! I kept hoping that there was one little baby tucked up high inside. Nope.

Maggie, however, is pregnant. Her puppies are due around May 5th. Her vet visit is next Monday.

New Canine Influenza

You may have heard about the canine influenza outbreak in the midwest. If not, here's a link to an article from Cornell University. http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2015/04/12/midwest-canine-influenza-outbreak-caused-by-new-strain-of-virus/   The virus also affects cats. At present there is no vaccination for the new strain, and it is unknown whether the current canine influenza vaccine offers any protection against this influenza.

So where has this new strain come from and why now? One supposition is that the outbreak may be the result of dogs being shipped from South Korea to shelters in the US. One blogger cited that 23 Korean dogs were sent to shelters in mid-Atlantic states, 57 Korean dogs were sent to San Francisco, and 21 Samoyed from South Korea were placed with a Chicagoland rescue group.

It seems that dire predictions regarding rescue groups bringing un-vaccinated dogs from foreign countries into the US are coming true. It's long been speculated that the practice will have negative health impacts on US pets. Obviously, some regulations need to be in place to protect our pets from the influx of foreign canines who may not have had health checks or vaccinations.

For other updates, google "new strain of canine influenza."

A quick excerpt from Humane or Insane, an article of interest: "The current scale of importation also poses significant public health risks. These animals, destined to be domestic pets, are from countries where the standards of veterinary medicine are not as high as they are in the US. Diseases and parasites that are not found here may be endemic in poor or tropical countries. If the fundraising materials accurately describe the rescued dogs, they are not pets from private homes but strays from the streets and therefore are among the most likely reservoirs for parasites and diseases. In addition, they are bringing them into communal shelters where they are most likely to pass on whatever diseases or parasites they have to other companion animals or to their caregivers."  - See more at: http://www.naiaonline.org/naia-library/articles/humane-or-insane/#sthash.KkRcpWDr.dpuf

Another article on the new flu says this about treatment of affected dogs: "Treatment of influenza ideally involves supportive and symptomatic care until the dog’s immune system wins the battle against the virus (requires approximately two weeks for most dogs). Therapy may include supplemental fluids, special diets to entice appetite, anti-inflammatory medications, and cough suppressants. Antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent secondary bacterial infection.
If evidence of pneumonia is present, much more intensive therapy is indicated and may include hospitalization for intravenous fluids and antibiotics, supplemental oxygen, and 24-hour monitoring by a veterinarian." and cautions readers not to panic because, although there have been five pneumonia-related deaths, the vast majority of dogs with the influenza recover.

Something for Urban Dwellers and Their Dogs

New AKC Canine Good Citizen Program  http://www.akc.org/news/akc-urban-canine-good-citizen/

"Giving responsible owners a whole new level of achievement for their dogs, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced today the launch of “AKC Urban CGC” to the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training program. The new title focuses on city-dwelling dogs and the special skills they require.
Since 1989, more than 700,000 dogs and their owners have been recognized by the CGC program, which rewards the dogs’ good manners at home and in the community. As with CGC, AKC Urban CGC requires a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Urban CGC title. AKC Urban CGC skills dogs must possess include:
    •    Exits/enters doorways (of dog friendly buildings) with no pulling
    •    Walks through a crowd on a busy urban sidewalk
    •    Reacts appropriately to city distractions (horns, sirens, etc.)
    •    Waits on leash, crosses street under control
    •    Ignores food and food containers on sidewalk
    •    Person approaches on sidewalk and pets dog
    •    3-minute down-stay in lobby of dog friendly building
    •    Safely negotiates stairs and elevators
    •    Housetrained
    •    Enters, exits, rides dog-friendly transportation (car, subway in a carry bag, cab)"

 

Barn Hunts and Lhasas? Yes!

What is a barn hunt and, seriously, can a Lhasa do that? Yes, a Lhasa can! My friend Marsha, who is a Register of Merit Lhasa Apso breeder, has Champions, Grand Champions, and Lhasas with agility titles. To that she has recently added Lhasas with Barn Hunt titles. This past weekend, her GCH CH MLS Desiderata Lindy received a Barn Hunt title at trials in Fargo. She is now GCH CH MLS Desiderata Lindy RATI RATN!

RATI = Barn Hunt Instinct (not a title recognized by AKC as it only needs one qualifying leg)
RATN = Barn Hunt Novice (AKC recognized)

I'm especially proud of Lindy since she is the mother of my Ch. MLS Dakota Dancing in the Wind at Joyslyn (Windy) and the grandmother of Ch. Joyslyn MLS Dakota Wind Breaker (Josh). Congrats Marsha and Lindy!

Here is Marsha with Lindy and her qualifying ribbons. Congratulations!!!

What is a Barn Hunt? "In a Barn Hunt, there is a simple maze of straw bales, with plastic tubes hidden in the maze containing live rats. The dog must climb on a bale with all four feet, go through a tunnel, and alert the owner to the rat — all in a specified amount of time. It is mostly a game of instinct, but the best dogs bring an element of basic training, smarts, and self-control to succeed." ~ from  Barn Hunt: Doggy fun, even without a barn


Click this link if you want to know more about Barn Hunts.  Here's another link to a video of a dog in action. http://www.thecanineranch.com/index.cfm/dog-sports/barn-hunt/  You can also find a bunch of videos on YouTube.

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

Joyce

This and That

Not that I'm complaining, but while April showers are just fine, the high winds, thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes that hit Illinois last night are way down on my list.

The title of this blog, "This and That," is indicative of the content. We're still in the "waiting" stages in regard to puppies, although I am hoping that by next week I'll know more about Charli's condition. I, along with those of you who are waiting for puppy news, am practicing patience.

I had an interesting experience Monday evening when a friend requested that I meet with her and some kennel club members in Burlington to attend a meeting given by a person who was sponsoring some anti-dog legislation in Iowa. The bill, which failed in the Iowa legislature, had in it some clauses related to small (or hobby) breeders. The speaker focused on her (and the bill's) attempts to regulate Iowa puppy mills. As you might expect, we saw some horrifying photos of conditions. I came away convinced more than ever that public education is the key.  If only people could see where those cute little pet shop puppies were raised. Ugh!

I made a statement at one point saying that we small /hobby breeders did not want to be "painted with the same brush" as puppy mill breeders. Later, I was asked if the news reporter could quote me. I said yes, and the morning paper reported me as saying, "We don't want to be painted with the same picture." ~ Joyce Johanson, in response to being placed in the same category as puppy mill owners.  !!!  Hmmm...a common American idiom and that young journalist goofed it up. (I really hate sounding stupid!)

Raven has settled in well in her new home in California with my friend Judy. Judy also owns Raven's litter sister, Whisper. She reports that Raven is acting as if she belongs there and is quite content. I'm so pleased that another of my retired champions is content and happy in her new home.

Raven, making herself at home on the bed

Oh, and while I am on the subject of retired champions, if anyone is interested in one, let me know. joyslynslhasas@outlook.com. While I do not have anything available at this time, I know someone who does and can send you her way.


My friend Cherry took a couple of the photos I'd posted on Facebook and did this to them using her phone and the Photo Sketch app. Pretty cool!

Helen sent me a photo of Sassy, taken after a bath and a blow dry using Helen's new dryer. Helen is showing Sassy, who now has 8 points, including a major win! Sassy is Josh's litter sister.

 

Speaking of Josh, his championship is now official! I was very glad when this AKC document arrived in my mailbox earlier this week.

Bits and Pieces from the Internet

Here are some items that came to my attention this week. I thought some of them might interest some of you.

 

How Dogs Help Children with Autism

"Dogs have been credited with providing us with a host of benefits—lowering blood pressure and stress levels, increasing social skills, and even possibly boosting the immune system—but the services they provide for individuals with autism go even further."

Using a Cosmetic Sponge to Feed a Puppy 

This link goes to a YouTube video. I hope I never have to use the technique, but I'm certainly happy to know about it "just in case!"

Designer Dog Maker Regrets His Creation

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know my feelings about the "designer dogs" fad.  In this Psychology Today article, the man responsible talks about why he created what is now known as the Labradoodle and why he wishes he had never done so. He said, "People ask me 'Aren't you proud of yourself?' I tell them 'No! Not in the slightest.' I've done so much harm to pure breeding and made so many charlatans quite rich. I wonder, in my retirement, whether we bred a designer dog – or a disaster!"

AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program

Many puppy buyers are quick to assure me that they do not want a "show dog." There are many ways to be involved in AKC events without participating in conformation shows. One program that appeals to many is the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program. From the AKC "About" page: "Started in 1989, the CGC Program is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club."

And (as if I needed to remind you!) 

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

'Til next time...

Joyce

Happy Easter!

"On this Easter Sunday… 

Forgive someone.
Tell someone you love them.
Let your light shine." 

~ Author Unknown

Happy Easter to all! I have to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with Easter when it comes to candy for the Easter baskets.

That is because I love, love, love jelly beans (yes, even the black ones!) and just cannot leave them alone. I made the mistake of buying the Easter candy for my granddaughter last Saturday instead of waiting until this coming Saturday. Needless to say...I have to add "jelly beans" to Saturday's shopping list. I also love Cadbury eggs and those yummy peanut butter filled chocolate eggs, but those I can leave alone. Not jelly beans!

 

Pictures and emails

Last time I wrote I announced the good news that Josh had earned his championship and said I would post his finishing photo when it arrived. I am very proud of this young dog. Here's a trip down memory lane:

Josh was entered in the Beginner Puppy Class (ages 4-6 month) over the Memorial Day weekend last year when he was four months old. He won the Beginner Puppy Non-Sporting Group 1.

Josh - Non-Sporting Group 1 Beginner Puppy - Bloomington, IL

The following month we went to West Bend, WI, where at age 5 months Josh won Beginner Puppy Best in Show.

His first major was at age 9 months at the American Lhasa Apso Club National Specialty, where he won Reserve Winners Dog.

And here is his finishing picture, at age 13 months when he earned his second major. (He was 14 months old the next day!)

And, yes, his color did change that much, although the colors in the last photo are a bit washed out, which is disappointing, considering what the photo cost me!

I do have some notes and photos to share.

Priscilla sent pictures of her three Joyslyn Lhasas. She wrote, "Hi Joyce, I'm sending along some pictures of all the boys. Teddy (the golden) will be 11 in April, Rocky (the red one) turned 10 on October 31. And of course, you know Ozzy! He's quite a character and he and Rocky still have a way to go to get along... More soon!"

Ozzy

 

Rocky and Teddy

From Deborah: "Mysti has been such a well behaved puppy.  She was quiet on our flight and during the night at the hotel.  I took her to the Vet today to establish her account.  She did not make a peep when the Vet chipped her.  I have attached a picture of her with her new doctor.  We will keep you posted on her activities with email and pictures.  We enjoyed meeting you and Lynn.  Thank you so much for this sweet little girl."

Mysti and her new vet

Marilyn wrote, "I wanted to send a pic of Maci after her first visit to the groomer. Vicki said she did well for her first time. We can actually see her eyes now! She is doing so well, and we just love her. She is sleeping in her crate now until almost 6:00 am. Potty training is coming along. We hope to start puppy school in the next couple of weeks. She was at the vet yesterday and she weighs 6lbs." 

Maci

Other things

So…you have your Lhasa microchipped and registered and you think he is safe. If the dog is lost, you think the microchip will surely bring him back to you. That's how it is supposed to work and that is how it does work in nearly all cases. But what happens when it doesn't? You might be interested in reading about the plight of Piper, a champion Sheltie, who was "rescued," and whose owners are now in a legal battle to get her back. The battle has been going on for a while and it's the strangest thing. I cannot believe why it's gone on this long when it's obvious who the dog's owner are.

AKC hosts a new site on canine health akc.org/health. The announcement stated, "The initial stage of the new microsite offers resources and information on care, nutrition, fitness, preventative health and breeder education. The platform is designed to share AKC’s 130 years of knowledge in the form of digestible content to enrich the general public, dog breeders and everyone in between." I noticed links to topics such as separation anxiety, holistic veterinary care, vaccinations, shedding, tick removal, and heart disease.

Finally, (although I hate to end with a real "downer"), there was this Facebook posting by Nathan Winograd, "It is with great sadness and anger that I report to you that PETA's 2014 statistics,

just released yesterday by the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS), are as bad as ever. According to VDACS, PETA took in 1,605 cats and killed 1,536 (a kill rate of 96%). They transferred another 43 to shelters. If they were killed or displaced others who were killed, that would put the cat kill rate as high as 98%. They found homes for only 16, an adoption rate of 1%. PETA also took in 1,021 dogs of which they killed 788 (a kill rate of 77%). Another 210 were transferred to other shelters. Like the cats, if they were killed or displaced others who were killed, the dog death rate would also be as high as 98%. Only 23 were adopted. The records from the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services are here: http://bit.ly/1LsjPrn. Learn more at www.whyPETAkills.org"

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

 

 

Have a wonderful Easter! (I've already eaten my share of jelly beans, but I haven't had a chocolate  bunny...(yet)!

Joyce

Catching Up!!

"When the Man waked up he said, 'What is Wild Dog doing here?' And the Woman said, 'His name is not Wild Dog any more, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always.'"~ Rudyard Kipling


Where do I begin? So much has happened in the two weeks since I last posted. The biggest and best news is that our Josh is now CHAMPION Joyslyn's MLS Dakota Wind Breaker. He finished on Sunday, March 15, in Louisville, KY under judge Lisa Warren, just one day shy of being 14 months old. This was our first show of 2015.

Here are a couple photos I took of Josh in the grooming area as we were waiting to go to ringside.

 Josh went to the four Kentucky shows needing just a major to finish. The major was in bitches so he needed to take Best of Winners to get the major. We started out great on Thursday with a win over the competition for Winners Dog. However, the disappointment came when the dogs were in for Best of Breed and the judge awarded the bitch Best of Winners. We had three more chances to get the points.

On Friday, our competition went in with a professional handler instead of his owner. We lost. Josh blew it! Josh behaved terribly on the table. He did not see the judge approach and she spooked him when she put her hands on him. He did not want her to touch him after that scare and refused to let her see his bite or go over him. We lost it on the table! He showed well on the floor but on the down and back, he made darn sure he stayed well away from that judge! Frustrating! We had two more chances for the win, but I was worried that his bad experience on the table might jinx us for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday a male who had not been to the show the previous days joined the competition. Josh showed well. I could not fault a single thing he did, but the other dog won. Another day, another dog show. But now the pressure was really on!

Added to the pressure was the timing. I was supposed to give a Judges Education Seminar at 10:45 on Sunday morning. The Lhasa ringtime was at 10:00 and there were 14 dogs ahead of us plus 12 Lhasas. That meant that the timing would be tight. There was no way unless the judging was quick and a bunch of dogs were absent that I could show Josh and still make it to the seminar room in time to set up and begin the seminar at 10:45. The seminar coordinator had previously said we could move the start time to 11:00. So I was initially taken aback when on Saturday the seminar coordinator approached me at ringside to ask if I would change the seminar time to 8:00. All I could think of was how early we'd have to get up the next morning! But I agreed to change the time and was glad of it because our Sunday judge was behind schedule and the Lhasas did not get out of the ring until 11:30.

So, it all worked out well. The 8:00 seminar was a success; I was able to show Josh without the stress of worrying about being late for the seminar; and Josh earned his championship.

I'll post his winning photo when it arrives.

The second half of the judges seminar involved a hands-on workshop, sort of a pretend dog show where the judges watched the dogs move and had a chance to examine them on the table. I want to thank the following people who allowed me to use their dogs in the seminar and workshop: Jan Graunke, Marilyn Lucas, Polly Naumann, Sami Payne, Linda Richter, Karen Schlais, Carla Varney, and Pat Weir. Another big thanks to Jan who helped me during the seminar.

Congratulations also to those who finished their dogs and/or earned majors during the four days: Marilyn Lucas, Karen Schlais, Carla Varney, and Pat Weir.

If you want to read the seminar material, go to lhasaapso.org, highlight "Judges Corner" in the left menu and then choose "Study Guide" in either magazine or pdf format. You may also be interested in "Learn About the Lhasa Apso," a presentation under "Breed Information." The two are somewhat similar but aimed at different audiences.

Jan, Karen, and I had a great experience at the show with Jan's dog, Flash. Jan bought raffle tickets for a Take the Lead raffle and won a 30 minute session with an animal communicator. Karen and I wanted to hear what Flash had to say so we tagged along. That communicator was amazing! And Flash was quite "talkative" too. We laughed a lot at the things Flash had to tell Jan. One of them was that she thought her name was "stupid" and wanted it to be changed to "Sassy, Sissy, or Sandy." Jan wondered about "Lily" but Flash preferred "Lillian," based on a past life. There was a lot more that cracked us up and that without a doubt was coming from Flash herself. We always knew she was a character, but this experience proved it.

You may be wondering what is going on with the Duncan and Windy puppies. All but one are now with their new owners. The last one, Mysti, leaves tomorrow for a show home in Texas.

Here is Mysti. Her new people are keeping her name. The others have changed theirs.

Mysti

Mysti, practicing to be a show dog!

 Marilyn, who owns Cora, now called Maci, recently wrote, "Maci has been a real ray of sunshine…She is such a ball of fire. We have 15 dogs on our street, and she has met them all! She is fearless, and is not afraid even if they are barking. She barks right back! Potty training is going ok. She has us trained. She sleeps in her crate, and I still get up to take her out once. The second time is usually her time to get up and play. We are absolutely in love with her."

Maci

Mary did not send a photo of Abby, who is now Riley, but wrote, "Things are going really well here. We have definitely settled into a call name for our puppy. She is Riley. She is doing great. I am setting her up on my new grooming table each day and rolling on her side to groom her. She doesn't really like it as she tries to squirm but she is learning to settle down. Our older Lhasa is still really patient with her and she has her own gumption trying to pull toys right out of the older dog's mouth. She draws the line with her food."
Mary will be showing Riley here in the midwest.


Little Coco is now called Sugar. Tammy and Chelsea wrote, "…her name is Sugar we like to call her Princess Sugar Butt. She is doing so good we are making every good progress on potty training and kennel training. She loves her older brother Duke (especially his fluffy tail that she loves to play with) & he is learning to love her too. She took to the house and her new home right away and thinks she runs the show already. She loves to chase leaves and sticks outside also has a strange liking for rocks... The vet says she is growing up very nicely. We will keep you posted on all her new adventures! Thanks again for all your great info and the wonderful addition to our family."

Sugar

About Lacy, now called Lillea, her owner wrote, "Just updating, Ms. Lillea is wonderful.  We just love, love, love her.  She hates to be alone and cries nonstop until I return….Again, thank you for your hospitality and for the precious gift of our little girl Lhasa puppy.  She will have a great life with us.  Oh... Lillea has told Rosie (Joyce's note: Vivian's mom's Lhasa puppy) off several times and let her know that Rosie absolutely can not sit on my lap or give me kisses.  I apparently belong to Lillea exclusively."

Lillea

Lillea

Priscilla has two older male Joyslyn's Lhasas, ages 10 and 6. They recently welcomed Noah (now Ozzie) into their home. Priscilla did not send photos but wrote, "Teddy and Rocky are co-existing with Ozzy in what I'm calling armed neutrality. Rocky is trying to establish dominance and Teddy mainly watches the goings-on."



Liam's new owner does not have internet access so it is not as easy to communicate with him or for him to send pictures. He told me he was probably going to rename the puppy "Lucky," because all his friends told him that any dog would be lucky to have him as an owner. John had a Joyslyn's Lhasa, Sparky, that lived to be just a couple months shy of 20 years.


Carol sent a picture of her Sadie, taken on her birthday. She wrote, "Beautiful Sadie Belle's "Happy 1st Birthday"! Sadie's a happy, lovable, full of spirit & spunky little girl."

Sadie

Miranda posted this photo of her Brigsley, who is Josh's litter brother, on my Facebook  page.

Brigsley

People have been asking when our next puppies are due. We did two breedings toward the end of February and are eager to learn whether or not the breedings produced puppies. If the girls are pregnant, puppies will be due the end of April. Sire of one litter is Duncan, Ch. Joyslyn's Highly Classified, who was the sire of Cora, Abby, etc.  Sire of the other is Breaker, Ch. Joyslyn's Heartbreaker, who is Josh's sire. Dams are Charli, Ch. MLS Desiderata Flight O' Fancy, a bitch co-owned by Marsha Susag and me; and Maggie, Ch. Joyslyn's Moonlight Magic. You can find photos and pedigrees for the Joyslyn dogs at http://www.joyslynslhasaapsos.com/ped.html
Here is a photo of Charli.

Ch. MLS Desiderata Flight O' Fancy

We we expect dark colors - blacks, black & tans - from the Duncan x Charli breeding and golds/creams from the Breaker x Maggie breeding.
 
And now, some general dog news that may (or may not) be of interest to you.

First, here is a link to an article focusing on what most of us already knew about the Humane Society of the United States. Share it with anyone you know who falls for this group's advertising and encourage them to support their local shelter instead.  http://www.awesomeocean.com/2014/07/31/breaking-hsus-loses-charity-rating/

Here is an excerpt from the article: “The HSUS has historically bragged about their 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, one of the most trust-worthy charity evaluators in the game. Recently, they were downgraded to a 3-star rating and now their rating has been completely revoked, a “Donor Advisory” warning taking its place.”

The next article provides information about Colorado's successful effort to recognize May 1 as National Purebred Dog Day. It would be great if all states would do the same!
http://dogknobit.com/2015/03/16/national-purebred-dog-days-toolbox/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dogknobit+%28DogKnobIt%29
 
This article includes reminiscing about war dogs that might have you teary-eyed by the end of it. I can't stand the thought of these brave, loyal dogs being abandoned by our armed forces. I enjoyed the article though. http://www.bestinshowdaily.com/blog/brownies/

This is a bit scary, given the recent APHIS rule changes. On Monday, March 9, the U. S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Association that administrative agencies do not need to post public notice or solicit comment when they revise interpretive rules. AKC thinks APHIS rulemaking will be included also. https://www.akc.org/news/supreme-court-public-notice-not-required-for-revising-interpretive-rules/

Finally, some good news for people who would like to travel by train with their dogs. The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a comprehensive passenger train bill that requires Amtrak to develop a pilot program that would, when feasible, designate at least one car where passengers may transport a dog or cat if the pet is in a kennel that can be stowed according to Amtrak’s requirements for carry-on baggage. http://www.akc.org/government-relations/legislative-alerts/house-representatives-approves-amtrak-pilot-program/

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

Joyce

Going on Nine Weeks...

The puppies have grown. Here they are at almost 9 weeks old. The photos were taken after their first baths. They were surprisingly good. I'm usually prepared to get as wet as the puppies get during their baths, expecting some struggles and splashing around. Not one of them fussed. They all stood perfectly still and seemed to enjoy the experience. Even under the big blow dryer, they all were very cooperative.

Liam

Noah (who hates having his picture taken-- or maybe just hates having to be still to have his picture taken!)

Cora

Abby

Mysti

Lacy

Coco

Big congratulations go out to Helen and Sassy, Josh's litter sister. Sassy is now half-way to her championship with 8 points, including one of those highly sought after majors. Here is a photo of beautiful Sassy. She is a half-sister to the 9 week old puppies since Windy is also her mother.

Sassy

Speaking of Josh, he and I are heading to four days of shows in Louisville, KY next week. It will be fun to be with Lhasa people at a show again. The entry is not huge, but that is par for the course lately. I am looking forward to presenting the American Lhasa Apso Club's Judges Education Seminar on Sunday. It's always a privilege to be able to tell prospective judges about our breed.

And, speaking of ALAC, the club has some nice things on its website now. One of the newer items is a short video of some of the dogs at the national specialty week last October. Josh and I made a quick appearance. Look for the woman wearing the pink jacket. And I saw the bottom of my dress in one picture when I was showing Bobbie's bitch, Lilly. The video is a quick one but it brought back some nice memories of that show week.

Also on ALAC's site for those of you interested in learning more about the Lhasa is "Learn About the Lhasa Apso," a presentation either in magazine format or pdf format. You can get to it by going to the ALAC website, lhasaapso.org, and highlighting "Breed Information" from the menu on the left.

Finally, under the "It's About Time" category, here is an article explaining what most of us already knew about the Humane Society of the United States. An excerpt reads, “The HSUS has historically bragged about their 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, one of the most trust-worthy charity evaluators in the game. Recently, they were downgraded to a 3-star rating and now their rating has been completely revoked, a “Donor Advisory” warning taking its place.” As the article points out, your money is better spent by donating to your local shelter.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

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

Joyce