I have to start with the fact that this year has had the most wonderful weather here in Cortez, CO. It has been so pleasant, warm but not too hot, slight breezes and no wind. Some people even thought it was chilly in the building but the dogs and I enjoyed it immensely. Buckie liked it a bit much during the group though. He was silly and spunky and to my eyes, adorable. He showed how young he was, that’s for sure but he spread some smiles. Both he and Dan won their respective breeds and got to go play in group. Though Buckie got ring time and had fun he did not get a ribbon. His day will come.

Dan on the other hand had a good time and also managed to get a big yellow ribbon to take home! He is such a good and happy boy. So congratulations to Lois Croley and Charlene Dwyer of Casey Kerry Blue Terriers for their winning boys Group 3!

All three dogs are napping right now waiting for the cool evening temps to go out and walk, scooter and play. I think I will follow their lead and take a nap until that time too. We have early ring times tomorrow and a long drive home so a nap sounds like a sensible thing.

Wish us luck on the morrow!

Odebt

This weekend I am in Cortez Colorado with the Kerry Blue Terrier Danny, BIS

On the way to Cortez

GCh. Tontine’s Chance Redemption, the Chow Chow Diamond, Lone Star Delta Diamond and my Smooth Coat Chihuahua Buckie, Ch. Deo Gratias I’m A Country Boy.

I have to say that the best part of coming to these shows is the drive over here. It is just beautiful. The weather has been agreeably nice, warm but not too much so, part sun, part clouds and an occasional good breeze. On the drive over there were some sprinkles but mostly the sky was gorgeous with scattered clouds and a deep blue hue. There was snow on the Spanish Peaks and on Wolf Creek Pass, just beautiful. It left me with a keen desire to go camping and fishing. It was the kind of scenery that makes me appreciate to variety of landscapes across our great country.

Now the show site, not so much to see if you are just looking at the buildings, the dirt and the foxtails. If you take a moment and look at the hills that

At the show

surround the grounds and even go take a walk with your dog, there is beauty to behold. There are small bluffs with beautiful rock formations and small high desert trees mixed with scrub brush that exhibits nature in this area at its best. If you get the chance to come to these shows in the future, take in the sights if you can, there is so much to see. I am hoping to visit a couple of museums tomorrow or drive out to the lake or maybe hit a tourist trap at the very least.

The show seems small this year, only four rings and the reserved grooming isn’t full at all. Buckie went Best Of Variety today and gained another grand champion point in the process! He then got to go to the group where he had time to work on his baiting and I tell you, if he ate at home like he tries to eat in the ring “bait diving” he would be obese! Maybe I need to put him on a leash and throw his food on the floor! He still looks as young as he is and gangly. He is having a good time in the ring and is improving his showmanship. He certainly needs maturity before he can do any big winning.

Danny went Best Of Breed today as well and added to his Grand points. He didn’t do anything in the group but he showed wonderfully. He is so happy in

Wolf Creek Pass

the ring, so proud of himself and beautiful to look at. He works so hard for me and I just adore him, he makes me proud and I know he makes Lois and Charlene proud that he is theirs.

Diamond isn’t entered at these shows, she is on her last training trip before her first shows next weekend. She had the pleasure of seeing her first horses here. She has seen cows on our property and she doesn’t quite know what to do about them. Now to see horses running around barrels with people on top of them threw her for a loop! At first she wanted to run with them, then she hollered at them briefly, then she finally sat down just to watch. I think she would have sat there for quite awhile just watching but I had to pull her away to go see other sights! She just loves meeting other dogs and people too.

Such a beautiful drive!

We have been working on showing teeth and tongue which tries her patience, she would rather wiggle and jump up, but she’s doing fine with it all. She is good on the table, standing and laying down. Her hardest thing is that she wants to run everywhere! I am going to have to wear her out before she goes in the ring next weekend. I think the little rascal is going to love dog shows and the adventures that go with them.

As some of you know, Danny has appointed himself the protector of the toy breeds that I show. It started with Angel, the smooth Chihuahua I showed awhile back, he just loved her. Well, it didn’t stop there at all. Then I thought it was because she was a  female and Raven the Japanese  Chin was too, but I was wrong about that. He is in charge of Buckies safety too. Last weekend Danny was out of sorts, grumpy, protective and upset. He didn’t eat like he normally does either. Sure, he showed fine and he was affectionate

Always a good ribbon to get and both boys got one today!

to those he knows but he just wasn’t himself. We all questioned what was up with him, he even got in trouble a couple of times snapping at people who were talking to him wile he was on the table. Well, this weekend he is eating and up, very happy and nice to everyone. I can tell you why though you probably won’t believe it. Last weekend we did not bring Buckie. I don’t know if he just missed him or if he thought someone stole him or what, but he is glad Buckie is back with us. He checks Buckies crate every time I open the door to the van before he gets into his own crate and also when I bring him back to his crate in the building after a walk, he checks on Buckie before he will get into his crate. All is good if Buckie is in there. When it was time to pack up the dogs in the van I had Danny on his leash and I picked Buckies crate up to carry him at the same time. You know how some dogs will run in front of another dog and ask them to play and hurry up and come? well, Dan did that to Buckie in his crate as we walked along. It was rather silly, as if Buckie could run along with him while in his crate. Silly dog. But that’s when I realized that it was Buckie just being there that has made Danny a happy boy again this weekend! I guess Buckie has to come with us to shows even if he isn’t entered. I suppose that makes Buckie Dannys mascot or side kick or maybe even his best friend. Dogs, you just gotta love them and with characters like these how can you not?

Wish us luck for tomorrow!

Odebt

Sorry if you were looking for a report on Sunday in Albuquerque! We showed and ran! Dan was Select Dog and Lanakai was once again Winners Bitch and Best of Opposite Sex. Both of them enjoyed their time in the ring, Dan the experienced pro and Lanakai the newbie! Lanakai showed

A few of my Rhode Island Red chicks!

herself to be all puppy but what is great is that she has discovered that dog shows can be fun.

Buckie last fall, I love him so!

Bill and I really had a good time with Tina, Lanakai’s mom/owner and Lois and Charlene, Dans people! I got some blades sharpened so grooming will be easier and to my hearts delight Lois and Charlene bought me a new pair of scissors! I love good scissors and the ones they bought came from Chona! Those of you who know Chona can understand why I am so delighted! Good tools always make work easier and the artistry that grooming can be shines through when you have quality tools to work with.

Charlene and Lois are happy this weekend too and congratulations are in order for their New Champion Axel, their German Pincher! Good job Charlene! That finishes him with three majors too I believe, good work! He is a good looking boy and you invested the time and training to guide him along, so you deserve the congratulations as much as he does. Now on to specialing and that Grand championship!

We left Albuquerque on Sunday and made it home late Sunday night. I felt odd leaving half way through the 4 day weekend but we had only entered Danny on Saturday and Sunday. Sophie, the Brittany didn’t get to come though she was entered all 4 days.

Just a couple of weeks ago! Go Danny!

All Sophie needs is one major and the entry was short. Tina had asked us to show Lanakai on Saturday and Sunday and wanted to show her herself on Monday and Tuesday. Regrettably Tina has a bad foot problem that reared it’s head and I wish we could have stayed to show Lanakai but Bill had to get back to work since we didn’t expect to be needed for the second two days. I know Tina found help and we heard Lanakai did fine with the different handlers. I like that puppy a lot and hope to be able to be on the end of her lead again in the future, she is going to be fun to show.

Buff Orpington and a Wellsummer chick

Tina has done well in her training and exposure so of course that makes it so much easier for anyone to work with her, but she is a handsome Black Russian Terrier to boot. I know anyone would be delighted to show her.

Our next set of shows are the three days in Cortez, Colorado. It’s about a 6 hour drive to the show site. It is usually a beautiful drive and we should have good weather. And……. I am so glad I won’t have to drive my gas hungry old box van over the mountains to Cortez! Those of you who have followed my blog know that I lost my Honda minivan to a deer last fall. Well, we have finally found our replacement for it! Another Honda minivan, same year, same color and a lot less mileage than my old one had! It does have upgraded leather seats with heat and a DVD player for the passengers in the back who will most likely only be dogs who really don’t care about that. It happened to be there, I don’t know if it will ever be used but that’s okay, I have a minivan again and being that it’s all but the same I am very very comfortable in it. It’s almost like my van got rein”car”nated!

Some of my little chicks! They're getting their feathers now.

For the few days I am home I am getting some things done that I have been behind on and I have been enjoying my chickens again too. I wish my phone took better pictures but the ones here will give you and idea how big they are getting! They are all doing great and they still bring me peace and happiness when I go out and sit with them.

I am also grooming some dogs for an area field trial trainer. He delivers them to my door! This evening he brought me 3 setters and 2 Brittanys. He drops them off and they stay overnight so I can do them at my leisure which I love.

Field trial dogs for grooming delivered to my door!

He then picks them back up the next day around noon so I can even do some tonight and some in the morning. Of course tomorrow I also need to groom the dogs that are going to show in Cortez. That would be Danny, Buckie and Diamond. Danny and Buckie are going to show and Diamond is going on her last training trip before she gets to go in the real ring the following weekend in Wyoming!

I was also surprised when I got home from the weekend that all of a sudden Perp is looking pregnant, making the excitement of her pregnancy all the more vivid! She is due the first week of June. I sure hope she and Danny make some beautiful puppies!

Waiting for a hair cut and bath!

Well, I had better get to work! The dogs are waiting and the next set of shows are approaching fast! Wish us luck at the shows and check back soon to see what’s happening!

Odebt

My new shears! Thank you Lois and Charlene!!

I will start with the bad news….Danny didn’t win anything today. The disappointment was that todays judge has done for him before so it was disappointing that we did nothing this time. Oh well, we will never know what

Lanakai, nice to meet you pup!

goes on in some judges heads and we all know that you can never count on any of them to do what you expect. Danny looked beautiful and showed well and that is all we ask from him, he did his part.

The good news is that I got to meet and groom the Black Russian Terrier pup, Lanakai and her mom Tina. Lanakai is just over 6 months old and today was her first AKC dog show and her first show trim too. She was overwhelmed at first but settled in to the idea of being groomed and walked around the show grounds. Tina has done a great job of training her to prepare her for the ring. I love owners who put the effort forth to get the dogs started and don’t just expect me to perform miracles with un-socialized and untrained dogs! Thank you Tina for the work you have done and the time that you have invested in Lanakai.

So we sent Tina away to hide while I got Lanakai up on the table to finish her ring prep. Then I took her over to the ringside about 10 minutes early so she could take in the sights and sounds. She was a tad jumpy at first but settled right down. She was of course delighted to see another Black Russian Terrier there and that got her excited. Still she kept looking for Tina but not frantically or anything. The time came and we went into the ring. She was great on the lead and moved around the ring well. She was a little tentative but very co-operative. She stood well for the exam too! Each time we went to move she improved and gained confidence. I think she actually had a pretty good time. She even behaved when we went back in for Best of Breed and she was behind the big make champion. No chasing and this last time around she looked like she knew what she was doing and moved out nicely. I was pleasantly surprised that there were no big surprises and no balking, no real fear and she didn’t do too much mommy searching. After we left the ring I took her back to her crate before she could see mommy. I didn’t want her to have been searching for her and then find her at the ringside, better she find her when she came back to the grooming set up. Sort of like Tina had gone somewhere else entirely while Lanakai and I went to the ring. That will help to get her over the searching while she is in the ring, she is a real momma’s girl and there’s nothing wrong with that! Of course she loves her mom!

It was a real pleasure to meet both Tina and Lanakai. We were also set up with Charlene Dwyer and Lois Croley with their German Pinscher dog Axel. He is nearing his championship and could even finish this weekend. Today he was awarded two more points with Winners Dog and Best of Winners. Tomorrow should be a major too. I sure hope he can get it and then he will just need a single to finish I think. What fun! He is a god looking dog and Charlene has really worked on his training and his conditioning as well. They look good in the ring!

I do wish there had been majors here for the other dogs we had entered but such is life, majors can be hard to find in many breeds. It was an easy day with just the two dogs to show. It gave me time to have a lot of fun with dog show friends which can be tough at some shows when you have to run from ring to ring with a lot of grooming in between. We show again tomorrow, both Danny and Lanakai and then Bill, Danny and I head for home to get ready for the Cortez, CO shows next weekend. We only entered the two days this weekend, the Monday and Tuesday shows were not interesting enough judge wise to want to stay longer. Besides, Bill needs to get back to his day job and I have a lot to do before next weekend so it will work out great to head for home after showing tomorrow.

I will probably wait to blog tomorrow until after we get home and get a good nights sleep. The hotel beds where we are staying are not very good so sleep hasn’t been the best.

So, wish us luck for tomorrow! Goodnight!

Odebt

Dan likes his own bed and he has his toy to relax with!

Hi friends!

We have arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We drove down after Bill got off work and went straight to the motel. We will go to the grounds in the morning to find our grooming space and set up. In the mean time we will get a good nights rest so we will have the energy. Dan gets his own bed on this trip since he is the only dog we have with us. He thinks this is the best way to travel.

I get to meet a new friend and her person. She is a BRT named Lanakai and she is a pup and this weekend will be her first shows!

I am looking forward to giving her a nice show trim and doing a little work with her so we can go into the ring on Saturday and Sunday and know a little about each other. Her person, Tina, will also show her on Monday and Tuesday so Lanakai will get some different experiences and hopefully she will love it all.

Regrettably there were not quite enough Brittanys for Sophie to come since she just needs one major to finish and the entries were one short. Buckie gets a weekend off to stay home and rest and play with Raisin and Drizzle. Tank and Diamond are staying home this weekend as well since they are not old enough yet to show and these grounds are not conducive to extra dogs, especially with as hot as it’s going to be.

Well, it’s time to get some sleep! Dan is out already!

I will post again soon!

Dan fell asleep while I wrote this post.

Odebt

Sorry I haven’t written. We have just been getting back to the room too late each night and with the heat we have been rather tired at the end of the day.

I was a great weekend for Tammi Stidham but not all that great for me and mine. Tammi got another major on her little Japanese Chin, Kewpie and another couple of selects as well and  point on one of her Chihuahuas from Bred By. I did pick up a Best Opposite on Tammi and Mark Kinners Japanese Chin and their class dog Chewie was always in the ribbons and won his class a couple of the days. Buckie did not show today due to a conflict with the Kerry ring but he is too immature to compete with the nice dogs that were here this last weekend and that’s okay because I understand that. He did get some more training which he needs since he finished so quickly.

I have been getting selects on Dan and then a Best Opposite today. I know I should be happy, many people would be to get those awards, however I am simply not. Why? Well, because the dogs winning are so incorrect! And since it is my breed, even though Danny is not my own dog, I am distressed when such poor representations of the breed are rewarded with the title of “best of breed” when they simply are not. We all know there are many other factors that influence judges other than the standards. I just wish they would learn the standards and judge dogs according to the standard, not letting all those other factors make them look like bad, crooked or foolish judges.

But there is always another dog show and there thankfully are other, better judges and we learn as we go along. All the more reason to keep records.

I am going to cut todays blog short because we had a long show day followed by packing up in 89 degree weather and then a five hour drive. For some reason I feel the need to sleep.

Talk to you all after I get home! I can’t wait to see how much my new chicks have grown too! If I get a chance I will take pictures!

Odebt

Today was the Toy Group show and we started with Chihuahuas. Buckie didn’t do anything today in the ring except have a good time. Chewy did win the the Open Red class in Chins and Rufus had as good of a time as Buckie did in the Chihuahua ring! So not a productive day for me except that I was delighted that both Chewy and Rufus showed well for me since this was their first time in the ring with me on the end of their leads!

Tammi, who I am traveling with on this trip did have a super day. First she got a point on her Chihuahua bitch. Then she got a five point major on her puppy Japanese Chin, Kewpie! To follow that up her specials dog, Clutch, went Select Dog! Tammi is delighted to say the least!

After the Toy Group show I got back to work and did Dannys clipper work and

Dannys nice win from last weekend! Thank you Terry Stacy!

gave him a bath. I have some scissoring to do tomorrow but there will be plenty of time. Charlene, Dannys owner, did send me the win photo of Dan from Grand Island for his group one and his Group 4 from Wichita too. I uploaded those to Danny’s Gallery also. That was a nice reminder that we can and do win and will win some more. Maybe even tomorrow!

On that note, it’s time to post this and sign off so I can regroup for tomorrow! Wish us luck!

Odebt

We have been having a good time here in MO. Tammi did well considering it was her first national with the Chins. She got 4th in Sweeps yesterday and then she was also able to show Kewpie  to a 3rd in the Bred By Class too. Then she

Tammi's Kewpie!

managed to help her Champion Clutch get all the way to the last cut in Best of Breed though she got no ribbon that was fun and it was so  good for her to get noticed. We then went to the banquet where she managed to take home some treasures from the auction. I also had the pleasure of winning a small item that I just love. It is a small Bonsai tree. Those of you who know me know I love things in miniature so this fits me perfectly and there was no need for it to have a Chin on it!

After the banquet was over we had to take care of dogs again and then we had to load everything up just so we could go back today and unload it again for the

Ch. Sylvancreek's Clutch Cargo

next shows at the very same location. Silly and a lot of extra work but it’s how they do things out here. So we set up again today in the same hall but in a different space and then we set to grooming the toy dogs for tomorrows Toy Group show. I will be showing Buckie my smooth coated Chihuahua ( now a champion!!!) and then Chewie, a red and white Japanese Chin belonging to Tammi and Mark Kinner and then Rufus, a Champion black and white Japanese Chin who also belongs to Tammi and Mark.

I hope to be able to take some pictures of the grounds here now with the new building. I can tell you that the bathing facilities out shine any other show in the country.

I hope you will all wish us good luck for the shows!

Talk to you soon!

Odebt

A doggie weather vain on one of the Purina farms buildings! Nice!

many of you enjoy my blog, thank you for the emails and feedback encouraging my endeavors!

So, right now I am sitting at my grooming table in Gray Summit, MO at the Japanese Chin National Specialty. Day before yesterday was the Japanese Chin Regional which we attended as well.  “We” being myself and Tammi Stidham. She is the one who owns and breeds Japanese Chins. I did bring two Chins on the trip but their entries did not make it for the regional and nationals but I will be showing them in what they like to call the tail shows. A Toy Group show and three all breed shows that start on Thursday and are at the same grounds. The grounds we are at are the Purina

Danny enjoying off lead time in the dog exercise area at Purina Farms

Farms show site. The last time I was here there were only outdoor rings on terraced hills and it was hot and there was a ton of walking and climbing to be done. Now they built a large new building that has two large halls, a fancy bathing area and a snack bar smack in the middle of the two halls. There is an absolute ton of grass, bag stations and trash cans all over the place. There is even a fenced in dog area where you can take your dogs off leash.

Being spring it has rained every day and all that grass is very wet. The indoor grooming area is pretty big and is actually the hall where the Chin show is. It is air conditioned and concrete floored. There is also an upstairs that the club has been able to use for their general meeting and tonight will be used for their banquet. There are large clean bathrooms and even separate dressing rooms

Kewpie, waiting ringside with Tammi

for exhibitors. Of course not everybody seems to know that so you still have a few who find the need to change clothes in the bathroom stalls. That’s okay for the specialty but I hope it doesn’t happen too much during the all breed shows.

Tammi did well the day before yesterday at the regional. She has a puppy named Kewpie who she had entered in Sweepstakes and in the Bred By Class at the regular show. She had a hard time in sweepstakes though as it was a battle to keep little Kewpies tail up and keep her walking but she is improving with each outing. In the regular class Kewpie managed a third in the regular class which was helped with the fact that Kewpie did better at showing. Clutch, who is Tammi’s Champion dog was in with 28 other specials and made it

Ch. Clutch at work

through all the cuts down to the last where she just missed getting and award. Still, it was fun for Tammi who was excited with each cut and very pleased to be noticed.

The club had a day in between the regional and the national ( which was not their intention but it actually worked very well ) and since Tammi managed to forget some of her show clothes we decided to go shopping for her to find new outfits yesterday. We had a ton of fun and made some really good finds. In fact, the outfit she is wearing today is one we found yesterday and it has an oriental flair to it which is perfect for Japanese Chin Nationals!

Today Kewpie went fourth in the sweepstakes, walking and having her tail up a good portion of the time. The regular classes are going to start up again in about 30 minutes. I will have to tell you how they do either tonight or

The small hall at Purina which will be reserved grooming for the next shows. This was when we were just getting in and setting up.

tomorrow because I intend to watch and try and take some pictures even though all I have is my phone, at least it is pictures! The pictures that accompany todays blog are phone pictures, I hope they look okay.

The rest of the dogs that are with us for the Toy Group show and all breed shows are just hanging out enjoying the air conditioning as opposed to the humidity outdoors. The toy dogs will get their baths tomorrow in the wonderful raised up Purina

Tammi in the ring with puppy Kewpie

stainless steel bathtubs ( with hot and cold running water! ) after we set up again in our reserved spaced, which is different from where we are set up now. Danny will not get his show bath until Thursday after the toys show. He has taken his toy dog protector mode very seriously but otherwise he is being a very good boy.

So, all is well and there is a lot of fun to be had when you go to a national specialty even if it isn’t your breed. I am afraid I do miss my new baby chicks and Bill and Tim too but I am where I should be and I have high hopes for some winning this coming weekend.

Most of you know that I also take any opportunity to see things I have not seen before and on this trip I am hoping to talk Tammi into going to the AKC

Clutch

Museum of the Dog which is near by in St. Louis. I will let you know if we go and how it is!

I will let you all know how the rest of today goes as soon as I get the chance as well! Think god thoughts for Tammi, Kewpie and Clutch today!

Your friend,

Odebt

We arrived home late last night and managed to get a good nights sleep. It’s always easier when you come home a winner!

Danny did that for us by earning a Group One placement at the Grand Island Kennel Club show on Sunday under judge Terry Stacy! Mr. Stacy has liked Danny before and we appreciate that he was consistent and awarded him again.  This is the first time he has seen him since the

"Danny" - MBIS GCh. Tontine's Chance Redemption!

rattlesnake bite. The best part of the whole deal was that Danny is back to being 100% and feeling good, looking great and he has actually matured even more than when he was out last year. Let’s hope he is now beginning his prime and will have a great career from here on out.

Buckie  had competition in breed on Sunday and he was Best of Variety again too so that was fun too and gave him more grand champion points. Both the boys made us proud and had fun at these shows. The two Chins traveled very well and have really decided they like me and now fuss about getting their own attention. Diamond won several people over with her outgoing and fearless personality. A couple said if all Chows were like this they would have one! That’s always good to hear and I have to agree too!

The trip was nice overall. I don’t think I have seen so many wild turkeys on a drive before. There were Turkeys in northern Colorado, all along the small highways in Nebraska and then I even saw some on my way home through

Quite the display!

Kansas. The ones I saw in Kansas were beautiful to see because they were in a newly growing crop field of green, backed by a creek with freshly leafed out trees and several Toms were displaying for the hens! nature at it’s best!

For those who know me well, you know I absolutely love poultry so for me noticing the turkeys will be no surprise. Those same people also know that I have been suffering a lack of poultry at my house having lost the last ones I had to predators during the winter, some pretty desperate predators who actually destroyed property getting into my coop. I have been depressed every time I think about them and I have been wanting to get a new flock for some time. Well, on my way home I saw a sign that said “chick clearance” and of course being in a good mood from Dans group placement I just had to stop and see what they had. well, I bet you know what happened next.

Yep, I could not pass up baby chicks! The price was right, my heart was screaming at me that it’s long past due for a poultry fix and I just could not leave Nebraska without some chickens! Luckily they had their health certificates so they could cross state lines! So, I rearranged the dogs so that I could set up a couple of crates for the babies. My heart is happy and I am amazed at how much better I feel emotionally now that I have some chickens again. I did not realize how much not having them had brought me down until I had those babies all set up in the truck and I was heading home with them! So, today my extra job is setting them up in brooder pens so they will be easy for Tim to care for while I am on my next trip. The chicken breeds I have now are Rhode Island Reds, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Americannas, Buff Orpingtons and Wellsummers. I am so happy!!!!!

Now I had better get back to work, there is so much to do before the next trip!

Odebt