Wahoo

I took the girls racing this weekend. it's always a small entry, sometimes the canadians come down, the NJ people no longer race because, well, their dogs don't run clean. But I figured even if it was just us, it would be a good confidence builder for Gossip, allow me to see if there's any apprehension coming out of the box, and last but not least, see if she was sound to run.

two days, 6 races, and not a hitch in her stride, WAHOO!!!:)

And Dei did me proud by continuing to run clean.

Tickled pink, hmm, pun not intended(Sunburnt LOL)

of honesty and good breeders

And so it starts.

Just as I expected, instead of admitting there's problem in a litter with temperaments, the accusations fly. OBVIOUSLY the son had to've done SOMETHING to the dog.(doesn't admit at least one of the sibs is a fruitloop too from what my sources in TX say) Just like her best friend did to a good friend of mine who's dog was dog aggressive, obviously something THE OWNER or her dogs did had to be the problem. Instead of just going oops, I'm sorry, let me make it better. Yep, that makes people want to return dogs to you! NOT!!!!

Funny thing is, if the 1st breeder bothered to contact the breeders of dogs behind hers, she'd find out that strange temperaments are back there. But OH NO, to do so would be to admit she doesn't know EVERYTHING. And we JUST can't have that, can we? Even before she showed her absolute true colours, she never asked question one about the pedigree behind the dog I gave her. Duh.

Both of the idiots i'm talking about are such control freaks it's not funny when it comes to things like this. They have to seem all knowing, omnipotent, to do otherwise is a failure. She'd learn a lot about the pedigrees behind her dogs and good borzoi in general if she opened her mind and ears and shut her mouth (that's the hard part with her)

Good grief, nobody knows everything, not even the true experts in the breed. And if they're honest with themselves(and so many are not) they will admit it. And those are the true master breeders.

When I had the quirky temperaments pop up, I went to the breeder of the dam, and we figured it out. The sire's sire was shy and slightly spooky, the same temperament is behind the dam, and the genes come together and bam, you get things you don't expect. Dam is half sister to the sire of my friend's pup, so it's there.

But nope, instead of researching it, the blame starts getting lobbed. .same thing happened to me with the pup I returned, OBVIOUSLY i didn't train her right and that's why she didn't course(she got the same training as the litter her sire came out of, and 8 of the 9 pups run, so I think I know what I'm doing), OBVIOUSLY I didn't train her right for the ring, cuz she acted like an ass for her breeder, but never acted like an ass for me in the ring, nor the stranger I handed her off to for futurity at the nationals.

This time its worse, accusations of my friend's child abusing the dog. . .yeah, right. .. they got the dog as a mature adult, they got the pup from me at 3 months. .the pup grew up find and dandy, the bitch has always been a FRUITLOOP.

Admit it, call a spade a spade. Instead, you cause animosity between you and the puppy buyer, the word gets around, and people won't return dogs to you because you're known as a dishonest loon. And yes, the word gets around, it already has. I know of at least one person, an unhappy home, that won't return the dog, despite it being dog aggressive, because of the way the breeder has treated her and others. Sad, isn't it?

rehoming dogs

People use contracts to protect themselves, the puppy buyer, and the dogs. In many instances, the contract states if at any time you can't keep the dog, it comes back.

Why put this in a contract when you then go on to treat the puppy buyer like complete and total crap for deciding the dog is not going to fit>?

I hate returning or rehoming dogs, by the time it comes to do either, you’ve got a lot of emotional, time and money into the animal, but there are times I needed to, for their good or for my other animals good.

First was a sweet pet, bought as a show/coursing boy, he stopped running, he really needed a home where he was one of few, wouldv'e made a great therapy dog. His breeder gladly took him back and replaced him, no questions, agreed with me on his build, and he's since been rehomed in the perfect pet home.

Then there was Mariah, lovely, lovely bitch, but temperamentally did not fit in my pack. She put a huge hole in my Greyhound, was constantly attacking the older bitches, and this all started at 6 months. Her breeder gladly took her back, still has her, as it's a very special home that's needed for her. Didn’t give any grief, she is an uber alpha bitch, and some people don't know how to handle it. She understands that

But then there was another, who I've mentioned before, where the breeder was not so nice.

I know of people who've turned dogs, per contract, only to be slandered and demoralized by the breeder. Why bother having the dog come back if you're going to treat people like shit? Someone didn't take time to groom her dogs, and the breeder has vicious photos up denouncing her an unfit home, how dare she leave her dogs like that, blah blah blah.

Another person returned a dog, temperamentally didn't fit the pack they had, and the breeder has slandered them too all could hear, saying they dumped said dog just to make room for another, without knowing the facts. The new dog was offered before the breeder knew they were returning the dog, and after they had already called the 1st dog’s breeder saying it wasn't going to work out. Since this dog’s mom was a bit aggressive according to her first owner, the pup could very well have her temperament.

WHY be nasty? This makes people NOT want to return dogs to you. I know someone who really doesn't want the dog they have, temperamentally does not fit the household, but refuses to return the dog to the breeder, due to the way the breeder's treated others who've done so. Thus the owner & the dog are unhappy because of an IMPERFECT FIT.

I had someone return a dog after only 12 hrs of being home, it 'wasn't going to work out'. Yeah, it angered me that they didn't give him time to fit in, but I didn't treat them like shit, I didn't trash them for all to hear, I kept my disappointment inside. The right home finally showed up for him. If the home is happy, the dog is happy, if the home is unhappy, the dog suffers.

Not to say you shouldn't comment on the truly horrid homes. A friend had a dog returned in absolutely horrid condition, no muscle mass, tick disease infested, it was obvious she did not get the care she should've. But when people return dogs because they don't FIT, the dog is properly socialized, healthy, and otherwise in good health, there's no reason to treat them like shit or slander them all over because you're offended they dared to return one of your perfect dogs.

Contracts are

Only as good as the ones who join in on it.

I've learned that important lesson over the years, I have had two verbal contracts go south. One got a free dog, and initially screwed me out of the return pup, lying by saying the cobreeder said I had to pay, that she'd put out so much money in this litter she needed to make the money back. Said cobreeder never even heard of the agreement(Yep, same instance I've talked to before). Said puppy owner finally paid me what I would've charged her for said dog when she bought said pup back 3 yrs after the fact,), but now she's spreading crap about that, forgetting that she hadn't paid me for the sire, but it just shows what kind of person she is. Funny, she screams bloody murder if someone violates her contract, but she did just that, oh well. Do as I say, not as I do! Tis a lot of people's motto.

Second got a nice bitch for half what I could've sold her for, and that bitch'll probably never be bred, because the co owner got offended when I got upset about her wanting to breed her to a dog that tried to bite me, Loki's mum, and I witnessed him trying to bite a third person, all within a span of 3 days. Her only comment was if he meant to bite us, he would've. . .hello?!?!? I don't CARE!!

I just placed an otherwise beautiful bitch because her temperament was like his. Was it lack of socialization or genetics? Who knows, could be either or both. Was I tempted to blame it on socialization instead of genetics and keep her and breed her anyway? A little bit, but I knew I wasn't in a position to keep an entire litter if they were like her or worse, and never was or will be. And I have a hard time putting down a deathly ill dog, let alone a healthy one who's biggest fault is a bad temperament.

She is being spayed today and her new owner absolutely loves her, but knows her restrictions.

I'll just strive to breed something equally as nice as she is bodily, with a better temperament. But the co owner of the first bitch couldn't see it, even when presented with the thought that she might end up keeping an entire litter due to temperament. So the bitch probably won't be bred, she's not willing to let me lease her and breeder her my way, and then to have her back and do it her way, nor was she interested in any beautiful, running, performance dogs I pointed her way. Says she's interested in performance, but kept pointing out dogs with no performance titles.

Oh well, least both my puppies are loved, right? I can only hope.

What got me on the rant on contracts again?

A myriad of reasons. . a friend asked me for help to rehome a dog she has. . .asked her if she had a contract, she said no. So, I put out feelers to help her find a single woman home where this dog could be the sole dog. This is an experienced home, has dealt with dogs with issues(race track greyhounds), so when she told me about the issues this dog was having, I agreed that bouncing her back and forth was not good for the dog. She was in no hurry to place said dog, just if the right home came along. Going back to the breeder was not in the dog's best interest, not that the breeder would've abused her, but she's better off with fewer dogs than one of even more.

Unfortunately, it blew up, the breeder found out, screaming "I have a contract." Again asked my friend about contract, she said no. Since I had caught the breeder in lies, believing her was not a question . . .it ended up after digging thru papers, the owner forgot she had signed a contract. . .::sigh:: so much for good intentions. I would never suggest someone go back on a written or verbal contract, I've upheld my side of contracts even when I hated to do it, but if you have no contact with someone, you start to forget important things.

Which brings me to my real reason for my rant:

COMMUNICATION!!!

Too many breeders once the dog leaves the property(especially a pet), make no attempt to communicate with the puppy buyers, leaving it all at the feet of the puppy buyer, and then not bothering to respond back when contacted. When you're a pet person, this smacks of you're not interested in the well being of your puppies. Hell, it smacks it to me. I have had breeders not care in my eyes, due to their interactions with me or friends: when I email them info, nothing back, hell, not even communication when siblings of said dog died before my dog did. . .something as a breeder you really WANT to know, and they should've passed on. A good friend has a dog with health problems, and the breeder makes no effort to keep in contact to see how the health problems are progressing, it's nothing easily (if) treatable, but it's something you'd want to keep track of you know? She's reached out to the breeder, the breeder doesn't respond.

Communication does go both ways, but as a breeder, you need to make the 1st step, to show the owner you are interested, it makes a lasting impression on their mind.

I started out with a newsletter. It went out quarterly. It told what was going on here at home, and then talked of the exploits of the rest of the pups. Listed by litter, I told if someone was sick, if we lost them, new titles or points, new homes, etc. . and ended with a note to remember, if something should happen, you can no longer keep your mielikki's hunt borzoi, they are always welcomed home, blah blah blah. It seemed to go over well. And it was a quarterly reminder that the pups were always welcomed home if something happened.

Then I started a news list just for my puppy buyers. . .and it's a place where they can interact, tell their silly stories, and learn more on how their relatives are doing, I still have to put out the newsletter periodically for those who have no internet, but they know I am interested in the lives of their babies.

But that's too much work for some breeders. I've seen it, witnessed it, and heard of it: the lack of concern for the dog once the check clears the bank. Pet buyers treated like second class citizens unless they violate THE CONTRACT, then it was OMG! But ya know, the respect that's needed for a contract to be a good one, goes both ways, it's not a one way street. If you don't treat all your puppy buyers like the gold they are, without them you couldn't breed, they're not going to respect you enough to tell you when things go wrong.

sportsmanship

Grins did me proud this weekend, picked up three points towards his SORC, pretty good for a boy who'll be 6 in a few months, now he's at 13.5 of the needed 30. . sadly, his competition pulled a crapload of her dogs when she saw me pull up. If she's that worried about my almost 6 yr old boy beating her younger dog, then she really needs to rethink her breeding program, don't ya think? I about peed my pants when I heard she'd told the race sec to tell me nobody be there, as she did NOT want me there. Poor sportsman anyone? Not like Grins runs dirty at all, he's just fast, damn fast. Doesn't want real competition, funny tho, it was two other dogs I thought she should be more concerned with, as I truly expected them to kick El Grinnies fuzzy grey butt, but alas, twas not to be, and Grins took the meet, with boy #1(Wizard) placing 2nd, and boy #2 (Lemans) placing 3rd. . . neither of them owned by me LOL Heck, bonnie's 9 yr old placed a very respectable 5th of 9. . .maybe we can get her last 3.5 points for her ORC.

But if I hear ONE more accusation that barking dogs is cause for DQ'al(hopefully not by the experienced judges) I'm going to scream. If your dog can't handle another dog barking AT THE LURE, then too bad so sad. GODS, the bitching and moaning I heard that poor poochie doesn't like muffy barking. Hell, I got it with Grins when he was young, he'd stand at the starting line whining and barking and throating a huge fit. OMG, you're scaring my dog, well, too bad, he's not attacking your dog, he's not doing it at your dog, if your dog can't handle it TOO DAMN BAD!!!

heading up to NY with the girls this weekend. . .and be able to see the evil peanut girl jezebel, wonder fi she remembers me?LOL And then on to NJ next weekend, sounds like it may be a nice meet, with Lemans maybe showing up too. .. i was wondering with it being the II if we'd be the only entry. Gossip's beat him before, but with her working on coming back into shape, it's a coin toss, but ya don't see me pulling my girl do you? LOL Not unless she comes up lame.

GSSA Notra

I took Grins & Bonnie's lovely Blaze daughter Brightness to the event today, to make sure a friend's boy had competition, to get out of the house, and to see if Brightness was still up for running with the youngens since she's lacking only 3.5 points for her ORC. She showed she sure was despite being a 'veteran'. (She doesn't look or act it). We ended up having a NICE entry of 9 Borzoi, and had 3 programs of nice clean runs, even tho the sky opened up and dumped on us BADLy!!!

I don't have race by race results, just tickled that Brightness won one and placed 3rd in high point.

1. Grins (Surprised me since he was 3-4 yrs older than some of his competition, and is almost 6! Where doe sthe time go?!?!) 3 NORC
2. Wizard-Lheureux(may've mutilated John's last name) 1.5 NORC-3ORC
3. Lemans-Duncan & Sage -Darling(tied) split .5 NORC points and 2 ORC points
5. Brightness-Dalzell
6. Elrond-Darling

-beyond this the brain gets muddy, other entries were Monti(pulled), Selenium(looking nice despite her age and got teh turtle), & Padua (Got a JOR leg, but not sure how she and monti finished out ranking wise)

Been a year

It's been a year

But it still hurts so damn much
Still miss you so much
Miss your silly bounce of happiness when I walked in
As if I was your sun, your world
Miss your silly flag ears when I talked to you
As if you understood every word I said.
Miss the way you'd bounce around in circles
So happy with life, even when three legged.
Miss the way you seemed to know what I want,
To know what I thought
Miss the way you'd clean the kitties ears,
So gentle, so sweet, even if they pushed you off your food.
Hope Abu & Fidget found you this year
And that Cleo, Sushi & Schatzi are curled next to you purring
And Brooks is laying beside you
As Kyra, Races & Rinka race around like idiots.
Mama misses you all so much
Miss the way you used to hug, burying your head in my belly with a
sigh of content
Just so happy to be with your mama.
you reserved those hugs for me and me alone,
Except for the one time with Gran
Miss the way you followed me
Wanting to make sure I didnt' go somewhere without you
Miss the way you look at me, showing the love in those little dark eyes.
miss how you liked to go for a ride, just to be with Mom,
head snuggled between the front seats so you could touch me.
waiting for me to roll the window down so you could stick your head out.
Miss our walks
You bouncing around chasing butterflies, rabbits & birds
Always looking back to see if i was coming
Miss our snuggles
Your head on my pillow
your shoulder for me to cry on
Miss the fact you could sleep with me without pushing me out of the
bed, something your sister nor neices can do.




Wish you were here
To make me laugh
To make me smile
I think El Pest* would be your best friend
And I think you'd love the little brat.





Dei tries her hardest
But she's not you, she's not her brother
Gossip's been striving,
But she's not you, she's not her uncle.
You were one of a kind.




Visited Schenectady this weekend, and so many happy memories had me in tears.
I remember how much you adored Grandma, how you'd treat her like you
do me, only gentler. . and so when I cried at her grave for her, it
was also for you
I try to take a page from Mom's book: neither of you are in pain
anymore, neither of you have failing bodies, but I miss you both so
damn much.

But I try and take Solace in the fact that maybe Gran needed you more
than I do, but I still cry so many tears.

It's been a year, but in many ways, it feels like forever yet feels
like yesterday
I miss you baby boy.
-your mom


*El Pest AKA Pippens was given to me after I lost Obie, he's brought a
lot of laughter in my life, but this lil ragdoll is a BRAT.

the world will be the lessor for it

Cancer sucks.

Human or beloved animal, cancer sucks.

January I was told that a person I highly respect had a brain tumour, and tho he's fought a good 5+ months, today I read that he's taken a turn for the worse.

Mike Lorenzo & his wife Karen could be highly controversial. A lot of AKC breeders hated them, trashed them, put them down, all because they chose to work with NGA stock instead of the over angulated, huge, Glass unicorns that prance around the show ring. It's one of the reasons I liked them. I fell in love with Greyhounds by meeting little powerboxes of muscle and mass, and that's what they bred.

I remember getting nice emails from them, complimenting me on both Obie & his brother Wings, and their running. And when I met them, they both were just as nice in person as in email.

They were one of the few show people supportive of my importing of Jezebel, known to them as Peanut. Karen in fact hunted me down at Ballston spa shortly after Ms Evil stepped on US soil, in hopes of meeting the 'new dog on the block'. Sadly, i'd left the little brat home lOL Jezebel wasn't as fast as a track dog, but was keen, and when she started having her 'fits', they tried to help me figure it out, and eventually we did, she had an electrolyte imbalance whenever she ran. It eventually caused me to retire her, but I'll be grateful for their help for her career.

When Grins ran his back off after the II, Mike was one of those who supported me in my complaints, who agreed with what I had witnessed, one of the few of the high 'muckamucks' of ASFA who did not get angry or irate that I DARED point out problems with the way the 2004 II had ran. He told me he had witnessed other questionable things that II, in fact, he had been on the field when they were screaming for Grins to get back on the field after he had JUST did a runoff. It was nice to have a 'good guy' and our regional director, on my side. He was there to witness Grins' comeback run, and in fact, ran the lure for him.

When I had to pick judges and help set the course for CCNY's Reg 8 Invitational, it was Mike who helped guide me, suggested judges, helped with the field plan. I felt overwhelm, I've never done this before, but he was a wonderful shoulder to lean on and helped make it as painless as possible. I truly think it was his help that helped make it go so smoothly.

Hell, he was heaven sent more than once when our lure operators didn't or couldn't show up, gladly stepping in without any complaints (at least too our faces lOL) to help CCNY out. He let me get into the 'director's booth', and explained how to run the lure for everything from the Basenjis to the Greyhounds. I've not gotten brave enough to actually put the knowledge he gave me to use, until recently when I ran the lure for Basenji & RR at LGRA. He put up with (what I thought were) my stupid questions, answering each of them calmly and thoroughly. And I never, ever, heard a complaint about his lure operating, and know I always appreciated seeing his name on the premium list as the Lure op.

I will always remember the look on his face when i walked Grins to the line, and Grins did a drive by snag of the 'baby bunnies', walked up, and handed it to him. Mike gave me this look and said "what's this for?". With a huge grin, I told him Grins was letting him know he was going to NEED that plastic bag after Grins got done with his run, and he laughed. I was right, Grins shredded those bags good.

He & Karen were always a classy pair, the love in their eyes for each other was seeable. A welcoming smile on both their faces, it sucks to even think I'll never see the twinkle in his eye as he teases her. Here I sit on the anniversary of losing my little man, thinking of losing one of the best people in coursing and hurting for what poor Karen is now going thru.

the sport won't be the same without him, and the world is a better place because of him.

Thank you Mike, for everything.

ramblings

Gossip achieved her freedom this morning. She got bathed, gussied up last night, and got to sleep with me last night, where she quickly vacuumed up the cat food the Brats(Herbie & Treasure) scattered everywhere while I was gone this last weekend. She knows why I keep her around ;) And then this morning, she was released into the big yard, 1st time since her surgery really. Fingers are crossed I get home and she is SOUND! It's been 3 months since surgery, so here's hoping! She has definitely suffered bodily for restricted exercise since October: lack of muscle, narrower. . .the way she plays, I expect that to be remedied quickly.

Dork boy AKA Grins swears she’s still in season, following her around, and when I yell at him, he stands up and flashes his grin, and continues being the dork. LOL Love him dearly, even if he is a DORK!!!

Got a note from Titania AKA The Queen’s mom, and she’s doing well, even tho she’s also nicknamed the PIG cuz of her habit of wallowing in the mud while digging for gold lOL

Five days away was much needed, could use another week, but boy did the kiddos tell me how much they missed me. Treasure didn’t shut up the 1st night home, and Dei’s been trying to stick to me like white on rice. Gossip would’ve been in my arms if she could’ve fit. Silly Goosey girl.

Was hard, everyone kept asking over Kyra, who’s been gone since 2/06, and Obie, who’s been gone a year tomorrow, and I kept breaking down. The kids remembered them both and adored them both, as did my Aunt. Between that and Gran’s memorial, was a hard weekend.

Cerf'd

I'm pleased to announce 6 dogs I bred andcurrently own and one more that I co own had their eyes checked yesterday and were Cerf'd clear, YIPPEE!! :) I'm not sure if Reba was done, Scirocco was missed because she was in the kennel, but they'll be done next time.

This gives Touchet everything she needs to get her Chic# :) I am so darn tickled :)