OMG, the sky is falling
Or so some rabid members of the dog show community would have us think
What has their panties in such a bind?
AKC is allowing mutts to enter performance events. Yes, you can now enter Muttsie into Rally, Agility or Obedience.
OMG! How horrible. . NOT. .
They are required to be altered. Good for them. They will only be allowed in those events. Good for AKC. . .personally, I think this is a great step in bringing the pet population into the fold. What great PR for AKC, even mutts are allowed.
Purebred enthusiasts have been seen as elitist, this shows that we are not. . that all dogs are welcomed. Maybe Bobby or Katie will see famous Agility dog Ch Get Er Done OTCH on Animal planet, look at Mopsy who's chewing on a wire and think "we can do that". . .a well trained dog is a good dog, and less likely to be dumped at the shelter. . one of the biggest reasons for dumpage at our local shelter is the teenage 50+ lb dog who is out of control for lack of training. Anything that encourages training of the family pet gets both thumbs up.
In this day and age, we dog enthusiasts need all the friends we can get to battle the ridiculous legislation that comes thru. A lot if not most of the normal pet population has no clue how this can affect them down the road. This gives us a chance to educate them, to bring them into our folds and show them what is happening. We need to stand together against the ARA's. . and by telling them they're not good enough to do OB/Rally/Agility next to our purebreds is NOT the way to go about it!
This also allows more moeny to go into club & AKC coffers without either entity having to yank up fees anymore than they are. It also brings more warm bodies into a club, where msot clubs have an aging population. I am the youngest in my breed club, which is sad, I'm 38, most are in their 50s+. Clubs often complain about not having enough people to work an event, by allowing owners of mutts in, it brings more workers in. Win/Win!
What's ironic is some of the biggest(loudest) opponents of this, are people who don't even DO anything but show. . .wtf does it matter to them?
The attitude is very reminiscent of the way some whites were years ago, not wanting people of colour to intermix with them. .. very much the 'they're not good enough', they're not pure(white) enough. . It's rather sickening to tell you the truth.
i've had mutts, I prefer my purebreds. . but I have no issues with them if they want to come play on the same OB/RAlly/Agility field we do. . I welcome them with open arms. If they beat us, so be it. . but then,I'm not ultra competitive. .. we play in the rally ring, I dont' care if we place or not, long as we pass ;)
Friday, January 29, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Motherhood & Puppies
When you prepare for a litter, one of the thigns you have to prepare for, is if the mother sucks at motherhood. . .
Thankfully, I've only had one who sucked. .and that was poor Sage. . .her puppies were born 5+ days early by csection because they were in distress. Two placentas had detached and the puppies were decaying, poisoning their littermates. Considering there were 12 puppies crammed into little Sage, it's no wonder. . we lost a total of 5, which I'm amazed at, considering her mothering instinct never kicked in, their heart rates were so low at birth. .the other 7 came to live with me and Storm took them on, nursing 14 puppies with glee. .
I never bred Sage again, worried that she truly was a bad mother, and worried about her two daughters, since bad mothering seems to be genetic from talking with other breeders. . .and thus when someone inquired about leasing Kani, I wanted to make sure she woudl be a good mother. No way did I want to send her across country and curse someone with the nightmare Pat went thru with Sage. .. thankfully, I had nothing to worry about.
Kani's been a great mom. . .the puppies are growing and flourishing quite well. . .little eyes opening. . .She's quite careful when she lays down with them. She's funny, she's ok with the three house dogs walking by, but anything else gets a bark. .which is really funny, cuz I've never heard her bark, she moans and talks but not barking LOL She's also grinning more, which has me in stitches. Now she can be leased, and I can spay her. . 5.5 month season suck. . .and after witnessing two pyometrias, not something I want to tempt. She's a sweet dog, love her built. . .and her puppies are gorgeous.
Wish there were more boys, but at least the one is big and strong. And turning gold. It's so strange to see such a light litter out of such two dark parents LOL. Definitely an interesting array of colours. . I love the little light brindle girl, she's got SPUNK. . which as anyone who knows me can tell you, I really like.
Gossip thinks they're interesting. .even going in and laying down with them when Mama was outside. . she is goign to be sucha great mama. .. she doesn't like it if i make one of them mad LOL. . silly goose.
Timmy has enjoyed his month home with his sibs, spending most of the day out racing around the big puppy yard. He's put on some muscle mass. First dog I've sold to an apartment home, and I can see the difference between him and his sibs. It is truly amazing. . his mama comes home this week, and I know she will be SOO happy to see him
And last note for the day. . I can't believe my beautiful GOlden girl, Touchet, is 11. . .turned it earlier this week. . she doesn't act it, was out flirting and foot stomping with the boys 1/3 her age LOL Do so hope Gossip gets that longetivity. It's one of the reasons I wanted Touchet :)
Thankfully, I've only had one who sucked. .and that was poor Sage. . .her puppies were born 5+ days early by csection because they were in distress. Two placentas had detached and the puppies were decaying, poisoning their littermates. Considering there were 12 puppies crammed into little Sage, it's no wonder. . we lost a total of 5, which I'm amazed at, considering her mothering instinct never kicked in, their heart rates were so low at birth. .the other 7 came to live with me and Storm took them on, nursing 14 puppies with glee. .
I never bred Sage again, worried that she truly was a bad mother, and worried about her two daughters, since bad mothering seems to be genetic from talking with other breeders. . .and thus when someone inquired about leasing Kani, I wanted to make sure she woudl be a good mother. No way did I want to send her across country and curse someone with the nightmare Pat went thru with Sage. .. thankfully, I had nothing to worry about.
Kani's been a great mom. . .the puppies are growing and flourishing quite well. . .little eyes opening. . .She's quite careful when she lays down with them. She's funny, she's ok with the three house dogs walking by, but anything else gets a bark. .which is really funny, cuz I've never heard her bark, she moans and talks but not barking LOL She's also grinning more, which has me in stitches. Now she can be leased, and I can spay her. . 5.5 month season suck. . .and after witnessing two pyometrias, not something I want to tempt. She's a sweet dog, love her built. . .and her puppies are gorgeous.
Wish there were more boys, but at least the one is big and strong. And turning gold. It's so strange to see such a light litter out of such two dark parents LOL. Definitely an interesting array of colours. . I love the little light brindle girl, she's got SPUNK. . which as anyone who knows me can tell you, I really like.
Gossip thinks they're interesting. .even going in and laying down with them when Mama was outside. . she is goign to be sucha great mama. .. she doesn't like it if i make one of them mad LOL. . silly goose.
Timmy has enjoyed his month home with his sibs, spending most of the day out racing around the big puppy yard. He's put on some muscle mass. First dog I've sold to an apartment home, and I can see the difference between him and his sibs. It is truly amazing. . his mama comes home this week, and I know she will be SOO happy to see him
And last note for the day. . I can't believe my beautiful GOlden girl, Touchet, is 11. . .turned it earlier this week. . she doesn't act it, was out flirting and foot stomping with the boys 1/3 her age LOL Do so hope Gossip gets that longetivity. It's one of the reasons I wanted Touchet :)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
When one door closes, another opens
12/20 -Started like any other day. . we were snowed in, so I got up late, enjoying as much sleep in my warm bed as possible and went to feed dogs. I stopped and checked on my boy Umbra. . I'd been fighting with myself to let him go, he wasn't eating well, but he wasn't 'ready' yet. . he just hadn't told me he was ready, and that morning was no different. He looked up at me when I stopped, I gave him a kiss, pilled him, gave him some scritches, told him I loved him, and moved to tramp thru 2 ft of snow to feed the rest of the dogs. . .oh joy. . was cold, miserable and hurting after twisting my ankle in numerous holes Ms Tipperary, his cousin, had dug in the yard.
That afternoon, before we went to see Avatar, I checked on him, and found he had passed on. . .always a good boy, he had taken the decision out of my hands. . .almost exactly 9 yrs from the day he was conceived. .it hurt so damn bad. .. and still does.
My pick boy from my third litter, he was always special. . .it took some working with to get him to enjoy dog shows,=. . .but once he decided it was fun to make mom happy, he finished easily considering who we were showing against(big name kennels), in a total of 17 shows, from beginning to end. . . his first show at almost 2.5, he picked up WD under Jon Cole, think he also went BOW, over his Aunt Dei, who also took her first points that day. He took two more points that fall, and then was put up. Then, that winter, his silly ass mother Rinka broke her neck in my yard. .Gossip reminds me so much of her, such that I'm glad we don't live in the world of packed ice anymore. . full speed ahead, no thought of her own safety. . .and Umbra became even more special .
I swore to finish him that year, and came one point shy of it, picking up three majors, including a BOB over the year before's National WD and a top 10 special. .. we made the cut at that year's National, down to the last 7 dogs in BBE under Kent Delaney, making my day. . .I walked out crying, not cuz we didn't finish in the last 4, but because I was so proud of him that we'd made it that far. My first time ever in the BBE at the Nationals and it was a HUGE class.
The next Feb, almost exactly a year from his mother's death, we picked up that last point under Ron Spritzer. I had hopes of specialing him, but that was not to be. Shortly after he finished, Races got severely ill, and $1000+ later, I had to let him go when he DIC'd, few months later, Grins ran his back off, $2500+ later, I had a healthy dog, but no money in which to show Umbra, and when I finally had the money, things started going south fast with the idiot ex.
He wasn't everybody's cup of tea, but i got a lot of compliments on my handsome boy. I'd've liked a less extreme topline and more ribspring, but that's about all. He only sired one litter, and hopefully one of them will continue on in his legacy.
I miss his silly bark when he saw someone he liked, miss his annoying bark when the dogs on the other side of the fence were playing and he couldn't join. Miss his silly happy bounce/dance when I got home, miss his gentle kisses he only gave those he deemed worthy. Miss the way he would just stare at me wagging his tail. .
A week after he left, his cousin brought the next generation into this world. Cobred with Pat hardy of Mandolin Borzoi, Kani whelped a litter of amazing colours sired by a beautiful boy of BOnnie Dalzell's, linebred on one of my favorite dogs, Moscow, a russian import. Unlike her mother, she has been a wonderful mama. We look forward to this next generation, and hope that maybe Umbra will have come back in the sole boy in a litter of 6.
That afternoon, before we went to see Avatar, I checked on him, and found he had passed on. . .always a good boy, he had taken the decision out of my hands. . .almost exactly 9 yrs from the day he was conceived. .it hurt so damn bad. .. and still does.
My pick boy from my third litter, he was always special. . .it took some working with to get him to enjoy dog shows,=. . .but once he decided it was fun to make mom happy, he finished easily considering who we were showing against(big name kennels), in a total of 17 shows, from beginning to end. . . his first show at almost 2.5, he picked up WD under Jon Cole, think he also went BOW, over his Aunt Dei, who also took her first points that day. He took two more points that fall, and then was put up. Then, that winter, his silly ass mother Rinka broke her neck in my yard. .Gossip reminds me so much of her, such that I'm glad we don't live in the world of packed ice anymore. . full speed ahead, no thought of her own safety. . .and Umbra became even more special .
I swore to finish him that year, and came one point shy of it, picking up three majors, including a BOB over the year before's National WD and a top 10 special. .. we made the cut at that year's National, down to the last 7 dogs in BBE under Kent Delaney, making my day. . .I walked out crying, not cuz we didn't finish in the last 4, but because I was so proud of him that we'd made it that far. My first time ever in the BBE at the Nationals and it was a HUGE class.
The next Feb, almost exactly a year from his mother's death, we picked up that last point under Ron Spritzer. I had hopes of specialing him, but that was not to be. Shortly after he finished, Races got severely ill, and $1000+ later, I had to let him go when he DIC'd, few months later, Grins ran his back off, $2500+ later, I had a healthy dog, but no money in which to show Umbra, and when I finally had the money, things started going south fast with the idiot ex.
He wasn't everybody's cup of tea, but i got a lot of compliments on my handsome boy. I'd've liked a less extreme topline and more ribspring, but that's about all. He only sired one litter, and hopefully one of them will continue on in his legacy.
I miss his silly bark when he saw someone he liked, miss his annoying bark when the dogs on the other side of the fence were playing and he couldn't join. Miss his silly happy bounce/dance when I got home, miss his gentle kisses he only gave those he deemed worthy. Miss the way he would just stare at me wagging his tail. .
A week after he left, his cousin brought the next generation into this world. Cobred with Pat hardy of Mandolin Borzoi, Kani whelped a litter of amazing colours sired by a beautiful boy of BOnnie Dalzell's, linebred on one of my favorite dogs, Moscow, a russian import. Unlike her mother, she has been a wonderful mama. We look forward to this next generation, and hope that maybe Umbra will have come back in the sole boy in a litter of 6.
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