Gibbs has a new assignment

Sometimes, as a breeder or even as a dog owner, you have to make decisions you'd rather not make

I hadn't planned on keeping three pups out of the NCIS litter, but fell in love with Gibbs' personality. When the right home didn't surface, I had no problem keeping him. . .he's so much like his father: full of life, full speed ahead, so happy, bounce, silly!.

It's that full of life, full speed ahead that led to Grins hurting himself three weeks ago. . he wasn't paying attention, running around like an idiot, hit something, and is lucky he didn't cripple himself or worse kill himself. He will be 10 in September, but nobody who has met him recently believes it. He doesn't act it at all, the same old bouncy, trouncy, take off like a bat out of hell Grins he was 9 yrs ago when I  picked him up. He has adamantly refused to turn in his Hell's Angels card for his AARP card. Bouncing around the backyard, tearing after his kids, fence fighting with the best of them, and finding him injured really scared me to death.

Gibbs is just as bad. . .and I've worried that he would hit a tree or another dog, as he runs around the yard, looking over his shoulders as his friends chased him, but finding Grins' hurt brought that worry to a boil. . .

Last month, Titania's owner came out to practice Grins' cousin Luthian at racing. She helped us out with boxing and catching the Borzoi. A few days after she helped, I get a note from her "I am starting to think about my next borzoi (I usually get the itch about every 6-7 years). ... keep me in mind for Gibbs if you decide he needs a spoiled rotten pet home."

An answer from heaven. . .after talking back and forth, as I thought maybe Nacht would be the better option(she adores Nacht too), she told me she really wanted a male, and so came out two weeks ago and spent some time with Dork Jr. . .and the next day, I get a note from her that said "Having spent some quality time yesterday, I have to tell you, I am hopelessly in love with your dog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

an answer from heaven indeed.

He'll get to hit the coursing field between the two of us, she is tickled pink with how intelligent he is, is looking forward to trying obedience and rally with him, and yes, even the show ring!

I'll miss my idiot boy Jr, but I won't have to worry about him every day. His main job will be making his mama happy and trying to get Luthian to play.

I've always said the perfect home always comes around, it just may be awhile. . it was not an easy decision to make, but it was either this, or keep him in a smaller yard where he couldn't get up to speed, just to keep him from running around at warp nine. .I think he'll be much happier this way.

Good sailing, Gibbs

temperaments in borzoi

Time to vent Temperament is important in our breed.

We have a big dog, a fast dog, and temperament is uber important. . .and I'm so sick of judges awarding poor temperaments. . .I've witnessed numerous times judges, sometimes BREEDER judges, awarding dogs who
a) tried to take a bite out of the judge
b) actually DID take a bite out of another dog in the ring
c) could NOT be touched by said judge.

In one case, the owner had to hold the dogs butt OFF the ground in order for the judge to go over it. An otherwise nice dog, but come ON!!!

I once  had a judge tell me Borzoi had nasty temperaments, just before putting up a dog who tried to bite him,

WTH?

I saw another well known, big name judge, put up a dog she couldn't touch to see if he had both balls!!!

NONE of this is acceptable!

I've spayed and placed an otherwise GORGEOUS dog, because her temperament was not right. Killed me, but that's what you need to do. No way I wanted to perpetuate that problem, was it genetic? was it environmental(She was born just before my life went in the toilet and I've wondered if the Ex abused her since he was doing drugs and alcohol), or was it lack of socialization? I wasn't willing to take that risk. She's now a guard dog for a single woman, alerting her when people who shouldn't be there are near the house.

I prefer a more 'labzoi' personality myself, loves everyone, happy to go with anyone, not a problem no matter who touches them. These dogs make it easier to enjoy what I love most, which is running dogs, as I can hand them off to anyone, and they're able to slip or catch them without a problem, but now I have some'saluki' like ones: aloof, standoffish, until they decide they like you, then it's labzoi dogs, but even those do not pull away or snap or freak out in the show ring, they will look down their long noses at you as if to say who are you to think you can deign to touch their royal highnesses!

If a dog with a poor temperament mentioned above is the best dog in your ring on that day, tell them "I'm sorry, I really like this dog, but he/she seems to be having a bad day, bring him/her back to me at another time", but no way, no how, should they win the class, even if you absolutely LOVE them, let alone the points. All these judges are doing is rewarding these temperaments, which then perpetuates these temperaments. Temperaments is part of a breeding animal!

Obviously the owner/breeder can't be honest to themselves about it. If judges started making a stand, maybe the bad reputation Borzoi have with some judges would change. Take a stand judges. . .nasty temperaments should not be rewarded, dogs who can't be touched, should NOT be rewarded!!! Excuse them, with hold ribbons on them, whatever you have to do to make your point made. . .And kudos to those judges who DO do this(of which, I've only seen one, and that was a futurity judge! How sad is that)