Friday, July 29, 2016
The year keeps on moving and the summer is almost over. Some days it feels like we're in the Flinstone's car with our legs running constantly trying to get everything done that needs to be done. However, it was a busy and good summer with puppies around.
While we stayed busy and entertained by our Scottie Isami's seven puppies, we had regional specialties to prepare for as well as two Bouvier litters. On May 11th, Danica finally hit one out of the ballpark and free-whelped nine puppies - 5 boys and 4 girls. We thought we saw eight on the x-ray, but as Rod took a short nap next to the whelping box and I tended to the other dogs in the kitchen, Danica whelped a "bonus" puppy (a boy) and the whelping box was full. With all the work around the house with our regular crew, newborn puppies, and another small litter on the way, I did what any good kid does when needing extra help. I called my mother and asked if she could fly in before I had to scurry off to Las Vegas to work as an emcee for Service Now's yearly conference Knowledge '16.
Last fall we threw my parents into Breeding 101 when Nita flew out to Colorado and they managed her breedings to Marty. This spring my mother was thrown into Whelping 101 and 102. She slept in Danica's room with her and the puppies while Rod kept an eye on River. The evening of May 16th, River free-whelped a boy and a girl and Rod and my mother had their hands full until I was able to return home a few days later.
As if having two whelping rooms going with one Scottie puppy pen and all the older dogs needing attention (and we included Bennett the at-the-time-6-month-old-puppy in that "older dog" category) wasn't enough, we had our regional Bouvier specialty and big Mission Circuit weekend to prepare for. Over the 5 day show weekend, Bennett won his 6-9 month puppy class the few days he was entered, Lexie won her 6-9 class 4 of the 5 days and went Reserve Winners Bitch to the major on Monday, Jack enjoyed his time hanging out with handler Carlos Carrizo and his assistants and loved being in the ring again and picked up a major toward his Grand Championship, and Nita was given an Award of Merit at the specialty and Select Bitch the day after to complete her Grand Championship. Not to ignore our "ink spots", Noble the Scottie went Reserve Winners Dog to the major the first day he was entered and picked up his first major going Winners Dog and Best of Winners under judge Mr. John Wade the second day he was entered.
During the weekend of our regional Scottie specialty and the Long Beach shows, our dogs did well, once again. Noble picked up his second major going Winners Dog under judge R.C. Williams and later that day, Bennett won the Puppy Herding Group. The following day at our regional specialty, Noble was Best Opposite in Sweepstakes, Reserve Winners Dog, and Bomond was Best Stud Dog. Bennett stayed true to his show dog self and won the Bred By Exhibitor Herding Group.
In late July, we took Jack and a few Scotties with us to the Flagstaff shows and Jack picked up his first and second Best of Breed wins which included defeats of another Champion of Record as he continued working on his Grand Championship. Gabby won another Best of Breed, Chanel was awarded Best of Winners for her first major, and Louie earned his Championship by winning his third major. The next day, Noble bested them all and won Best of Breed from the classes for his third major and went on to win a Group 4 under the same judge. Needless to say, it was another fine weekend for both of our breeds.
We spent the rest of the summer getting updates that Mal had earned more titles to the back end of his name (Draft Dog, Herding, Advanced Therapy Dog, to name a few), raising puppies, and finding good homes for them spanning both coasts as well as the middle of the country. It is always nice to get messages from owners giving us updates. The best part was when John and Diane came to pick up their girls (at separate times) and we got word that they stepped back into their full-time home and acted like they'd never been gone. Our Fall will hopefully bless us with a litter of Bouviers and a litter of Scotties. Only time will tell.