Dog Shows: Southern Colorado Kennel Club, 2022

After our breakthroughs at the Buckhorn Kennel Club shows last month, Wilma and I have taken up Rally... the goal here is mostly about learning to focus and capture attention on each other... we've had two classes thus far, are having fun, and our Rally work appears to be paying off.

Last weekend was the Southern Colorado Kennel Club Shows at the State Fairgrounds in Pueblo, Colorado.

Wilma is a great car dog, and this was our longest car ride thus far at about 3 hours.  One day she'll decide to nap in the car, but that has not happened yet.

Since we drove down the day before, we were one of the first to set up in the Grooming Area.

We took the opportunity to walk around the grounds so she could start to get her bearings.

This was also her first experience with a Hotel Room.

As expected, neither of us got much sleep the first night.  With all of the different sounds and it being an entirely new location, she was on guard most of the night.

Fortunately, she did nap in her kennel in the grooming area.

Wilma also came into season again.... a split season.  Seriously, what a weird year.... So we did our best to stay away from the crowd and took the opportunity to sit in the bleachers.  Watching the action from above and away from other dogs, helped her to stay relaxed.

LGDs in general, and TMs especially, prefer to watch the world from above.

She also took a nap in the bleachers, which tells me that she is trusting me more to have her back while we are at a Dog Show.... though, you can see, she still has me behind her.  ;-)

She showed extremely well, in spite of being in season again.  She was awarded Winners Bitch all three days and Best of Winners (meaning she defeated the Winners Dog) two of the three days.... adding 6 points toward her Championship.

With 9 points now, she needs six points and two majors to complete her Championship Title.

We will continue to work on her holding her stack a bit longer as well as continue to focus on focus.

I'm so incredibly proud of the progress we have made over the last two months.

Dog Shows: Buckhorn Kennel Club, 2022

Now that we're past Wilma's season, I was hoping that we could get serious about Dog Showing again... 

My schedule kept us from formal practice prior to show-weekend.  So I got there early on Saturday and got in a few practice rounds with some friends... Wilma seemed to think it was a fun game to not let anyone go over her.  :-/   I had all but resigned to not going in the ring.  However, on the encouragement of the Ring Steward, I decided to give it a go at the last minute.... She let the judge go over her, but balked at the very last step of the bite inspection... so we were excused.

If you're keeping track, that is 3 excusals in a row.   *sigh*

Thankfully, excusals are not disqualifications.  But still... frustrating,  :-/

I often say that each dog teaches us something new.   For Wilma, it seems to be helping her realize that she does not have to keep me safe while at a Dog Show and that it is my job to keep her safe.  This seems to be more important for the Indoor, and therefore more congested, shows.

As much as she enjoys seeing her human and canine friends, she is always watching everything, and very aware of where I am located.  After all... I am her flock, she is a Livestock Guardian Dog, and Livestock Guardian Dogs are pre-disposed to being wary of strangers.

So I decided to take the opportunity to have her "relax" in her crate for a while before going home on Saturday.

Fortunately, our grooming space was in the ring area, so there was a lot of activity, aka distractions. 

So she did not relax, but she did quietly watch the action until we went home.

On Sunday morning, a friend offered to help with her focus/attention using few different bait options..  This proved to be the key.

We learned that she likes Squeaky Toys and Freeze-Dried Turkey Hearts.

With this new information, we focused on focus and regaining attention with the Squeaky and new treats and continued to "relax" in her crate until our ring time.

There were no other Tibetan Mastiffs entered this weekend so no points were awarded.  However, Wilma let the judge go over her!  So these ribbons from Sunday mean everything to me.

These mean that she stood still and let the judge go over her, without balking.

The Red-ish and Purple+Gold ones also mean that she had the opportunity for Group Experience.

She performed extremely well for the judge in the Owner-Handled Working Group ring.

Then, later in the regular Working Group ring, the Group Judge was the Breed Judge who had excused us the day before.  Wilma let her perform the entire examination!

The other exceptional thing this weekend is that Wilma moved beyond "relaxing" in her kennel, to actually relaxing, and then took a nap.

We have a few weeks until the next show, so I plan to take her to Rally classes.  Where we will learn and practice other techniques for gaining and holding attention. 

Then I plan to take her to some novel locations that are busy and/or congested so we can practice in an approximate show environment.

It seems we had a couple of breakthroughs last weekend.  I am so proud of her!

Dog Shows: Cheyenne Kennel Club, 2022

Next up for Wilma and me was the Cheyenne Kennel Club Shows over Labor Day Weekend.

They have moved from the Frontier Days venue to the new Archer Complex, just east of town.... which is very nice.  This was my first time at this venue.

The Reserved Grooming Spaces were sold out by the time I registered for the event... and unlike Greeley, there was not an Open Grooming Area available, aside from adjacent to the car.  They will be having more reserved and indoor open grooming at future events.

So Wilma and I planned to "show and go" and I tried my new pop-up tent to help with shade in the parking area.

Wilma is a happy girl.  She enjoys seeing her Dog Show Friends and moving in the ring.

But when she's coming into season, she doesn't want anyone near her back end.  This includes me, let alone Conformation Judges.  :-/

Her normal season begins in late-September/early-October.  So I knew it was coming, but figured we were ahead of the window.

You know where this is heading now, right?

She refused to let the judge look at her teeth on the first day.

Upon taking her home, we examined her mouth to ensure nothing was going on.  To which she allowed both me and Hubba to examine, thoroughly.  She also let our friends look at her teeth at the venue the next morning.

But again on Day 2, she would not let the judge look at her.

I am very happy that she backed away from the judges and was mostly her goofy self.

I asked to be excused both days.

Both days the judges were extremely kind, patient, and tried very hard to help Wilma feel relaxed.  I have not experienced this level of support and accommodation from a judge before.  I thanked them both... and decided to stay home for Day 3.

So long story, short.... Wilma came into season on Day 3 of the show.  This is one month early.

So her behavior makes sense.  It is frustrating, but it makes sense... and I'm extremely happy there's nothing going on in her mouth.

This also means that we stayed home for the Evergreen and Peak-to-Peak Working Dog Specialty shows last weekend and are staying home for the Roaring Fork shows this weekend.

This also means that all hope I had for getting her ranked and therefore invited to the National Owner-Handled Championship later this year is over.

I always say that each dog teaches us something different.  For Wilma, I need to be more aware of her season, and plan accordingly.

Dog Show: Greeley Kennel Club, 2022

 Whelp, it's been a while since I've had a dog in a show...

Ramen and I went to Westminster last summer (2021), which was an amazing experience.

I had entered Wilma in the Greeley show a couple of months later (August 2021), but she had a cough the morning before, so we decided to keep her at home.  Kennel Cough is typically not serious, but it is highly contagious and we did not want to be the source of an outbreak.

Then our move started ramping up and we unexpectedly lost Ramen to cancer a few months later in December (2021).

***

Wilma and I went to a few classes in the recent Spring (2022), and I helped a friend with her puppies at the Laramie, Wyoming show in May (2022).

Laramie was my first time anywhere near a ring since losing Ramen.

While I was very happy to be able to help my friend with her new generation, I was feeling very sad and emotional about Ramen not being there to compete.  He just loved showing so much and it was our thing that we did together.

Then Ramen's sister, Aspen, got sick and we lost her in July (2022) to a different cancer... heartbreaking.  But at least we knew it was coming and took the opportunity to spoil her.

Add in a long work trip and a couple of injuries... and well, it's been a while.

***

I'm finally in a place where I can go on this journey with Wilma, and not regret that Ramen is not here to participate... So first up is the Greeley Kennel Club Show.

Wilma and I started going to class again in early-August (2022) and I felt happy about getting ready to compete.  We practice at a couple of venues; one indoors and one in a nearby park.

She really enjoys going to class and seeing her doggie and human friends, as do I.  :-)  The different venues provide exposure to different surfaces, dogs, judges, and potential distractions.  All good stuff in my book.

The day before the show, I took Wilma to Tractor Supply for a bath.  They provide everything.... shampoo, towels, high-velocity dryer, warm water, and a tub for about $10.  Even though we brought our own shampoo, this is seriously a great value for the do-it-yourself-er.

Then I went to the venue to set up our grooming space and help a friend organize trophies for another event.

Late August in Greeley is typically hot and we show outside, generally close to noon.  So I had been preparing ice, fans, and cooling mats to help keep Miss Wilma cool.

This year, however, we had earlier ring times and cooler weather, coupled with excellent use of shade by the Kennel Club.  It was quite comfortable.

Wilma showed extremely well and was willing to work in the ring, even when she was tired... from watching where we'd been on the drive over.

And keeping an eye on what everyone else was doing.

On the last day, she barely started to relax.  

It's hard for a guardian who wants to be aware of everything that's going on.  :-)

Wilma was awarded Winner's Bitch (WB) all three days.  This is the best, female, class dog of the day.  Class means non-champion.

She also received Best of Winners (BOW) on the first day.  Meaning she was also the best over the boy class dogs that day.

On the second day, one of the class boys won Best of Breed, so he was also BOW and no boys were present on the third day so BOW was not awarded.

We also had an impromptu Judge's Mentoring Session.  We answered questions, discussed the most important characteristics of the breed, and let the Judge-in-training get her hands on Wilma.  Educating people about Tibetan Mastiffs is probably one of my favorite things to do.

Wilma watched where we'd been the entire way home, even though she had to sit closer to the front because the grooming/kennel equipment was in the way-back.  lol.

Finally, she was delighted to visit with her alpaca before I put her to bed for a good, long, nap.  :-)

Wilma now has 3 points toward her Championship Title and we have a couple of things to work on before the next event.

The Greeley Kennel Club Show is one of my favorites.  It was the first show I ever attended.  It's convenient to our location and the venue is excellent.  This year's Saturday Group Competitions were broadcast live on AKC.tv and available to stream now.

Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece 2021, part 4

Continuing with the Tour de Fleece...

Friday, July 9

I had my first full day in the office today, so I did not get to spinning.

Saturday, July 10

Thanks to a few friends, we got the rest of our herd sheared today... but again, no spinning.

Sunday, July 11 - Challenge

Back to spinning for a little this morning.  No specific challenge was undertaken.

Ramen (the donor of the fluff) joined me today.  :-)

TM: 25:46 minutes

Monday, July 12 - Rest

Tuesday, July 13

As an introvert, it's no secret that I am happiest by myself or with a small number of people.  It doesn't matter how much I like the people.  Anything more than one or two at the same time is tiring for me.  So the Grounding due to COVID has been a wonderful respite for this introvert.

I have been going into the office (fully masked) for the last few days.  After working from home for quite some time, it's clear that I will have to increase my endurance for crowds again.

Since today was a shorter day than the previous, I did get in a little spinning this afternoon... so I feel a bit refreshed at the moment.

TM: 10:38 minutes

Wednesday, July 14

TM: 15:32 minutes

Thursday, July 15

With three days remaining in the Tour, the primary question on my mind right now is; have I spun enough to cause me to need more than two days to ply everything?

I think this answer is no.... which means I can spin a bit more tomorrow then plan to ply on Saturday and Sunday.

TM: 15:46 minutes

Weekly: Time, Finished Singles, 

I missed two days of spinning this week and did not spin on the rest day.  So I'm down a net two days as of now.

• Weekly Time: 1 hour, 7 minutes, 42 seconds
• Days with Spinning: 4/6

Cumulative: Time, Finished Singles,

• Total Time:  2:29:36 + 2:17:06 + 1:07:42 = 5:54:24
• Days with Spinning: 16/18

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Podcast: Let's Boop Snoots, episode 41

I had the pleasure of speaking with the hosts of Let's Boop Snoots last week about our trip to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and Conformation Events in general, including how we got started.

It was a fun conversation and we covered a lot of ground.

Ramen at WKC - by Ashbey Photography

As I mentioned before, this is an excellent podcast for anyone interested in adding a dog to their life, or just learning more about dog behavior.

Heidi and Vero are well-researched, fun, and engaging.

Please give them a listen... and subscribe, if you haven't already.

Dog Show: Westminster Kennel Club 2021, part 2

Now that we're home safe and sound, I can bring you up to speed on our New York Adventure.

I had the pleasure of seeing a TM friend who was kind enough to drive nearly 2-hours to be our kennel help for the weekend.

Photo Credit:  Emily Brun

Ramen had a great time and he was given an Award of Merit.  

Photo Credit: LoriSwissRanger

Pretty good for our first show in 16 months.  :-D

The Lyndhurst Estate was an absolutely gorgeous venue.  If you're ever in the area of New York City, I recommend taking the tour.  I believe they are open for these sort of things now.

Photo Credit:  Emily Brun

Photo Credit:  Emily Brun

Photo Credit:  Emily Brun

Photo Credit:  Emily Brun

It was a long 3-day drive each way from Colorado to New York.  Fortunately the weather was favorable and we had a few stops to rest and visit with friends and family along the way.

I do think that next time I'll either bring a second driver or break the trip into smaller chunks.... 10 hours of driving each day plus stops was very long for one person.

That being said, June is a beautiful time to take a road trip across the US... everything was very green.  We saw parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.

Most of the people I met were friendly and most of the rest areas were at least partially welcoming to dogs.

There were a lot of wind turbines in IA, which I found to be quite encouraging.... 

and one of their rest areas was a monument to the history of wind energy.

Hubba and I have been exceptionally careful during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.  Neither of us have gotten sick and we are both now fully-vaccinated,  The Westminster Kennel Club took individual safety seriously, which is why I decided to make this trip.

I was prepared to wear a mask during the entire event and wore my mask anytime I was outside of the car or hotel room along the way.

This year's event was not benched nor was it open to the public.  However, each entry was allowed to bring one person to help and all were ticketed.

Everyone in attendance completed a health screening that morning and had their temperature taken prior to being admitted to the grounds.  Vaccine status and Negative Covid Test Results were also validated.

Those who were fully-vaccinated were given a green wristband and allowed to go mask-less.  All others were expected to wear masks.  I wore mine most of the time that we were at the venue with the exception of actual competition.

You can watch the Tibetan Mastiff breed judging video here.  Either we started early, or the broadcast started late.  Tibetan Mastiffs were the first breed in our ring on Sunday and Ramen was the first dog of the day.

I'm happy that my first WKC was held in this way.  Next year will be in January, benched, and back at the Piers and Madison Square Garden, which means the crowds will also be back.  But it also means it will be much less hot.  ;-)

Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece 2021, part 1

It's nearly Tour de Fleece time again.

As usual, the Tour de Fleece runs parallel to the Tour de France, June 26 - July 18, 2021.

With moving house/farm and preparing for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, my spinning has taken a slight back seat.... so much that only now have I decided on my plans for this year.

As usual, I have joined the Chiengora Team and my goal is very simply to spin chiengora each day the Tour rides.  I have no time, length, other quantity, or achievement goals this year.

I am offering a Last A** Across the Pass award for the last place spinner in our Chiengora Group.

Currently I have Hog Island for SE2SE on the go as well as some Tibetan Mastiff (Ramen) intended for a knit cardigan.  I will wind-off the current TM single prior to the start of the TdF, so I am beginning with a blank slate.

If you enjoy spinning, are interested in improving your skills, or just gaining basic skills, please consider joining us or another team for the Tour de Fleece.  Teams are listed under Wildcard Signup.  There are teams covering many different interests, languages, and locations.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!!

Dog Show: Westminster!

Our last dog show was  February 2020, right before the Covid Pandemic began.  Our next one is Westminster!

Yes, Ramen and I are heading to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show!

This year is different due to Covid.... The show is outside, at a Mansion north of NYC, without crowds, in June.... instead of at Madison Square Garden and Piers 92/94 in NYC, packed full with people, in February.

Broadcast Schedule is here.  Sunday Groups and Best in Show will be broadcast on regular FOX, where the earlier events are FOX Cable Channels (FS1 and FS2) and breed judging is streaming at https://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/ during the day.

Tibetan Mastiffs are in Ring 2, at 9am ET, on Sunday.  

If you want to watch other breed judging and events, you can find the details in the WKC 2021 Judging Schedule as follows:

·  Friday, June 11:

o Agility

·  Saturday, June 12:

o Agility Finals

o Junior Showmanship - handlers are broken out by age and judged on their handling skills, rather than the dogs' conformation.

o Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding Breeds during the day - - pages 10-11, 13-19

o Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding Groups in the evening

·  Sunday, June 13:

o Obedience

o Junior Showmanship Finals

o Sporting, Working, Terrier Breeds during the day - - pages 20-21, 21-27

o Sporting, Working, Terrier Groups in the evening

o Best in Show

The program includes all of the general information as well as history of the show.  There is also more information on the Agility competition.

Context:

Westminster is the second longest, continuously-held sporting event in the US, behind the Kentucky Derby.

·  This year is the 145th WKC Dog Show.

·  This year's KY Derby was the 147th.

·  Later this year will be the 125th Boston Marathon.

The Top 5 Dogs of each breed are invited, along with each breed's National Specialty Winner.  Then entrants are accepted up to a maximum number; this year is 2500.

100% of the dogs entered this year completed their Championships ahead of entering WKC.

There are dogs entered from each of the 50 states, 2 territories, and 10 other countries.

The largest entry is Golden Retrievers at 44.

Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece 2020, part 9

Day 7 - Friday, September 4

Chiengora - Tibetan Mastiff: 38 Minutes

Continuing with Batt #5 from last week... and after 4 days, Batt #5 is finished.  WooHoo!

Day 8 - Saturday, September 5 - Kentucky Derby Day

Chiengora - Tibetan Mastiff: 149  Minutes

I finished the first single today with Batt #6.

Then I began the second single with Batts #7 and #8 which brings me back to my goal of averaging 1 batt per day.

SE2SE - Hog Island: 15 Minutes

Day 9 - Sunday, September 6 - Challenge

Chiengora - Tibetan Mastiff: 51 Minutes

Since each of these batts are taking longer than I had hoped, I opted to forego the challenge today and continue working on my TM 3-ply yarn.  I completed Batt #9 and started on #10 today.

SE2SE - Hog Island: 17 Minutes

Day 10 - Monday, September 7 - Rest, US Labor Day

Chiengora - Tibetan Mastiff: 33 Minutes

Today was supposed to be a rest day, but I made some progress on Batt #10 prior to the farm chores this morning.

Day 11 - Tuesday, September 8

Chiengora - Tibetan Mastiff: 25 Minutes

Completed Batt#10

Day 12 - Wednesday, September 9

No spinning was accomplished today, so I'll take credit for the rest day from earlier this week.

Day 13 - Thursday, September 10

Chiengora - Tibetan Mastiff: 79 Minutes

Batt #13 completes Single #2!

SE2SE - Hog Island: 16 Minutes

Weekly Time Total:  7 hrs 3 mins

Tour Time Total:  4:42 + 7:03 = 11 hrs 45 minutes

Completed Singles:  2 of 3

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!