Experiences

Couldn't remember if I had used this photo before and didn't have a new one to use.  This is Fern and me, taken about a month ago by our friend Kathleen, sitting in the chair that Fern's mother Pauli won when she went Best In Show a couple of years ago.  Her face is cuter now, as her eyerims have thickened, and she looks less sweet and a lot more mischievous!

We're leaving for the shows later this afternoon, and Argus will get his pre-dogshow bath.  Hope I don't find little bite marks all over him, as I watch Fern swing from his ears.  Although she pesters Coral & Watson, she understands that they don't put up with puppy nips.  Argus & Josie have not yet come down on Fern, and are endlessly patient with her.

Fern goes along to the shows this weekend so she'll learn about long car trips, sleeping in her crate in a motel, walking down long hallways and through lobbies, and perhaps ride in an elevator, all important things for a puppy who will presumably be a show dog someday.  She'll walk around the show site parking areas too, listen to generators, motor homes, barking dogs, and blow dryers.  We may smuggle her into the show building too, especially if it's going to be really hot.   She'll meet lots of friendly strangers, as everyone wants to play with puppies, and perhaps we'll find some pups her age that she can play with.  It's important that Fern's first dog show experience is a fun one, so that when she is old enough to show she will be comfortable with all the noise and confusion that is part of dog shows.

Time Crunch

OK, how am I going to get everything done in time to leave for dog shows on Thursday?  Life is so much simpler when there are no shows!  And to think that for years I did this several weekends a month.  No wonder I got so far behind on things - but why am I still so far behind when this is only my 4th show weekend of the year???

Got the third seat out of the van last night - not an easy job on a 2007 Caravan.  I need the third seat in the van when we take mom to dinner, but it gets in the way otherwise.  The seat comes out nicely, it's just so darned heavy and awkward to move to the porch.  Am getting too old for this kind of stuff.  Fortunately, a nice teenage girl stopped and offered to help.  Bless her!

The three large crates and buckets are loaded, as well as a small crate for Fern who will be going along to her first dog show (as a spectator).  Decided to do the heavy stuff before it got so hot - 90s today and tomorrow.,

The bar is a pile of things I need to take along this weekend.  Haven't even begun to pack my own clothes.  What am I going to wear?   Argus has had his nails done, but still needs a bath and trimming.  He's entered just for fun, to support the specialty entry, and will enjoy it.  He misses the Veteran's class by only a week - how can my silly puppy be that old???

Tonight we are going to dinner with dear friends who are in town visiting relatives.  Wish the timing was different, but we'll make this work.  I'll work a full day today and tomorrow, and we'll pack and we'll leave tomorrow after work, stopping to pick up Eddie on the way.  Jess will get Gemma tomorrow and bring her along - Gemma's first dog show weekend.

After several weeks of lovely weather, and good weather forecast NEXT week, this weekend promises to be ugly weather-wise.  HOT!  Oh well.  Looking forward to seeing friends I have not seen since the national, and others I have not seen since last year.  Should be fun if we don't melt!

And Then There Was One

Starting today Fern is an "only puppy" as Murray flew off to Florida to his forever home.  I've been corresponding with his new dad Tom for quite awhile, and was satisfied that it was a good situation for Murray.  Tom works from home and has a 2-year old Lab who was ready for a housemate.  Question was the weather of course, and whether I could even ship the puppy to Florida this time of the year.  Rain cooled things off just enough to keep the forecast temperature at 85 or below when the flight was due to land, so we lucked out.  Delta Dash - Pets First is about the only way for us to ship a pup in the summer. It's a bit expensive, but they do a good job with live cargo.  Have a good life, Murray!

It's a lot easier to place pups locally, but I'll ship if I have to, if the home seems like an extra good one.  The time involved in taking the pup in for a health certificate, making the necessary arrangements, getting the pup ready, plus the airport run (generally early in the morning), take a lot of time.  I like to keep the pups a bit longer too, give them extra socialization, and make sure they are comfortable in a crate of their own.  Murray has been many places, and done lots of things, and should have no trouble at all handling the three-hour trip.

Now it's just Bad Fern, who is actually a terrific puppy other than being into everything.  Make that EVERYTHING.  Nothing escapes her notice and everything must be investigated, tasted or tugged.  She's a busy puppy, harassing the adults, playing with her toys, and playing with things that are NOT toys, like my shoes.  BUT she's great in a crate, rides well in the car, loves everyone and all dogs, and has very good house manners for her age, so I can't really complain.  Now, that jumping up . . .

Puppy class starts next week, and I see Fern being either the Class Clown or the Class Bully.  She looks like such a little princes, but can hold her own in any wrestling match, and is quite sure she is Queen of the Universe.  She's good on her sits & downs and is stacking on the grooming table, but her leash manners leave a lot to be desired.  Need to work on that before she starts puppy class.  Think we'll start going for evening walks with a pocket full of cookies, so she learns to watch me a bit, rather than trying to drag me up the street, looking for kids or dogs to play with.

Off Topic

No dogs or fish today, not even flowers, family, housework or yard work.  Time out for a political observation, on something that should not even be part of the political scene.  Although I feel strongly about many issues, the one concerning marriage issues bothers me more than almost anything else.

I can not understand WHY the conservatives are so determined to pass laws making it illegal for two consenting adults to marry.  Although I personally would not be interested in being married again (been there, done that), I firmly believe that everyone should have that right, whatever their sexual orientation.  What is so "sacred" about marriage, and why should it be denied to some?  If marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman, should we prosecute everyone who strays outside those boundaries?  Half the marriages end in divorces, and many married people stray.  So what exactly makes the traditional marriage sacred?  And why should any government be involved?  This is a personal issues, not one to be decided by any governmental body.

Please VOTE NO!