This weekend and next weekend are being spent at dog shows with Cora and her brother Luke. Luke came over from Newfoundland for a vacation and to enter a couple shows. He is a mash up of Leeloo and Raimi, but with more of a lean toward Leeloo. When I look at him now I see Leeloo when she was 14 months old, all leg like a gangly ballerina although his head is coming in nicely and fortunately won't be Boy heavy which would unbalance his looks. Photos of him will be coming ...
As expected Cora didn't win anything yesterday at the show except my pride and adoration, but she already had that. I was concerned that since she hadn't been to a show in over 2 months she would be anxious and stressed again, especially considering she was going without her parents as back up. I lowered my expectations and was determined that the only thing I was looking for was her not to do her 'anxious pacing' and to stand nicely for the exam. I need to have a little more faith in my Booble Baby because she was far more relaxed, stood for the exam, and got a good hard look from the judge.
When people lose they often make excuses for why they lost, or why they should have won or try to make out like they don't care. I care. I don't want to lose. I go to every show hoping I'll win. I also have realistic expectations of my dogs and am still learning who to enter under and who not to. I'm sure the competition doesn't take me seriously and that my dogs are viewed as point fodder but in all honesty I don't care. I'd rather have my dogs in my house than theirs, that's why I went as far as Utah and Nevada to get Halo and Leeloo. I knew what I wanted. I choose my shows based on what works for me, not whether or not I think someone else is going to enter. I don't want a champion puppy, I want a champion dog who likes to show and isn't burnt out at 3. These days I can only look at Cora knowing that one day, in about a year or 18 months, this bitch is going to be outstanding. So much so that I doubt I will ever be able to produce a dog as nice as Cora ever again.
It makes me afraid to breed her, in case her progeny lose something in her that I love, it's a crazy reason not to want to breed but it's there in the back of my mind. I won't know until she is at least 3 or 4 if I will actually breed her, and even then I'm not sure I will be able to find a boy who meets my requirements. She just takes my breath away sometimes when she stands in a certain way and I can see a shadow of what she will become. Then I look at this photo of her and giggle and think "Lord, if you didn't have a clue about your own lines you would sell this puppy and spay her!" Fortunately I have a good relationship with the breeders of the dogs behind this silly girl and I can call on their experience for guidance. You'd be flying blind without connections to the people who know what is behind your dogs - I am thankful and grateful as always to Aegis Ridgebacks.
But, let's not worry about that today ... the dogs are itching to go for a walk, then we're off to the show again for some more ring experience for Cora and Luke!
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