The Lion's Share

There are some things that dogs can be counted on, regardless of breed. I couldn't decide whether these two  were actually sharing or trying to take the treat away from each other. There can be five treats available but every dog wants the same one at the same time ... it's Universal Dog Law #42.

A Shining Season

The mornings now are quite cool and brisk. Hard to imagine just 10 days ago it was 24 degrees at 7am and so humid you couldn't breathe without sweating. The Fall weather has taken over and the dogs are loving it. There must be more creature activity in Autumn because these mornings there is much nose twitching, wrinkle making, and bright eyes looking for something to chase. I'm sure the same can be said for the critters the dogs are in pursuit of ... except the chasing part - their's would be more of a 'run for your lives' activity.

Much smashing through bushes occurred today, a woodland occupant must have been on the move and quite recently. The dogs rarely forget where they saw or smelled something marvelous and I have to watch that they don't bolt ahead if we do a return (instead of a loop) because they remember on the way back what was interesting on the way in.

Today there was a lot of standing and sniffing the air too, I don't mind the sniffing, but the headlong dash into the woods always makes me nervous. They can 'see' things I can't and since the entire province is pretty much woods, having them disappear after an invisible target into the bracken can be a bit worrying. A quick call to 'come' usually gets them returning fairly satisfied with themselves and they are always eager for the next pursuit.

As the days grow shorter the walks will get cooler but knowing these guys they won't mind, the cooler it is the more they run and the more they run the more they sleep. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Morning Glory

I love mornings. Well, I love waking up all warm and cozy with the contented weight of Raimi's head resting on my back. Leeloo is often laid flat out on her side along my legs, her head hooked over my ankle and deep in REM sleep. Esme, if she is on the bed, is at the end in a fuzzy little pile, usually with her tummy exposed to the heavens. Sometimes I slip out of my dreams to find one cat has tidily balanced itself on my ribcage and the other is curled into the crook of my legs, thereby adding their slumbering presence to my waking dream.

That few moments before the alarm sounds and the day must begin are my favorite in every 24 hour period. I am cocooned in down and surrounded by creatures who are sleeping so deeply only because they know they are perfectly and completely safe.

The alarm sounds and first up is Esme stomping on me and the Ridgebacks, ridding the bed of cats and doing her level best to get everyone moving. Raimi always has a languid stretch, steps off the bed, walks around, shoves his nose into my eyeball or cheek and snorts. He stomps around in gleeful anticipation of me getting up and I can hear his tail smacking the wall in greeting. Esme is still leaping on and off the bed, unable to contain her excitement that another day has begun. Leeloo remains on the bed, stretches out those crazy long legs of hers, and starts to wiggle on her back, throwing her feet about. Once she has satisfied herself with that she stands on the bed and if I am not moving fast enough she starts to dig me out of bed with Leeloo noises and naughty nibbling teeth. That usually gets me up. Esme is still smashing around the room, pinging off the walls, Raimi, Leeloo, me and  the bed. The cats are long gone.

Once I am vertical everyone makes for the back door, I stumble to the exit, open the door and everyone goes out in a rush with Esme barking and leaping at Ridgeback throats. I shut the door and prepare their breakfast while Leeloo and Esme pee and Raimi stands on the deck and waits for me to open the door to let him in for his snack. That is the first 5 minutes of every day, people who don't have three dogs and three cats don't have this kind of morning, some days I'm not sure if they are missing out or just plain smart. I hope I never find out.

Winner Takes All

What a weekend. I can only take credit for paying the entry and holding the end of the lead. Esme did all the rest. This morning's show went pretty much Plain Jane, Esme won Winners Bitch again but didn't get to go into puppy group because a puppy placed in group. Ah well, better luck next time.

In the afternoon Esme was all in a dither because she hadn't seen the Ridgebacks in some time and I think she feels like she has to keep an eye on them. She fussed and fussed like an over-tired child but when we headed into the ring she was all business. I can usually tell when a judge likes my dog and I felt this judge immediately liked my little girl. She is hard not to like!

We won Winners Bitch again, then in the Specials class she was put in front stayed there for another Best of Breed over group placing specials! So we hung around and then headed into the group ring, expecting the same result from our foray into the Big Leagues as yesterday since a junior puppy placing in the group, much less a Puli puppy without real cords, doesn't stand much of a shot. Mr. Guy Jeavons  proved me wrong! He pulled Esme out for a fourth in group and I was astounded and gratified; here was my special starting her 'real' show career. They grow up so fast ... she didn't actually win the puppy group though because the judge liked the Bouvier puppy better but winning a fourth in group trumps a puppy group any day in my books.

So Esme is now retired from the Canadian show ring although I will enter her a few times at the local shows just to keep her head in the game. A Puli special is generally expected to have an almost full length coat so in about 4 years she will be ready to hit the ring for a planned campaign. She will also be heading to the Puli Club of America National Specialty in 6 weeks so expect to hear great things about this little marvel kicking butt in the USA.

After only three weekends of showing while still a junior puppy, Esme has proven that she has what it takes to become a world beater show dog. She has the attitude, type, and structure to give the Herding group a run for their money. Watch out Herding breeds, in about 3 or 4 years Esme is going to steal the spotlight. 

Everything Is Illuminated

On this, a dark day in history, a shining beacon named Esme poked a little hole in the darkness to brighten our lives and mark this anniversary with a happier memory. We will never forget, but we can illuminate.

Today, amidst intermittent down pours, heavy mists and occasional sunspots, Esme became Immerzu's 62nd Canadian Champion. Exclusively shown by her Mommy(that's me) Esme has done what a Puli is rarely known for: she finished out of the junior puppy class. Now, my mom wants me to make sure to note that this is only because she rarely shows junior puppies, thus finishing from this class has never been considered.

But, Esme did it and did it in style. She has never lost Winners Bitch, she has always beaten dogs in mature coat, she has never shown badly, and she is possibly also one of the first Immerzu Pulis to get multiple Best Puppy in Group. In my humble opinion, she is probably one of the best Pulis my parents have ever bred, but I could be biased.

Phew ... I get ahead of myself. We were entered in all four shows this weekend as there are two shows in a day. So this morning at the first show Esme won Winners Bitch for her final point and finished her Canadian Championship. Then we headed in for Best Puppy in the Herding group and what do you know? She wins it! 

In the afternoon show she was just there to play really, get some ''safety' points maybe and give her some more ring time. She wins Winners Bitch again and then, showing against two adult male specials, Esme wins Best of Breed. From the junior puppy class! I was thrilled! In the most dark and secret realms of my imagination I barely allowed myself a moment to think of such a thing, but I know my girl is that good and apparently Larry Kereluke thinks so too! She didn't get anything in the group or puppy but it was just enough to know that she could pull off a win like that.

Currently she is sleeping off her Very Big Day with two very tired Ridgebacks who spent the day staying dry in the truck for most of the time. If you know Ridgebacks you know they do not like rain!

So, if you should so happen to meet Esme one day you may call her Her Majesty or MBPIG Can. Ch. Immerzu Everything Illuminated. I guarantee she will light up your life.

Sex, Lies and Videotape

Recently (like yesterday) another breeder of Ridgebacks accused me of telling her some 'gossip' (over a year ago) and then spent what I think is the better part of several days, or possibly weeks, stewing about it to everyone but me. She thought I got the information from my own mentor, accused her, and then when that was flatly denied, I was confronted.

Imagine my surprise at being accused of spreading rumours about a bitch I didn't know existed. At this very moment I still can't tell you the bitch's registered name because everyone has been using call names only and I don't know who I am supposed to have criticized. So add to the strange circumstance of having someone accuse you of something you didn't do the inability to even research the dogs you are supposed to have talked about.

What I did, and I'll be honest, is tell this breeder that I wouldn't use the lines she is using because a health concern crops up unpredictably in the offspring but originates at one single dog. This is public knowledge as the dog in question can be researched online. According to this breeder, my research is classified as 'gossip'. Huh, better tell all the researchers in the world they are just a bunch of over-rated gossips. 

What I do know is that the actual 'lie' I am being accused of she has attributed to the wrong dogs. Which makes it more funny because I do remember which are the right dogs and who bred them.  I'm not telling her who they are though, that would be gossiping. (smirk) Added to which, the dogs I know of are not the only ones who are guilty of this little 'issue', nor the corrective measures taken to rectify it.  I am also not the only one who is aware of these 'corrective' measures and it makes me think I am some sort of scapegoat. Stay back or I'll eat your hat. 

It's weird because I have never been accused of something by someone who has flat out refused to accept my denial. Naively I believed that if I said I didn't do it I'd be believed. People who know me know I am not a liar. I am in fact, a terrible liar, even via email. I have a hard time being dishonest and I'm not sure why. I can bend the truth, sure, but I can't straight up lie very easily. If someone asks me a direct question I am compelled to be honest, it's a sickness I know. So to have someone repeatedly call me dishonest and a liar, when I know I am actually not, is a bit disconcerting. Never mind, I'll get over it.

Anyway, it has culminated, as it was bound to, into a legal threat on my part to stop her ridiculous attack. Would it hold up? Who knows, I'd have to prove loss of revenue, damage to my character, libel and slander, all very hard to build a solid case upon. Plus, since I'm 'not important enough' in the Ridgeback world I guess there may be little damage done. I know this, I would rather breed healthy, sound, stable dogs than be 'important', especially in the eyes of someone like that. 

Yes, dog people are crazy, but then, lots of people are crazy when they are passionate about something. However we must learn to keep things in perspective. As my mentor said, these are our pets, they should not define us as people.  Sadly some people are just plain ol' crazy to begin with and that never ends well.

Give a Girl a Break

Not much on the go here of late, the temperature has finally settled down to less than 30 degrees so we are all sleeping much better and our walks are far more pleasant. The sticky hot air is a thing of the past and cooler fall weather has prevailed.

This weekend we are headed to what will possibly be our last show of the season. Esme needs one point to finish and with four shows to gather that point I have high hopes she will be a Canadian Champion by the end of Sunday. The weather is calling for a rainy weekend so I better put her rubber boots on! Raimi and Leeloo will be joining me for the two days at the show but they aren't entered, they are just there as moral support for Esme. I know she appreciates their ringside cheerleading .. or whining, whichever the case may be.

In other news Archer has settled very well into his home in Cole Harbour. The habits I was so accustomed to are coming out for his new family and it is so good to hear that he remains the cheerful smothering boy I adored. Sometimes I think wistfully of his joyful company and miss him in those moments, but the sensible side of me knows that placing him was for the best and he is now happy and well spoiled by his New Mommy. 

So life continues out here on the east coast, every day is like a vacation (even with a job) and when I think of getting away for a break it occurs to me ... a break from what?