What have we been up to so far in 2019? We ended 2018 and started 2019 with our favorite sport of AKC Scentwork. Bailey did a great job and earned some ribbons and titles we have such a fun time doing this together.

January also brought us a big scare as Lindy had some type of cognitive episode and we thought we had lost her but she recovered and is back to her feisty Momma dog self.

Lindy Hop

In March we traveled a full 20 minutes to attend the new Lake Lanier cluster held just down the road from home. They offered lots of fun doggy activities and we took advantage of them. Bailey and Cali showed in Conformation, Bailey in Veterans where she was BOB Veteran and was awarded a group 2. Cali showed in Breed and she earned points toward her Grand Championship. Then we switched to the fun stuff! Cali got to try Barnhunt for the 1st time and she found her Rat each time but 2 of our 3 runs we ran out of time but the other one was so fast that she not only won 1st place for her height group she beat all the Novice dogs and was high in class. Bailey got to play Crazy 8s and added more points to her total.

Our loot from Lake Lanier

In addition to Barnhunt, we went to do Bailey’s favorite thing, chasing the Lure! We did Fast Cat and Bailey had a blast, she is slower now only running 10-11mph but she loves it so and is only 2 or 3 runs away from her next Fast Cat title (DCAT 500 points). Last year I tried Cali but she wasn’t really interested so we tried again and boy what a difference she was a crazy dog too and ran at about 15mph. I think she will get fast as she learns the game. She is only about 25 points from her 1st Fast Cat title (BCAT 150 points) the girls had a fun weekend.

In April we stayed close to home and I taught an into to Scentwork class for Atlanta Obedience club and worked as the CWCCA Scentwork Secretary for our 1st trial at the Nationals. I also became an AKC Canine Ambassador on behalf of the CWCCA. https://www.akc.org/public-education/canine-ambassador-program/

In May we packed the FIT (boy was it packed) and Lindy, Bailey, Cali and I headed to Purina Farms just outside of St. Louis, MO. We joined our good friend and Co-Owner/Co- Breeder) Kathy Davis and new friend Sheri and our whole tribe of Cardigan lovers at the 2019 Cardigan Welsh Corgi National Speciality Show. To say we had fun is an understatement and our dogs did us proud!

In addition to the fun of competition, the National is all about the preservation of the breed. We look at breeding possibilities and learn new things about the breed and contribute to the health and welfare of the breed. All 3 girls had blood drawn and submitted to the OFA DNA database for future study and Cali had her eyes examined and they were pronounced clear and normal, just one of the health checks we do on our breeding dogs.

Yes, we were packed!

Our dog family brought home some ribbons and any ribbon at a Nationals is extra special.

Our National Scentwork Ribbons

In Scentwork:

Bailey – 2 Qs with placements including our 1st Excellent Q

Cali – 1 Q – her 1st with a placement

Ryan – (from our Dwysan family) High in Trial in Masters – Congrats Kathy Hannah! (Kathy’s Tate also did well in Rally and Obedience)

Herding Instinct

Both the Baby Girls Clover (Kathy H) and Daphne (Sheri) did a great job moving the sheep around. Super fun to watch.

Pretty Daphne and Sammich

The Megan – A champion only event that is divided by color/sex – a very prestigious event.

Both our young specials Sammich and Cali made the cut in their Color/Sex classes and Sam made it all the way to the final cut in Black dogs.

Veterans Sweeps

No Ribbons but it was sure fun show both Bailey and Lindy in Veterans. Our cardigans sure hold up strong. Lindy’s 11+ (she is 14 next month) had an entry of 21, 21 11+ Cardigans! and the indomitable Libby 11+ not only won sweeps, veterans she went BOS in the Best of Breed ring – what a girl!

Puppy Sweeps

Sammich, Clover, and Daphne all showed in sweeps and did a wonderful job and as their co-breeder, I was very proud. Sammich was awarded 2nd in his class and appointed class clown.

Regular Classes

Again the girls show great and this time Daphne got to win the ribbon with a 2nd in her class.

Best of Breed – our entry was huge this year and filled with amazing Cardigans.

Sam at 15 months showed wonderfully and made us proud. I can’t wait for him to grow up!

And just to add to the fun in May, Clover and Kathy H earned their 1st Title and TD! (Tracking Dog) I have never had a Tracking title in our dog family so super congratulations for Team Clover!

New Tracking Dog (TD) Clover

Now it is June and it started with a very proud moment. Bailey was awarded the CWCCA versatility award. This is an award for dogs who have earned titles in at least 3 AKC recognized venues including some advanced titles. It is a wonderful recognition and I am super proud of my good girl!

What is next for us? Well stay tuned and we will let you know as it happens. Our Social media pages are often filled with fun photos and updates. See ya later!

Cali says y’all come back now ya hear!

 

I also had a fun year hanging with my friends, supporting our young friend Ellie, working for my clubs and just as they say living my best life.  Looking forward to 2019 with lots of hope and happiness.

Bailey got mail this week.  She got a new title certificate from the AKC for her latest Scentwork title.  We are always excited to add new letters behind the dog’s names and there is always a good feeling when the certificates arrive.

I have a very cool hand painted photo album the one of the dogs won as a prize at one of the Southwest Support entry shows.  I use it to store show photos and title certificates and as I was planning to add the newest certificate to the album I realized I needed to reorganize the album to accommodate the certificate.  As I took each photo and certificate out of it’s sleeve it made me think about what they all really mean.

There is a very good essay that makes the rounds on Facebook that is credited to Sandra Mowery and I think it is a very good way of explaining why a title is more than a  piece of paper.    For me the title represents time spent with a wondrous creature, it represents time I spend with with people I love, it represents adventure and shenanigans.  The title certificates also represents education, breed preservation,  sportsmanship, compassion and good cheer.  And, yes it also represents a brag, but it is so much more, I’m proud that my dogs are always willing to play games with me and I am proud of my tribe and all the fun and life we get to share together because of our amazing dogs.   As I have said many time before it is my privilege.  I hope it is your privilege too.

This represents the new AKC title certificates for the current dogs in the house Lindy, PJ, Frost, Bailey, Banner and Cali. This doesn’t include any titles from other venues.

Why title a dog?

Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores, a title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in record and in memory for as long as anything in this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better in that regard.

And though the dog itself doesn’t know or care that its achievements have been noted, a title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count.

A title says your dog was intelligent and adaptable, and good-natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed.

And a title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with it because it was a good dog, that you believed in it enough to give it yet another chance when it failed, and that, in the end, your faith was justified.

A title proves that your dog inspired you to that special relationship enjoyed by so few; that in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return.

And when that dear short life is over, the title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of pride in one small set of initials after the name.

A title earned is nothing less than love and respect, given and received, and permanently recorded.

-Sandra Mowery

GCH Rockie Top Flying Snow, RN, BN, FDC, CGC, RATI