Mitcham Monday

*CLICK TO BIGGIFY TO SEE HIS AWESOME SIDE MOVEMENT*

This is Mitcham aka Reine Dior Diving For Gold in the Best Puppy in Show match. The award went to the Rhodesian Ridgeback but I'm SO HAPPY with Mitcham getting the Puppy Group 1 and Justice the Puppy Group 4 this weekend! Our friends Sarah and Darby got the Puppy Group 2 as well! Many thanks to Christy Collins for helping to show the big goof in the Puppy Herding Group and in the Puppy Best in Show!!

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I had forgotten to mention (in my sleep deprived weekend) that on Thursday was the Best Puppy match!

Mitcham was expertly handled by Christy Collins and got a Group 2! Justice was expertly handled by Wanda Bendinelli (Zoe's breeder) and got a Group 4! Oh how I wish I didn't have to go back to Perham to work that afternoon! But I am so happy for my boys! They make me gush with pride :)

So far so good!

I'm at my buddies house and finally have time to report on my weekend (so far)!

Thursday at the Cambridge, MN cluster, I had a great day!

Zoe was Reserve Winners Bitch, Justice was Winners Dog and Best of Winners for his first two points at his very first show (aside from the National)!

Mitcham was also a good boy and was Winners Dog and Best of Winners for a cross over THREE POINT MAJOR!

Friday at the same cluster was another good day!

Ell was Winner's Bitch and Best of Winners for a single point! It was the last single point she needed so she, along with Zoe both have 12 points and 1 major, so we are on the look out for those elusive last majors! Justice was RWD.

And Mitcham once again was a cool dude and was Winner's dog and Best of Winner's for another cross over Three Point Major!!

How blessed am I?!! Two majors, back to back on his 3rd and 4th days out! wohoo!!!

Today, Saturday wasn't as great of a day . Zoe was RWB again (she's got at least 25+ of them!) and that was it! The other Briard boy was pulled today so there was no points in the dogs. Mitcham didn't get the cross over points and BOW was awarded to the bitch I was showing for Liz and she got a 3 pt major! So I still got a major on a dog, just not mine ;) I can't complain! The show cluster has been good for me!

Tomorrow is the last day and I am POOPED! I'll keep ya'll posted as to how we do then! Fingers crossed!

Somebody has a favorite :)

Somebody has a favorite!! Daisy's favorite person is my dad (her Grandpa!) While I was finding my camera to take a photo she went and gave my dad a kiss on the face! She's never done that for me! *arm cross*
But alas...someone was jealous of this new arrangement.......and was making sure that he was Grandpa's 'favorite' too. His classical "we're touching" pose where his foot is touching your shoulder....
Maybe this is a better place to get 'wratched' (instead of scratched)...Oliver is nearly laying on Daisy to get close enough....

I guess my life isn't so boring....;)

Lyme's Vaccination

I know there is much debate about Lymes Vaccines and how not effective they are. There is a new one on the market this year called Recombitek Lyme Vaccine. I gave all of my dogs this tonight. ( i got it from my vet). They say that its efficacy is much higher (near 100%) versus the older vaccine that may or may not have helped keep it at bay.

I wasn't a big fan of vaccinations (the last three years I did not give my pigeons any vaccine for Paramyxovirus) and then went to a show and brought it home and wiped out ALL of my breeding stock that I myself raised in the last three years. It was devastating. I have since vaccinated everyone again for it. Lesson learned albeit a devastating one!

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the Lymes Vaccine if you have or have not used it.

I also had to give everyone the Bordetella Vaccine as my training facilities now require it to train, board or groom my dogs there.

Justice photo shoot

Justice hasn't had much 'air time' on the blog.

We've been watching him grow up and I thought tonight in the evening hours that I should bathe him for the long show weekend and take a few photos. They are ungroomed, except for a blow dryer post doggie shower. Its nearly impossible to take photos that do him, well, justice, but you can get the basic idea. Neighsayers will say he has a short neck. while its not a llama neck, it is proportionate for his body. The lack of white doesn't help matters (at least for the initial once over) but I've also seen dogs with full white collars that have no neck and the white makes their neck look long. I digress....

Show side...he looks so sad doesn't he? >:)
"MY" side.
hmm....I'm bored...I wonder what's going on back in the house?
Oh RIGHT! Look at the camera. How much longer will this take? I have a bone to chew (no pun intended)


*SIGH* Ok yes I'll turn my head for a 'profile' shot. i'm rather bored....can I go now?

Emily and Sarah Special :)

I can't usually get a photo of Mitcham, unless you get them like this one:

So I put him behind the fence and let the rest of the dogs out. Below is the Sadie Princess surveying her domain.
Or Mitcham smiling for the camera and Daisy frolicking around!
This one isn't so close?
Finally...laying down, although through the chain link!
Finally standing still...but he is on a potty break! (Notice ears UP!) and Oliver with his happy face. don't you just love the random cardigan in the background of each photo??!!

I was able to get him MOVING fairly nicely. He is so happy!I had to throw a few non Mitcham photos in! (Sorry I know I know!) Below is Justice taking a tinkle....he did get a bath last night and of course wasn't completely dry when he went to bed...so needless to say that hair normally does NOT look like that....new bath again tomorrow :)
Zoe is turned funny but is waiting and watching Justice and Ell running like maniacs...she was waiting to pounce :)

The END is near....

Ok so I have been kind of keeping you abreast of my experience with the Briard as a breed.

Urban legends that have been broken:

1. Briards are not psychopaths nor are they aggressive (at least in my experience)

Mitcham is the perfect breed ambassador, having never met a stranger (except that one judge!) and loves children, babies, dogs both large and small, loyal and bonded to his master (me) and loves to go for car rides, kennel club visits, training sessions etc.

2. Briards do not shed. No they mat. A lot. Especially as pups I've been told! I was mentally prepared for all the grooming but not physically. My brushes just weren't cutting it. I was having to brush him daily and even then if I brushed him in the AM, by PM he would be matting already. I learned what 'line brushing' was. I spent near 100 dollars on a brush (BUT BOY DOES IT WORK WONDERS!!)

Mitcham needed no real heavy brushing until about 5 months of age. At that point he started to mat on an hourly basis (I'm really not kidding) and I was frantically trying to get my dad or mom or sister to help hold him down while I tried my best to brush through those mats. I was nearly in tears several days as it was so terrible and Mitcham, the awesome dog he was would sit there and take it from me.....I felt so terrible for him! I was not being a good Briard owner! Shame on me

I learned that some Briards will shed like that for their entire life. Others will only shed like that between puppy and adult coats.

I truly believe the end is near! *KNOCKS ON WOOD* Mitcham honestly has not been groomed for a week, about the limit most Briard people say should go between grooming.

I purchased a new taller grooming arm for Mitcham for my grooming table. That has helped immensely keep his head and neck where it should be and i do not have to enlist the help of a family member who has better things to do with their time than to help hold a dog! This arm is a Godsend and has helped so much.

I spent the last hour or so grooming him first with a pin brush, then a rake with revolving pins, and then the awesome expensive Les Pooches purple double slicker brush. In no time I was through the very few tiny mats that had started to accumulate and he was done! Presto! I have enough time now to blog about it and bathe a few more dogs :)

Praise be to God that the end is near! (fingers crossed)

This almost made me think of never owning another Briard as long as I live! Now that the terrible part is looking to be behind us, I may reconsider....but of course WAY down the road :)

The best part about all of this were all of the compliments on his coat at the FMKC show! Other herding breeders of Tervs, Bouvies, Aussies and Shelties were complimenting me on how lovely his coat was at the show! Coming from those guys...heck ya I'll take it!! :) :) :D

It was also nice to know he was appreciated by professional handlers and owners of other breeds that knew nothing about the breed but could see his lovely movement and gorgeous coat. Both judges he was entered under said he was such a gorgeous boy.....he just needs to be less puppy....but why rush it? We are having fun!!

And as a side note there are majors in bitches in Cambridge, so maybe a cross over major ? Odder things have happened here!! :)

Mitcham Monday

From the Fargo show......

Mitcham and Steve Peterson (Barb's husband) at the grooming spot.
Dang those ears just wouldn't stay up for the photos that day!

Below is NEW Champion Aiden!! He is Erica Morris' Irish Setter who has only needed TWO single points to finish! He got them at FMKC this year! Way to go team Aus dem Norden!

Daisy

Daisy had her Cardiac and CERF done at the FMKC a few weekends ago. I'm happy to report she passed both :) She is in season so we will wait to do her hips in a few months.

My point

For those that missed it:

1. I'm glad that people test their dogs, within their given means. If I decide to test for all known tests, I'm not a better person for doing it, but I feel its important to me to test for all of those tests.

2. Three dogs that I own have some testing behind them in each generation, one having nearly all of them in 5 generations> Other have some random dogs tested in their background.

3. If you are going to post and say something, make sure you have the proof to back it up.

4. I didn't take credit for breeding those generations of dogs.

A much needed weekend

After running around the past month or so with my head cut off.....working 60+ hours from Monday-Friday and then working all out on the weekends too (usually 10+ hours per day) I'm sick of it! But boy does it feel good to have so much accomplished...or maybe thats just numbness in my feet :)

Tomorrow in the afternoon there is a "meet the breed" in park Rapids and Mitcham has volunteered to go be a Braird spokesman for a little bit. should be a fun time....

oh and tomorrow i get to mow my OWN yard, weed my OWN flower beds and clean my OWN house! How fun!! :)

4 Generations of healthy, happy dogs and testing

I read somewhere recently that there is someone claiming to have generations of tested dogs in their pedigree of an animal they own. Upon looking at the pedigree there is ONE dog in each of the generations that was tested for hips. The vertical pedigree (including siblings, half siblings, aunts, uncles etc) has very few animals that have been tested for anything, let alone hips.

Its been said before by several people that although you may test your own stock, the proof is in the pedigree. Meaning that its fine and dandy you test your own stock for things, but what about the litter mates, parents etc of the dogs? Its true I have dogs that are tested for all known Cardigan issues. I do however realize that most of their relatives in the pedigree are not tested for much of anything. I also do not rant and rave about having a perfectly healthy dog, nor do I know what the relatives are for any of these tests. I'd hate to be false advertising my dogs that might kick me in the butt later! And as a general rule, CWC breeders and owners typically take the course of "no testing" for various reasons....1. because they don't believe in it. 2. they don't believe in the current tests that are available, 3. they cannot afford it, 4. they test and then get bad results so therefore don't publicly show the results and then decide they don't believe in the test anymore.

On a side note:

I will also say that I am one of, if not the only known Upper Midwest CWC *person* (soon to be breeder) that is testing their breeding stock for ALL known health tests in the breed. And not cosmetic things like fluff or little 'e' gene. I may even start to do spine xrays to track the beginnings of IVDD that is in our breed. I can't find anyone else's dogs on the OFA website that have as many health clearances as my girls do. Justice and Mitcham and Daisy will have their tests added as their ages allow. I'd be happy to show any certificates too of them that you may desire to see. So yes, even though they may not have it to back them up in their pedigree, my dogs will be tested and will continue to be tested from here on out. Not just the show pups, but all the pups. You can call me on it down the road if I don't >:)


**

I do however own a dog that is tested clear or passing for four generations for sure, nearly completely 5 (if you aren't counting him as a generation) :) And he's not a Corgi :)

His name is Mitcham :)

The Briard people have it together.

With only a fraction of the animals that that CWC have and only 40 registered litters a year in the US, they are a tiny breed population wise. They have 209 dogs registered with CHIC numbers. Cardigans have 13. Isn't that just crazy?

With Mitcham's 4 generation pedigree, all of his ancestors were tested for at least hips, if not a host of other things, except for his Great Grandmother on his dam's side's parents. Otherwise even most of the 5th generation that I looked at was also tested for hips.

And there is nothing to hide. Look at all the half siblings, full siblings, parents etc. They have TONS of animals listed.....which is even more awesome because the breed is so small itself...MUCH smaller than the CWC here in the US at least. OFA is awesome for being a pedigree and health research tool. OFA is a great source for a vertical health pedigree. I encourage you look at Mitcham's pedigree:

All links should be active and sent to the right OFA web page.

Sire CH Dior Elan Veni Vedi Viici OFA Good, Elbows Normal	Sire AM/CAN CH Dior Aigner Made to Order HIC CHIC OFA Excellent Elbows Normal Thyroid Normal Cardiac Normal CERF Normal CSNB clear	Sire CH Deja Vu Aigner For Pete's Sake OFA Good	Sire CH Deja Vu Woodbine Cryn Out Loud ROM OFA Excellent
			Dam CH Deja Vu Ease On Down The Road HT ROM OFA Excellent
		Dam Mon Jovis Eillie de I'Etat d'Or OFA Good CERF Normal	Sire CH Aigner Added Attraction OFA Good
			Dam CH Mon Jovis Amber OFA Good
	Dam CH Elan Dior Rain in Spain OFA Good Elbows Normal CERF Normal	Sire CH Dior Rainbeard On the Ball CHIC OFA Excellent Elbows Normal Cardiac Normal CERF Normal CSNB Clear	Sire CH Blackwater's Hard to be Humble CDX HIC OFA Fair
			Dam CH Dior Aigner My Oh My CD NA HIC CHIC OFA Excellent Elbows Normal Thyroid Normal CERF Normal CSNB Clear
		Dam CH Charmant La Belle Amie HIC OFA Good CERF Normal	Sire CH Aigner Eye of the Tiger HIC OFA Fair CERF Normal
			Dam CH Phydeaux Fairest of Them All HIC
Dam CH Monami Dior Uma Neta Do Pele CHIC OFA Good Elbows Normal Thyroid Normal Cardiac Normal CERF Normal CSNB Clear	Sire CH Dior Monami Simply Irresistable OFA Good	Sire CH Dior Rainbeard On the Ball CHIC OFA Excellent Elbows Normal Cardiac Normal CERF Normal CSNB Clear	Sire CH Blackwater's Hard to be Humble CDX HIC OFA Fair
			Dam CH Dior Aigner My Oh My CD NA HIC CHIC OFA Excellent Elbows Normal Thyroid Normal CERF Normal CSNB Clear
		Dam CH Mon Jovis Dior O You Beautiful Doll CD CHIC OFA Good Elbows Normal Thyroid Normal CERF NOrmal CSNB Clear	Sire CH Mon Jovis Forever Mine OFA Good
			Dam CH Sentinelle DejaVu Leapinlizard PT OFA Good
	Dam CH Mon Jovis Nine to Five OFA Excellent	Sire CH Mon Jovis Deja Vu Johnny B Good OFA Good	Sire CH Deja Vu Woodbine Cryn Out Loud ROM OFA Excellent
			Dam CH Picador Temptress OFA Good
		Dam CH Picador Temptress OFA Good	Sire NUCH Fin.W-86 NORV87 NV8889 SV90 Virage Vendetta of Picador
			Dam Rafiki's Cassiopeia

So what's my point? I guess if I were going to brag about a dog with some health clearances...it wouldn't be my Cardigans...it would be my Briard!

There is no false advertising, no saying I have 4 generations of tested animals.....when in fact the proof is in the pedigree! Would you buy a puppy if you were concerned about testing from a dog whose pedigree looks like the one above here or from someone saying they have 1 dog in each generation with hips tested? Given that they were equal in structure and temperament? I think I know your answer :) Because if you were already looking for a healthy dog (and they were in the breed you were looking for) you would naturally choose the line which is more tested so less 'surprises' are likely to happen, than in a pedigree where nothing or nearly nothing is tested for.

So whose 4 generations of testing do you think should be bragging?

Cancer in Cardigans

I found out awhile back that Sadie's mom, Petal aka Cardiridge Wildflower had breast cancer. Considering she is 8 years old now, is this a normal age to be getting cancer in CWC? Is cancer normal in this breed? Is it genetic? Can it happen to bitches that aren't used for breeding aka my Sadie Princess??

Should Cardigans be getting screened for cancers? Do you see it as a big issue in the breed? Do you think we should be talking more about it and becoming more aware of it?

I'd love to hear what you have to say

Sleepy Wednesday?

Oliver getting comfy with Grandma

Mitcham Tuesday and Zoe at agility

t night was my monday night agility class with Ell. Since Ell is STILL in season, I've been alternating Sadie and Zoe in the class. Zoe absolutely LOVES it!! Well, so does Sadie ;)

Zoe last night, it was her second night and she really loves the chute and the table. Odd combination I know! Her least favorite right now is the tunnel, but why does she run full bore to the chute? She is so funny. Her eyes light up and she barks and barks and barks the entire time waiting for our turn. I guess I know I'll be keeping Zoe in the class instead of Ell and next session put Ell in the beginners class and Zoe in the next level :)

Mitcham and Justice also went along as there was conformation training outside as well. A good warm up for Cambridge. Justice was first and I must say, since the National he has come together much better (not the wobbly puppy walk) and is moving really lovely. The other three people in the class commented on his lovely movement. I also took him to Fargo on Sunday to be at the show and let people see how he is maturing and everyone was very complimentary. Barb Peterson even said Mick's days are numbered as Justice grows up! So that was a good feeling.

Mitcham is such a goof! He was much better outside (ears were up all the time then!) and he was trying to play with the Toller and the Golden in the class with us most of the time. He was also very interested in the agility going on in the next fenced in area and I told them that I really want to do agility with him after we are done showing him (and he is older, like 18 months) as Briards are just a riot to watch in the agility ring and very good at it. As if I didn't have enough going on :)

Mitcham was much better with the 'judges' that went over him and I had over a dozen people go up to him and check bite. No real problems. I guess it WAS just me, or that particular judge. Tonight he's going with to Sadie's class to have more people go over him. It can't hurt!

*edit* A few photos to tide Sarah over :)



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