I should know better

And so another year has gone.  And I have had quite a good one in the dog sense.   Cupcake is now IR CH VOLPECULA SET IN GOLD, and the hope is that he will become an International Champion.   His son Mr Wag is  FCI JUNIOR CH VOLPECULA SNAPDRAGON.   Both of them are greatly enjoying life in Ireland.

Over here, Sparkle has had considerable success and is as far as I know Top Papillon Puppy.  Tess Trueheart his sister had often the bad luck to compete against him, and he would usually win.  She did well, despite my lack of transport to any shows in the latter part of the year.

So, not too bad.  Tess, having at last had a season, however, decided to become all girly, reaching for the lace handkerchief and the smelling salts at the least sign of trouble, but I am getting her over that.  Her BF Plush goes from strength to strength.

From L To R - Freya, Dancer, Melanie

And then there are the puppies.   Melanie is a soft clingy person, always wanting to sit on my knee.  When introduced to the lead, she was appalled.  Unloved and betrayed!   By someone she trusted!  She wailed, and wouldn`t move.   When released, she ran off and hid….but after a bit, hiding became a bit scary, and she came looking for Mum, with one eye open for the dreadful lead.

Dancer, the boy, untroubled by any finer sentiments, or indeed by any discernable brain activity whatsoever beyond basic motor functions, strode out bravely on the lead.  He looks promising.   No-one ever suggested that showing required brainpower.

Freya – well Freya is just Freya.  A law unto herself.  Her reaction to the lead is to sit down, shake violently and make her eyes go very big.   It usually works.   After all, she is a very little person.  I hope for a nice home for her.   

Meanwhile I have to work on getting them socialised, as they have only experience of home and the vet.  (They much prefer home!)  Arrival at the vet usually means sad damp stained puppies being hauled out of a puddle of – well, whatever they have done on the way.  Although my vet, after wiping down the sad sticky girls, is of the opinion that Dancer is the perp, as he usually emerges suspiciously cleaner than them.

And there we are.   I am off to relatives tomorrow, but it will be a quiet day.

Meanwhile, Happy New Year, everyone!

Tess Trueheart is a young bitch, just over a year, and her friend Plush is just a few months older.   Both have recently had the mind-altering experience of a first season.   With very different results.

Tess decided it had all been too much, and became nervy and girly, having the vapours and taildropping in the ring, a problem she didn`t have before.  Plush, on the other hand, who had been a little shy person, suddenly embraced adulthood and announced “I am woman – hear me roar!”  I wondered if one could perhaps cure the other..

I took both to training.  Tess was unsure – Plush full of newfound confidence.

I took Tess out and she dithered and taildropped.  I put her back in the pen and took out Plush who proceeded to do everything perfectly, and was rewarded with lavish praise – and ham.

From the pen came screams of despair and fury.  A very jealous Tess indeed.  She could see it all and was beside herself.   When I got her out, she did it all perfectly, with sideways looks to see if Plush could see her.

Problem solved , thought I, and took both with Angel to a show.
Tess behaved reasonably, and won.   Then I took out Plush – cries of fury and jealousy.   Plush did well, and next was Angel.   And that was the last straw.  I was busy with Angel and did not see what happened next, but I could hear the laughter.  Tess had got out.  And she went down the line of exhibitors, one by one, had a sniff at their feet, then looked up at their faces – “No, you`re not my mum.”  At last she got to me, triumphant and tail-wagging, to receive a distinctly cool reception from Angel and an embarrassed one from me.

Tess is, after all, very young.

Here she is, joining in play with Belle and her 3 puppies, Melanie, Freya and Dancer -