It's my birthday...

... and I'll bark if I want to!


Karma



Kismet



Huck



And the amazing Zelda!

And Little Bear and Karis too!! Happy Birthday you goofballs! We definitely count ourselves as lucky to have had you grace our lives. Love you!!

vision testing

Sometime last spring I went in to get my eyes checked. I knew I needed glasses. Just for reading. But when the lenses were placed in front of my eyes and everything near and, even more so, distant, came into focus I felt like crying. I had been missing so much detail. And not just for reading. Maybe not blind exactly but I had lost my focus.

I thought about that experience the other day after taking Kismet into Portland to spend some time with a couple who wanted to open their home and share their lives with a special dog.

It was only 10 months ago when Celie surprised me by whelping the first of her “Luck” litter out in the dog run. Barking like crazy she got me out to find her firstborn black boy squeaking and wet. It was very lucky I found him, rushed him and mom inside and waited for the rest to come. That little boy I named Kismet and later Toreth’s Synchronicity.

As he grew I saw good things. Big, round bone. Perfect turnout. Wonderful expression. Huge ears. And the sweetest temperament. I also saw the challenges but knew I could work with them. I know I could finish him, get Celie some ROM points maybe. And then as he grew I had thoughts of breeding him.

No one said anything against his quality. At least not directly to me. In fact, judges told me how beautiful his front was and gave me unsolicited grooming advice regarding the coat. Friends were supportive.

Then one day recently it was like someone put some corrective lenses over my eyes. I saw my little group of dogs. I have three lovely girls who will only have a few opportunities to be bred. I realized I wouldn’t use Kismet myself and I doubt anyone else would.
I saw the resources of my time, energy and finances split between all the dog stuff and the non-dog stuff. It was time to get real.

A breeder, a responsible one, has to be hard sometimes. With a twinge of guilt and a tiny edge of jealousy I hear puppy buyers tell me that when they bring a dog home it’s for life. A breeder has to let go of that particular ideal while holding onto the bigger picture. And I remind myself that dogs don’t feel exactly the way we do about relationships.

So I let it be known to a few dog friends that I was letting Kismet go. And before long I received an email about him from this great couple who had lost a Cardigan and a Pembroke this year. They were missing the company only a dog can give and Carolyn sent them my way. (Thanks my friend!) Everyone seemed to know it was simply meant to be. Like kismet. Like synchronicity.

Here’s what I saw: I saw a happy, proud little dog go in and make himself at home. With the couch, the toys, and their hearts. I saw him work that canine magic on the nicest people I could ask for any of my dogs.
And I learned all over again that when I get a little perspective and let go a little I get to see beautiful things like that.

Gig Harbor

Kismet and Karma's first real dog show.

Kismet went RWD, Karma placed 2nd in her class and Rogue went RWB under Paul Chen. Thanks Paul!!

Bobbin went BOB, Flower went WB/BOW, Liam got BOS, Crescent (I think that's his call name) got WD. Congratulations!!!

a nice day

What happens when you oversleep and don't have time to groom your dog properly but still go to support the entry and just enjoy being with your dogs and other people who love dogs?

Your dog can take Winner's Bitch and Best Opposite Sex, that's what.

A nice day at the St. Helens' show. A sweet point for Rogue. Good girl!

Then we went to a Welsh Festival in Portland showing off both breeds of Corgis along with Kim Shira and Marilyn van Vliet. I was so proud of my pack of ambassadors. Rogue and Kismet and Karma soaked up all the love in the room and gave lots of it back. Karma especially has all the traits of an awesome, awesome therapy dog.

Yes, a very nice day. Thanks to my little handler/helper/daughter Lexie too! You's a good kid, kiddo!

pretty babies

Thank you, Chloë, for taking photos for your momma.

Sunday Sermon: The Bea-Attitudes

Bea says: "Let those who have ears, listen."


Kismet followed with "Amen."



In other news...

One of the reasons the blog has been so quiet of late is my oldest human kid has been busy growing up too. Chloë is a happy girl with a strong work ethic. She's been oh so helpful with chores while I have rejoined the workforce. This month she's received a heap of bounty for all her hard work. Some senior friends invited her to the prom. We bought her a sari to wear. Isn't she gorgeous?



And this last week she's been in New York with her Drama Club. Yes, she was near enough to the excitement of the bomb scare to get the full Big City experience.
She returns home tonight and will find what her poppa and I have been working hard on while she's been away.



It's not completely done but close enough for the time being. I only wish I didn't have to be at work when she comes home. I won't get to see the look on her face. :-(

And now back to our regularly scheduled program...
Tune in tomorrow when we find the canine furballs on their 7-week birthday.

Bemusement

Almost 5 weeks old. I have had a crazy week on top of the puppies becoming much more active and learning games like "Where's the Potty" and "How Hard Can I Bite My Brother Before He Squeals Like a Pig." Also time to start introducing them to what happens on a table. It's too soon to tell which ones are destined for the show life so they all get a chance at this. As you can see they were less than thrilled.

Special thanks to my daughters, Chloë and Lexie, for helping!!


Karma* - she was the good puppy especially for the first time on the table!





Bea*





Mojo





Kismet


exit stage right



Gerta





Sara






"No one understands how draining it is to be a supermodel!!"



*blue eyes of a blue merle puppy. The color at this age is like:

Where's Kismet?

Sunday Sermon

Karma and Sara: Wuv yer brudder.

Whippersnapper Wednesday

1000 words Thursday

I can't commit to a Daily Cute but we'll see how much I can do.

Here's Kismet who thinks Sara makes a lovely pillow.