Ice Storm

This has been the absolute worst week I can remember in - well - FOREVER!!!! That is for us humans, Jazz and Kat have had a pretty good time. We had the worst ice storm the state has seen in like a bazillion years and of course we lost power. The dogs thought this was just a big adventure, camping out in a COLD house in the living room infront of the fireplace. 8 Days folks count um - 8 freakin' days.

Problem was that the storm took out not only our power but lots of our trees and with them many sections of the fence. So every trip outside required and escort until M's sons D & D came and saved the day repairing the fence and helping to pick up fire wood.

Jazzy and Kat didn't seem to mind too much although they are acting a little strange - Kat's not a big fan of change and let me tell there were lots of changes while we tried to stave off the cold. It was a depressing and uncomfortable week to say the least and I think that it has taken a toll on all of us.

Bouncing Back

Well, Jazzy went to his first show since being so sick - he was down about 6 pounds but still looked good - although I like him pudgier!

This was Jazz's first 2 day show and believe me we had a harrowing start. First we decided to wait until the day of to bathe him - got myself a brandy new blower so I figured I could dry him and he would still be nice and fluffy. Ya, well, talk about a STUPID idea! The poor dog's head almost came off. Scared the livin' crap right out of him! So much for a blower. So, we had to let him air dry, which entailed lots of rubbing with a towel and he had to stay in the house as it was pretty cold. Thank God his class wasn't until 2!

I had to go alone to day 1 as M was busy, so off we went just me and the wee bunchy boy. I had planned to get there about an hour early and we arrived just as planned - but it wasn't enough!!!

With the whole being sick for 2 weeks and the blower debackle Jazz could have used alot more time to settle down.

Jazz was VERY fidgity in the ring, just wanted to play with the judge and see what she was doing - she commented that he was "very nosy" - an understatement to be sure! His around was nice though and movement was nice so I couldn't complain too much. As it was he won his age group and best puppy but he was the only puppy his age so that wasn't really a win.

Day 2 - Another story altogether! M & Kat joined us and I think it helped. He was poised, spritely; just a real joy. He stood like a perfect gentleman for the judge and his around was just superb - all flashy and jaunty. Self stacked like a pro - who are you and what have you done with my dog!?!?!?! End result? Won his age group (again no competition) and won Winner's Dog against the person that beat us the day before.

The Judge from the day before stopped by and watched, she was pleased to see him come good and said there would be no problem finishing him. She said he moved very well and was just SO friendly, and that she loved his feet - just perfect.

The photo is from day one - you can see neither one of us is too happy! No photo was taken on the winning day two - it was my turn to be sick and I just could not wait around for 45 boxers to be judged before getting in line for a photo. My bad I know, but I was home and we were both asleep long before the boxer judging would have been finished.

In Sickness and...

Wow, did my babies ever get sick this week! Even with all their shots up to date. The concensus is that they got something at Jazz's last show - Kat was there as moral support and she did her job well!!! I guess we shouldn't have let them roll around on that germy rug!!!

Kat had a short bout of Kennal cough, but poor Jazz came down with a serious case of the snots - Canine Flu. Poor little guy didn't want to eat - not that he's a chow hound in the first place let me tell you! Ya know how you're always telling your (hypothetical) three year old to wipe his snotty nose? Well, try that with a 10 month old puppy! The dog was booger factory - I still don't know where he kept it all. It has really been a tough go for him, he lost weight and energy and with me trying to keep him in, well he had a BAD week. I'm told he really didn't have too bad a case, but try telling him that!

Kat was not too sick really, she just wasn't too happy about liquid cough mecidine, although she did create some fantastic pink modern art on my kitchen walls! Poor M had a really tough try at getting the meds in her - um so we changed to pills, alot less messy.

Everybody is finally feeling better although we'll skip the show this weekend - no sense spreading more germs.

Lest We Forget

Thank you for my life and my freedom.

And the winner is...

Souhegan Kennel CLub

November 9, 2008

First Place 9-12 Dog

Winners Dog

Best of Winners

A special thanks to replacement Judge Brad Dunn

Okay, I can't figure this out - everyone say don't expect to win, but he does! This was our second AKC show and his first pointed show. I'm pretty proud of the little guy!

Jazz was very happy to see his buddy JoAnne and her son who came to offer support (and help me hold things since I was a reck!). Our Trainer Darlynn from The Right Paw was there too - we couldn't do this without her!! Head up! Head up!!!

Well, We have another show just around the corner - November 23 & 24 - wish us luck! Jazz will be fine, he takes it all in stride - I may faint!

Jazz's Show Photo

Well here he is folks - the dog of the hour.

Kuroi Kao All That Jazz

First Place Puppy 9-12 Months

Reserve Winners Dog

A special thank you to Judge Steve Lisker

Kuroi Kao All That Jazz

And don't you forget it!

Well, Jazzy has gone to his first AKC Dog show. It was a very scary thing for us both! We were a little more prepared than we were for the UKC having many more handling classes under our belt. My little man was totally star struck by all the noise and dogs, dogs, dogs! He makes this weird grunty noise when he's excited - so it was a pretty grunty morning! He sounded like a giant pig for a while there. I of course was a nervous wreck, not so bad as last time, but let me tell ya - don't go to a dog show when you a runnin' a fever. Man I was soaked before the classes even started.

Jazzy performed beautifully once he got in the ring, like he knew where he was and why he was there. Let's face it he's no seasoned professional and neither am I, but he stood well, stayed put and smiled real pretty for the Judge. The Judge even told me "you have a nice puppy there" on our way out of the Winners Class

Oh, did I forget to mention he took Best Puppy Male - yup and he actually beat someone! He took Reserve in Winners but hey, that was pretty good too for nine months (and 6 days) old!

These photos were taken the day after the show when he was just about fed up with "standing" and posing! Not a bad looking boy though huh?

COOKIE! COOKIE! COOKIE!

Want some?

FROGS!!!!

The remnants of Hurricane Hanna brought us a deluge of rain Saturday night and with came...THE FROGS!!! Jillions of frogs took refuge in our pool from...what? Water?!?!?! Hmm frogs - not so smart.

Jazz was beside himself he thinks the frogs and toads of the world were put here just to entertain him. He spent hours running around the pool trying to catch the little buggers. I finally took pity on him and "saved' the froggies and transported them back to pond down the hill. Jazz was sad and spent a fair amount of time just gazing into the pool in the hopes that the frogs would come back and play.

Wanna Play?

Here froggie froggie froggie...

Gotcha!

I letted him go...

CH-CH-CH-Changes

Okay it has been WAY too long since I posted about my little friends! Not so little any more eh? Jazz has caught up to Miss Kat in size at only 7.5 months! Me thinks he is going to be a GIANT!!! His personality certainly is!




I swore that I would never compare him or Kat to Niki and Oso but I find myself seeing little bits of them in both the babies. Kat has Niki's elegance although I think she is far more graceful and perhaps not so confident. She has such gentle grace and moves like an angel fairly floating everywhere she goes...

Jazz, well, he is Oso all over. He moves like a lion all confident and proud, he is truly awesome to see. He does have an independant streak that Oso did not have but I think perhaps he knows how special he is!

They are very taken with each other; beating the snot out of each one minute and gently cleaning each other ears the next. What a pair!

We are all back in "school"; Jazz for basic obedience and Kat has moved up to advanced with a new trainer. She is of course the class darling while Jazz is the class bad boy!

Bad Boy goes to his second show Sept 26, he should do well as he has come together beautifully in the past few weeks. The obedience has helped he and I to understand how to work together as a team, unlike the first time when I was a wreck and he was unsure of what I wanted from him. Wish us luck!

Super Star!!!

Well, we took our wee boy to a show and looky looky how he did!!!



I have to say that this was one of the hardest things I've done in a long time! I was a wreck and alot of my nerves transfered to my boy. But, that being said Jazz won first place for his age and Best Male (okay so he was the only male and the only one in his age group). Hurray, then he won Best of WInners and Best of Breed against an 18 month old Champion girl. He held his own in Best of Group, only an honorable mention but it was very scary for him with a strange bigger intack male crowding up behind us. Yay Jazz!

This was our first time in the ring after what I now know was inadequate training(for me). Jazz was great very alert and he had the biggest smiles for the judges on his down and backs - what a ham! The rest, stacking and standing for examination was a little dicey for the little guy - and me. I had no clue what I was doing - or I did before I got there and then it all leaked out my ear.

He was actually in 2 shows one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning show was the minning show, we were fresh and I hadn't forgotten everything yet! In the afternoon, Jazzy just wanted go home, he wasn't sparkling and I wasn't helping, so he won First and Best Male again but after that we fizzled. Poor little guy just wanted to go home and nap!



As you can see the ribbons didn't mean much to him when we got home...he was happier with his prize - a nice little frozen bone, which he fell asleep chewing.




Everything was back to normal the next day - just look at that smile!!!

I was not pouting!

Sad victim of strange bendy disease!

Move Over Pop

So, were does a 60 pound akita puppy lay? Anyplace he wants!!!!

It was a beautiful day yesterday and we were all hangin' around the pool - okay Kat was in the house sulking...but anyway. Jazz thought the hammock might just be a pretty cool place to be, so up he went, no fear of falling - or flipping M out onto the ground. (ya,um, last week he flipped me right out onto my face - now THAT would have made good TV!)

I can has your pepsi?



Okay, if I can't has your pepsi - move over!




Okay, I'm good.

Akita Yoga!

Jazz practices the fine art of Akita Yoga while Kat watches amazed by his flexibility!

Growing Boy

48 Pounds! And it's all muscle - this little guy hasn't got an ounce of fat! And look at that tail!









Just a comparison - look how big he is compared to Kat - who weighs about 90 pounds...Me thinks we have a mutant!

A piece of my heart

It has taken me a week to come to terms with this post.

My most handsome boy had to be put to rest on Friday last. After the scare in September we thought we had been given time - a long time. With the arrival of Jazz we thought even longer because thanks to Priscilla we had a pain med that gave Oso some peace. He was able to run again and play.

But On Friday May 2 I came home to a very sick boy, and so M and I took Oso for his last ride.

A piece of what made me me died that day and it will never be replaced...

Oso Smiles

Young and Strong

Joyous Walks

My Man's Best Friend

Come and Play!

Intensity

Love

Happiness

Peace.

Buddies

So this was the scene when I left for work this morning - I really wanted to stay home and cuddle them instead!

The Red Coats are coming....

Smile Pretty for the Camera

Kat has a passion for climbing on things as you know. Yesterday afternoon while everyone else was lazing in the sun, she chose to relax and observe us all from on high!

I'm a big boy now!

Look what's growing in my garden!!! Okay so it could be a better photo, but what do you expect at 5:45 in the morning!!!

What's up doc?

My Ear!!!




Well, it dropped again a little while later but he is holding it up more and more. His right ear has also made an appearance, but only a cameo.