Category: Blog

He came close to getting out tonight by pushing the pen close to the sofa and using a blanket.  I caught him just in time.  Actually he has made more attempts, so he can't be left in the pen unattended any more.  Time to puppy proof!

We have been having thunderstorms and like the rest of the beagles could care less, though he doesn't like being wet.

Today's excursion was Nordstrom's — I had to return something so he went with.  He loved getting admired, loved on and generally spoiled.  Walking on a lead is going quite well.  Didn't like the car on the way, but was cool with it after the adventure.

We just took a walk on a lead — ended up going across the street and past 3 houses.  I predicted he would take a nap, and he did.

He came with me the whole way.  Some of the time I was too slow for him and he tried to climb my leg, but other than that, he did great.  He also got some socialization, he didn't want her to pet him until I stacked him on the ground, but that's fine.  After that, he was all good with her.

We've spent the time learning how to be a beagle, he was very unsteady on our floors and establishing as much of a routine as I can with the job I have.

He finally slept all night last night without crying.  

We're doing a lot of teaching basics — teaching him name, praising him for making eye contact, touch my hand with your nose, and coming when called.

Summer has been teaching him to bark, how to play chase, and otherwise being jealous.  She's staying, he's not.  Macy and Dulce have done some puppy training too, but not as much.

Fun dog!

I have been having severe arthritis pain.  I've been gaining weight.  

I recently found a new gym with a nutrition component and I'm losing weight.  They did have me frustrated and in tears on Friday but we worked it out.  Basically they tried to get me to go to fast and forgot it was my first Friday.  Next week will be better because they are doing a restart for everyone.

It's near the house, it's expensive, but it's easy to walk away — just a 30 day notice.

I've lost 5 pounds in two weeks, even traveling to a dog show.

One of the reasons I was able to Summer, is that she didn't want to show.  She particularly didn't like getting ready to show.  She really frustrated her owner at the time.

Surprisingly enough, a lot of people spend a lot of energy grooming beagles for the show ring.  I haven't ever gone as far as some, but. have shaved her chest, blended that into her coat, and shaped her tail.  I do like the way she looks blow dried and have done that too.  She has a massive cow lick on the back of her shoulders that needs to be kept trimmed or she looks like she has a bad front.

Unfortunately at the first show, it took 3 of us to hold her down and get her ready for the ring.  This was in December, by May, I could take her to a show, put her on the table and get her ready by myself.

How, its taken lots of time working on her on a table in the back yard.  I have spent a lot of time just giving her treats on the table, grooming her, starting with brushing and giving treats for that.  She does like to be told she is pretty, so I do a lot of that while I am working with her.

Her nails are still hard, and it works best if I can wedge her into a chair so she can't squirm.  Beagles don't particularly like to have their nails done — whenever my vet asks his vet tech to do it, he says he doesn't want to but does it anyway.  His vet tech is very good with beagles most of the time, so I blame the beagles, not the tech.

No matter the breed, dogs that are capable of getting a championship are rare.  Breeders are not going to sell their best dogs to an unknown person.  They want their best dogs in their gene pool and want to show themselves.

However, if you become known to the breeder, you will get some consideration.  In my case, I have competed in agility with two of the breeder's pets, and have even competed in conformation with them.  I have been active working with rescue and have helped her place pets and retired dogs.  

Many breeders will co-own with a junior so the dog can still be shown under their name and so the junior can compete. Many breeders will place a retired champion in a pet or performance him. Most of them are spayed first but if you are active in the breed they make arrangements. 

The key is being active in the breed. Agility is a real blast and a good way to start. 

I don't know why I haven't been blogging about this experience.  It has been coolest thing that has happened to me in a really long time.

It started at Purina Farms a couple of years ago.  Dulce got her one and only AKC agility title so far at the nationals and she was fascinated by the puppies.  She was 6 at the time a good spacing between dogs for me.  My breeder promised me a show puppy!  I had redesigned her website so she could update it, she had done it in Front Page, and she wanted to go to Word Press.  It's been a good choice for her.  It's at http://www.tesorosbeagles.com 

To make a long story short, the beagles weren't cooperating.  The breeders I liked either didn't take or didn't have enough show prospects to go around.  Two years ago in June, I took home a nice male, which we hoped would be a 13".  He grew to be a large, hard to control male, and was never visited by the testicle fairy.  At the Florida speciality, I had Jamie with me.  My breeder has a beautiful blue tri female what was driving her nuts.  At the last day of the speciality we traded dogs.  Jamie went on to be placed in a pet home.  So were his parents.

Summer was already entered in the Conroe shows, so I took myself off to as may conformation classes as I could fit in.  She would walk on a leash but hated the idea of the table.  It took three of us to get her ready for the Conroe shows.  She did take several reserve majors.

We have one of these. This is the new one before caulking:

The old one had been in place for over 17 years. We have had beagles, border collies and a guest GSD use the door. It goes out to a little dog run. 

I got it from http://www.dogdoors.com/

They have kits for these doors to go through the walls or doors. 

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Summer and I are in Bossier City this weekend on our first solo trip.  No other beagles, no co-owner, and no breeder.

Its a good test run for both other solo show trips, and for the cruise I’m taking.  I have almost everything I need, so packing for the cruise will be easy.  I know what I didn’t bring and wish I had already.

She is a good traveler.  Poops once a day, just wish it was before we showed, but she waited until after we were completely done.  She pees most of the time she sees grass.

I was complimented on her show behavior by several competitors, and I thought she showed well too.  She moved nicely, and didn’t fight my pace.  I was told she was onery by the judge, but everyone else thought she showed well on the table.

She did win her class, but that is all she did.

Two more days.

I added a class to our trials, since she was improving — we did FAST, JWW, and Standard.

The good news: she stayed in the ring the whole time, and didn't wander away.  She did do some stress sniffing. 

I did a lot of baby talk.  We've been discovering she likes that <roling eyes>

So no Qs.  But we came close in FAST, missing it by 2 points.  We had to do the send twice, costing us time, but she did get it the second time.

She worked at least 5 obstacles in each of the JWW and Standard courses at speed.  So we're getting there.  Off to find the next agility trial in the immediate area that isn't the same day as a conformation show.

So now only Macy is pointless. <smirk>

We went to the Ft Worth Kennel Club today and was literately the first dog in the ring for the day. 

There were two bitches entered for points. 

Obviously she took Winners Bitch, as there were no dogs. 

We competed in Best of Variety which Dave and Ivy did quite well, but I learned to let Summer move out a bit more. 

We get to try again tomorrow!