What Happens Behind the Bleachers Stays Behind the Bleachers

We had a good day yesterday. Capella had so much fun in the ring. She was happy, relaxed, and playful. In fact, I had to keep her away from her uncle, Chase Larkspur (Wildflowers), because she was trying to entice him to break free so they could run off and have a wrestling match.

During Best of Breed, the judge told me to do a down and back with the “delinquent” — goal achieved!

Delinquency, after all, requires confidence and attitude. Those girls smoking behind the bleachers always had a certain joie de vivre that I envied, although I am very glad I exploded a pack of matches and burned off my eyelashes and eyebrows that one time I tried a cigarette. Even at 14, I knew a sign when I saw one!

Here is the Delinquent with her ribbon stash from yesterday…

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Yep — she went Best of Breed at 7+ months old. Over two male Specials. Uncle Chase was Best of Opposite so he also had a good day.

Again, it is a small show so I think it was just two points but it is frosting on the cupcake to get any points — let alone a Best of Breed — when the goal is just to have a happy puppy in the show ring. These results, however, do bode well for Capella’s future life as a show dog. Very cool.

But Capella is still a baby and most judges are not going to put up a puppy — no matter how nice — and so I approach each day with no expectations and my goal intact but reworded: Have the coolest smoking delinquent puppy in the ring (figuratively, of course!).

Capella, the non-smoker but smoking hot delinquent, then enjoyed a well-earned nap with her family…

Have a great day — and go ahead and embrace YOUR Inner Delinquent. [Except Dear Daughter — her Inner Delinquent caused enough trouble — with no regard at all to keeping it behind the bleachers!!]

Capella's First Shows

I am camped out in Lucky at the Great Falls show. Lucky is our RV — what else would one name a Leprechaun?

Sparkle!

Sparkle!

Lucky even has a personalized quilt to enhance the dog show luck…

Elizabethanne made that for me — note the lucky four-leaf clovers AND stars!

Elizabethanne made that for me — note the lucky four-leaf clovers AND stars!

I am showing only Capella here and the intention is for her to have a fun first experience at shows. She was a bit bug-eyed at everything on Day One but that is to be expected — dog shows are a lot of everything — dogs, stress, noises, new places, grabby humans, smells, etc. — but she settled pretty quickly.

Sparkle and Claire are also with me. Two weeks ago Claire tore her right medial meniscus — this happens in about 4% of CCL repairs. Claire, apparently, drew yet another short straw…

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And so Claire had surgery on Thursday and needed to come along so I could keep a close eye on her. This recovery will be quick — two weeks — but yes, another setback.

But Claire is doing just fine, Sparkle is having a blast, and Capella is exceeding the goal. This was Day One…

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Yesterday was even better. She was relaxed, playful, happy and did her show dog thing beautifully.

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Best of Breed yesterday was Chase Larkspur from the Wildflowers (Major x Daisy)!

Chase in the front and Capella (and me) behind him.

Chase in the front and Capella (and me) behind him.

This is a small show and so it is perfect for what I am hoping to achieve — and it is in Montana so relatively close to home (200 miles). We show here today and tomorrow, and then head south to Helena for four more days of shows; Helena is a bigger show and there is a draft test as well so lots of Berners — and Berner Friends!

I hope you are enjoying ribbon-worthy fall weather wherever you are.

Grandparents Day

When I was at the Specialty in May, I quickly realized that all four of Capella’s grandparents were there. That is really unusual. The result? A photo that was used to create this celebratory ad in the latest Alpenhorn…

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So cool.