yes...there is another story to tell...coming soon...the 5th dog
Emma and I have been showing in the breed ring and having lots of fun. Since June we’ve been in the ring in Canby, Portland and at the NW specialty shows in Albany for a total of 9 entries.
We’ve won our class every time except for once and in Portland we got Reserve!
What does this mean? Well, it means that I’ve been taking a crash course in grooming shelties, which is a pretty complicated undertaking. I’ve gone from overwhelmed to somewhat competent at the basics: brushing, chalking, and fluffing ruff while smoothing croup. But trimming scares me and I’m very ambivalent about “coloring” beyond chalking.
I’m also learning a lot more about handling than I ever knew before. Luckily, Emm is a natural in the ring, a free stacker, animated and attentive and she makes me look good. I think. At least I feel good on the other end of the lead…Each time we go in is an opportunity to bond, to acclimate, to learn about each other. That’s the fun part.
I’ve had an amazing and generous group of accomplished people helping me and I’m having a great time with them…so it’s all good. For real!
Next weekend we’ll enter a UKC show…where the grooming is much less intensive and where, I understand, they are quite strict about the limits of grooming.
There is little I love more in this world than dogs with titles at both ends….so even though I have no plans…not even remote… to breed Emma, I dream of CH Emma UD…
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