| 2007 |
For those of you with very little patience, you'll want to skip most of this cyber Christmas letter.
My life is pretty much made up of two things, work & my dog sports with a little family thrown in
there from time to time.
The family are all fine, and for those of them that write a holiday greeting letter, I'll link to them.
My life is pretty much made up of two things, work & my dog sports with a little family thrown in
there from time to time.
The family are all fine, and for those of them that write a holiday greeting letter, I'll link to them.
- There's never much to write about in January. It's cold. The price of heating oil is higher than I'd like, and it's hard adjusting to the extra hours at the
office. But we were busy never the less. Ruby & Zuli both did their blood donation routine. They donate about every 7 weeks to the canine blood
bank so that there will be blood products available to other dogs when they need it. I got to sneak away from the office for a few hours one evening
brother's wrestling matches when he was in high school, so I really did need a lot of 'play by play' from Marty to have a clue about what was happening. At
the end of the month I went down to Chesapeake, Virginia where I had Marseille entered in a Junior Courser test. It took Marseille a little longer to catch on
to the lure coursing game than most of the puppies I've had, but she did manage to run the entire course without getting distracted, and collected the first
leg of the two needed for her JC title. Watching her run it looked as if her light bulb had finally gone off in her head and she understood how much fun this
game is to play. Time will tell.
- In February I made the mistake of entering 4 dogs in one dog show in Wildwood, NJ. I say it was a mistake because it was over a 4 hour drive, and I
get nervous enough just showing one dog, so multiply that by 4 and I did get flustered. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson and will enter no more than
lunch with friends, and taking my first ride on the Cape May - Lewes Ferry. I've lived down on the Eastern Shore for over 20 years and this was the first time
to ride the Ferry. Nothing like taking my time. Also in February, I attended my very first obedience seminar. A full day with a professional trainer and
professional seminar presenter to see if I could learn a few things about making obedience more fun for Kira and for me. I certainly did pick up a few things,
and I hope I remember them long enough to implement them, after tax season. I went to a conformation match up in PA that we had gone to last year and it
had been a very nice match. This year it was a ZOO, more than double the entry and you couldn't move in the building. Not much fun this year. Then to
close out the short month we went to a very cold lure coursing practice, with the threat of rain hanging over us through the entire morning. But Marseille
seemed to run well, so it was a fun day.
March saw our first competition of the year. We went to a straight race meet, Kira and Aren were entered. It felt like we'd all been cooped up in
the house for years, and we all enjoyed getting out and stretching our legs a bit. The weather cooperated and it was a beautiful day for March. The first
lure coursing trial of the year for us was in March in Jamestown, Virginia. It's a rare trial that I attend with 4 dogs entered and don't bring home points on any
of them, but that's what happened today. However, the day before Ripley (out of my last litter) won Best of Breed for a 5 point major, so the weekend wasn’t
a total bust. Marseille got her second JC leg, we went home with no injuries and the dogs all had fun. At the end of the month I was able to run Marseille
with Painter to get her ASFA certification so now she’s ready to run in either ASFA or AKC trials.
the house for years, and we all enjoyed getting out and stretching our legs a bit. The weather cooperated and it was a beautiful day for March. The first
lure coursing trial of the year for us was in March in Jamestown, Virginia. It's a rare trial that I attend with 4 dogs entered and don't bring home points on any
of them, but that's what happened today. However, the day before Ripley (out of my last litter) won Best of Breed for a 5 point major, so the weekend wasn’t
a total bust. Marseille got her second JC leg, we went home with no injuries and the dogs all had fun. At the end of the month I was able to run Marseille
with Painter to get her ASFA certification so now she’s ready to run in either ASFA or AKC trials.
| January |
| February |
| March |
April stayed cold for much longer than usual this year. We did some racing early in the month, I sent Ruby up to conformation shows in Harrisburg,
PA with a handler, but that proved to be a bust, finishing in last place both days. An expensive lesson for me and I don’t think I'll be hiring any handlers to
show Ruby for me any more, I can finish in last place without having to hire a professional. The end of the month saw Marseille collecting her first points
towards her ASFA Field Championship, Kira and I attending our first tracking seminar, visiting with friends at the Gettysburg, PA Greyhound gathering, Kira
getting her first placement towards her ASFA Veterans Field Championship, a health clinic in Purcelleville, VA to see if Derby’s heart murmurs had gone
away (they haven’t) and hearing that Ripley picked up 7 points (out of 15 needed) for a race title with CWA (Continental Whippet Alliance). We were making
up for those cold winter months of inactivity through tax season!
PA with a handler, but that proved to be a bust, finishing in last place both days. An expensive lesson for me and I don’t think I'll be hiring any handlers to
show Ruby for me any more, I can finish in last place without having to hire a professional. The end of the month saw Marseille collecting her first points
towards her ASFA Field Championship, Kira and I attending our first tracking seminar, visiting with friends at the Gettysburg, PA Greyhound gathering, Kira
getting her first placement towards her ASFA Veterans Field Championship, a health clinic in Purcelleville, VA to see if Derby’s heart murmurs had gone
away (they haven’t) and hearing that Ripley picked up 7 points (out of 15 needed) for a race title with CWA (Continental Whippet Alliance). We were making
up for those cold winter months of inactivity through tax season!
May saw me doing a long "weekend" to drive a van full of dogs all the way to Madison, Wisconsin via Virginia Beach, VA. I left on Thursday morning,
picked up Blake & Eve, and headed to Virginia Beach to pick up Dallas. Then we were out on the road headed north, spending a night with this friend and
that friend and arriving at the University of Wisconsin Vet School, Small Animal Clinic on Saturday morning at 9:00 am. Dr. Rebecca Stepien and her
colleagues spent 4 hours going over 6 of the Whippets that I'd brought along as part of the Cardiac study that they are doing. Besides Blake, Eve & Dallas
they also examined Parker, Bagel & Kira. These 6 dogs represented 5 generations of dogs starting with Parker. This was a long drive, but I feel strongly in
doing whatever I can do to promote the health of the breed, and having these dogs included in the study is important. Each dog had blood drawn for DNA
testing, they had their hearts listened to, an EKG, blood pressure testing and a color Doppler Echo Cardiogram. Then we finished off the long weekend
with a photo shoot in Delaware with our friend Jeannie Harrison. The rest of the month we did some racing (Marseille got to run in her first race meet) and
some coursing where Saluki Zuli picked up another Best in Field.
picked up Blake & Eve, and headed to Virginia Beach to pick up Dallas. Then we were out on the road headed north, spending a night with this friend and
that friend and arriving at the University of Wisconsin Vet School, Small Animal Clinic on Saturday morning at 9:00 am. Dr. Rebecca Stepien and her
colleagues spent 4 hours going over 6 of the Whippets that I'd brought along as part of the Cardiac study that they are doing. Besides Blake, Eve & Dallas
they also examined Parker, Bagel & Kira. These 6 dogs represented 5 generations of dogs starting with Parker. This was a long drive, but I feel strongly in
doing whatever I can do to promote the health of the breed, and having these dogs included in the study is important. Each dog had blood drawn for DNA
testing, they had their hearts listened to, an EKG, blood pressure testing and a color Doppler Echo Cardiogram. Then we finished off the long weekend
with a photo shoot in Delaware with our friend Jeannie Harrison. The rest of the month we did some racing (Marseille got to run in her first race meet) and
some coursing where Saluki Zuli picked up another Best in Field.
| April |
| May |
June saw Kira and I in the obedience ring, one more time. We didn’t qualify; her off lead heeling was just too poor to squeak by, but she did both her
stays! Out on the field we had better luck. Aren won a Best of Breed, Sunny got her JC title, and Ruby picked up a Best in Field. On the race track, Avery got
a little training while her elders were all running and having fun.
stays! Out on the field we had better luck. Aren won a Best of Breed, Sunny got her JC title, and Ruby picked up a Best in Field. On the race track, Avery got
a little training while her elders were all running and having fun.
| June |
July 4th is the big Versatility weekend for the Jersey Rag Racers and of course Aren had to try to defend his title from last year. The 4th fell on a
Wednesday this year which always reduces the entry since it requires 3 days off work. While they were doing up the final calculations to determine the
placements, we had a birthday party with a big cake for Parker’s 16th birthday. He was the star the party and everyone even sang happy birthday to him. He
even ate a couple of bites of cake. The versatility was a close race, but Aren ended up finishing 2nd this year, by only half a point. The weekend following
the Versatility, we made another stab at showing in the breed ring, but got left at the end of the line as usual. The middle of the month found us at a race
practice where I got to work with Derby, Avery got to run with four other dogs and did well, so is now ready to enter a meet. Both Parker & Bagel got to do
short little runs and everyone was tired and happy.
Wednesday this year which always reduces the entry since it requires 3 days off work. While they were doing up the final calculations to determine the
placements, we had a birthday party with a big cake for Parker’s 16th birthday. He was the star the party and everyone even sang happy birthday to him. He
even ate a couple of bites of cake. The versatility was a close race, but Aren ended up finishing 2nd this year, by only half a point. The weekend following
the Versatility, we made another stab at showing in the breed ring, but got left at the end of the line as usual. The middle of the month found us at a race
practice where I got to work with Derby, Avery got to run with four other dogs and did well, so is now ready to enter a meet. Both Parker & Bagel got to do
short little runs and everyone was tired and happy.
- August started off way too hot to run, so we didn’t do anything for nearly a month between the middle of July and the middle of August. My gasoline
budget really needed the rest! We got back into the swing of things at the Jersey Rag Racer’s AKC lure coursing trials. Derby & Avery completed
Marseille finished her Senior Courser title at the CHAMP trial (August 26th), ending up in a tie for 4th place, only one point behind the three way tie for first in
a full Open stake.
- September - Derby went to an echocardiogram clinic on 9/8/07 and got a clean bill of health on his heart! He does have a grade 2 murmur on the
left side, but the echocardiogram shows it to be an innocent murmur and his heart is completely normal.
September 29th Parker left us. We were at a lure coursing trial, the only thing that Parker had ever truly gotten excited about. It was a beautiful day, he'd
eaten a good breakfast, had a walk around the trial site and taken a nap in the sun. Then while I was letting Bagel run a short practice room, his heart just
stopped and he was gone. He took a huge piece of my heart with him and I'll never be the same.
| July |
| August |
| September |
- October - Avery passed the Canine Good Citizen test on October 1st. Ruby passed the Canine Good Citizen test on October 6th at the Greyhound
gathering in Dewey Beach, Delaware. It was close, she was really distracted. Of course, it was done outside and we've never trained outside so that
Ripley, one of the dogs from my last litter and brother to Derby & Avery, finished his ARX title by picking up the last two points he needed in some very stiff
competition.
- November - Ruby earned the second leg of her Rally Novice title at the Salisbury Maryland Kennel Club show on November 9th - so nice having a
trial only 10 minutes from my house! That same day Derby passed the Canine Good citizen test with only 5 weeks of training in a 'Beginner"
obedience class. I was very surprised that he managed to pass, but very pleased at the same time.
AKC field championship. In Whippets they're really hard to get, as you have to come in first place in an entry of usually over 20 dogs all bent on the same
accomplishment.
The end of the month, I took a vacation day to enter a Rally Obedience trial on a Friday, and it was well worth the effort. Even though we were late getting to
the trial due to a last minute detour on hour route, and we were the last dog in the class and they actually waited for me to go get Ruby out of the van. Ruby
earned the third leg to complete her Rally Novice title on a very Greyhound friendly course with only TWO sits in the entire course. We had to run the course
on sight, I hadn't seen anyone else run the course and hadn't even seen a course map! EEEK! I'll be sure to allow more time to get to trials from now on!
| October |
| November |
- December - on the 2nd we went to a health clinic in Purcelleville, VA and I learned something very interesting. Kira had her eyes tested and they
were pronounced perfectly normal. In her prior exam in 2006 she had a "punctate cataract" (don't ask me what that is, I can't tell you) so today I
Kira did have a stick in her eye when she was quite young and had to have surgery to remove it. I never expected her eyes to test normal again, so I was
very surprised and pleased. Greyhound Ruby got a microchip and Saluki Zuli had her hips X-rayed for OFA evaluation. The X-rays get sent directly from the
vet to OFA, but I was able to get a copy of the X-rays on a CD (they do the X-rays digitally) and I have put a link to the actual X-rays on her web page. All in all
a good day and after waiting a couple of weeks, OFA decided that Zuli's hips are 'excellent'.
On December 8 we went to an AKC lure coursing trial in NJ & Derby finished 2nd in the Open Stake of 15 dogs and Avery finished one point behind him in
3rd place. Zuli finished Best of Breed Saluki over two others and Ruby won Best in Field! All of my dogs are poised to finish running titles in 2008 and it
could very well turn out to be a very good year.....
So Merry Christmas to all & my best wishes for a Great New Year!
| December |
| "Parker" 7/11/1991 - 9/29/2007 |