Big Girls Barkday

It has been a week of barkdays for us. Yesterday was Duchess' 7th and tomorrow is Ruby's 5th. We lovingly call this pair the "challenge pair" as they each have their own challenges that we have had to work through.

Ruby was our first Cardigan. She came out right at 6 months and picked up points left and right. Then, she was jumped ringside by a Boxer at 9 months of age. She never came out of it, and she will never walk back into a show ring again. It took us years to get her to even be able to set foot inside a building where there is a dog show going on. With much work, however, she is now able to go into a show site, and walk straight as an arrow to her crate without freaking out. She pretty much ignores any other dog that is in her way. We were also fortunate enough get her International Conformation Championship and her Canine Good Citizen during her recovery process. She has had her one and only litter, the wine litter, and now spends her time exercising all of the show dogs. We take them for a walk and she sets the pace for them to follow....and MAN what a pace it is!!! She gets into her gate and goes solid for 3 miles without breaking stride. By the time they are done, the show dogs are pooped and Ruby is ready to go again. Too bad her humans aren't!! Happy 5th Ruby-Doo!!

Duchess is our rescue Pembroke and is Queen of all she surveys. We acquired her when she was 8 weeks old and has been our constant companion ever since. Ever one to tell you what she thinks and then reiterate the same opinion, just to make sure you got it the first time, she is loved by all who meet her. She also had a rough start, primarily due to her tendency for urinary tract infections. She has been on special food to combat this problem for years. Her weight ballooned up to around 30lbs. After years of hard work and cutting back her food intake, she is now down to a very svelte 24.5lbs, and looks better than she has since she was 2. Before, she would lay on the couch, grumble at the other dogs, but not do much of anything else. Although, if she got off her throne, the other dogs ran in the opposite direction, as no one wanted to feel her wrath!! Now, she is constantly on the go, playing fetch, wrestling with the younger dogs, playing chase, and generally being the wonderful Pembroke she is. None of the others still mess with her, except Ransom, but then again, we think he's either got a wire crossed upstairs or, as the saying goes, "he just ain't that bright". hehe Happy 7th Duchess!!! Long Live the Queen!!!!

By Popular Demand...

Here are the kids each at roughly a year old. Please stop back often, as we will be editing this post as we get updated photos of everyone.

Lucy (aka Shiraz):














Kiki (aka Chianti):













Cristal:












Merlot:

Wine Litter Turns One Year Old

That's right, the "Wine Litter" turns 1 today! Cristal and Merlot are "aging well" and coming right along in the show ring. Lucy (aka Shiraz), Zen (aka Zin), Porter (aka Port), and Kiki (aka Chianti) are currently charming the socks off their owners and owning the couches in their respective homes.

It's hard to believe that they are one year old already. It seems like just yesterday they looked like this:

Honor Roll and On A Roll

It's definitely been awhile since I posted, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy. Many shows (highlights to follow), picnics (fabulous IA corgi frap and picnic), and family events (Happy 80th Grandpa!) have come and gone. No excuses, I know, but it's all I have at the moment. ;o)

I do want to pass along that it has been a fabulous year for our furkids. We (collectively) have actually finished 4 Cardis that we either own outright, or co-own with our dear friends at Foggy Bottom/Summit. So, without further ado, here is the honor roll of the new champions of 2009:

CH Camelot's Maiden Voyage aka Emmy
CH Sumjammin Changes N L'Attitude FB aka Bear
CH Sumjammin Five O'Clock Somewhere FB aka Frank
CH Sumjammin Come Monday FB aka Dove

We want to send out a huge thank you to Alec, Bekka, and Kim for finishing Dove this past weekend in Gray Summit with a 4pt major on Saturday and earning that last single by going WB/BOS on Sunday. Way to go team!!! This is the same star team that also finished Frankie earlier this summer in WI, and have been kicking some tail with the litter's older half brother Russ. They have definitely been on a roll!!!

Phantom has also been on a roll of his own. He has won a few Bests of Breed this summer, and earned a Group 2 in Cedar Rapids at the end of last month. He was among some very stellar company, and was defeated by the #5 Herding Dog, a wonderful Old English Sheepdog named Mr. Winston, who went on to win Best in Show that day. We have been working hard to get Phantom into the Top 20 in the breed and earn him an invitation to Eukanuba. This would be a first for us and we are excited to be close.

As of August 31, he is #20 in Cardigans defeated, #16 in All Breed dogs defeated, and #18 in the Eukanuba standings, with the top 25 receiving invites.

As for the things to do:

Bear made his specials debut in Des Moines on Labor Day weekend, and handled all of the hubub really well. He hadn't been shown since he finished at the end of June, so he's still learning the ropes. He still has some growing up to do, both physically and mentally, but he's coming along just fine.

Cristal earned her first point in La Crosse in August, and is growing up so fast! Bekka has been at the helm from the start with her, so they are both learning the ropes together and doing a wonderful job.

We would like to have 5 champions this year, if we could ever get that last elusive major for Ransom, and not go Reserve...again...

Happy Barkday Phantom!!

We were almost bad parents and almost forgot to wish Phantom a Happpy Barkday. It's so hard to believe that he came into our lives 4 years ago.

So, in commemoration, here's a picture of him the day we brought him home:

And then here he is at the end of June in Vermillion, SD:

Vermillion, SD

We had a fantastic weekend in Vermillion, SD...probably the best show weekend we've ever had.

Saturday started off with Ransom winning WD/OS for his last single point he needed under breeder judge Candy Kramer. He now only needs that last major to finish. Then, we went to Cardis, and Merlot (co-owned with Cindy McDonald and co) was WB/BOW/BOS for her first 3pt major. Bear was RWD to Garrett's Justice. Then, Phantom won BOB and won a GROUP 1!!!! It is our first group win. He not only had his A game going, but turned it up to his A+ game in the group and the judge absolutely loved him. Unfortunately, he was a little over the top for BIS but the judge looked at him and gave him his due, but we came away empty handed. Oh well, it was a lot of fun being out there, and we both had a ball.

Sunday was just as much fun but in other ways. Ransom was WD/BOB over a nice special bitch, but unfortunately, no points. He did get to play in the group and had as good of a time as he could considering how hot it was. Bear was WD/BOW for his final major and is now a CH (pending AKC approval). He is our first BBE CH, and Phantom's first offspring to finish. He never put a foot out of place and was gaited with the 3 specials around the ring, and was able to be with them stride for stride.

The other results were Justice was WD on Saturday - Yay Garrett!! Breezy was RWB on Saturday, and did you win on Sunday too Sarah? I was busy in the back of the tent keeping the boys under control and away from the girls in season. ;o) Pepper was WB/BOS on Sunday for a 3pt major. Congrats to Rick Penkava for Pepper's first major!

Sulley won a hard earned BOB and a Group 4 on Sunday after outdueling Picasso, Phantom, Bear, and Pepper. I will also add (and others who were present can corroborate this) that the judge had one heck of a time finding her BOB winner. It was - close!! Of the 5 dogs in the ring, not one of them was totally out of the picture until she started pointing. We were gaited around the ring no fewer than 6 times, and yes we WERE counting!!! The judge was raving about the Cardi entry as we were having Bear's picture taken, and said the quality she saw was impressive, and said that she had a hard time with the BOB class, as she would have been proud to put up any of the five dogs. Way to go breeders!!!!!!

Oh, and I must not forget that Corgi wannabes (hehe) Darby and Hawk charmed the heck out of the judge (and us too!) and Hawk was BOB and made a cut in group...Yay Sarah!! See what happens when you listen to Sherri?? ;o)
Oh...puppy groups on Saturday...Mitchum (the other Corgi wannabe hehe) was G1, Darby the Valhund was G2, and Justice was G4, I believe.

Congrats to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who braved the heat and stayed and cheered us on in Group and BIS. It meant a lot to us to be able to share the wins with many of our friends.

Back to Back in the Group!!!

We had a great weekend in Moberly, MO last weekend (the show part anyway...we ALWAYS have a great time when we're not showing hehe). We went to the show hoping that Bear could pull off his last major and finish, Phantom could pull off a breed win or two, and lots of other high hopes, just like every other exhibitor. Well, the Cardis all had a great time, showed as well as we could hope for, but came up short in the points department. The best we got in the classes were class wins by Cristal and Marg, a pair of 2nds by Frank, and a pair of 3rds by Bear. Frank also was Reserve Winner's Dog yesterday, so he did his part to restore a little family pride. Phantom made Russ work to earn his Best of Breed on Saturday, and he showed just as well on Sunday, but still no purple and gold ribbon. Oh well, it's a dog show!! There's another one this coming weekend!!

Ransom was the only Pembroke entered, but boy did he ever let the world know he was there!! He kind of sleep walked through the breed judging, but since he was the only entrant, I let him relax a little and just pretty much go through the motions. It was a hot, rainy, muggy weekend, and I didn't want him tired out when he still had to show for group. Well, we got to group, and he decided to wake up and turn on the energy and personality. I lined him up behind the Sheltie, who is a top Herding dog and the #1 Sheltie. I knew that Ransom would feed off that dog's energy, and did he ever!! He turned up the energy level to new heights and showed the world that he's here to stay!! He won a Group 3 on Saturday and a Group 4 on Sunday!!!

This was the first time our dogs have ever gone back to back in the group. I know it's not a new thing for a lot of breeder/owner/handlers in either breed, and even with Phantom having 10 group placements, he had never been able to manage two placements in a weekend. Ransom did it from the classes, and already has 3 placements (a Group 2, 3, and 4) in less than a year of showing. Now if we can just find that last major to finish him....