Oh Yeah, You Blend

Nina finished her CPE level 4 Handler Games title (CL4-H) at Boom Towne, Farmington, NY today with a Q in Colors. AND! We got a start line stay more than once!

While subjecting Nina to her Halloween costume last weekend, I noticed she was looking like she might be thinking about going into heat. Then Sunday she was near-perfect in agility class (always a warning sign of impending heat).  And then Monday November 2 was day one. So this week we’re off on a road trip to hopefully get her pregnant!  We will start progesterone testing her early this week.  Further bulletins as events warrant.

Last weekend, at the Swedish Vallhund Club of America’s supported entry in West Springfield, Massachusetts, Nina won her first AKC championship points, taking Winners Bitch on the Friday and Sunday, and Best of Winners on the Saturday, for one point each day. Not bad, considering she had a really upset tummy on the Saturday and didn’t show very well! She was back to her usual happy self on the Sunday. Needless to say, I was thrilled.

Nina - Best of Winners. November 22, 2008

On Saturday, May 24 at the Ottawa Kennel Club show in Richmond, ON, Nina won Best of Breed (over a professionally-handled adult female, no less) and then went on to take group 4th in a group of 12 breeds. She earned 3 more championship points AND her first TOP DOG points (37). Thank you to judge John Rowton (who said Nina was “gorgeous”, even when she gave him a lovely sit at the end of our down and back…hey, we’re both learning!). I am so proud of my little girl, she showed wonderfully even though she’s out of coat and going through a gangly (for a short-legged dog) adolescent phase, AND has a newbie handler. Yeah Nina! On to Aurora next weekend!

She’d had enough by the time we got around to pictures, so this is far from the best picture ever taken of either of us (it was WINDY), but so what? And Nina is currently the number 2 Swedish Vallhund in Canada (*cough*cough*out of two) according to Best Dog In Canada:

It snowed on my birthday celebration weekend (woo! Snow! Living with proper weather again!). Jennifer was here with the setters. Crazy runarounds (and therefore pictures) ensued!

Everybody bite somebody:

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Here are some pictures of Nina’s brothers and sisters (and friends):

The whole gang watching for Ulla to come back from the barn:

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We spent the weekend in Ottawa (Wednesday visiting with Al, then on to Ulla’s on Thursday), showing at the Ottawa Kennel Club show. Nina earned her first three Canadian Kennel Club points in her very first shows, taking Best of Opposite Sex on Friday and Sunday, not bad for a six month old puppy! More importantly, she had fun! As always, it was great visiting with Ulla (even if I did tell her grand-daughter that she was a “good puppy”…), and she even made me cinnamon buns (Ulla is a fantastic cook, and I said I wasn’t going to come unless there were cinnamon buns).

The Irish setters invaded again, and I have yet more crazy dog lady pictures to show for it.

Sullivan and Cillian:

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These were taken today for Nina’s AKC registration application. She’s 5 months old now…some days she looks like an actual dog, other days she still has too many legs and a big giant head. She’s a total sweetheart, and SO smart!
Front:

Side:

Vallhunds play hard. I don’t say that lightly. It looks horrifying and sounds even worse. Their idea of fun is to run around, crash into each other, growl as loudly as they can while they snap their teeth and snort at each other, bite each others legs and wrestle like they’re on some kind of Ultimate Fighting show.
This is a promo shot from our horror movie “VALLHUND!” (the sequel to the movie “ROTTWEILER!”). Vallhunds have big teeth and apparently can suck their ears into their heads for safety:

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