Coaching Training and New Pictures of Dodger

Victory and Vegas got some coaching training a few weeks ago, and I didn't get around to posting the pictures.  Wishbone, our Dalmatian Rescue boy, has been my horse riding buddy for the 13 years we've had him, and he is an awesome coach dog.  Victory and Vegas are learning.  We worked on the long sit in these pictures, and then they got to go for a short horse ride.  They just love it.

Here is Victory in the front working on his long sit/stay and doing well.  Wishbone is in the back just waiting for the ride to start.  Jet, our POA, loves having the dogs along on the rides.

 

Here is Vegas doing a great job on her long sit/stay.

 

We got some great shots today of Dodger, our puppy boy from the Victory and Vegas litter.  He is looking so awesome.  He is a grandson of Argus and Read and Jack and Whoopie.  We are getting lots of nice compliments in training class on how beautiful he looks.  I think he is really beautiful, and I'm praying that all of the training he has had will pay off and he will show beautifully the next time he is in the ring.

 

Courtney and Dodger

Dodger

Dodger (LLL Victory Dodge Ram)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Show Photos of Jackie and Victory

Here are some show pictures of Jackie (LLL Victory Hit the Jackpot) and Victory (CH Atlantis Wildcat Victory.)  We are so proud of Jackie for getting a major win at her very first show.  Some of our next endeavors will be to finish Victory's grand champion title, he has 29 GCH points with two majors, finish Jackie and Dodger to champion titles, try to find barn hunt events, and work on Road Dog titles for Vegas and Victory.  These dogs are so smart and have coaching ability built in, and they love mouse hunting in the horse barn and feed shed, so I think going to a barn hunt event would be super fun for them. 

Jackie

Nice head shot of Victory

Dalmatian Movement

I am particularly pleased with the pretty movement of our first LLL Victory Dalmatian litter.  Nice tail carriage, level topline, nice reach in front and drive from the rear, but no overreaching, and they have joyful, happy movement.  Here are some really nice shots of our dogs' movement.  I am so excited about how nice the puppies move, and how smart they are.

CH Atlantis Wildcat Victory, sire of our first litter

 

CH Dalmino's Victory Vegas, dam of our first litter

 

LLL Victory Dodge Ram (Dodger), puppy boy from our first litter

 

LLL Victory Hit the Jackpot (Jackie), puppy girl from our first litter, shown by excellent junior handler, Brittnee Kiner in Best of Breed

 

 

Show Results for this Weekend

We had a nice weekend showing dogs, camping, and visiting and eating with our Dalmatian friends.  The dogs love going camping and taking long walks in new and interesting places.  The puppies went to their first real dog show where they were entered for points.  Victory also went along for best of breed competition.  Victory nailed Select Dog all 3 days of the show, and that was an accomplishment, because Jackie was in season and he had to travel with her to the show and stay in the same camper with her, the entire show.  So, way to go, Vic, you were awesome!  Here is Victory and son, Dodger, with Victory showing off his 3 Select ribbons.

Now, let's talk about Dodger.  What an obstinate little man he was!  The first night, he had an absolute fit when the judge walked up to him.  The judge was nice, and had him gait around the ring, hoping that would settle him.  No, he had a second fit, barking, whining, crying, and would not let me or the judge examine his bite.  So, he was excused.  We pulled him from showing the rest of the weekend, and just took him to the show, let him meet lots of people, had lots of people touching him, and want to thank Lori, Deby, Brittnee, Jana, Brooke, Ed, Don, and all of the others who petted him over the three days.  We have work to do, but he will be back in the ring, and he will be competitive.  We got lots of nice compliments on what a nice boy he is.  He has had lots of training, and of all of the puppies, he has had the most handling, with him being the most popular of all of the puppies with all of our visitors.  He's been to Petsmart puppy class, to the flea market, to six conformation handling classes, and has had lot of visitors pet him and hold him, and spend time with him.  But, he has quite the attitude about who he likes and doesn't like.  So, lots more work will be going on with him before he's back in the ring.

Jackie was quite a hit with everyone.  She has a sweet personality and loves everybody.  Her very first time out, she took winners bitch for a major.  The second day, she was also winners bitch, but no major the second day.  Today, the third and last day, she was reserve winners bitch.  What a good, pretty girl!  There were some very nice girls entered.  So nice to get points her first weekend out!  Thank you to everybody who entered and came to the show this weekend, especially those who came a long way, we appreciate that very much!  Here are pictures of Jackie with her winnings.

Jackie with her ribbons, so tired after a big weekend

Jackie, saying do I have to open my eyes for this picture?

 

 

And, now for the best picture of all.  This is what makes all the work and tears of raising these puppies worth it in the end.

 

 

CC and his girl, Amy in Colorado

 

Squirrel Watchers

We have quite the houseful of squirrel watchers.  Their favorite pastime when it's cold outside is to sit on the table by the bay window and keep watch for squirrels.  Vic will wait until they are far enough away from a tree and then he will sneak quietly out the dog door and stick his nose just far enough around the corner of the house to see into the front yard, and then try to be really quiet so he can sneak up on them.  He hasn't yet mastered the art of teaming up with another dog to cut them off at the pass, but his pups are so smart, that I am sure that is coming soon.  We sure enjoy watching how they think, it is really entertaining!

Dodger falling asleep on the job

 

Dodger says "I'm not sleeping, see, I'm awake now"

 

                                                        Vegas, Victory, Jackie, and Dodger

Jackie with her new bed from Courtney

 

Jackie on squirrel watch

 

Merry Christmas 2013

We had a lovely quiet Christmas and want to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and many blessings in the coming year.  We had fun with the first Christmas for the puppies getting to open their stockings and enjoy their new toys, antlers, and treats.  And, of course Victory, Vegas, and Wishbone knew all about the stockings and couldn't wait for Christmas to get to enjoy theirs.  Here are pictures of Christmas eve.  I am so grateful for my wonderful family and the blessings of being able to have and take good care of our Dalmatians and horses. 

Vegas getting her stocking with Rog and Wishbone

 

 

Victory giving Courtney one of his famous hugs

 

Dodger in the foreground and Jackie in the crate enjoying their new toys

 

Luke giving Dodger his stocking

 

Luke giving Jackie and Vic their stockings.  Don't Jackie and Vic look a lot alike?

 

Wishbone and his Christmas presents

 

We wish many blessings for lovely Vision (liver puppy girl from Victory/Vegas litter) and her new owners

 

Here is beautiful CC (liver puppy boy from Victory/Vegas litter).  Merry Christmas to CC and his family

 

Fall Update

I haven't had time to write much lately.  We went to Iowa for Thanksgiving, and I was so grateful to have the time to be with our families.  All of our siblings were there, and we really enjoyed being with them.  Here is a picture of my family, Mom, me, my two brothers and sister, 2 nephews and great niece.  Love them all!

We have had two really warm days, and I should have been riding horses, but instead have been working on Christmas and cleaning up fall leaves.  The oak trees are the bane of my existence around here, unless it's really hot summertime, and then I'm grateful for them.  The rest of the year is spent cleaning up after the 24 trees that are around our house.  Today I cleaned big horses stalls, pony paddock, and 15 fifty gallon trash cans full of leaves, which go to our compost pile.  We compost horse manure and oak leaves, and it makes the most wonderful dirt you've ever seen.  I have about 40 more fifty gallon trash cans full of leaves to go before they are all cleaned up.  The dogs love helping me in the yard and spent the whole day outside with me.  They alternated between playing, chewing on antlers and sticks, watching the horses, and laying in the leaves and on the front porch bench.  Here are some cute pictures of the dogs helping me in the yard today.

Wishbone, Victory, Jackie, and Vegas

 

Dodger

 

Jackie

Jackie and Vegas

 

Victory and Wishbone

We are so thankful for everything that has happened this year.  It was a year of many blessings.  Wishbone at 14 1/2 is still with us, and that is good, as he is the best boy ever.  We did not get to go to Dalmatian Rescue's Santa photos this year, due to bad weather, but we have our Christmas cacti from previous fundraisers to remind us of all the wonderful things that Dalmatian Rescue does, and the cactus bloom every year in December, to remind us to be grateful for the Lord's birth.  Here are pictures of my Dalmatian Rescue Christmas cactus plants and their December blooms.  I will share more stories later when I have Christmas pictures to post.  Merry Christmas!