Me, "Schatzy" & my sister Sharon in 1970. This picture was in the Naperville Sun newspaper
|
May 9 & 10, 2015: Great weekend! L-R Vizsla - "Katniss" new Junior Hunter, me, GSP - "Preston" 2 Senior Hunter Qualifications; halfway to new title, Weimaraner - "Rosebud" new Junior Hunter title!
|
We also were privileged to go to many dog shows, field trials and sled dog events. The dogs (Soot, Shatzie and Shana) were really just other siblings that had to endure "dress up" and "veterinarian" at the hands of us kids... After I had my own household and dogs I continued with obedience and also went back to doing dog shows and field events. Dogs and horses have been a lifelong passion/addiction and provide an opportunity to think about something other than my real life in I.T. Consulting.
I really enjoy helping people to have a better relationship with their dogs. Understanding the pack dynamic in your home, your breed of dog and better communication skills are key to dogs staying in their forever homes. Dogs crave structure and companionship. The human-animal bond is strong, but can be difficult at times when people are frustrated with dogs doing "dog things".
For the last twenty plus years, I have been an AKC field trial and hunt test judge (# ZE121) for pointing breeds. I also compete with my dogs in the show ring, as well as train and handle in hunt tests, field trials and tracking tests. I appreciate the olfactory sense canines are equipped with, so training bird dogs and search/tracking dogs continues to be a paramount interest. There are only 52 weekends a year, so I carefully plan my approach with all my animals for that year. I'm no different than anybody else - some weekends I want unscheduled.
I really enjoy helping people to have a better relationship with their dogs. Understanding the pack dynamic in your home, your breed of dog and better communication skills are key to dogs staying in their forever homes. Dogs crave structure and companionship. The human-animal bond is strong, but can be difficult at times when people are frustrated with dogs doing "dog things".
For the last twenty plus years, I have been an AKC field trial and hunt test judge (# ZE121) for pointing breeds. I also compete with my dogs in the show ring, as well as train and handle in hunt tests, field trials and tracking tests. I appreciate the olfactory sense canines are equipped with, so training bird dogs and search/tracking dogs continues to be a paramount interest. There are only 52 weekends a year, so I carefully plan my approach with all my animals for that year. I'm no different than anybody else - some weekends I want unscheduled.
Juni & Crystal
|
Another Group Placement for Stogie!
|
Lis: Dutch import
|
'Baci' - RMHA Gelding
I really enjoy judging and have some show and field judging assignments this year that I am looking forward to.
Especially field - what could be better than riding one of my horses all day judging pointing breeds? Whether it's the ring or the field I always say I am lucky to have "the best seat in the house". :)
Currently I'm a member of The Weimaraner Club of America, The German Shorthair Pointer Club Of America, GSP Club of Wisconsin and I am a Life Member of The Rocky Mountain Horse Association. After serving as President and other officer/chair positions of quite a few dog clubs for several decades, I am paring down my club involvement so I can do what I love to do - work my dogs and spend more time on my horses.
There are many breeds and facets of training that intrigue me and I just plain love dogs. The first Chinese Crested came at a time when I was in the middle of cancer treatment. Crystal certainly brought the laughter back into the house. Two are much better than one and my father always said "every pet needs a pet" so the next year Juni was imported from Sweden. Those two are so funny and beautiful I will forever be committed to this breed. My Cresteds are not only AKC show champions, they are 'real dogs'. They run around my property at top speed, leaping thru the cover in the pasture, accompany us on trips and love to lounge on my leather sofas. I have started working with them on tracking and have been pleased at how much they enjoy using their noses and discerning human scent from everything else. My beautiful Dutch import "Lis" excelled at obedience and was a true thinker.
Especially field - what could be better than riding one of my horses all day judging pointing breeds? Whether it's the ring or the field I always say I am lucky to have "the best seat in the house". :)
Currently I'm a member of The Weimaraner Club of America, The German Shorthair Pointer Club Of America, GSP Club of Wisconsin and I am a Life Member of The Rocky Mountain Horse Association. After serving as President and other officer/chair positions of quite a few dog clubs for several decades, I am paring down my club involvement so I can do what I love to do - work my dogs and spend more time on my horses.
There are many breeds and facets of training that intrigue me and I just plain love dogs. The first Chinese Crested came at a time when I was in the middle of cancer treatment. Crystal certainly brought the laughter back into the house. Two are much better than one and my father always said "every pet needs a pet" so the next year Juni was imported from Sweden. Those two are so funny and beautiful I will forever be committed to this breed. My Cresteds are not only AKC show champions, they are 'real dogs'. They run around my property at top speed, leaping thru the cover in the pasture, accompany us on trips and love to lounge on my leather sofas. I have started working with them on tracking and have been pleased at how much they enjoy using their noses and discerning human scent from everything else. My beautiful Dutch import "Lis" excelled at obedience and was a true thinker.
Occasionally, I will produce a litter of Chinese Crested or Weimaraner pups and when I do there are very exacting requirements that go into those decisions and pups only go to qualified homes. AKC awarded me Breeder of Merit for both Chinese Crested and Weimaraners since my breeding program is very small, but quality focused. I have a strict policy of taking any puppy I have produced back for any reason if the owner cannot keep it. It was my idea to produce that pup, so why shouldn't I have some continued responsibility for it throughout it's lifetime? There is only one way to know if my goals are being met and that is through observation and interaction with the pups I've bred. The best part is all the great pix and stories I get from families that have made their puppy a true family member. Titles are great, but every dog deserves a loving home.
Fortunately I live on some acreage and my life is filled with AKC Chinese Cresteds, Weimaraners, three very special GSPs, my beautiful gaited horses, 1 large Macaw that orders the dogs and me around all day long and an adorable Hahn's Macaw "Zues" who sounds like Tweety Bird when he talks (and he talks a lot while doing all his little tricks and playing with his toys). My dream of owning a beautiful Porcelaine Hound came true and my girl Margeaux is better than I imagined. So great that I imported a beautiful Porcelaine puppy boy from Poland. It's easy to be smitten with this breed, they are beautiful, intelligent and versatile, but as hunting hounds, they need a lot of exercise and a job to keep them happy and healthy. Porcelaine hounds are a rare breed (literally), so I intend to carefully perpetuate this wonderful breed in a limited way while paying attention to health (by testing), temperament and ability. Any decent Porcelaine Hound should have a great nose for blood tracking, man trailing / SAR and any other endeavor one would choose to pursue. They adore their people and being bred to hunt in packs generally get a long with other dogs. Since my SandStorm kennel name is for my sporting dogs and Chinese Cresteds, I am breeding Porcelaine Hounds under the prefix "Aria's" which also harkens back to another very special dog I was fortunate to share my life with for 15 years. "Ari".
See Porcelaine Hound page for more info on this rare breed, my litter plans and other fun things I do with these gorgeous hounds.
See Porcelaine Hound page for more info on this rare breed, my litter plans and other fun things I do with these gorgeous hounds.
02Sept2023: Blessed with 7 gorgeous pups from Mondo X Margeaux.
Our beautiful litter of Porcelaine Pups! Whelped 02Sept2023. They loved to play in the hay barn on rainy days and I actually got them to sit here for a pic. Gorgeous pups all doing great in their new homes. The 2 we kept have been to puppy classes, barn hunt and are starting tracking and dog shows.
One of my other interests is helping people become successful handling their own dogs in the field. The AKC Master Hunter title is the pinnacle of the sport, however as a judge I am disappointed on many occasions to watch a handler with a truly talented dog be unsuccessful due to poor handling or worse yet, no knowledge of the rules. For this reason I have developed a Hunt Test Handling Clinic entitled "Don't Train The Dog! (Train The Handler...)" ©
I have delivered this program to many clubs, including several national breed events and received enthusiastic responses.
Even after all these years putting show championships and Master Hunter titles on too many dogs to name across many different breeds, this addiction still prevails. When cancer got in my way, I still managed to continue to do what I love to do I just do it a little bit differently than I did before. All during the first cancer treatment I dreamt about being at a dog show. All in all I consider myself extremely lucky to work with these wonderful animals, be able to break records across numerous AKC disciplines and to have developed some great relationships with people all over the world.
I have delivered this program to many clubs, including several national breed events and received enthusiastic responses.
Even after all these years putting show championships and Master Hunter titles on too many dogs to name across many different breeds, this addiction still prevails. When cancer got in my way, I still managed to continue to do what I love to do I just do it a little bit differently than I did before. All during the first cancer treatment I dreamt about being at a dog show. All in all I consider myself extremely lucky to work with these wonderful animals, be able to break records across numerous AKC disciplines and to have developed some great relationships with people all over the world.
|
|