Diary of a Novice

January 2005

I found a lady through the internet who was selling Chihuahua puppies. Since she lived close to where I worked, I decided to go and take a look at them. So different from what I had expected. Then again, I wasn't used to seeing "real" Chihuahuas, only those on TV.

At $500 to $700 a puppy, I wasn't sure...that seemed a little high. Maybe I should look further.

Did you know that there is a law in Virginia that requires a puppy to have had it's first shots a minimum of 5 days prior to letting the new owner take it . That was an interesting little tidbit to find out.

Another day I found a little Chihuahua boy on the internet all the way up in Ohio. Reasonable price, full registration available, great pedigree. But, Ohio? Maybe that was a tad too far.

So, I ordered some books. Three of the books were specifically about Chihuahuas and one was about breeding dogs in general.

February 2005

I found a website that advertises all the dog shows around the country. It tells you when the shows are, where they are, who the judges will be, what those judges did in previous years, who the entrants were in previous years and who received points. Wow, how did people get all of this kind of information before the internet? Is there any shows around where I live? I'd like to attend one to see what goes on up close and personal.

I soon discovered that Fredericksburg has a Kennel Club and that they were going to sponsor an AKC show in the near future. I decided that I would definitely be there for the show.

Meanwhile, I kept on researching. After reading the books, I realized that I knew more about Chihuahuas then I thought I did. However, it has been somewhat confusing trying to find out about the history of the breed.

One day I joined a group on the internet devoted to Toy Dogs. After introducing myself to the group and indicating what my intentions were, I received personal message that thrilled me to no end. The message was from a breeder who offered to "show me the ropes" if I was serious about showing Chihuahuas.

To make a long story short, I accepted his offer. I made arrangements for my husband, Kerry, and I to visit the breeder (Maestro's Chihuahuas) and discuss the venture in more detail.

March 2005

I have never been in such heaven! A virtual "sea" of Chihuahuas. All different, yet all the same. Such adoring little beings. So big in their own minds. John was so informative and extremely professional.

Even though I was so overwhelmed, I knew I wanted to do this. Kerry pledged his complete support. Now all I had to do was to wait for a puppy.

That said, John would watch how the puppies in his current litters were developing and he would pick out a puppy for me. I had the utmost trust that he would pick out a dog that I could work with and one that would have promise in the ring.

Have you ever waited for a puppy? The anticipation is excrutiatingly painful!

Well, the time came. John picked out a precious little cream and white longcoat little boy. I took off the day from work to go pick him up.

I was up at 5:30am. Do you think I was excited?

We, as a family, chose a name for the puppy. After a day or two of discussion, we decided on the perfect name for a little, blond, boy...kind of "surfer dude" looking. Jeremy (my oldest son) actually came up with the name...Bodhi (pronounced bo-dee). Bodhi means "the ultimate". It was the name of the character that Patrick Swayze played in "Point Break".

April 2005

Bodhi is such as good little puppy. He loves his crate and he loves Jakob. They took to each other right off the bat. Of course, Jakob has ulterior motives. Bodhi has better toys. He seems comfortable yet still a little more shy than I would like him to be. I'll give him more time.

I had joined the Greater Fredericksburg Kennel Club by this time and volunteered to work at the Dog Show. What an experience. I was more sure than ever that I wanted to participate.

By the middle of April, Bodhi is a rambuncous healthy little puppy, weighing in at 3 pounds. We have to watch that weight since he'll be disqualified to show if he is over 6 pounds. No pizza crust for Bodhi!

I bought another x-pen (exercise pen) for the front yard to give Bodhi an outside area to run off some energy. He took to the lead almost from the start. I had no problem with leading him around in the front yard. Whether or not I was doing things just right was another story. He seemed to be a little showman already. That was only part of it. I still had to learn to stack him up on a table. Hopefully I can get some pointers at the socialization and conformation classes.

Bodhi and I started attending the puppy classes given by the Kennel Club every Wednesday evening at the fairgrounds. What a wonderful group of people. I learned so much from these classes. I would encourage everyone who acquires a new puppy to search out their local kennel club and take advantage of what they have to offer.

I have met some great people and their dogs. Bodhi was able to socialize very well. He tended to be a little overbearning when meeting other dogs though. He sure fits the characteristics of a Chihuahua. They are a big dog in a little dog body. He has no fear. Practice in the ring started off slow, but got better each week. Consistency is so important. It is also important that we have fun. Fun is a big part of the experience.

Several sessions of the puppy class taught both Bodhi and I a hugh amount of what it takes to be a contender. I constantly asked questions of other owners and breeders about what to expect as Bodhi gets older. I watched how the other toy dogs were behaving and how their owners were handling them. I desperately needed to get one of those leads with the swivel thingy. The lead I use on Bodhi always ends up like a wound up rubber band from him running around in circles while waiting our turn in the practice ring. I'm sure he'll calm down as he gets older. Right now it is important that he just takes everything in so that he doesn't freak out in new situations.

May 2005

Well, the Match is coming up soon and I'm getting excited. A Match is kind of like a scrimmage. It's show ring practice for handlers, dogs, and judges alike. Although this particular match is sanctioned by the American Kennel Club (AKC), no points are awarded toward a Championship. I'm not worried, I think we are doing just fine at this stage of the game. If I can just get Bodhi to stack on the table and allow the judge to handle him. I've been letting everyong get their hands on him so that he knows no one is going to hurt him. Actually, I don't think he feels that he is going to be hurt, he just gets fidgety and anxious. He'd rather be running around at the speed of light. I don't think he would stop at all if I didn't make him rest. He's very alert and want's to see what's going on all around him.

I started to wonder if I had all the right stuff to bring with me to the Match. Slowly but surely I'll get it all together. Soon it will all be second nature.

May 7th - Match Date - Hampton, Virginia

I packed the car the night before and it was pretty much an uneventful drive. I only made one wrong turn just as we got off the I64 exit. It wasn't my fault though, there was a lot of construction going on and the signs were not clear. Once at our destination, I met up with John, Nancy and Sharon.

I had met Sharon for the first time at the Match. We all had a nice time enjoying each others company. I just hope I wasn't too obnoxious by asking so many questions. Bodhi made a pest of himself by yipping and nipping with the other Chihuahuas. They soon put him in his place and he was quiet and well behaved most of the day.

When it was finally our turn in the ring, I thought Bodhi did just great. He didn't balk at anything except, you guessed it, being handled by the judge. We wound up with Third Place (out of four) and I was estatic. Had Bodhi not minded being handled by the judge, who knows...maybe we would have been Second. Bodhi's brother (the one who used to abuse him) won First Place and Dusty came in Second.

Aside from just being there, I think the best part of the day was when John told me that I had done everything exactly as I was supposed to. That meant so much to me. I have the fever, I can't wait to get to a real show. Bodhi and I had so much fun and learned so much more. Thank you John, Sharon and Nancy for making our first "ring experience" a memorable one.

..the rest of May

The routine for Bodhi and I each day remained basically the same. I'd feed him in the morning and I'd go to work. He'd eat, sleep, play, and poop. I'd come home from work and feed him again. Then I'd take him outside in the front yard and let him run around in the x-pen until he did his potty thing and then we'd practice on the lead.

Bodhi ended up getting sick and we missed a couple of classes. The vet said he most likely picked up a virus from the fairgrounds. So we just kept on practicing at home.

June 2005

I had surgery on my shoulder to repair a tear in my rotator cuff. Guess what...Bodhi got to slack off for most of the month before I was re-habed enough to get him back on the lead.

July 2005

Unfortunately, the weather has been so tremendously hot, we don't get many opportunities to go out. Trying to practice in the house is virtually impossible. I'm starting to think I'm a little to soft on Bodhi.

I'm still working on handling Bodhi more and more. Although he still shys away from hands, it's more in a playful manner than a scared one. He loves to get out of his pen and run around in the family room. Little do I know what this activity is going to do...I entered Bodhi in 2 of the shows in Salem, VA on August 6th and 7th.

Needless to say, I got more nervous as the days passed and the Salem show got closer. I worried about everything. As it turned out, I worried too much about the wrong things.

August 2005

Bodhi didn't like the surface of the Civic Center where the show was being held. He'd rather have grass underfoot. Check out Bodhi's INFODOG page to see the results of the Salem show (as well as other shows).

We are back to training. Each day, in very small intervals. We have another show on the 13th and 14th. This time in Greensboro, NC.

Greensboro, NC, 2005 (Behind the scene photos)

What can I say. Another great experience at yet another great show. Unfortunately, the little guy just didn't seem to be having any fun. He once again refused to walk in the ring, but after coaxing him to take a few steps we managed to get him judged. He took fourth place out of four.

We spent quite a bit of time discussing our options with John. He took Bodhi off (away from me) to see what he could do. John got Bodhi to walk, "Commando style" as he called it. But, even at the match that evening Bodhi just didn't want to walk around the ring. Here I was so worried about him standing on the table for the judge. He is doing fine in that department.

John suggested we take a break and continue with classes and working with Bodhi inside. We will look for outdoor shows to enter since the little guy prefers grass under his feet. Maybe he'll get more excited about that.

We learned a lot more, met some more great people and found out that Super 8 Motels have great air-conditioning, but they really aren't the place for us to stay...so much for trying to save a buck.

September 2005

Yikes, I've been remiss in keeping up the diary. A yearly project at work has gotten in the way and soon as it's over, I hope to catch up...

October 2005

We had two shows this month. Both of them were in Leesburg, VA. Bodhi did exceptionally well at the first one, however, the judge liked another little guy just a little bit better. We did get to go back in the ring for reserves. Another second place, but a great performance.

The second show, in Leesburg at Oatlands Plantation was chilly and windy. I had to leave home that morning with a lot on my mind. My 12 year old greyhound, Abby, was not doing well. My husband was going to take her to the vets for a biopsy. We would later find out that she has cancer.

As far as the show went, the little "Bodester" was not going to cooperate very well. He was in too playful a mood and we didn't do very well at all. I think he may have picked up on my anxiety. We were able to opt out of the second day because of a judge change. I felt much better being home with Abby. And, Bodhi, more practice...

November 2005

Now that we are into the cold weather (which never really got to our part of Virginia until the middle of December), I think I will take time off for the holidays and to let Bodhi 'grow up' a little bit more. He has changed dramatically now that he is much more confident and is more willing to take direction.

He is doing much, much better at trusting me to lead him on different surfaces and in different places. He still stops, but once I tell him it's okay, he'll continue on. Before he just used to dig in his heels and refuse.

This has been a month of getting used to all kinds of different situations and people. I should have done the heavy socialization much earlier. But, I am learning too, and now I know.

We got a surprize this month also. One of John's champion bitches, who had lost a litter of puppies earlier in the year, had become ill and it was decided that she should become a pet. This was the same bitch that Kerry (my husband) had 'connected' with the very first time we met with John. Well, John asked if we would be interested in giving Dreamer (Ch Maestro's Daydream Believer) a home. Of course we said yes.

December 2005

The holidays are upon us. Abby seems to be doing fine. A consultation with an oncologist indicates that there really isn't any kind of treatment (chemo, radiotion, etc.) that can do anything for her. She has become the pampered lady that she should be.

We are waiting for Dreamer to become healthy and be spayed. John said we should be able to have her before Christmas. What a wonderful gift for Kerry.

We got to pick up Dreamer on the 17th. She sure is a cuddler and knows how to turn on the precious. What a cutie! Kerry bought new beds for her (and Bodhi) for Christmas and they both love them! There's lots of room to stash their treats and they both know how to do that well.

January 2006

Here we are starting out another year in the Show Business. With the addition of Dreamer into the family, Bodhi has become much more accustomed to expecting the unexpected. Dreamer is very confident and the two of them love to play together. They both get a lot of exercise and we get to watch "NAS-CHI" races every night.

I received a grooming table for Christmas and have been trying to get Bodhi to withstand the touching and handling that he will experience in the ring this Spring. He is still very touchy and and literally flips out. He watches Dreamer go through the motions and sometimes he behaves very nicely. He has become much more food oriented and that helps quite a bit. Unfortunately, he is a little too enthusiastic with the food and loses control of his stack. What to do, what to do...

Our kennel club is starting up classes again on the 7th of February. I don't drive too well in the dark and at this time of year, it's going to be difficult for me to get there as they are in the evenings and it's still getting dark pretty early. Bodhi and I sure need the practice though. The shows are coming up soon!

February 2006

Working on the inside stuff such as grooming, stacking, paying attention has been my focuse thus far during February.

I've been searching the INFODOG database to see what shows will be good prospects for Bodhi. As he is over a year old now, he will be in the 12-18 month class. One would think that his demeanor would be that of an older dog so I'm just a tad worried. His attitude is still that he just wants to have fun.

We are doing good with the handling, although he is still pretty jumpy and extremely strong. If I can just get him to understand that nothing bad is going to happen to him he would be winning points left and right.

March 2006

Well, Bodhi definitely loves the outdoors. He makes me nervous with his shannagins though. He's very confident, but recently he started goofing off on lead. The more I try to correct him the more he acts up.

His newest trick is pretending his back legs won't work. If he isn't trying to roll around and scratch his back in the grass, he's crawling with his front legs and dragging his hind legs behind him. It looks as if I'm dragging a paralyzed dog around the yard. Frustrating if not altogether embarrassing.

We are going to a Match in Woodbridge, VA on April 2 and are entered in the Fredericksburg Show on the 7th and 8th. I am waiting to see how he does before entering in any other shows for now.

April 2006

April 1, a beautiful day. After running around doing errands during the day, I gathered all the grooming things to get Bodhi ready for a match the next day. He gave me a false sense of hope. The little guy didn't mind the bath, the hair dryer, the comb, the brush, the scissors or the clippers. I thought maybe he'd accepted his "showbiz" fate and would be willing to strut his stuff for me. Oh, if only...

We started out pretty good. Walking around the ring away from the judge was not too bad. Bodhi did seem overly interested in the big dog going through obedience judging in the next ring over, however. I had bought a new squeaky at Dog Dayz the day before and that was catching his attention somewhat. Although the park where the match was held is very nice, it appeared that in previous days many large geese had been loitering right where the rings were roped off. At first I tried to side-step all the goose poop but quickly gave up as it was confusing Bodhi as to what direction he was supposed to be going. I'll have to write that down on my list of "Things to Watch Out For" at the various places we visit for shows and matches.

Unfortunately, after making the far turn in the ring, Bodhi caught site of the "GINORMOUS" group of people standing just outside the ring's entrance, the judging table and the judge. Bodhi's perception of people in mass is a gathering of more than two. If it had just been dogs, no problem. He put on the brakes, I had to coax him with the squeaky and he timidly slinked the remainder of the way around the ring throwing in a couple of spins for good measure which prompted comments about "freestyle competition" from someone.

Up on the table. Can you picture a nice bass, hooked on the end of a fishing line just as it is being reeled in out of the water? All that jumping and flopping around? That's pretty much the scene before me and the judge. But, we took it slow and managed to get through it.

Back around the ring...slow but sure...goose poop and all. Bodhi got a ribbon, first place in his class (he was the only one). We then went back in with another long coat boy in another class and did much better going around the ring. This time Bodhi came in second.

Hang in there, we're still practicing and working on the "table manners". The GFKC show is on the 7th and 8th.

Aside from some wicked weather on Saturday the show went great. Friday there was only one other long coat chihuahua entered and since it was a bitch, Bodhi ended up with three ribbons. First in his class, Winners Dog, and Best of Opposite Sex. He did deserve them too. He did very well in the ring and even let the judge look at his teeth. We didn't show until after lunch on Friday and the weather was very nice. Saturday, ring time started at 9:00am. By then it was raining pretty hard and Bodhi just didn't want to do his thing. His brother, Dash, beat him out. On to Chesapeake at the end of the month.

After much more practicing and just getting used to the outside, we headed to the Chesapeake, VA show. This time we brought Dreamer along for moral support. Once again, it was very windy and it seemed to affect all the dogs at the show. Although it was sunny, the wind brought a chill that had Dreamer wanting to be held and snuggled, but Bodhi was just itching to break loose and run. He did very well in the ring. Once again, however, the table proved to be our downfall. If he would just stand and let the judge go over him, I think we would have been in the running. So, we left with a blue ribbon for his class. I tried very hard to keep focused on showing Bodhi and making sure that both he and I were connecting with each other regarding our purpose. It's hard for me to ignore everyone else though. I was so intent on making sure that I did the right thing etiquette-wise that I forgot to congratulate the winner(s). No wonder the other Chihuahua exhibitors don't fraternize with me. I made the faux pas of staying in the ring once when I should have left and I didn't want that to happen again so after our second go 'round and coming in flat last, I made my way out. Now I feel as though I insulted not only the other exhibitors, but the judge as well. I'm still learning.

I'm also still learning about the "Specialty" thing. All I know about that so far is that rarely does another dog have a chance against a Champion who comes in to a small show for the Best of Variety. I realize they are bucking for a Group placement or BIS (Best in Show), but really. Shouldn't they be entering in the bigger shows with more competition? What do they have to prove against puppies? Oh, well...

On the upside, Gloria was there with three of her Maltese and a Yorkie. She asked me if I could stay and help her out, which I was more than happy to do. I got to hold on to her littlest girl and take her back into the ring to compete against Gloria's other bitch. What a little cutie pie I had. I told Gloria to be sure and count her pups before she left.

May 2006

We had only one show in the month of May, but we practiced quite a bit.

Bodhi and I came to an understanding about how he prefers to be led around the ring. Leaving some slack and gently tugging him in the right direction seemed to help tremendously and we didn't have refusals using that technique.

He's been maturing quite a lot. So much so, he is letting everyone at home touch and play with him. He is much more trusting about being held by not only me but other people as well. That has made quite a difference in the ring.

The Mattaponi Show was just a one-day affair. We were first up that day so we had to be out of the house early. Thank goodness it wasn't that far away. Bodhi seemed excited about all the hustle and bustle of everyone setting up and I took him around on his lead to get some of the energy out of him. This was an indoor show and I was able to walk him around inside also. He seemed to be very interested in everything and was not shying away from anything.

Once we got into the ring, I really did not have a problem with the way he was working, although not the "show dog" he should be, his performance was leaps and bounds better than ever, I felt. The table was just okay, but he let me show his teeth and he stood there without flipping out.

Bodhi was the only dog in his class, so we picked up his ribbon and left the ring to wait for winners round. Although we had spoken before about retiring Bodhi from the ring, I really was not ready to hear John say that he thought it was time for me to retire Bodhi. I knew it was coming, but still, it was hard to hear. Especially since I thought we were making some headway. Then, as we were leaving the ring from the winners round, the judge asked if I would stay a minute so that she could talk with me. She told me that Bodhi was a wonderful dog. She thought he had great virtues and was very sound. He could be a winner, he just needed more training.

Well, being totally confused now, I told John what she said. We would talk about it later.

I am a novice. I need to learn. I know you have to take the bad with the good. And, John knows what he is talking about. I respect him and what he stands for in breeding and showing Chihuahuas. I think I have gained some respect from him for my determination with Bodhi thus far. I can't help but wonder if it is the way in which I have taught Bodhi that has held him back. I really want to give him the benefit of the doubt and continue. I've already entered him for Charlottesville, so we will see what happens there.

Meanwhile, there is a little guy that John is watching. DJ (CH Maestro's Burlador De Sevilla) will be ready for the ring in September if he turns out as John would like him to. He's a pistol, that's for sure. What a cutie pie!

Depending on Bodhi's showing in Charlottesville, I will either continue with him, or more than likely will take another little girl, Ginger, into the ring until DJ is ready. We'll just have to wait and see.

Charlottesville:

Bodhi and I got to the show early so that we could get accustomed to the atmosphere. It was hot. We found some shade and settled in to watch all the goings on.

Bodhi was in pretty good spirits and he acted like he was enjoying himself. At this point, I don't think I had quite learned how to fully desguise my nervousness from him. I had bought a tin of mints and I kept popping them like M&Ms.

Of course I saw everyone else notice that I was there. Only one other exhibitor chatted with me after I nodded to them all in a "Hi, nice to see you" gesture. I later learned that they all were happy to see me just because Bodhi and I brought up the competition in points.

Bodhi did wonderful in the ring. Happy, tail up, gaiting nicely, calm on the table. Another blue ribbon, the only one in his class.

Charged with enthusiasm and renewed confidence that we could do it, Bodhi and I returned to the ring the next day. Another great performance by Bodhi, another blue ribbon. We had a chance this time as the only other dog in the next class was refusing to walk around the ring. The handler was literally dragging the dog which infuriated me.

So, back into the ring for winners dog who would earn 1 point. Alas, Bodhi got reserves, but he deserved as far as I am concerned. I'm not the judge, I'm a novice, but something just did not seem right. I picked up Bodhi and hugged him and kissed him and told him what a wonderful job he did. And then we went home.

I had a lot of thinking to do. This is where I concluded that although Bodhi would do anything I asked of him, he was not really enjoying being the center of attention in the ring. That was Bodhi's last appearance in the ring.I was frustrated with the politics, the snobs, and wondering if I was truly cut out for it all. I was warned that its hard to get a start in the fancy. I was warned that you can't win them all. Shoot, I really didn't care about winning at this point, I was out there for the fun, being with my dog and if winning came along with that, then so much the better. I was satisfied with a good performance in the ring. I wasn't satisfied being called "point fodder" or being totally ignored after saying hello to someone...or watching a dog be rewarded with a point for being dragged around the ring.

June 2006 continues....

Now that Bodhi is happy just being Bodhi and soaking up all the love and attention at home, I have been given the opportunity to show Ginger. John let me take Ginger home, get to know her (and she me) and stay in practice by bringing her into the ring.

Wow, Ginger was a whole different happening at the end of the lead compared to Bodhi. She is a very special little girl who could turn the ShowBiz on and off like a switch. She stacked on the table like a charm, and in the ring she wanted to go!

I put my frustrations away and concentrated on handling and showing Ginger the best I could. Our first show, John had two other
smooth coat bitches. Of course, he won, and we had fun.

Our next show, Southern Maryland Kennel Club in Bel Alton, MD. Guess what? GINGER WON HER FIRST POINT! I finally knew what it felt like, and it felt good.

From that point on (pun intended) we hit as many shows as we could. Ginger placed as either winner or reserve. Unfortunately, there was no points for her wins. Smoothcoat bitches were just not out there in the ring.

As October approached, the little boy that John had been growing up, was ready to come live with me. DJ had been in a couple of shows
and earned reserves in the 6-9 month puppy class. It was my turn with him. Ginger went back to John.

At our first show, DJ took second both days. He was a little spitfire at the end of the lead. The judge on the second day of the show, was
a little "overdone" shall we say, with the jewelry. At least I thought it was a little much to be judgeing dogs. We had a little bit of balking on the table from DJ. I think he was just overwhelmed with all the clinking and tinkling of the chains and bangles. I know I was.

Our next show, a whole month later, DJ took reserves on the first day. But the next proved disaster and my inexperience in "all things chihuahuas" was evident. Although I was confident that DJ would do well, as we entered the ring, there was a moment... A moment that something happened. I still don't know what it was, but it was there. DJ saw/felt/heard something he didn't like. I noticed way too late. He balked on the lead, he balked on the table. The judge excused us for "not able to examine". What the heck did I do/not do?!?

I was confused and embarassed to say the least. After that point, DJ seemed to be overly protective and did not want anyone to come between us. As long as I was in the picture, he was not behaving appropriately.

At home we continued to practice and everything seemed to be fine. I talked with John to see what I needed to do. We had another show weekend coming up and John arranged for me to meet with a lady who would evaluate DJ's temperament. When the day came, I got to the show 1 1/2 hours early and sat with DJ right by the show ring. Unfortunately, the lady (who I did not know, nor she me) and I couldn't seem to find each other. DJ was very difficult in the ring and the judge told me he needed a lot more training. I suppose that meant that I needed a lot more training. We forfeited showing the next day and DJ was to go back to John so he could work with him. Apparently, it was assumed that I had done something to make DJ change. If caring for him, socializing him and enjoying and loving him is what did it, then I am guilty.

So, with DJ back in John's care, Ginger came back with me. John took DJ out to show shortly thereafter and once again got Reserves. John did admit that DJ was a challenge to handle.

In December 2006, I went with John and Ann to Pennsylvania for a show. DJ won two majors and Ginger won a major and best of breed. John continued to show DJ and finished him. I continued to show Ginger.

It was about this time that I decided that I needed to see if I could apply everything that I had learned so far by leaving the nest, so to speak. I started searching for a show prospect puppy. That was one of the most frustrating and depressing undertakings I have ever experienced. I knew I was going to have to pay a pretty penny for a nice puppy to show, but I did not think it was going to be so hard to find one. Breeders said they would "put me on their list". Breeders nearby didn't want to sell to me because they didn't want to compete with their own dogs. Other breeders had way too many strings attached to purchasing a puppy from them.

Every breeder said they understood how hard it was to get started. They were in my position at one time. They said they really wanted to help. No one, however, had any puppies they were willing to take a chance on me with. I figured that this was the point where a novice, such as myself, threw in the towel and just gave up. How did one acquire a show prospect? I all comes down to who you know I suppose.

My search went on for about six months when I finally got a couple of tips from other people. Thousands of dollars later, and after pitching my passion and desire to show these wonderful dogs, I finally acquired not one, but two show prospects. A little girl, 7 months old and ready for the ring, and a little boy who I would have to train from the start. Waiting for those two puppies to be shipped was excruciating.

Meanwhile, I took Ginger again to Pennsylvania in April for the Harrisburg show. She took Reserve Winner. The weather was threatening and it snowed, so we headed on home and didn't make the trip back up the next day.

We showed again in Chesapeake. Ginger was the only bitch aside from a special. No points, but she showed great and we had great fun together.

I had her entered for Charlottesville, however, a family emergency came up and I was not able to make either show that weekend. In all the turmoil, I had neglected to even enter the Skyline shows. Where was my head?

Since I was going to shortly be the proud owner of another female, the next show (Richmond) that I had Ginger entered in would be our last together. I would hand her back over to John as she was going to be bred. That was a truly sad day. She is such a joy and we love her dearly. After her maternity leave, she would be coming back to us as a pet.

Novice No More

I supppose it is all relative as to when one stops being a novice and starts being a regular competitor. I haven't really given it much thought except that I know I am definitely not an expert when it comes to showing dogs. For that matter, I'm not real sure there is such a thing as an "expert" in The Fancy. There are loads of people with decades of experience, but I've not heard of anyone that wins everytime they step in the ring. Dogs, yes, people, no. I'd even go so far as to say that a winning dog doesn't necessarily have a winning person at the other end of the lead. Yes, that sounds pretty nasty. But, as a novice moving up in the ranks, you are bound to see some the bad and ugly too.

So, now that I've got a few years under my belt, I don't really consider myself a novice. I still have a lot to learn though. Such as (and boy is this embarassing), knowing exactly how many points will be awarded to the winners dog or bitch BEFORE it's posted on the internet. HA! But, I'm not really into that part of showing. I just LOVE to be with my dogs and do all the stuff it takes to get them in the ring. Winning points is icing on the cake. I've only been disappointed a couple of times when I felt that politics chose the winner. And, that seems to happen too. I always have fun and I try to make the experience as enjoyable as I can for my dogs also. As long as it remains fun, I'll be in the ring.

I hope you have enjoyed some of my rantings here in my diary. I plan to add information about the different show sites I have been to as well as comment on some of the judges I have shown under.

Please continue to look around my site, visit the sites on my Links page (don't forget my other site, TWILIGHT CHIHUAHUAS) and come back often to check for updates.

Until then--See you in the ring!