Yeah yeah. I know. It's been a while again! It's hard to find things to write about when I don't go anywhere! And Mommy and Daddy don't let me go anywhere since I'm still not walking correctly. They think I need to walk on all four feet to be walking correctly. I think I hop, jump, skip, limp and I'm good! I've been getting around pretty well!!
Anyway, we talked to some people and I got a nice massage out of it... and it sounds like everybody thinks I have a partially torn cruciate ligament. That's basically a torn muscle of my knee. It will take weeks and weeks of not a lot of exercise (or so I'm told). Yuck. I'm a puppy!! I need to play and play and play!! But I can't right now :-(
In the meantime, since I can't go anywhere, Mommy has decided to do a breeding. OK. She probably had already decided on the breeding but that timing sure was coincidental wasn't it?? Laugh Laugh! And no, it sure wasn't me that was being bred. Right now, I sure don't have any interest in that at all. In fact, Gimme Ma'am was in season and I barely even noticed. I sniffed, sure, but it meant nothing to me. Fox Sir is interested, but he's been neutered so he can't do anything either.
Gimme Ma'am (her full name is UKC Best In Show, AKC Grand Champion, UKC Grand Champion & UKC Rally01, IABCA Champion - Daystar Voyager Gimme Heaven - Rally Novice, Canine Good Citizen, CHIC#76689) came into season March 3. Mommy took her to the vet on days 5, 8, 10, and 12. On day 10 her LH had surged and on day 12 the vet said she should be ready to be bred via artificial insemination (AI) on day 14. Mommy took her to the vet on that day and she was bred using trans-cervical insemination (TCI) using frozen semen from IABCA Best In Show, AKC Grand Champion, IABCA Champion - Baysides Just Another Day in Paradise - Canine Good Citizen. His call name is Sean and he lives in California with his Mommy & Daddy - Vince and Joan Mulligan.
Trans-cervical inseminations are done by endoscope or the “Norwegian catheter”. The rigid endoscope is more widely used than the Norwegian catheter, and has the considerable advantage of providing the operator and the bitch’s owner with a view of the actual deposition of semen in the uterus by way of a TV monitor. Those skilled in the use of the Norwegian catheter can get excellent results as well. Trans-cervical semen depositions do not require any sedation at all in nearly all cases. The important difference between a trans-cervical insemination and a surgical implant is, obviously, that the trans-cervical does not entail the risks of general anaesthesia and surgery. Unless there is a pathological condition of the uterus, there is no benefit to doing a surgical.
I had to look that last paragraph up on the internet. I'm getting pretty good with this whole computer thing, eh?? Laugh Laugh!!
Mommy will take Gimme Ma'am to the vet in a couple of weeks for an ultrasound to see if she is pregnant. I sure hope so! I would love to have some Great Dane puppies to play with!! Puppies, if there are any, would be due mid-May and will be all fawn. I guess I would have to call her Gimme Mommy instead of Gimme Ma'am if that happens huh??
I'll try to update more often but my life is just really boring right now! Now it's off to bed. Night Night Dudes of the Internet!!
Alf
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Owwie!!
Hello all! Long time no talk to! So sorry about that, but last week I injured my leg. I must have blocked it from my memory because the only thing I remember is Mommy coming back home from a short trip away and I was just lying there looking at her. She didn't realize anything was wrong at first but then she realized I was having trouble getting up and when I did get up I didn't put any weight on my back left leg. Owwwwieeeeeeee!!! She immediately rushed me to the vet where we saw our favorite doctor (I know, it's a vet, how can we have a favorite?? But Dr. Mills is pretty cool!) who declared it was a bruise or sprain but nothing broken. They did carry me over to the xray machine and they took pictures of my bone and it proved what the vet said: Nothing broken! That's good. But the pain! Oh the pain! And then my leg started swelling and swelling. This was bad and so Daddy took me to the vet again. We saw our 2nd favorite vet who declared it was an infection. He stuck a needle in me and stole some of my precious blood for testing. Daddy kept saying "27,000 when it should be 1,200? Wow". I guess he was talking about my white blood cell count. My body was truly trying to fight that infection, that's for sure! And again, after looking at the xrays, this vet declared nothing broken. Daddy came home with all kinds of pills for me to fight the infection and help bring the swelling down. Unfortunately, one pill makes me thirsty and one pill makes me want to pee so we've had a looooong couple of nights since that visit! But I'm up and around and feeling oh so much better!! I still am not walking on the leg but that's because it still hurts. You know how it hurts if you bruise or sprain something!!
I don't think I should have let Mommy know I was feeling better though. She said I was stinky and she gave me a bath! YUCK!
I don't think I should have let Mommy know I was feeling better though. She said I was stinky and she gave me a bath! YUCK!
As you can see, I am still most handsome even wet but I was not enjoying myself! Mean Mommy! I give her my best pathetic look and she continues to bathe me!! AND THEN!! OH! And THEN! She picked me up and carried me to the grooming table and started the blow dryer! I can't stand the blow dryer but she insisted it was too cold for me to dry naturally. UGH! But I guess I'd better get used to it. Mommy says that she is still sure that I will be a show dog. We may not start showing at 6 months old... we certainly have to wait for me to start walking on all four feet again... but I think she wants to wait until I am 110% recovered. Anyway, when I decided I had had enough - and Mommy's back was turned - I jumped off the table. Huh! There! But I'm sorry Mommy that I don't remember exactly what happened :-(
So, it's going to be a slow show year for us I guess. I'm not going to be starting right away and Gimme Ma'am is on temporary leave because she is being bred. Trekkie has all the titles she is going to achieve and Fox Sir is retired. Mommy occasionally mumbles about Veteran's Class with Fox Sir but that is a couple of months away and, as you can see, things can change quite quickly!!
Now that I'm feeling close to myself I'll be on more often again don't worry internet friends! Plus, we should have lots of updates as Gimme Ma'am goes through her breeding and whelping. Can't wait to have little Great Danes around here to play with!!
Alf out.
Friday, February 17, 2012
An AKC Dog Show
Over the weekend, Mommy took me (and ONLY ME!!!) to a place where there were lots of dogs and people running around. She said it was called a "Fun Match". It was quite hectic but I handled it like the trooper I am (in other words, I fell asleep unless someone wanted to pet me). Much too quickly, Mommy woke me up and we then proceeded to run around! And a stranger checked me all out (and laughed because I am so darn cute). He gave Mommy a couple of dog biscuits (YUMM!) and we went and sat down again. When we got up again, we joined a whole bunch of other puppies. Breeds like Akita, Samoyed, Bernese Mountain Dog, and Portugese Water Dog. And we ran around together and then another person examined me from tongue to tail. In the end, we didn't do anything beyond that.
Turns out, a Fun Match is for practice for dog shows! Because, as handsome as I am of course I am going to be a Show Dog! But if that's all that there is to it, I don't know if it will be that exciting. Gimme Ma'am had to set me straight about that!
Over the last two days, she has been to a real dog show. And without me, the most handsome dog in the world! How could that be? Well, let me try to explain it (like Gimme Ma'am explained it to me).
I'll start with the easy part: I am too young. At a dog show, you must be at least 6 months to enter. And that includes conformation (the beauty contest part), obedience, rally, agility, tracking, or whatever. I am only 4-1/2 months old right now. Well, almost 5 months. But still too young. I guess they would be embarrassed to have such a young studly puppy such as myself go Best In Show over all those experienced older dogs. I can't really blame them for that.
Anyway, once you are old enough, you can enter a dog show. There is paperwork to fill out and money for entries to be mailed in. Wow. I didn't know it cost money! That could get expensive I bet!!
Focusing on the AKC (the American Kennel Club - the largest and most well-known kennel club in the United States. They host the AKC/Eukanuba dog show every year and Westminster Kennel Club which is also on TV, is an AKC club) here is what happens. After the entries are in, you get mailed a confirmation and judges' schedule which lists how many dogs of your breed are entered and what time they will show. You arrive on the correct day and time and and ring ... and then wait for your number to be called. The breeds are split into boys and girls and then by classes. There are puppy classes (for puppies between 6 months & a year old) and a class for dogs from 12 - 18 months. Bred-By Exhibitor is a class for handlers who have bred and own the dog they are showing. Mommy can't show me in this class since she didn't breed me; she only owns me. Gramma Rhonda could though since she co-owns me with Mommy. Another class is called Novice and that is for Novice dogs who have not won 3 first places in that class. Amateur Owner-Handler is for people who have never taken money for showing dogs. Yes, there are people (Professional Handlers) who do this for a living!! American Bred is for dogs that were whelped (born) in the US of A! Open is for any dog over 6 months old, but mostly it's used for more mature dogs. Some breeds, like us Saint Bernards, might have the Open classes split in some way. Saint Bernards are split between long hair and short hair. Great Danes (like Gimme Ma'am) are split by color (Open Fawn, Open Brindle, Open Black, etc...). Once all the boys have been judged, all the winners of the classes go back in for a final time. One of these dogs is chosen "Winners Dog". That is the only male of it's breed that will get points towards its AKC Championship. A Reserve Winners Dog is also chosen (If, for some reason, the dog that got the Winners Dog points is disqualified from showing, then the Reserve Dog will get those points). THEN, the whole thing repeats for the girls until you have only one girl who has been chosen Winners <gulp> Bitch. (Bitch is an OK word in the dog world, as it means female dog, I swear!).
Once both Winners have been chosen, the dogs that have already won their Championships (like Gimme Ma'am) come into the ring. They are not split into sexes. ALL Champions come into the ring together along with the two Winners. From this group of dogs, a Best of Breed is chosen. It can be any of the dogs in the ring for Best of Breed. This is a high honor to have happen. Plus, this dog then gets to be the breed representative in the Group competition. There are seven groups (Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding). Once a winner has been chosen from each of the seven groups, those seven dogs then go on to Best In Show. Only one dog is chosen Best In Show and Gimme Ma'am tells me that Mommy would really love to have a Best In Show Dog!!
It turns out, that you need 15 points to get an AKC Championship. At least 6 of these points have to be from "major" shows - or shows where there are enough dogs that you earn 3, 4, or 5 points all at once. So you need two majors. AND you need theses points under 3 different judges. So you need multiple people to think you are beautiful. That should not be hard for me!!
Points are figured by the breed (you need fewer Saints to make a major than you do Great Danes, for example), the sex (boys typically (but not always) need fewer entries to make a major), and where you live (Saints in Colorado have a different schedule than Saints in Maryland).
Wow. This all be so confusing!! I'm not sure how Gimme Ma'am learned all this but I bet she had help from Fox Sir! And because of that, I'll leave it for now. That is a very quick tutorial on AKC dog shows. If you want more information, Gimme Ma'am says go to http://www.akc.org. OK. That one I know she got from Mommy Laugh Laugh!!
Before I go, let me post a picture of Gimme Ma'am winning Best of Breed last year. Doesn't Mommy look SO happy??
Later Gators!!
Alf
Turns out, a Fun Match is for practice for dog shows! Because, as handsome as I am of course I am going to be a Show Dog! But if that's all that there is to it, I don't know if it will be that exciting. Gimme Ma'am had to set me straight about that!
Over the last two days, she has been to a real dog show. And without me, the most handsome dog in the world! How could that be? Well, let me try to explain it (like Gimme Ma'am explained it to me).
I'll start with the easy part: I am too young. At a dog show, you must be at least 6 months to enter. And that includes conformation (the beauty contest part), obedience, rally, agility, tracking, or whatever. I am only 4-1/2 months old right now. Well, almost 5 months. But still too young. I guess they would be embarrassed to have such a young studly puppy such as myself go Best In Show over all those experienced older dogs. I can't really blame them for that.
Anyway, once you are old enough, you can enter a dog show. There is paperwork to fill out and money for entries to be mailed in. Wow. I didn't know it cost money! That could get expensive I bet!!
Focusing on the AKC (the American Kennel Club - the largest and most well-known kennel club in the United States. They host the AKC/Eukanuba dog show every year and Westminster Kennel Club which is also on TV, is an AKC club) here is what happens. After the entries are in, you get mailed a confirmation and judges' schedule which lists how many dogs of your breed are entered and what time they will show. You arrive on the correct day and time and and ring ... and then wait for your number to be called. The breeds are split into boys and girls and then by classes. There are puppy classes (for puppies between 6 months & a year old) and a class for dogs from 12 - 18 months. Bred-By Exhibitor is a class for handlers who have bred and own the dog they are showing. Mommy can't show me in this class since she didn't breed me; she only owns me. Gramma Rhonda could though since she co-owns me with Mommy. Another class is called Novice and that is for Novice dogs who have not won 3 first places in that class. Amateur Owner-Handler is for people who have never taken money for showing dogs. Yes, there are people (Professional Handlers) who do this for a living!! American Bred is for dogs that were whelped (born) in the US of A! Open is for any dog over 6 months old, but mostly it's used for more mature dogs. Some breeds, like us Saint Bernards, might have the Open classes split in some way. Saint Bernards are split between long hair and short hair. Great Danes (like Gimme Ma'am) are split by color (Open Fawn, Open Brindle, Open Black, etc...). Once all the boys have been judged, all the winners of the classes go back in for a final time. One of these dogs is chosen "Winners Dog". That is the only male of it's breed that will get points towards its AKC Championship. A Reserve Winners Dog is also chosen (If, for some reason, the dog that got the Winners Dog points is disqualified from showing, then the Reserve Dog will get those points). THEN, the whole thing repeats for the girls until you have only one girl who has been chosen Winners <gulp> Bitch. (Bitch is an OK word in the dog world, as it means female dog, I swear!).
Once both Winners have been chosen, the dogs that have already won their Championships (like Gimme Ma'am) come into the ring. They are not split into sexes. ALL Champions come into the ring together along with the two Winners. From this group of dogs, a Best of Breed is chosen. It can be any of the dogs in the ring for Best of Breed. This is a high honor to have happen. Plus, this dog then gets to be the breed representative in the Group competition. There are seven groups (Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding). Once a winner has been chosen from each of the seven groups, those seven dogs then go on to Best In Show. Only one dog is chosen Best In Show and Gimme Ma'am tells me that Mommy would really love to have a Best In Show Dog!!
It turns out, that you need 15 points to get an AKC Championship. At least 6 of these points have to be from "major" shows - or shows where there are enough dogs that you earn 3, 4, or 5 points all at once. So you need two majors. AND you need theses points under 3 different judges. So you need multiple people to think you are beautiful. That should not be hard for me!!
Points are figured by the breed (you need fewer Saints to make a major than you do Great Danes, for example), the sex (boys typically (but not always) need fewer entries to make a major), and where you live (Saints in Colorado have a different schedule than Saints in Maryland).
Wow. This all be so confusing!! I'm not sure how Gimme Ma'am learned all this but I bet she had help from Fox Sir! And because of that, I'll leave it for now. That is a very quick tutorial on AKC dog shows. If you want more information, Gimme Ma'am says go to http://www.akc.org. OK. That one I know she got from Mommy Laugh Laugh!!
Before I go, let me post a picture of Gimme Ma'am winning Best of Breed last year. Doesn't Mommy look SO happy??
Later Gators!!
Alf
Thursday, February 9, 2012
SO Tired!
Training, playing, working, playing, training, playing. Oh my! Does it never end? And I end up SO TIRED <yawn>. It snowed last week - a lot; about 16 inches or so here where I live. So we didn't go to training on Saturday or the fun match on Sunday. Instead, Daddy took me to work with him on Monday. ALL DAY <yawn>. Nicole stopped by and so did Ashley and so did Santana. In fact, they kind of came by all day long. Laugh Laugh!! We also stopped and said "HI" to the lady serving coffee and lots of customers. We went to Home Depot at lunch time and we said "HI" to lots of people there too! Then in the afternoon, it was Nicole, Ashley, and Santana again! Laugh Laugh! By mid-afternoon I was sleeping and you could not have woken me up for anything. Maybe dinner. But dinner wasn't there. Daddy practically had to carry me back to the van to go home. I was in NO SHAPE for training that night and so Mommy went to train with somebody but it wasn't me!
Tuesday, Daddy was home all day and we (Gimme, Trekkie, and I) played a lot in the backyard. Until we got too tired and came back in the house <yawn>. Oh my. Wednesday was Day Care and then Thursday Mommy worked from home so we got to play outside a lot again. The ladies at Day Care (Carol & Tamra) told Daddy that I didn't play as much as I usually do. Of course not! I'M TIRED!!
I need my sleep! Who do they think I am? Gimme? Gimme can go and go and GO! Then she sleeps for an hour and she's ready to go again! I can't do that. I need my sleep! I am SO tired <yawn>. I am so glad that there is nothing going on Friday. I can stay home and catch up on my sleep. Gotta get ready for training on Saturday and a fun match on Sunday!
PS - A fun match (so I'm told) is like a show but it's just for fun and training. UGH. There's that word again. Training. At least this time it was paired with fun!
Alright, well nighty-night internet friends <yawn>. I'm off to find a cold spot to lay down in and go to sleep!
Alf
Tuesday, Daddy was home all day and we (Gimme, Trekkie, and I) played a lot in the backyard. Until we got too tired and came back in the house <yawn>. Oh my. Wednesday was Day Care and then Thursday Mommy worked from home so we got to play outside a lot again. The ladies at Day Care (Carol & Tamra) told Daddy that I didn't play as much as I usually do. Of course not! I'M TIRED!!
I need my sleep! Who do they think I am? Gimme? Gimme can go and go and GO! Then she sleeps for an hour and she's ready to go again! I can't do that. I need my sleep! I am SO tired <yawn>. I am so glad that there is nothing going on Friday. I can stay home and catch up on my sleep. Gotta get ready for training on Saturday and a fun match on Sunday!
PS - A fun match (so I'm told) is like a show but it's just for fun and training. UGH. There's that word again. Training. At least this time it was paired with fun!
Alright, well nighty-night internet friends <yawn>. I'm off to find a cold spot to lay down in and go to sleep!
Alf
Friday, February 3, 2012
My Name is Alf
I love Mommy & Daddy, but I really just need to say this. My name is Alf. My name is not FrankenAlf (because I had a sore on my muzzle). My name is not AlfenSprout (I'm not even sure how that one happened)! And my name surely is not Alfie (YUCK)! I may be able to tolerate Alfred... at least that one is close. But overall, I just prefer Alf.
I don't understand the humans idea of a joke I guess. Gimme is "Monster" or "Gimme-Girl" or "Gimme-Do" or "Gimme-Dane". Fox is "Dude", or "Mr. Fox", or "Handsome". Trekkie has to tolerate "Trekster", and (ick) "Peanut". And she also has been labeled "Dirty Girl". She only gets one name even close to her real name!
Really, I mean just really. We have names. Fox, Gimme, Trekkie, and Alf. Can't you humans just use those? Do you think the others are funny? Or cute? Do you wonder why we don't respond when you call us? We don't know what to respond to! What is the fascination with changing the names? I have overheard Fox being called Foxie (NOT by Mommy or Daddy thankfully). Foxie? Wow, yeah. THAT sounds masculine doesn't it? Poor Dude... I mean poor Fox! Dang. Now they've got me doing it!
Well, I hope all you internet friends have someone to call you names! Somehow, the humans think that is part of showing love!
Alf out
I don't understand the humans idea of a joke I guess. Gimme is "Monster" or "Gimme-Girl" or "Gimme-Do" or "Gimme-Dane". Fox is "Dude", or "Mr. Fox", or "Handsome". Trekkie has to tolerate "Trekster", and (ick) "Peanut". And she also has been labeled "Dirty Girl". She only gets one name even close to her real name!
Really, I mean just really. We have names. Fox, Gimme, Trekkie, and Alf. Can't you humans just use those? Do you think the others are funny? Or cute? Do you wonder why we don't respond when you call us? We don't know what to respond to! What is the fascination with changing the names? I have overheard Fox being called Foxie (NOT by Mommy or Daddy thankfully). Foxie? Wow, yeah. THAT sounds masculine doesn't it? Poor Dude... I mean poor Fox! Dang. Now they've got me doing it!
Well, I hope all you internet friends have someone to call you names! Somehow, the humans think that is part of showing love!
Alf out
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Look At The Size of Those PAWS!
So today Mommy drove me and Gimme Ma'am to visit with some of the people she works with. They all thought I was quite handsome (hmmmm, they said "cute" but I know they meant handsome!) but one thing really stuck in my head. After admiring my awesome good looks they almost always said "Look at the size of those paws!". Now, I'm not self conscious of the size of my feet but boy if I was!! I think I would be afraid to walk out the door!! Look, my feet are my feet and I am hoping to grow into them. But I'm only four months old. What do you expect? Tiny Poodle paws? How could I walk? I expect that when I'm full grown I'll be around 170 pounds (that's just guesstimating). I have to have big paws to carry all that weight! I'm also a Saint Bernard! We were bred to find lost hikers in the Swiss Alps. My large feet help me walk on top of the snow (like snow shoes). So leave my feet alone!
And while I'm at it, here are some other questions that seem to constantly come up:
1) What does he eat? Food, like you do!
2) How much does he eat? I would eat until I popped so Mommy and Daddy be sure to feed me twice a day and only enough so that I'm not hungry but I don't get fat.
3) Does he drool? Yes, I do. A properly built Saint will drool. If you find a "drool-less" Saint they are not correct!
4) Where does he sleep? Anywhere I want to! But usually in the kitchen during the day and a crate at night.
Gimme Ma'am had to put up with a whole bunch of other questions and comments. Things like:
1) He's HUGE! Well, he's a she and actually quite average sized for a Great Dane female.
2) Where's her saddle? Seriously, you think that's funny or Mommy & Daddy haven't heard that before?? <sigh>. Even I've heard it before already. Laugh Laugh! There is no saddle. It would break her back.
3) Do you call her Marmaduke? No, that would be silly.
4) Does she bite? Mommy would not have her out here if she did!
Mommy and Daddy are very active in Breed Education. We big, hairy, drooly dogs cannot live with just anyone. So Mommy makes sure that we are all well-socialized and we go as many places as we can! We stop so people can pet us and ask questions. We participate in many Meet The Breeds events. Yes, Mommy gets tired of the same silly questions sometimes. She is working on some new answers for you :-) But we will continue to be out there so that we let people know that that cute puppy is going to be 140-180 pounds and may not be what you are looking for! Dogs are not impulse buys! Please do your research and buy from a responsible breeder. Then someday, maybe, you'll have a too-cute-for-words puppy like me!!
Alf
And while I'm at it, here are some other questions that seem to constantly come up:
1) What does he eat? Food, like you do!
2) How much does he eat? I would eat until I popped so Mommy and Daddy be sure to feed me twice a day and only enough so that I'm not hungry but I don't get fat.
3) Does he drool? Yes, I do. A properly built Saint will drool. If you find a "drool-less" Saint they are not correct!
4) Where does he sleep? Anywhere I want to! But usually in the kitchen during the day and a crate at night.
Gimme Ma'am had to put up with a whole bunch of other questions and comments. Things like:
1) He's HUGE! Well, he's a she and actually quite average sized for a Great Dane female.
2) Where's her saddle? Seriously, you think that's funny or Mommy & Daddy haven't heard that before?? <sigh>. Even I've heard it before already. Laugh Laugh! There is no saddle. It would break her back.
3) Do you call her Marmaduke? No, that would be silly.
4) Does she bite? Mommy would not have her out here if she did!
Mommy and Daddy are very active in Breed Education. We big, hairy, drooly dogs cannot live with just anyone. So Mommy makes sure that we are all well-socialized and we go as many places as we can! We stop so people can pet us and ask questions. We participate in many Meet The Breeds events. Yes, Mommy gets tired of the same silly questions sometimes. She is working on some new answers for you :-) But we will continue to be out there so that we let people know that that cute puppy is going to be 140-180 pounds and may not be what you are looking for! Dogs are not impulse buys! Please do your research and buy from a responsible breeder. Then someday, maybe, you'll have a too-cute-for-words puppy like me!!
Alf
Friday, January 20, 2012
That T-Word Again
Hello friends! It's been another long week. Whew! Mommy and I did not go to any training on Saturday and I was actually very bummed out. I like going and playing with my friends. The training part... well, let's just say I'm still thinking about it!
However, Mommy did take Gimme someplace on Saturday and Sunday and she came home very happy Sunday afternoon! Then on Monday, she took Fox with her instead. And she came back home even happier!! Now, I like to see Mommy really happy so I had to ask Fox & Gimme what was going on. So they told me when we went to bed. What?! You didn't know we dogs talk to each other? Oh, sure we do! All the time! That doesn't mean I listen to what they have to tell me (if I did, I'd be potty trained by now. Laugh Laugh!)!
Anyway, Gimme told me that she went with Mommy and hung out at an Obedience/Rally trial for those two days. She said all that training that we do results in titles that we earn that we can put as part of our names. Gimme very proudly told me that she is now known as AKC GrCH/UKC GCH & UR01/IABCA CH Daystar Voyager Gimme Heaven RN CGC CHIC#76689. But thankfully, I can still call her Ma'am! I don't have to learn all that name (because that's a mouthful)! Fox then said that he was also with Mommy at the same trials on Monday! Can you believe it? Fox is 7-years-old and still expected to do obedience!! But he kind of smirked at me and said "Yeah, but who spent time on Monday all day with Mom huh? Wasn't you little boy.....!!". Oh, wow. I think I get it. Anyway, Fox said he is now known as AKC/UKC/IABCA CH Glaciers Voyager Fox RN BN CGC CHIC#60062. I just call him Sir; Yes Sir! Trekkie chimed in too. Trekkie??! My first love? She does obedience too?? Yep, she said her full name is UR02 Sleepyhollows Starstruck Voyage RN CD CGC. She actually prefers Trekkie to Ma'am so that's what I call her.
Wow. So training actually results in making Mommy happy and lots of titles. Hmmmmm, I thought, maybe I should rethink this whole training thing.
And then Monday night we went to training again, only this time we took Daddy so he could watch too. But wait. What's this??!! Son of a MilkBone!! Mommy is watching and Daddy is training with me! Holy smokes and put the box away! I didn't know Daddy did training too! OK, well, he's not as smooth as Mommy so I guess he needs some work too. Together, I know we'll do great! I want some of those titles too!!
For my non-dog show savvy friends, here is a rundown of those titles:
GrCH or GCH - These titles are earned by being beautiful. You know all those dog shows on TV? Those are dogs that have earned their Championships (CH) or the next level Grand Champion (GrCH or GCH). Mommy apparently likes to show in AKC events (American Kennel Club, the biggest and most well-known dog registry in America), UKC events (United Kennel Club, the oldest dog registry in America although not as well-known), and IABCA events (International All Breed Canine Association where you get written critiques!).
UR01 & UR02 - These are UKC Rally titles. Level 01 & Level 02.
RN - An AKC Rally title. This is the Novice (or first) level.
BN - Beginner Novice title (AKC). This one is kind of a step above Rally but it's not quite traditional obedience.
CD - Companion Dog (AKC). This is traditional obedience with off lead work and everything!
CGC - Canine Good Citizen (AKC). This one is a great title for all kinds of dogs to get! You don't even have to be purebred!! There are 10 tests you have to pass to prove you are a good dog. Many cities give discounts on licenses for this one!
CHIC - Canine Health Information Center. This one is not really a title. What is means is that the dogs have been tested per the guidelines of the breed National Club. Saint Bernards don't participate in the CHIC program which is why Trekkie doesn't have one. She has been health tested though!
There are a lot more things that humans can do with their doggy buddies including tracking and agility and OH! Just all kinds of stuff!! More information regarding Obedience, Rally, AKC, UKC, etc... will be coming in future blogs. I'm getting tired now.
But OH BOY! I want to get started! It all sounds like fun!! Later, internet friends!!
Alf
However, Mommy did take Gimme someplace on Saturday and Sunday and she came home very happy Sunday afternoon! Then on Monday, she took Fox with her instead. And she came back home even happier!! Now, I like to see Mommy really happy so I had to ask Fox & Gimme what was going on. So they told me when we went to bed. What?! You didn't know we dogs talk to each other? Oh, sure we do! All the time! That doesn't mean I listen to what they have to tell me (if I did, I'd be potty trained by now. Laugh Laugh!)!
Anyway, Gimme told me that she went with Mommy and hung out at an Obedience/Rally trial for those two days. She said all that training that we do results in titles that we earn that we can put as part of our names. Gimme very proudly told me that she is now known as AKC GrCH/UKC GCH & UR01/IABCA CH Daystar Voyager Gimme Heaven RN CGC CHIC#76689. But thankfully, I can still call her Ma'am! I don't have to learn all that name (because that's a mouthful)! Fox then said that he was also with Mommy at the same trials on Monday! Can you believe it? Fox is 7-years-old and still expected to do obedience!! But he kind of smirked at me and said "Yeah, but who spent time on Monday all day with Mom huh? Wasn't you little boy.....!!". Oh, wow. I think I get it. Anyway, Fox said he is now known as AKC/UKC/IABCA CH Glaciers Voyager Fox RN BN CGC CHIC#60062. I just call him Sir; Yes Sir! Trekkie chimed in too. Trekkie??! My first love? She does obedience too?? Yep, she said her full name is UR02 Sleepyhollows Starstruck Voyage RN CD CGC. She actually prefers Trekkie to Ma'am so that's what I call her.
Wow. So training actually results in making Mommy happy and lots of titles. Hmmmmm, I thought, maybe I should rethink this whole training thing.
And then Monday night we went to training again, only this time we took Daddy so he could watch too. But wait. What's this??!! Son of a MilkBone!! Mommy is watching and Daddy is training with me! Holy smokes and put the box away! I didn't know Daddy did training too! OK, well, he's not as smooth as Mommy so I guess he needs some work too. Together, I know we'll do great! I want some of those titles too!!
For my non-dog show savvy friends, here is a rundown of those titles:
GrCH or GCH - These titles are earned by being beautiful. You know all those dog shows on TV? Those are dogs that have earned their Championships (CH) or the next level Grand Champion (GrCH or GCH). Mommy apparently likes to show in AKC events (American Kennel Club, the biggest and most well-known dog registry in America), UKC events (United Kennel Club, the oldest dog registry in America although not as well-known), and IABCA events (International All Breed Canine Association where you get written critiques!).
UR01 & UR02 - These are UKC Rally titles. Level 01 & Level 02.
RN - An AKC Rally title. This is the Novice (or first) level.
BN - Beginner Novice title (AKC). This one is kind of a step above Rally but it's not quite traditional obedience.
CD - Companion Dog (AKC). This is traditional obedience with off lead work and everything!
CGC - Canine Good Citizen (AKC). This one is a great title for all kinds of dogs to get! You don't even have to be purebred!! There are 10 tests you have to pass to prove you are a good dog. Many cities give discounts on licenses for this one!
CHIC - Canine Health Information Center. This one is not really a title. What is means is that the dogs have been tested per the guidelines of the breed National Club. Saint Bernards don't participate in the CHIC program which is why Trekkie doesn't have one. She has been health tested though!
There are a lot more things that humans can do with their doggy buddies including tracking and agility and OH! Just all kinds of stuff!! More information regarding Obedience, Rally, AKC, UKC, etc... will be coming in future blogs. I'm getting tired now.
But OH BOY! I want to get started! It all sounds like fun!! Later, internet friends!!
Alf
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