Quick Pupdate...

It's been snowing here...



Both litters now have their eyes and ears open. They've had their first non-Mom meals (pablum mixed with warm goat's milk) and learned to make serious messes. They'll be moving upstairs to the living room this weekend where they will entertain their first visitors from outside the household.

Wordless Wednesday

Some New Photos ...

This one is of Mochi - she is Beans' littermate and lives with the Ho family.




These are of Stella (Austr Ch Nuthatch's Star Crossed Luv). Stella lives in Australia with our friend Christine and her husband Peter. Stella is out of my dearly missed girl, the late Cupid (Can Ch Bruneau River Thing Calld Luv FDJ) and Teak (Am Can Ch Ersehnen Border Patrol).






And this is Decca (Knusprig Blankety Blanks), Stella's daughter by Christine's dog Linus (Gr Ch Knusprig Plum Tukkadout ET).

Oakhill Pottery

I have no shares or financial interest in Oakhill Pottery. There that's my disclaimer.

I was thrilled that we did so well on Sunday at the specialty because the prizes consisted of pottery from Oakhill. I already have a few pieces of their work which have been given to me by various clubs as judge's gifts after doing specialties for them and it's beautiful work.

For 1st Prizes, we received were mugs with hand-painted German Shorthaired Pointers on them:



For Buffy's Reserve Winners Bitch, we got this lovely platter:



Other pieces already in my collection include:

a bowl - also from judging at a Vizsla specialty



and a lovely ornament from doing a Weimaraner specialty




Frankly, I love this stuff and pottery is not normally my thing. So, if you are a pottery fan I would encourage you to check their website out. They also offer great deals for clubs looking for specialty prizes, etc.

Long Island...

The trip to the Garden Association Specialties is one that Mom and I look forward to every year. They're usually held in Secaucus, New Jersey. This year there were some complications and the show was moved to Nassau Coliseum - home of the NY Islanders.

We had been very worried about the drive as the weatherman kept mentioning snow storms but the roads and skies were clear. Both Frost and Lucy went with us and were very well behaved in the van. This could possibly have been due to eating lots and lots of Timbits and then sinking into a sugar induced coma. The drive took us just over 9 hours so it is a long trip for both two and four footers.

People often ask if we ever have problems travelling across the border with the dogs. Not usually. I make sure I always have every one's vaccination certificates with me and it usually is not a problem. I admit to worrying heavily that someone is going to growl at a customs agent one of these days and we'll have an issue but so far so good.

We usually stay at a Red Roof Inn on the water in Secaucus. Red Roof Inns are great - very dog friendly, clean, and comfortable. This time the host hotel was a Marriott. I admit to being hesitant when I made our reservations. I've stayed in Marriott's before and while they are always exquisitely nice hotels - they aren't where you would normally stay with a dog and indeed most don't allow pets. They're a little more upscale shall we say. But as a favour the Marriott had opened its doors to our shows and their sudden change of venue and I cannot thank them enough. They were absolutely fantastic. Staff were great - offering to help haul crates, holding doors, and just being extremely nice and courteous. The room was great - all the little things - lots of pillows, cozy duvet, fancy soaps and shampoos, etc. - that make staying in an upscale hotel so enjoyable.

One of the best things about being involved with dogs and dog shows has been all the wonderful people we've met over the years. I now know people from one end of the world to the other and what binds us together is our love of animals. The nice thing about these shows is that they are very big and I often get a chance to reconnect with friends from all over the US and sometimes further abroad. This weekend was no exception. We got extra lucky as Christine from Australia was also there. As you can imagine, we don't get to see Christine in the flesh very often so this was an especially nice treat.

When you go to specialties, it is not about winning or losing (although don't let anyone ever tell you they don't want to win). It is about getting a chance to see what other breeders are producing and showing off what you've worked so hard to produce. Feedback is always wanted although not always graciously accepted. The opinion that matters most in the end is not the judges but that of your peers. Mind you, I've never seen anyone complain that the judge really liked their dog lol

So, it is with tremendous pride that I enjoyed the various compliments about our dogs, particularly Miss Lucy. We had the only solid liver dogs there with the exception of one day when there was a very nice solid liver special (ie champion) also entered. I was not adverse to the judges' compliments either :)

Nuthatch Results:

Friday: German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America Regional Specialty

Best of Opposite Sex in Sweepstakes:
Nuthatch's Edenstar Aurora (Bug x Jammer) - bred by us and owned by a wonderful mother and daughter in NY

2nd in the 12-18 month bitch class:
Nuthatch's Awakenings (Lucy - Delceg x Kaylee)

Saturday: Long Island German Shorthaired Pointer Club Specialty

Reserve Winners Bitch:
Nuthatch's Edenstar Aurora (see above)

1st in the 12-18 month bitch class:
Nuthatch's Edenstar Aurora

3rd in the 12-18 month bitch class:
Nuthatch's Awakenings

3rd in the Open Bitch Class:
Nuthatch's Unforgettable (Buffy - Kenny x Jeannie)

Sunday: Sleepy Hollow German Shorthaired Pointer Specialty
Best of Opposite Sex in Sweepstakes:
Nuthatch's Awakenings

Reserve Winners Bitch:
Nuthatch's Unforgettable

1st in the 12-18 month bitch class:
Nuthatch's Awakenings

I also want to thank those of you who offered to purchase Miss Lucy. I was very flattered. It reinforced my pride in her and tickled my ego something fierce. She is staying at Nuthatch although we may yet be co-owning her with some close friends.

I also like to scout for potential stud dogs that will compliment our lines when I am at specialties. Photos are nice but it is always a good idea to see a dog in the flesh. To that end, I did see a few dogs I really liked that will bear more investigating. One dog in particular caught my eye and I think he will be Bug's next beau.

Now on to some pictures:

I took some of the dogs in the ring but my little camera doesn't do well in areas with that kind of lighting so the pictures all came out too dark. I did get some of Frost & Lucy in the hotel rooms:

Frost (Becca x Delceg)





Lucy (Delceg x Kaylee)




and this nice one of my Mom (ie Grandama, on the right) and our good friend Sherri G. Sherri had an excellent weekend as well. Diva - BIS/BISS Am Can Ch Flwr Creek Marquis Going For Gold - won the entire specialty on Sunday!!

Almost Fixed

They tell me my internet connection is being fixed as I type this and that soon I will once again be able to upload photos from the home PC. At that time I will send you all the nitty gritty from our recent adventures on Long Island.

In the meantime, I'll finish off the last of my Crufts posts. This one is just to show you the various HPR breeds that are recognized by the UK Kennel Club but rarely seen over in North America. HPR stands for Hunt, Point, Retrieve. Here in North America we refer to them as versatile hunting dogs. These are the poor man's dogs of the dog world - meant to fulfill everything a hunter needs in just one dog as he can't afford one dog to point, one to flush, one to retrieve, etc. The breeds commonly recognized in North America in this category include the Vizsla, the German Shorthaired Pointer, the Weimaraner, the Brittany Spaniel, the Italian Spinone, and the German Wirehaired Pointer. Here's a few you likely haven't encountered before:

The Bracco Italiano (the Italian Pointer) - I really liked this breed.






The German Longhaired Pointer





The Korthal Griffon





The Large Munsterlander





The Slovakian Roughhaired Pointer



The Wirehaired Vizsla

Vale Chance - Nuthatch's The Negotiator

Suddenly, yesterday afternoon. Chance had slowed down dramatically over the last year, particularly after the passing of his mother and best friend, Holly, last year. He will be dearly missed.






I Did Not Die

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow;

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain;

I am the gentle Autumn’s rain.



When you awaken in the morning’s hush.

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft star that shines at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.

I am not there;

I did not die.



- Anon -

Still More Pictures...

Here are a bunch of random pictures, character exposes if you will in some cases, from the other evening...I'll apologize in advance for the floors. When you have 60 feet going through the house at a time you will be welcome to criticize when the floors are in need of a good mopping but you'll also realize that if I waited until I had mopped I'd be too tired to take pictures. That being said, don't tell Grandma, as she'd die if she knew you saw the floor looking less than spotless bol

Becca & Beans (Dundee x Becca) - another mother and daughter moment



Here's a few more of Becca. She gives Delceg the evil eye, then steals the toy, then curls up beside it for safe keeping while he plots on ways to steal it back. Who knew purple lizards were such a prize?





Cello (Mac x Shiraz) enjoying the spectacle




and Cello checking to make sure I cleaned the sink out properly...can't have that now can we?



Chanel - my 13 year old baby and retired boss bitch



Chanel & Emily (Charlie x Chanel, now 9 years old) enjoying mother-daughter time




Chanel and her littermate Spirit spending sister time together...



Delceg - and he recaptures the purple lizard...



and he also takes care of the house, ensuring that no food bowls still contain food which might attract rodents. It's amazing how cleanliness-oriented my dogs are...



Dublin (aka the Monkey Man)





sharing secrets with his hero Delceg...



trying to put the moves on Emily...



and trying to put the moves on Spirit...at least he's persistent





Dundee - trying to assist Mom with the camera



and realizing there is more mischief to be had in the living room...



Emily (Charlie x Chanel)





and Emily giving Dublin a dirty look for his flirty moves earlier in the evening...no December May romances here...



Riot at the water bowl...



Spirit - also 13 years young



Lucy (Delceg x Kaylee) attacking her water - it's important not to let the water get the upper hand



Limerick (Frost x Jeannie) trying to show Lucy how a lady drinks with no success, funny this is the only lady-like thing Limerick has ever done...




Lucy & Limerick playing tug




Willow




dancing for joy - someone left a kibble on the counter, surely it was meant for her



I hate to guess what she's thinking right now...