Bwana Kennel

 I wish I could claim it was a cold Christmas but it isn't . It is a typical Southern Christmas. In the 70s, a bit of drizzle and the only way I can have a fire is to turn the AC down lower so the meditating in front of a roaring fire is not happening this week.  ( I did score one night of crackling glory about a week ago  sigh........ good times!) ... 

So without the fireplace and a hot toddy I will have to wing it , just the glow of the keyboard as I manage my yearly reflections.   pause for dramatic effect and here we go...

In 2009 we are upping our game yet again.  Dreamer and Caine both acquired their Temperament Testing at the Ridgeback Rodeo earlier this year so we can check that off the potential breeding stock list.  They also got their Herding Certificates but that was admittedly more for fun and in the hopes I would find myself the owner of a large amount of mutton. Silly things behaved like ladies so the mutton dream dashed at least they got yet another set of initials to tack on behind their names on our paperwork.  Dreamer tried the lure coursing on the last day and easily picked up 1/2 of the needed runs for her JC.   So this year we will finish the JC when we return to the Rodeo for Dreamer and try Caine .  I will concentrate on finishing Dreamer and Zion in the conformation rings.  Zi only needs a major and a single or two , Dreamer needs her ever elusive majors. I believe if I get her out and on the road with a decent schedule she will relax enough to stop wasting the first 2 days of every show.  Her side go was breath taking from early on, so her relaxing and my getting back on a bike and working at my own movement should do both of us well for working the ring.  Zion is such a sweetheart, just getting him out will make a difference for him. 

Normally our kids are finished very young, in the puppy classes. But then normally we are at shows every month.   With the economy as stinky as it has been I have not excited about getting the dogs out and about. Then having Kota and his boy Nemo I found myself overwhelmed.  We could not leave the house without 5 or 6 dogs on board the RV. Walking that many and training too was , frankly a drag. I enjoyed the boys tremendously . While I felt guilty about taking a mental vacation from the ring, it was great fun to play with a puppy without having to deal with a litter. Fun to take hundreds of pictures of Kota in every costume or pose I could think of, and most of all important to spend the year with Jasmine.  I knew early on that it would be her last and was determined that we would not regret a day of it.  We did not.

So Goal Number One, finish the pair. Caine will wait till later in the year, she has 2 points from showing when she was younger.   Goal number two get the testing done.  Both will need to be OFA'ed for hips, elbows and patellas. Both will need Thyroid , Cerf and Baer,  and both will be our first to have the DNA testing done for the DM markers.  I realize many breeders have opted to take a wait and see positron , the study has not been published and they have nothing concrete to change the manner in which they chose the breeding pairs in the past. But Bob and I have hashed it over many times.  We feel very lucky to have been blessed with very healthy dogs. We have friends who on the other hand have been devastated over and over by dogs who's breeders find testing unnecessary.  Different breed but amazing how watching people you care for as friends hurt can make you decide you will never be one of those Breeders.  We will also get Zion temperament tested at this year's Rodeo. If Dreamer is finished we can go for her CGC.  Lure coursing the other two and I think this year we will even give  a Hunting Certification a shot.  The way in which Dreamer finds hidden treats assures me she must have a heck of a nose!

We know we have some family challenges coming up. well who doesn't ?  We are going to meet them head on as well.  No concrete plan just the assurance that if it is  meant to be it will be.  Until the new school year we will have one or two grand daughters tagging along. That should be good for a few giggles.  So I guess goal Number Three would have to be keeping life from getting out of hand.  Number Four , hmmm let's pencil in trying to finish Caine.   And if everything holds together then we can add Number Five,  a litter of Zion X Dreamer puppies....

Our prayers as always that life treats each person reading these words gently , treats them with dignity and that you have family and friends to help you over the rough times and celebrate the good times with.  Random Acts of Kindness.... I wonder why on earth that one always makes my lists ? Maybe because it is as big a plus for me when one works well as it is for the person who receives it.   Happy New Year Folks,  New President, New Economy and New Challenges....

Bonita of Bwana