#1 - #2 - #3 Welsh Terrier AND #8 TERRIER in Canada! WOW!

I received official news today that Darwyn Welsh Terriers owns (and BRED) the top 3 Welsh Terriers in Canada in 2010! 
Even more exciting is that the #8 Terrier (#1 WT) was my boy Parker!  BISS / BIS Am.Can.Ch Darwyn's Webslinger!  I don't know the exact numbers, but there were over 1000 individual terriers shown across the country (many of them several times during the year :-) - and Parker was the #8 one out of all of them!  WOW!  Parker officially defeated about 1000 dogs during his 6 months of showing to get to this award (pure coincedence with the numbers).  Over the last 12 years, this is the highest award in Canada that I have recieved.  I am so honoured, and grateful to the many judges that found the quality in Parker, and grateful to Aaron Andriash that presented Parker so beautifully during 2010 - Aaron and Parker made for a beautiful team in the ring.

Parker wasn't the only one!  Monty (Ch Darwyn Bruhil's Flying Circus) was shown on 2 weekends and in that time period defeated about 200 dogs which put him to #2 Welsh Terrier in Canada!  And, Athena (now Addie) came back to Canada after her successes in the US (WB at Montgomery!) and became #3 Welsh Terrier in Canada -- then promptly went to do her motherly duties (and did them very well!  :-)

Parker's not active in the show ring this year, he's watching his 1/2 brother Joe (BISS/BIS AmGCh & Can Ch Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That) do VERY well with Milton and Tracy ... JOE has already surpassed Parker's record in just 5 weekends!,  and Monty also got to play in the ring a few times with me (Larisa) ... very successfully I might add (many Group 1st wins!) ... and YES, I know, I still need to DO Monty's page on my website and update Joe's page!  I am SO bad!  Facebook is a very bad influence on me ;-)

Parker might be back in the show ring - or he might just sit back and watch his beautiful puppies that he sired and watch how the NEXT GENERATION comes along.  ;-) 

Here is one of the "Parker puppies" at 5 months of age ... looking at this photo, I (as the breeder of both Parker AND TJ), am hard pressed to tell the difference between them - this 5 month old puppy looks very similar to what Parker did at this age in head, expression (a bit bigger ears than Parker, but that's it), bone, body, coat, texture, color, front..... a beautiful dog has sired some really beautiful "very welshie" puppies!  I am so proud.

Magazine -- Welsh Terrier feature (and Lakeland Terrier too! :-)

The Feb/Mar 2011 issue of Canine Review features the Welsh Terrier!

I wrote the article and coordinated additional written content from 3 well known (and long time) Welsh Terrier breeder judges (Peter Green, Ruth Prehn and Bruce Schwartz).  I also helped to coordinate the Lakeland Terrier article that is featured in it, and a long time, well known, Lakeland Terrier breeder (Mr. Robert Wilson from Ontario) wrote that article.

Click here for an on-line link to this issue.

I have had EXCELLENT feedback from other Welsh Terrier breeders, and breeder judges (not just the ones that wrote the articles) and everyone has told me that this issue of this magazine is one of those "MUST HAVES" for your library.

I would encourage you to contact Canine Review (click here) soon because the next issue is coming out soon and they will only carry just so many back issues.

Terriers CAN do Obedience! Owners just need to learn how to guide them...

Over the last couple of weeks I have learned of 3 Darwyn bred Welsh Terriers that are excelling at training with their owners.  A young puppy.  A relatively recently retired show dog (and Welsh Terrier Club of America, US, Specialty Winner at that), and a very accomplished 8 year old dog doing new things!

First - the 8 year old dog, Dylan with Peggy. They continually amaze me, and make me proud.  Go to Dylan's web page here.  Today I was informed that Dylan passed his first UTILITY (Obedience) leg today!  WOW!  This is the top of the top of difficulty level.  This is a huge accomplishment - for any dog/owner team - but more so for a terrier owner-handler team.  Congratulations Peggy!  This accomplishment puts you to the #1 Welsh Terrier in Obedience in Canada - yet again!  Click here for 2011 results! 
And, Peggy and Dylan (U-CDX Darwyn Hotspur CDX, RX, AgX, AgXJ, MADC, MJDC, AGDC, RL3) don't just do Obedience, they also do Rally-O and Agility (at the Masters Level!).  I've seen it with my own eyes -- it's amazing and fun to watch! If you are ever in the Alberta area, and there is an agility trial, check to see if a Welsh Terrier is running ... Peggy and Dylan are a wonderful sight to watch!

The second thing is that I was informed recently that one of my Montgomery 2009 winners (Athena/Addie - Am Ch Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour), with her new owner Gloria, finished their class on basic obedience with a 98% score!  Gloria has now started on agility training classes - and really enjoying it!  Not only beautiful, and a terrific dam, but Addie is also smart and keen to work!  I can't wait to go out and watch Addie and Gloria jumping in the agility field!

And the last exciting news that also came within the last couple of days is a young puppy - a 6 month old son of Athena (Addie) named Henry.  Henry's owner wrote:  "He is really starting to develop his own personality – sweet and charming, full of energy, wants to play and boy does he like to fetch, and then quiet when asked to. Obedience classes continue and he is doing well – have started to try off lead heeling on our morning walks, always on the lookout for robins darting around and the ever present squirrel population in the neighborhood – and he is getting the hang of LEAVE IT!"

The one thing in common that all of these people, and myself with my dog training in conformation, is that we are all having FUN doing work as a team with our dogs.  If Peggy and Dylan, and Gloria and Athena, and Dale and Henry and myself with having 4 month old puppies walking on a loose lead for show training, can do it, than so can anyone!  It just takes some time, patience, and the right type of motivation.  I know of a very good trainer in the Lower Mainland area, if you are interested, please contact me. 

She is convinced that a working dog (training) is a very happy dog - they have a job and these terriers CAN do it!

Day 13 -- eyes have just started to open!

Addie's puppies continue to do well and Addie continues to be a great mom!  Every day they have been growing between 5% and 10% (some are growing even more than that!) ... they are now an average of 580 grams (20.5 oz or 1.3 pounds .... note, birthweight was an average of 202 grams).  I am very pleased with how they are progressing, and how wonderful a mom Addie is being.  You see, in less than 2 days I expect to be in Pennsylvania at my US Breed Club's National Specialty -- Montgomery County Kennel Club!  Last year was my first year (in over 10) that I missed it, since Paisa had puppies due that weekend, and this year my plan was to go and Michael to stay here with the puppies ... IF everything was going well.  Let's just say that Michael is very prepared to take on the duties of caring for "mom" while I get to go to my National Specialty!  Everything is going very well :-) More about the specialty later....
I didn't take a picture today as I wasn't sure how the flash would be for a newborns eyes that *just* opened, so the picture included above was taken by our friend, and wonderful website designer and photographer extraordinairre - Martin Blumenfield (http://www.coastalexteme.com/) when he and his family came a few days ago to see the puppies.

Addie had 6 puppies!

Late last night Addie (full name is Athena - Am/Can Ch Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour) had 6 healthy puppies ... born in record time!  The last time we had a litter born (Fall 2009), Paisa had 6 puppies, delivered naturally over 8 hours ... that was one long day as neither Michael nor myself moved very far from the puppy room (and not for long) .... well Addie broke the record at Darwyn for speed and ease of delivery.  Addie's 5 boys and 1 girl were born in 1 hour and 15 minutes!
The picture above was taken about 30 minutes after the last puppy was born ... she is a very happy, and content mom, and the puppies are all doing very well.  Me ... tired and happy.

Keep your fingers crossed for puppies in a couple of months!

Addie (aka Athena), recently retired from the show circuit where she finished both her American and Canadian Championships in style, is hoping to have puppies in mid September! 
In the US - she won at the Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialty, and in Canada, multiple Group Placements (currently #2 Welsh Terrier spot in Canada -- we'll see if she holds onto that over the year or not ... no more shows for her.

Her #1 job in life now is to keep Gloria company, scare away any squirrels from the backyard and go to the beach for a swim and walks ... oh darn, eh?

I also hope that I will be posting new puppy pictures here in a couple of months. We are all very excited - a mix between 2 truly beautiful Welsh Terriers, fantastic pedigrees on both sides, and temperaments that can go directly from a show ring to playing with young children (albeit the right children, with great parents :-)

Now the waiting game starts ... keep your fingers crossed for us.  If she is anything like her mom Haley (recently identified as #1 Welsh Terrier dam in the US for 2009), Addie will be a terrific mom ... when she was a year to a year and a half old, she was a fantastic playmate to both Joe and Parker ... so, we have no doubts about her being a great mom.
Stay tuned!

3 different Darwyn Welsh Terriers got a group placement today!

JOE got a group 3 in California today!  This is his 10th weekend out and he has gotten a group placement every weekend (including WINNING THE GROUP last weekend at California's famous "Woofstock" show - Contra Costa KC and group placements from the classes!).

ATHENA got a group 4 in Ontario!  This is her 4th weekend in the ring in Canada and the final points she needed to now officially be a Canadian Champion!  She's currenlty the #1 Welsh Terrier in Canada, but Parker (#2) is not that far behind!  Given that Doug Belter is getting ready to leave for the world show, she may or may not show the rest of the weekend - we'll see ... we are looking forward to her coming home - especially since we are hoping to breed her in the near future!  See the blog post from earlier today to get a few more details...

PARKER got a group 3 in British Columbia.  After winning the breed at Montgomery, Eukanuba, US terrier groups and an AOM at Westminster, he came home a couple of months ago and finished his Canadian Championship in a couple of weekends.  I have been keeping him in show trim and condition.  Aaron Andriash is caring for him for the next few weeks, showing him, and clearly they have connected!

And, here they are as puppies playing tug-of-war!  Athena (9 months old, on the right); Joe (9wks) is right beside her, Parker (10 weeks old) is the 2nd from the left (with the blue collar on) and Parker's brother is on the far left.
What fun!

Athena is coming home! Another new champion for Darwyn Welsh Terriers!

I just got a call from Athena's hander, Mr. Doug Belter, that Athena (now - American & Canadian Champion Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour) went to her 4th Canadian Show weekend today, finished her championship and will now be coming home after another group placment!

Athena is currently the #1 Welsh Terrier in Canada (her half-brother Parker is #2 - but quickly catching up!). After she finished her American Championship (and going Winners Bitch at the Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialty at Montgomery last year), she came back to Canada and has been shown here a few times.

We are very excited about her coming home and hope to breed her this summer!

She started her show career in the US with a Breed Specialty win and she finished her show career in Canada with a Group Placement every weekend she was shown! 

Knowing just how fantastic she was, playing, with her 1/2 brothers when they were just puppies, I KNOW that she is going to make a fantastic mother!

Woo hoo!

We can't wait to see our newest Canadian & American Champion (and specialty winner!) again!  At home though, I bet that she will take her top spot as "chief jumper" again!  She doesn't climb, but she sure can jump up and down! 
Welcome home Athena!

What a weekend - in both US and Canada!

When I found out that Joe (Am/Can CH Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That) got a Group 2 (!!!) on Sat at the Coyote Kennel Club show in California - I inquired with the Cooks (http://www.mydogphoto.com/) to see if they were there to take a picture.  I got the most interesting note back...

"Yes, we are here and took the photo yesterday, and just took another Group 2 photo today!".  I almost fell off my chair when I read that!  Obviously I like my boy, but it's pretty stiff competition in California and he's only been out with Wood and Jenny for just under 2 months (and gotten a win every weekend shown so far -- wow!).  I wish that I had been present so that I could have thanked the group judges, Mrs. Charlotte Patterson and Mr. Richard William Powell (a Welsh Terrier breeder /exhibitor himself).

When I got the photos, I was even happier!  It was hard to choose which one to post here.  Here is the one from Sunday, May 23, 2010 with Richard Powell, handled by Jenny Wornall. 

I chatted with Woody today (Jenny's father) and he told me just how fun Joe is to show, and that he didn't even have to bait him for the show picture - just stood back and watched!  :-)  He also told me that he can't wait until he get's a clear bill of health (double knee replacement surgery last year) so that he can handle Joe himself!  I told him, just like Jenny has, that his health is more important and that we want him 100% better first - Woody, if you ever read this (which I doubt you will since you likely don't even know how to turn on a computer :-), listen to your family and make sure you are 100% before first - you have too many people that care about you!

Good luck next weekend guys!  Perhaps some nice person at one of these shows will email me a candid :-)

OH - I almost FORGOT (yikes!).  Athena (Am. Ch. Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour) went to a dog show in Saskatchewan this weekend and got 3 group placements -- two Group 3s and a Group 2!  Yippee!  I got a WONDERFUL email from a friend that attended the show with her Manchester Terrier (who also got a piece of the group and a BEST IN SWEEPSTAKES!) ... she said that Athena looked AMAZING!  She (Athena) is *almost* finished her Canadian Championship!

Athena's DEBUT in Canada with 2 Group placements!

OK ... still tired from our New York trip to Westminster and definitely have the makings of a bad cold. And as these things go, Michael is also now coming down with it. Darn. So, needless to say, I haven't been really motivated to unpack or do much in the way of dog trimming. Just hanging out with the dogs, catching up with the news and for the most part seem GLUED to on-line streaming of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics! Those athletes, from all over the world, are amazing at what they do! And, it sure does make me proud to be a Canadian. They are all truly skilled in their area of passions. In a way, sort of like dog showing - but OH so much more! :-)

Well, being so close to the computer has meant that I have been anxiously awaiting the results of Athena's (Am Ch Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour) FIRST weekend out in Canada with Doug Belter. In Canada, http://www.canuckdogs.com/, does a fantastic job of getting group results up on the same day as the show.

The first 2 days - nothing.  Darn.  I had to look into who was entered that was being placed in the group above my girl.

Well, as it turned out, this was not a small show that Doug went to, in fact this show (Ontario Breeders Association) is one of the larger shows associated with the "Eukanuba Top 100 Competition" for Canada!  I had no idea!?  By the looks of it, there are some pretty nice dogs there - and quite a few terriers (double to what we see here at a typical show and triple to what a lot of parts of Canada see)!  The group placing terriers included: 
- a Norwich that has had multiple Best Puppy in Show (BPIS) wins and one of the top Norwich in 2009
- a SCWT that also has some BPIS wins and multiple group placements
- a Lakeland that ALSO had some BPIS wins AND Group Wins in 2009 in their show record!
- the #1 Australian Terrier in Canada AND a group winner!
- the #1 Kerry Blue Terrier which ALSO happened to be the #1 TERRIER in Canada AND #6 dog ALL BREEDS (I now understand that this show ALSO hosted the "Top 100 Competition" show)
- AND a multiple Best in Show Westi!

There may have been a few other top terriers in the competition, however, these are the ones that got group placements on the first couple of days that I could see entered. I was disappointed, but understood. Athena was certainly at a show where quality terriers were also - NOT some small show away from the competition.

Day 3 ... Athena got a Group 4 placement!  WOO HOO!
Day 4 .... a GROUP 2!
YIPPEE! 
Athena (Am Ch. Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour) is actually 1/2 to her Canadian Championship since there were so many terrier breeds represented!

WHEW!  Now I can relax and let this darn flu bug run it's course!  Athena is well on her way to finishing in Canada and will come home sometime soon.  Now, we just need to wait for a couple of more shows. 

My US Specialty Winning girl is clearly catching the attention of some of the Canadian judges, and I'm sure capturing the hearts of the spectators and everyone she meets. :-)  Next summer (hopefully) she will become a mother and a new generation will start!  I'm very excited about what she might produce and very excited about the dog I am planning on breeding her to!

Cross your fingers for us in the middle of March - that's when her next show will be!  That one is connected with the big PURINA / CKC National Championship (in a way, it is sort of like the Canadian equivalent, or want to be, of the US Eukanuba/AKC National).  However, I must tell Doug that if he wants to go to a small show, that's fine with me ... he doesn't have to only go to the big shows where all of the top dogs are!  :-)

So ... fingers crossed for her please!

We're back from New York!

Arrived home REALLY early this morning (3am early ... which is 6am New York time!) ... but, it was a great flight.  I have the early indications of a flu bug and neither of us got much sleep last night.  But, we are home and the weather is GREAT!  Went around and picked up the dogs and puppies today and everyone did really well and by the sounds of it had a blast!  Donny and Dora (our K-See puppies) hung out with a Wire Haired Dachi puppy and a couple of bigger dogs - and when we went to pick them up, Donny and Dora were the only ones NOT barking!  Just hanging out and enjoying the sunshine :-)  Next up - Paisa and Joe at the local kennel (got to enjoy each others company all week) ... they both received A+ marks and are welcome back anytime!  And, just now picked up my Paisa puppies (Monty and Cosmo) from next door - who spent the week running around the acreage with a couple of BIG Bernease Mtn Dogs and MINI Dachi's ... all happy to be home, but all had a grand time away!

Next up is ATHENA!  I'm a bit nervous.  She went to Doug Belters after she finished her American Championship a couple of months ago to make her debut in Canada.  I originally planned to show her myself, but we have a small thing going on here now called the WINTER OLYMPICS!  For a couple of months dog shows have shut down!  So, to take advantage of of the fact that she is ALREADY in great coat, and not to have to keep it up here, along with my puppies and other dogs, Doug (who has access to more shows) was a great choice (especially since he really understands terriers and terrier coats and temperament).  So, while Athena hasn't been in the ring for a couple of months, and even then, she was only in the ring a few weekends since she finished so quickly (starting with her 5 point major at Montgomery!) ... well ... FINGERS CROSSED for the next couple of days for her!

I'm off to take some cold medication, wash dogs and hopefully get some sleep tonight!  Ciao!

What a Birthday!

It's my birthday today and I received some really terrific news!

Parker (Ch Darwyn's Webslinger) got his first Group Placement TODAY - a Group 2 in Arizona (Judge; Linda C. More) - WOW! Next goal ... compete at Eukanuba - the AKC National Championship!

And, Athena (Am Ch Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour), got 2 more AKC majors this weekend and is also now officially finished her American Championship! What a good girl she is :-) Next goal for her is to come back to Canada and get her Canadian title ....

Woo Hoo!

THANK YOU WOOD & JENNY WORNALL AND ANDREW PEEL! Yippee!

WOW! This birthday, which was going to be fairly low key ... I think will have to be one where we go out for dinner!

Parker and Athena BOTH won the Welsh Terrier Club of America Specialty today!

I woke up to some amazing news today! When it first sunk in I screamed so loudly Michael thought something was wrong with one of the puppies or dogs ... but thankfully that wasn't the case. This was good news - VERY good news!

Today is the Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialty, held at Montgomery County Kennel Club (the most prestigious terrier show in the world!). We have 2 welsh entered, both a non-champion dog and a non-champion bitch (Parker and Athena). Our goal? Well, at this prestigious breeder show, our main goal was to have our kennel represented well with dogs that were competitive, and be seriously considered for one of the winners classes (ideally Winners Dog (male) and/or Winners Bitch (female) and if they did, to be competitive for Best of Winners once the champions came in to compete for Best of Breed).

Well - they both were certainly competitive! And, Wood and Jenny Wornall and Andrew Peel, as they do with all of their terriers, conditioned them and presented them beautifully! This is definitely something that has to be done for this level - there are many professional handlers in the Welsh Terrier ring, and all do a marvelous job!

PARKER (Darwyn's Webslinger) won WINNERS DOG & BEST OF BREED!

ATHENA (Darwyn's Herioc Endeavour) won WINNERS BITCH!

I have been told that this is the FIRST time in the Welsh Terrier Club of America history that the BOB, WD AND WB were all owned and bred by the same person! WOW!






Whew!

I am somewhat disappointed that I was not there in person to witness this myself. For the first time in 11 years I missed going to Montgomery. But, I had a very good reason. Haley (Parker AND Athena's mom from 2 different litters) had a litter of 3 healthy boys just over a week ago, and Paisa (Am/Can Ch. Sanherpinc Paisa), my (US) multiple Best in Show bitch had a litter of SIX healthy puppies a couple of days ago.

Well, I guess as I let this all sink in, I will go and cuddle with the puppies and celebrate with Michael tonight!

Go hug your dogs - we will!