Next Victoria Area Welsh Walk - Sept 12/10 - Elk Lake Trails!

If you have a Welsh Terrier and live on Sourthern Vancouver Island, you might just want to check out this fun, and informal, group that gathers a few times a year with their welshies - all are welcome!  Click here for details!
Unfortunately, I will be in the Okanagan at a Dog Show so will not be able to join in on the fun.
If you go - have fun and enjoy - it's a great group that get together!

Sparring anyone? Yes - apparently anyone!

A couple of months ago Michael and I went out for the afternoon to the beaches on the Westside of Vancouver with Parker (Am/Can Ch Darwyn's Webslinger).

It is common for Terriers to spar.  Apparently, so do little white fluffy dogs.  :-)

Today, Parker is in a more 'finished' trim ... this weekend we are off to a Welsh Terrier Specialty (11 Welsh Terriers entered - wow!!!  Majors in both males and females and 3 specials ... one which is Parker :-)  Wish us luck ... Parker just might pick up his first set of US Grand Championship points .... and this is MONTY's first show!  He's my puppy dog (Paisa is his mom) ... fingers crossed that he remembers what we did at handling class and keeps all 4 feet on the ground!  Hopefully someone will get a photo this weekend for me (Michael is going to hold the fort at home) ... my trimming isn't as great as Woody's, but I am hoping that it is considered decent!  Here's a 'fun' photo of him from a few months ago ... he acts so much like "Joe" that sometimes I cannot believe they are not directly related ... I love them all and so proud of them all ... no matter who the judge points to this weekend, I'll be very happy to come home with my guys!

But still ... fingers crossed ... ok?  :-)

Joe is off this weekend - but wish him luck next week in Santa Barbara please! :-)

Who can't resist cute puppies :-)

Here's Scout - the newest addition to the Darwyn Family!

I still plan on putting together a proper blog post, with photos of Scout and the family that she came from ... perhaps after I get back from the upcoming show this weekend in Washington State I'll get some time...  For now, here are a couple of photos that Michael took yesterday when we went for a walk with 10 week old Scout and a friend that will be flying to Oklahoma in a couple of weeks to bring back her sister Gracie!

It looks like Scout has acclimated to BC weather and terrain just fine.  I might even try to do a bit of grooming on her before the next set of photos.  :-)

"We try harder" :-)

The Jul/10 statistics are out - and while a number of Welsh Terriers across the US have had some nice show ring wins, Joe continues to be #2 just behind his sire Spyder!  Not bad for a dog that was playing with puppies at home (without a care from me about his furnishings being wrecked ... acckk!) 6 mths ago, and went to the US as a class dog!  I'm not sure that we'll actually catch the #1 or not (he has a few best in show points ahead of us and a full 5 more months of showing as a 'special' this year).... but maybe..... :-)

Didn't some general (car) advertising build their business on being #2?  They were pretty darn good from what I recall ... check out these top Welsh Terrier US Stats!

What I do know is that Woody (Mr. Wood Wornall) and Joe (Am GCh & Can. Ch. Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That) try pretty darn hard when they are in the ring together to look good ... this ringside candid taken  by Jacky Curry at "Woofstock" earlier this year, or the one with Woody presenting Joe on the table that Michael took from across the ring.

Even when they are clearly waiting in line, they look good!

Intoducing GRAND CHAMPION Joe! GCh & Can Ch Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That!

The AKC on-line store shows that JOE (Am/Can Ch -- now GCh Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That!) is officially a GRAND CHAMPION!

This is no easy feat - as it is ALL about breed competition (for example, his Back-to-Back Group Wins in Carmel last month did not count towards it, since the 2 other Welsh Terriers were absent that day).  And, you can only get Grand Champion Points AFTER you become an AKC Champion!

You need (after you are a champion):
- 25 points (breed) points in total (it's hard finding ANY breed compeitition in California!)
- 3 MAJOR wins and these must be under 3 different judges and at least 1 more judge!
(click here for the specifics)

I am so proud!  Here are a few facts:
- Apr 9, 2010 is Joe's first US show weekend with Wood Wornall (Group 3 from the classes with Michele Billings - no championship points even ... no breed competition)

- Apr 17, 2010 Joe meets other Welsh Terriers and finishes his US championship!  N. California Terrier Association, BW each day, and a BOB over specials!

- Next FOUR weekends, he is shown as a special, wins Group Placements each weekend, but NO other breed competition, so NO Grand Championship points (darn!)

- May 22, 2010 weekend Joe meets other Welsh Terrier competition and STARTS earning Grand Champoinship points!

- Jul 31, 2010 results posted shows that he is officially declared an AKC GRAND CHAMPION!

2 months from his first show as a special with breed competition to being a Grand Champion -- WOW!

Click here for Joe's page!

Parker is on a roll in Canada!

I came home from a very exciting trip to Oklahoma City this past weekend (definitely another blog post!) ... I was evaluating an 8.5 week old litter that Parker (Am/Can Ch. Darwyn's Webslinger) sired (and I am VERY excited about ... but again, another blog post!) ... I picked up Parker from his handlers home last night to learn all about the shows he attended over the last couple of weeks, and really nice wins! The Group 1st and Group 2nd wins means that he continues to be the #1 Welsh Terrier in Canada - in only a handful of show weekends! I know that he enjoys being home, but looking at this candid taken last weekend by Lisa, he clearly enjoys being with Aaron ... it's a very good thing!
And today, Chris of 'Photos Now' sent me a few of Parker's recent win photos (I would have bought more, but it sure does add up quickly!) ... thank you Chris for your super-quick turnaround!

And, now that I know how to do Picasa slide shows, just click here for the full album!

From Parker (Am/Can Ch Darwyn's Webslinger) Canadian Show Photos

I FIXED my Tofino Trip photo slide show!

Remember that cool trip we took earlier this year we did with Monty?  Well, I finally decided to use Picasa (first time - and it was pretty easy - yippee!) and I updated the page, so you can actually SEE the photos now!  :-)

Click here!

Now, I get to experiment with this and get some of my MANY show photos up in a way that it is easy to scroll through!  I might even put a few slide shows on various pages .... stay tuned!

ANOTHER GROUP placement for Joe in California ... 14 weekends out, 13 with Group Wins or Placements!

Almost PERFECT record - WOW!

This past weekend was Joe's (Am/Can Ch.Darwyn's I'm Not Agruing That) 14th weekend being shown in the US (including the shows in April as class dog) - and it was his 13th weekend in getting at least one group placement!

The ONE weekend that he did not get a Group Placement, Joe was awarded an Award of Merit at the breeds's National Specialty!

I received his Back-to-Back Group Win photos from his last show weekend ... they are very nice! :-)
Click here to go to Joe's web page to see them!

By the way - the candid above was taken by my wonderful husband, Michael, while we were down in California for Great Western Terrier Association, June 2010.  I LOVE this dog!

Dremeling dogs nails - it's a good thing :-)

My job tonight was to dremel the dogs nails ... I did 64 toenails tonight - woo hoo!  I try to do this every few weeks, and start very young so most of the dogs are really used to it and just don't mind.  I get questions about this every once in a while, so I thought that I would share some thoughts on the subject.  I know of 2 excellent website resources on this topic, which I am providing below.

The first one (she has Dobermans) has some very detailed explanations about how to do about doing it, and some great pictures showing exactly what she is describing. (click here for the first one).

The second one is a blog written by a Welsh Terrier owner (note, I used to link to an Airedale Terrier blog, which is no longer active, but updated this blog post in 2014 to link to the welsh terrier blog post on this subject).  This also is a very good read on this subject - with lot's of good tips on the subject (and things to consider) - click here for the second one

And, from the DREMEL Owner Manual:

"Nails do not require trimming prior to grinding. Do not hold the grinder in one place while it is in use, as it may cause uneveness and damage the nail. Use a continuous side-to-side motion. Hold the Dremel like a pencil, and firmly hold the foot while grinding the nail. Do not apply force, the Dremel will do the work for you.”

Grover (right) was over last weekend and shortly before this picture was taken, he had his nails done ... he sure looks happy, doesn't he?   He is one of Paisa's boys!