Gracie plays with 3 mth old puppy!

video link here!

Michael and I decided to spend an afternoon with Gracie (Ch. Darwyn's Say Goodnight Gracie) and her owner Sheryl (who of course is loved by many for her radio show - North by Northwest!).  I love the trails alongside the Coquitlam River!  Of course we had to bring someone along so we decided to bring one of our 3 month old (Dora and Joe) puppies.  We weren't exactly sure how 2 year old Gracie would behave (her first time playing with a young puppy) -- nor the puppy as this was his first playtime with an adult welsh that wasn't his dam!
As you can see in this video (click here) - fun was had by all!

If YouTube doesn't let you watch the video because of the music, click here for the boring version without.

I can't wait until we eventually breed Gracie!  She will make an awesome mom !!!

Enjoy the playtime video!

Zorro -- Darwyn's newest champion!

Zorro!

Champion Darwyn Don Diego de la Vega
Multiple Group Winner!

WOW!  WOW!  WOW!

Those of you on Facebook already know Zorro - but for others, this blog will just introduce him ... someday I will do up his own webpage.  He certainly deserves it!
For now - here's the coles notes on this young boy...
Zorro is Darwyn's 24th Champion & 11th Group Winner!  WOW! ...
- 14 months old (just starting to be put into coat and furnishings)

- Sire is MONTY (Am Grand Ch & Can Ch Darwyn Bruhil's Flying Circus), who doesn't yet have his own web page (but will - I promise!) ... Monty was Select Dog at the Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialty at Montgomery 2011 (handled by Wood Wornall), multiple group placements in the US, and his last show was at the AKC National (Eukanuba) where I (Larisa) handled him to an Award of Excellence and Best Bred by.  Before going to Woody, Monty got a number of Group Wins in Canada (owner-breeder handled) - but he's best known for finishing his Championship at Canada's largest show (Lower Mainland Dog Fanciers) by winning the Terrier Group (twice!) and a Reserve Best in Show!!!!

- Dam is DORA.  Dora was also shown at Montgomery 2011 where she got two Winners Bitch 5-point majors, including the day of the National Specialty!

Zorro finished his Canadian Championship with his 2nd Group Win over 2 weekends!  Aaron Andriash showed Zorro to these wins - I just wish that I had been able to watch!  One Group Win was awarded by Mr. Leslie Rogers a few weeks ago.  Zorro's new champion Group Win was just a few days ago at the Vancouver Island Dog Fanciers Association (VIDFA).  The judge was Dr. Richard Meen.  Both are very well known and respected judges.  Dr. Meen is notably seen at Montgomery County every year.

Michael and I are very honoured by these awards.  Thank you!

To see Zorro in action, below is a video that Michael and I took earlier this month when we were looking closer at him (really done for our own evaluation :).  I'm glad that we decided to see if he liked the inside of a dog show ring -- apparantely Zorro is very happy to be there with Aaron!
Click here for the video with music (not viewable in some countries)

Click here for the video without music (boring, but viewable everywhere including mobile devices!)

Zorro will only be shown sparingly - as, of course, our main focus this year is JOE!  And, sice Joe is one of Canada's top 10 dogs amongst all breeds (again for 2012 just as he was for 2011!!!) and the #1 Terrier in Canada (!!!!!), it doesn't make sense for us to special multiple boys against each other.  So - Zorro will be back - not sure when, but he will be!

Setting the Right Pace in Stressful Moments

I regularly read Emma's blog - she has Welsh Terrier Miles (a male) and does a lot with him!  I think the link below is an interesting read with some great tips on working with your new puppy or dog!
Click here to read the blog article by Emma!

Lighthouse Park Adventure with 9 week old puppies!

Michael and I had an adventure today at one of my favorite places in Vancouver - Lighthouse Park!  We decided to take a couple of our 9.5 week old puppies with us.  Click here to read more about this and see a few pictures!

Gracie gets to play with an Airedale!

Gracie (Ch Darwyn's Say Goodnight Gracie), who is co-owned with my friend Sheryl MacKay (host of the CBC radio program North by Northwest) went to see her groomer the other day (Elaine Hu).  Before any serious grooming started - fun was had by all!  And by all, we mean Gracie, Airedale Jaffa and everyone that gets to watch this video!
Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-0UUFV3Zs0&feature=youtu.be

Gracie is a "Parker" daughter that was born in Oklahoma!  Parker got out of quarantine a few days ago and has settled in very well with his new family in Sydney Australia.  Parker will be selectively shown in Australia by Sonya Cornick.  We wish them a lot of fun and hope the Aussie's like them!

Parker has arrived in Australia!

Parker (BIS/BISS Am & Can Ch. Darwyn's Webslinger) has arrived safe and sound in Australia!  He is now co-owned with a wonderful friend, Mrs. Sonya Cornick of Sydney in Australia.  Michael and I hope to visit this beautiful country sometime over the next couple of years.  If you want to follow them, I have created a webpage and I will try to keep it updated (click here).
Big hugs to my Montgomery Best of Breed winning boy!  I hope you have fun in both the show ring and playing on the beaches!
Click here to get some more pictures and story about Parker with Sonya Down Under!

Dora & Joe had puppies!

We are very excited to announce that Dora (Am Ch Darwyn's Dora the Explorer) recently gave birth to 6 healthy puppies!  Dora is our girl that won Winners Bitch at the Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialty at Montgomery County Kennel Club (PA, Oct/11).  She hasn't hit the show rings in Canada (yet), but when she eventually does, I'm sure we will have some fun!
The sire of this litter is our dog Joe - Multi Best in Show and Best in Specialty Show Grand Champion Am. & Can Ch. Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That (who this weekend, got a HAT TRICK - 3 shows and 3 Group Wins -- WOW!).
We will place a couple of these boys in companion pet homes when they are 9 or 10 weeks old, but I am thinking that we might just grow up a few of these guys to see how they will look.
Everyone is doing very well - plump and happy and growing very nicely.  And mom .... well, she LOVES being a mom.  Dora is one of the best!
Click here to read more about this litter!

Older female puppy now available

Recently we decided to place a 12 month old girl into a companion pet home.  Click here for a video we took a couple of months ago. 
Roxi is active, but settles down when she is one-on-one.  Please contact me if you might be interested at larisa@hotchin.net
*Apr 5, 2012 update -- Roxi is in an awesome home!  Thank you everyone for your interest in this sweet girl who is full of kisses -- all the time!* :)

2012 Custom Darwyn Calendar now available!

Joe! 
MBISS/MBIS GCh Am & Can Ch. Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That
Order yours here!

I have included a few puppy photos from Joe and Paisa's litter born in July 2011, some of Jessie who is from Dora's litter that was sired by Monty in March 2011, one of Gracie who is, of course, a Parker daughter, some of Grover (Monty's brother from Paisa's first litter), Monty is back on the beach and I have snuck one show photo in - Dora at the National Specialty in PA in Oct/11 where she won 2 days!  And, of course, some stunning photos of my boy Joe !  I tried to keep show pictures to a min in the calendar, since I see so many show pictures all year round! 

Anyone can order one (click here) - so if you want to, go ahead. I know it is early - but here's hoping that 2012 is a good year all round for all of my friends and family!

I can't wait to do the 2013 Darwyn Calendar!

Introducing DORA! Am Ch. Darwyn's Dora the Explorer - my 23rd Champion!

NEW Am Ch Darwyn's Dora the Explorer!
Bred/Owned:  Larisa Hotchin
Handled by:  Wood & Jenny Wornall & Andrew Peel (CA, USA)
Montgomery County (WTCA) 2011 - Winners Bitch (5 pts)
Hatboro 2011 - Winners Bitch (5 pts)
California & Arizona (Oct/Nov 2011) - WB x 4 to finish her Am. Ch.!

Dora is Darwyn's 23 champion - of which 16 are also American Champions (remember, I live and primarily show in Canada) AND she is my 12th Welsh Terrier to win Winners or higher at a Welsh Terrier Club of America Specialty! 

For a relatively small kennel, I am shocked at these numbers, given that I got my first bitch in 1999 - a very nice bitch from Saredon Kennels in England.

I haven't written much about Dora, and realistically haven't written much this year on this blog at all (and even less on my main website!  Yikes!).  Bad... 2012 resolution coming up! 
I have written a couple of posts about Dora's beautiful litter whelped in Mar/11 (puppies & lead training).

A couple of mths after the puppies were born, I was playing with her and thought that she would be one that I would really like to see in competition at Montgomery ... so, I stripped off her jacket (and most of her furnishings, which were really beaten up by puppies) and off Michael and I go to the local parking lot, video camera in hand.  I sent the video to my handlers in California (Wood & Jenny Wornall) and ask if they would be interested in showing her this year at Montgomery?
Fast forward to October 2011, the next time I see Dora is when she is in the open bitch, then the Winners Bitch line-up at Hatboro I with Andrew Peel, under Terrier breeder expert judge, Mrs. Connie Clark .... I know I am biased, but Dora looked amazing!  Correct size for the breed and was one of the welshiest looking bitches in the ring (well her and her 1/2 sister who was the #1 Welsh Terrier in the US - Ch Bruhil's First Lady), and another darwyn bred bitch (Ch Darwyn Esmeralda in Sanperpinc) who was WB, to finish, at Devon. 

Then Dora was pointed to!  Her first time shown in breed competition and her first points -- at a WTCA specialty!  WOW!

On Montgomery County day (the WTCA National Specialty), first off her 6 month old daughter, Jessie, wins her puppy class (!!!!wow!!!!) with her co-owner Jane Erdman handling (and doing a lovely job!) and then Dora wins the Open Class, then Winners Bitch!  In the end of the day, Monty (Am/Can Ch. Darwyn Bruhil's Flying Circus) was also pointed to for the Grand Championship Select Dog Points 3 out of the 4 days (including Montgomery day) and an Award of Merit the other day, Dora was Winners Bitch 2 out of the 4 days, and Monty's sister (Emme) was Winners Bitch one of the days!  WOW!

The Montgomery Day wins (Jessie, Dora, Monty) were very special to me.  The judge, Mrs. Carole Beattie from Florida, is a well-respected judged, long-time Welsh Terrier breeder (owned and bred some of the best!).  This day Wood Wornall was able to make the welsh ring and show her.  Mrs. Beattie's nod in the direction for my breeding program (Monty and Dora both bred and raised and trained here and Jessie - their daughter), at an extremely well-attended and competitive show, made me want to cry. 

2011 will be a year at Montgomery that I will never ever forget - and Dora, whom just had puppies recently, wasn't even on the schedule to attend but a few months earlier.

Trophies & Ribbons received from WTCA on Montgomery County Show Day (National Specialty)
Monty (Am/Can Ch Darwyn Bruhil's Flying Circus) = Grand Ch. Select Dog Award!
Dora (New Am Ch Darwyn's Dora the Explorer) = Winners Bitch AND Award of Merit!
Jessie (Darwyn Jesterr's Holding Court) = 1st place in 6-9 puppy class!

I am so happy that I did that parking lot video tape, that Woody & Jenny wanted to show her, that they were able to get her into such awesome condition, and that the judges (and my peers, other exhibitors and friends from all over the world that were there watching!) were so positive towards her, and saw the quality in her that I saw when she was just a baby puppy. 

Dora being handled on Montogmery Weekend by Wood Wornall
New Am Ch Darwyn's Dora the Explorer

Thank you.

We are thrilled with her successful (but very short) US career...
... looking forward to showing her in Canada (even if it is just to finish her CH) ...

... we are happy she is home now. 

This picture, taken an hour after she got home tonight shows how quickly she settled back into home routine.  :-)