Regional News

Yesterday we were playing in someone else's playground as we attended a Regional with Zavi. His class was "Baby Short Coat Male" and the boy did us all proud.

It was an early start for Zavi as I left home at 5.15am. His breakfast was in the van for him and he'd scoffed it before we got through the gate. Beti came with us for moral support – and we picked Jackie up in Groeslon. We met up with Thelmas and Louise, Errr Jane and Sarah just off the M6, everyone picking up their coffee and/or running to the loo. (Apart from me as I always bring my own flask - for the tea! 😁)

It was like a summer's day in Ellistown and we were there in good time for Zavi to see it all before judging started. He had a mooch around with Beti and as I stood looking around, I remembered a baby Ross arriving here for the first time, and I remembered the mud, OMG the mud! 

There were four baby puppy classes, 2 for females and 2 for males, between 4 and 6 months. The largest class was L/C female, with only one in S/C female, how I wished Kate had been there. After a panic from my backup team – 2 of them came to get me, as they thought all the baby puppies were going in together – I faffed and fumbled and ended up ring-side with a puppy I hadn't even brushed. Thankfully they had misunderstood, and we had plenty of time to watch the other 3 classes. 

Reacher, Zavi's brother (Blue Collar), was in the Baby puppy L/C class. Like Zavi he'd had no training for this kind of showing, but other than being a little loud, he did really well. He was VP2. He is a big-boned, heavy pup with so much potential; he is no taller than Zavi but has a huge frame, with luck and good fortune, I'm sure he'll grow into a very impressive male. 

Zavi was "abandoned" with Jane before his class, and when Mandy came to take him in, even from the other side of the ring, I saw the absolute confusion on his face. There was nothing for it; I had to leg it round and walk out in front of him till he got the hang of it ... and he did! He was pulling out a little too hard at times I guess, (maybe a different collar will help?), but he wasn't bothered by the puppy in front or behind him. Well done Zavi - VP2 as well. (VP-Very Promising - the highest grade that can be given to a puppy - and 2nd in the class) The German judge gave him a lovely critique, the negatives being that he doesn't hold his wither height, which I see and I agree with, but he also said his pigment wasn't great. Well, I beg to differ; actually, he has great pigment. Maybe the judge meant something else was not pleasing to his eye and got his words mixed up? Possible, isn't it? The puppy pulled out as the winner was only 10 days short of 6 months, making him look much more like the finished picture than Zavi and the 3rd pup, he had also obviously received much more training... a nice puppy, but looking back at the videos, something wasn't quite right! 

The journey home was fun, it's great to travel with someone who manages to eat more than you do, it's great to feel a little bit more positive, it's great to have a van like this to drive, and it's great to have spent time with Thelma and Louise. We missed Owen and Linda - but hopefully next time we can all be together again. 

During the day I saw some beautiful dogs, but I also saw one of the worst I've ever seen at a show. Surely someone close to them should tell them? If it were me, I hope someone would tell me!