Ordinary People

No matter how many times I see a gathering of Ridgebacks it's always a spectacular sight. Mostly because these are large dogs, often in excess of 70 pounds each and they have often been raised alone with the responsibility of socializing left to the owner. Not everyone who owns a large breed is conscientious about making sure their dog knows canine and human social cues but fortunately people like that do not seem to exist among those who attend our Ridgeback walks!

Here is the whole group of 17 Ridgebacks and their people.

Sometimes it seemed as though there were more people than dogs but with my four the numbers were in the dog's favour. What kind of crazy person takes four dogs to a Ridgeback walk? This kind:

What makes the experience so enjoyable, besides the dogs and the scenery, is the owners. This was such a good group of people from various backgrounds, ages and life experience who simply share a common obsession ... the dogs. What I particularly like about gatherings like this, as opposed to dog shows, is that there is no agenda, no competition, and no feeling that down the road anything you say can and will be used against you.

At the end of the walk, while all the dogs slipped into unconsciousness in the warmth of their respective vehicles, we owners all gathered at a nearby fish and chips shop to chat about what else ... the dogs. There is always an endless supply of chat about our favorite subject!

Of course, regardless of the setting the dogs are just there to have fun and for 3 hours on a Saturday in November ... that is all they did!

The Cannonball Run

After yesterday's day of non-activity today's planned adventures were a welcome dose of fun. We were up early to head down to Martinique Beach which is about 2 hours south of me and about an hour east of Halifax. We arrived in good time to find several Ridgebacks already accounted for - here's a pictographic look at our day. I will add more photos of the rest of the gang tomorrow so I don't flood the blog with dozens of photos. I'll try to remember everyone's name but make no promises!

The beach is about a mile long, flat and looks out on the ocean, the actual ocean, not the Northumblerland Strait that I usually see.

Archer was a little overwhelmed at times. He hasn't had the same kid of socialization that my other dogs enjoyed because we don't have a populated dog park to meet and greet in. He held his own though and was a very good little boy.

One of the rules is if you give out treats you need to have enough for all the dogs near you. Considering there were 17 Ridgebacks on this walk it was an impressive feat to try to ensure no one got left out!

Halo was the social butterfly of the group. She spent most of her time cozying up to all the people(forget the dogs) and mooching treats and bum scratches whenever she had the chance.

Raimi spent his time keeping an eye out for me and thinking 'gurl'. Initially I was carrying The Boy's coat but at the end of the walk, when they were slowing down and getting a bit chilled, I put it on him. I realize now that when I bought it(too large) for him at 10 months old I under estimated how big he'd actually become so now I need to get a bigger coat for him and make this Archer's coat. Anyone want to hazard a guess what is going through Halo's mind as she watches this dog play in the surf?

Leeloo, as ever, was the enigma. She spent almost her entire time running. Run run run chase chase chase. I never really knew where she was at a given time since it changed so quickly. The
only time she stood still was when she was getting a treat. Tomorrow I'll post more photos of more dogs we met today. There were so many(and many more photos) I need to sort them and figure out how to group them!

Cabin Fever

Today has been wet, cold and blustery and the dogs have actively campaigned to have me build a quancet in the backyard in which to play and stay dry while doing so. Every few hours I shoved their butts out the door but unless they really had to 'use the facilities' they just stood gazing up at the window looking morose. They recently had their dinner and have given up trying to amuse themselves so are now ensconced on the couch and dog beds. Where do I sit? Why, on that little corner of pillow of course.

Bird on a wire

Sometimes you get stuck in a 'same old' routine but on the days you venture beyond your comfort zone you just might find something you never suspected. Today we turned left instead of right.

We started our walk just like always heading along the boardwalk to the beach. Halo paused to wait for me. I love how the clouds in the background look painted on, you can't buy that kind of scenery unless you're on the set of The Wizard of Oz. Not to be outdone, Leeloo also paused for dramatic effect. It's unfortunate she can't pull off regal the same way Halo can. And neither dog can hold a candle to what we encountered further down the beach. The sand became seaweed and then became rocky shoreline. As we got closer to where the coast curves around a cliff my eye was caught by a crow hassling a Very Large Bird perched at the top of a haggard looking tree. I have seen several Bald Eagles around here but none this close. It stared very hard at me and the dogs as we passed beneath it.

It must have decided we were too much to tolerate and took off down the coast closely followed by a crow which hassled it in mid-air for some way. Can't blame the crow really, Bald Eagles eat pretty much anything the same size or smaller than they are.
For the record the dogs were not impressed by the eagle. However, it was the first eagle I've seen this close up and I can't believe how big they are. If I had a small dog I would have been tempted to pick it up or at least put it on lead!

The Goonies

As always after a dog show weekend the dogs feel a bit batty since they haven't had a really good run for a few days in a row. Unless I do something about that they start to make me and each other crazy. We went for a nice long walk on Monday when it was sunny and there was a nice brisk breeze. It keeps the dogs cool and gives them a chance to run out all the sillies since they are unlikely to over heat or need a break. In the trees the wind is considerably less so I tried to stick to the sheltered pathways more for my own comfort than theirs however we did venture along a path I'd only been along once before and they just loved the new animal trails to follow.

It's only two weeks until Halo goes to live with Pia in Quebec and I'm trying to get as much attention in as possible. She doesn't know it but her life is about to improve considerably ... and I happen to think it's already pretty darn good now!

Archer will be a constant reminder of Halo since I keep mistaking him for her. He is about her height now and has several of the same habits so it will be like Halo never left.

Leeloo could not get enough of the high weeds that we found at the bottom of a field. She got Archer to chase her and play but they kept losing each other. Any wonder?

Raimi spent most of his time with his nose to the ground. It makes me nervous when he gets that intense 'on the tail' look in his eye because the nose turns on and the ears turn off.

Something about this photo makes me think Leeloo doesn't really exist on the same etheric plane as the rest of us. The term 'ether' was adopted from ancient Greek philosophy and science into Victorian physics and has also been used to correspond to akasha, the 'fifth element' of Hindu metaphysics.

Coincidence? I think not.

White Noise

Sunday at the show in Charlottetown was a much better affair than Saturday. Based on the previous show's results I didn't have a lot of hope that the placings would change much so I entered the ring with Archer and Leeloo with a philosophical outlook. At least I knew that my dogs were behaving, well conditioned, and ready for the show ring. All the things I can control I had well in hand.

Archer lost his class again but I suspect very few judges would be able to see Archer past the huge puppy he's competing against. My mom took a video of the two of them moving together and there isn't much difference except size and visual maturity. However, he showed like a little star, stood stock still to be examined and seems very cheerful and up all the time which makes showing him an absolute pleasure. For a 7 month old puppy I am extremely pleased with his progress and looking forward to allowing him to mature into the dog I know he'll become.

Leeloo and I then entered our class and as usual she was a good girl, stood nicely, stacked beautifully and gaited, of course, flawlessly. The judge then awarded us first since we were the only one in our class . Before the ring steward could call us back in for Winners Bitch the judge opened his CKC Book of Standards and flipped through to the Ridgeback. It took me about a millisecond to guess what he was looking up.

I said to the other junior puppy bitch exhibitor that the judge was checking the book ... probably reading up on the amount of acceptable white. After a few moments he called us in. We went through the paces again and what do you know? Leeloo gets the point! The judge was Alan Bennett and must have considered that Leeloo's (exceptionally sound) movement trumped her white enough to award her the point. She didn't get Best of Winners but I'm not complaining!

Rather than be concerned about a judge who checks the standard I appreciate the fact that they are confident enough to look it up. If they like the dog but have questions about finer details I'd rather they double check than guess. The standard is not extremely specific about white, just excessive white on the chest and above the paws is considered undesirable. Leeloo has white feet and although is does slightly extend beyond her paws it does not create a 'sock' effect. Most Ridgebacks today have a white chest patch and it can often make a dog lacking depth and fill in the chest (between the front legs) appear as though it has those virtues. It can also accentuate the fill and depth of a dog that already has it. It's no secret I like the white and think breeders who have none at all or are attempting to eliminate it completely are doing the breed a disservice. It's in the genes for a reason.

If Leeloo was not an exceptionally sound and typey Ridgeback I would not have considered bringing her to Canada but since she is what I consider one of the soundest(and prettiest) Ridgebacks I've ever seen I decided to take a chance. I love that little maniac like the dickens and am confident that she is one of the best and brightest!

From Hell

Ever have a story to tell and you're not quite sure where to begin? Some say it's best to begin at the beginning so I will.



After the show on Friday we were exhausted and just wanted some sleep. During the evening the guy in the room next door was making a bunch of noise, crashing around, talking to himself and obviously drunk. A short time later his buddies arrived to pick him up and I had dubious thoughts about his arrival back to the motel. Sure enough at 3:30am he stumbled in, made some incredible crashing noises, hummed on & off and talked to himself for about 20 minutes and then mercifully passed out. My sleep, however, had been disturbed and I knew I'd lost at least an hour which means I might as well as have stayed up all night. To top it off we also had to be at the show by 8:30am for the Puli judging. Saturday did not make a good start.



The Ridgebacks were judged at about 12:30 and then a couple hours later the Puli (Holmes, who is in my opinion an excellent Puli) was in a herding group specialty. So already it's been a long day for the dogs and it wasn't anywhere near over. When we first arrived in Nova Scotia and took Leeloo to her first show she won 2 Hound Puppy groups but was the only entry so it was by default - however her 'wins' qualified her to enter the special top puppy awards to be held at this dog show on the Saturday night. I likely would not have entered her if not for her Best Puppy in Show win but thought, what the hell, it could be fun. Famous Last Words.



Saturday morning I was looking for some information about the process and procedure for the awards event that night. I found a person of knowledge who gave me brief over view (after interrupting my question to take someone else's who'd come up behind me - someone she knew well I assume - what's a rude interruption for a buddy?). The over view included the phrases 'belly dancer', 'parade', 'participaction'(yes that is correct), and my personal favorite 'I'm still working on the exact procedure' and thus ended the interview with a shrug and pleasant smile. It's safe to say I had a bad feeling.



Throughout the day I kept checking to see if any more information had come out. Still nothing. So there we are, done judging for the day, it's about 3:30pm and Best in Show has just been completed. Now what? We did find a schedule of sorts tacked to a pillar and had a read through. Okay, Leeloo was in with a few other hounds in ring 3 of the second rotation. Fair enough.



What should have happened was this; as soon as Holmes was done in the Herding Specialty we go for dinner and then return. Sadly, we erroneously assumed that things would move along and we'd be able to grab dinner right after the awards. See, when you are used to a certain standard of organization in an event you come to expect it to be universal but that was not the case. When that is not the case your fuse is considerably shortened, and coupled with lack of food, lack of sleep and concern for the young show dogs who have been waiting all day for what is starting to look like a disaster ... you can get a bit tetchy.



During the day I had covered the expen to block out as much noise as possible so that the dogs could sleep and relax since I knew it would be a long day for them. I let them out for walks and pee time throughout the day and they were holding up quite well, but there is only so much you can expect from baby show dogs. I could tell the day was wearing on them even before 5pm.



So there we were, waiting. And waiting. So I headed up to see what was going on. I was told, and this is where my frustration level peaked, that the judges had left and once they returned we'd get started. Why did my frustration level peak you might ask? Because I found out that the three all breed judges at these awards were the same three judges who had ALL awarded Leeloo last of three. WTF? If I had known this the odds of me entering would have been less than zero.



I also found out that the other judges were all local people, a couple handlers, and well known and loved long time breeders. So ... everyone entered was buddies with the people judging? In what universe is that fair and unbiased judgement? And just who is that crazy chick showing the Ridgeback with 'excessive white'? At that time I also picked up my armband number and show catalogue which was strangely laid out and didn't offer any explanation as to how the dogs are judged, what the process was, what the procedure was or ... anything.



But I am getting ahead of myself. We waited, and waited and waited and an hour later than was promised some inappropriately loud music started playing while a woman did no less than 4 belly dance routines in the dog show ring. I'll let that image set a while.



Hmmmhmmmhhmmmmm ...



So after that weirdness they started to introduce all the judges who hated my dog. And they didn't just introduce the judges, they read their life stories, like ... paragraphs of it. All. Nine. Judges. I think it easily took 25 minutes. So then we had the parade of whatevers and finally entered the ring one group at a time. As we exited the ring we got our 'participaction' ribbons (for those people who do not know what Participaction is - it's a decades old well known Canadian TV segment about getting active - I'm sure she meant participation but let's face it, I am currently not of a mind to let that silly error slip by) and then the real torture began.



We stood around and waited, actually we sat with Leeloo and listened to Archer yell his head off, to see what the ring procedure would be. So for each group there were three judges; one all breed, one permit and one breeder judge. Each judge would have a clipboard, go over the dogs, move the dogs and then mark down their scores. At the end the scores are tallied and the winner is determined. Yes, this will take some time.



However, it appeared that each set of judges was left to their own ring procedure and they took a few minutes deciding amongst themselves how to do it. Why wasn't ring procedure established the first 8 times this event has been held? And then explained to the judges? It was beyond frustrating to be sitting there watching this play out. So the first rotation was finally completed and the dogs all left the ring. Then there was a flurry of activity while the judges were rotated. Holy shit WHY? To add more time to an already torturous experience? After the new rotation began it occurred to us ... when do you find out the results? So I went to ask.



I was told that after ALL the judging was completed the dogs would be asked back into the ring and placement would be announced. At the end? How freakin' long is this going to take???? It's safe to say my opinion of this development was written all over my face when I was updated. It's also safe to say I was millimetres away from just leaving. Leeloo was exhausted, my mom had to hold Archer because he was freaking out and trying to get out of his expen waaaaaaay over on the side of the building, my mom and I were starving, and we were so sick of being there.



So we finally get into the ring, it took eons to complete the judging as 3 judges had to go over 8 dogs but we finally left the ring. I put Leeloo back in her pen and I decided we'd load the van while the balance of judging was completed so that when we were done we could just leave. So we packed the the van, left Archer and Leeloo in the expen to nap, and then went back to see how far along the judging was. We waited for a bit longer and then finally the last group of dogs was done.



But wait, what's this? They changed their minds at the last minute and decided to hold all the awards in one ring so spent a few minutes moving all the prizes set up there to another ring. More time wasted. Then they started calling the winners in at long last. I went to get Leeloo when I thought it was our turn but no such luck as we had to wait through three more groups.



We finally headed into the ring - there were several tired and annoyed glances from one exhibitor to another - brothers in arms one could say. Leeloo looked at me like -are you friggin' kidding me? Again? Thankfully I didn't forget to pack Forgone Conclusion. I said to the other Ridgeback exhibitor that I have never wished so much to not win something. The announcer read out a number that no one had. Then she flipped through papers and read out another number no one had. Then she flipped through again and reread out the first wrong number. Pause. Finally a number that made sense was announced and they lead up to first place. We left the ring empty handed - no surprise there - and without a backward glance gathered up the balance of our stuff and left.



We wanted to grab a quick bite to eat at the Smitty's we'd seen on the way to the show but ... it was closed at 9pm on a Saturday night. What fresh hell is this? So we made it a Wendy's night and headed back to the motel to eat, relax and pass out.



Leeloo was, in a word, completely comatose. Archer was not far behind. For my part I know how we could have handled the evening better; eaten, more restful sleep, and to be more prepared for what was coming. However, I was furious at the toll it took on the dogs. It was totally unfair to expect these young dogs to listen to the loud music, spend hours upon hours at a dog show and endure this disorganized mess. Sure, I know I entered her and didn't have to, but my expectations for a well run event were not completely delusional and I thought we'd be out of there before 7pm, no problem.



Now, the often repeated phrase after things like this is 'Why don't you do it yourself if you think you can do so much better?" Well, yes, I do think I can do it better and I have ALL kinds of suggestions how - most of them are in this blog entry. My mom has several of her own and she wasn't even entered. I can't think of a single thing about the evening I enjoyed. Really. Not one thing. It was an all round disaster. I am simply happy it's over and will never enter it again.



Saturday, October 31, 2009 now holds the top position in worst dog show experiences ever. I do want to send out a huge thank you to my mom who endured this fiasco at every moment right by my side without a single complaint about being there for Leeloo's entry. I am also so very proud of Leeloo for being such a good girl and Archer ... well, he was just a naughty little shit.