Norwegian Buhund

Breed Notes 19th January 2017 Margaret Deuchar

NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS

Buhund owners have as usual been out and about doing things with their dogs. I received the following a few days ago from Lisa Strong who with her Loki Snowflake are in our Obreedience team but as you see have other talents.

“Loki and I belong to the Rosie Green Agility Club which is run by Jacky Orriss in Burwell Cambridgeshire. Sunday 14th January was our delayed Christmas Party (snow in December had forced us to postpone this event). There is always a Fancy Dress Competition for the dogs. This year’s theme was mythical creatures. I decided to dress Loki as a Bantha from Star Wars, as this would also work for the 70’s New Year Party I attended. Much to our delight Loki won first place and was awarded a big box of dog treats. Outfits were then removed from the dogs so that they could run more easily in the competitions. After a bit of stage fright and an elimination due to going to the toilet mid run! Loki managed to get a 6th place rosette for a Triple A and a Special rosette for steeplechase. A fun day was had by all.” I have great admiration for anyone who does fancy dress; I do not have any imagination for it, never mind the ability to make costumes.

It is often said it is a small world. Back in 1992 I had my first Buhund Okie who later was to become Ch/Ir Ch Wolfen Just in Time. At the time we were showing horses but as I had joined the Buhund club, a show schedule came through the door and I thought it would be fun to go, so daughter Debbie and I headed off to Newark on show day. How that went is another story but daughter Debbie at the time had a rescue crossed breed puppy, she had come home with from a Dressage competition as you do!  Apart from competing her horse and doing Landrover trials with her boyfriend at that time, she thought she would also like to compete with her puppy, obviously showing was out so she thought about agility. A friend told me about a local agility club she had seen advertised in a shop window. Debbie went along and it was run by Jacky Oriss, they became great friends and I am sure helped Debbie to her lasting love of agility, for some years now she has competed most summer weekends, I am sure many of you also know that she is now a manager at the KC of the Canine Activities Dept which of course includes agility. Jacky’s dad also had a Buhund for many years who I had rescued from appalling conditions, so yes, it is a small world.

Also doing agility at the weekend was Sarah Stonton taking Jack (Arnscroft In Di Ana Jack) to an agility workshop on the Saturday preparing him to start competing. The following day she took Loxy (Trelowen Andrea) to compete at DBDT agility show, held at Anvil Park Stud show Jumping & Equestrian Events Centre Larling Norwich. They had a good day just missing out on a couple of clear rounds with just 5 faults in each class.

On the Sunday Debbie and I took Fizz (Ch/Bel Ch Tonylynn’s Charles Lafitte R1EX) down to Elham nr Folkestone in Kent for his first Rally practice, he and Debbie will be competing at Crufts in the area Rally competition. It was a long day starting at 10am and finishing at 4pm. It was nice to meet the other team members as the dogs had been chosen from 4 tryout days, and there was only one dog from the try out day we had attended. In Rally you start will a score of 200 and have marks taken off for mistakes and although you are competing against yourself so to speak, there are in a normal competitions 6 places so the round is also timed, so if there are equal scores the fastest round wins. There is also a bonus you can do if you wish for extra marks. On Sunday the trainer concentrated on making sure everyone knew the signs that are used to indicate the course and on how you command your dog, as you are only allowed one verbal command and one command using your body. It was very interesting as so often you do not realise how many commands you do use. Fizz rather enjoys the practising as there are more treats!

Margaret Deuchar  margaretdeuchar@gmail.com  02089542954

The views expressed in Margaret’s Breed Notes are hers and hers alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Buhund Club of the UK