NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
As you know the very popular Bu Bumbles are held all around the country, these are where Buhund owners and their friends can meet up and walk their dogs together. Below Lisa writes about the most recent one she organised.
‘It had been quite a few months since there had been a Cambridgeshire Buhund Bumble, but finally in September we managed to arrange one back at one of our popular venues of Hinchingbrooke Park,
chosen partly because there is a solid path round the lake, this enabled me to take a dog stroller
with me in case my Buhund Loki needed it, as he has had some mobility issues lately. Paul and Sue with their Buhund Ulfric and Klee Klai Amka travelled down from near Yarm, a couple of Buhunds from Nottingham travelled with their respective owners and Rima and Chris with their Buhund Loki and Elkhound Elkie travelled from London to join in. In total we had 8 Buhunds (6 wheaten and 2 black), a Klee Klai, a Spaniel, a Sprocker, an Elkhound and a Cavapoo. The Buhunds were Loki, Eris, Ruby, Otto, Peanut, Toby, Loki and Ulfric. Eris, Ruby, Otto and Peanut are related to each other so it was a bit of a family gathering too – Ruby is Eris’s daughter and Otto and Peanut’s mum is Eris’s sister. Once everyone had arrived, introductions were made and it was quickly established that all the dogs would get along with each other. We all set off on the path to the lake and once we were past the puppy school that was having an outdoor session there, some of the dogs were let off lead and Eris eagerly led the way over the bridge and straight into the water! The dogs happily splashed around before bounding out the water and continuing around the path. The dogs ranged from 11 months to 10 years and as we all walked along, we swapped stories on Buhund ‘teenagehood’ that a couple of the youngsters were going through. Towards the end of the walk there was a great spot for the dogs to have a good swim. It was great to see all the breeds getting along and playing with each other, chasing each other about and dashing after the sticks that were thrown into the water and racing each other back. Happily, my Loki only needed a short spell in his stroller (which is still new to him and he is not the biggest fan of yet). For a change we had no dogs chasing off after squirrels or ducks so it was all quite relaxed. As the walk concluded we headed for the café and grabbed some hot drinks, the dogs all settled down under the tables and a few fell asleep. As we got to the carpark, a few of us decided to go to a dog friendly riverside pub/restaurant and after grabbing some outside seats settled down for a good meal in great company. The Buhunds, Spaniel, Elkhound and Klee Klai arranged themselves so they could chill but also ensure we were aware that they were there. The food was tasty and reluctantly we all said goodbye and headed our separate ways’ Thanks Lisa sounds very enjoyable always.
Brenda & Tony Bethell moved to Eire in 2018 and recently announced that they retiring their Freya, so I asked Brenda to write about her Heart Dog, who has had such a successful show career and who was the first and still is still the only Buhund Bitch to gain her Int Ch title by travelling to Europe. Below Brenda tells her story.
‘Freya came into our lives two years after my full-time retirement. I was 65 and had enjoyed going to dog shows with our Doberman, Ruzuna Precious Princess. Little did we dream of what the next years would bring us. We have travelled hundreds of miles across Europe and to all four corners of the UK enjoying well over 170 days in the company of like-minded people. At our very first show dog we were somewhat naïve in our handling skills, but she taught us so much with helpful hints from fellow exhibitors along the way. She was and still is feisty, food oriented, full of personality and just our Freya. She only had one litter back in November 2015 with five boys and one girl, our Ella, who has achieved more in the show ring than her mum being an Irish and International Champion, the 2019 Annual Champion and has amassed 6 CACIBs and 22 Green Stars: – I am told you breed to improve, this is certainly true in our case. At the age of 8 we had planned for Freya to enter a few shows to see if we could gain her Irish Veteran Champion Title and then came Covid 19. So, a two-year delay meant she was over 9 before the shows were running again here in Ireland but she did it! Although she still enjoys going to shows-perhaps it is just the treats! – we have decided that it is time for her to take a bow, to retire and to just be a pet again. There have been so many firsts for this special Norwegian Buhund.1st Show Dog: – 1st CC winner for Minforst: – Dam to the 1st Minforst litter: – 1st UK bred and based (at the time) Bitch International Champion: – 1st Irish Champion for us:- 1st Norwegian Buhund to gain the Irish Veteran Title. Our Freya has been awarded a mass of titles and we are so proud of her. From very raw and newbie beginning she is registered with the Irish Kennel Club as ‘Luxembourg /International/Irish Champion Arnscroft Glad Di Ola at Minforst (GB)Luxembourg Junior Champion, Irish Veteran Champion, Centenary Veteran Winner *(tbc)’.
Thank you to everyone who has helped to make his journey possible and especially a big ‘Thank You’ to Di Stirling for allowing us to have this wonderful girl to share our lives.’ Thank you, Brenda, what a fantastic Buhund Freya is, I am sure she will have a long and happy life in retirement.
Eire shows are run by the Irish Kennel Club which is affiliated to the FCI, Green Stars are the equivalent of our CCs and you need 7 Green stars for a dog to become an Irish Champion awarded under 7different judges. CACIBs are only awarded at the big international shows and go towards the FCI title of International Champion. Only dogs which have been awarded ‘Excellent’ in Intermediate, Open, Working or Champion classes can be considered for the CACIB.
Pastoral Day at South Wales Kennel Association Ch show was Saturday the 8th October .The show used to be held in July in a venue just off the M4, but one wet summer the venue flooded so badly that at the last minute the show had to be moved to the Newbury Showground, to make sure that did not happen again the KC gave permission for the show to be held on the Royal Welsh showground at Builth Wells in October.(which was the only date available ).Without CCs and in October this has meant that usually the show has been attended only by those living in the West Country and Wales. The breed judge was Felicity Snook who gives CCs in three terrier breeds. There was a small entry but all the dogs present had a RCC and dogs bred by Sue Crocker won all the Green and White cards, so a great day for her Leggatts Kennel. BOB BB & BP was her Leggatts Jive Takin (Noodle) by Sturtmoor Floki x Leggatts Voulex Vous, Noodle was handled as usual by Jasmine Freeborn. RBB was Noodle’s dam Sue’a Leggatts Voulez Vous (Tissy) by Frostisen Winsome (IKC) x Knytsahll Noor Ul Ain. BD& BPD Konnor Owens Leggatts Night Fever (Kuma) who is Noodle’s litter brother.
SWKA have raised nearly £8,000 for an Exhibitor on the Island of Tonga who lost everything in the tsunami this year, what a fantastic amount.
The same day but much further east Jenny Shorer -Wheeler took her Ch Maidofcopper For Koromandel(Pikka) to Rugby and District Canine Society open Show at the Connexion Ryton, where under judge Ray Morland she was BPV and then RBVIS, many congratulations.
Noodle had a busy weekend as the day after SWKA she headed south with Sue and Jasmine to Portsmouth & Southsea Kennel Association Open Show, held in the Civic Centre Havant where under Peter Simmons she was Best AVNSC Pastoral Puppy, and then Pastoral Puppy Group 2, what a great weekend.
I finish with an apology to the Frostisen Kennel as in last week’s notes I said Frostisen’s Ir /Int Ch Trelowen Aviator (Jun Ir Ch) was by Ch Trelowen Conar Tun x Trelowen Kyoo but his dam is Trelowen Lola not T Kyoo.
Stay safe everyone,
Margaret Deuchar margaretdeuchar@gmail.com
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