NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
Well, it is finally here the end of 2020, a year that will certainly go down in the history books for all the wrong reasons. This time last year we were welcoming in 2020 with parties and watching the firework display on the Thames, from the comfort of the living room in our case. We were looking forward to the start of the show season which started with Boston on 9th January, where for the first time ever my name was on three of the winning cards, ok it was not a CC show for Buhunds.BD was my and Debbie’s Rikarlo Gable (Time) and RBD was our Ch/Bel Ch Tonylynn’s Charles Lafitte AW(P)RL2EX(Fizz) .BB & BOB was Jenny Shorer-Wheeler’s Ch MaidofCopper for Koromandel. RBB was Anne Smith and my Kimuras Tyra at Arnscroft (IMP Nor). BP was Jenny & Ollie Shorer-Wheeler and Dawn Deeley’s Sturmoor Fascination with Koromandel.The judge was Sue Bird. Sarah Stonton’s Ch Arnscroft In Di Ana Jack also won a very large Good Citizen Stakes class under judge Tim Ball. Nine days later it was Manchester, this was a CCs show and DCC & BOB was Jacqui and Michael Cobb and Nancy Kent’s Ch Koromandel Best Served Cold at Knytshall (Jamie) RCC Time BCC Maddy Norman’s Ch Arnscroft Delilah at Veekay RCC Margaret Garvie’s Ch Rhialis Psyche ShCM BP Millie Lambert’s Sturtmoor’s Free’n Eezee(Sheira ) BV Fizz. Here the judge was Jane Lilley There was some talk about a nasty virus in China but that was all. Luckily though if you watched the Panorama programme on the development of the Oxford Vaccine against Covid 19, there were already scientists who were worried about the virus. In the run up to Crufts the seriousness of situation became all too apparent to all of us, and we were not sure that Crufts would go ahead until it started, with hand sanitizer everywhere. The judge was Kerry Frost DCC & BOB for the second-year running was Jamie. RDCC Sophie Wildig & Neil Hood’s Sturtmoor Eeza Geeza At Buhcafrey. BCC also for the second year running and making her a Champion, Sue Sercombe’s Trelowen Dizzy Rascal. RBCC and BP Sheira BV for the third year running Neil Hood’s Ch Arnscroft Di Nah Sawr Us Rex VW ShCM. Sixteen days later the whole country went into lockdown which changed everyone’s lives, some for ever. Crufts was the last all breed Ch show of the year, it is hoped that WELKS will go ahead in April 2021, but I think it will look quite different to how we have known Champ shows the past, as I am sure some kind social distancing will be in place.
I know we have all missed seeing friends at shows and I know my dogs have also missed going to the various activities they enjoy. Words such as Zoom and Teams took on new meanings, even Blue Jeans. I think most will agree that modern technology has helped in so many ways, not just in the canine world, but in keeping people connected and of course making it possible for many people to work from home, even broadcasters, and for children to have lessons online. For the canine world it has certainly helped, I had a weekly lesson on Zoom for Time’s scent training, we were given homework, then we sent videos into the trainer to see how they were doing. The club also ran training for Good Citizen Tests the same way and were able to hold the actual tests in a Covid safe manner, when the Covid numbers had dropped in the summer and early autumn. Over the past 9 months there have been numerous online dog shows using photos, some free, some with an entry fee for charity and some breed specific, they have all had numerous entries often from around the world, showing how welcome they were. There have also been Obreedience, Rally, Scent and Pure Obedience Competitions, our heartful thanks go to those who have given up their time to organise these competitions and to the judges. More recently there have been a few live Covid safe Agility and Scent competitions and a handful of shows including our own Open show. There have also been one to one agility training sessions again run under strict Covid safety rules, and a few socially distanced Buhund Bumbles but on the whole face to face canine activities shut down in March in the UK and Eire, and it will be sometime before they are up and running again.
In some other countries like Australia which is almost Covid free, shows and other activities are being held again, and in the US, many shows have taken place, with temperature checking and mask wearing, Westminster show though will now be held in the summer.
I was interested in a posting on the forum recently where Mike Woodson who live in the US, said he was hoping his Buhund Ch Hundehaven’s Maud CDX would become only the 2nd Buhund in the US gain an A UD. This a AKC Utility Test and seems to be a mixture of our pure Obedience, Rally and Scent with some Good Citizen as well. There are pure heel work exercises and more complicated ones, such doing a heelwork pattern then you leave your dog and walk five paces, the judge then exams your dog while you are five paces away. There is also a test were the dog does a jump and is told to turn right or left as it lands! and people say you cannot train Buhunds!! We saw this test when we went to a Breed and Obedience show in Norway years ago, the handler does not know until they enter the ring and are given the instructions which way the dog will have to turn.
All that is left for me to do is to wish you all a Happy and Safe New Year. There is light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a vaccine, but I think at the moment, it is a long dark tunnel, with this new Covid -19 variant. We have had the shortest day though so the days will be getting longer, which is definite plus.
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.