NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
How time flies, you wait for your puppy to be six months so it can be shown, then all of a sudden it is a year old and out of puppy. A couple of weeks ago I head from Kirsty Irvine, she said her ‘Bodi aka Blackcombe Bodil at Tapui (Imp Aus) attended her last show as a puppy on 8th January. Bodi was 2nd in the AVNSC puppy class but went onto win the Junior class giving her a JW point! That means she has 12 out of the 25 required, the judge was Josh Blackburn. Junior Warrants are not that easy to obtain in numerically small breeds as it depends on how may are in the class. Bodi then went into a large puppy stakes class under Andrew Brace where she was 5th out of over 20 puppies. A great start to 2023 for the pretty lady from the other side of the World. The show was the first day of the two-day Heywood and Radcliffe CS Open show held at the Sutton Leisure Centre in St Helens, Merseyside. The society was started in 1938 and holds weekly training sessions and monthly Rally nights, with so many canine society’s struggling it is great to hear of one that is doing so well.
At the other end of the country Wiveliscombe and District CS held its two-day Open show on 14th /15th January with Pastoral day being the second day, the show was held at the Wellsprings Leisure Centre Tauton Somerset. The Buhund judge was Marion Hodgson who gives CCs in a number of Pastoral Breeds, she found her BOB in Marie Corin and Adam Camms Kligenthal Almuric (Bergen).RBOB was Bergen’s litter brother Mary Dosson’s Kligenthal Bran Mak Morn (Teddy).Later Bergen was G4 under Steve Bennett who judged all the breeds in the Pastoral Group except for the two Marion judged, so nice to do well under two judges .The society also seems to be active as it runs ring craft evenings and match nights, and I think has a summer show as well as a winter one.
I do not know if you saw a press release from the American Club (AKC) which caught my attention, it said ‘it is proud to announce three new AKC Fit Dog titles that dog owners may earn with their dogs. The AKC Fit Dog titles are open to all dogs. It continued to say now more than ever, fitness is essential for both dogs and people. An estimated 70% of people aged 20 and over are overweight, and nearly 55% of dogs are overweight or obese, in the US. To earn each of the three AKC Fit Dog titles (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) owners will earn points in six categories that include: Completing an AKC Fit Dog 6-week course, entering a race that can be walked/run with their dog, documented walks that are done independently or in a group, completing ‘unique’ activities such as swimming or Parkour, earning an AKC title related to fitness such as agility or dock diving and earning an AKC Parent Club title such as Pack Dog or Sledding. Fitness is important for all dogs and their owners and the purpose of the AKC Fit Dog Title is to encourage dog owners to improve both their health and that of their canine companions. Dogs must be at least six moths old to earn the Bronze level title. Some activities may be done independently such as walking and others must be done in the presence of other people, such as community fun runs and AKC Fit Dog courses. Mary Burch, AKC Family Dog Director said we care about dogs and want them to be healthy and fit,and working on AKC Fit Dog titles provides structure and organization to an ongoing fitness plan for dogs and their owners’. It will be interesting to see how it works out, not quite sure I understand Pack Dog or Sledding for the Parent Club, but overall, it seems to be a very good idea, I assume our dogs would earn points for Park Runs, attending Bu Bumbles and competing in Agility etc rather like our Michael Quinney Activity awards, although I am sure none of our Buhunds or owners are overweight.
I have just received some very sad news from Sarah Stonton that she has had to say good bye to her very special girl Trelowen Andrea (Loxy), who has gone to play over the Rainbow Bridge with her mum and dad. She suddenly went downhill after Boston with a stomach problem and scans showed that there was no treatment. Sarah will write an obituary for her when she feels ready.
I hope none of you have suffered too much with the very wet weather we have been having, now I hear it is going to be much colder with ice and snow, hopefully not too much disruptive snow, we are just not prepared for it in this country.
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