NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
I start by wishing all my readers a Very Happy Christmas wherever you are, and whatever you are doing.
Sarah Stonton decided to rest Ch Arnscroft In Di An Jack aka Jack from showing earlier this year having won 13CCs and 10RCCs, but he has certainly not been taking a rest from other activities, he recently has had a very busy few days successfully doing two scent trials. The first one was on Friday 8th December, this was a Pre-Entry National Nosework Association Trial this is the second level of NNA and was held in Oxfordshire, this was Jack’s second trial at this level, and it proved to be very successful. There were 4 searches Outside, Inside, Vehicles and Selection which is usually row of boxes/pipes/shoes etc .The dog searches for two hides, (small piece of material approx. 3cm x 3cm scented with a drop of gun oil )in each search area the dog is given 3 minutes to find the two hides, the exception being the selection test where there are 8 items,1 hide and 1 minute to find it. In the outside search one hide was in a wall the other on a huge ornamental bronze stag, the inside hides were on a Christmas streamer and the other inside a folded down table leaf, the vehicles hides were both on a lawn mower and trailer, the selection test the boxes were laid out in a snake pattern and outside but under cover. If the dog finds the hides in the given time it is awarded a badge. Once the dog has won three badges in the four searches areas it wins out and into the next level which is Entry. Sarah already had a badge in selection test, inside and vehicle and on Friday gained another selection test and vehicle badge and won a lovely medal for coming Reserve in the trial, so is well on her way to Entry Level. Two days later she and Jack travelled to Peterborough for a Level 6 Scentwork UK Trial, this is another organisation running scent work trials although these are much more based in village halls, as opposed to NNA which are much more environmental held on farms, heritage railways, country houses etc. There were three search areas, and the hides are scented either with cloves, gun oil or truffle oil, there are 12 hides available to be found over the three search areas and the judge decides how many in each area and what the time will be, roughly a minute a hide, on this occasion there were 4 hides in each search area, to qualify 9 hides out of the 12 must be found. The areas are white dogged first by the judge (an experienced dog is run over the area to make sure the hides can be found). Jack found 9 so he qualified but also won the trial as he was the only dog to qualify, gaining 10points for a win which with the points he already had from previous L6 trials, it meant he had achieved the 20points for his Excellence at this Level, so now must compete at Level 7. Many congratulations.
I have received some very sad news from Margaret Garvie, she told me she has had to say goodbye to Jinks (Ch Ailort Just Jinks JW) she was 15yrsold in October. Jinks became unwell not wanting to eat and a scan showed a large tumour on her stomach and the breaking down of the intestine. The vet gave her meds to try and make her comfortable but with her endless pacing and refusal to eat properly, she was obviously not happy and only going to get worse, so with a heavy heart Margaret took her to the vet and said goodbye. Margaret said she is absolutely devastated feeling her loss so much, probably compounded by so recently having lost her husband Harry when Jinks was by her side. Margaret described Jinks as a noisy bolshy stubborn and wayward Bu with no half measures in anything she did but also very loveable, and a great Mum having two wonderful litters by Casper (Ch/Am Ch Vision’s Dino Of Trollheimen (Imp US),in her first litter born on 27th April 2013 two of the litter became Champions Rhials Apollo and Ch Rhials Pyche (SHCM)and in the second litter born on 3th March 2015 Rhails Lucina gained her title. Pyche in particular had a great showing career, she was BPIS at the club open show before becoming a Ch and later BIS show at the club Ch show. Jinks was by Ch Olpenden Malachy At Parvodene JW SHCM x Ch Fullani Farek Of Ailort SHCM. Cancer is the biggest killer of dogs worldwide and having lost 2 dogs with stomach cancer myself I know how devastating it is, there is no cure or treatment and happens so quickly, that there is little time to prepare for the loss which as with any loss is always devastating.
Get well wishes to Anne Smith who fell on the in the recent cold spell and broke her right wrist, she is left-handed but even, so it still makes things very difficult.
Mike John’s funeral will be on the 9th of January at 11.40am at Barnstaple Crematorium 9EX 3N with a gathering afterwards at Libbaton Golf Course (family flowers only).
Stay safe everyone.
Margaret Deuchar margaretdeuchar@gmail.com
Any 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