Shepherd Sight

Happy 12th Birthday to Johnny and Jane!

Here are some pics I took today.

**I’m really tried to get a selfie with Johnny and Jane, lol!**

**This is the best I could do with Johnny**

They are both really slowing down. We don’t walk the mile to the church and back anymore. They both just get too tired.

Jane never recovered fully from the fibrocartilaginous embolism of the spine two years ago, and in the past few months she has seemed to regress a bit and has gotten more wobbly in the rear. Sometimes I have to help her up.

Johnny had an injury to his neck when he was a puppy, and now it is affecting him. I can tell that he has lost some coordination in his front and rear legs. He sometimes loses his balance a bit and he is not as strong in his core as he should be.

But they both still seem to enjoy life and love to express and receive affection. They totally love and understand each other, and me. Both are losing their hearing, and Jane’s is worse than Johnny’s. I’m sure the neighbors can hear me out in the yard calling to Jane and Johnny, and if they could see me I am waving my arms around too, to call them inside.

They both go on poop patrol with me as I clean up the yard. They bring me sticks and follow me around and occasionally run up to me like they just found me, asking for some love. Yes, Jane can still run a little bit.

Sometimes they bark into the stillness of the night for reasons only they understand.

I completely trust them. They are amazing and continue to impress me with their intuition, instinct, and intelligence. They totally trust me and show me how to appreciate each day. I wish that I could have them in my life forever.

Introducing……. Champion Daphne Moon Out of Sight

Daphne finished her championship at Doswell in August, and I just got the pics and championship certificate from AKC!

Here are a few ringside pics of her last show, where she was handled by Kevin Brown, while I handled her sister, Roz.

**Daphne has a very nice stride that is balanced and well extended without being overdone**

**Here you can see the famous German Shepherd flying trot, where all four feet are suspended in the air**.

**Someday I will look back and realize that I really did run with the big dogs**

**Kevin and Daphne for the win! Best of opposite to her sire over specials**!)

Here is her official win pic!

From left, me, Judge Marie Falconer, and Kevin Brown with Champion Daphne Moon Out of Sight

Avoiding Euthanasia

About once a month I participate in rescuing dogs from overcrowded shelters in the south and transporting them to the north to less crowded shelters where they have a chance to survive and get a home. Here are a few pictures of the 5 dogs I transported last weekend, of the 13 who made the trip.

The first four are from the same litter and are about 5 months old. They are probably lab or Black Mouth Cur mixes. The last one is probably a boxer mix. They are pictured with other volunteers who participated in the transport effort.

If you would like to volunteer to assist in transporting dogs or overnighting them at your home to save them from being euthanized, please contact Doris, the coordinator for the volunteers, at 678-468-2524.

All dogs are vaccinated and wormed, determined healthy, and temperament tested before the trip.

The route is primarily from Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas heading north on 95 to New England states. The dogs are overnighted on a Saturday night in Richmond Virginia with temporary fosters mid trip. The dogs typically begin their journey on a Saturday morning and finish on Sunday evening.

Each volunteer transports the dogs about 80 miles on one leg of the journey. I drove the dogs from South Hill, Virginia to Richmond on Saturday evening, where the fostering volunteers picked them up to care for them overnight.

Virginia Kennel Club handling class

We celebrated a couple of birthdays on Wednesday. Kevin was 25, and Tom was 65. I made a chocolate cake.

**Kevin is 25! A quarter of a century!**

Our handling class director, Barbara Friedman, is still in rehab following a car accident.

**Daphne visited Barbara at the rehab place**

So the club members are stepping up to fill in. Tom Dowell and Kyllian Genzmer are not club members, but volunteer to teach the classes. They are both professional handlers. They do a fantastic job! Tom recently had a heart attack, and we are so glad to have him back. He really loves the dogs.

**Tom (who made it to 65!) with Catherine’s Anatolian**

It’s been great to have Kyllian, too, because she has the good youthful energy the club and the world of AKC conformation needs. She’s great with helping get the puppies socialized. Sometimes, after class, some of us sit around and just pet puppies.

**Kyllian is** **getting treats** for puppies

Lots of new puppies were there. Two young female Belgian Tervurens (littermates), a young Portuguese Water Dog, and an Anatolian Shepherd. Each one was around 5 months old, except the Portuguese water dog was a little younger, I think.

The Virginia Kennel Club has conformation handling class on Wednesdays from 6:15 until 8:00. Little dogs start at 6:15, and big dogs start at 7:15. We meet at Dog Lovers Obedience on Gaskins Road.

Come join us! Drop-ins are $10. You must show proof of vaccines. Come to a class and find out how to join our club!

Daphne is a Champion!

I am so proud of Daphne! And my friend Kevin! Kevin handled Daphne in the classes today and in the winners group, and got Best of Opposite to her sire, Luc, who won Best of Breed at the show today in Doswell.

As if that wasn’t enough, Roz won Best of Winners on Thursday! Here are some pictures. I haven’t got the professional pictures from the wins back yet.

Special thanks to AKC Judge Marie Ann Falconer for the 4 point major and Best of Opposite win over a very nice champion bitch.

Special thanks to AKC Judge Gary Anderson for giving Roz the win over the boys on Thursday, beating a very nice coated male!

**From left, Heather Jones who handled Luc, Kevin Brown who handled Daphne, me, and Vera Symonds who co-owns Luc along with Lisa Richardson, and of course Luc and Daphne**

**Me and Kevin with new Champion**
**Daphne Moon Out of Sight**

**Roz Doyle Out of Sight**
**got Best of Winners on Thursday for 2 points under AKC Judge Gary Anderson**

Roz and Daphne are just 19 months old. Here they are chilling on the futon with uncle Winston, age 6, on the floor.

Clyde and See See

As I said in my last post, the household has calmed down considerably since no one is in heat right now. See See is back with her brother/littermate Clyde and they can relax. Here are some pics and a short video.

Clyde and See See playing gently

Winston, Roz, and Daphne

Ever since the most recent heat cycles ended, the house has been calmer. Winston, now neutered, is fully acclimated to staying with Roz and Daphne, and See See is back with her brother, Clyde. Only a half door separates Winston from Clyde, but there isn’t anything to fight about anyway.

Johnny is back to eating well, and has stopped pestering his old spayed sister, Jane.

Winston, Roz, and Daphne spend some time just hanging out upstairs, in various combinations. Here are some pics.

**Roz and Winston on futon, Daphne on floor**

Happy 18 month birthday to the Frasier litter! Born 1/11/2024

**Roz, watching a lizard crawl up the hot bri**ck

**Daphne, with side tongue** **in hot sun**

**Daphne,** **leading the way from** **blessed shade**

I hope to receive pics of the other puppies from the litter: Duke (Martin), Güenther (Frasier), and Zero (Niles) to also post on the blog. Even though they are 18 months old, they are still “puppies” because they are the youngest!

Johnny got bit by a copperhead!

I let Johnny and Jane out after eating last night, and a copperhead must have been right at the door. Johnny had gone out first, and I grabbed Jane and yanked her back in as I saw the snake. That left Johnny outside with the snake. I called him back inside, yelling loudly because he is losing his hearing. He came, and the snake went past him, slithering wildly into the grass.

I secured the dogs inside, and went back out (barefoot, I later realized) and grabbed the shovel. The snake had darted into a clump of high grass at the edge of the patio which had evaded my lawnmower a few days before.

I chopped blindly at the grass with the heavy, long handled shovel until I saw movement, then focused there until I was sure I had done damage. Only then did I get off the patio and finish it off.

**I was standing near the water bowl and chopping down into the weeds**

My sister heard it all via speaker phone! I had been talking to her when I let the dogs out, and she heard some cussing!

I did not realize until this morning that Johnny had actually been bitten. It must have happened as he was going outside. His foot is really swollen, but he’s acting okay and eating. I gave him Benadryl and found the wound and cleaned it. He’s resting comfortably. He can walk on the foot, and it doesn’t seem to hurt much, despite the swelling.

The day before this happened, I had surgery, so I really was “chopping blindly.” My eyes were swollen half shut, plus it was dark out, with just the porch light on. Due to reduced field of vision, I had this type of surgery: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/8409-eyelid-surgery-blepharoplasty

My visual field should be much better in a few days, but the day after surgery is not the day to be out killing snakes. I do not recommend it!

Happy 4th of July!

Daphne’s 2nd Major win, Best of Breed over specials!

Daphne beat ALL the other German Shepherds at the show in West Friendship today! She got Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and Best of Breed, beating 3 champions! I’m so proud of her!

**Me and Daphne, back at home with our ribbons**

Many many thanks to Kevin Brown who stepped up to handle her to the big win! I was in the same ring with Clyde as Kevin beat us with Daphne! And Kevin also did the driving, carrying crates, and kept me company. Kevin has heart!

And special thanks to judge Joy Brewster, who gave Daphne the win today. This same judge also gave my Johnny his first major win in 2019.