I hope this Blog proves to be both fun and educational for anyone interested in Showing and/or Breeding Dogs. Spend some time with us and you will really understand the time and effort and emotions that goes into this hobby. Join me here for the good times and bad times, the joys and sorrows, the wins and losses. Welcome to life at Vista Dei!

Well we have a few weeks now with no shows, at least I can't get off work to show, so can relax and re-coop.  Darby got his second leg (win) in Rally yesterday, and Drifter at 7 months and 10 days of age got his first Rally leg and a second place score!  I am so proud of them both.  So am home looking for more shows to enter.  In a few more days I will be taking Decker to Virginia to leave him with his new handler.  I feel kinda bad and will miss him, but I know they are going to be working on building up his attitude, so it will probably be a really fun time for him, and he may never want to come home!! hahahah like a kid at camp!

Posted by: Vistadei at 12:15 | link | comments

Yippe!!  We got our first leg (win) on Darby's Rally-O Novice title!  Perfect score is 100, we got a 96, which isn't bad at all.  A big thunderstorm blew up while we were showing and the station signs were blowing around the course, but it was OK, we just hopped over them and did the course anyway.  We are entered again on Monday and have all our fingers crossed he will get a second leg there, and now must find another show to go for the 3rd leg. It looks like the next we can enter are on June 26 which is a long time to wait!  Oh well, got to do what we got to do, eh?  Drifter is spending the night tonight and tomarrow while Dave and Denise are away at agility trials.  He is such a handsom guy, getting BIG, but really beautiful!  Right now he is tomenting the girl sniffing their butts, and he seems to like Destiny the puppy.  She wasn't born yet when he left for his new home, so he is very interested in her little running and barking.

Posted by: Vistadei at 21:38 | link | comments (2)

Well it seems like every other weekend is "up" and every next one is "down" as far as the Dog Shows go.  I had to pull Decker's entry in the show yesterday, because he cut the pad of his foot.  A limping dog will be excused from the ring, besides I didn't want him in pain or getting infections.  I had entered Daisy in the show in the Novice class just to get some experience, so I took her even tho he was pulled.  She did really well, and got a blue ribbon, but she was the only one in her class.  There were so many missing dogs, every dog that was there to show was the only one in their class!  The judge was the rudest judge I have ever encountered in my time of showing.  Not to me personaly, but to a new exhibitor, to other exhibitors, to her ring steward.  Oviously a small person who only felt powerful by putting down others.  I dislike that.  Will write her name in my little book I keep on judges.  She did pick the nicest entries to put up for the wins, so I might still show to her, but will remember to wear full body armor  when doing so, and if she comes up as someone my club is interested in hiring in the future, I can remember who she is and how she acts.

Posted by: Vistadei at 08:34 | link | comments

Decker had his OFA hip xrays yesterday.  That is always something that I hold my breath on, can't wait to get back out to the vets and see how they look!  It makes for a long day at work!  Both the orthepedic vets thought his hips looked very nice, they think he will get a good or perhaps even an excellent rating from the OFA evaluators.  He was able to be done with just one xray and only being restrained by hand.  Some dogs must be put clear under anethesia to be positioned for the x-rays and some dogs have to have alot of them done so that they are in a good enough position to pass.  To get a great shot the first time means his hips are in a nice position.  That makes me very happy as one of the real positive things that I wanted to bring in with him is a line of good strong hips.  He has 5 generations behind him of almost all the dogs tested and rated at good or excellent.  I am pleased.  OFA hip proceedure will end up at a total charge of $187.  Doing these kinds of tests are so important to producing  healthy pups, but people do not understand that just in the last 30 days we have spent more on health test clearances, routine vet bills and show entries than we get from selling an entire litter of puppies!  Since we only have one or two litters a year, this is definately NOT a money making hobby, but so many people think that it is. They see the price of the pup they are looking at, multiply it by 5 and think WOW we could turn some bucks here!  Not so, well you COULD turn some bucks, but not if you are doing the appropriate tests, and ESPECIALLY not if you are showing the dogs.  Just the one day, Saturday, when we did the 2 UKC shows, the entry fees were $177 and the gas was $26 plus lunch and dinner for myself, my daughter and her fience who went with us to help, $40 toll booth fees $10 well, you can see how it adds up!!  Right there, Saturday's shows and Monday's OFA is about equal to the selling price of one puppy.  We show again this week on Thursday, Friday and Monday and I have just entered Decker in 4 shows in Virginia, and am looking at a 10 hour trip to get him delivered to his new handler.

Posted by: Vistadei at 08:07 | link | comments

Well we tried our first UKC shows this weekend.  They were alot more fun than AKC shows.  It was like a big match that counted for something.  The people were all very nice, not snotty like many in AKC, it was a family type atmosphere with lots of kids there, kids were showing dogs in the ring etc.  UKC doesn't allow any handlers, the dogs have to be handled by the owners or immediate family.  They also don't allow all the chalk and hairspray and stuff we spend hours on when grooming for AKC.  Just a clean, brushed dog.  That really is a nice break for the dogs and the owners, and allowed me a much more relaxing day.  People could even pet the dogs right before they went into the ring (a real no-no in AKC!!)  Now the "stiff" competition wasn't there, but it was fun to win in a relaxed attmosphere instead of always feeling like you are on the bottom rung.  I will definately attend every UKC show within several hour drive.

At the UKC show, you need 100 points and 3
"competition wins" under at least 3 different judges in UKC for their
Championship. We showed at 2 separate shows today (long day!) and between
the two shows,
Decker earned 35 points and one competition win
Darby earned 45 points and one competition win
Daisy earned 60 points and one competion win (she could get her UKC Ch. in 2
more shows if she takes BOB over competition both times!)
Breakdown..
First show:
Darby first in the adult male class
Decker first in Sr. male puppy class
Decker Winners male (competition win)
Darby Reserve
Daisy first Sr. puppy Female
Daisy Winners Female
Daisy Best of Winners
Daisy Best of Breed (competition win)

Second show:
Darby first in Adult male
Decker first in Sr. male puppy
Darby winners dog
Decker reserve
Daisy first in Sr. puppy female
Daisy winners female
Darby best of winners
Darby Best of Breed (competition win)

Posted by: Vistadei at 17:20 | link | comments

I have come to the conclusion that showing dogs is not a sport and it is not a hobby either.  It is a form of gambling addiction.  You put your money down and make an entry with your dog, get out to the showand do your best.. if you win, you can't wait to do it again, cause maybe you will win again and winning gets into your blood. If you loose you can't wait to do it again cause maybe next time will be your time to win.  Judge's personalities and preferences are discussed, the choices made just like handicaps at the race track. Money is lost, always lost - sometimes a little of it, some times alot of it, but always we come back for another chance and another try for the big win.  Wonder if there is a 12 step group for dog show addicts?

Posted by: Vistadei at 14:12 | link | comments

For those of you who are following the size and development of China and Destiny..

Wanda, China's new owner reports China is 11 1/8" this week, which is still in the danger zone for too large, but is not over the size charts. Destiny is barely 9 1/8" tall this week making her in the danger zone for being too small, but she is not undersize.  So with both girls, we watch and wait and hold our breath!

Here is a picture of Destiny at 12 weeks old and we are now announcing her "official" registered name

Vista Dei Winds Of Change "Destiny"

Posted by: Vistadei at 16:50 | link | comments (1)

Well the past 2 weekends of shows have delt me some harsh blows with Decker.  I thought he was a really outstanding dog and would win fairly easily in the ring.  At least both judges have indicated what they do not like about him and that is something for me to work around.  Yesterday's judge saying he looked sad, let me know she was not amused by his lack of confidence on the table. That has been his weakness, he really hates being on a table for grooming or showing.  I must work on making it a better experience for him, building his confidence.  I must also work on building up his attitude in the ring and making the whole experience more fun for him.  The match judge last weekend said that he just wasn't "enough" for his height, he would like bigger legs, more muzzle and broader chest.  That has at least given me some direction in my grooming, to try to create an illusion of lenghth, keep his top line slicked down, so there is less height, and really pay attention to making his leg hair look full and plush, less triming more chalking etc.

Next weekend will be our first UKC shows and I am fairly excited to try them.  We will be taking Decker, Darby and Daisy.

Oh.. Shawn.. Drifter is coming to Mysty Pines, you and Genny should find what class he is in and stick around and watch him work, he is awsome.

Well I organized and thinned out my grooming boxes today, so many things I have bought that I don't use, are old and sticky, or just worn out.  Feels good to go through things and throw out and organize.  I put the stuff I only use for show grooming in it's own basket, so it doesn't junk up my every day stuff yet can be snached up without looking through tons of stuff for what I need.  I lost my favorite comb at the last match... ggggrrrrr...  have to try to find another.  Some tools just fit in your hand so well and are easy to use.  I have to make a list of the things I need when I go to the Memorial day shows, there should be lots of vendors there.

Posted by: Vistadei at 10:01 | link | comments

Well bath and groom the dog on Friday night, get up early AM on Saturday, more grooming, drive 2 hours to the show site, more grooming.. then into the ring and set the dog up on the table for the judge to go over and she walks up and says.. AAAwwwww you POOR THING.. you look SO SAD..  we are screwed.....  Might as well just shake hands with the other exhibitors and congratulate them on their win, cause it isn't coming our way today!  Got a second place ribbon, packed up, 2 hour drive back home, dog looks pretty happy on the couch at home.. but owner still looking pretty sad!

Posted by: Vistadei at 20:35 | link | comments (2)

 We showed at a match today under a Collie breeder for a judge and had well.. an unexpectedly interesting time.

Posted by: Vistadei at 18:10 | link | comments (1)

Tomarrow is a match and I should be bathing dogs.. hahahah  I am on the computer wasting time.  I am watching a handling video, does that count? Sometimes it seems the more I have to do, the more I procrastinate!

Posted by: Vistadei at 21:29 | link | comments

May 2, 2005 was quite a wonderful day here at Vista Dei

At 6 months and 12 days of age Vista Dei The Storm Chaser "Drifter" earned
his CGC, not with just a passing performance, but with a flawless one!
Thanks goes out to his new owners Denise and Dave and I believe this
is the first in a long line of titles for this outstanding "Little man".

In another exciting new development, Vista Dei has entered into a new
partnership and blending of lines with the placement of Vista Dei Wallwyn
China Rose "China" on a co-ownership with Wanda Walls of Wallwyn Shelties in
Roanoke VA.  We look forward over the next years to bringing back puppies
from China and "Connor" to cross with our lines. Connor is only 2 years old
and has 4 pups burning up the rings, on May 1st, his son Cisco (only his 5th
time out) took Reserve Winners Dog, Best Puppy in Breed and Group 2 under
Breeder Judge Al Bianchi. and on April 30 Cisco took Best Puppy in Breed and
Group 2, and another Connor puppy, Dwenhurst Eastbrooke Arianna, took
Reserve. You can visit Conner and some of his outstanding offspring at
http://www.geocities.com/wallwynshelties

And for those of you who have been following with China's size and pictures..

 here is a picture of her at her new home, taken by Wanda

Posted by: Vistadei at 18:40 | link | comments