Tag Archives: Newfoundland National Specialty

dogs

Maisie’s birthday week!

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On Saturday, May 14th, Maisie turned 9! I don’t really know how that is possible, the years have passed so quickly.

Since the day we brought Maisie home, she has been an absolute joy. Her greatest desire is to please those around her and she is the most perceptive dog I’ve ever known. She is so tuned in to human emotions, she can sense things before they become apparent to others. That quality is what makes her an outstanding reading assistance dog in Chicago Public Schools.

This year, Maisie’s birthday coincided with the Newfoundland National Specialty in Frankenmuth, MI. I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate her birthday than to travel up there and experience the week with Maisie!

In previous years, 2018 and 2019, Winn and I went to National and Maisie stayed home. I had never trained her in dog sports, and it didn’t occur to me that she would like them. The National Specialty in 2020 and 2021 were both cancelled due to the pandemic, so this year the organizers blended all three years into one amazing show. That set the theme of The Greatest Show on Earth celebrating 2020. 2021 and 2022.

We drove up on Mother’s Day so that Maisie and I would be ready to compete Monday morning. We started the day in a grand way by placing 3rd in Novice Obedience and her earning her Companion Dog title! I’m especiallly proud of this because we only started training about four months ago and I took her to her very first obedience trial the weekend before where she successfully completed the first two legs for her title.

On Tuesday, she earned her Rally Novice title with another high score and later that afternoon we gathered with all of the other regional clubs and participated in the Opening Ceremony. Each club interpreted the circus theme with costumes and floats. The local marching band was on hand and each club got to strut their stuff across the ring and then we all followed the band to the river front for a champaigne toast to kick off the week.

Wednesday was another successful day and the final day of our obedience events. Maisie and I bumped up to Rally Intermediate where she earned a perfect score of 100 and first place. I decided to move her into the Veteran’s Obedience class which is more of an exhibition class. Somehow she knew it was her last event and she showed off. She was her abolute best and most joyful, rolling over for a belly rub after her recall. She knew she was doing a good job and couldn’t contain herself! The judge was charmed and chuckled as she pointed us to our final exercise. She earned first place in that event as well and I was so proud of all she accomplished.

At this point in the show, the conformation judging begins and the building with the obedience rings turns into grooming central. Everywhere you turn, there are Newfies and their owners prepping for their time in the big ring. It is really a sight to behold! Maisie handled all the extra noise like a pro and seemed to genuinely enjoy being around all of the excitement.

Thursday afternoon, after the judging of the boy dogs concluded, there was an honors ceremony for dogs that have earned titles. I signed Winn and Maisie up for this and we stood ring side waiting for their names to be called. The dogs are called out by birth year so Maisie was first then we waited a bit for Winn. This is special to me since neither of them are conformation dogs and we get to parade across the big ring and celebrate their accomplishments.

Friday was our last day at the show. The female dogs are in the conformation ring and during the lunch break is my favorite event of the week, the Rescue Parade!

The Rescue Parade is something I wanted to do with Annie, but the timing wasn’t right for her, so I make a point of attending every year in her honor. I had three friends participating this year with their Newfs and it was emotional for all of them. Each Newf is called out with their owner and their story is read over the microphone. They receive a medal and have the option of running around the ring. To hear each of their stories, all so different, many heart breaking but also heart warming is incredible. They have all found their forever homes and are treasured and loved as they should be. The first dog called out was in memoriam, and his owner carried a stuffed newf in his honor. The remaining all took their turns and there were tears and smiles all around!

After a little more shopping, we packed up and headed home. This week was so memorable. I was happy to get back up there and participate in this big event after two year pause. I am also a lot more confident in my handling skills and to have Maisie by my side was so very special. The week flew by and as always, I can’t wait to go again next year!

Happy birthday Maisie, you are such a special girl!

Dog training, dogs

Newfoundland National 2019 part 1

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Last week, approximately 400 Newfoundland Dogs descended upon the town of Frankenmuth, MI for the annual big show. It is a week packed with events to showcase all of the wonderful traits of my favorite breed. There is so much to see and do and I’d like to highlight some of the special and unique events that occur in addition to the conformation ring packed with beautiful Newfoundlands.

The beginning of the week is dedicated to the working events which include the Draft Test as well as Competition Obedience and Rally Obedience. Winn and I participated in all three this year so we were very busy!

The first event of the week is the Draft Test. We were up bright and early Monday morning. I packed the wagon with her crate, a chair, weights for her cart and miscellaneous other things I thought we would need. Winn pulled her cart and I pulled the wagon down to the test area to join the other teams checking in and lining up their gear.

We started training about two months ago. I didn’t expect to pass (we didn’t), but with every test or trial we enter, I always learn new things for the next time. This was the first test for me and I did learn a lot. In training, I focused primarily on maneuvering, which we did really well, but there are a lot of details that are included in a passing score that we learned while we worked our way through the exercises. The judges were very supportive and gave me lots of feedback. Hopefully with our next test we will be closer to getting that Draft Dog title!

The fun part of entering these events is the camaraderie we develop with the other people that are also there. I had just as much fun (maybe more because it was less stressful) cheering for their success as I did participating. One of our friends entered with a team (two Newfies harnessed together). She didn’t pass either, but she gave it a valiant effort and of course I loved seeing another brown team. She was first and we were last, creating brown newfie book ends for this test.

The very first group to hit the conformation ring are beginner puppies. Puppies 4-6 months old bounding around the ring with pure puppy glee are my favorite. I don’t think there is much else to say except PUPPIES!

The final event in the obedience ring is Team Obedience. Take it from me, trying to get through the Obedience exercises with one dog is very challenging, Team Obedience includes four dogs and their handlers. Completing all of the exercises perfectly with all of teams takes a special kind of training. I love watching this and everyone gave it their very best effort. You never know what will happen, even with the very best trained dog and we’ve all learned to go out there and have fun. What will be, will be.

Junior handlers have their own competition within the show. Juniors are the future of all sports, and they participate in many events throughout the week side by side with all of the other handlers and their dogs. I saw them in the obedience ring and the conformation ring as well as lending a helping hand to other handlers as they were preparing for their own events. There was a pool party, a scavenger hunt and other fun activities for them during their downtime. I enjoyed seeing them coming and going and was especially excited to see them all in the big ring for their Junior Handler event.

As you can see, there is lot going on throughout the week. I need several posts to cover it all, so you can look forward to reading about the Rescue Parade, the Living Legends celebration, Brace class, Stud class and so much more!

dogs, traveling with dogs

Gettin’ ready for the big show!

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Next week, April 29th-May 4th is the Newfoundland National Specialty in Frankenmuth, MI. Newfoundland Dogs (and their owners and/or handlers) from across the country and even from other parts of the world, gather for a week filled with activities and events of all things Newfoundland Dog.

https://www.ncanationalspecialty.org

I went last year for the very first time and Winn and I participated in two events. We were there for three days, Winn earned her Rally Intermediate title and I did my very best to remain calm and not get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the show. My daughter joined me which was a huge confidence boost while I mingled around other Newfoundland owners that seemed to have so much more experience with this incredible breed that I love so much.

This year I decided to go for the full experience and will be up there all week. Once again, I am bringing my steady partner Winn and we are entered in 10 events (yikes!). The first one is the Draft Test on Monday morning for which we have been focusing our training over the last several weeks. Currently we are on the alternate list, we started as the 4th alternate and recently jumped to 1st alternate so there is still hope that we will make it into the test. (The test is limited to 15 dogs, so we are waiting for just one more person to drop from the test. ) If we don’t make it in, that’s OK, we will watch our friends participate and we have 9 other events to keep us plenty busy.

This show is the Granddaddy of all shows. I’ve been looking forward to it since last years’ show ended. I have focused on being even more prepared for the many aspects of the event. It seemed so far away for so long, but now it is next week and I’ve got a lot to do! I’ve had a running list in my head for the last few weeks that include: training, a very lengthy packing list, Winn will need a bath and fresh trim to look her very best and I need to gather my support materials for our agenda.

Training:

Most of our training has been in Rally and Obedience. For the health of her joints, I needed to wait until Winn turned two, her birthday is March 6th, before we started focusing on jumping and pulling the cart. After earning her Rally Intermediate title last year, she can compete in Rally Advanced but that level includes jumps so we had to hold off on entering that level until very recently. Shortly after Christmas, I purchased a carting starter kit and slowly introduced the harness, the feeling of pulling something and then finally hooked her up to the cart about six weeks ago. She’s very good with all of the maneuvering, I think because it’s so much like rally, she just needs to pay attention to me and my commands. She doesn’t love putting the harness over her head, so we continue to work on that with lots of praise and rewards. Harness and Hitch are the first two elements of the course and she has to be willing to do that before we can even begin.

Packing list: this list seems to grow every day, but so far, this is what I’ve decided I need to bring.

For Winn:

  • Crates-2 soft sided 1 wire (large for room, lightweight to bring to sites, wire to set up for longer stay in grooming building as a back up), crate pads
  • chairs-2 one for show, one lightweight for sites
  • treats: training and reward
  • food: dry and fresh, supplements
  • food and water bowls/ extra water bowl and water bottle to bring to event sites
  • blanket/sheet for bed, toys
  • portable fan, charger and extra batteries
  • draft cart (disassemble Sat), weights, harness
  • draft cart repair kit: extra clips, nuts, allen wrench, large screwdriver
  • leashes: slip and leather
  • clean up kit: rags, wipes, poop bags
  • first aid kit, embrace ins. form and immunization record, copy of registration for eye clinic
  • bibs
  • brush, grooming spray, scissors
  • Winn’s robe/towels
  • training bag
  • cross bars for roof rack

For Me:

  • clothes for a week
  • outfit and hat for Derby Day party !!??!!
  • bathing suit
  • toiletries, brushes, hair dryer, curling iron, plenty of hair ties, ball cap
  • cooler with grab and go foods: deli meat, yogurt, soda, bread, snacks
  • camera, charger, lens cleaner
  • pillow
  • raincoat and rain boots
  • sunscreen
  • disposable cups, plates, paper towel
  • wine, wine opener
  • small scissors
  • laptop, iPad, chargers for all electronics, camera cord

How on earth is all of this going to fit into the car?!

Winn needs a bath and trim Tuesday/Wednesday

Misc.:

  • Take screen photos of all entry numbers and judging form for each day. Create a phone note for each day with the schedule of events and entry numbers as well as meals and downtime.

I’ve learned from being at different events that internet access can be spotty and slow. When checking in at past events, I’ve had to scramble a few times to find my entry number because reception has been bad. This time around, I want to have stored notes for each day with my numbers and the schedule for quick and easy reference. I don’t need to add to my stress level and I like to be prepared when I approach the stewards to pick up my numbers.

I’ll be taking lots of pictures and posting daily on Instagram and FaceBook. There is so much that we are going to be doing that I’m sure I’ll have enough material for several posts, so stay tuned, and wish us luck!

You can read about our experience at last years’ Newfoundland National here.

Annie, Annie's second chance, dogs

Meeting Precious

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This week is Puppy Mill Action Week (click here for more information), what a perfect time to recap my experience last week when I met Precious.

Precious is the namesake of Annie’s rescue group. In December of 2014, the rescue arm of the Newfoundland Club of America was notified that there were “several” dogs ready to be surrendered due to the death of a commercial breeder. Commercial breeders operate puppy mills and sell their puppies online and to pet stores. They consider their dogs to be cash crops and have little regard for the care and well-being of their breeding dogs.

Volunteers were assembled and arrangements were made to travel to rural Michigan for the pick-up.  When the volunteers arrived, they were overwhelmed by what they found.  They expected to pick up a handful of dogs, they discovered about 100 dogs living in deplorable conditions with obvious signs of neglect.  The weather at that time was harsh, sub-zero temperatures and lots of snow.  The dogs were outside in wire pens, their only shelter was a couple of unheated open sheds.  They were all underweight, dirty and matted, many with lesions and sores on their bodies. The scene still haunts the volunteers who were involved.

Eventually, 44 Newfoundlands were surrendered. The breeder’s son was in charge of the operation and he was reluctant to surrender them all at once.  He auctioned the young and healthy dogs and released the remainder to rescue over the course of six different trips. The final pick-up happened in early January 2015 and Precious was the last dog to be handed over.

She was dragged out of a dark, unheated building and put into a traveling crate. She had very little hair left on her body (remember this is still the middle of very brutal winter conditions) and she curled up into the fetal position and hid her head. She didn’t have a name or papers and had been completely ignored.  The volunteers decided to name her Precious, because every life is precious and everyone deserves a name. She spent the next 3 months under constant medical care, slowly showing a few signs of improvement, before she was placed with her current family.

Let’s fast forward 3 years to the Newfoundland National Specialty last week.  Precious was there with her 3 Newfoundland brothers who have been instrumental in her recovery.  It’s been a long road to recovery for her with many ups and downs but the best word to describe her is miraculous. She is still shy, but she ventured out for several quick meet and greets with other Newfoundland owners who have followed her story and cheered her on from afar.IMG_6907Her human mother Sue and I have communicated several times over the last couple of years but we have never met.  She was incredibly kind and supportive after Annie died. Precious and Annie shared a similar skin condition. They both used the same medication that brought them relief from constant itching and discomfort so I was happy to send Precious the remainder of Annie’s prescription.  When we finally met, I immediately started shedding uncontrollable tears.

We sat and talked for quite a while.  She shared a bit of the experience of the multiple trip rescue and I learned a few more details that I didn’t know.  I was always worried that Annie was surrendered to one of the last pick ups, having stayed on the property and watched members of her pack be taken away to the unknown.  The whole experience must have been so scary for all of the dogs but Sue thought that Annie was in one of the early pick ups and for some reason I found that to be a relief. She was careful not to overwhelm me with information, she and I both knew I wasn’t ready to hear all of it, but I hope sometime in the future I will be. My goal with Annie was to march in the Rescue Parade at The National, and I was there without her and it broke my heart.  Sue very graciously invited me to march with her and Precious but I declined, that was their moment to share, I would watch and cheer them on.

The next day, I met Precious and we had a lovely moment.  She, like Annie, was eager to take a treat from me but she watched me carefully as I talked to her.  Her eyes darted about from side to side, surveying everything around her, making sure the situation was still safe.  Annie always did that too and I forgot about it until I saw Precious do the same thing.  She reminded me so much of Annie, it was almost overwhelming but I loved meeting her and seeing how well she is doing.  Her fur is full and covers her body.  It also  looks like Annie’s, not solid black but black flecked with white hairs.  She had a sweet expression on her face and a beautiful white blaze on her chest.  She is petite and looks happy and healthy.IMG_6908IMG_6909The fact that Precious could be at a big event like that is a testament to the love and support she has received from her family.  They were very careful with her, letting her meet just a few people at a time and making sure she wasn’t overwhelmed by her surroundings.  She really enjoyed meeting other dogs that were there, which makes sense since she came from such a big kennel and she has always found safety and comfort in the company of the dogs in her family, especially Henry.  Henry is her rock, she will snuggle up next to him when she needs a little extra boost.  He is always with her when she goes outside, she won’t do that by herself.  IMG_6904Those few minutes with Precious happened right before I packed up the car to head back home and were the perfect way for me to end my first experience at The Newfoundland National. Seeing her reminded me of Annie but unlike the day before, I smiled as I thought of her because I felt so lucky to have had her in my life.  Annie was the sweetest dog I’ve ever known and we were meant to be together.  I wish she didn’t have that horrible experience before I found her but the last years of her life were her best years and certainly some of my best years as well.

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Annie 6/7/06-1/12/18

Annie, Annie's second chance, Winn

Nothin’ but Newf!

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Have you ever wanted to see a Newfoundland Dog up close? How about 500?

Yes, you read that right, last week, almost 500 Newfoundlands and their owners gathered at the Newfoundland National Specialty in Frankenmuth, MI.

The National is a week-long celebration which is much more than a typical dog show. It includes working events such as carting, obedience and rally obedience. There are parades honoring living legends (Newfoundlands 10 years old and over) and rescues.  Special recognition is given the Top 20 conformation and Top 10 obedience dogs as well as to Versatile Newfoundlands, who have earned an AKC championship, an AKC obedience title, NCA water rescue dog title and NCA draft dog title. That’s just a few of the events on the weeklong agenda!

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Obedience and grooming were in the blue and white building, vendors were lined up in the big tent on the left and the main show ring was in front of the big white tent.

In short, it highlights the many different aspects that make the Newfoundland Dog so special.

This year I attended for the first time. Winn and I arrived Monday night and stayed through Thursday afternoon.  We were entered into two Rally Intermediate trials with the hope that she would get her title while we were there.  The requirements for the title are three qualifying legs under two different judges.  We earned the first two legs the previous weekend, so we just needed to do well in one of the two trials to accomplish our goal and we did! On Tuesday morning we scored a 93, got second place and earned the title.IMG_6746.jpgMy daughter met me up there to cheer me on and after getting our ribbons, she and I were able to wander around, enjoy many of the other activities and explore the cute town of Frankenmuth. The working events were scheduled at the beginning of the week and we watched friends in the obedience and rally rings and also observed the specialty carting event.IMG_3008IMG_3023We had a picnic lunch, went to Bronners the World’s Largest Christmas Store and got milkshakes and ice cream to celebrate our success in the ring.IMG_6773IMG_6818IMG_6809I don’t know a lot about conformation showing, but I really enjoyed watching the puppies in the ring.  Who doesn’t love watching puppies?

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6-9 mos. puppy dog Hotel California Tender Ebony

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6-9 month old puppy dogs

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6-9 mos. puppy dogs

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4-6 month old beginner puppy

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12-15 month old ThreePonds Boatswain

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9-12 month old Sugar-Mtn’s Pray For Peace

The planning and coordination that went into this big event was incredible and I was amazed by the spectacle of it all.  The amount of gear that gets hauled around for the show dogs is mind boggling.  When Winn and I go to a trial, I bring a soft crate, a chair and a bag with snacks, water and something to read.  That’s nothing compared to the crates, tables and grooming tools that accompany the conformation dogs.  There was a separate washing station set up near the hotel and then the dogs were moved into their reserved grooming spaces to be finished. Wire crates, which are very heavy, are used in the grooming area because they are more secure and frequently one owner is traveling with multiple dogs.  This ensures that they are safely secured while the attention may be on another dog.IMG_0688IMG_6880In between our trials, I walked around with Winn to chat with several of our friends who were there but I also found myself just watching it all in amazement.  I met some new people, stopped to watch some grooming in action and spent some time with this beautiful brown boy (who was at Westminster last year) and his owner.  There were very few brown Newfoundlands there and she sought us out and introduced herself.  She loved Winn and took us around the room to meet her friends and fellow brown Newfoundland lovers.

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GCH Royal Flush Davos of Bogmist nicknames Pupachoo, Chopsy  and Chop-Chop

I had such a good time on this trip and Winn was a terrific traveling companion.  She can still be a little shy when meeting new people so I passed treats to those who wanted to meet her and she figured out pretty quickly that meeting new people is tasty.  I made a funny observation while there: owners tended to offer the treats from their open hand under her chin; handlers held the treat between two fingers above her nose. The difference made me smile every time. IMG_6854 Winn was great in the hotel.  She figured out the elevator really quickly, knew right where our room was and loved to hang out on the balcony and watch everyone coming and going through the parking lot.  She ate well and slept hard. We did hear some barking from time to time, but she never made a peep.  She was the perfect hotel dog.IMG_3026IMG_3040On Thursday morning we met up with her breeder.  He and his wife arrived late the night before and this was the first time we had seen each other since pick up day when Winn was 10 weeks old. He was showing Winn’s big sister Bertie on Friday and he set up her crate next to Winn’s.  The two girls hung out together for a little while.  It was so nice to see him with Winn, she’s changed a lot over the past year!IMG_6879IMG_6900My only regret is that Annie wasn’t with us.  My primary interest in going to Newfoundland National was to march in the Rescue Parade with her and I figured if I was there with Annie, I might as well bring Winn along and we could participate in Rally.  I also knew that having Winn by her side would make Annie feel more comfortable.  It really hurt to be there without her, but I brought the honor flag I made at the Blogpaws conference and attached it to the bag that I carried around with us.  While Winn and I were competing, Annie was right there next to Winn’s crate.  It did bring a little comfort, feeling like she was there in spirit.  I never would have thought about going if it wasn’t for my desire to celebrate Annie and how special she was.IMG_3030.jpg

Tomorrow’s post is about Precious, the namesake of Annie’s rescue group. She was there, I spent a little time with her, and she marched in the Rescue Parade. She proudly represented the 43 other Newfoundlands that were rescued with her, many of whom are no longer with us.