Some news on Skye and Kayla at Turriff Show

Well mum wants me to tell you all a lot about Skye today but I can give you a quick update on my last show. There was an Open Show on Sunday locally at Turriff, sadly I didn't get a first prize at this one. Mum tells me not to be disappointed though as the judge this time was a husky breed specialist and apparently likes the sprinty working type best. I got 3rd place out of 4 dogs. Although my furry dad is a really good working dog my mum is a show dog. Therefore I have the best of both worlds as I am more athletic and racy looking than some of the pure show lines but thanks to having a showy mum I am very pretty and feminine too. Sadly this weekend my appearance wasn't quite racy enough but mum said it was a good learning experience in terms of she knows not to put me under judges that are really into the racy ones at the expensive champ shows. She was also relieved that after I had a nasty scare this week I wasn't scared of the judge going over me. I have never been felt so thoroughly she lifted my paws up and everything and went over me a good few times, mum was really proud that although I sat down a few times and looked confused I wasn't upset by any of it. I was a bit naughty because there was a dog there I didn't like at a previous show (see blog on Bannf and Moray Open show). Last time I didn't hit it off with him and his owner kept letting him bother and pester me even when mum put me in my crate out of the way :-( Last time mum put it down to the owner maybe being a bit inexperienced. This time it seemed a bit more premeditated, the boy had been seen in the previous class so he was on the opposite side of the ring to me. It was a very small ring with not much room to show how lovely I look when I move. When mum did my triangle the dog kept moving into my line of vision and into my path so I had to tell him off. Mum was really mad with me as she thought I was just being naughty, dad said she had missed the fact that his owner had left him on a loose lead so he kept moving towards me when I was running. Mum is really annoyed that his owner was so inconsiderate and maybe even doing it deliberately so she will watch carefully if we are ever in the same ring again.
Anyway enough about me (well so mum says, personally I think you can never hear enough about me) mum wants to tell you more about Skye so here goes........

Mum got Skye kinda by accident a few years ago. She and dad were not really ready for a dog (mum was just in the process of moving to Scotland to be with dad) and a dog was something they planned later down the line. Anyway mum had alwyas liked huskies but had only just started to find out a little about them when she got chatting to a breeder in Romania. She had said to dad that when they got a dog she would love a husky. Well in the meantime my human grandmum was looking for a dog to get her out and about and keeping fit. She had wanted a retriever but a neighbour said had she thought about a husky as her friend was selling a husky. So grandmum bought Skye and after a few weeks was at her wits end. Skye was untrained, messed all over the house, snappy, disobedient, howled all night etc. She asked my mum if she could look after her when she was on holiday and as she was moving to Scotland maybe she would like to have her a while for company ad to train her!

Mum took Skye and straight away could see all was not right. Skye's tail was funny it looked like a broken pipe cleaner, she had a lot of missing teeth, funny back legs and was quite nervous. She was very food possessive, nervous agressive with other dogs and didn't like her back touched at all. The owner/breeder had not given any medical details or indeed any useful information when selling her. Our vet wanted to know what an earth had happened to her and after a bit of pestering my mum's neighbour they found out she had been savaged as a puppy by a Japanese Akita.

Mum and dad did a lot of hard work with Skye, they toilet trained her, gained her trust a bit so that they could touch her back and took her to Royal Airforce Dog Training classes to get her more used to other dogs. It has been a long hard road Skye was 2 years old when mum took her and came with all these problems. Mum and dad didn't really know much about huskies so many times they almost gave up on her because she was so difficult to help and train. Luckily they went to some husky races and got to meet other owners who were able to give them advice and help. Over the years Skye got better at being obedient (does she realise she is a husky silly girl) and became a more loveable and less stressed dog. However much to mum and dad's heartbreak she never seemed to be a happy dog. She doesn't understand how to play (she has no idea what toys are for) and seemed to only occasionally show signs of enthusiasm for life. She continued to be nervous with a lot of dogs.

When mum and dad brought me along Skye didn't seem too pleased. She never wanted to play with me and grumbled a lot and hid in her crate. I was always bossy and liked being boss so even at a very early aged they made me the top dog and relegated her to the bottom. I love Skye but she never wants to cuddle or play with me so mostly I just annoy her or throw my toys at her and try and tell her to play. Sometimes when I was little and cried she would be nice to me but mostly she didn't seem to want me around.

Well over the last few weeks Skye seems to have completely changed. She has lost a lot of weight (she has always struggled with her weight even though she hardly gets any food) which has made her more active and less grumpy. She is also getting braver around me and sometimes pushes me out the way to go and get cuddles off mam and dad and she is getting a lot more talkative and affectionate. She has also started to play a bit. In the past she would only play with me if another dog was playing, she would get jealous and join in a little bit but that was very rare and only certain dogs. Last couple of times Little Skye came to visit instead of grumping and ignoring her she has started to join in when we play. She has even started to play with me a bit and I haven't been quite sure what to make of it. All of sudden she is woo wooing me and bowing at me to play (usually at what mam calles bad times ie just before I go into the show ring). She has started talking to other dogs when we go out too.

Mum and dad are so happy it has alwyas made them so sad that no matter what they did for Skye she never seemed like she would be a happy dog so mum has been quite teary to see Skye looking happy and wanting to play.

So mum wants to say never give up on a dog. Eventually with enough caring and love they will learn to trust you and get over the bad things that happened in the past.

The Invaders

Mum has been off poorly for a few days and today our peace and quiet was shattered by invaders of the human children kind! One of them often pops round on a weekend to see us but seems to be bringing more friends now. Mum put on her bet smile and let them play with me while. It was all too much for grumpy Skye who likes the quiet life so she stayed in the house. I was happy to play football with the invaders but when they teased me too much I found a nice secure space to put naughty human children :p

Leeds Champ Show

Wow what a long weekend! 9 hour journey to our hotel on Saturday, it was very humid and hot even with the fan we blagged from reception so no one got much sleep.

The weather on Sunday the day of our showing was predictably British and rainy although still humid. The morning showing of male dogs ended up in the wet weather tent. This was not ideal for us sibes as the ring was very very small which meant none of the boys could move properly. My little brother took a 3rd in his class, his mum was disappointed and felt that had he been outside he would have done better. Our wet weather ring was by the Rottweilers and one with an attitude problem kept unsettling the sibes :-(

Luckily the weather improved as the morning went on so the last few classes for the boys were outside. Mum deserted me and Skye to go and watch her favourite boy Zak in the ring (she keeps threatening to swap me for him. My breeder Kevin had volunteered to handle me for the day to give mum a break from the stress and to let her see how lovely I look in the ring. It was a bit odd having someone else try and tell me what to do and when we were practicing I kept running to mum with my best smile in the hope she would take me back. Kevin told her that when I went into the ring she would have to go away so that I couldn't see her.

This was my first go in the adult classes now that I am too old for junior so I was in Postgraduate bitch. I was in a very naughty mood today I wasn't interested in the bag of treats mum had prepared for me (everyone elses looked so much better). I stood nicely and ran round the ring in a reasonably well behaved manner but I decided that no way on earth was the judge running her hands over me today so I decided to have a nice sit down :p

In spite of that the judge still gave me first please so mum and breeder were pleased with that. My breeder suggested mum find some more interesting treats so she stole some liver and some salmon treats from some other owners for my next trip in the ring. After a while it was back int the ring to compete with all the other winning bitches. I decided the liver and salmon were boring too and spat them out in the ring too. Sadly the judge didn't give me first prize on my second trip in the ring but mum was chuffed with me as I did the best out of the day of the dogs bred by my breeder.

We are all tired now as we got in late last night after our 9 hour drive back home and mum is grumpy because she has to go to work!

Companion Dog show

We went along to a companion dog show today so that dad could have a go,mum has done all my training and does all the showing but as I am getting sister in a few months mum says dad needs to learn too. Mum suggested dad just free stood me as my critique from my last champ show said that mum was over standing me and I didn't look right. It was also a chance for grumpy Skye (she isn't suitable to show because of her injuries)to go into some of the fun classes and my friend Little Skye came too as my mum is trying to persuade her owner to show her.

Much to mum's annoyance we were all very playful and naughty but she couldn't be too annoyed as grumpy Skye had changed into happy Skye, it was actually a rare event in that she initiated the play (usually she just scowls and grumbles while me and Little Skye go mental). She was also very very naughty and slipped her collar and went for a little run around the ring and around the spectators. Mum was in a panic (as us huskies are never ever allowed off lead)but luckily after a few grinning laps of honour Skye came back. (Mum says there is a lesson here that when you have a dog on a diet you should check and tighten the collar often).

First in the ring was Little Skye, she is very pretty but very naughty. She is used to being on a harness so she misbehaves when a lead is put on her collar and she has not yet learned to stand pretty or to trot nicely yet. She did get some rosettes for being pretty though and mum is nagging her owner to practice with her.

Next up was my go. Dad was nervous as he has never been in the ring and didn't want to look silly "mincing" round the ring. First class was Any Variety Working or Gundog and I got first place in that wooo hooo. Dad was very chuffed for his first go and mum was pleased with my first go of freestanding. We also entered Any Variety Open and I got a 2nd place in that one so a good day for dad's first try.

Skye had a go in Prettiest Bitch and Dog The Judge Would Most Like to go home, she is very nervous of other dogs and doesn't like people feeling her back and stuff so it was brave of her to go in the ring. No rosettes for her but mum was pleased that she didn't get scared of any other dogs and she enjoyed having a prance in the ring.

Afterwards we went for a quick run on our scooter, i saw a huge muddy puddle and got nice and dirty in that hahahh (much more fun than being a clean show dog) mum and dad were not too pleased and refused my muddy husky kisses.

Website

Mum finally got round to having another go at building a website for us.
Here is the link.

http://kaylaandskye.weebly.com/

Another beach playdate

Had lots of fun yesterday. My friend "Little Skye" was supoosed to come over yesterday to have some training in being a pretty showdog just like me. My mum keeps telling me that it is such a shame that her mum doesn't show her so she has managed to persuade her to try some small fun Companion Shows. As she has had no training she doesn't know how to stand and not to play with other dogs. Mum had offered to help her mum teach her how to behave in the ring.

However "Little Skye's" mum got in touch to say she hates wearing a collar and she didn't want to do that to her so how about we had a nice walk and play together instead. I was a little disappointed as I was looking forward to showing off but we always have good fun when we meet up to play.

We met up at Roseisle Beach for a nice change. Of course for the first ten minutes I had to be mean and vocal to remind her who is boss. We had a lovely run in the water and a good wrestle with each other even grumpy old Skye decided to have fun and join in. Don't think it was as much fun for our owners who kept getting tangled in our leads :-) Further along the beach we found an exciting dead seagull, my mum and dad were quick enough to get me and grumpy Skye away from it but "Little Skye" managed to get it. She was so funny and refused to leave go, mum got a couple of pictures saying it looked like she was eating an angel. She demonstrated her husky stubbornness and refused to leave go of it, it took her mum ages to get it off her.

We finished our run then took a drive to Hopeman for ice cream, I love ice cream if I look sad enough I always get a little taste of it. Our owners decided we may as well have a little play at Hopeman Beach too so we had another hour of fun chasing each other. Eventually the owners decided they were tired and wanted to go home to eat, they have no stamina I would have easily played for another few hours.

I was sad to say goodbye to "Little Skye" as she is one of the few dogs that I get to play with so it was back home with grumpy Skye and a long long nap after all that hard work playing.

Busy weekend

Well it was all go here over the weekend. Saturday involved a trip to the vets woo hoo I dragged mum in there I love visiting Donald the owner. I have a little patch on my leg where I lost some fur and mum was being neurotic wanting it checked out. As soon as we got there I squealed and squealed at the door for Donald to come and get me. The door opened and no Donald, some woman was there! I was most upset at this and decided I would be as awkward as possible when she tried to look at my leg. Eventually mum made me give in but I made sure the vet knew that I was not happy that Donald was not there. Good news was though my leg was nothing to worry about. Mum and dad asked if they could way Skye (or Jabba as she is known). She has been on a very strict diet. Mum says she has always been a chunky dog and always struggled with her weight but since she was neutered she turned into a big pudding (tee hee hee). She has lost 2kg in weight so she got lots of cuddles from mum and dad (grrrr I hate it when she gets more attention than me).

After the vets we got a quick walk in the woods (not long as it was sooooo hot) then mum and dad went to pick new flooring for the water damaged bits of out house (weeee new floors to skid on, can't wait). Then mum and dad did lots of cleaning (I helped by throwing my toys all over the floor)as we had people coming to stay.

After the cleaning dad lit the barbecue mmmmmm my favourite smell. Son after mum's best friend from home and her partner came which meant lots of cuddles and new people to play with. As they were new people me and Skye looked at them as cute as can be till they gave us barbecue titbits (mum growled at us for that).

Sunday the visitors wanted to go out and about and hopefully see some dolphins. We went to Lochness first to see the monster but sadly he didn't come out to play. We stopped for ice cream and then we went off to Fort George to see if we could catch the dolphins. Much to the visitors dismay they were nowhere to be seen. I impressed dad with my jumping skills, I was measuring up the Fort wall and he said there was no way I could jump up onto it. Guess who had to prove him wrong :p

The visitors have gone now so less people to adore us :-( Mum also keeps muttering to me that I will be getting another sister in the not too distant future, not sure I like the idea of someone else taking cuddles away from me hmmmph.

Oh mum wants me to give a public service announcement as she is a bit upset with some people. She met them a while ago when we were visiting the pet shop. They had a husky who had come from Cyprus with them when they moved. They were wanting a friend for him so mum suggested they join the local breed club forum. Well they joined there and first thing they asked was did anyone have any wolf grey pups with blue eyes for sale, this didn't go down well in the world of serious husky breeders. Mum thought people judged them harshly and stuck up for them. Anyway they got the pup they wanted. However they have now gone to the breed club asking if someone wants both dogs as they don't want them anymore :-( Mum would love to be able to take them but ther eisn't enough room here and as Skye has issues with other dogs it wouldn't be fair to her to bring other adult dogs here. Mum is sad and angry and wants to remind people that 1) if they are looking at a husky as a pet to please please do lots of research and make sure that they are the breed for you 2) Make sure you are prepared to make a lifetime commitment, we are not toys to be got rid of if you suddenly decide to change some aspect of your life.