Year
by Michele Wrath
SunnyOaks Dalmatians
T
he Best There are litters to plan, puppies to
show, dogs to finish and specials
to be debuted and campaigned. There are
more letters to write and petitions to sign as the
in Dogs
fight against the Animal Rights activists begins
anew. And sadly, there are always more dogs to
rescue.
T
For those of us who are breeders at heart, there
he New Year is upon us. It is a time of reflection – is nothing more exciting than the promise of a
to recount the highs and lows of the previous year new litter. The stud dog has been selected, health
and to decide and set into motion the plans for the clearances are complete and arrangements have
year ahead. It is that season of unlimited potential, been made. Now the waiting game begins. If the
full of hope and the promise of things to come. dam has to travel or semen has to be shipped, you
become a frequent viewer of the weather channel
The final standings are in from the previous year – – wondering if you are in fact going to hit a tem-
which now seems like a lifetime ago although it has perature spike or trough that could wreak havoc
barely left us. It’s a time for some to celebrate, for on your plans. We recently flew across country. I
others to rethink and second-guess every decision routed the flights through Dallas thinking it would
that they made – from show selection to choice of be the least likely place to have snow – and of
handler to use of ads – was there something they course it snowed the day we traveled – it was the
overlooked that gave that other dog the edge? And first time they had snow on that day in 100 years!
some will actually look at their dogs. Could it be
that this dog did as well as it could do given its Most of the time it all works out, but it is always
quality and ring presence relative to the competi- good to have a Plan “B” and even better to have a
tion? bitch that watches the weather channel with you
and cooperates so that The Big Day doesn’t fall
Regardless of the final outcome, in the Specials in the middle of a blizzard or heat wave!
Ring we are all at Zero once again. It’s a bit like
being in Sales. What you did yesterday is what you And somewhere between getting a breeding done
did yesterday and this is today. Enough said on and whelping and raising a litter, there are dogs to
that. Time to get focused on 2010! show. More decisions.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26