They say sometimes dreams come true and here is a start small one but a start

I was reading someone else post about their dog making this list and although it is great that they did. I also noticed at the bottom ranked 19 and it's a tie is none other then my Hondo. ( Elites storming the house at Jepa's. This is a start to a dream and you know what it doesn't matter he is on the bottom with only 2 shows in to the year. What matters is he is one this list. I couldn't be happier. 

And the choices continue my nails

 So I found a site that I really love these nail designs. And if you know me you know that along with my show clothes my nails have to be perfect. I even went as far as having a chows hand painted on my nails for last years nationals.

 But like my nails I have certain colors I will and will not wear.  This is as colorful as my wardrobe gets. Purple and blue on my nails is a

favorite although I do like red and pinks. I am not a fan of white nor black so sometimes designs become hard.

 People often wonder how I do anything with my nails but I will have you know i can do anything any one can do who doesn't have nails. I have had my nails long like this for 30 plus years. It has only been the last three that I have gotten into doing more then just color.

 This has always been my splurge on me. My nails and I don't think it will ever change. I did go through a time where I just didn't do them and people would always comment where are your nails. So I regrew them out.

Holiday's are fun because I can do themes. With Christmas being my favorite time. Rudolph, snoopy, ugly sweaters to name a few. Thanks giving has seen my nails as well as Halloween. This year I am skipping valentines nails and doing something different

Well that is enough nail talk

Let's talk about show clothes

Let  us talk about show clothes show we, This is the motor-home closet and my clothes. My husbands clothes are the purple shirt to the wall, and trust me these are not all of them, yes there are more way more, jackets, skirts, pants, shirts dresses, and there are some formal  kind of clothes there. Why are there so many clothes because I just can't answer that. The only good thing is everything was bought on sale or at the Dillard's clearance store by my house. There are a few from Cindy's closet and eshakti.com. There is a lot of red and black well a lot of dark colors why you ask. I worked for a company a long time ago that paid to have our color analysis done and I am a winter color person which means my skin tone looks best in dark colors. Pastels wash me out. There are clothes in there in various different sizes as when I started showing I was quite a bit heavier. There are things I have not worn yet. Plus there are some that have become my favorites.
Now I will tell you that something my mother told me when I first started has stuck in my head and I base my clothes decision around that. You and your dog are a team and you must present your dog in the best possible way. You have to dress as though when you walk in the ring you are a winner. You must look as professional as you can. Neat clean and together with your dog. So this is one reason way I have this problem. Another issue is I think I look horrible and fat in everything.

 The many many looks and so many different combinations. Yet still the same fat body

I have the staples black ,blue, brown skirts, Then I have floral skirts long skirts mid skirts Solid jackets Multi colored jackets, long jackets short jackets. Items with pockets, some with no pockets.Long sleeve shirts, short sleeve shirts and no sleeve shirts. Then there are the dresses. Black boots, Brown boots, tan flats ivory flats brown flats black flats, white sneakers. Yeah it's a problem. But I hate the way I look in everything so it is such a challenge. I am also not to fond of showing in pants although I have and I have black, tan and white. I was going to cull the clothes but you know when you do that then you look for something and it's not there. It's not that I want to make a fashion statement I just want to look nice and professional.

 I have had several judges compliment me on how I look and I don't know if that is a good thing or bad.

My new obsession is hats, although I have several I think I have only worn one once. It was outside and it was a hot day in Michigan  

at a 4-6 puppy. I have worn sneakers once new and white again it was indoors and hot and it to was a 4-6 puppy.

See even when I started I had to dress for success all thanks to my mom 

Why do we show dogs

So these are Hondo's ribbons from his last show. Nine ribbons 2 day show. With the new ruling from AKC he also gained a point a day towards his AKC Championship. Why do I show? What is in it for me ? What do I want from this sport? These are questions I ask myself and have been asked by others. I think it goes back to being a child. While growing up we didn't have dogs, Mom didn't want them I don't know why because her and dad loved English Bulldogs and would go on to show and breed them. They were very well known in the English bulldog community and imported several from England. Dad was also the AKC delegate for the Bulldog Club of America. But that is another story. 

It could be I wanted to be  involved with something my parents were. to make my mom proud. But acceptance wasn't what I was looking for. Well maybe a little but even though I love the bulldog that wasn't the breed for me. So I search and watched and didn't know what I wanted then I saw a Chow and it was love at first sight that was the breed for me. Although my mom wanted me to get an Irish Setter and not to be defiant it was the Chow. 

No if you are in dogs for the right reason you know that this is not a quick money making hobby. To be under the understanding with much time and details go into even consider breeding two dogs. So we start at the bottom, yes new people in this sport are bottom feeders as the more established people guard their dogs and secrets like King Tuts tomb along with the Palace jewels of the queen. So since we are bottom feeders we have to learn as you go. Or you could be lucky and find a mentor or two. But mostly you find people who look down their noses and don't want to give you the time or day. Now I am a watcher and I love to read and research everything. I am self well educated I just don't like to show it.  

To be taken half serious in this sport you must make sure you have a good specimen of the Chow.He or she must be true to the standard, and you need to be out there willing to put in the time to show the world you are not a fly by night person. You must take the good with the bad and take losing as well as winning graciously. You must have broad shoulders because they will talk about first before even consider trying to help after all your are competition. Smile and go on with what you are doing. 

  I learned this when I took two dogs to the Nationals for the CHOW CHOW club. I had thought I was ready and we would do well. Let me tell you this was an eye opening experience one that I learned a lot from. The farthest we got was 3 in a puppy class not that my male was inferior to any of the puppies there I observed that my male was not groomed as the others were. It wasn't that he wasn't groomed he just was not groomed as he needed to be. I was still very inexperienced on  how the world of showing chows had changed. We were outclassed out groomed and I felt all alone. I made a promise to myself I will never show another dog not groomed to perfection. Now Nationals were in April and I took this same male to a specialty the end of May. Here he took a 5 point major, The difference he was groomed to perfection. Every show is a learning experience and I like to think I am a good student. I also have had several judges thank me for bring well groomed dogs onto the ring.

So now that your dog is winning you have caught the attention of other chowist. They are now watching to see if your a fluke or someone in for the haul. Some may talked to you some still wont but think about your not there to be their friends your there to finish your dog and get that AKC Championship. I don't like that theory because I am an outgoing person. So you start looking at other breeders puppies because you would one day like to breed your males and  create that once in a lifetime litter. You look at pedigrees but you still are unsure what your looking at but you look and compare. Do you buy a Bitch and then be the breeder, do you stud out your male to get a puppy this is not a process that is an overnight challenge.  You don't want to make a mistake, remember you want to be a serious breeder one who is respect and people wait for one of your puppies because they know you do it right. 

Me I want that, I want to have a ranked dog, I want to have my dogs produce the type of chow every one wants. So I wait until that time is right. It could be a year, or 5 years down the road but when everything aligns to be that time it will happen. 

So to answer the question why do I show, I show for me, I enjoy the hustle of  a show ring. I love the satisfaction that I have come a long way with my dogs. I found my passion something I stressed to my kids to do when they were growing up follow those dreams love what you do as long as its fun. If it becomes something else then you have achieved more than your goals were. My boys both are almost finished and I can say this is something I did. This was not handed to me I worked in preparing my dogs and my self. One day I hope to be preparing for that Best in Show win. Breeding will come. Because I am not into this to breed and breed and sell puppies I am in it for the thrill of the show.