Thanks Jen! - Page 6

I think it is highly commendable to take a working line and show them with show line regardless of where they place.  I have seen the reverse end.  where someone has taken a show line and worked them regularly along side working lines, and they were on the receiving end of not so much taunts but a lot of smart mouth.  I think with what Jen is breeding for that if everyone can get past preconceived notions that, that is actually what we should all be doing.


for what little my opinion is worth

Reggie McIntyre

Well, Reggie, it helps that Debby is a show person, too. If I showed up there, it would probably be funnier....probably we'd get laughed out of the ring! But she is well-known and has been successful w/her WGSL, so I think her showing up with a black working line bitch puppy might make people wonder "hmmmmm...wonder what this will bring?" in a good way. Opening minds, so to speak. And maybe also planting the seed that when one of "their own" is going to properly conformed (imho) working lines, perhaps some work is in order on the show line front! She is not the first Capri pup to be shown, but she is the first to be taken in by a true show person. Actually, I don't think any of her pups have rated less than an SG as young dogs, so not bad. Most my buyers aren't so much interested in showing as they are looking to get a survey in the future or just "round out" the venues the dog is shown in. Thus, it's kind of a "once and done" thing. It will be interesting to see how Dolce does when she gets the hang of this struttin' thing. LOL  OMG- I just think she looks soooo freaking CUTE strutting like that. I can't help it. I laugh every time I see her with that proud step and happy face. 

So, we'll see how she does. I'm just glad to have these updates to show my son, who asks almost daily, "Where's Dolce? Show me pictures?"

Nice reach and drive and pretty balance for her age.  Good luck with her  Nan

Thanks all! Dolce is pretty close to perfect for what I want. Her temperament is flawless ie: confident, fearless and drivey. I am far from being a traditionalist! lol I am more of a rebel, because, isn't it the "traditionalist" state of mind that has gotten us into the predicament that we are now in? Meaning that work and structure are still far too rare! I understand about wl in the show ring and how some, if not most judges are biased against them, so I take one judge's opinion on one day as just that. It is not about winning.... it's about getting the deserved, honest rating.  I would love for Dolce to win, of course, but I am also a realist! lol Right now my goal for Dolce is to gain experience in the show ring. Because if a dog is not properly trained there is no way it will get a deserved or accurate rating. The judge just can not see what they need to see to make that judgment. So those out there that just do the one and done for the breed survey, are doing their dog a great injustice! Dolce is not my first wl and I do quite a few work/show crosses.The crosses are in the show ring ALOT, so I doubt that anyone was surprised by what I bring. lol  My show lines are well researched for temperament and working drives and I got Dolce to bring in MORE of that and still keep a good balanced temperament as well as correct structure.  Most of my working lines have gotten their SG and I have been content with that. I have been looking for several years for the "right" wl to add to my breeding program and have been terribly disappointed in what I have/ I am seeing/getting. FAR TOO MANY were nervier than my sls!! No matter how beautiful and sweet they were they still need to have what it takes to IMPROVE my lines. :( I have returned several because they just did not measure up. The fact that there are getting to be so many really nice V working line structure out there has inspired me as well as the fact that my current wls are getting to retirement age.  What I saw initially with the pedigree was fantastic to me!  Take another look if you haven't already... http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/dog.html?id=1844085
LOTS of V structure, good hips, some stellar working competition etc. My interest was further fueled after I went to meet her mom and the litter as, they seemed to be everything I wanted in temperament also. All very outgoing but not over the top and the same with mom. Very social and no fear or hesitation at all and you could already see the good structure coming through. It seems to me that Capri is a great producer and I would highly recommend her and Boy!

Our photographer was not there this week at IPO training so I do not have any photos. :(  But I can tell you that Dolce will be super in IPO. She is not overly prey driven, but reacts intelligently to prey and sometimes waits for it to come back instead of using all that energy to chase it constantly. lol What I LOVE about her in IPO is that she is SERIOUS already! Her bark is serious and huge for a girl and usually starts out with a short growl! lol Her grips are full and very calm and she holds on forever. Hopefully I will have some more IPO photos to add this Saturday. :) If you are close, come on out! I am proud of our club OG Landheim in Dyer IN. We do police, wl, and sl as well as other breeds so every week is pretty interesting.... ooops forgot... THIS weekend (11/30) is our club trial so it might not be until the weekend after that we get photos?  Hope to see you there sometime!

"She is not overly prey driven, but reacts intelligently to prey and sometimes waits for it to come back instead of using all that energy to chase it constantly."

I would probably work on building her prey drive at this age.  I would rather see her throwing herself at the rag with reckless abandon than waiting for it to come to her.  Jagger has no shortage of prey drive but I'm already working him with two balls...better to have too much of something that I have to bring under control later than not enough.  He has taken to doing something interesting to conserve energy though...he pursuit tracks the rag...that is, instead of chasing the rag directly, he runs to try to intercept it where he thinks it's going to be by the time he catches up with it and he's pretty accurate!

"I wanted more manageable than I had been getting"  Why Jennifer, I LOVE my less manageable pup!  In fact, he seems very mangable to me!  LOL...but then you know that is what I like....still living with those 3 intact high drive males and loving it most of the time. 

This puppy is gorgeous, and what great lines she has.  Great lines and great attitude.  More pics and videos when you can (hear that Nadeem...?)

Keith she does throw herself at it, it's not all about prey and she already has defense or should I say seriousness... defense can be associated with bad nerves and this is not the case here. Her prey drive is what I would call good, but just not crazy. She will do fine. By the way, her lines have many dogs who were "serious" and did not put up with unfairness and this is how I see her. The crazy prey can end up being a problem later on when they have to learn to "bring it" themselves without the help of movement. I have no doubt that she will "bring it" herself in a serious mannor and not just prey.  We never let her have it while she's "waiting", she always has to get it, but you can see in her eyes it's not out of boredom or lack of interest, like so many who "wait".  I also see this as a dog who will naturally "cap" and not have to be taught.  Some dogs never learn the "serious" mode which usually does not hurt them being able to pass IPO, but the serious dogs are the dogs that (in my mind) are more dependable and less distractable once fully trained. So, in other words, I'm not worried about it.. ;)
 

BTW Jen, she loves children but IS very mouthy/bitey with them. lol But then again she doesn't live with one.
lol

Yes, Hunger, you do love yours, but unless you want another 5 of him, I needed something a tad more manageable. Honestly, though, that cross has such AWESOME brains that they "manage" to "manage" themselves pretty well despite being high-drive. I guess what I mean that although they were a lot of dog, they aren't utter morons that you have to worry about getting sued over for no reason at all. Remember, Boy was the one I chose when the litter was really supposed to be Caleb's....I saw some similarities there for sure. 

Kiss that boy for me, ok?

5 Month old update!!
Some IPO and candids of Dolce !