It's been a long time!

There hasn't been much going on that's of note around here (not about the dogs or dog shows, anyway : ) Our show schedule has been pretty limited--I'm trying to be selective about judges. Ray took Select Dog one day at the IKC shows in Chicago. All four days there, he was the only dog in the breed ring without a professional handler... so that we even got a look felt good!

Here are a couple new pictures, taken today, of Ray and Tarot. She is my little "piglet," and after today's "landscaping activities" in the back yard, she was in dire need of a bath. She's now 13 months old.

A new photo!

I haven't posted for a while. Didn't have any dog shows for a while : ) Our latest was in Kankakee, where Tarot took RWB on Saturday, and on Sunday, Ray took Breed under breeder judge Beth Riley. His win photo is here.

You know you are hooked on this dog-showing thing when the National just ends and you start planning for the next one : ) Today, I made hotel reservations for the 2011 National show in Farmington, UT...

Home from the National. The pups did good! : ) Tarot got second in the 6-9 puppy bitch Sweeps class, and made the cut in the regular 6-9 puppy bitch class.

Ray made it into the final 25-30 for Best in Show, and made me proud. He did just what he was supposed to do (which isn't always what happens : )

It was a great week, surrounded by wonderful friends and incredible dogs.

Gearing up for the National!

A week from now we'll be making our trek to Pigeon Forge, TN, for the Samoyed Club of America National Specialty. Me, two dogs, and loads of gear in a tiny little Pontiac Vibe--the SuperCar. I can't wait!

Finally getting a blog...

I probably should have done this a long time ago, but am officially creating a blog for my Samoyeds under my kennel name, Fionntan. It's Gaelic, and it means "white flame" or "small white one" depending on where you look or who you ask, but either way, it applies (though it might be a stretch to call either of our Samoyed boys "small").

We got our first Sam in 1999, for daughter Erin's 4th birthday. Rollie was her birthday present--she wanted a sled dog for her birthday, and we got the best kind : ) Rollie is still with us, and will be 12 in November. He was followed by a cast of rescue Samoyeds, including two who came and stayed--Gigi and Bonita, both of whom lived to be nearly 15.

Ray (CH Hawkwind's Padparaja O'Fionntan) came to live with us in 2007--he was my "PhD completion" gift to myself. He is my first "show" dog, and I've definitely been bitten by the show bug. We added Tarot (Hawkwind's Azurite In The Cards) to the pack this summer. She's eight months old now.

Ray sired his first litter this summer, with Hawkwind's Painted Canyon Agate. You can find links to the Hawkwind page (for more info about Ray and the other Hawkwind dogs) and the Dice Samoyeds page (for more info about Ray and Agate's puppies) here on my page.

Bear with me--I'm new at this : )