GCh. Acadia's Stage Director and sons

Aiden is now a Grand Champion!  He is now GCH. Acadia's Stage Director.   He had a wonderful weekend of shows.  He was pulled for consideration in one group, and placed 3rd in the group on a different day.    A women came up to me when I was walking out of the ring, touched my arm, and said, Love, Love LOVE your sheltie!  That was really nice.  I walked back to my set up and another person said to me, I have been watching you this weekend and you two are a really lovely team.   It's true that showing dogs is a team sport.  It is what I love the most about showing dogs.  I love the connection with the dog. I love the time spent focused on the dog.  I love being a part of the team.  

    One day Aiden's son, Acadia's Film Director "Windsor", won Best of Breed- defeating Aiden and the other entered champions.  I was very proud of him.  Windsor earned 5 more points that weekend bringing his total to 9 points, 1 major.  

Acadia's Film Director   "Windsor"

    Brother Vernon, Acadia Director's Cut, was at dog shows in Virginia with handler Zana Friend.  He was winning too and now has a major.  

Acadia Director's Cut   "Vernon"

 

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Acadia's Film Director, "Windsor" wins a Major

 YAY!!  My friend Eileen Seirup told me she was going to shows in New Castle, PA and asked, did I have anyone she could take and show.  Yes, Windsor was looking good, but he had never been to a show, and he had also never been to a handling class.   He "looked" the part, but I didn't think he would "act" the part.  I told Eileen that I would love it if she took him along and trained him.  No pressure- just make it Fun.   WELL!!  He was Winners Dog 2 days- and the 2nd day was for a Major!!   WOW!!   No pressure, but now he has 4 points- with a Major!!!  

The first day, Eileen said he really didn't know what he was doing and he wasn't moving well.   Yesterday she told me he seems to have figured this out and he moved So much better- I guess the judge agreed!.  The weather has been horrible.  It has been raining and Eileen took her camper and is staying on the show grounds.  She said the site is muddy and that is making it more of a challenge.   In his win photo- I was expecting him to look muddy- she is going a good job.  

Eileen is showing 2 of her own girls and she is going well and winning with them also.  Eileen as been having a very good weekend.  She has never been to these shows before and I would be willing to bet that the competition is looking forward to her going home :-)

Acadia's Film Director  (Ch. Acadia's Stage Director x Laureate Zinfandoll)

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Acadia Trust Me "Nora"

Acadia Trust Me  (Ch. Acadia Trusted Opinion x Ch. Laureate Meiomi)

 Mike and I are by no means professional photographers, but today we took a few pictures of Nora and then played around with some of the simple "edit" tools my computer has to offer.  I wanted to blur the background.   I liked it, but often, in our pictures, the background is too close and too in focus.  After several attempts, I decided that I liked this well enough.  It still looks like an amateur did it, but I think it is better than many of the pictures we have taken where we didn't do anything to the pictures.

Over the years we have gotten lucky with some of the pictures we have taken and when that happens, I am over joyed.  Who knows, maybe I will learn new skills and improve the images I post on the blog- or perhaps I will just end up with a few lucky good ones as before.

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GChS Acadia Stage Presence, CC (7/27/2010- 2/2/2025)

Westminster- Select

National Dog Show- Group 3

ASSA National

Ch.Chica, ROM, Ch,.Aiden, ChS Liza, CC

Techla, Ch.Chica, ROM, ChS Liza, CC

11.5 years old- Group 1

 

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Happy New Year- Welcome 2025

Happy New Year to All

2024 was a good year. I am thankful that I was able to successfully accomplish two bucket list items and a dreams come true item.  Bucket list item #1. get to see wild polar bears.   The Pruss family took a trip to Churchill, Manitoba Canada in July.  We did see beluga whales, but no polar bears.  The best time to see polar bears is late October, early November as they congregate in Churchill for "ice up" on the Hudson Bay.  As soon as I got home in July, I immediately started looking for an opportunity to go back in November.  My good friend, Katrina Steward, was also very interested, so the two of us booked a quick trip which was successful. I saw 12 different bears.   Katrina is a birder and she saw 3 "lifers" on the trip.  

Bucket List item #2 - ROM (Register of Merit) - Chica achieved that this year for which I am very thankful.  

Dream Come True- Breeder of Best In Futurity and Reserve Winners Dog, plus an additional class winner at the ASSA National.  

Many Acadia bred shelties were successful in competition events - a personal highlight was Warren winning Best of Breed at a Specialty under respected judge Rodrick Thompson.  

All-in-all it was a year to be proud of and one for good memories.  

I am thankful to all of the people who helped make this year a success- there certainly were many!

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600th post!! Winter- joy and sadness

 Wow!  I started this blog in 2006 when blogs were a new media platform.  I really enjoy looking back over the years and seeing the canine family that is still going strong, thriving, giving love and bringing joy, and successfully competing in every aspect of competition.  This family brings me so much joy and every day I feel blessed to be allowed to create my own family.

Although I know I am blessed, sometimes, as I review past posts, I feel sad.   I wish past dogs were still here.  Sometimes I wish I had bred a dog differently and had offspring from dogs that have passed. I miss them.  I receive messages from families whose dogs have passed, and I spend time remembering them- and feeling the sadness of loss.   I know that this time of year, many feel sad.  

Wishing passed loved ones were still with us or feeling lonely is common- especially this time of year when the pressure to be Jolly is greater.   Feeling sad and lonely may be a normal part of life- and winter, but if it becomes overwhelming, seek people to help, and healthy actions to honor the sources of sadness in ways that brings a smile.   One way to cope with these feelings can be to create your own traditions.  One tradition I have tried to create for myself is to do a year- end review.  Similar to writing a Christmas letter (which I have long stopped doing), a year-end review reminds me of what brought me happiness and helps me focus on the present and the good.   I will be writing that blog post soon- and if you have anything I should be reminded of - please let me know.  

Thank you for reading my blog- I hope to have 600 more posts of love and sadness ahead.   Happy Winter Solstice (yesterday).    

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What shelties are Thankful for

 A Vizsla free day!  The day after Thanksgiving and Mike and Rosie are going to the farm for a weekend trip.  The shelties LOVE when Rosie goes on vacation because that means everyone gets chew toys!! 

Rosie usually gathers all of the chew toys together and won't share.  It is difficult to manage everyone's chewing pleasures when she is here, so the first thing I did when they drove out the driveway was break out the chew toys.   They got to choose from large carrots, rawhides and braided bully sticks.

The carrots were a favorite and they went the fastest.  The shelties love a vizsla free staycation.   

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