Acadia Shelties: 2015

The National Dog Show- one of the few remaining Benched shows

>> Sunday, November 15, 2015 – articles and information, conformation, Luke

Yesterday was the National Dog Show, held in Philadelphia. It is a "Benched" show. There are only a few benched shows left in the country- Westminster being another one. Historically there was an actual "bench" and each entered dog was assigned a specific space on the bench. At this show, there is no actual bench, but dogs are still assigned a specific space and much be crated in those assigned spaces. Benched shows are really for the public to come and see the different breeds and learn what makes them unique. I think of them as an all day "Meet the Breeds". Breeds are assigned spaces together so that people coming to see shelties, for example, will find them all in one place. The dogs must be in the assigned spaces all day, 11:00-5:00 were the required time, but once a dog was in the building it is not allowed to leave, and are only allowed to be absent from their assigned space, during their ring tine (when they are being judged) and for short potty brakes. Yesterday our ring time was 9:00 am, so we were in the building at 7:45am and couldn't leave until 5:00. The goal is that no matter when the public arrives, they will still be able to see all of the breeds entered that day. This is different from "un-benched" shows in which the dogs can arrive and depart the show site at will.

As a competitor in these benched shows it is a long day, and it is important to enter a dog that can be available to meet the public and be an ambassador for the breed. Not all dogs are up for that challenge. Luckily for me, Luke, Ch. Acadia's Crown Prince, is one of those dogs. He was a trooper and greeted people almost all day- usually with a tail wag, and occasionally with a kiss. I was thankful to see so many people coming to see the dogs.

Last year, Liza won Best of Breed at this show and then went on to win a Herding Group 3rd place. This show is televised on Thanksgiving Day- and it was fun to relive the positive experience while surrounded by family and enjoying a good meal.

Devyn- Amy's next Agility Prospect

Devyn lives with her 1/2 sister (same mother), Teagan, and their person, Amy. Teagan is small, like Devyn and the two are very cute together, although they don't look alike yet. Teagan is dark like mom, Cassia, and Devyn is red like her dad, Darren. I know that these girls will become best friends and I hope that Amy really enjoys the interactions with the two of them.

Up 'n comers- Porter, Staten, Desi

>> Sunday, November 8, 2015 – Cassia

Acadia Wyndstorm Desert Sea aka- Desi

Acadia Sea Porter aka- Porter

Acadia State of Mind- aka- Staten

I am very excited about these littermates. Porter won points at the 1st shows in which he was entered. Staten and Desi were not so lucky, but they both did great and had a good experience. They are just 6 months old which is the earliest age they can be shown. It is important for puppies to have fun and all positive experiences so that they enjoy shows later. Puppies experience growth stages just like children do. Sometime around 7 months (all) puppies experience a second "fear period" and it is important to recognize this stage and avoid any new and scary experiences. If puppies experience something they consider "traumatic" during this stage it will be an issue for the rest of their lives. We have not yet entered that phase and they had fun. Now we will stay in our regular routine until they are more mature.

New CDX Acadia's Catch Me If You Can, CDX, RAE, OAJ, OF, T2B,

>> Sunday, October 18, 2015 – Dove, Obedience

Good Job Ladies!
I think this picture is cute. The English Cocker Spaniel, Boomer, didn't win the toy, Lucy the sheltie did- but sporting dogs just gotta have something in their mouths. Since Boomer also qualified in his Rally class, Lucy let him carry it around.

LeaAnne said she has waited a long time for this title- it just took her too long to get a sheltie ;-)

New PACH Acadia's One Very Special Puppy, MXP, MXJP

>> Monday, October 12, 2015 – Agility, Dove

"Piper" and Heidi earned the needed 750 points and 20 double Qualifying scores in Master Preferred Standard and Master Preferred Jumpers with Weaves to complete the Perferred Agility Championship (PACH). All championships are hard work and take dedication. I am so proud of this team. Congratulations Piper and Heidi.
Piper is the litter sister to "Dove"- Ch. Acadia Peace of Mind

Liza joins the Century Club

>> – brags, Cassia, conformation, Liza

This is an American Shetland Sheepdog Association designation for shelties that have won 100 Best of Breeds. It is considered a Lifetime Achievement and is awarded a special silver pin and the right to put CC following the name.

Pawsitively Pets April 2015 issue featured Liza

>> Monday, July 20, 2015 – brags, conformation, Liza

The following article was featured in the April 2015 Pawsitively Pets. It is fun to see our story in the pages of magazines. I hope you enjoy the article. If you click on the picture, it opens in a different window- a bit bigger. I hope you can read it.

Mason swinging from the trees by his teeth.

>> Sunday, July 12, 2015 – Everything else, Mason

Mason loves to play. He has invented his own game. It is obviously that enjoys swinging and he is pretty creative to have discovered how to do this. I have attempted to play tug with him, but he is not that interested in "just" tugging. While watching him swing, I realized it was more the swing than the tugging that he seems to enjoy. I have seen him hang on and use his hind legs to push off and start swinging again. He is a one of a kind.

GCh. Acadia Stage Presence, "Liza", continues to win the Herding Group

>> Wednesday, July 8, 2015 – conformation, Liza

Liza has been such a dream come true. She has won the Herding Group 18 times now. One of my favorite sayings is, "overnight success takes 15 years to achieve." - well, I have been breeding shelties now for more than 15 years, but Liza certainly has been an overnight success. Showing her makes me wish that I could just attend dog shows- she is that much fun and I look forward to each weekend we get to go.

1st place in Open A for LeaAnne and Acadia's Catch Me If You Can, CD, RAE, OAJ

>> Monday, June 22, 2015 – Charlie, Dove, Obedience

LeaAnne and Lucy earned first place for the 2nd leg in Open A obedience. One more leg and she will have earned the Companion Dog Excellent (CDX). LeaAnne's grandson, Richard, was so proud of Lucy- and of course we are too!

Shetland.....waterdog???

Bison loves water sports. Jaclyn reports that they needed to get Bison a life jacket because she was always in he water, and Jaclyn was afraid she might get tired.

In an email she said, "...she loves being on the boat, we thought she might like the board. Now if we go on the paddle board without her she throws a fit and will even jump off the dock and swim out to the board. We got the life jacket out of necessity because she would jump off the dock without us and we were afraid she'd tucker out without anyone knowing she was in the water." Who knew that shelties were waterdogs?

4 of the 7 generations of Champion girls

>> Saturday, May 23, 2015 – Cassia, Dove, Genna, Liza, meet the family

Don Moore brought Ch. Genna over for a visit. She will be 12 in August. We took pictures of the 4 generations -
Left to right is youngest to oldest:
GCh. Acadia Stage Presence- "Liza"
GCh. Acadia Presence of Mind- "Cassia"- mother of Liza
Ch. Acadia Peace of Mind- "Dove"- mother of Cassia
Ch. Acadia It's My Treat- "Genna" - mother of Dove

It was so exciting to see the girls together. Genna looks great and it made for a nice afternoon. In my head I had this "advertisement quality' picture- but 4 dogs at the same time proved to be too difficult for me and Mike to photograph exactly as I had envisioned. I wish that I had an "assistant" to call who could have helped me get them "show groomed" and then pay attention to details. For example, in my favorite picture from the afternoon, my blouse had gaped open- how come no one noticed? Although the girls are not all "fluffed up", I don't have make-up on, and the sun was too bright- I LOVE this picture. I LOVE the girls.

Happy 93rd Birthday Amy!!! You are MORE than an inspiration!

>> Thursday, May 14, 2015 – Agility, Amazing Amy, Cassia

I am So Proud of Amy Brastad and Acadia Essence of Joy, CDX, AXJ, NA, RE. This video (from ABBA dogs) is her winning run in Excellent Jumpers with Weaves. Amy turned 93 this month. She is such an inspiration and I am so proud to claim her as part of the family.

Jumping for joy that spring is around the corner-

>> Sunday, March 8, 2015 – Everything else

Parker on the left- Zing on the right- jumping for joy that daylight saving started which means it MUST be spring soon!!!! No, really this great picture was taken by owner Tina in February. What a great picture. Thanks for sending it Tina.

Westminster 2015

>> Tuesday, February 24, 2015 – brags, conformation

My friend Sharon went with me and Liza to New York city to the Westminster show. Well, actually, Sharon took me to the show. Sharon had no problem driving in NY traffic which was something I had no interest in doing.

Westminster used to be 100% in Madison Square Garden- and that was the WORST location for a dog show I have ever been in. I went 3 times under those circumstances, and showed one time. It was SO crowded! and really, just miserable. A few years ago "The Garden" was undergoing renovations, so and only the main area was available. The Westminster Kennel Club needed to find a new location for the regular breed judging (but the group judging and Best in Show stayed at the Garden). They rented The Piers- specifically Pier 92 and Pier 94. It worked well, and they have decided to continue with the arrangement.

The Piers were MUCH better- more spacious, better parking, easier access, more vendors. I felt like there was enough room to breath- and, I think that more people were able to come to the show. I enjoyed showing there and think I will be more likely to go back. Switching gears:

A Funny thing happened on my way to the show (Westminster)....
Sharon and I were at the hotel in NJ and Sharon took Liza out to potty. When she came back in the room, she asked me if I had sold a dog to someone in MD? Well, yes.... Sharon said, "there is a women out walking her Flat Coat retriever, and she is rooming with a women that has a sheltie she got from you." Huh? The roommate of someone who got a puppy from me is talking to my roommate? This is funny. Next thing I know I get a text from Luanne- who has Lucy. Her text asks, "are you at the Red Roof" Yup! She was too! She was going to Westminster to help her friend. I asked her what room # she as in, and then called her on the room phone (it was getting too late to go visit). The whole thing was kind of funny.

New NATCH Acadia's Warrior Princess

>> Friday, February 20, 2015 – Agility, Xena

About a month ago Linda send the following message, "Xena and I are back to agility once again. I tore the ligament in my foot in January of 2014. Dang old body of mine keeps getting in the way of agility. She was going very well before I had that back surgery in 2012. Then my foot, then her cataract surgery. She never forgets what to do even with the breaks. She is one super little dog. Anyway, I hope to have a great picture with her, a judge, and a NATCH bar soon. We only need one CHANCES run.

Here are her latest NADAC titles.

ECC Elite Chances 2-3-14

Elite Versatility 2-3-14

O-TN-E Outstanding Elite Tunnelers 2-23-14

O-EAG-E Outstanding Elite Regular 2-23-14

NATCH Regular 3-16-14

NATCH Tunnelers 3-29-14

1,000Lifetime Points 3-30-14

O-EJC-E Outstanding Elite Jumpers 3-30-14

O-ECC-E Outstanding Elite Chances 5-26-14

NATCH Jumpers 11-16-14

Thanks again for all your support. I enjoy this little dog so much and she continues to amaze me."

The North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC), Agility Trial Championship (NATCH) requires a dog and handler team to earn 230 Elite Regular, 130 Elite Regular, 130 Elite Chances, and 130 Elite Jumpers points.

Well, here is the Great Picture with Linda, Xena, and the judge of that last Chances Run. CONGRATULATIONS LINDA AND XENA. We are so proud of you!

Acadia Infinite Spirit, (AKC) HSAs; (ASCA) STDs&d, OTDs; (AHBA) HRD Is, HTAD Is, IIs, HTAD Id

>> Saturday, January 24, 2015 – Faith, Finn, Herding

Kathy has sent me this update on Finn. Reports like these bring joy to my heart. It is my pleasure to share these wonderful dogs with others, and then to share the successes they have, as pets, or competition dogs.

Kathy writes, "Finn is a wonderful companion at home and out working. He is my special boy! I don't know what to add. We have enjoyed agility lessons and he is a registered therapy dog through Therapy Dogs Inc. He enjoys visiting senior residences and nursing homes. Finn loves herding! We've worked sheep, goats, ducks and geese. He is so excited to be at the ranch when we train. We help move stock, set them out for others and do any chores we can. We are working hard to compete in Advanced AKC, AHBA and ASCA sheep some time soon. We did earn his HTAD Id title 8/23. He loves ducks! He is my boy :) "
Acadia Infinite Spirit (AKC) CGC, HT, PT, HS; (ASCA) STDs&d, OTDs; (AHBA) HRD Is,

HTAD Is, IIs, HTAD Id

Happy New Year to You

>> Thursday, January 1, 2015 – Dove, Liza

Our dogs felt that 2015 started off right. They got lamb legs to chew on today. The day windy, but not too cold (my van said 40- but it felt colder than that).

Ch. Dove in the back and her granddaughter, Ch. Liza, in front

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