…to fail the shortest NaBloPoMo month of the year!
I have been fighting off an extremely nasty and persistent winter cold all week and I’m finally feeling almost human tonight. I’ve missed several days of work (fortunately nothing earth-shattering happened there), several dog training classes (we won’t know until Freya’s next trial whether this will turn out to be a minor omission or an earth-shattering one), and the International Kennel Club dog show.
And obviously, the last week of February NaBloPoMo. So it goes.
That would be HP as in Hewlett-Packard, and as in the printers, not the computers.
Let me start off by saying that I am a long-time user of Hewlett-Packard printers. I have been hugely satisfied with most of the LaserJets and that’s since the Series II era (except of course the craptastic 5L, and that’s really my fault for going cheap). At the office, an ancient 8000N still handles a large part of the day-to-day work and isn’t sucking out our lives with repair or maintenance; it’s still surprisingly trouble-free.
The multifunction printers in my home and my friends’ homes are another story. When they are working, they do perform their multifunctions pretty well. But the problems that crop up in conjunction with new operating systems are a giant pain if you are not technically inclined, and still a pain if you are. I am not one of those people who think that any company should have to support obsolete hardware or software forever. I do think that the time frame of obsolescence as defined by HP is obscenely short.
I was glad to be spared the problems faced by the earliest adopters of Windows 7. The most recent update for full feature software and drivers seems to have worked to fix the problem of a Vista to Windows 7 upgrade that no longer recognized the PhotoSmart C7250 printer. While the upgrade process identified a number of drivers or applications that would need removal or upgrading, the HP drivers were not listed. Why not?
The worst part is that this is a repeat of the same kinds of problems faced by early adopters of Vista. HP drivers didn’t catch up with the problems until well after Vista’s original release date. I also can’t get on board with the idea of no support for a functioning printer that is slightly aging but not yet ancient, and being forced to buy a new one, just to move to a new operating system. If any company’s tech support tells me I have to buy a new printer to replace one that is less than five years old, you can bet it is not going to be a printer from that company.
I haven’t moved to Windows 7 or Mac Snow Leopard yet, and probably won’t unless I’m replacing hardware. We’ll see whether my own HP PhotoSmart C7280 printer is considered obsolete by then. If so, I’m thinking my next printer will probably be an Epson Artisan. Hey, it might suck, too, but at least I’ll be able to print directly on CDs and DVDs with it.
Now that Axel has finished his AKC Championship, I am hoping to get him out to some sieger (German-style conformation) shows this year. One of these days I will get around to writing more about this type of show. I have enjoyed them as a participant, as a spectator, and even as a critique typist, and wish there were more opportunities to attend this type of show in my area.
I won’t lie and say that they are devoid of politics and dog snobbery, but they generally have a more casual atmosphere than a typical AKC conformation show, and you will probably have more of an opportunity to learn about the breed because each dog is individually critiqued from nose to tail for all to hear. In the shows I have been to, many of the judges also take a minute at the end of the class to explain their placements, something I don’t think I’ve ever personally seen at an AKC show.
But for now, the main thing to remember is that food cannot be used to bait the dog in the ring. You may, however, use a toy. And that is where the manatees come in. That was your next question, wasn’t it?
Since Axel finished his AKC championship at the Manatee Kennel Club’s show, I thought it would be cute to have a manatee as his bait toy for sieger shows. Don’t judge me. Since I did not see any manatee toys at our local pet supply stores, I went online to look for manatee toys for either dogs or children. The Wishpets manatee mom and baby looked extremely cute in the picture, so I ordered one. It cost a total of about $20, including shipping. Here it is:
Axel cannot have this. It is way too cute and I just do not know what I would do to him if he were to rip the baby off the mom’s flipper and consume it. When I get around to framing his new champion photo, manatee mom and baby will go into the curio cabinet along with the photo and ribbons from the show. They will not go into Axel’s mouth. Sorry, buddy.
I was also shocked to see that this might have been some kind of limited edition single-parent manatee family. It doesn’t seem to be available any longer at the online store where I purchased it, and another one lists it at $78. Whoa.
The search for a slightly less cute and somewhat sturdier manatee continues. I hope to find one before he actually enters a sieger show!
Denise just added some of Endy’s show photos from 2002 to her website. Endy (V-1 CH Endy von der Frankentanne, SchH 2, ZTP, BH, TT) was Axel’s sire and when I saw those photos, especially next to Axel’s show photos, all I could think of is “like father, like son.” Wow.
All three of my male Rottweilers were chosen because of the instant admiration I had for their sires. I should probably not admit this, because in general I am all about the research into bloodlines, titles, health clearances, siblings, progeny, breeders, stud dog owners, you know… everything. But sometimes, first impressions matter. Maybe looks aren’t everything… except sometimes when they are.
More physical proof has arrived! Click away now if you are one of those who has had enough! We’re still awaiting one more title certificate for Freya, and then we have to go back to earning titles and awards before we can get any more certificates.
I’m particularly happy that Axel earned this title, and very grateful to Julia for trialing him in addition to showing him. I am happy that I was able to teach him the exercises well enough to qualify with decent scores, and even one placement. I am happy that Axel was able to get through the last two legs on packed dirt in a horse arena, especially after he NQd once in the same type of venue.
As mentioned earlier in the week, there are only a very few times over the long history of Westminster that Rottweilers have placed in group competition. Unfortunately, 2010 would not be one of those times. But it was still so exciting to see Julia and Patrone on TV, and what a wonderful team they made.
I’m not one who yells at the TV very often during sporting events. But last night, there was clapping and cheering (and barking) for Julia and Patrone, as if they, or the judge could hear us. And when they made the cut and got pulled into the line at the end, we got even louder. Alas, Patrone would not follow in his great-grandfather’s pawprints as one of the very few Rottweilers to place in the group. Still, a beautiful showing and very excited to see a friend in the spotlight at the Garden! Just a little disappointed that the commentators did not mention Julia by name, as they did with some of the other handlers.
I was pulling for the Whippet for Best In Show, but the Doberman should have had it. Sadie, the Scottish Terrier favored by many to win, did in fact prevail. But you all knew that, too!
I was a little surprised to find myself liking Tamron Hall as co-host. She spent quite a few years on the Chicago Fox affiliate’s morning news show, and I didn’t particularly care for her in that spot. Upon reflection, perhaps it was that I didn’t care for her teamed with David Novarro, or more likely, it’s David Novarro that I still don’t like in that morning spot. Anyway, good job, Tamron! Way better than last year’s co-host.
Oh, yes. I am sure you were hoping I’d forget, but guess what came in the mail recently, and that I finally got around to scanning? That’s right, Axel’s Canine Good Citizen certificate!
I know those of you who knew him as “Junior Gang Member” or “Junior Sex Offender” from puppy classes or as the unruly adolescent who tested me constantly are laughing at the idea of him being a good citizen. Well, there’s the proof. So there!
I had just arrived at work this morning when I got the wonderful news that Julia had gone Best of Breed with Patrone at Westminster. Yes, that would be Axel’s beloved handler, Julia Foster, and Rottweiler CH Chancellor’s Gorgeous Patrone, TT!
I can only imagine how much more interested in the show Axel will be tonight, when he sees “his” Julia on television!
Obviously, Julia’s win today is a big part of Westminster getting personal for me. But there is more.
Axel has actually been in the ring with six of the Rottweilers who were shown today. They were all Champions competing in Best of Breed during the time he was out getting his Championship. As Winners Dog from the classes, he went back in the ring with the specials dogs, or more specifically, to be defeated for Best of Breed by the specials dogs (it’s okay, that’s usually what happens). One of the Award of Merit winners is the son of Freya’s half-brother. His handler owned Freya’s sire. His owner once owned Freya’s littermate.
So, yes, I watch with a bit more interest each year, because there are more and more personal connections.
I was surprised to see the number of searches on various Rottweiler-ly Westminster topics leading here to the blog today. Here are some answers to the questions posed in those searches.
A Rottweiler has never won Westminster. A Rottweiler has won the Working Group only once, in 2006: CH Carter’s Noble Shaka Zulu. I so hope to see that happen again tonight.
Rottweilers have placed in the Working Group only four other times.
All of the Rottweilers, and in fact all of the dogs entered at Westminster, are Champions. Westminster entry is limited to Champions and it is currently the only AKC show with this requirement.
The Westminster website and its associated Facebook page and Twitter stream are being updated lightning fast. The Rottweiler winners are here and the list of Rottweiler entrants is here. If you are not a Rottweiler person, the “2010 Show Results” link on the Westminster website will take you to information on how your own breed of choice is doing. The only thing that seems to be taking a little longer is the videos. I so want to see the Rottweiler breed video before the groups tonight!
