Rottweilers Ate My Laptop

The long-awaited photos from the ARV 2010 National Sieger Show arrived this week. As you know, Axel traveled to Kentucky in September for the show with his breeder Denise and her husband Gary. After the long wait, I would have been quite disappointed if the photos hadn’t turned out well. And fortunately, they did. Here he is with his friend Scott Allen:

Click on the photo to see the rest of the pictures from the show.

As you know from my previous posts on sieger shows, the judge gives a critique to each dog. The critique is done for all to hear at the show, and you also receive a printed copy.

3 year old male, correct size, attentive, correct coat, correct markings, forehead should be wider for age, highly set away carried ears, correct shaped med. brown eyes, correct muzzle, more fill under eye and more pronounced cheek, exc. mouth pigmentation, strong neck a bit wrinkled, correct top and bottom line, bone could be a bit stronger, good front and rear ang, movement correct action in front, not enough in the rear, correct top line

I disagree with some of it: I like his head, I think his mouth pigmentation could be darker, and I don’t think his rear movement and drive is insufficient. It could have been so on that day. And although he was third out of the three dogs in the Champion Males class that showed, I’m still satisfied with his critique, his V (excellent) rating, and the reports that he traveled, behaved and showed well all weekend.

For comparison, here is his youth critique from the USRC 2008 National Sieger Show. He was 18 months old then and placed second with a V rating out of a large (20+) class.

strong boned maled nice outer lines excellent chest
proportion correctly set eyes good head shape
scissor bite lively temperment excellent coat correct
gate with good drive from the rear

Both critiques appear as typed: errors, strange translations and all. As a show typist many times myself, I don’t fault a few typos, and some things do get lost in translation. When you look at the show photos, do you see what the judges saw?

Looks like I was doing this exact same thing one year ago, too! Same beautiful dog, same wonderful handler, same situation with me scrambling to put together an ad for The Total Rottweiler Magazine right on deadline.

As most of you know, Axe finished his championship and earned his RN and CGC about six months ago, but I didn’t get his ad done until just now. So please indulge me once again, and behold the beauty that is Axe:

click image for full-sized PDF version

This ad will be running in Issue 2 / 2010 of The Total Rottweiler Magazine. Please check out the magazine if you love Rottweilers! I am on staff as a volunteer (unpaid) proofreader and copyeditor, so I definitely have a connection and an interest in the magazine’s continued success.

My original plan for advertising in the first 2010 issue of The Total Rottweiler Magazine was to celebrate the titles that Axel finished in January, particularly his AKC Championship.

Well.

Since my new AKC Champion is like one of those children who, while nice-looking in person, always has a goofy expression, closed eyes, head turned to the side, or what have you when it comes to photographs, I did not have the variety of shots, nor a decent head shot, for a nice elegant new champion ad.

So here is what is running instead. Behold the beauty… and the goofiness… that is Freya and Axel.

click image for full-sized PDF version

We also took the opportunity to promote Axel’s niece, Chassis (Precious Gems European Cut). I predict a successful career ahead for this young lady!

click image for full-sized PDF version

(NaBloPoMo | March ’10: 20 of 31)

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.

Go and see! Father Endy is here. Son Axel is here.

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.

(NaBloPoMo | February ’10: 19 of 28)

I actually missed the phone call from Julia this morning. She must have called seconds after finishing up in the Rottweiler ring, and as luck would have it, I was in the shower and missed being the first to hear the biggest news of Axel’s young life. But, anyway!!

Our Axe is now…

CH Precious Gems Axel vom Viersen!!!

He finished his American Championship (pending AKC verification, of course) this morning at the Manatee Kennel Club’s show at the Florida Winter Classic I in Brooksville, FL. He went Winners Dog and Best of Winners for a three-point major under judge Robert C. Thomas and handled by Julia Foster.

Julia has been so wonderful as a handler and surrogate “mom” to the sometimes overbearing and rambunctious Axel, and with her friendship and support to me as a first-time show dog mom. Axel’s breeder, Denise, has also been here with friendship and support throughout the whole process… from helping us pick the right puppy, with advice through his troublesome teenage times, and on the road to his championship.

Axel will be home at the end of the month. I can’t wait to pick him up in St. Louis! Meanwhile, enjoy a picture of him from the Chicago Christmas Cluster (click for a larger view)…

Photo: Booth Photography

(NaBloPoMo | January ’10: 14 of 31)

Slightly self-promotional, because while these links are not all about me, or at least not in the same way as my blog or website would be, I do have something to do with each one of them:

the henderson company: This is where I have worked for… ummm… a really long time. Site was designed by one of my business partners and HTML’d and JavaScript’d and Flash’d by me. Yeah, I know my part needs work, but remember my… our… background is in print, not online!

Precious Gem Rottweilers and French Bulldogs: Axel’s breeder’s website. The beautiful Rottweilers and Frenchies from excellent bloodlines… all hers. Site design and upkeep… that’s me.

The Total Rottweiler Magazine: I joined the staff as proofreader and copyeditor beginning with Issue 1 2009. If you have any interest at all in Rottweilers and dog sports, this is a great resource.

(NaBloPoMo | May ‘09: 23 of 31 | 75% Challenge: 119 of 274)