Rottweilers Ate My Laptop

Rottweilers. Computers. Cameras. World Domination. Not necessarily in that order.

Rottweilers.
Computers. Cameras.
World Domination.
Not necessarily in that order.

More Westminster… getting personal

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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!

(NaBloPoMo | February ’10: 16 of 28)

Deja vu all over again

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Because once again, you know I have to do this. And no, you don’t have to check the calendar. Groundhog Day was last week.

Yes! AKC has verified Axel’s Rally Novice title, giving him titles on both ends. See?

Now before someone calls me on it, I do agree with many others that the phrase “titles on both ends” would preferably mean a Champion with an advanced working title. I am using it anyway, because it still sort of amazes me that my wild child left home as an untitled dog after Christmas break and came back a little less than a month later as a Champion with a Rally Novice title and a Canine Good Citizen certificate.

Yes again! APDT has recorded all of Freya’s scores and her Level 1 title to their online database. They do not show the Award of Excellence in the online database, but the paper certificates do.

Now awaiting the paper certificates, and now you may officially leave Groundhog Day deja vu… for this time!

(NaBloPoMo | February ’10: 12 of 28)

If this was it…

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Today’s commutes, both morning and evening, were not bad at all. Too bad it didn’t stop with this, though.

Our street is a snow route, meaning that our street should be cleared early on in the process, and that we can’t park on the street when snow is 2″ or deeper.

Here is the back yard before Rottweilers run through it.

Here is a Rottweiler (Axel) running through it.

Here is a Rottweiler (Freya) running past it.

Here is the back yard after Rottweilers run through it.

It’s been steadily snowing for most of the night, so I’m almost afraid to see what we end up with in the morning, although it won’t be as much as the East Coast was socked with. This storm is heading that way and I’m sure they are none too pleased about that.

(NaBloPoMo | February ’10: 9 of 28)

Nothing much going on here

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This will be one of those posts that serves simply to keep NaBloPoMo alive for me for February. I’ve opted to let sleeping dogs lie tonight rather than wake them for training or anything else requiring action of body or mind. I’m not sure why we are all so tired after doing not much of anything, and that includes my day at work. Freya and Axel like the cold and snow way more than I do. Even though we had less than an inch of snow here over this afternoon and evening, the dogs were determined to roll around in what there was of it. But it was far from their usual vigorous playtime. I’m sure they secretly wish we were getting big snow like the East Coast. I am glad that it does not appear they will be getting their wish.

I’ve just printed out maps to Sunday’s trial location and saved them to my BlackBerry as well. Dog crate pads and towels are clean and dry and ready to put back in the van. Freya and I will be attending our regular Saturday classes and using them to prepare for Sunday. Time for a good night’s sleep so we are bright and alert for class. Or at least awake!

(NaBloPoMo | February ’10: 5 of 28)

You know I have to do this

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While I wait for official online confirmation on AKC’s site, you knew I’d just have to look up and post these shots from the Onofrio Dog Shows site, didn’t you?

APDT has trial records online as well, so I have been checking for Freya’s scores as well. They have posted updates for many of the January trials already and it looks like they are almost up to our trial weekend.

Now for the answers to questions that have, or have not yet, been asked.

Axel needs to go for his OFA cardiac certification. It is the only essential health test that he has not done yet. Although we may do it sooner locally, it is tentatively planned for a cardiac clinic at a show in April. Whenever and wherever it is done, it will be done by a board-certified cardiologist and we’ll also do a Doppler as well as auscultation because he is old enough that it can be used to rule out SAS.

Axel is already listed as a stud dog in The Total Rottweiler Magazine and on Rottweiler Nation, but he won’t actually get to be one until all of his health testing is complete.

Also on the breeding thing: Dan and I got our first purebred Rottweiler 16 years ago. Since then, we have owned six Rottweilers. We have never bred a litter of our own, nor have any of our males sired litters raised by others. We have never had an accidental breeding (and may I say that I no longer believe that some people’s accidents are as accidental as they say). We make sure our dogs get the best of care and appropriate show, sport, and/or obedience training. We have donated time and money to Rottweiler and all-breed rescue, and one of our own Rottweilers was rescued as a stray (we’ll always love and miss you, Missy). Regardless of whether Axel ever sires a litter or not, our actions now and in the future are not the cause of dog overpopulation. So don’t kill my joy with any breeder-hating crap, please and thank you.

Now I really should get on with those Freya videos!

(NaBloPoMo | February ’10: 2 of 28)