Long time SDA readers know that I breed and show Miniature Schnauzers in my real life outside of politics, and that we travel annually to the Eastern US to show at our national specialty near Allentown, PA.
This year was no exception, and we enjoyed a ton of success, including winning Best of Breed at the prestigious Morris & Essex show with my 7 year old veteran, AmCanGCH Minuteman Colder Weather, followed by cheering on his son AmCanCH Maiha Make It Rain the next day under the cell phone lights in the group ring at Hatboro KC. (The show ran rather late).
I seldom use images of myself on the blog for security reasons I no longer need to explain, but I’ll share this brief ring video from Sunday’s AMSC National Specialty, showing my 9 month puppy, CanCH Minuteman Sea The Stars, to give you all some idea of what we do. “Sailor” went on to win the points that day. (I never look this good in real life and the likelihood that you’d recognize me in the grocery store based on this is extremely low.)
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the co-bloggers who take up the slack when I’m on the road. Our days begin at 5 am, and with nearly 4500 miles of travel and dogs to care for, there’s virtually no time for internet when we’re on the road. And that’s a good thing.
Sailor is nine months old? Well done Kate, and Sailor!
Brother-in-law had two Schnauzers and they were the most well behaved dogs in my wife’s entire family, not yappy or skittish, just cool customers with patience to put up with kids. BiL and his wife didn’t do any training or obedience work with them, just let them be dogs. Is the Schnauzer breed this well behaved naturally?
No, my dogs are absolute assholes. He spent much of the class barking at the judge and folks ringside.
^^^^^
In July I saw a window sticker on the back of an SUV in Indiana that said, “Just a mom trying hard not to raise little assholes”.
So I’m not the only one who refers to our dog and cat as an asshole and a bitch!
From a fellow SKian, thanks for this website Kate. We often swim through a sea of bullshit in this life, but the articles, videos, and the comments of a good group of folks lets me know there’s people out there who have their heads (mostly??) screwed on straight.
Enjoy the drive home. Also, very nice dog in the video. Love mini Schnauz’s.
Looks like a fun event, Kate! But undoubtedly a lot of work on your part!
P.S. I spent August staying in Bird in Hand, PA, a bit southwest of there. I really LOVE that part of America!
You’ve still got it Kate! I work with people about an hour from there. Thanks for sharing such personal information and congratulations. Beautiful well trained pup.
That is one well-trained dog. A-hole? Maybe but a smart dog too – calculating how to draw attention away from the other dogs. Or maybe just an A-hole.
Congratulations Kate! That must be a mountain of work and dedication.
Throwing grooming tables and generators around all weekend keeps us old ladies in shape. 😉 Better than a gym membership.
If I had to run that fast watching a dog I’d be face down in the mud 🙂
Gyms are for sissies, right on ̲y̲o̲u̲n̲g̲ ̲ lady!
As an 87 year old man I heat with oil but fell, buck, split stack, and supplement heat with firewood and that keeps me in pretty good shape.
I don’t feel a day over 85! 😉
I’ve prepaid my penance. My wife took me to two dog shows in the last 10 years. I think I am now free to bang the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
That’s a tough job. [ * ] Inspectorette Clouseau ( winface.com/oldwin/clu.jpg ) says “good on you”.
Well done, Congratulations and hopefully a pleasant drive home with some time to meander!
Well, not quite. We left the grounds at 5:30pm Sunday and I was home Tuesday night, with a detour through Winnipeg, over 2100 miles. Long distance driving is my superpower.
L – “Woof, Woof !”
I only WISH I could keep my beard trimmed as stylishly as those SchNOWsers … ! And keep the kibble out of the corners 🙂
Congrats! Well done. And I love the weather-related names. It identifies your brood … by region
Which BTW … I’d love to see the pics of your doggies in their down jackets …
That’s a nice looking…dog you have there.
Down boy! Heel!
Congrats, Kate….you look really good for 35…;)
(I still wonder how you get them to stand like that, though…or is it natural for the breed?)
When the structure is correct, they stand like that naturally. (They set themselves up the same way when something catches their eye in the yard, without a leash or handler.)
So the work is done in the breeding and selection of the most correct puppies, after that we need only train them to hold the position and focus on their reward, long enough to allow the judge to evaluate.
They DO look beautiful. With beautiful lines. I really appreciate the artistry in what you do. Is there a reason you chose miniature schnauzers to breed? Just like their look? Temperment? Size (no hip dysplasia)?
“When the structure is correct, they stand like that naturally.”
The phrase that comes to my mind is ‘a regal bearing’….they stand like royalty.
(coincidentally, I just noticed tonight that Fox’s Mark Levin has a ceramic Schnauzer on a shelf behind him…same stance)
“So the work is done in the breeding and selection of the most correct puppies,”
I imagine that would be the part that requires both experience and skill (and perhaps a little luck?).
” after that we need only train them to hold the position and focus on their reward, long enough to allow the judge to evaluate.”
Ah, so much like children, then. Short attention spans.
Well done Kate and thanks for all you do.
I check SDA often enjoy ALL of the posts.
Nice doggies.
Oh man, I know that area very well. Just up from where that Morris and Essex show is a small town called Milburn which has one of the best authentic Italian restaurants in the US. It’s called Vidalia.
So, next time you get down there, treat yourself to some excellence.
Well done at the show(s)!
“Paws up.” – Elmo the Wonder Dog