Bugsy and I have something to celebrate!

Several months ago (the very end of May, to be exact) I injured my left shoulder while pulling a basket out of the top of my closet. Ultimately, I ended up with Rotator-cuff tendonitis and Adhesive capsulitis. As a result, I wasn't able (allowed) to work with the dogs, or even take them for walks on lead.

Bugsy was half way through his RAE, and doing beautifully on his Open Obedience training when I was injured. To say the least, this little vacation has been devastating. I don't know who has missed training more!! I have felt so bad for him!

The good news is that my Physical Therapy has been successful well beyond anyones expectations, and I can start training again! I am hoping that after a really short refreshment course, Bugsy and I can start back after his last few RAE legs!

Then, of course, there is his Open work, and Agility... and maybe even some more Herding in his future!

We can hardly wait to get started!

Hope to see you at an Obedience trial soon!!

Where are you going? Where have you been?

The educational world and the business world are full of tests to tell you what kind of person you are: What is your learning style? How strong are your organizational skills? How to be a better ~ insert career here ~ person. There are all sorts of standardized tests that you can take to improve your communication skills and thereby your chances of success in the business world.

Breeding dogs is a bit different: for the most part, our "tests" are made up of bone and flesh and fur... and sometimes we don't know if we got all the answers "right" until the "experiment is 2-3-4 years old... or older!

The experienced breeders keep copius records; something that has become so much easier with improvements in technology! For example:


In my first Cardigan litter, I took photographs of each puppy at birth, and then each week until they left home. I labeled each photo with the puppies birth number, and kept the entire mess in a big envelope, along with the birth records, pedigree, contracts, and photo's of the parents. In a separate envelope I have show pictures of the puppy that I kept from that litter, Shelby. I happened to find that envelope the other day and spent some time looking at those pictures.

Where have you been?

By and large, the entire litter lacked bone, had oval bone, had straight, wide fronts, and was without the angulation that I would expect. In short, if this litter were born today- I would put them all in pet homes.



At that time, I didn't have a clear idea of what a "correct" Cardigan Welsh Corgi was supposed to look like. I was too new in the breed. In truth- I should have never bred that litter. I had only been in the breed a few years! I didn't have the experience to select a stud dog for my bitch; let alone choose which puppies were worthy of moving forward. I was encouraged to breed my bitch because "She was OK"-- and my own male was a Champion-- and that was reason enough! I *thought* I knew what I was doing!


Where are you going?


Before you make the decision to breed that first litter, do you know where you are going? Do you have a clear understanding of the Standard of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi? I don't mean, can you recite the standard word for word-- can you put those words into action? Can you explain Why our breed has a wrap front? Why our height/lenght ration is 1:8-1? What breeds were instrumental in developing the Cardigan? And why does that matter?

Furthermore- can you correctly evaluate your bitch? Do you know, deep in your heart, what all of her virtues, and all of her faults are? Are you absolutely positive that her virtues far outweigh her faults? And, are those faults minor faults, that will not have consequence to the health and well-being to her offspring? It goes without saying that your bitch will not possess any disqualifications, and that all of the standard health testing is complete.

Before you prepare to breed your bitch, you should have a vision in your head (or soul) of the ideal Cardigan Welsh Corgi. There are no perfect dogs. But, hopefully you will have had your hands on enough high quality dogs to recognize the best of the best when you see them. Before you breed that first litter, you should have made the effort to attend several National and Regional Specialties, so that you have opened your mind to the quality that is out there. It is a disservice to yourself, and the breed, to only see local dogs, or to only see photographs. Do your homework, and investigate different bloodlines in order to find the right stud dog for your bitch. The best stud dog may well not be the most convenient, or the "cheapest". There is absolutely no benefit to the breed for anyone to breed for convenience; thats what back-yard breeders do! Serious, concientious breeders breed to improve the quality of the breed. With the advent of fresh-chilled semen breedings and frozen semen breedings, there is no reason not to breed to the best possible dog, since distance is no longer a consideration!


Think about where you have been- look at the dogs that you started out with. If your desire is to improve upon what you have, and move forward with a successful breeding program, you need to take advantage of the resources that are available to you.

The CWCCA Website and the Cardigan Commentary Website contain information that can help tremendously. Our breed has a wonderful Breeders Education program available to members.


The future of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is in the hands of every single person who is contemplating breeding a litter.


Please handle our breed with care; it is precious to us!

Sharing the Wealth ~ Letting Go

Tomorrow morning, we say goodbye to Arrow; Ch. Xtacee Cowboys- N- Indians. Arrow will be boarding a plane for a VERY long ride to Alaska and will become a cornerstone for their breeding programs.


It was not an easy decision to make, to send Arrow that far away. Lisa and I had decided that we were ok with placing him. And, we had decided that he was way-to-nice to put in a pet home! (Finishing his Championship undefeated in 5 shows with 4 majors had "something" to do with that...) Arrow needed more attention then he was getting here, and yet didn't have the personality or the attitude to "make it" as a special in our very competative East Coast dog shows!


But... There is more to this strange turn of events that led Arrow to be Alaska bound...


Just about the time Arrow was born, my dear friend and Mentor, Marieann Gladstone judged in Alaska. Following her assignment, we talked about the entry, and she commented about a conversation she had with one of the exhibitors up there, and that she had suggested Arrow's father, Nicky, for their bitch. That breeding never came to pass, but as soon as I posted that Arrow was available, lo and behold, an email came from Alaska. I can't help but think that Marieann had something to do with putting this all together!!


I am excited about the opportunities for Arrow! He is such a quiet, unassuming dog. He doesn't ask for much of anything except love (and food), and gets along well with just about everyone. He has an exceptional pedigree that will work well for our breeders to the far north, so I am looking forward to seeing the influence he has on their puppies. And, I am very happy to have made new friends in Alaska~ maybe now I will have an excuse to go visit there someday!!


I just wish he didn't have to be in a crate for 20 hours to get there! Thats a really long time for a little-bit-spoiled Arrow!


Best Wishes, Michieal and Eric-- and Arrow!

This is Why We Do This...

I am often asked why I breed and show dogs. I have to admit, sometimes I scratch my head and ask myself the same question!

Why do I spend the majority of my weekends, all of my discretionary income (and some of my not-so-discretionary funds) to have some person pass their opinion on my beloved dogs? Why do I lose hours of sleep and burn miles of rubber traveling to shows? How come I live in a house that has been modified for the comfort and convenience of my dogs, rather than myself?

This past weekend, I was reminded why I do this... in Spades!

At the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of the Western Reserve Specialty, I had the pleasure of watching one of my "puppy people", who has become a very dear friend, finish her very first conformation title on her very first Cardigan!

Terri Clingerman and "Cricket", aka Ch. Xtacee Over the Moon (Ch. Kimberwicke Domino Effect x Ch UlaMauna Xtacee YahooDoray RA, CGC) completed her championship under judge Janet Robinson on Saturday by being awarded Winners Bitch from the 12-18 class; and then topped it off with an Award of Merit. The following day Cricket was awarded Best in Sweepstakes!

Admittedly, Terri's home is a special home. Terri came to me looking for a multi-purpose Cardigan; her main focus was performance. She also wanted something that she could play with in the breed ring. Finishing Crickets championship was a goal, but not the primary goal. The fact that Cricket finished so quickly and well is an added bonus!

Terri trained and handled Cricket completely on her own. Because she had never shown in the breed ring, everything was a new experience. I enjoyed watching her grow as a handler, and am particularily proud of how much she has learned about Cardigans in the short time she has been part of our family.

Which brings me back to the question of why we do this. As a breeder of well over 20 years in Cardigans, I feel its my responsibility to be there for new Cardigan owners. I also feel I am obligated to only place in show homes those puppies that are truly worthy of being shown- in other words- nothing less than what I would show myself.

While at Western Reserve this weekend, I had a conversation with another Cardigan breeder/judge on this subject. There seems to be a multitude of new Cardigan owners out there; the majority of which seem to be floundering about with a lack of direction. What happened to their breeders? Where are their mentors? Its important that breeders understand that their responsibility does not end when the check clears!

I wanted to publicly congratulate Terri for a wonderful job with Cricket- and hope that she enjoyed her Western Reserve Specialty=-= as much as I enjoyed watching from the ringside!

Congratulations to a great team!

Its a Priority Thing

This should be called a Public-Self-Flogging Blog- or something of that sort.

I BLEW IT-- I mean- I REALLY Blew it this weekend, and I owe Bugsy a HUGE apology. But, being a dog- and a wonderful Cardigan, at that, he forgives me. Because he is just like that! He is perfect- he doesn't care that I pushed him and his needs to the side... wait... let me start at the beginning...

Bugsy is, first and foremost, a most AWESOME dog! He is a totally cool DUDE of a dog! He isn't always the easiest dog- because he has this wonderful BRAIN~ he actually thinks~ which has been known to get him in trouble! He hasn't always had the best life- but since he has been back home where he belongs, he has been my "Best Buddy". We have had an ongoing Training Date Night, where just the Bug Man and I went to training class, and he learned about Obedience and Rally- or Agility- but it was a PRIORITY in my life- and that special me and mom time was important to Bugsy.

This summer has been a bit rough. First of all- emotionally, I haven't been there. I lost two dogs, I lost a good friend, I can't find a job... its all been playing on my mind alot. And... Money has been really tight... And... School has been tough...And... its been so hot...And... And...

I made the decision to change Obedience Instructors, but hadn't committed to a new Instructor yet- so was sort of sitting in Limbo (which became really comfortable) No training fees to pay- one less worry- Blah Blah Blah

So along comes a three day trial, indoors and air conditioned, in which Bugsy is entered. I have no idea WHAT I thought. I haven't really worked with the poor dog in weeks! I mean- occasionally I would toss a collar on him and take him out in the yard and do some heeling- or I would toss him over some jumps or through a tunnel. But I ignored his longing gaze from the yard every evening... I ignored my training bag gathering dust on the shelf... and I ignored the fact that my performance dog was not getting any attention!

I deserved EVERYTHING I got, didn't I?? I didn't make Training A Priority!!! 1,000 lashes with a wet Noodle!!!

I KNOW better!! I know that Cardigans are too smart for this-- I know that, given the opportunity, they will devise their own way to occupy their brains, and their time! I also knew that I was in trouble the second that I attempted to step into the Rally ring on Friday!

Note: I said attempted!

Because, after over a month of leisure, Mr. Bugsy planted his feet and said "I don't have to do this- and you can't make me..." I did finally get him in the ring... only to have him bolt as soon as I told him to drop the toy on the Figure 8!

The total of the weekend??? Entered 6 classes; only 2 Q's-- Luckily, (I guess) he Q'd in both Rally Exc. B and Rally Adv B on the same day- so he did get 1 leg toward his RAE-- but he very badly NQ'd in both classes on Friday, and in Advanced on Sunday---

Oh- and Exc on Sunday-- I blew past a sign and NQ'd for him.---

So- on to the Public Self-Flogging! One Thousand Lashes- Let the punishment begin!

Its time to make training a priority- and to quit making excuses. My dog deserves a much more dedicated trainer because he is one heck of a great dog!

I'm sorry, Bugsy- I'll try to be better next time!

Chicken or the egg...Where to begin?

My original lesson plan for today was "Evaluating Show Prospects". However, after talking to some friends, and looking at some other blogs this morning, thought that maybe I would start at the beginning. After all, show dogs all had to come from somewhere- lets take a look at planning a litter.

For the purposes of this particular blog entry, we are going to assume that the bitch that is being bred has completed her Championship, finishing easily. Her temperament is sound. She is in excellent health, and has passed her customary health clearances with flying colors. (We will discuss health clearances in a later Blog- I promise!) You, as the upcoming breeder-of-record, have set aside plenty of money to pay for stud service and Veterinary emergencies in advance, and have cleared your schedule so that you can be available to take care of the puppies when the time comes.

Now its time to discuss who we are breeding the princess to!

I have to tell you that I am frequently amazed (and often dismayed) at how some people go about choosing a stud dog. I have to really bite my tongue more often than not, and if you know me at all, you know that is really hard for me to do! :-)

There is REALLY only one thing to consider when choosing a stud dog- which dog is going to do the most for MY bitch?

Win records, location, amount of stud fee, convenience, your friendship with the dogs owner... none of these should really matter!

All too often, bitch owners choose stud dogs that are either A) near by- therefore eliminating the cost of shipping semen/bitches for breeding; B) Owned by friends- thereby perhaps saving on stud fee's, or at least showing a gesture of favoritism, or C) Big Winners- assuming that just because a dog is Winning Big it is going to Produce Well with every bitch.

The issue lies in that if dog A, B, or C does not possess the qualities needed to help your bitch, you are not going to be moving forward with your litter. At best, you will be treading water- at worst, you will be sliding down river!

The wise bitch owner must be highly critical of their bitch. You must know both your dogs virtues and faults. You should be familiar enough with her pedigree to have a good idea where those faults and virtues most likely came from. Any breeder that wants to move forward with their breeding program cannot afford to be kennel blind, or to look at their breeding stock with rose colored glasses.

But how to know which stud dog is really going to be the best dog for your bitch?

The first question I, as a stud dog owner, ask when someone calls to breed to my dog is "What do you want to fix in your bitch?" Now, obviously, we are not going to FIX your bitch- but what we are hoping to do is to produce puppies that do not have the same faults as your bitch! (and yes, I have had people tell me that there was nothing that they needed to fix in their bitch- and our conversation comes to a very quick end-- every bitch- and every dog- has faults!)

The second question I ask is "What do you like about your bitch?" This tells me a great deal about priorities, as much as it tells me about the bitch itself.

I always ask the bitch owner why they are interested in using my dog. I want to know! I need to know! If they want to use my dog because he has produced well with another bitch, that really doesn't mean that he is going to produce well with their bitch, and I need to let them know that! Maybe that other bitch is related differently, or compliments my dog better. If, on the other hand, they tell me that they feel that our dogs compliment each other, that gives me a better feeling.

With the advancements in shipping fresh-chilled semen and frozen semen, there is simply no excuse for breeding to a local dog- unless that dog is TRULY the best dog for your bitch! Yes- shipping semen is marginally more expensive, but isn't your litter worth it? Isn't your goal to produce the absolute best quality dogs possible, rather than another litter of mediocre dogs?

Choosing the right stud dog is not an easy task. While the people next door may be able to find a dog down the road to impregnate their Labradoodle- those of us who are breeding to improve our breed have a different outlook on the process.

It should not be an "any-dog-will-do" choice!

When is a Champion Not a "Special"?

People show dogs in conformation for many reasons, and I applaud those that decide they want to learn to show their dogs! Showing dogs is a wonderful hobby and can bring you many joys. It's a great family activity, and a super social network!

Along the journey, many people decide that they want to have a "Specials" dog- they want the glory and the recognition that comes from having a Champion that competes at the Group and Best in Show level. A dog that can achieve national ranking on Breed and All-Breed levels.

So, then, the decision will be whether or not their dog is a "Specials" prospect. Or... When is a Champion worthy of being a Special?

Because, you see, there is a VAST difference between the two. There are a multitude of dogs who complete their championships in accordance with the AKC requirements every weekend. The majority of dogs who complete their titles will never see the inside of a show ring again, going on to be performance dogs, companions, or retiring to the whelping box. The smallest percentage of dogs go on to Fame and Glory as "Top Dogs"... Right?

Well... maybe??

How do you decide which of those Champions to run on and Special, and which to retire to the sofa? Is it a matter of win records coming through the classes? Money in the bank? Handler on the end of the lead? Attitude of the dog? Or... a magical combination of all of the above?

First of all... Specials Dogs (or bitches) must be SPECIAL! They must be of EXCEPTIONAL Breed Quality. That means no major breed type faults! That means without major structural faults. That means they don't require trimming (in our breed), dyeing, braces, corrective surgery, or pigment coloring in order to enter the ring!

Mediocre dogs- those dogs without MAJOR breed faults, but with several "niggly" faults- can be successful specials-- with the right attitude-- the right handler-- the right judges--- But you need to ask yourself what your really telling the Cardigan world when you show that dog. Is that dog really exceptional? Or... is it really just a great Generic Show Dog? And... which is more important to you? Are you in this for the Wins (ego) or for the breed recognition?

One big win in the classes, or finishing easily, doesn't make your dog a shoe-in for a Super Specials Career! For example: The photo on the top of this blog is my own Ch. Xtacee Cowboys-N-Indians (Arrow), taken at 4 months. Arrow had a most stellar show career in the classes. Shown a total of 6 times- he was at least WD/BOW 5 times and finished with 4 majors undefeated in the classes- except at the CWCCA National Specialty- where he placed 3rd in BBE at 9 months of age. Along the way, he was BOB over Specals 1 time, and earned a BBE Group I.

From his early start, you would have thought that Arrow was bound for the big time, but we have decided to place him. Because he has what I consider a major breed-type fault, I won't special him- Judges do not need to see Cardigans with major faults being shown. (They see enough of that in the classes.)

Ego plays a large part in the Dog Show world- perhaps too big of a part. Its much more fun to win than to lose. Campaigning a Special is a very expensive, time consuming, life encompassing endeavor. If you are going to ivest that amount of time and money and self into this, you must make sure that the dog is worthy of that investment. It is very hard to separate your emotions when trying to decide whether or not to special a dog, so I suggest taking the decision out of your hands.

We give younger hopefuls (those dogs that we are considering specialing) a trial run. I will enter a handful of local shows under judges that I know are at least knowledgeable and respectful of Cardigans. I make sure that my dog is in condition and at least trained well enough that he won't be overlooked on behavior. At the end of those shows, I will evaluate what our win/lose ratio was. Sometimes we are very pleasantly suprised (Sera- Herding Group I her first show- Specialty BOB /Group IV her second show) - other times we realize that this dog is not going to have what it takes, and the dog stays home- or may come out at a later date.

You do need to know your breed, and know how to evaluate your dogs before you can even begin to make the decision, When is Champion Not a "Special"!

I wish you all the best of luck and LOTS of Blue and Gold ribbons, as you chase those Rainbows!

I'll see you around the rings!

Kathy