Sunday, May 10, 2015

SPRING OF 2015

SPRING of 2015

Spring has finally sprung here. And the first display in the white garden is all over the lawn. White violets have spilled over from the borders and spread across the green carpet. I enjoy it until they pass, then allowing me to mow. Anything to put off extra garden work.


It's good to see the feet of snow gone from our Northeast unprecedented winter. And although things are sprouting later than usual, they have made themselves known. I especially celebrate the beautiful magnolia. This year no rain dampened it's beautiful display...however now it's all over the ground. Very good for the compost heap.








The Show season has started up again. Bay Colony Tibetan Terrier Club held their annual Specialty in conduction with an all breed club in Springfield. The beautiful Cookie, aka Lukilu Life Is But A Dream At Kiara, was in attendance with her special man, Mike McLoughlin. They did well in the Bred-By Exhibitor Class.







Some good show news has happened at Kiara I am glad to report. The handsome Chivas is now New AKC CH Kiara Chivas Regal.


His cousins, Madonna, Namaste Causin' A Commotion At Kiara, and Lucy, Kiara L Dharma's Doll, have also been major pointed. And their beautiful Pennsylvania cousin, Lucy, Khyber's Look Who's Talking, is almost at the finish line as well. Here she's pictured with owner/breeder Pat Sutton celebrating a major win. Congrats Pat & Richard...and of course Lucy!


And another cousin made her way to the CH finish line. Carol Adam's Gracie earned her AKC championship at this year's Mid-Atlantic Regional Specialty show the Wilmington Kennel Club's 75th annual dog show in Delware. Gracie was lovingly and expertly shown by Travis Brock who co-owns dad, Cooper, aka CH Kiara Ewok Among Us.  Congratulations Carol, Travis, and especially New Champion Gamine Goodnight Gracie.



 Loved getting all the news and photos. TTs really love enjoying the winter season as you can see from their happy photos.   


Micha, She loves the snow.


Sent from Jolanta's phone


Hi Dennis,


Just wanted to say hello and send a Koji update (see pictures below). He is enjoying winter. He loves walking/running through the snowy trails at Maudslay State Park with me.

Are you expecting another litter any time soon? I’m interested in getting a second tibetan terrier this summer. June/July is an ideal time for me, as I have the summers off from teaching. Please keep me updated!

Sincerely,
Colleen




















Hi Dennis,
I hope this email finds you and yours well.

We have escaped the snows of Boston and are up in Maine. Panda is delighted to spend his fifth birthday here. You might note that he is wearing a reflective collar. We found these at LLBean’s. It’s a slip on collar that allows us to keep track of him while hiking.  Niki, our black lab, turns 13 on April 19 and is doing remarkably well. Hopefully we will age as graciously as he has!

With best wishes,

Judy and Bob Stephan




Hey Dennis, Today is my 5th birthday! What a bundle of love. 
(THAT'S GUNNER!)





Hi Dennis,

Snowy is getting so big that we had to send you an update. He is the only family member who has loved the snow this winter. I started taking him on my daily run this week and he more than keeps up with me, which is great. He is incredibly food motivated which made training him fairly easy. He'll do almost anything as long as there is a treat involved! He still doesn't love being brushed and handled a lot, so we have been working on that and we are making progress. We are taking him to the groomer for the first time next week for a little trim in a few spots, so it will be interesting to see how that goes. We hope you and your pups are all doing well!

Best,

Kristin




Hi Dennis,

Our handsome little man was groomed for the first time today.  He was exceptionally well behaved and looks amazing!  We are so proud of him. I was nervous about it, but all went as well as possible. He is wonderful.

Hope you are well!!

Kristin, Ezra, Hattie and Kenny



Ozzie is that true TT companion...other beings --not only the two legged kind-- make their lives more fulfilled. Here sharing his resting place with his feline furry friend.



 And the new babes that have found their new loving homes with respectful, responsible owners who cherish them for who they are, I am especially grateful for that.



Hi Dennis
Just a quick update - we are all in love with Charlie. He did amazing on the car ride home. 3 1/2 hr on my lap with no accidents. He is eating like a champion!  He did great sleeping in the crate next to us. No accidents throughout the whole night and he went outside every 2 hrs or so (the newspaper you gave us works great). He did pee on my kitchen floor but I will take the blame for that! Thank you for such a beautiful dog!  He will be very well loved!

Pam, Jason, Jordan and Emily


Hi Dennis,



 The ride home went well. Here is a picture of Samantha, Snickers, Sophia, and Midnight. Introductions went very well!

Thank you so much for everything!
We will keep in touch!

Debbie






Hi Dennis!

Percy is settling in well. No accidents for 2 days now and Felix has played with him nicely most of the day today! Crate training is going ok... He whimpers a few minutes before falling asleep (while whimpering) and sleeps about 2-2.5 hours between potty breaks. Had him to the vet yesterday and he has a clean bill of health with no worms!

He is an adorable little guy and we're so happy to have him here!

Here are a couple photos of of little munchkin.

Enjoy your vacation!
Karisa and Nisha






Sadly, as life has a joyous beginning, it also has an ending. Knowing that these little guys are loved to that point and mourned over, is also something I am grateful for. Fifteen years ago Clancy went to live in his new home. He had the very best life any TT could wish for. We celebrate that life and send our special thoughts to his family who miss him...and remember him. Thank you for sharing this wonderful testimonial.



CLANCY
Hi Dennis,

Back in 2002, we adopted our beloved little guy "Fluffy" Clancy from you.  It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing to tell you Clancy has passed away.

We want to thank you, as we were so fortunate to have been blessed with him.  Clancy was a very special dog... truly a kind, gentle soul and everyone who met him remarked on this.  He was our best bud.  He would follow me around all day - just wanting to be by my side - a true companion.  After Clancy came into our lives, we adopted another TT, Daisy (Willow's littermate), from Kathleen Kelley.  They were great friends for each other.   They loved to run laps around the house and yard together, and would wrestle like polar bears every night.  We also now have 2 daughters, ages 9 and 10.  Clancy was always there for them as well.  When the girls were toddlers and would melt down, if we were unable to console them, Clancy could... he always knew to just lay down next to them and provide comfort.  One of my daughters just remarked on how Clancy would have been a great helping dog.  My reply to her was that he was a great helping dog - he helped each of us every day with his compassionate way.  He had a wonderful, sweet nature about him.  But, he was certainly a goofball as well.  Clancy loved to play, and would try to play fetch with Dan for hours.  He was also known to try to sneak a stuffed animal for himself from one of the girls!  Not to mention, he was able to nab a few waffles from them in his day!  My brother described him as "happy go lucky" and that is a wonderful way to remember him.  Some of our fun nicknames for him are: Fluffy (which I believe you called him that as a puppy); Handsome; Little Man; Mr. Waffles; Buddy; Budster, and Clanceman.  He brought us such joy... thank you!!
Obviously we have been giving lots of extra love and attention to Daisy, but it is clear that she misses him.  If you have any advice on how we can help Daisy through this, we would love to hear it.  Clancy was such a great little guy...we are all heartbroken and he will be so dearly missed by all of us.  I keep looking for him under my feet.

I enjoyed looking through your website at all the adorable TT pictures.  They made me smile! 

Hope all is well with you. 

Best wishes,
Kara, Dan, Abby & Audrey Rice


*            *            *



When little ones are born, their little noses can be completely pink. They gradually pigment. I've taken these photos of Gracie off her Mom's FaceBook page to illustrate that over time the color comes in. From 8 weeks old to 6 months old, the metamorphosis  sometimes takes time.
#1...8 weeks old

#2














#3
#4
tah-dah #6...6 months old




#5

Always finding interesting and insightful advice. This offering gives good reasons why crate training is important. Your dog may never require crating once trained to his new environment, but there are many reasons why feeling comfortable in his own space will give him and you peace of mind.


A crucial aspect of managing dangerous or unwanted behavior is the ability to confine the dog during times of high risk.
When I am called in to work with a dog who has threatened or bitten visitors, one of the first things I suggest is crating or otherwise confining the dog during times that the owner cannot give the dog 100% of their attention, like appliance repair calls or kids' birthday parties.
Too often, these dogs are unable to be confined away from the owner without significant stress for all involved. Incessant barking, howling, and clawing at crates and doors makes life miserable for both dogs and humans. A recent visit had me very concerned that the dog was going to break down the sliding glass door trying to get inside!
And so, instead of starting the desensitization and counter-conditioning program right away, we have to devote part of our lessons to acclimating the dog to some form of confinement. Dog owners could save time and money by teaching their dog this one skill.
Even if your dog is great with visitors and perfectly behaved inside the house all day when you're at work, there are still plenty of reasons to teach this important life skill.
Your dog may need surgery that requires them to be quiet and still for large periods of time.
You may move to a new house and need a safe place for your dog while doors are open and boxes are being carried in/out.
Your perfectly friendly dog may take a strong disliking to a new friend, making it difficult to talk over all the barking.
You may start a new relationship with a partner who has another dog or even a cat, requiring a careful and gradual integration.
You may pick up a loose dog and need to keep your dog separated until you can find the owner or determine the dog is healthy and friendly.
Whatever the reason, you can't know what the future holds for you and your dog. It is better to do a little training now and never need it, than to add it to the list of things that need to be done during a house remodel or move.
How do you do it? Start out small. If your dog will safely respect a baby gate, you can put him on one side while you sit on the other, rewarding all good behavior. Start with 15 rewards, then release your dog while he is calm and quiet.
In future training sessions, you can build distance and duration. For example, give your dog a frozen Kong stuffed with canned dog food while he's behind the gate and you sit and relax within his sight. As long as he's focused on his Kong and not whining, clawing, or barking, he can stay there until the Kong is empty.
The Kong delivers a continuous stream of reinforcement for calm behavior and creates a more positive association to the confinement area.
Repeat this when you a) do the dishes, b) fold laundry, c) watch a tv show, d) sit with a friend or family member and eat dinner, etc. The idea being that your dog learns that there will be times he can't have full access to you or other areas of the house, but he will get good things in exchange.
I also recommend the ideas in the DVD Crate Games, by Susan Garrett, which teach dogs to LOVE getting into crates, but the same ideas could be used for baby gates, too. 
http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTA287

We all want our dogs to be with us as often as possible, but sometimes, temporary separation is necessary. Preparing them for that possibility makes your life easier, and reduces their stress, which is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.



Lastly --a little bragging-- of something that happened many many years ago. I can be proud of the only time, as an owner/handler, I escorted my beautiful Ella to a Group First Placement. It was at the very well attended 50th Annual Wilmington Kennel Club Dog Show. I placed this ad in the catalog of the 75th Annual Wilmington Kennel Club Show in celebration of their event and a fond memory I might savor.


A Fond Memory
of the WKC’s 50th Annual Show 
and this impressive win


Breeder of Tibetan Terriers for over 30 years. 
Proud of the heritage and the many generations 
of success celebrated because of this gorgeous 
Tibetan Terrier:
CH Kiara Harlem Butterfly

Dennis Gunsher ~ Kiara Tibetan Terriers ~ gunsher@comcast.net ~ 978-777-2632



The Tibetan Terrier Club of America is holding their National Specialty in Massachusetts. It'll be a fun event to go to. Can't wait to see all the star attractions.


More later.