Running with the big dogs

Erlina likes to chase after and play fight with Oisin, who usually enjoys it as well.  Well, this day he had enough and he decided to show the little monster when enough was enough.

So, he runs into her and over she goes.

Actually, it was over and over she went.

However, no one was hurt and they continued to play, although Erlina was showing a bit more respect of the big dog after that.

(As Erlina is Erlina, she went back to picking on him the next day - just with not quite as much verve.) 

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Oisin is an AKC Champion, Erlina is a monster

In the weirdest way, Oisin is an AKC champion.  Two weeks ago we went to the Monroe Kennel Club show hoping for 2 major wins.  In order to become a champion, a dog must garner 15 points, but 2  wins must be for at least 3 points: "major wins."  With so few IWs being shown in Michigan we haven't been able to find many majors.  We hoped that the Group 1 win would get him a major because with a Group 1 win, if any of the dogs in the Hound Group had gotten a major, he would too.  But, no major.  The exhibitors in Michigan are generally a cooperative and friendly lot so we conspired to "build" a major at Monroe.

Unfortunately on Saturday we were not quite in sync and he received the Reserve Winner's Dog (i.e: 2nd place), so no points and no major win.  On Sunday he did receive Winner's Dog and the major win.

Now the strangeness.  One of the cooperative exhibitors had brought a dog she bred with the sole intent of filling out the entry to make it a major.  That is the dog that one on Saturday.  But....

She showed the dog in the Bred By Exhibitor class, which makes sense, but in order to show legally in that class you also need to be an owner of the dog, and she was not.  She had borrowed the dog to help out.  As soon as she was reminded (by her co-breeder) that she was not an owner she notified the AKC that took away the win and awarded the win and the major to the Reserve Winner's Dog, who was Oisin.  

Thus he went from 15 points and 1 major to 18 points and 2 majors without even leaving home.

Erlina

Erlina has been off her antibiotics for 2 months now and is feeling better and better.  She now has the endurance and activity that we would expect of a young Irish Wolfhound.  Actually, she is a monster dog, tormenting all the other dogs because she wants to play rough with them.  In this picture she is charging out to do battle with Oisin (and incidentally to  knock over Bill, who is taking the picture).  Generally she can wear out 2 to 4 dogs before she is ready, reluctantly, to go back in her pen.  This is terrific !

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At Last, a Major Win

In order to win an AKC Championship the dog must earn 15 points.  There is a complex point scale, but basically the dog must win a number of times at shows.  The hard part is that 2 of the wins must be "major wins," and there just aren't enough dogs entered in most shows to qualify them as "major."  After about a year of trying to get a major win Oisin got one today at the Monroe (MI) Kennel Club show.  

Thanks go to the other exhibitors who dragged themselves and their dogs to the show at 8 am (in 36 degree weather) to help make a major.  Now he just needs one more to get his Championship.  Yea, Oisin !

If you want to comment, please send an email to: william {at} HoundsOfHeaven.com, or go to our website: www.HoundsOfHeaven.com

Erlina continues to do well, my computer, not so much.

Erlina continues to improve.  She gets her banana each morning and then, after a suitable interval, goes out with the other dogs to play monster.  She goes out to play monster - jumping in the air and growling and running and more jumping.  Oisin likes to play with her, the others mostly tolerate the "little kid."

It is not well known, but electricity is merely smoke running through wires.  Yes, I know all that theory about electrons and such, but come on, have you ever seen an electron ?  We have all seen smoke on the other hand.  It is clear that when something in a computer breaks it lets out the smoke and then the computer stops working.  So it is with my computer and that is why there are no pictures in this post.  They are all backed up - twice, but not available at the moment.

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Erlina and Oisin - Stoop Tag

I remember when I was small we used to play a game we called "Stoop Tag" (als0 known as "Drop Tag"). There was one official rule, the person who was it could not tag you if you stooped down. There was another, unofficial, rule which was that the kids that were not "it" were to bedevil the "it" person by running as close to him/her as possible without getting tagged. Erlina and Oisin have learned to play this game quite well.

Erlina, nipping at Oisin, who is obviously "it."

Oisin charges back

and gets ready to "tag" Erlina

who drops to the ground, taunting Oisin, "you can't tag me."

When the game is over, it is time for a good stretch and roll in the grass.

As you can see, Erlina continues to do well off the antibiotics. An extensive checkup at the Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital this week said that all is well - so far.

If you want to comment, please send an email to:william {at} HoundsOfHeaven.com,or go to our website: www.HoundsOfHeaven.com

Erlina - so far so good. Riona is ok too.

Erlina, chasing Finian towards Myrna

One week off the antibiotics, Erlina is feisty and doing well. Here she is chasing Finian towards Myrna who has her favorite "Make my day !" look. Erlina still does not have the stamina one would hope, but it is improving as time goes on.

Erlina as Monster Dog

Over the past few weeks we also struggled with a massive infection in Riona's tail. We could not save the tail so decided it was much better to lose the tail than the dog. Here is short-tailed Riona, who does not mind a bit.

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Erlina

Erlina as a Monster Dog.

Ready to Attack

The Attack

Erlina is doing quite well. She has just finished a 4 month course of the the antibiotic Amikacin, by injection every day. The maximum recommended course of Amikacin is 7 days because it is toxic to the kidneys. By checking her kidney function 3 times a week for the first 2 months and twice a week for the last 2 months we were able to continue the drug more or less safely.

Now the waiting begins. If the infection returns, there is not much more we can do and the story will end sadly. If the infection does not return, we continue on with the story of the Platinum Princess ! Prayers, good thoughts, candles lit, and glasses of Guinness raised in her honor will all be appreciated.

If you want to comment, please send an email to:william {at} HoundsOfHeaven.com,or go to our website: www.HoundsOfHeaven.com