To AKC or not AKC...that is the question!

If you have been following our blog you have a good sense of who we are at Winters Wind Poodles.  Yes, we have silly times and those thought provoking moments; we enjoy life and embrace all it offers us.  You understand why we entered into the zany world of breeding and showing this versatile breed, the Poodle.

With the addition of Kenzi, our silver girl, we stepped into the world of the American Kennel Club. It is similar and yet different from the United Kennel Club in that here Owner/handlers are few and the professional handler is used most times.  You will also note the Poodle's appearance is now only in the continental cut for adults and puppy cut for under 12 months.  The use of hair product, color and switches is used, though not in the standard.  These are strictly prohibited in the UKC ring and cause for disqualification.  It is interesting if you put the AKC and the UKC Poodle Breed Standard next to one another, they are identical.  So you ask yourself why go to the expense of paying for handler, etc. etc.  In this world of dog showing, AKC still carries a great deal of weight; it could be because of Westminster Dog Show or just the "impression" that the AKC title holds in other people's minds.  Also AKC does not allow the markings or coloring of the Parti Poodle..............but that's a whole other blog post!

For us the, To AKC or Not to AKC.......was a tough decision.  The cost of hiring a handler is considerable and to allow your precious pup to go off for months to live with the handler isn't any easy one.  The decision was made via the co-ownership agreement that we have with Kenzi's breeder.  It was a stumbling block for me to get over and see the benefits of having a Poodle in the AKC spotlight made sense.  So we bit the proverbial bullet and put our foot into the AKC pond......I still wanted a life jacket though!

Now that Kenzi was in the ring and was doing great, we made another decision ......... Luna, our solid blue girl,who is both AKC and UKC registered; we threw her into the same pond!  No life vest..............she will be handled by both my hubby and a handler!  Rob felt ready to enter into this pro/owner ring.  So we committed..............I should BE committed somewhere!  Luna is entered in her first AKC show, but we have an advantage.....she stays with us and we attend the shows.  I like this better.......I never could have sent my kids off to a boarding school either!    

We are still thoroughly invested in the UKC events and both girls will be titled in UKC as well.....but I figured if I can't beat 'em.....................join 'em!  I'll blog more about our experiences as we move further into the deep end of the pool!  In the mean time I am extremely pleased to announce that Kenzi, Sterling Beyond the Clouds has her first show under her belt and walked away with a MAJOR!  From what I hear that's pretty impressive!  I'm still trying to learn the AKC point system (which I think I need an Attorney to help me decipher! ) which is more complicated then the UKC point system.  

Oh well......I suppose I had better study up on my mad math skills!  Sounds like if I am going to AKC or Not to AKC.............better learn the language!

Dreams

Anyone who is familiar with the Midwest knows our winters are cold (sub zero cold!) and can be snowy.  Spending a lot more time indoors, with a fire glowing, snow flakes falling outside and a cup of steaming green tea; leads one down the summery path of dreaming.  You know......dreaming of losing weight or a vacation you have in mind.  Some sit and pour over magazines, read books and surf the net on days like this.  I was pouring over Poodle Variety magazine and reading books on reproduction!  Yes, I was dreaming of breeding.......and a kennel called Winters Wind!  Now at this point I was surrounded by 2 poodles, snoozing by the fireplace and 2 puppy poodles playing tug of war.......2 Yorkies asleep in their basket and a Pomeranian resting on the recliner!  Anyone looking at this scene would say I already had a kennel!  Not me......what I saw was 3 pets and 4 show poodles and the sparkle of a vision.  Like that red head, Lucy, who would have a dream and then spring it on poor Desi........well you get my drift.

So as mid winter set in, I began to spoon feed my dream and idea to my wonderful Hubby. When I first broached the subject; I could see terror rising in his eyes.  Desi, with his wide brown eyes surrounded by white.....well that was my Rob.  Unlike Desi, he didn't go into a tirade in Cuban Spanish......just a quiet pondering of what was coming next!  I slowly laid out my 3-5 year plan, being very careful to not freak him out.  I wisely shared on how I would achieve the finances and a breeding strategy and plan.  See, I know my husband, he likes facts and figures; unlike me, who just loves to dream big and then go for it!  Opposites really do attract!  Rob took my plan and idea under advisement.  

It wasn't long and I had the approval to move forward!  So the wheels began to turn and I sought out mentors, read more books and tweaked my plans.  I researched my dogs pedigree's and began to search for pedigree's and dogs that would blend to create my idea of the perfect poodle.  Every good breeder does their homework, studies pedigree's and health testing, to ensure they are producing a poodle that is as close to the standard as possible and has a wonderful temperament and  intelligence.  I wanted to be a good breeder; a kennel that would have a reputation for producing quality.

I soon learned the hard part of being a kennel.......if you have a dog that isn't what you need or desire for your breeding program....re-home.  I was now faced with this tough decision; a dog I loved, but was not what I needed for the direction of our kennel.  I agonized over this decision; trying to justify keeping her as pet.  My mentors and Rob all gently convinced me that you can only reasonably keep so many dogs.  It was in her best interest to find her a home where she could be the queen bee and be loved.  After a month or two of thinking it over, I finally listed her on  the breeder site who I purchased her from.  In a matter of days I had to go over applications.  I made phone interviews and decided on a family.  They came in a matter of days to meet her; it was love at first site.  My heart broke as she walked the down the sidewalk and into their waiting car.  I bawled as they drove away; the family waving happily.  What a mixed bag of emotions this being a breeder is!  My first taste was bittersweet, I still get choked up when I think of her; but I know that I made the best decision for her and for us.  I get emails still every 2 weeks or so from the family; they are in love and she is the queen bee!

Where would we be without Dreams?  In achieving a vision I have learned that it is not without heartache.  My  respect for my fellow breeders was always high but now; understanding the hard decisions that must be made, my regard has grown.  Really Great Kennels and Breeders make dreams happen......not only for themselves but for every family that backs down their driveway, waving madly and thrilled that they have a new family member!

Fences

Leaving Gateway Nationals all aglow!  Sienna received another Rally title, Indigo had another leg toward his grand champion title, Fiamma earned her championship title and we had another baby, Roux.  As we hitched the trailer it was obvious that fall was waning and that pixie sprite Jack Frost had arrived to announce Ole' Man Winter would soon come calling.

We unloaded and winterized our "Long, Long Trailer"; tucking it to a long winters slumber.  As we pulled out of the storage area I have to admit to certain remorse; similar to that last look inside a home before you close the front door for the last time and move into a new house that is not yet home.  Home is where the memories are made and our trailer was like that for us. Dog shows, campfires with Hobs and friends, trying to maneuver over sleeping poodles laying on the floor in the middle of the night and adventures that are now scrapbook memories.

It wasn't long and just as Jack Frost had heralded, Old Man Winters brought bone chilling cold and lacy white flakes began floating on the unseen wind.  Poodles love snow and they were oh so excited to spend time outdoors in cold, white back yard.  Roux, was experiencing his first winter and embraced all this newness with the enthusiasm that only a poodle can show!  Leaping to catch those flakes of ice, twirling on hind legs that would make any ballet dancer jealous and tumbling over each other in their excitement.  Bringing in 4 poodles with legs covered in small snowballs and slippery feet was a new, unrewarding experience!  Remember the scene in Bambi as he slides legs splaying out on the frozen lake; imagine 4 poodles on my kitchen tile floor!  What a circus it was!  I soon realized that having 4 poodles is a whole new family dynamic!   

Winter was long and cold; I was beginning to think that nasty Ole Man Winter had Spring in a dungeon!  It was April before the snow melted into little streams that traversed my back yard on its was to the creek deep in our woods.  In my desire for Spring to arrive I neglected to consider the ramifications of all that melting.........mud!  Poodles love to run and chase each other and before the ground froze; my four Poodles managed to create a dirt race track what once was a lush lawn!  Now that the thaw was here, my race track was now a mud wrestling pit........what a chore every time they went out and came in.  A bucket ready by the door and a towel hung from a hook.  It was paw/leg washing several times a day and I have to say I was always wet and mud covered by the end of each outing!

As we lay in bed one night I turned and whispered to Rob, "Fences".  Now our lot is .75 acres and 1/3 acre is fenced in; that being the grassy area with woods beyond.  What I was saying in that whisper was we needed to fence off an area just for the dogs and leave some of the yard intact for grass to grow!  We enjoy playing bocce ball, croquet, badminton and soccer with Hobs; the wasteland created by the Poodles was no longer our playground.

Over coffee the next morning we planned our attack, it was military strategy time!  All we needed was army green helmets and khaki's to complete the look.  Rob, an architect, had his graph paper and ruler; laying out the dimensions of the yard with precision.  After several drafts of different schemes we had one that we both could agree on!  Like war.....it was treaty time!

With our blueprint plan in hand, off to the hardware store we went.  Hardware stores are like going into a labyrinth; you never know when you will get out!  After several hours and dollars later we emerge into what is still daylight.  Load up the SUV with, posts, cement bags, sand, and yes fencing.......TADA!  

At home we lay everything out according to Rob's drawing; don't even think an architect will allow you to change their plans.......

The Poodles were all lined up on the deck, head looking over the lattice, curious as to what their humans were up to now.  An audience watching a stage play couldn't have been any more attentive! 

Placing posts, spacing them on the grid, digging holes leveling posts and pouring in concrete was quite the task.  In our treaty we had arrived at a 4' high, green (I thought it would blend into the landscape better) wire fence;  I compromised from 5' due to an impasse in the negotiation. After several hours of placing posts we took a break and admired our handy work......seems we do that a lot....admire our work :)  Picked up our tools and waited for cement to harden; yes it like watching paint dry! 

The next morning we began the process of attaching fencing.  Our audience had grown from 4 Poodles, 2 Yorkies and a Pomeranian to include our hens!  They stood in their out door pen, heads tipped to one side and watched, with a few cackles thrown in, as we unrolled THE FENCE.

This process was slower as it required me to pull the fencing tight as Rob attached it to the posts.  Cowboys had nothing on me, except for the hat and the chaps!  I realized about 1 1/2 hours into it; that I really needed to build upper body strength!  My arms felt like a bowl of cherry jello......cherry for the red of my skin from the sun.  By the time the fence was all in place, I looked like a gorilla with my arms dragging on the ground, scraping my knuckles!  Okay, they weren't stretched like that BUT felt like they were!  Once more my hubby, stepped back to admire HIS handy work.....while I went inside to soak my tired, sore body in a Epsom salt hot bath!

Rob finished the gate and Voile' the dog area was complete!  Now for a trial run......drum roll please........we opened the gate from the deck and the Poodles barreled into the back yard.  If they had tail lights ...... hmm just envision that.....funny right!  well anyway they put on the brakes, stopping short of the gate and stood there......the race track was blocked!  It was so funny because in unison, 4 Poodle heads swiveled around to look at us.  If they could have spoken it would have been, " What have you done!  Open that gate this minute!"  Never mind that they still had 1/3 of the yard still to themselves and we had a pool for them to play in.  Nope.....the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.....as they say.

Fences do make good neighbors.  I now have a grassy lawn to walk barefoot through, the dogs have the Poodle pen with a new race track and pool and I would say everyone is happy.

Ooodles of Poodles

The Premier event was like putting gasoline on a fire!  Rob and Indigo were a hit and Indigo earned his UKC Championship title during that weekend.  Rob was oh so ready for the BIG time now.....we call it balloon head!  He was in his groove and ready for the next big venue....Gateway Nationals at Purina Farms.  It is held the last weekend in October and is a major show on the UKC calendar.  I have to admit; Purina Farms IS an amazing place, visit or show it doesn't matter, it is a first class facility all the way. 

I had picked up another new poodle puppy at Premier, so she would be ready for her debut at Gateway Nationals.  So looked like we were planning another BIG, BIG Adventure!  We shared the news with Kay, my sister, who had come to Premier with us.  I was hoping she would join us on the Gateway event; I think the Kalamazoo or Bust was enough adventure for her.  She graciously declined.  Our friend, Kathy, who was Indigo's breeder, was happy that we would be joining her and Nicole (her daughter) at Gateway.  

Gateway Nationals is also a fun event; the UKC sponsors a costume contest and encourages people to decorate their grooming areas in a theme.  This got my artistic juices flowing......Rob and I tossed around ideas like tennis balls all of August.  We wanted to do it all!  Show, Decorate, participate in the costume parade and do Rally.  Oh and we were picking up another puppy from Kathy at the show too!  Actually.....I think we are little cuckoo! Being relatively new to this whole sport, little did we know how much that was to bite off!

The month of September was crazed!  Our son was back in school and sports, we had a new puppy, 2 poodles that needed to get ready for shows and rally obedience and I was giddy with excitement about my new 'little man", Roux.  Who I would pick up at Gateway.....yup certifiable! With all those ribbons and titles that hang on my office wall, their should be a BIG sign that says "Poodle Addict!" at least according to my son that is :)  Plus I was working on my creations for Gateway.....costumes and decorations for our grooming area!  My usually organized office had been turned into a Frankenstein Laboratory!  Fabrics strewn about, paints and cardboard mixed in with tulle and fabric fragments.....yes it was quite frightening!  I believe Rob thought, like Herr Doctor  Frankenstein he had created a monster.....only I don't have screws in my neck, nope they are just loose!

September was closing its last chapter; cool nights gave us the glories of Red, Russet and yellow leaves.  That scent of a bon fire burning somewhere in the neighborhood and dried corn stalks that rustled in the wind.  I love fall!  The colors appeal to my artistic nature, the harvest is coming to a close and sweatshirt weather is upon us.  It also meant we were oh so close to the dates of the Gateway Nationals.  Panic mode began to set in.....the peplum jacket I was making for myself with no pattern since I was creating something their wasn't a pattern for; when I tried it on was too small!  Self loathing sets in at this point......could I lose 5 pounds before Gateway? or do I just take it apart and remake it?  Being a woman, of course I would love to lose those five pounds, however practical I knew that there was no way that would happen!  Besides I eat when I'm stressed and YES, I am stressed!

The concept for the grooming display was a large 36 x 40 diorama.  Did you every make a shoe box diorama as a kid?  Well a shoe box and a 36 x 40 box are two different animals!  Great ideas sometimes take a lot of planning before they become a working model A......ask Henry Ford!  It took awhile to find the right box, painting began, then cutting out my figures and the background ...... that I gave to my hubby to create.  I still was working on the costumes and he is very artistic too, so he gladly designed our 'stage'.  He did a magical job!  Eerie and hauntingly beautiful all with the Van Gogh feeling.....I added a few touches of glow in the dark paint and VOILE' the painting was complete!  We found some strobe lighting to add to the effect and we had our diorama.  Rob was quite pleased with the effort but then dropped the bomb.....How were we going to transport it to Missouri?  My thoughts raced, 'Did I put the cart BEFORE the horse again?'  Rob measured the trailer door and we would have to un-assemble the diorama and put it together there.  Crisis resolved BEFORE I had a heart attack!

I swear that there was smoke coming out of my sewing machine the last few days before we left. That saying, "Pedal to the metal", well it certainly applied to my poor Shark sewing machine. Whirring away late into the night......good thing it can't charge overtime!

October 24th dawned.....grey skies and chilly as we loaded the last of the items; yes the diorama was one of those items, into the trailer.  Dogs in the back of the SUV, hugged our son, waved as we pulled out of the driveway.  Once again, the trailer was road bound; Missouri here we come!

My theme for our display and costumes was.....OOdles of Poodles....but of course!  I wrote a prose, read it outloud and my son put it to music that would play automatically as people passed our diorama. You can listen to it below.

Gateway Nationals was everything and more then we expected.  Perfect weather, great poodle people and showing at Purina Farms amazing indoor arena was almost as good as Madison Square Garden to us!  The days were longer then usual due to the large class sizes, rally obedience was never on time and it seemed that grooming went on and on!  

The silver lining was Roux!  He was more adorable then I ever imagined!  Kathy had also brought a couple of his siblings along for the journey.  He shared a kennel with his sister, LE and his brother, Dodge.  Poodle puppy mosh pit!  Roux,stole my heart in an instant and it's been that way ever since!  Sorry, rabbit trail......here's a picture....cute, right!

We were done showing and I was anxious to get into character.....oh the theater!  Somewhere inside of me is a Lillian Russel just bursting to be released!  We hurry down to the trailer to get ourselves into make up and get the dogs dressed......did I say dressed?  But of course its a dog show costume parade!  We get into our costumes, we'll get the dogs in theirs at the arena and make our way back to the event.  The looks we received were priceless and put us all the more into character.....that of the ghostly dead!  I have to admit at this point of the night I felt ghostly dead......I had begun another round of chemo earlier in the month the side effects were being.  I probably didn't need the white face make up because at this time I felt white as a sheet.  We enter the building to stares and fingers pointed our direction.  It would be awhile we were told until the contest would start.  'Oh Great!'  more waiting........after around 1 1/2 hours of waiting around I was done......really done in.  Rob went to tell the coordinator we were leaving and explained the situation.  I was extremely disappointed.....all those days of labor and creative endeavor!  But I really needed to lay down.  As we headed back to the trailer, out comes running the costume parade coordinator...."don't go!  We are going to start! "  Rob looked at his drooping wife and begins to decline.  I put my hand on his arm, "The show MUST go on!" I whisper with a hint of smile under white/silver lips.  

The costumes were amazing at the event.  So many people had put in much thought and effort to create their theme and carry it off.  I would not have wanted to be the judges.  After the parade around the ring, to the sound of laughter and applause the judges deliberated on their winners of 4 categories: Funnest, Scariest, Look Alike and Breed Specific.  Anyone who knows me or if you read my blogs, you know that I am a tad bit competitive......hard to believe I know. You can guess that I really wanted to win in the scary category!  The poodles did so well in their ghostly, hooded costumes and it wasn't easy to walk in those either!  But ever the Poodle spirit they did it!

It was time to announce the judges winners..........insert drum roll...................Oodles of Poodles for the Scariest Costumes!  I would have been more thrilled but I was really dead by this time....no enthusiasm left in my bones.  We received a free photo shoot that would also be in the UKC Bloodlines magazine.  Rob scurried us over to get our picture shot so that we could get back to the trailer, get out of these hot costumes, eat and go to bed.  

As we relaxed in our lawn chairs, watching the dogs in their outdoor pen and just enjoyed the cool night air the stillness was interrupted by the sound of a farm tractor going past our trailer. Behind it was a hay rack filled with families laughing and enjoying their experience.  Suddenly as they pasted us I could hear them yelling.............................                                                                   "LOOK!  It's the OOdles of Poodles!" and applause broke out!

Hmmmm, I never did figure out how they knew that was us!