Such a Bad Dog Mom!!!

How have I not updated this blog since January!!!?? I'm a terrible dog Mom. Good thing that Famke can't get on the computer and see how neglectful I've been! ;)

Famke is a year and a half already and just cute and sweet as can be. She is such a fun dog and we've been having a blast!

We've been to a few more conformation shows and Famke now has 6 points towards her championship. It is very exciting for me and she absolutely LOVES showing. I plan to just show her sparingly for the next year so she can mature a bit. Now that we are out of the 12-18 month class she looks very puppyish next to the more mature bitches. We went to a supported entry show in Toledo in June and there were 25 Field Spaniels entered!! It was such a treat to see that many Fieldies in one place.

We have been concentrating heavily on obedience training and we are both enjoying it. I am hoping to trial a bit here in the next few months and finish Famke's Rally Novice title and Beginner's Novice title at the Field Spaniel National in September. I think it is an achievable goal. I am SO excited about the National coming up. It will be my first National for any breed and I can't wait!

Here are a few pics of Famke that my best friend Shannon took for us at a show.

"Her name is Famke...She was a Show Girl!"

This past weekend we were entered at the Central Iowa conformation show at the fairgrounds. Famke's breeders came out from Iowa City with Famke's brother and sister, Gideon and Elle, and her local sister, Cola, was there as well. It was a family reunion!! If her brother Hobbes from East Coast and been there it would have been perfect. The pups were SO excited to see each other and Famke was thrilled to see Meg and Kay as well.

I am a total conformation newbie. Famke is my first conformation dog and before this weekend I had only been in the ring with her at one other show when she was much younger. Meg showed Famke for me last summer and she got her first two points at that show. I feel like I need about 20 arms and that I am fumbling through everything when I am in the conformation ring. I still have so much to learn, but most importantly I just want to have fun with my pup.

I will also admit that I don't put nearly enough time into working on conformation with Famke. I think part of that is because I am still so new to it. I would love to go to a handling seminar sometime soon.

So this past weekend was Famke's third dog show and only my second time showing her myself. We were entered in the 12-18th class with Famke's sisters, Cola and Elle. I felt like Famke was showing nicely (even with my fumbling ) but I was completely shocked when the judge pointed to us for first place. I was shaking because I was so surprised and excited. Famke really seems to enjoy showing and she totally struts her stuff.

On Sunday Famke's lovely sister Cola took the class for her 3rd point as well. It so great to be able to be out there with friends and having such great experiences with the girls. Fun stuff!

Happy New Year!!!

I can't believe that it is 2011 already!!

I have been thinking about that goals I have for Famke for year and I'm not completely sure what they are yet. She is still such a puppy to me that I feel like we are just beginning. She is so much fun to train and she really seems to enjoy it too.

I think we will shoot for at least Rally Novice and Beginner's Novice by the fall. But I'm not going to put any deadlines on anything. We'll just see how things go.