Making the Best of a Building Year

This Year is a "Building" Year

Whenever a football team has a quarterback that ages out or a new head coach, it seems as if they call the year that follows a "building year." Even if most of the faces on the team stay the same, the transitions may be so great or so many in number that the team isn't expected to win. It is "building" a fresh look and a fresh strategy that will result (hopefully) in a shot at the playoffs during the next season.

We're going through something a lot like that here at LoupGarou Terriers, as well as at Not 1040 Farm. For the last couple of years, we've done a lot of health testing. We have finished almost all of our class dogs in the UKC ring and we have no dogs competitive enough to be "specials" in the AKC ring. I've tried to get Badger to title in traditional obedience, but he's not terribly interested in obedience training. It's time for us to bring start training and exhibiting a new crop of dogs, in obedience, in the conformation ring, and even in other events. Most of the "new" dogs will be those who have been waiting in the wings for a bit, but more on that below. So, how is it that we plan to build?

Celebrating Badger!

Badger has done everything that I have asked him to do, and then some. Beau, who preceded Badger by some years, was my heart dog and Badger can never take that place, but he is one of the most special dogs I have ever known. However, when I was spending months and months trying to get him to successfully complete a "sit for exam" with little success, I knew it was time to let go of his obedience training. I was, after all, spending $100 per training session that could be better spent on dogs that showed more enthusiasm for the sport. So, CONGRATULATIONS, BADGER! I will never ask you to sit for exam, ever again. Well, not officially, anyway.

Does that mean that Badger will sit at home and become a little old dog eating cookies? No, not on your life! Badger will return to being only a Rally obedience dog. We've gotten his RN and his RI, so maybe an RA is in his future, if I can get him heeling off leash with any sort of precision. If not, we'll be returning to his first love in May: agility! And, if all goes well, I'll be doing a little weight pull and lure coursing, too. He's a fun dog and likes doing things, but he is being set free of the obedience chains. Welcome to "retirement," Badger!

On to Other Dogs: Widget, Yaddle, and Yuma

Badger is being followed at obedience class by Yuma and by Widget. Remember Widget? Widget has been languishing for about a year now, while we decided what to do with him. During that time, he got love and cookies from both me and Dan, along with time out of the spotlight. It gave him time for his last outing, during which Cyi was having seizures and he was sitting alone in the car for hours (safely crated and cool), to fade into the dim reaches of his memory. He's gained a little weight and grown happier during this time of just being a dog. More on our decision to move on with him, as well as the progress he is making, in the next article!

Yuma came to me, also about a year ago. Kathleen and I had decided to breed her to a REALLY nice male when the opportunity arose. During her pregnancy, it became apparent that Kathleen could not delay her knee surgery any longer. She would be unable to handle tiny TFT puppies underfoot during her recovery, so Yuma came to live with me--and she's still here! Because she's getting older and her best years for her show career may be behind her, we're looking at a "new career" for her. She's getting some obedience classes over the next few months, to prepare her for future training in nosework, agility, and Rally obedience. We'll see which of the three sports is her favorite and go on from there.

Rounding out the future obedience dogs--at least Rally obedience dogs--is my little Yaddle. Yuma might be getting the summer off (ask Badger--he knows why)! If she does, then Yaddle will be going to obedience class in her stead. It will be good for Yaddle, who needs a bit of confidence building to make her an awesome show dog. Yaddle already has a "leg" toward her Rally Novice obedience title, so my goal is to get her ready for the July trial in Jackson, MS.

Goth Progresses!

Kathleen and I have high hopes pinned on a really handsome little male dog that she bred last year: "LoupGarou Conri Morgoth Valar," aka "Goth." Goth is going to be our future white, black, and tan (black tricolor) stud, replacing our "outgoing" male, Johnny. He's super-handsome and loaded with character and, don't tell Johnny this, but I like his head even more than I like John-John's. He was born a singleton, on October 31, 2022. So far, he is a HANDSOME little guy and seems possessed of a good temperament. Getting him out to show early didn't work out, but he's been well socialized and seems as if he enjoys his life to the fullest.

Although he's had a little bit of training on the conformation table and can walk quietly on a lead, Goth has mostly been allowed to be a puppy. Next week, all that changes. He will start his education on the table for the conformation ring, with Dan helping to teach manners during the exam. He'll get a preliminary education in "sit," "down," and "watch me." I might even start a "where's Goth?" introduction to the recall. I have plans to take him to the match at the obedience trial in July and MAYBE start competing with him in the fall. Goth will be making his conformation show debut in May and I just can't wait!

Even More Foundations

Tomorrow, I am going to pick up a little buckling as a friend for Screechy. Although he can't be registered (he has long ears, which makes him ineligible to be a Mini LaMancha), he will keep Screechy from dying of loneliness--an honest to goodness thing, if you're a goat. I'll start looking for doelings in June.

This upcoming weekend, Kathleen is going to look at a litter of Toy Fox Terrier puppies for a potential "outcross" female for our breeding program.

In May, a litter of Teddy Roosevelt Terrier puppies will be born in Louisiana, which might produce an outcross female for my breeding program.

Sometime over the summer, I'll be adding more quail and chicken chicks, as well as rabbits, to our homestead animals. With any luck, by January, all of the pieces will be in place for us to move forward again. I anticipate a "winning" season in 2024 for the LoupGarou Conri team!