I don´t know how long it will stay but spring is here!
The snow disappears quickly now when the temperature raises to above 10° during daytime, last few days in a row. Training outside has been possible for a couple of weeks now. I have to look for flat surfaces in parks or soccer fields, sometimes even on golf fields in the neighbourhood. It is going to take time before our ordinary training surface at the dog clubs aroud here will be free from ice and dry.
But most important thing is returning of the light.
I need some positive happenings now as I feel I have had some backlash in my life lately.
First of all my back has become much worse over last few months and I suffer from severe pain both in my spine an legs. The laminectomy is planned on April 8th and I really hope that will bring me back to normal activity after I am healed. I am not able to walk the dogs more than what´s absolutely necessary and every step I take is a fight, despite the painkillers. I try to train as much as I can but it´s not so joyful as usually and I think my dogs can sense it.
The second backlash is the mating I attempted to carry out between Ruda and a boy called Skoll, a nice, happy, playfull Laekenois, a half brother of Compis. I was very happy Skolls owner allowed me to use him. I tested progesteron on Ruda and it was perfect for mating, I went to meet the boy and he did not show any interest in Ruda at all!!! He was just playing around with sticks and bathing in the lake and try to make her join him. And she wasn´t interested either. This was strange! Maybe the season she was in, only 3 months after the last one wasn´t a real one despite high progesterone value?
I was looking forward to this spring litter so much and I felt so disappointed! But what can be done? I can only wait to next spring. This will be the very last time I´ll try to have puppies with Ruda. I will also have more time to look for other males. The risk of getting a shorthaired Laekenois like Basqa from the combination with Skoll is the same as with Compis. Maybe I shall find a hairy male with nice, stable character?
Basqa has got some longer harsh hair lately. And she stopped growing at 62 cm which is a maximum for a bitch. I like her looks a lot but I do not think she can get a price at a show. Her body is perfect, she moves beautifully but the coat just isn´t there, especially furnishing.
We will see what happens on Belgian Specialty, a 2 days show at the end of May. I have the intention of showing both Ruda and Basqa and I am very curious about the judges opinion. Both are very familliar with Belgian Shepherds and Rui is a Laekenois breeder as well. Even if we do not bring home any titles it will be nice to get a fair description.
Have to start some show training with the wild youngster tomorrow! I suppose it will take sometime before I can run after the surgery…. Well, I will deal with it when time comes. Now it´s time to enjoy every day of this early spring, winter has not said the last word yet!
