Welcome To My View

Purina Farms 

I just got home from Purina Farms in St. Louis, Missouri.  What a fantastic facility for a dog show.  Starting at the road, the farm is set back off the main highway and off a narrow country road.  Once you arrive at the front gate, you travel down beautiful winding driveway with green lawns on each side.  At the top of the driveway is the main event building.  There are topiaries of various dog breeds greeting you on each side of the front walkways.  Everything is neat and well groomed.  

Inside the Event Building there is a huge grooming area with plenty of electrical outlets.  No need to buddy up on outlets or scourge around to find one.  There is so much room, you don't have to worry about rubbing behinds with your neighbor when you are at the grooming table.  The entire building is well lighted.  You would be hard pressed to find a shadow or dark corner.  There are six huge bath tubs in the public wash area. Change rooms are provided if you don't want to stay in your show clothes.  

The show floor is rubberized which eliminates the need for matting in the rings. The rings were huge, from 40 feet x 40 feet to 40 feet x 60 feet.  Purina provides ample seating ringside, so there isn't a need to haul your personal chair back and forth.  The Agility and Obedience rings were covered with Astroturf of the highest quality.  Purina thought of everything to make the dogs comfortable and safe.

Hungry?  Go to the Checkerboard Cafe.  Food was good and there was plenty of variety.  For advice on Purina Pet Food, go to the ProPlan Help Center.  Samples of food were available along with canvas bags and calendars.  Purina has changed its packaging graphics and they were taking the time to make sure attendees understand how to find the food they want.

The camping facility was great.  They provide full hookups and the RV's are located just mere steps away from the Event Center.  If you plan to take your RV to Purina Farms, be sure to take a couple of large outdoor mats.  The RV's are parked on pea gravel and it makes for a hard place for your dogs to use an ex-pen and to step out on when leaving the RV.  We had two mats, one under the ex-pen and one under our awning and it was perfect.

If you are not camping at the Farm, the closest hotel is the Travel Lodge less than 10 minutes away.  It isn't plush, but its clean and convenient and the people staying there said the staff was very friendly and helpful.  This hotel was considerably cheaper than the suggested Host Hotel.  The next nearest hotel is about 15 minutes away at the next exit off the interstate highway.

There are plenty of restaurants and shopping nearby along with other fun activities.  Six Flags is just one exit away and a must see is the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog in nearby St. Louis.  Don't forget to stop and take a close up visit at the Gateway Arch.  It is the tallest national monument in the United States standing 630 feet.

Purina Farms was so wonderful, I wish we would have our National Show there every year.  If you have the opportunity to go, don't miss it!

Here are websites that you can tour for more information:  

http://www.purinafarms.com/clubs-and-exhibitors/purina-event-center

http://www.gatewayarch.com

http://www.museumofthedog.org/

Dachshund Club of America Show

We attended the DCA show at Purina Farms last week.  I love this show.  It is like going to a huge family reunion.  I get to see people that I only get to see once a year at this show.  This year I got to see friends from Poland and to meet a breeder I've wanted to meet for a long time from Brazil.  

Debby Krieg, Daybreak Wires with Aga
and Dillon at DCA

We call our little group of friends, "Wired and Wonderful" because we all have wirehaired dachshunds.  Our group travels from Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon, New York, Poland and Canada.  

Wired and Wonderful Group

We can't wait to see each others' dogs, hear about new litters and future breeding plans.  We discuss grooming and what products we like.  Even though we all want to win in the ring, we are just as excited for our friends when they win.  This year, Lyle and I had our new Polish Red Dog, Chase, ExSentia Catch Me If You Can, to introduce and we were very excited for everyone to meet Dillon Conod, our wonderful junior and his dog Cooper.  

Lyle and I hosted a cookout for our friends from all across North America. We had a fabulous time catching up.  It was

Pizza Party at DCA

wonderful to have Marcello Tulipano and Bob Boxma; Guy Jeavons and Vicki Thomas at the cookout.  We had a nice Canadian turnout at DCA this year.  Congratulations to all for such nice dachshunds and good job in the ring.

We didn't do too bad in the rings.  Cara went Select Bitch at the St. Louis Host on Tuesday.  Dillon with Cooper, ExSentia Deuce Coupe, went 1st, two 2nds and a 3rd in large and competitive 12 - 18 month classes.  Chase went 1st, 2nd and a 3rd in the 12 - 18 month classes.  

Dillon stacking Cooper

We appreciate Aga Malecka for showing Chase at DCA.  Aga and her mother Ina are his breeders from Poland.

Aga Malecka with Chase

 Dillon has a fan following all over the world.  He holds his own in the big ring with all the experienced pro handlers and long-time owner/breeders.  We couldn't be more proud of him and Cooper.  Thanks so much to Shirley and Jim Conod for allowing Dillon to travel with us and to pursue his love of dogs and the show ring.

Another Nationals is done and over.  We are back home with memories and photos as reminders of all the fun.  Now we plan our trip to California for DCA next year.  Hotel reservations are already made.  Now to find a jar to start saving our money for trip!

I like to see people do nice things for others.  If someone does something nice for you at a show or you see or hear about something nice being done, please send me an email at djenkins@shaw.ca.   Be sure to put in the subject: Nice

We will mention that person by name in the blog.

This week we Spotlight  Laurie Savoie.    

Laurie along with her husband run Myrtlehill Pembroke Corgi Show Kennel.  She also owns Savoie Faire Photography and she is a regular writer for Canadian Dog Fancier Magazine.

Laurie called me about the last blog I wrote and the article about Tricks in the Ring.  She wanted to discuss the advice I had given about going to the end of the line if you experienced problems with another handler.  I have the utmost respect for Laurie's experience and knowledge, and I really appreciated her taking the time and interest to contact me.  

Laurie had concern that my advice would not be universally accepted by all judges in all areas of Canada.  Since I was drawing on my own experience in Ontario, I agreed that my advice was probably not good enough in this instance.

So, thanks to Laurie, I would like to correct that advice and tell everyone that first and foremost you should safeguard your dog by keeping your body between your dog and the dog behind you.  Always speak to the Ring Steward for permission to move to the end of the of the line.  Remember, the judge is the sheriff of the ring, so you must follow the judge's instructions at all times.

Thank you so much, Laurie.  I am honoured that you read my blog and I am very thankful for your guidance and advice.   I am humbled!  

For more helpful information from Laurie, check for her articles in Canadian Dog Fancier Magazine.  You can look at past issues on their website, http://www.canadiandogfancier.com

Remember to watch for "Nice Deeds".  They are happening all around us.  Let's talk about the people helping others.   Send your "Nice Deeds" to me at djenkins@shaw.ca 

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                     XXXOOO