Calabrone Australian Shepherds

Rally Practice

jodie — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:23:41 +0000

Had a GREAT first practice – I cannot recommend Deb from Dog Haven Dogs more than I do already! I use her for all of my performance classes and because she owns an Aussie she understands how their minds work.

Her husband came up with a GREAT leash to use for Rally – it allows you to keep control of your dog without your hands and I think it will be a huge help. Both boys were pretty good – Stinger has a more solid sit than Memphis but Memphis is coming on. We do not have class next weekend so we have two weeks to practice.

I have not mentioned anywhere but on my website that we are breeding Bummy and it looks like I may be full of deposits – waiting on the checks to come in. I took three deposits for companions and then have two show slots for the confirmed show pups – I may end up with more or less but I think it is a fair number.

Last litter I did not do deposits and about half the people on my list were total flakes – this way I have at least a sense of commitment and they ALL seem like great people and perfect homes. Looks like we will be breeding Bummy later in the week. Fingers crossed for a boring whelping!

Rally Starts tomorrow

jodie — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:29:45 +0000

I have been trying to practice with the Boys – they finally know how to sit (Jamie is going to love me for that. Our class starts tomorrow and I am hoping that I am better prepared then I when when Bummy and I went in! I know pretty much the entire class so that part is nice.

Hoping that the rain will hold off!

Today I finally uploaded more pictures on the website and did a little updating too. I got the last USASA ad up, added some win photos and added to the dog’s gallery images.Nothing exciting but I hate when the site is lagging behind.

Puppy people are dribbling in – I am not really advertising the litter – heck it has not even happened yet! Fingers crossed for an uneventful whelping!

Herding Clinic

jodie — Sun, 12 May 2013 02:23:41 +0000

Took the boys to a herding clinic and had a blast. They are both ready for an Instinct test and probably starter level sheep. Took some pictures of them – hope you enjoy!

Memphis Goes Out in Style

jodie — Tue, 07 May 2013 02:22:34 +0000

Memphis is coming home from Jamie’s and as a present to me he went Winner’s Dog/Best of Winners. He is coming home since he will be out of 12-18 in a few weeks and just not mature enough for Open Blue Merle. Luckily he got over his whole Merle Force One kick and is actually showing at normal speed. It was only my money he was wasting acting like a goober.

We may show him a few times this summer but hopefully this fall he will be physically mature enough to show. Stinger is/was and anomaly finishing so quickly. Both Bayshore and Briarbrook are slow maturing lines but he was physically and mentally able to show and win.

Memphis was too busy goofing around and having fun – he finally started to settle down just in time to age out of puppy classes! No worries we have a full summer schedule planned! Lots of agility, Rally and Herding in the future!

Back From Nationals

jodie — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 02:21:37 +0000

Nationals was a BLAST! Met some really great people and saw a lot of wonderful dogs. My crew did really well. Stinger made the finals of 12-18 and was a crowd favorite! It was so great seeing people who knew the breed cheer for my Reddog! Gave me chills!!!

Bummy made the finals of Best of Breed which was so great! There were 110 dogs entered and for her to make the cut (15 bitched and 25 dogs made it) was so wonderful. Next year she qualifies for Veteran so I have high hopes.

My dear friend Shirley Shaver’s dog Jackson won Winner’s Dog. I of course take FULL CREDIT as I am the one who talked her in to letting Jamie show him. I love Jackson and have said he is the best dog out there that is not a finished Champion and I WAS RIGHT! Judge Wally Sommerfelt agreed – although now he is a Champion with the win ha ha ha.

The highlight for me was Brood Bitch where handler extraordinaire Avery Clute with her assistants Shirley Shaver and Jenn Hatch got fourth place! My first podium win as an owner and I got to share it with my good friends.

As always my dogs were perfectly handled by Jamie Clute and Katie Collins

Switching to the USASA Blog

jodie — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:59:43 +0000

As I will be at the 2013 USASA (United States Australian Shepherd Association) Nationals I will be updating my USASA Blog versus this Blog. My dogs are showing most days:

Monday – Memphis and Stinger
Tuesday – Memphis
Wednesday – Memphis, Stinger and Bummy
Friday – Bummy

I hope you follow along with our journey!… Read the rest

Got my confirmed entries

jodie — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 15:47:56 +0000

Not that I was worried but it is sure nice to see your entries come through! I had planned to do agility and herding but my entries did not get in on time and honestly I am a bit relieved! We are going to be having so much to do just in conformation I don’t think there is any way I could have squeezed more in.

I am driving out – so I leave Saturday morning and hope to be in St Louis sometime mid day Sunday (not pushing it at all) Then Monday afternoon Merle Force One and I are in the Futurity (no flash photography or video allowed) as well as Jamie and Stinger.

Tuesday is the Sweepstakes and Memphis and Maria Neff will be entered as Jamie is not showing in Sweeps. I am very lucky that Maria had an opening, she is really great at showing and I think she and Memphis will get along. Stinger will be sitting ringside cheering on his brother!

Wednesday is our busiest day as both boys compete in Class Dogs and then later that afternoon Bummy and the Boys will be in Brood Bitch. I have acquired the services of the best handler onsite to assist. While it should be a secret I will let you know that AVERY CLUTE will be handling Bumble Bee for me and my friends Shirley Shaver and Jenn Hatch will assist with the boys (notice how I got out of showing anything LOL.

Handling Fees for Avery were a tough negotiation, considering she stole my lipstick and talked me into yet another Build A Bear a few weeks ago, she agreed to a ONE jelly bean charge. Can you tell I love this child??? And of course she is truly a darn good handler!

Thursday is an off day for my dogs but we will cheer on Bayshore’s Martini with and Olive aka COUSIN OLIVE in her bitch class!

Our last day will be Best of Breed where we cheer on Katie Collins and CH Bayshore’s Bumble Bee in Best of Breed! Our goal is to make a cut – there are 110 entries and Bummy is 6 1/2 years young and pretty much retired BUT she loves to shake her money maker and honestly whatever makes her happy makes me happy and win or lose she will always be Best in Show to me!

Then we start the long drive home. Hopefully with some success but if nothing else a huge accomplishment and the start of new dreams!

Congrats to OZZIE!

jodie — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 15:17:23 +0000

My parent’s Border Terrier finished his championship yesterday! So proud of him and his handler Cassie Noe – now he is not just Ozzie but CH Otley’s Blue River Bandit! Cassie and Ozzie took only four weekends to finish! Now they start work on his Grand Championship.

Thank you Deb Pomeroy for taking a chance on selling us such a nice young dog. I cannot wait to get my hands on him although my plans to steal him may be foiled as I think Cassie would join the posse to hunt me down – she loves him too!

Anyone looking for a small dog look at a Borer Terrier! They are SUPER dogs and obviously I love Otley!

Getting Ready for Nationals

jodie — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:02:41 +0000

I find it hard to believe but we are less than two weeks away from Nationals. I have so much to get done and so little time to get it all together. In the end I decided less is more and did not enter agility or Instinct Testing. I think for my first time out there I need to go and learn the lay of the land.

Even with the focus on conformation only, we still have events pretty much every day. I did about 10 loads of laundry too – my guess is half of that will be in my suitcase LOL

Win Photos online

jodie — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:41:35 +0000

I am not a huge fan of Win Photos, most of the photographers are so lazy even with digital that they don’t even check to make sure the photos are even lighted right, or the dog is standing correctly, or the lighting is good, or the color is correct. Okay you get my drift – they usually SUCK.

Bumble Bee’s New Champion photo was so bad that I did not even buy it – saying it was bad is like saying a Category 5 hurricane is a little wind and rain. Okay so you get what I mean – I don’t love them but I put the up. Honestly I only like a couple of Bummy’s and the Louisville photo of Stinger. Anyway, they are here.