Eukanuba 2013

This is a really special shot for me as it's not often that the three of us are in the show ring together. It was so much fun and I'm really happy to have this photo of me with Solene, David with Nessa, and Isabel with Claire. Congratulations to all of the beautiful dogs who showed in Orlando!

Our Short Trip to Florida for the Eukanuba National Championship

This year was the first year that Barbet have been able to show at the Eukanuba National Championship in Orlando, Florida. The Coton de Tulear Club sponsored an FSS/Misc show held on Friday, December 13, so we took the opportunity for a short vacation in the sunny south. We loaded up the trailer with the Barbet girls and headed to Walt Disney World, where we stayed at the Fort Wilderness campground, a beautiful and relaxing park. We were across the road from the dog park, and the dogs had a great time racing through the sandy hills.

 Our campground site at Disney's Fort Wilderness, just a short drive to the Orlando Convention Center. You may notice that the trailer is sitting on jack stands and a spare...

For the second trip in a row, we had a tire blow out on the trailer. Fortunately this time we saw the leak with our new tire pressure monitors, and were able to get off the highway and change the tire in a well-lit. safe area. This tire that blew was a brand new Towmax tire and was the replacement from the trailer company for the tire that blew when we went to Long Sault, Ontario in August. Since we are pretty tired of dealing with tire issues, we bought a new set of G rated Goodyear trailer tires and had them installed while we were in Orlando. Happily, we made it home without incident!

 The Eukanuba dog show was amazing, the largest dog show of the year in North America. It has an enormous trade show, dog show, agility, obedience, rally, Meet the Breeds, all in one lovely building. We were really honored to participate and thrilled when Claire won Best of Breed, beautifully shown by our daughter Isabel. Claire just had puppies 3.5 months ago, so this was quite a surprise, but she bounced back quickly and looks great. Isabel kept telling me she and Claire would do well and she was right!

 UKC BIS CKC, UKC, IABCA CH Neigenuveaux's Ermagarde, Best of Breed at Eukanuba 2013, shown by Isabel Descutner

 Isabel and Claire after their Best of Breed win

 David had the opportunity to drive this Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 at the Walt Disney World Speedway. Great fun and no tire problems!

 It's a Christmas tradition for campers to decorate their sites while staying in Fort Wilderness in December. Many people had huge displays and we had fun riding our bikes around and checking out everyone's festive display. We were pretty low key but David has a lot of great ideas for future visits!

We had an uneventful trip home (thankfully!) and now it's time to finish Christmas preparations around our home.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Bear On The Run

Here's an awesome picture of puppy Bear out for a weekend run. Love getting pictures like this from the puppies' families!

Solene's Health Testing Nearly Complete!

With Solene reaching her second birthday next month, plans are underway for her first breeding. Because we are unable to have a litter of puppies next summer, we hope to breed Solene within the next month when she comes in season. Yesterday we received the great news from OFA that her Preliminary Elbow reading and Thyroid test results are normal. In addition, her eye certificate came as well. Within the next few days, OFA will be updating their site with her information, but I'll list her results here. (Unlike the European scores, OFA does not give final results until the second birthday, but her preliminary results are an accurate assessment)

OFA Hips:  Preliminary Good
OFA Elbows:  Preliminary Normal
OFA Eyes: No known issues
OFA Thyroid: Normal

2014 Barbet Calendar

The Barbet Club of America is currently selling their 2014 calendar, featuring the photographs of many North American Barbet in full, beautiful color! Hopefully a few Hickory Tavern Barbet will make it into the finished product! Consider ordering a calendar or joining the Barbet Club to help support the advancement of Barbet in America. Calendars and memberships can be ordered here.

Calla Is Home!

The excessive drainage from the surgical incision has finally stopped, and Calla was allowed to come home today. We are so happy to have her back with us! She is bandaged, splinted, and wrapped together, and has to remain as quiet and still as possible to allow her ligaments and bones to heal. Dr Jim Radcliffe at Town and Country Animal Hospital in Wheeling, WV has done a beautiful job of repairing the damage to her broken bones and shredded ligaments; now it is up to us and Calla to follow the instructions that will help her get better!

What A Weekend...

Calla - The Most Beautiful, Sweet and Special Dog in the World

The ups and downs of my dogs...it's very bittersweet for the last of the puppies to leave. I'm so happy that the families love their new puppy so much, but it's hard to see their sweet little faces go...we put so much time and love into our babies. In the midst of this, Calla had a horrific accident in the yard Friday afternoon and broke her left hind leg at the hock. I immediately knew that she had broken her leg, and she was on the x-ray table at Dr Radcliffe's clinic in Wheeling within the hour. Calla had surgery to repair the bone and ligaments on Saturday afternoon, and she remains hospitalized for observation and treatment. This evening I packed up all of the puppy equipment and the whelping box, and tomorrow I'll set up two big crates for Calla's coming months of rest and rehabilitation. Sadly, it may be up to a year until she recovers fully. Sigh.

Madi, the Only Brown Girl

Madi went to her new home with Garry and Sheryl two weeks ago, and she spent this past week with us while they were on a relaxing vacation. Madi (Hickory Tavern Dior On Madison) joins her big brother, Clousseau the Barbet here in Pittsburgh.

Virginia Bound

Sweet little Bodhi, the only brown boy, was the very last puppy to leave us today. Such a bittersweet time for us, yet Tracy, Pete, Josephine and Lucian are super excited to get Bodhi (Hickory Tavern On The River) home to Virginia where they will have lots of fun together.

Off to the Big City!

Our sassy little grey girl, Wendy (Hickory Tavern On Broadway) went off to her exciting new life in New York City. Her new canine big brother Peter came along, and I'm really looking forward to hearing about the adventures of Wendy with Ed, Kerry, Emma, Lillie, Xander, and Nathaniel.

Claire's baby Bear!

"He's really ours???"

Yesterday's puppy delivery was one of the best! The wonderful yellow puppy was a complete surprise to the dog-loving children in this family. It was so much fun for me to see the joy and excitement they had when they realized that little Bear would be coming home with them. Hickory Tavern On The Team has a new home in upstate New York where he will live with Colleen, Jim, Liam and Molly.

"Maverick" and His Crew

Maverick (Hickory Tavern On Deck) is our pick male from this litter, and we are thrilled that he will be living close by with his active and fun family. He'll enjoy work as a gun dog as well as being the treasured family pet of Rob, Carrie, Schaeffer and Grayson.

Bye Bye Purple Puppy

This beautiful purple collared girl was one of my favorites of this litter. Today Millie (Hickory Tavern On A Carrousel) left for her new home with Elizabeth and Andrew in Pittsburgh. I'm so happy that I'll get to see her and her family frequently!

Barbet Beach Bum

California girl Annique (Hickory Tavern On The Beach) is a happy and smart girl now living in Marina Del Rey with Dianne and Bob. We will be planning a trip to the West Coast to visit her from time to time.

The Crowd Is Dwindling

We are down to 6 puppies as the beautiful orange collared boy left today, off to his wonderful new home along the shore of Pine Creek. Mogley (Hickory Tavern On An Adventure) is going to be busy pup as a member of this active household with his terrific owner, Clay. I'm really looking forward to hearing of their adventures and travels together.

Happy Fall Pups

Happy Fall!!

Mogley, the orange boy

Purple girl

Louis, the green boy

Annique, whose flight to California was sadly delayed today due to the shooting at the LAX airport

Maverick, the red boy

Bodhi

Momma Claire

Fall On The Farm

Fall is a wonderful time to have a litter of puppies at the farm. Yesterday we all walked out to the fields after the soybeans have been harvested. The pups really enjoy investigating the farm, and their mom, Claire, merrily trots along with her group in tow. Even though the pups no longer need Claire for nutrition, she still provides guidance and leadership to her little troop. It is heartwarming watching her playing and wrestling with her beautiful babies.

Claire in the Cornrow

Bodhi, Hickory Tavern On The River, will soon be heading to Virginia

The puppies make their own corn maze

Grey girl (Wendy), White boy (Bodhi), and Green boy (Louie)

Hickory Tavern On Deck  'Maverick' shows his beautiful sidegait. Maverick will be staying close by in Pittsburgh. We are very excited about his future!

On Tuesday, all of the pups were loaded up and taken to the vet for checkups, immunizations, and microchips. They were excellent little travelers and there wasn't any crying in the car. Everyone was very brave! 

Fall Harvest

Today on the farm we were combining soybeans

Morning Explore

Here is a fun way to spend the morning! Watching these little hoodlums out and about is a lovely start to my day!

Heading Out

And Back

Home Again!

Some of the others

Although we are preoccupied with our beautiful litter of Claire's puppies, we still have time to enjoy all of our other dogs. Here are a few shots from yesterday afternoon:

Solene looking like her mum Claire

Nessa looking like her mum Alba

Calla and Claire
Claire is in the middle of being brushed out and is extra poofy

Ava

Nessa

And the babies!