the coonhound adventures

savannah's first ukc dog show

 abuse

Yesterday was such a beautiful day.  Me & the girls slept late, then I had a nice breakfast while they played outside.  When they came in, I asked Savannah if she wanted to 'go in the truck'.  Savannah can be spralled out dead tired, but if you ask her that, she will be on her feet in seconds flat.  She squealed and jumped, a definite "YES, MOM!!"

By noon, Savannah and me were heading south to the coonclub, and we were both excited.  I've been going to Rockfish Creek since last summer, and I didn't even have a coonhound then.  I'm starting to make some friends there, and I told them it's starting to feel like home.  I couldn't take Magic because I was going to show Savannah, and I couldn't watch after the baby and show Savannah at the same time.  A lady I've gotten to know who is a member there, Tammy, told me the next time, bring the pup, and if I need one of them to watch after her while I go in to eat, or have the other dog in an event, they will.  I thought that was very nice.

I met some other folks there who have Redbones, lots of them.  It's a mostly Bluetick crowd there, so it was cool to see some red dogs.  Hoo Hoo Hollow is their kennel, and I was so happy because I'd been following the career of a couple of their dogs!  Meeting dogs and their owners that you've seen in the UKC publication time after time is right up there with meeting celebrities to me.  Another cool thing was that they, and a couple who came to meet them there, already knew who Savannah is, and they were happy to meet her, too.

When  the time came for the bench show, I was so nervous.  When I heard "Rebel Red Savannah!" called out, it was like a rush.  I loved hearing her name.  We did pretty well with the walk around the benches, and she did pretty good getting up there when it was time.  The judge checked her bite, a sissor bite of blazing white teeth.  Then I started to set her up.  I'd get her front feet straight, then start to set the back, and she'd take a step.  Then I'd do the front feet again, and she'd move the back.  Finally I got her in position, and touched the back of her tail so she'd hold it up, something she always does naturally anyway.  Maybe she could tell I was nervous, and wondered why.  Anyway, of the three shown together, us, a Walker and a Bluetick, the Bluetick won.  I wasn't disappointed though, because Savannah is my beautiful princess, and it was our very first time.  Tammy told me, "just keep practicing, you'll win".  The judge told me later if I can get her to be still on the bench, I can go a long way with her.  I knew that already, she doesn't have to practice being beautiful.

It was a great day, we had fun, and that is the best part.  And it's really something to me to realize how well known my girl already is.  Her public awaits her.  I called Sam to let him know how we did, and he told me the same thing Tammy said, just keep practicing.  He said that now they know that they better practice hard too, because now they know what's coming, and we laughed.  He's very proud of that pup.  I am too.