Ch Aragon Mystic Pearl

Bryn earned her championship last weekend at the Reno Kennel Club shows! This makes Lyric's litter an all champion litter.

She was a beautiful puppy!


She is a gorgeous adult!

Congrats to Marie, Tom and Bryn for achieving this goal!

Bryn's Solution

After the last toy post Bryn requested and got a Tug A Jug toy. And she has yet a new way to get food out. She promptly ate the rope off and began tossing the jug into the air. Now she carries the toy around by its neck and throws it in the air when she wants treats. Of course all her housemates follow her around waiting for "free" treats.

Bryn's Hidden Talents(by Marie)

It’s December and I discovered I have a talent!!!!

Gator seems daily to get himself closed in the bathroom. He “oofs” until someone lets him out. Well, I decided I could be a good friend and help. So I pushed on the door with my nose and out he came. He really never even thanked me. I have done it several times in the past few months. Marie just tells me to go “let him out” and I do. Maybe someday he can help me. That’s what friends are for.

It seems like I was on a leash FOREVER!!! Well, at least, most of the summer.

The Lompoc show was fun (lure coursing), but the shoulder injury made me a “house dog”.

Tom or Marie took me for a walk every morning and night. Gator and Soda Pop got to go sometimes, but usually, it was just me.

Poppy sent me a new orange monkey and Marie fixed my old brown monkey. So I have had my old friends to keep me company. Gator seems to know that they are mine and let’s me have them whenever I want. (of course, I ask politely-like barking in his ear!)

I really enjoy hearing of the adventures of Tanner, Darby, Becca, Echo, Lyric, and Whisper.

Good news. I was able to go some shows. One judge was VERY soft spoken. He asked Marie if “I was a courser”. Now how did he guess that was my favorite game.

I did very well in the group(another new term for me) with my new friend, Robyn. She is a junior handler and likes to show me. She thinks I’m a real challenge.

Marie and I went to the Greyhound Club of Northern California Specialty. It was supposed to rain, but didn’t during the show. I got a couple of ribbons and another point for “Winner Bitch”. Everyone seems excited about points. I just want to be a good girl and behave like a show dog should. I’m learning about this new activity in every show .

The other dog in the picture is Soda Pop. He just takes a monkey beating and keeps on licking!!.

I love that guy.

Then They Turned 2!

Hard to believe that 2 years ago today, Lyric and Merlin's pups came into the world. Five little spuds and five lives irrevocably changed for the better!

Here they were 2 years ago today.


Here is a current picture taken in October of this year at the Northern California Greyhound Club Fall Specialty.


Happy birthday to Darby, Echo, Tanner, Bryn and Becca! May all your birthday wishes come true!

Bryn Again ( by Marie Hamilton)

I thought it would be nice to have nothing to do. As usual, I am WRONG again. This is boring. All I to do is sleep, play with the Frisbee (if I can get Marie or Tom to throw it), eat, chase birds, and dig holes in the lawn after Marie waters it. Nice soft stuff and real messy. But it is fun to chase the water from the sprinkler. Soda, Gator and I spend a lot of time barking at the Chihuahua’s (an endless supply of those) running free in the street. They sure are aggressive and unfriendly little things.

Marie is working to help me become more relaxed in the ring. (I think it is Marie who needs to be more relaxed). Really I am having fun, but I get more attention if I act like I don’t want to do it. At the Klamath Falls show, I was a little brat and everyone was playing with me and giving me treats. If it worked once, why not try it again.

I am sensing that another show is coming soon. Marie and I have been outside in the evening doing the stacking thing along with learning “stand and stay”.

It’s too hot to play outside much. I really like to lie on the bed in front of the fan.

Gator tries to beat me to the bed, but I am faster.

I was right about a show coming up (pretty good for a dog). This was another long ride in the RV. to a place called Lompoc. This was a 3 day show with Lure coursing too. I got into a little trouble when I slipped my collar twice and ran the lure twice before I was supposed to. But when it my turn to go, I had fun until the lure stopped near the end. I guess I stopped too hard and injured my shoulder. So I am on the “be quiet-don’t run” list.



And I thought it was boring earlier in the summer. NO FRISBEE- Marie hid it
somewhere.




More later-if I ever get to do anything besides REST!!!

Another New Adventure in Bryn's show career(by Marie Hamilton)

We had a very long drive from Northern California to Northern Oregon-Hillsboro-. We had lots of stops so Soda Pop, Gator, and I could get out of RV and stretch our legs. Lots of people asked Marie if we were rescue greyhounds. I didn't know what that meant until Marie explained that we were AKC show dogs and there is a great need for those dogs rescued from the racing track to find homes. I like to race with Soda and Gator, but we are having fun. Doesn't sound as if those track dogs had such a nice life.
But on with my story.
The show we were going to was a Hound Specialty along with an AKC Canine Experience and ALL Breed " B Match". (More new terms for me to learn). There were lots of tents set up by clubs for other dog breeds.
There were people selling all kinds of dog goodies, obedience, rally, handlers, and new exhibitor classes.
The club decides who is eligible to compete in the B match and this was open to all except Champions- so I was able to be entered. I'm so new to all this ( I even thought I earned a QC title behind my name for padding the lure course test, but I was wrong). I'm only a young dog and can't be right all the time.
I wasn't entered in the Saturday Hound show , so I thought I would have a quiet, lazy greyhound day. WRONG
The match started at 1 PM and ran like a regular show. I realized right away that it was going to be a long day. I won the Breed, a group 1 in Hounds, and therefore, went in for Best in Match. It started to rain around 5 pm and I am too long to get both ends under the umbrella, I became quite vocal about that situation. I did not like that!!!. It stopped just before I had to go into the ring. This rather wet disgruntled greyhound still managed to go Best in Match. Marie and Tamara were beaming (and wet). Lisa was at the other show in Group with Darby. The Aragon dogs were quite busy that weekend.
On Sunday, I had to go into the regular match. The judge had a little extra time, so she fussed with me a little longer that usual. I felt very important, but, still, the RV sounded really good. I still had to wait to get to the couch because a friend of Tamara's was taking pictures of Tanner, Darby, and me.
But, I am now going to take that nap that I so well deserve. (But, I bet I'll have to share with Gator!)
He didn't do anything all weekend (sore toe). He doesn't understand a growing girl needs her beauty sleep.
More later (I have so much to learn)
Bryn age 18 mo

Bryn Becomes A Show Dog

I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time to let everyone how and what I am doing.
Since my first show in Vallejo (where I rec’d 3rd place both days), I took my first long and overnite RV ride to Oregon. The first day, we just played with the lunge line and walked around the show site. It was inside an arena for horses. Not as noisy as the show in Sacramento.
The next day, I was the only greyhound, so I rec’d a Best of Breed ribbon. Marie was more excited about me than I was. On Saturday, there were other greyhounds and I had to go around the ring a few times. I must have settled down a bit because I took the Breed again and got a 3 pt major. I haven’t the slightest idea of what that is, but it sure made many people happy. It seems to be a good thing. I sure did get a lot of attention and treats. A girl could learn to like that!!.
I had no more shows that weekend. Gator (my friend) had to work (show) on Thurs and Sun. He took the Breed on those days. He’s so nonchalant about his wins. He doesn’t even get excited like I do.
Today, a Boxer named Badger came to the house to play. I think the 4 of us rather worked over Tom’s garden. He said it had to be replanted anyway. I think he was just being kind.
Then Marie and I went to Dixon to meet my Mom (Helen) and Echo (my sister). Helen thought a little interaction and playtime at a non show (for me) would be fun.
I watched Helen’s dog, Whisper, in an event called agility. It really looked like a fun
thing to do. Those dogs really had to be on target. We are going back tomorrow for some more meet and greet and playtime.
With everyone working with me, I am getting more comfortable with the “hands on” part of showing. I really like the going around the ring.
On Sunday 06/06, we went to Livermore to a lure coursing practice. But, as it turned out, it became a Qualified Courser test. I, of course, have no idea what that means, but, another dog and I chased 3 plastic bags around a long series of turns as fast as we could. I(Byn) am blue blanketed in the run. I passed the test for a QC title behind my name. I must admit, things are looking a lot more like FUN!!.

Oregon Hound Classic (by Lisa Stine)

Darby

It was a long drive to the show site (Hillsboro Oregon, 10 hours) and we got in really late on Friday night. Which would have been fine because we weren't scheduled to show until 12:15, but there was a lure coursing education seminar at 9:30 the next morning (on breeds, the basics of coursing and then a second half on how to judge a trial and some basic judge and lure operator rules) and when Tam told me about it I had to go. It was worth it, although it was pretty basic I did get a few questions I've been wondering about answered and they had a drag lure practice afterward. Tanner and Darby both got to run a straight of about 100 yards. Tanner did really well, liked the lure a lot and followed it keenly. Darby, who qualified on the 6th, was a fiend for the lure and ran like a dog possessed (in addition to getting over excited and whacking me in the mouth with his head, got a fat lip over that one and Marie was impressed with Darby's 'enthusiasm'. Bryn stayed behind in the RV, she qualified on the 6th as well and we know she can run like NASCAR. Even Dretti got to run, though not planned: he slipped his collar and tore off after the lure while some poor basenji was trying to run it. Funny, he seemed to know he was a bad boy and came right back on recall (after the poor basenji about had a heart attack and they stopped the lure) and lay down in front of me staring at my feet while I put a no-slip collar on him.


Darby

In the breed ring later that day it was just Tanner and Darby; Marie's boy special had some toenail problems so she wisely pulled him and Bryn was not entered. Darby won BOB so we got the joy of waiting around for Groups which didn't start until 5pm. Sheesh, I'm not sure who thought that was a great time to start groups. Meanwhile, Marie took Bryn into the all breed B Match being held on the other side of the show grounds . Bryn is a little diva, as Marie will attest, and I suppose she decided she was going to give this showing nonsense a good effort. It had to be Bryn's idea though (Bryn doesn't do anything unless she thinks it's her own idea). Obviously, she thought it was a pretty good one because she ended up with Best in Match; she beat every other dog competing!!!! After all of that Tam and Marie trekked back over to the Hound show to watch Darby and I in Group competition. Although he looked good and did a decent job stacking and gaiting (if you ignore the little fun-bounce-eat-my-armband trick he pulled on the individual go around), he didn't get pulled for a group placement. And that's fine by me, I was completely exhausted by the end of it all and just wanted to find a comfy bed and sleep. It was all I could do to stay awake long enough to get stuff in the room and get the dogs settled when I got to my
hotel room.


Bryn


Sunday it was Bryn, Tanner and Darby. Everybody showed really well. The breed judge took a lot of time with Bryn and went over her very gently but thoroughly, taking extra time and care to stroke her head and scritch at her neck and ears for a little bit talking to her and showing her that strange people who want to feel her up while she's expected to stand still are not really bad people. It seemed to work because Bryn stood for it and gaited beautifully for Marie. Tanner literally floated around the ring and stacked perfectly. I heard people on the sidelines comment on how striking he was and 'what a nice head that parti dog has'. It reminded me of something Helen used to tell me that I never really paid much heed to until I started showing Darby and spending more time in the ring. She said "Remember, whatever you say ringside is not between just you and whoever you're talking with, people are listening" She is spot on with that advice. Other people, especially the people in the ring and owners with handlers on their dogs standing ringside, can and do hear you. If you have something nice to say, please go ahead and comment, personally it makes me smile and get a little swelled up with pride. If you don't have something nice to say, please shut up or choose a seat out of earshot from the ring. Because it really isn't very heartening to hear someone blathering to their buddy about how '______ that greyhound is' or 'that's the _______-est greyhound I've ever seen' (insert whatever insult you like). But I do digress. Darby won Best of Breed and went on to do nothing but show very well for me in Group competition. No bounce and jump today, strictly business. Several people (in addition to Tam and her buddy) took photos of Darby for me. One photographer handed me a print of him from yesterday. I was shocked to look at it and see Lyric, with brindling, staring back at me from the glossy photo paper. It brought tears to my eyes that Darb is growing up to look so much like his beautiful mother.



Darby



All in all, a really good weekend. I got to visit with Tam a lot (even though I never made it to her house). It was relaxed and easy fun showing with Tam and Marie. The perfect ending? I pulled the van up to where Tam had set up her shade tent so I could load my dogs and help Tam dismantle stuff. I had put Darby in the van, told him to stay and was going back to get Dretti, unwittingly leaving the sliding side door open. Tam's friend was at the setup and mentioned to me "Um, you have an escapee". I turned and saw that Darby had decided to walk out of the van after me, but stopped when he saw me make eye contact with him. It took half a second to decide what to do. I turned to face him and stood with my hands at my sides (obedience style) and called "Darby, here!". Darby immediately broke into a full run, came skidding to a halt and sat square in front of me making and holding eye contact. It was the longest and most perfect recall he's ever done. I almost cried for the second time this weekend. I gave him the "okay" release command and we had a 'happy dance party' because I didn't have any food rewards on me. Out of everything he did for me this weekend, that recall was the thing I'm most proud of. There were many distractions, human and canine, and lots of fun things he could have run off to explore. But instead he focused on me and did exactly what I asked him to do of his own free will. PERFECT. I love you, Darby. And Tam? I wore my seatbelt all the way home.


Bryn

Zoom Zoom Zoom (by L. Stine)

On Sunday, we (Helen, Marie and I) decided to put the pup's natural instincts to the test. That is, the running instinct. It's one thing to watch them zip around the yard chasing squirrels and birds and bugs, but it's another thing altogether to have them sight a lure, instinctively chase and remain keenly sighted on it exclusive of any other distractions, and follow it through a course of turns and switchbacks. And so this is what we set out to do with our 18 month old puppies on Sunday in Livermore. The Basenji Club of Northern California was hosting an AKC and ASFA trial (basenjis only) as well as an all breed JC and QC test.

For those not in the know, the AKC requires prerequisite test runs on all dogs competing in lure trials, you cannot just show up with a dog whose never run a lure and enter it in a trial. It used to be that you would take a young dog to a test/trial and run them by themselves on a short course with a minimum of 4 turns of the lure to test if they had interest in the lure and if they could remain sighted on it. You had to do this twice and pass (with two separate judges) to obtain a Junior Courser title and thus be qualified to run in trials against other dogs. In recent years the AKC has amended their requirements to more resemble the common sense of ASFA in requiring that dogs be run with another dog. This Qualifying Course not only ensures what the old JC tested, that a dog run sighted, but in addition arguably importantly that the dog run clean (not interfere/play/intimidate the other running dog). The QC now takes the place of 2 JC runs, although I personally think the JC single runs are still very important because they allow a young dog to practice run and build up their lure intensity.

Anyhow, Gail Burnham was bringing two of her young dogs to QC, so we all met up in the afternoon at the field to....wait. Lure trials and tests have a schedule, but they are rarely if ever on time. Unless, of course, you are running late, then it's almost guaranteed that they will have run whatever you were suppose to be there for early. :) I brought Dee along as a qualifying runner and Gail brought Hunter. All QC test dogs have to have their own experienced running dog to qualify with. Dee is a Dual Champion and an exceptionally clean runner, she's a good teacher. Hunter is a fast, firmly sighted runner and thus a good qualifier as well. Echo ran first with Dee, and ran very well. She loves the lure and is very fast, there was no doubt that she qualified. Then came Hunter and Pixie (Gail's young dogs) They ran well together and Pixie qualified. Then Darby and Dee. Dee crashed and burned on a corner but recovered well and there were a couple of pass-bys made with no incident. Darby was fast and sighted and seemed to not only be intent on the lure but in destroying as many orange course cones as possible. Despite the complete cone destruction, he qualified. Then Bryn and Hunter ran...wow is Bryn fast. She opened up on the straight and it caught my heart in my throat. She's beautiful and very athletic. Hunter, her qualifier, took a gut wretching spill on the straight but rolled and instantaneously recovered to continue on the lure. He is one tough cookie. Bryn, of course, qualified.


So now we have 3 of Lyric and Merlin's kids QC'd. We (Darby Crash) will be doing some road work to build up stamina and muscling and continue to do practice runs prior to trials to get him used to following the lure and work on turning. They still have a lot of growing up to do before they start seriously competing, but it's good to know they have the drive and the ability to perform as well as the natural ability look good in the show ring. Pretty only goes so far, or so they say. ;)

All Grown Up

Recently when all the puppies were back together at the Northern California specialty I realized they had all grown up. Time passes so quickly, in the blink of an eye they were adults at least in body.
A walk down memory lane with each puppy. My puppies are always registered and remembered in birth order.

Darby aka Ch Aragon Aroi Silver Lining then and now







Echo aka Ch Aragon Black Ice then and now







Tanner aka Ch Aragon Silver Oak then and now







Aragon Mystic Pearl aka Bryn then and now







And Becca aka Aragon Morning Mist then and now

Bryn Checks In

It’s Bryn again.
I have now attended two conformation classes. Overall, I’m not too thrilled with them. I have much more fun in the house and backyard. There are lots of really small bouncing and barking dogs that appear to be really excited about the outing. There were 2 puppies whose ears held up with something. I heard the word “cropped”. Poor guys. Everyone was really nice and free with the treats. That was good. I guess everything has a good side. I’ll probably become as excited as the other guys in the class. It must be fun. There are so many dogs there.
I’m not sure what “conformation “ is. Several people have looked for it and can’t seem to find it. I know I’m not intentionally hiding it, but the “instructors” seem to think that I am hiding it somewhere around my backside because I like to sit down. They keep feeling and looking for it. But, when I sit down, it can’t be found.
Running around the ring is fun, but then comes the “let me see your bite”. I’m polite and let them. I know this request has something to do with being a “show dog” and that is OK.
There is another phrase constantly used. I seem to be doing that good. However, I don’t understand it. It’s called “free stacking”. What does a “stacking” usually cost? Who pays for it? I’ll cooperate by “free stacking” and maybe they will stop trying to find my “conformation”
I’m only 16 months, so when I feel confident with my new friends, and myself, I will reveal my hidden and elusive “conformation’.
More later- after my first show.
Bryn

The chair is either too small or I am too long!

Family Reunion

This past weekend was the Northern California Greyhound Specialty and for the first time since they were 8 weeks old all the puppies were reunited. From left to right is Darby,Tanner,Lyric,Bryn(and Marie),Echo and Becca.

For people interested in show results, they are as follows. For people interested in the dogs, pictures are as follows.


Darby showed well and was one of the four dogs to earn an Award of Merit.



Tanner won Best in Sweeps and his sister Echo won Best Opposite sex in Sweeps as well as Best Opposite sex in the show. A huge win for both of them.



Bryn was in her first show and made an excellent showing earning third place(her first ribbon) in a large Open bitch class.



Becca went Winners Bitch for another 4 points, Best of Winners, and earned an Award of Merit. She is now only 1 point shy of her breed championship.

After the show all puppy owners except Bryn and additional friends and their dogs were able to come back to the house for some play time.




The dogs played with each other until they were exhausted. The owners kicked back and drank appletinis and key lime martinis until they were exhausted. Then onto an Indian food feast. A good time was had by all.

A note from Pearl/Bryn

Hello Aragon Greyhound fans!

My name is Bryn (aka Pearl and aka Blueberry). I, too, am 16 months old.

Until early April, I was in Virginia with Poppy and JD, my longtime playmates and friends. But I am now in cold and wet California. I’m told it will warm up.

My new playmate and her son picked me up on Tuesday, April 6, at Fremont, Ca and we went for a ride to Arbuckle, California. Whoever heard of a place called Arbuckle?

Two guys who were very excited to see me greeted me at the door. We jumped and played all the way through the kitchen and living room and out to the back yard. Then I had a chance to prowl around and take a look-see.

Nice! Someone is feeding doves- lots of fun to be had there. The boys, who are 7 and 8, are a lot of fun. Gator looks like me- a blue brindle. He’s 7. The other is white with red brindle. I guess that’s parti-color like JD. His name is Soda Pop and is 8. He is more laid back than Gator. I had to beat him on the head with my Frisbee in order to get him to play with me.

It seems I am going to be in a show-whatever that is. So my human playmates took me to an agility show last Saturday. My sister was there and we played a little, but we didn’t want to distract the dogs that were working! There was a lot of activity and people running from one place to another. I was tired when I got back to the car and slept all the way home dreaming of running and jumping.

Tonight, I am going to school- a conformation class. Is that good or bad? Gator and Soda won’t tell me anything. I already know how to sit, lie down, eat, run, fetch, retrieve, shake toys, get on the bed and be an all round happy puppy. What else do I need? I’ve heard new words like “stand, stack, come, go back” So maybe that is what this is all about. I’ll find out tonight and let you know. Oh! I need to go out and chase some birds.

When I wake up.
Bryn

Coat Color Questions

Some color patterns are easy to understand. Some are not so easy. With the Red Brindle gene, why are some dogs more heavily brindled than others? Is their brindle pattern a separate unknown modifier gene or is it simply random how the dogs color out? The dogs below are genetically identical red brindle-yet one is obviously much darker than the other. In show terms the dog on the left is called a Red Brindle and the dog on the right is called a Black Brindle.


Left-DC Aragon Autumn Storm CDX TDX RA SC VCX (Apollo)
Right- BISS DC Aragon Night Frost VCD1 CDX TDX RE OJP SC VCX (Spirit)

The same is true with the Blue Brindle(Dilution gene added to the Red Brindle). The dog on the far right has very little blue brindling and for some reason is called a reverse Blue Brindle. The dog in the center is the more typical Blue Brindle. The dog on the far left is the Red Brindle.


Left-Ch Aragon Black Ice
Middle-Aragon Mystic Pearl
Right-Ch Aragon Aroi Silver Lining

Another question that has always puzzled me is the amount of color expressed in a Parti color dog. All three dogs below are called Parti colored but the amount of color is dramatically different. Why? The first dog is almost all white with a spot of red on his ear. He is registered as a red and white parti and will throw the parti gene and the red gene.


Ch Jets The Boy Next Door

The next dog shows a typical amount of coloring for a Parti dog


Ch Aragon Lunar Eclipse VCD1 MX MXJ RE JC

And the last shows an extreme amount of coloring



Ch Aragon Silver Oak

All three partis will throw their base color(the above three dogs Red Black and Brindle) +/- dilution gene and the Parti gene

Thats all for color genetics in the greyhound. Next posts will be back to the dogs.

Head Shots

Three of Lyric's puppies together from left to right
Aragon Mystic Pearl(Bryn/Pearl), Ch Aragon Aroi Silver Lining(Darby) and Ch Aragon Black Ice(Echo)




Color genetics in greyhounds is an interesting topic. Based on the color of Merlin and Lyric's puppies, Merlin was obviously homozygous for the brindle gene. Dilute or nondilute is easy to understand but the amount of brindling expressed is a mystery. For instance both Darby and Bryn/Pearl are genetically the same color-blue brindle. Darby shows much more brown than Bryn/Pearl and much less blue color ie he has less brindling. When and if bred though they both will pass on the identical color genes-Brindle and Dilute genes.




Echo is the same base color-brindle just the nondilute version.

In the next post I will go over basic color genetics in the greyhound.