SPRING 2020 Q&A – PART 1
We recently asked our readership a series of questions about their lives during these unprecedented times. We will continue to post their responses here.
QUESTIONS:
- Without dog shows to attend, how are you keeping busy? What is your typical day like? What are you doing on weekends?
- If you are on “house arrest,” are you doing anything differently at home? Has the quarantine changed your daily habits? Has it changed your mindset? Has it altered your plans for the future?
- If you’re a handler, are you offering (online) handling or grooming classes? If you’re an owner-handler, are you doing more training? If you’re a judge, are you studying? If you’re a breeder, are you going ahead with a breeding? If you’re a designer, are you experimenting with any new tools? If you’re a photographer, are you honing your art?
We’re wishing everyone all our best for a safe and happy week in spite of all that’s going on around us.
SINCERELY,
THE SHOWSIGHT TEAM
ANSWERS – PART 1
- Without dog shows to attend, how are you keeping busy? What is your typical day like? What are you doing on weekends? I’m a retired ER Nurse but I let my license lapse last year so with all the extra time on my hands I’ve been taking online continuing education courses so I can have my license reinstated. I know with this pandemic the hospitals may be needing extra help and I want to be ready to go back to work if I’m needed.
- If you are on “house arrest,” are you doing anything differently at home? Has the quarantine changed your daily habits? Has it changed your mindset? Has it altered your plans for the future? Routine… Get up feed corgis, walk corgis, give corgis treats, pet corgis, pick corgi hair of out eyes, mouth, hair, etc (social distancing isn’t their thing), give corgis more treats, let corgis out, give corgis more treats, repeat above 🙂 In all seriousness the walks and outside time helps me keep my sanity. I’m a very positive person and I believe as devastating as this is to our Nation and world, we will overcome it but we need to follow the social distancing and self isolation guidelines.
- If you’re a handler, are you offering (online) handling or grooming classes? If you’re an owner-handler, are you doing more training? If you’re a judge, are you studying? If you’re a breeder, are you going ahead with a breeding? If you’re a designer, are you experimenting with any new tools? If you’re a photographer, are you honing your art? As an owner handler I’ve been working my dogs more but it’s been honing our agility, rally and trick dog skills. All the fun stuff! As a judge I have been studying standards more, especially the ones that have recently been changed. I also have dug out all my old judges ed material on several breeds. It’s always good to stay sharp by looking at old notes you took and may have forgotten about.
– Danelle Brown
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- Without dog shows to attend, how are you keeping busy? What is your typical day like? What are you doing on weekends? I have more than enough work to catch up on -both professional and dog-related. Plus a book to finish. I bought the dogs some special treats and put in a supply of raw bones. It would be better if it weren’t raining nonstop. They keep looking longingly at the car! This weekend a small handful of friends under 60 might get together to do some lure coursing outdoors at a friend’s training center.. We’ve spent much of our time together the past few weeks anyway and were probably all exposed to the virus at shows last weekend if not before. It will be fun for the dogs and give people a relatively safe space to get out of the house.
- If you are on “house arrest,” are you doing anything differently at home? Has the quarantine changed your daily habits? Has it changed your mindset? Has it altered your plans for the future? I teach college and am running classes and conducting administrative business largely from home. I already used Zoom a lot in my work but it’s been an adjustment to hold class with 70+ students hoping the internet connection keeps itself together! I have cancelled 3 trips abroad but I do not expect to have any longterm changes of plan. Nevertheless I am very aware that my situation is a luxury and many in our community do not have stable options.
- If you’re a handler, are you offering (online) handling or grooming classes? If you’re an owner-handler, are you doing more training? If you’re a judge, are you studying? If you’re a breeder, are you going ahead with a breeding? If you’re a designer, are you with any new tools? If you’re a photographer, are you honing your art? All my bitches are in heat! :-O I’m going ahead with at least 1 breeding I had been putting off. The tough call is that our national got cancelled and is being rescheduled for August. If I breed my bitch special, will she still look good for the national? Will shows scheduled for August even take place? I think at times like these it’s important to think of the future of the breed. The genetic contribution she can make far outweighs a BISS, but still she looks so good right now! 🙁
– Patricia Princehouse
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In response to your text, I continue to breed French bulldogs and find in these last two weeks, even amid the coronavirus pandemic, that demand for the French bulldoggie puppies of my latest litter is high: we sold the last one! And, the Forever Homes told me that in these uncertain times, that the addition of a puppy to their family was an expression of hope and confidence in our survival of this strange crisis, and that their family was much comforted by the love of their new canine member.
– Kindest regards to my AKC family, Linda Blake
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- Without dog shows to attend, how are you keeping busy? What is your typical day like? What are you doing on weekends? My days are pretty much as they were without planning a calendar of shows. I co-own a wonderful dog and my co-owner and I are staying ready to compete when things start up again.
- If you are on “house arrest,” are you doing anything differently at home? Has the quarantine changed your daily habits? Has it changed your mindset? Has it altered your plans for the future? I am not on house arrest, but I am nearly in my regular life. I am self-employed, live in the country and now it is time to put in the garden. But I find people calling me asking how to do this, or what is the best way to endure such and such…..my favorite one is I just tell people “ make friends with a deplorable, you might need them!” LOL
- If you’re a handler, are you offering (online) handling or grooming classes? If you’re an owner-handler, are you doing more training? If you’re a judge, are you studying? If you’re a breeder, are you going ahead with a breeding? If you’re a designer, are you experimenting with any new tools? If you’re a photographer, are you honing your art?This is the best part. A couple of years ago I put together an online course for homeschooled kids to learn art. It took two years to design it, write it and produce it so that anyone age 10 and older ( gort a couple ot 80 year olds fiddling with it ) can learn what tools and techniques they need to draw and paint. I was going to make tons of money I thought, but marketing is always the bogey and all I got was crickets. But I have kept it up there, at no small expense, just thinking it should not be wasted. So it is now, FREE, and you just click on the link from my regular web site and hit “enter”……it is all there. Easy to understand, practical and you need very little supplies to start. You can get more complicated as you go. Kids will find many of the skills that can acquire with this will help them in all other subjects! As I said, it is FREE. Here is my site and hit the button to go to it.. www.claudiacoleman.com. Hope to see ya’ll at a dog show before too long!
– Claudia Coleman
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I have a litter of 4-week-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies, so that is a big job. And, since I am a masochist, I also have a 5-month-old Sussex spaniel puppy that I got 2 weeks before my corgi puppies were born. So am I busy? You betcha! I wouldn’t be going to any shows for at least a few more weeks anyway.
- My typical day involves working at a vet clinic 3 mornings a week. Then come home and play with my 2 adult Pembrokes, the baby puppies and their mother, and the spaniel puppy (in need of housebreaking!). In nice weather, the Sussex and 1 of the Pems get a mile walk. Comb out the Sussex – his ear fringes are always full of something! Grind puppy food and feed baby puppies (3x per day). Clean puppy area, do dog laundry, rinse and repeat. I signed the Sussex up for handling class, but it’s been cancelled, so we spend time daily on the grooming table. Grooming plus learn to stand for exam and check mouth. Good luck with that! No difference on weekends, except I dremel nails, clean teeth, and comb out the 3 adult Pembrokes. Baths as needed.
- Not applicable, at least not yet.
- Yes, training plenty at home! Not as good as being out and about, but it’s what is available. I try to take the Sussex with me when I do go out, he needs the exposure to people and the world in general. I had already bred my Pem girl when the COVID-19 started, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. All the puppies were sold before they were born.
– Melissa Ericksen
Woodsedge Pembroke Welsh Corgis and Sussex Spaniels
Piedmont, SC
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