# Micah's First Ribbons



## HerdingStdPoodle

*Congratulations!*

Congratulations to you and Micah! :cheers2:

...can't wait to see more photos! HerdingStdPoodle


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## CT Girl

Well done. Would love to see a photo if him even if not at the show.


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## Countryboy

atlflier said:


> According to the breeder, he took best mini puppy in specialty. (I think I said that right.)


Ah, yes... that would be a BMPIS, I think. 

But whatever the proper acronym... WTG!!


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## patk

congratulations! i assume from the kennel name that he is a mini? what color is he?


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## Chagall's mom

Woohoo for your little blue boy!! You told us, "Micah is my first foray into the show world." Talk about hitting the ground running!! Delighted for you and your handsome mini boy. Congratulations!:whoo:


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## MollyMuiMa

Congratulations!!!!How exciting for you!! And You are allowed to brag as long as we get to see pictures!!!!LOL!


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## atlflier

*Thanks for the Support!!*

HerdingStndPoodle, CTGirl, CountryBoy, Patk, Chagill's Mom and MollyMuiMa--so very nice of you to offer such support to Micah and indulge me with my brag.

I'm truly in awe of those of you who put the hard work and effort into showing your own furbabies as I know Micah wouldn't stand a chance with me fumbling on lead--he's got the moves, I don't. (Two left feet.) 

I also know that many of you have worked hard to develop your lines and deserve center stage with all the accolades your dogs and bitches garner in the show world. Your experience far surpasses anything I could ever hope to amass--I leave that facet to the experts--I'm merely a pet lover afforded a wonderful opportunity by a breeder willing to see what Micah could do in the ring at such a young age. 

Oh and he took his first 3 point major on the last day over five specials!! 



I'm awaiting photos from the show to arrive and will post them as soon as they come in. The breeder knew I'd want the professional ones like all new moms do!

And yes patk, Micah's a mini blue boy. His sire is AKC GCH Horizon's Born to Run and dam is AKC CH Amity's Dior Pure Poison.


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## patk

congratulations again! you definitely have a winner. we'll be looking forward to the photos.


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## Poodlebeguiled

Woo hoo! Congratulations! You did fabulously! It's catching, isn't it. I'm pretty new at this showing too. I was not interested in showing before but now I've got the bug. I bet you do too, especially since you've got a winner there! Can't wait to see pictures of your blue boy. 

Way to go!:cheers2::cheers2::clap2:


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## atlflier

I called Pete Melia's office (the designated show photographer) and his receptionist told me to expect pics to arrive in approximately two weeks. Apparently he went right from Kansas to an event in Oklahoma, I'll post them as soon as they hit my doorstep.


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## atlflier

*Thanks Poodlebeguiled!*



Poodlebeguiled said:


> Woo hoo! Congratulations! You did fabulously! It's catching, isn't it. I'm pretty new at this showing too. I was not interested in showing before but now I've got the bug. I bet you do too, especially since you've got a winner there! Can't wait to see pictures of your blue boy.
> 
> Way to go!:cheers2::cheers2::clap2:


Well I'm excited for sure but the breeder deserves all the credit for taking him into the ring...I'm just along for the ride! But yes, I was bitten by the bug. Though it is harder than I imagined to have him living so far away. The comfort I take is in the weekly (sometimes more frequent) videos I get from her of him romping and playing around which helps keep the "nervous nellies" away.

Are you handling your pup? Details...details if you please!


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## Poodlebeguiled

Oh that must be hard indeed to have him away from you. I don't know that I could do that. I live 20 minutes away from my breeder and we meet up at the shows. He has been a professional and very sought after handler for upwards of 50 years. So, on the entries that matter....where points are involved, he handles him. On the classes that don't matter, he makes me practice. LOL. It was kind of scary at first but he said to just do what we've been practicing in handling class, which he teaches. I have one tonight...missed the last two. And this is the last chance to practice before our show this week end in eastern Washington. It's about a 3 or 3 1/2 hour drive. I'm staying in a motel Fri night and then Sat and Sun are the shows. 

I feel sort of embarrassed when people make a fuss and I tell them the same thing...I didn't breed him. And I don't handle him on the important entries. And they say..."but you keep his coat so nice and train him to stand right." LOL. Woo hoo! The rest Matisse does with his dynamite personality...so joyful as he trots around the ring and he really is a handsome fella...so well put together. So, we're just starting out in the early stages of gathering points toward his grand champion title. I'm hoping he does well this week end. One of these times, he's not going to get something and I'm going to be disappointed because I've been so spoiled, as he's done well all along. He's still in his puppy clip but not for too much longer. He'll be one in May.


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## ChantersMom

Congratulations!!! Well done!


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## lily cd re

Congratulations on such a great weekend for his first outing!


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## atlflier

*Poodlebeguiled*



Poodlebeguiled said:


> Oh that must be hard indeed to have him away from you. I don't know that I could do that. I live 20 minutes away from my breeder and we meet up at the shows.


It IS hard with him being away but Alex keeps me laughing so I don’t get too down in the dumps. Besides, and this is what maintains my sanity, Micah is with his breeder which is the next best thing to being with me. She treats him like I would and allows him to be a puppy first and a prospect second. When it came right down to decision time, with no show groomer or handler living within 300-plus miles of me, I felt better about this arrangement as opposed to risking him being boarded with someone I didn’t know where he might not have been considered more than just a number in a string. My stress level would’ve skyrocketed and I would’ve yanked him home within a month! (LOL) 



> I feel sort of embarrassed when people make a fuss and I tell them the same thing...I didn't breed him. And I don't handle him on the important entries. And they say..."but you keep his coat so nice and train him to stand right." LOL. Woo hoo!



Please don’t’ sell yourself short as you’re doing the hard work behind the scenes and taking steps so you can be right by his side in the ring whereas I’m totally benched on the sidelines. (BTW Matisse is splendid. I love watching Toys in the ring—little ones always snag my attention. Shhh, don’t tell Micah I said that!) 

And not to pepper you with questions but did I read that right and you’re working towards points for his GCH, meaning Matisse already earned his CH as a puppy? If so, wowza…you go girl! :cheers: :wink:

Anyway, let me wrap this up by wishing you a safe and exciting trip to Washington. May the poodle gods/judges smile on you! I’ll watch out for any new threads you post on Matisse’s progress. Good luck!


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## atlflier

*RunChanter and Lilly cd re*

Thank you both for sending good vibes!


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## lily cd re

Someone at my club has a GCH on her younger mini and her breeder/co-owner handled the dog. She lives way upstate and we are on Long Island. The local owner and I went to an upstate show and she gave the puppy back over to the breeder that weekend after only having him with her for about 2 months. It was very hard for her.

Another person at my club who also has a GCH mini was able to find a handler who was willing to meet her at way points between Long Island and the show sites or meet the handler at the show if she had one of her other dogs entered in obedience. She was able to have her girl at home during the week. I think this has helped her maintain a really strong bond with her dog and now she is having success in performance sports with her.

Either way, I would find it very hard to be away from a puppy. You have more fortitude than I do.


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## atlflier

Ya know Lilly, I might just turn out feeling dumber than a box of rocks. Life's lessons have a funny way of painting you wise one minute and humbled to the core the next. I get where you're coming from though--it's not for you. Who knows, it may not be for me either...only time will tell.


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## lily cd re

But you have a promising start and if you are ok with the arrangement, stick with it. I think everyone has to find their own comfort zone.


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## outwest

Congratulations on your guy! Cooper will be starting in May, but I do mostly ring side. He will go with his breeder in the ring, but he comes home with me. I did the same thing with my standard Jazz and it worked out for us.


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## Poodlebeguiled

atlflier said:


> It IS hard with him being away but Alex keeps me laughing so I don’t get too down in the dumps. Besides, and this is what maintains my sanity, Micah is with his breeder which is the next best thing to being with me. She treats him like I would and allows him to be a puppy first and a prospect second. When it came right down to decision time, with no show groomer or handler living within 300-plus miles of me, I felt better about this arrangement as opposed to risking him being boarded with someone I didn’t know where he might not have been considered more than just a number in a string. My stress level would’ve skyrocketed and I would’ve yanked him home within a month! (LOL)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Please don’t’ sell yourself short as you’re doing the hard work behind the scenes and taking steps so you can be right by his side in the ring whereas I’m totally benched on the sidelines. (BTW Matisse is splendid. I love watching Toys in the ring—little ones always snag my attention. Shhh, don’t tell Micah I said that!)
> 
> *And not to pepper you with questions but did I read that right and you’re working towards points for his GCH, meaning Matisse already earned his CH as a puppy? If so, wowza…you go girl! :cheers: :wink:*Anyway, let me wrap this up by wishing you a safe and exciting trip to Washington. May the poodle gods/judges smile on you! I’ll watch out for any new threads you post on Matisse’s progress. Good luck!


LOL. Thanks! Yes, he earned his CH when he was about 7 or 7.5 months old in two 4-day week ends. (pretty quick it was) I'm back from this week end's show. I'll write about it in another thread.


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## atlflier

Haven't been on the board for awhile as I my father had a bad fall and needed surgery on his arm. Thankfully he's on the mend so I can indulge in some Web searching and forum updates. 

Speaking of which I'll give a progress report on my boy in case anyone is interested. Micah took Novice class winner at PCA. Granted he only had one other competitor but it was a multi-international champion mini from Sweden being shown for the first time in the States so I was pretty shocked/pleased. Of course that's as far my guy went: didn't stand a chance in the next go-around for BOW...but we'll take the medallion he earned and chalk it up to an experience he can learn from.

So far, he has 1 (3-point major) and 2 single points thus we're a long way away from getting his CH. He definitely needs more maturity to truly shine and also needs to stop acting like he's training for the Iditarod in the ring! I don't know what's gotten into him lately but he wants to pull, pull, pull when no one's saying "Mush!" LOL. I think if he keeps this up it might be time to send him back home...still contemplating what to do about that one.

I also regret I still don't have photos to show from his major in Kansas. I talked to the photographer yesterday and he said the lab was behind and the prints should be in the mail to me by tomorrow. (Breeder told me to get use to it because that's how things go in show biz.) I'll post them as soon as they get here.

Before I forget, thanks for stopping by "Outwest." I think you're truly lucky to be near to your breeder/handler as I would love the chance to do ringside drop offs. Good luck with Cooper's debut in May!


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## lily cd re

Sorry to hear about your dad, but glad that him being on the mend means your back.

I am sure Micah will figure it out and shine like you want him to before too long. I wish I had been able to stay for the rest of the week at PCA, but it is too close to the end of the semester for me to disappear on my students for a whole week.


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## Poodlebeguiled

I'm sorry to hear about your Dad but glad he's mending. And glad you're back here keeping us up to date. 

You'll get those points. I know it can and does take a lot of dogs several shows to add those points up. You're on the roll. It will only go up from here. It sounds like he did great in that last show.


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## atlflier

*Appreciate the good thoughts...*

Thanks Lily and Poodle,

I'm definitely on a learning curve here. When I spoke to the breeder about how she felt Micah was doing, given she's finished so many for herself and other breeders, she said she was impressed with him as she doesn't normally like to take youngsters out into the ring before they're 8-9 months old. I guess that's my fault as I pressed her to start him when he turned 6 months because I wanted him home as soon as possible. 

She also stated it's hard to form majors in her division, particularly with minis, so it's a matter of whittling singles down and then waiting until you have a couple of 4-day events you can hit. (She works full time and doesn't always have a free weekend or an opportunity to take a long trip so planning is crucial.) 



I guess we'll just have to see how it goes from here on out. Patience will either prevail or I'll need to take up drinking...err, I meant knitting...to calm my nerves.


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## atlflier

*Updated Photos*

Here are the long awaited photos from Salina where Micah won his first Major and another where he picked up a point at Fond du lac enroute to PCA. Amazing how a blue dog can look so different from one snapshot to another but I swear it's him! (LOL)








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## Chagall's mom

Regardless of what shade of blue Micah appears in a photo, your mini boy is an exquisite WINNER!


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## Poodlebeguiled

He's just flat out gorgeous! You guys are going to go places.


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## MaryEdwards

Congrats!! He is such a handsome boy, and thanks for posting the pictures


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## outwest

What a beautiful puppy! Thank you for sharing his pictures.


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## atlflier

*Thanks!!*

Poodlebeguilled, Chagall's Mom, Mary Edwards and Outwest for the wonderful comments on my boy and for stopping by the thread!


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## atlflier

*Two more points in Eau Claire*

Well Micah and his sister, Lizzy, had a good showing in Eau Claire Wisconsin this last weekend. Saturday Micah took Winners Dog, Best of Winners and Best of Variety over a special for 2 points. That means he's now up to 7, with a Major, in a little over a month's time on the circuit. His sister took Winners Bitch and Best of Winners on Sunday. (She's swept the color match competition at PCA this year.)

This upcoming weekend he's slated to head to Oshkosh which will hopefully hold majors and then it's off to St. Petersburg MN to wrap up May.

I'm happy but man I wish this championship thing was over already! I honestly don't know how people do this year after year, sending pups off to handlers. It's ruff, err I mean rough! His breeder/handler keeps reminding me that he's doing really well and we're already halfway to the finish line. Crossing my fingers he continues to strut his poodley stuff in a way the judges like!


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## Chagall's mom

Congrats to Micah and his sister, a real family of winners!:cheers2: I too hope Micah speeds to his championship and is back home with you soon. :clover:The separation from Chagall would slay me!


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## lily cd re

Yes, I don't think I have the temperament for having to send a puppy out on the road, either. I do appreciate those of you who do so though as it is how we all can have our beautiful poodles to enjoy as happy healthy dogs.


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## atlflier

*Chagail's Mom and Lily cd re*

You two are very sweet for stopping by and letting me know that you're following Micah's journey and commiserating with my "Baby isn't home" woes.
It helped to cheer me up on a day that I found it exceptionally hard to honor the word I gave to his breeder to show him to finish. Thanks so much for letting me know others would find it hard too. I needed that!!!


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## lily cd re

As I said earlier in this thread I have two club members who have GCh mpoos. For the person who had to send her puppy away to the breeder/handler/co-owner the separation was super hard. I really don't know how you do it other than by seeing his great success and knowing that each win brings him closer to coming home wrapped in glory and pride. I am glad that the cheering section Micah has here on PF is helping you carry on with the plan.


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## CT Girl

He is a stunner, it is no wonder he is doing so well. At this rate it won't be long before he is home with you.


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## outwest

Hopefully he will be home soon. Is there any way you can take him home between shows?


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## ItzaClip

I know what you mean! I originally thought vogue would finish fast and didn't quite understand what was involved in the process. Well it was agony plus it messed with my training plans and my booked agility classes/seminars etc. So I pulled her from showing. It just gave me too much stress to have her learning potentially undesirable behaviors out of my control. I didn't realize until that point that I really do have perfection issues... So cudos to you. I do regret pulling her sometimes so hang in there! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## atlflier

CT Girl said:


> He is a stunner, it is no wonder he is doing so well. At this rate it won't be long before he is home with you.


Very lovely comment! To me he's amongst a sea of beautiful poodles both in and out of the show ring but I'm partial to my boy because I have the pleasure of calling him my own. Obviously every momma and poppa of a furkid feels that way about their pups--young or old--because they enmesh themselves into your heart and touch your soul in ways only a dog lover could appreciate.

And yes, I hold onto the reality that the distance between us is only a temporary state but sometimes I stumble, lose my perspective and then the doubts begin to surface. It's gentle, thoughtful reminders such as yours that help to redirect me from the negative back to the positive. Thank you for that!


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## atlflier

outwest said:


> Hopefully he will be home soon. Is there any way you can take him home between shows?


It's comical that your question mirrors one that's bounced around in my own brain since the moment his career began. But no, it's not logistically feasible as he's 1300 miles away from me and I'm reticent to subject him to repeated airline travel in a plane's cargo hold. A 777's belly might be plusher than most C-130's or C-141's I've traveled in while on active duty but it's still uncomfortable even for a human. Plus as I am the primary caregiver for my elderly parents which negates me being gone for anything more than an overnight stay somewhere else. 

However the breeder and I have frequently discussed the option of a handler closer to me but the nearest one is 600-plus miles, round-trip, from where I live. Plus I'd worry about the lack of individualized attention he'd receive--one in a string of many as it were--and probably zero in on how long he's being kenneled each day to give myself something else to fret over. 

As it stands now he's out and about either going to the breeder's place of employment or with her live-in apprentice/helper who absolutely dotes on both Micah and his sister. It's the lesser of all evils to maintain the status quo but that doesn't stop me from pondering any of it as if I were stuck in a perpetual loop because my brain reaches for an alternative. I know he's happy where he is and that should be enough for me but sometimes it just doesn't cut the mustard. 

Fortunately for me though, the terms of our co-ownership agreement includes an opt-out, no penalty clause which allows me to pull him from the ring entirely by late June or early July if he fails to finish by then. In the interim I just have to hang in there and make the best of it. 

I realize this is probably more of an explanation than you wanted to sift through to such a simple question but it's been cathartic to write about it because it helps me to regain my mental footing as it were. So thank you for that and for your well wishes! How are things with Cooper?


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## atlflier

*Itza*



> I know what you mean! I originally thought vogue would finish fast and didn't quite understand what was involved in the process. Well it was agony plus it messed with my training plans and my booked agility classes/seminars etc. So I pulled her from showing. It just gave me too much stress to have her learning potentially undesirable behaviors out of my control. I didn't realize until that point that I really do have perfection issues... So cudos to you. I do regret pulling her sometimes so hang in there!


Hallelujah you've made my day!! I could relate to everything you said as if you'd plucked the thoughts from right out of my head. Open the dictionary to look up the word "naive" and you'll find a picture of me. I thought I knew what it all entailed and that I was prepared for it. Uh nope. After all I've been in combat tours three times in my military career so how could this possibly surpass that stress level? Well a dog has reduced me to a pile of simpering, whimpering mush. Go figure. Yep I admit it.

So Kuddos to you for doing what worked for you and Vogue and never look back and question yourself over it. I have the same doubts and concerns you voiced which proves the old adage of "The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence" especially when you're stuck mowing, edging and blowing it. The saving grace for me is I wouldn't have Micah unless I traveled the road I'm on so I'll pull my big girl panties up and deal with it. Thanks again for taking time out to offer encouragement!
BTW Vogue is stunning.


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## atlflier

Well Micah's last show was a complete bust. His half-brother, JJ, beat the pants off of him and garnered back-to-back majors in Oshkosh. His sister, Lizzy, picked up her first major. Oh well, those are the breaks. Can't have it all, right? argh

Anyway, here's his photo from the show at Indianhead. Not sure if anyone is following this thread but it's nice for me to have a "stream of consciousness" place to post my thoughts and the ups and downs of it all.


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## Chagall's mom

You are a good sport, and Micah is spectacular mpoo with much success to his credit already. He sure has winning relatives, too! Sometimes the judge points at your poodle, other days not.:sad: His day will come again! I am gaga over your boy. I think he's breathtaking! if I were a judge, he'd have his Grand Championship.


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