S.O.S.

Hi this is Kiwi. Mom doesn’t know I know how to blog by myself but I need to report the worst case of animal cruelty EVER! Grab a box of tissues, sit down, and brace yourself. Last weekend mom gave us all a – oh, the horror reliving the moment – a B-A-T-H. But it didn’t stop there. Then she BRUSHED us and took us all for nail trims. And just when we thought the nightmare was over – she took us to Splash n’ Dash. We were so excited because we thought we were going to get to play agility but instead it was a cruel trick. There was a photographer there and she made all five of us sit together – like right next to each other - and get our pictures taken. Have you ever heard of a worse case of animal abuse? I didn’t think so! So please, someone come rescue us! But wait until after this weekend. Mom just made a big batch of chicken brownies and we’re playing NADAC agility in a horse barn this weekend. That will help get rid of that disgusting clean smell we have. And we have an AKC trial at our favorite place in Ohio next weekend so we’ll stick it out until then. But then I have an AKC trial the following Friday, and then Calvin goes to a big dog show in Cleveland the next weekend. Then it will be almost Xmas and we usually score a bunch of treats from mom and our aunts & uncle so we wouldn’t want those to go to waste. And then we get to play 4 days of CPE agility at our favorite place again New Year’s Eve weekend so I guess we’ll do our best to stick it out until after New Years. But then please, someone come rescue us or at least give mom a good talking to. She NEVER feeds us enough. You can’t tell because of all of our fur but trust me – we are always STARVING! If there is someone out there with several acres of land and an agility training ring, an RV with a chauffeur that will take us wherever we want, a personal chef that is skilled in making homemade dog food and treats, and who promises never to bathe or brush us, PLEASE come save us from our miserable existence!


Hi all! This is Voodoo. Yeah, all that stuff Kiwi described was not much fun but what she left out was that Mom also took Kiwi, Calvin, Sefina, & Robin to the dog park last Saturday in 2 separate trips since they only allow 2 dogs per human and they got to run loose on the trails and play with other dogs. Kiwi found something to roll in at the park so between you and me – she isn’t all that clean smelling. And what the other four don’t know, mom came back and got me and instead of going back to the park she took me to Bruster’s. That’s a homemade ice cream place and they give out free doggy sundaes. Those are PAWESOME! Then mom took me for a walk on the hillside next to Bruster’s while she finished her ice cream. It was so nice to get away from the other four and have some alone time with Mom. You see, I’m from a home where there was some real abuse. That owner passed away and some rescue people took me in and then Mom came soon after and adopted me. I used to be really afraid of things but mom started to take me different places, teach me things like agility, and expose me to all sorts of people who not only treat me real nice but also carry treats so I’m a lot better now. I’m still afraid of sneezes though - everyone has their quirks, right? And really, Kiwi was all for sitting pretty for those pictures - I was the last holdout. Kiwi is such a DIVA.

Halloween Agility

Hi Everyone! Sefina, here. Boy did we have a fun time playing CPE Agility at Four Seasons in Washingtonville, OH this past Halloween weekend. All 5 of us got to go – we dressed up as well behaved dogs J We always have a great time running up in the fields. That’s what we think is the highlight but mom says I need to tell you about the agility trial.

Since I’m writing, me first. I ran 6 times and got 2 Q’s but both of those Q’s earned me a title. I got a Jackpot Q on Sunday so I finished Level 1 Strategy Games and I got a Colors Q on Saturday for Level 2 Handler Games. The rest of the time I enjoyed visiting the ring crew – they looked like they needed some cheering up. And during my last run in Jumpers, I ran over and stuck my head in the judge’s lap (she was sitting down). I thought I should get a Q for that but mom says that didn’t earn me any brownie points. Isn’t there a Miss Congeniality award or something?

Rockin’ Robin had a grand ol’ time as usual, running and barking and flying off of obstacles. He got to run in all 8 classes and ended up with 3 Q’s. A Colors Q on Saturday which finished his Level 1 Handler Games title. Then he got a Level 2 Snookers and Jumpers Q on Sunday. Mom says he started off really well on Saturday with start line stays and holding his contacts until she released him but then he just got so worked up as the trial went on that he lost his mind. But that’s how he rolls, and jumps and leaps and…

Big sis Kiwi did really well with 6 Q’s out of 8. As usual, time was her nemesis in those other 2 runs. But she finished Level 5 Snookers and Jumpers and the thing that mom is most excited about – she finally finished Level 4 Jackpot! Hooray for Kiwi!! Mom says she only needs 5 Jackpot Qs to earn her C-ATCH. I’m not sure what that is but since Kiwi gets a lot of toys and treats for all of her great runs which mom makes her share with the rest of us, I’m all for it.

We’re taking this weekend off except for Sunday when Mom takes pretty boy Calvin to a Conformation workshop at WCOTC. Calvin says he sure hopes mom learns something so she stops embarrassing him in the show ring. Mom also says we all have to get a B-A-T-H. I had to write that really small so Kiwi doesn’t find out or we won’t see her for weeks. On second thought - Hey Kiwi – we’re getting B- - Awww Mom, you’re no fun. Anyway, we have to get all gussied up for portraits next weekend. Mom thinks she’s going to get all 5 of us sitting pretty for a picture. At Splash ‘n Dash with all that fun agility equipment just begging us to play on it? Let me know how that works out for you, mom!

Meanwhile, here are some pics taken at Splash ‘n Dash’s USDAA trial by the same photographer who’s taking our portraits – Virgil Sweeden. There’s one of Voodoo, me, & Kiwi in the X-pen and then the rest are of Rockin’ Robin.

AKC Rally

Hi Everyone! It's me, Sefina! Sorry we haven't posted in a while but mom went to Texas with our aunts and uncle for a week. She sent Voodoo to go stay with a friend and took the rest of us to K9 Kingdom. I'd love to tell you what happened there but what happens at K9 Kingdom, stays at K9 Kingdom. But I can tell you that Calvin loved watering the painted flowers on the wall and that Kiwi & I destroyed a couple of their supposedly indestructable balls! They were no match for the Pirahna-Goat!

Mom took me to Youngstown All Breed Training Club's Rally trial on Friday. Boy was she brave. We hadn't practiced anything in 3 weeks, not even agility. So I made her work really, really, really hard in the ring. But in the end I got a score of 75 which was enough to Q. Mom says it was an even uglier Q than the last one but a Q by any other name is still a Q! She says she might take me to Cleveland in December so I can try to finish my advanced title this year.

Halloween weekend we are going to go to Washingtonville to play CPE agility. Kiwi, Robin, and I get to play. Mom thought about running Calvin, too but decided to wait.

Conformation & Birthday Wishes

Hi Everyone! This is Kiwi. First of all, mom wants me to tell you that pretty boy Calvin got Best Of Winners today at the Fort Steuben Kennel Association show in Aliquippa! One of these days, mom will have to drive to where the Keeshonds hang out so maybe he can get more than 1 point per win.

The main reason I wanted to post is that yesterday was my cousins Radar & Maggie's birthdays! Happy 7th birthday to Radar and Happy 4th birthday to Maggie. We aren't sure when her birthday really is so she celebrates with Radar. Radar is a really big German Shepherd and Maggie is the fastest, most agile Basset Hound mom has ever encountered (although you wouldn't guess that from this picture).

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane. You see, mom has flown me with her back to Washington State twice. Once when I was 6 months old and that's when Auntie Danae first got Radar. He was 8 weeks old and weighed as much as I did! Then I went back again 2 years ago to go camping with Auntie Danae & Radar. This was before Maggie became a part of the family. So here are pictures of Radar & I from both trips.

Posse Update

Hi everyone! Voodoo, here. Boy oh boy did we have a busy weekend so mom says I get to post the update since I was the best behaved dog this weekend. Friday, Sefina (pictured to the right) played AKC Rally Obedience at WCOTC in Delmont. This was her 3rd attempt at an Advanced level course which is done off leash. Mom wasn’t very optimistic since she had yet to finish an advanced course but was hopeful when she saw that there were only 12 stations and no off-set figure 8 with toys as distractions. But then Sefina proceeded to make up her own course anyway. Mom says it was a struggle and they were seconds away from being excused from the ring but they finally finished the course and managed a qualifying score of 83. Boy was that judge lenient! So hurray for Sefina for her 1st advanced rally Q!! Mom is trying to teach me Rally. I’m undecided whether I like it yet.

Saturday and Sunday was Splash n’ Dash K9 Sports’ USDAA agility trial at PISA in Cheswick. All 5 of us went and hung out in the X-pen but only Kiwi and Robin got to play. Kiwi had 4 qualifying runs out of 9. She & her spotted pal, Tess got a 1st place Q in P2 Pairs, and then Kiwi helped a Pomeranian from Philly get a 1st place Q in P2 Pairs since he didn’t have a partner. Kiwi got another 1st place Q in P2 Gamblers, and got 2 Q’s in P3 Snookers. Mom thought those were for a title but she learned what a ‘Super Q’ was & Kiwi needs 3 of those to title in Snookers.

It was Crazy Robin’s first USDAA trial so mom only entered him in Gamblers and Jumpers each day. He got a 2nd place Q in Gamblers and a Q in Jumpers on Saturday. On Sunday, the slip lead got caught in his fur at the start line for the Gamblers course and mom had a really hard time getting it out of his fur, especially since his bouncing & twisting & turning just made it worse. When she finally got it off he exploded and dropped the first jump bar and proceeded to live up to his nickname by leaping off contact obstacles and running around in circles barking. He did do the distance challenge perfectly & that was the hard part! But that wasn’t enough to qualify. He did have a great Jumpers run at the end of the day with a 3rd place Q.

Meanwhile, back at the X-pen, Sefina demonstrated why mom calls her Piranha-Goat by shredding the crate mat. Mom knew that was going to happen sooner or later. The five of us also got a new nickname this weekend which mom likes – the Keeshond Posse. So until next weekend when we update you about Calvin’s conformation shows in Aliquippa, so long from the posse!

BCKC Conformation

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest Keeshond of all? Me - Calvin!! Well, maybe not the fairest but I did really well Saturday at the Butler County Kennel Club Show. I got Best of Winners and Opposite Sex. Mom says I got 1 point and a breed embroidered hand towel. At the show today, I didn't win anything but I enjoyed sniffing the ground. Mom says I forgot my brain but really, I was bored. Been there done that! Also, I was real tired of mom fussing over me with brushes & combs & scissors. And she puts corn starch on my feet. What's up with that?

We will be really busy next weekend. Friday, Sefina plays AKC Rally in Delmont and then Kiwi & Robin play USDAA agility at PISA on Staurday and Sunday.

Master Kiwi

Hi Everybody! Kiwi here. We were at Westmoreland County Obedience Training Center’s AKC agility trial at PISA yesterday and guess what?! I earned my Master’s degree! Mom says it’s called an AKC Masters Agility Excellent (MX) title. That means I got 10 qualifying runs in Excellent B Standard. I also got a Q and 1st place in Open FAST. I only need one more of those to get another title. Sefina went with me and ran a jumpers with weaves course but got distracted by the ring crew so she didn’t finish. Guess she needs a few pointers from the Master ;)

We had taken a couple weeks off from doing agility trials. Calvin went to a conformation show outside of Cleveland 2 weeks ago and got Winner’s dog but only because he was the only open male. He did win a pair of nail clippers for that. Otherwise, Sefina took a couple of dancing lessons and I took a 2 hour agility class. Mom rarely takes me to class anymore. She’s always taking the young dogs. But I guess that’s because I don’t really need to take lessons. I am the Master after all! But we have a busy month ahead of us. Next Saturday, Sefina and I play AKC agility again on Neville Island and the weekend after that, pretty boy is going to 2 conformation shows in Prospect, PA. At the end of September, Sefina plays Rally Obedience on Friday and then Robin and I get to play USDAA agility at PISA. Then Calvin does a couple more conformation shows in Aliquippa, PA the first weekend of October.