Serious Catch-Up

I am finally getting back to the blog! Here are some updates, which we are very proud of!


















Above: We have a NEW HOME!!! After a very long year of living out of a suitcase, Jesse and I purchased this beautiful home near Wenatchee, WA. We are looking forward to raising our dogs here.

Above: Bella got point number 11 and 12 at the Wenatchee, WA show

Above: We got to see Harley, Hunter's 8 year old grandfather and Hunter together. Harley has been one of my favorite dogs for a long time. I am so happy to have his younger clone in my house!

Harley is Am/Int Ch. Aurigan Thunder Rolls, CD RN CGC - on the left

Above: Bella wins her 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th points in the form of a 5 point major Sunday at Richland, WA by going WB/BOW to earn her Champion status! Thank you to all of her support! We knew she could do it.

Above: Hunter was such a good boy at Richland this year. Even tho he didnt win any ribbons, he was 'pulled' all three days and considered in the final lineup. Friday was the first NWCF Specialty, and Saturday was a Supported Entry. He is now blowing coat, so he wont be seeing a show ring until he finds it again. I was also voted in as a board member to the Northwest Cardigan Fanciers, and trophy chairman for the upcoming year.

Above: Token was 5 1/2 months in the above picture at Richland. Too young to show, but I couldnt resist getting him all cleaned up to take pictures of :)

Above: Token and Jesse at their first show in Canada, over Halloween weekend. Token was WD/Best Puppy for 2 points! It was an awesome weekend for Dune. On Saturday Bella took BOB/BOW/WB for 3 points, Hunter was BOS, and Token was WD/Best Puppy for 2 points!!! On Sunday, Bella was BOB/BOW/WB for another 3 points, and Hunter was BOS. Bella now has 9 points total toward her Canadian championship in two weekends of showing. Not too shabby! She will even be on Canadian TV as she was in the herding group.

Above: Jesse and Token have started taking handling classes in Wenatchee, WA. Very good experience for both dog and handler. I will be taking Bella to the next class to prepare us for campaigning her toward her Grand Championship title. She needs some polishing and I certainly could use some pro handling tips.

Above: SNOW! We had our first snow at our new house Nov 09, 2010. It's Token's first snow too, and all the dogs thoroughly enjoyed the fabulous change in the weather.

Above: The breathtaking view from my deck. We have 2.5 acres, are 700 ft from a river, and have all the USFS land behind the house that I could ask for. I am sure this winter will be a little extreme, but I have plenty of indoor work to do before I really need to get back outside.

So, I guess that brings me up to today. More later!

A Surprise In The Mail

Jesse opened the mail today and was pleasantly surprised to find this certificate! Out of all the Cardigans that showed in Canada last year, Hunter was the third most winning Cardigan! I knew he had done well, but I wasnt expecting this high of a placing.

Our move (or kind of move) and the new litter have caused us to be absent from showing this year. We will be getting out and about shortly and giving Bella her chance to shine.

Little Sausages

Belly up to the bar kidsL to R Spiral, Joker, Percy Jackson, Fate, Wisteria, Tarot, Jaina
At the bar - L to R Joker, Wisteria, Percy Jackson
Snuggled up - Jaina and Spiral

L to R Tarot, Jaina, Fate, Spiral, Joker, Wisteria, Percy Jackson

LE is such a pretty momma - you can see how her brindling isnt very defined. I think Fate's brindling will be like this. Tarot and Wisteria have lots of stripes, and Spiral and Joker will look like Hunter with very few stripes. Their colors will change some, but I have never seen a brindle lose it's stripes!

I think I am pretty darn good at telling black from super dark brindle now at birth! Lots of practice with this litter.

They're Here!

Beach Photo Op

Hunter, Beatrys, Candy, LE and Bella at the Beach this weekend.

Photos taken by W. York-Patten

Hunter x LE Puppies???

Hunter's first puppies should be on the ground around April 11-13th. I dont know when LE ovulated, so I just have to guesstimate. But they had two 20+ minute ties and LE seems to get pregnant just off having a boy near... so for now, I will get excited and start thinking of puppy names! Dayl will update the http://www.aurigan.com/ site soon. Beatrys is only a little over a week from whelping too.

Am/Can/Int Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure, HCTs

OFA GOOD, CERF, ELBOWS normal, Fluff Free

Ch. Phi-Vestavia Koltrain x Am/Can/Int Ch. Aurigan Mantle Out Of Thin Air, HCTs).

Int Ch. Kennebec Dunes Limited Edition

OFA GOOD (prelim), CERF

(Ch. Joseter Grassanmore, ROMS x Ch. Kennebec Red Oak Remember)

I have opened my list for potential puppy buyers. I usually wait until I know the bitch is actually pregnant to start a list, but even if she doesnt end up being pregnant, we have a couple other litters planned. Colors possible - Brindle, Red and Black.

Hunter Passes!

My Hunter boy's results came in!

OFA HIPS: GOOD
OFA ELBOWS: NORMAL

Yahoo!!! That made my day!

Hunter OFA

X-rays to OFA done today. I have never done elbows before, but the vet thinks they look great.

Hips look like they will pass! Now we just wait and see what they decide to rate them. Momma Beatrys and papa Kolby are both Good, so lets hope there is a positive trend there!

Happy 2nd B-Day

From this 9 week old puppy I just had to have... To this hilarious, cute, and witty four month old puppy who stole my heart...To this 6 month and four day old Best Of Breed winner
To my first all-by-myself American Champion...

To the superdog who received his HCTs (AHBA) Herding instinct test ...

To the Canadian Championship with group placing...

To the biggest recognition I have EVER won... Best Of Breed

over a lot of nice dogs at the

2009 NWCF Supported Entry at Richland, WA (Saturday)...

To the International Championship that gave him three titles...

This dog has done it all for me.

Happy Birthday, Hunter!

Am/Can/Int Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure, HCTs

CERF clear, Fluff free, PRA tested clear

OFA hips and elbows on the way!

Official Pics - Richland

Some official pictures from Richland Supported Entry Pecan Valley Mustang Sally

(Ch. Pecan Valley Blue Thunder x Ch. Pecan Valley Show Shoes)

Am/Can Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure, HCTs

(Ch. Phi-Vestavia Koltrain x Am/Int Ch. Aurigan Mantle Out Of Thin Air, HCTs)

Richland Kennel Club Results

We've had an AMAZING SATURDAY!
Richland Kennel Club Results for the Supported Entry:
09-26-09 Judge Mrs. Jacqueline Stacy
Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure - BOB

Pecan Valley Mustang Sally - WB/BOS for a 5 point major!

Kennebec Dunes Limited Edition - RWB

Aurigan MP Primary Attraction - Best In Puppy Sweepstakes under Breeder Judge Emily Fish

Other results: Twinan Ultimate Strike - WD/BOW Afara Now Or Never - RWD Ch. Mariel's Alice Springs - Best Veteran Ch. Phi-Vestavia Koltrain - Best Opposite In Veteran Sweeps

My Helpers

All the kids were playing up stairs today while I cleaned and took pics. They were helping by, of course, being in the way. LE is really good at staying out of the way, usually, with the exception of the kitchen. She lays either right under the sink or by the stove which happen to be the two places I seem to be most. Bella and Hunter just go wherever I go. A bit annoying some days...

As I was making my way back up the stairs, they were all waiting for me - AND I had the camera in hand.

Hunter - 20 months old, Bella - 4 months old, LE - 4 years old

Bel-Vernon Shows

The Bel-Vernon show in Mt Vernon, WA yielded great results!

Saturday Judge R. Stein
WB Aurigan MP Primary Attraction - 1 point!
BOB Am/Can Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure

Sunday Judge Ambrosio
RWB Aurigan MP Primary Attraction
WB Int Ch. Kennebec Dunes Limited Edition - 1 point!
BOB Am/Can Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure

Hunter is still shedding and quite frankly his coat looks all sorts of yucky. I was pleasantly surprised that the judges looked past his lack of coat. LE now has 10 points and is searching for a major, or whatever we can find in the meantime.

Also, Dayl showed me a website that has Hunter and Beatrys listed as ranked in Canada for 09. Hunter is ranked 4th and Beatrys is ranked 3rd!!! We plan on going back to Canada this fall.
http://www.bestdogincanada.com/Grp7.php?breed=Cardigan%20Corgi

Lynden Show Sunday

Judge D. Richards:

BOB- Am/Can Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure 'Hunter'
BOS - Am/Int Ch. Aurigan Mantle Out Of Thin Air 'Beatrys'
WB - Int Ch. Kennebec Dunes Limited Edition 'LE'

YEAH! LE got some more points. She is up to 8 now, one major. Hunter and Bea swapped places today for Breed. Katie was RWB today and Paula's Star was RWB yesterday. I am quite proud of Hunter. He can hang with the more mature dogs in the specials ring, even tho he isnt quite 18 months.

We all stayed at Dayl's place last night and had a fantastic BBQ. ;) The weather was lovely, which is always nice.

Hunter's PRA results: PRA Unaffected by DNA

Lynden Show Saturday

And back to the show ring we go...

Judge P. Mowbray-Morgan:
BOB- Am/Int Ch. Aurigan Mantle Out Of Thin Air 'Beatrys'
BOS - Am/Can Ch. Aurigan Dunes National Treasure 'Hunter'
WB - Chelstar-Mantle Jewel V The Nile 'Katie'

It was a fun day. ;)

Fluff Test/More

Good news: Hunter is DNA Fluff Coat Length N/N!

I have been traveling quite a bit and have not had time to update the blog about anything. So, this is the quick version: Sally puppies are doing very well. I saw them at 3 days old and I am totally smitten with a couple of them. Ok, maybe its more like all of them! Dayl has updated the website www.aurigan.com . And, Terry of Tailbrite Cardigans just had a litter of 6 puppies. 2 girls and 4 boys, all brindle out of Kolby and Halle. Her website is www.tailbrite.com . Feels like spring with all the babies popping up!

Is anyone going to the Yakima, WA shows the end of May? I can only go Saturday, but want to know if anyone else is going...

A Smattering Of News

LE is back! After a long stay with Claymore/Rememberance I am very happy to say that LE has come home. Tom showed her at Nationals in the American bred class, and she won the class! Below is a picture of her at Nationals by the beautiful new tulips.

Hunter was pulled in the Megan and Sweepstakes, but no ribbons this trip. It was an honor just to be pulled with some of those marvelous dogs! He had a great time. Hunter needed his picture taken too!This picture of Sally was taken by Dayl yesterday. I will update when I have a puppy count (she is in whelp as I type this)! She was bred to Ch. Shadowalk Deacon. (The brindle in the picture is Beatrys, Hunter's mom)

And this is Brecca - Rememberance Brecca by Ch. Cardiridge Red Hot Lover and out of Ch. Windshyre Ceilidh Claymore. We have admired her since she was a puppy and feel fortunate to have her in the Northwest. She will be living at Pam's house.

Herding Pics

Hunter 'patiently' waiting his turn - yeah right... what is patience?

Hunter gives Ellyn some advice, "Come on, this is how you do it!"

Ellyn figures it out... quickly!Piece of cake mom!
Hunter controls the 'smaller lighter' sheep with ease!
Hunter looks like a cutting horse with those quick turns!

Hunter got the 'heaviest and hardest to move' sheep the second time around since he did so well with helping Ellyn. Man, those sheep were large!

Dotty gets her sheep to move all together!

Get those sheep Beatrys!

All pictures were taken by W. Patten. Thanks so much!