Hey, it's me Duncan!
Welcome back to my Blog! Boy we had a whirlwind of activity and I think I'm finally recuperated enough now to tell you guys all about our trip to California. We went for the dog shows, four of them in three days, I didn't think it was possible. It is. I even have pictures.
Mom was a trooper. It was the first time she stayed in a motel with just her and us. I thought it was pretty fun. We stayed at La Quinta in Irvine along with every Beagle and Black and Tan Coonhound in the western states. I've never seen so many Beagles in one place. They cracked me up. Mom kept the hedges between them and us because they all yelled when they saw us. It was a hoot!
I highly recomend this establishment. They like dogs and they make breakfast for you in the morning, our favorite, Cheerios. We were on the second floor so of course we wanted to go downstairs and sniff around as often as possible. There are some really cool Pepper trees in front. I'm sure faeries live in them.
All three days the show was at the same place as last year the Polo grounds in San Juan Capistrano. A place that gets pretty darn dark at night.
The first show on Friday was the Greater San Diego Basset Hound Club's specialty. Mom has done awards for them every year since I was a baby, hmm...that's a long time now. She became a member back when Gracie was little, a really long time ago.
Last year Phoebe won so many big perpetual trophies we couldn't fit them in the car! This year she got a pretty Third place ribbon and it was suggested that she lose a couple of pounds. Well, three shows to go right?
Last year they tried to stash me in a crate. I am not crate stashing material. So they learned and this year I got to luxuriate in an X-pen on my bed under the easyup. We had fun, BeeBee and I were pooped and got to sleep in the car while they all had dinner in San Juan Capistrano down the street from the Mission.
We got to sleep in Saturday because the Bassets were in the ring in the afternoon instead of the crack of dawn like they usually are.
This show was strictly for Hounds, hence all the Beagles. I thought Phoebe looked great...and once again I believe got a pretty Third place ribbon and was suggested that losing a few pounds might be a good idea. I didn't see the actual ribbon, but I'm now thinking maybe it says Chubbette on it somewhere.
Okay two down, two to go. When's lunch I say!
A fabulous dinner was served by Denise Brook and the GSDBHC who were the hosts of the evening show the Western Regional BHCA. They all did a mighty fine job!
The night show was exciting. It got pitch black dark really fast once the sun went down. The ring was lit up by a giant generator on wheels with a couple of huge spotlights. We got cool photos. The kind where you can see people moving around. I love those.
The Splash family had a really successful night and stayed until midnight I heard. Congratulations!
Well, Phoebe got the Chubbette ribbon again and we left early, getting back to the motel about 10:30. It was cold and damp. Mom forgot about June gloom and May gray. I guess thinking the whole world is like Las Vegas now, she didn't pack anything warm. We were all starting to feel like a pack of Stay Puft Marshmallow Men from Ghostbusters. Then she decided to just get over it and have fun and before the next bunch of shows we'd all diet and hit the gym. So the plan was get in and out the next day and back on the road home early and hopefully missing the Got to get to Vegas traffic.
Okay so here's the big surprise.
Phoebe aka- Splash's La Jolla won her class Bred-By-Exhibitor, then won Winner's Bitch, which got her points, then won Best of Winners and then won Best of Opposite to Best of Breed! Boy were we surprised!
Well it was a big time. Thanks for hangin' in for the whole story!
Now here's some pictures.
Later,
Duncan
Jackie and Phoebe 
Phoebe's Mom
Topper-Phoebe's Dad
