BCOA Bulletin January-February-March 2007 - the Basenji Club of ...

JUNIOR VIEW
"Journey's Journey"
By Ciara Cassell
"Quality is never an accident; it is always the any other shows for a while because we wanted to continue to
result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent
direction and skillful execution; it represents
upgrade his conditioning and try to get a much better coat on him.
In mid-August a show in Topeka, Kansas came up, and my
mom was entering Journey in the breed again. When we got to the
the wise choice of many alternatives."
- William A. Foster
show, I was dead-set on showing this dog in Juniors. I had never
taken him into the ring before, but that did not discourage me. The
first day Juniors and breed were on top of each other. The rings
were across from each other, but they, of course, were in the middle
Even though I'm not expected to have a perfect performance of the showsite. I figured I wouldn't show in Juniors, and just skip
in every ring I enter,
it to help with the breed ring. Besides, I
that is what I strive
had my own 6-9 month old puppy to show
for. I want a flawless
for the first time.
performance from my
While we were waiting for basenjis to
dog, with breathtaking
go in, I decided that I could make Juniors.
free stacks, powerful,
We didn't know if I would have to rush
controlled, and correct
out early to make the breed ring, but it was
gaiting, along with
worth a shot. As I stepped into the ring, the
a rock-solid hand-
main thing I remember is "Wow. This dog
stack, and a perfect
is totally different than what I'm used to." I
table examination.
was used to showing my 'non-basenji-like',
None of that can be
really easy, super trained dog in Juniors.
achieved without
I realized that Journey wasn't going
a lot of work and
to be easy. He was really powerful and
dedication, especially
wanted to show. Neither of us knew what
with a basenji, but I
to think of each other. He trusted me, but
am determined to do
we both were a little uncomfortable with
it.
each other. I wasn't used to him; he wasn't
Before my mom
used to me, but the good thing was his
started 'specialing'
presence had continued to
Journey he had been
progress! Journey was so
with a handler, and
much better then the first
was received back in a far from show-ring
time my mom showed
condition. Normal conditioning was bad;
him. I knew I would have
coat was horrible, attitude and presence…
to work hard to pull off a
gone. He had no desire to show; he wanted
placement.
to just stand in the corner -- ‘grumbling'
Journey wouldn't
to himself and at other dogs and wasn't
stand still the whole
happy. When we got him back he had been
time like my other dog,
in our kennel for a few months, getting his
because he hadn't been
coat back and conditioning up, before my
through enough training.
mom started showing him again. As he
Neither of us really knew
progressed, his attitude and basenji-like
what a good gaiting
presence started coming back. His first
speed was. I didn't feel
show with us was the beginning of July
the actual performance
2006. My mom showed him in the breed
was that great. I'm not
ring and he was a completely different
sure how many kids
dog. He didn't love to show, but he was
were in the class, but it
there and he knew it was his job to show.
was fairly large. I made
I wasn't allowed to show him in Juniors,
the cut, and remember
because we didn't want to wear him out,
looking up and seeing
but it was fine by me; I had no real desire
bitches were already in
to show him anyway; if I was given the opportunity, sure I would the basenji ring. I almost asked the judge if I could leave, but he
show him, but it didn't bother me if I didn't. He wasn't entered in had been watching me, and I was hoping for a placement… so I
The Basenji Club of America, Inc. BULLETIN - 36