[PyrNet-L] Catching up with all!! (long!!)

["ARIEGE" <ARIEGE@xtra.co.nz>]

Have been enjoying some of the stories sent in recently but have been very
busy so haven't had a chance to reply to all.  Joe, please send my congrats
to Alain. I will send him a card and I feel with his appointment the French
Club will keep going forward. He is a fine choice and I have a lot of
respect for him and his opinions.   Jeanne, the things that happen when out
walking a Pyr sometimes just defy description but you did the right thing in
my opinion and you can be proud of Gypsy.   Janice, please accept my deepest
sympathies on the loss of Bianca and I ask myself time and time again why
those who truly care for their dogs have to be the ones to lose them when
those who don't give a bugger just keep on keepin' on.
Rattlesnakes, can't help there and the mere thought of a snake would send me
into a state of hysteria as does a mouse!!  Couldn't agree more Charlotte
that the "owner" is top boss and control is so important . If it's not there
then the dog(s) can become confused and that is when trouble over
dominance/aggression starts, usually with food and then can escalate from
there until they can't stand the sight of each other and it's all on.
Having read all these emails and the replies it's good to know there are so
many responsible, caring people out there.  My latest problems seems to pale
into insignificance but I do have  problems.  "He's" been at it again!!  I
went away for the weekend with the Pyrs and we did very well.  Seymor showed
his worth and won Res of group twice and the Allbreed Imported Stakes (all
the big guns were out there, tee hee!!). We had a great weekend, weather
wasn't good but a few whiskeys in the coffee perked all up. The "chums"
didn't know until they tasted the coffee I had made that there was a bit
extra in it but I was thanked for my thoughfulness later on!! I'd had a
stressful weekend, cigarettes have gone up here and all cig lighters are now
childproof.  Word is out round  the dog world that Jan Chaplin is not giving
up smoking, she just can't work the childproof lighters!! I wont use matches
because I put the "used ones" back in the box and the day I put a live one
back and the whole box went up in my hand has put me off!!    I arrived home
and smelt "paint" and thought he's painted the room for me!! I chose the
paint, I will admit this, a cream top with a green bottom. I have chosen a
teddy bear frieze for the middle to blend in with the green and cream.  A
lot of thought went into this so I was looking forward to seeing his
handiwork!!  I made a big mistake, I went in there when I was cold, tired,
soaked through and this green flew off the walls and "went for me!!".  It
said "You chose me, you have to live me ha ha ha".  The Painter said, "I
told you this was the wrong green". The Wardrobe said "I told you this was
the wrong green, I don't want to be a wardrobe in this room, I want to go
back to the other room".  I've spent all day going in and out of there
trying to come to terms with my choice.  I wondered if the Painter had
deliberately put  the paint on the walls sparingly to make me look bad?
I've been told that for the next coat a bit of black can be mixed in to tone
the green down but I don't like the fact that I've been made to feel
"inadequate" in my choice. As if I don't have enough problems with paint and
childproof lighters but can I ask your advice on another subject please, how
does one get a coat back on a Pyrenean in two weeks before he competes with
the country's Best  for the Blue Ribbon Awards coming up??  Sardines, eggs,
premium dog food, cold weather, (yes Seymor you are staying out there in the
snow selling your Matches!). Nice to be told by a Judge in the weekend that
the only reason he didn't get Best In Group ( he got Reserve!) was the
slight  lack of undercoat!! The other Judge who gave him Reserve Best of
Group said to Claire " Oh, how old is he now!!. You can see why stress is
playing a major part in my life now, a temperamental wardrobe, a smug
(sickening ) Painter, a Pyr who desperately needs a coat, a rise in the
price of nicotine and worst of all childproof lighters!! You don't even want
to know that the money machine ate my card in the weekend because I got my
pin number wrong three times, I had this mental block!! I use this card
three times a day, we are the best of friends I thought, now I am probably
going to be on Crimewatch, this small, graying middle aged person screaming
obscenities at this machine and looking for a brick to smash it with to get
her card back!!
Kind Regards, Jan,
Jan Chaplin Ariege-Roussillon Pyreneans. Visit my sites at
http://www.geocities.com/janellachaplin/ send a Pyr Posty
http://www.geocities.com/janellachaplin/cards.html
 join here http://www.egroups.com/group/CaninePostcardCollectors
or visit here http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/PetsPl/pyreneanmountaindog/