Stories

I had been feeling anxious all day knowing that today was the day. I couldn't eat, nerves shot. Soon it would be time to go.
Steve came home and I fixed him pasta salad for dinner but I still couldn't eat. It's 6:45pm, Steve said "lets go".
I went to get into the car when I noticed the October moon rising in the sky. It was so orange and so beautiful that you could see the "man in the moon's face ".
I thought, this is a good sign. A sign that all would be O.K.
It took us an hour to arrive and we went to check and make sure that we were at the right place, we were.
The man at the counter said that we would have to wait. He would let us know when to come in.
I was so nervous that my heart was in my throat. Steve bought me some pretzels and we shared a coke while we waited, and waited.
It was almost 9pm and I was feeling more anxious than ever. The man at the counter came out to the car and said "it's time , he is here", it was 9pm .
My heart stopped, I got out of the car and rushed to the counter. On the counter was a carry crate for Doggies and in it was the tiny little PUPPY, all the way from Missouri and He is ours.
I open the crate and out he came Happy, Happy, Happy. He gave us so many Kisses that I couldn't believe how Happy he was to see us.
We signed all the papers and took him to the car and gave him Hugs and more Hugs.
We got him ready to make the long trip home. He was so quiet riding home in the car that I was worried, I hoped that he was going to like us.
When we got home an hour later and we let him out to look around at his new home, I knew that everything was going to be O.K.
More hugs and kisses were exchanged and we settled in for the night.

Dusty is his name.
Löwchen: by DeSusa
Born : July 18, 2000
Smithton, Missouri
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What a good boy Dusty puppy me.
It's 5:30 am and a whine I make. A whine I make and mama I hear, "I'm coming, I'm coming".
She opens my door, picks me up and hugs and kisses we give.
She carries me out and puts me down with a "Hurry Hurry Potty" she says to me.
"Hurry Hurry Potty" she says to me and Ohhh! I pee pee.
What a good boy Dusty puppy me.
Now "Potty Potty" she says again to me., I know that you can do it "Potty Potty" right there "Potty Potty" and Ohhh! I pooh pooh.
What a good boy Dusty puppy me.

Hi, Dusty here with another little story.
I want to tell you about my first Fun Match Sunday, January 7, 2000. I will try to describe it blow by blow.
We were up early that morning and I had to have a bath. I even had to be (girl stuff) conditioned. Then blow drying, combing, brushing. I'm really not into this bathing stuff. But hey! I'm ready. Off we went to Antioch and the fairgrounds. We arrived about 9:45am and checked in at the desk. Conformation didn't start until 10:30am. So we went and found a place to sit right next to our Ring, #2.
Boy, you should see all the dogs. big ones, small ones, fat and weird ones and lots of people too. I'm the Cute one mom said.
We were sitting and watching and waiting. I wanted to play with every dog and every person, so happy was I, until this little girl made the Ring, #2 pole sign fall down. I flew into mom's lap and there I stayed, not so happy.
Mom was getting worried about me not being happy so she took me outside for a walk. People came over to see me wanting to know "what" I was because I'm "too cute". Mom told them that I'm a Löwchen and that my name is Dusty.
We ran and played around for a bit then went back into "that" building. I must say I was not happy about this at all.
Soon it was my turn in "that" Ring, #2. Mom gave me a quick brush and in we went.
Oh! No! all by myself, no other dogs, no people, just me in this Big Ring, #2. I put on my brakes, I'm not going in there, but mom said it was O.K., come on you can do it, sure, yea, I don't like this. Up on a table mom put me and some guy, the Judge, Ben Swanson, starts looking at me. Who are you, I thought. Next thing I know he puts his hands all over me, in my mouth and down to my rear. Now mom picks me up and puts me on the floor. Now she wants me to run around this Big Ring, #2. I don't think so. Again mom said it was O.K., come, come. Well, I put on the brakes again. We finally got started and I braked a couple of times more. We managed to make it around the ring.
Now, the guy, Judge Ben Swanson handed mom some ribbons for what, I don't know.
Mom said that we now had to wait for, what they call, Group.
We sat and waited for all the other dogs and people to go into that Ring, #2. Group time. Well, this was better because other dogs were there too. Here we go again running around in this Big Ring, #2 but all together. I still wasn't sure about all of this, but it was better with the other dogs there.
Some dogs looked like Pros at this, me and mom looked like we didn't know what we were doing. We didn't.
Going around the Ring, #2, at one point I managed to glue my noise to the floor (good smells) and mom couldn't get me to lift it up for nothing. I'm sure that was not what I was supposed to do. Oh well, I have to learn and mom said she has a lot to learn too. My first Fun Match was over.

We came away with two ribbons and a silver picture frame.
Thank You, Judge Ben Swanson

Well folks, here I am again with another tale to tell.
I don't know why we always have to get up so early. It's Monday February 19, 2001, off we go, Dog Show #3. Mom said that we show at 9:30am, boy that is early. Dad had brought my big kennel, the one with the tabletop on it. Why, I don't know.
We got to the Santa Clara Fairgrounds just after 7am and boy was it raining. Mom covered me with a towel and off we ran to the Pavilion building. Dad had my kennel on some wheels and he was right behind us. Rain, Rain, Rain, it was wet out.
Boy! You should have seen all the dogs. Barking and barking loud. Mom held me close and we headed for Ring 6. Dad started to set up my kennel. He took off the chairs, grooming bar and all the other stuff. Mom still had a close hold on me in her arms.
Lots of noises and people making loud noises. Dogs, People, enough to give a little guy the Shakes. "Yeh", Me.
Dad got all the stuff set up by a wall across from the ring. All My Stuff, comb, brush, cookies were inside the kennel. Dad even brought an ice chest with stuff in it, too.
9:30 came and I had to go into the Ring. Mom gave me a quick final brush and off we went. I guess I did O.K. cause the lady, Judge Dorothy A. Dalton, gave mom ribbons. Then two other Lowchens had to go into the ring. These were girls and the lady, Judge Dorothy A. Dalton, gave ribbons to one of the ladies and her dog.
Now, I had to go back into the ring with this girl dog and run around again. This is work, but mom said be happy, run, run, so I did.
Well, this lady, Judge Dorothy A. Dalton, gave mom some more ribbons. Mom was so happy, she picked me up and gave me so many hugs and kisses, said what a good boy I was. I sure liked all that.
When we came out of the ring dad met us and he began to give me more hugs and kisses. Boy, this is good stuff. I don't know what I did but lets do it again.
Mom and dad were so happy and they were talking about something called a "Point". I think this was something good.
Well, I thought we were going to go home but surprise, No, we have to stay for Group.
Now, this is a whole new ballgame. We had to wait all day till 4 o'clock. Most of the day I spent in my kennel resting. I would get out for a while and play or go "hurry, hurry, potty.
Finally mom gets me out and gives me a good brushing. We heard them call for Non-Sporting Group, that's me. We went across the building to where they had set up a Big Ring. All these dogs, I've never seen before. Their handlers were standing by the entrance to the ring, all Prim and Proper. Mom was holding me in her arms and everyone started into the ring.
Mom waited till almost last because I'm so small. She didn't want me to get run over.
In we went and behind us was this big, fat, low to the ground, dog. The handler asked mom, Does he Snort?,. Mom said "What"? Does your dog snort? Mom said, Why no. The lady said, mine does, so maybe I should go in front of you. Mom said O.K. Well this left us last but we didn't mind, I'm so young (7months) and small.
I don't want to say any thing but these dogs are no fun at all. I wanted to say Hello to the ones around me but no way. I thought this was a fun game but mom told me I have to have Manners. Mom said that we would have to start school soon. Then I would have manners like all the other dogs.
The handlers won't even let their dog look at me. The one behind me looked at me like I was some kind of a rug rat. Hey, I'm a kid, lets have fun. I just wanted to play.
Mom kept saying, happy, happy, fun, fun, good boy and most of all she would say, Wooh, Wooh, Wooh. I like that, I would wiggle my tail and mom would be happy to.
We ran around the ring just like the big boys did. I was so happy. Every one was clapping and shouting, what fun I was having.
The lady, Judge Keke Kahn, in the center of the ring, picked out four dogs and the rest of us left the ring. Mom picked me up and hugged and kissed me all the way out of the ring. She told me "I did so good". She was so happy and so was dad. When I got out of the ring, dad gave me more hugs to.
Dad kept saying, What a good boy, What a good boy, Dusty.
We packed up our stuff and headed for home. What a day for,

Hi------Dusty, puppy, me with lots to tell.
I am a happy, happy, wiggly, wiggle worm with nothing on my mind other than to play, play, play. Mom says I have a one-track mind, PLAY.
I play ball, play ball, and play ball. The game of ball is a hard game to teach your mom or dad. You get them to throw the ball first and go from there.
You run after the ball, catch the ball on one bounce, run back to mom or dad and make all sorts of sounds with the ball in your mouth. Hey guys, try barking with a stuffed soccer ball in your mouth. It's called talent man, talent.
Now if they don't want to play ball, all you do is starting chewing on the ball and BANG, mom or dad will say to you, stop chewing, bring it here, I'll play with you. The ball game resumes.
I chew on my toys and pull out the stuffing. Again, this is great fun but drives mom and dad nuts. I can spend five minutes working on getting the stuffing out of any one of my toys and zap; out of reach it goes with a don't do that. What do you mean don't do that. I thought that's what these toys were for. Oh well, on to something else.
I play in my yard with Boss and DJ (Portuguese Water Dogs). I love to get in their faces till mom says to "STOP". Now just think about this, get the pix in your mind. I, Dusty, 12.5 lbs, in the faces of Boss, 63lbs and DJ, 55lbs. Like, who's the heavy weight, not me? I have a ball; play, play is my game; I'm always there. Can't get rid of me either.
I get to play in the big yard; this is dad and mom's nice yard, again pix in your mind. I run all over the place, in the flowerbeds, in the rose garden and even snick up on the hill. I have even been seen eating the grass. I like to mow it for dad. He needs all the help he can get.
Moving right along let's talk about swimming. Boss loves it, DJ hates it and me, I don't know but I do it. The only thing about swimming is I have to take a shower afterwards. Does this sound dumb? Has something to do with the pool water. Hey, water is water, right?
I even get to go to" School" These classes are called Conformation Classes. This is where they teach you to be a show dog. You have to learn to" Stand, Stay" and run around the ring, "Nice". Me, well I just like to play with the other dogs. Some times it's a drag cause no one wants to play, all-serious and stuff.
Mom says that if I do well in class that I just might get to be a Champion. Now, this part is fun.
Mom takes me to Sally's house, AbergleN Kennles, Mark and Sally George, Sonoma, Ca. I get to stay with her and all the other show dogs. Sally told mom that most dogs think of this as a vacation but she says its Boot Camp for me. She says I have a lot to learn. She cleans me all up pretty, I even smell good. Sally says my hair need to grow and for me to stop rubbing my face. I think I'm pretty cute. Nah handsome is the word.
I wonder if after I become Champion if I will still get to go the these shows, sure is fun. I dig it.
Mom and Sally say if I could harness some of my play energy and channel it towards being a little more sophisticated, I don't know what that word means, I could do very well in the ring. Oh, Well, back to playing.
Mom plays with me all morning till she has to go run errands. Then I get to go out in one of the dog runs. Mom lets Boss or DJ have the play yard. When she get's back she let's us all play together for a while, like I said, I love to play in their faces. Too kool.
I get to run in and out of the house whenever I want, ha, ha, cause I have a doggie door. Run out to bark at DJ and run in to play with mom. Oh, I run out to go hurry, hurry too, all by myself.
When dad gets home from work and after he and mom have had dinner, it's my turn to play rough and tough with dad. Boy, his is so much fun to play with cause he let's me chew his hands or even his shirt, jump in his face, pull his hair and all kinds of stuff. He's my Dad.
I am so spoiled, everyone says so, that at night I get to sleep in dad and mom's bed. We watch TV before going to sleep. Mom says it helps us to relax before sleeping. I get to snuggle. Before we settle down to sleep, we have hugs and kisses.
Well, you can see by what has been happening in my life that makes me a Happy, Dusty, Puppy, Me.

Sorry that I have not kept up with my writing. When I became a champion back November 2001 mom said that I could just be a d-o-g for a while, gosh that's what I thought I was doing anyway.
Lets see what I can fill you in on.
Mom took me to obedience school three full sessions and they tell me that I flunked, so I get to do it again. Me, I thought it was fun so I don't mind having to repeat.
Mom and dad are trying to get me to swim but no luck. D.J. (Portuguese water dog) doesn't like to so why should I. Boss (Portuguese water dog) was the one who loved to swim but he went to heaven and now I get his kennel when mom runs errands. I miss Boss. He was my mentor. I would follow him all around and get in his face. I loved to do that and D. J. is no fun at all.. He hides by mom or dad when I try to get him to play.
I have a great life. I have full run of the house, play yard and big yard. What more could you ask for.
"MORE TOYS, PLEASE".This summer has been a hot one, so we don't go for walks much as the street is to hot for my dainty paws.
I miss that cause the park has great smells and lots of kids to pet me. Man, I dig people. It makes me so happy when we have company. I know how to greet them. I jump and bounce and when I get them into a chair or on the couch I rotor-rooter their ears and I do a professional job to.
Lets see now, what else. Oh, some man, John, just e-mailed mom about a study he is doing. Something to do with the blood. He said that it was a Jean (Gene) study. I don't know about this guy but he has seen my picture and you can tell that I don't wear jeans . I would look rather silly. Mom did tell him that we would do our best to help out with the study.
Laying around the house and eating bon bons all day makes for a Happy Dusty Puppy Me.
Well that's it for now but I promise to write on a timelier schedule.

Well do you believe this, I'm writing? I know I promised to be more timely about writing but I just never seem to have the time to stop and think of what I should tell you.

You know, playing is a full time job for me. Mom keeps me busy taking me to obedience school and dad takes me to confirmation classes. I love these classes cause I get to see the other dogs. Can't always play with them but at least I get to be around them. Mom and dad try hard to keep me busy cause I lost my buddy D J. Last year, in March 2002, we lost Boss and now this year, in March 2003, we lost DJ, I sure miss them. Now I don't have a buddy to play with. I worry when mom and dad go out, maybe they won't come back. Mom has this bed in her office and it's by the window and she lets me lay on it so I can see what is going on out front and I can see when mom and dad come home. Mom puts cookies on the bed for me too. That's enough sad stuff.

Mom and dad set one day of the weekend aside for me. We get to go to restaurants that have outside seating. I have my favorites here in Livermore. We go to Garre's and sit under the canopy. Mom fixes me a plate of what ever she is having and dad adds a little too. We also go to Wente's and sit on the patio and watch the golfers. Mom always orders a hot dog and tells them to hold the bun. They bring out my hot dog all cut up on a plate with green flowers on the side to make it look pretty. I love hot dogs. Mom takes me to Kasper's, legendary hot dog restaurant, to visit her friend Pat. They have been friends for a very long time. Pat always gives me a hot dog. She loves me too. But, I do have a special place I like to go. This place is called the Brewery and it's in Princeton. That's near Half Moon Bay. Again, I always get the best meal and after lunch we get to take a walk down by the boats. I'm just a gourmet kind of dog.

Sometimes when the weather is not so good we go for a ride or maybe go to the park. I like the park in Dublin cause it has lots of places to walk and I see lots of kids. Oh, such is the life of Dusty.

So how was everyone's Halloween? Mine was great. I was a Pumpkin, a fat pumpkin. I had this vine thing on my head and this Halloween suit on. I've got to tell you I really looked like a pumpkin. I ran to the front door every time the doorbell rang. Just let me say this, the girls thought I was pretty cute. Hey, I almost took off with some of them but mom said ”NO”. She said I needed to help give out the candy. The best time of year is Halloween. I'm still a wild pup you know.

Mom says I'm getting to be a momma's dog. She is jotting down notes for me and I'm resting my eyes. We are both sitting in the big chair together. She loves me you see.

Mom even picks up all my toys. Every time I get a new toy dad says “ANOTHER TOY”. Mom tells him it's better to chew a toy than the furniture. I never did that anyway so ha, ha.

I'm a lucky guy. I eat good food, sleep in mom and dad's bed and I'm a happy, happy dog.

Well, I'm running out of things to tell you so I'll stop for now. I hope you enjoy reading about what is going on in the life of this Lowchen.

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Well Folks, March 7, 2006

Hi, guess who this is, yep it’s me, dusty.

I’m sorry that I haven’t written in such a long time but when you’re a kid like me, all you want to do is play.
I really don’t know where to start, let’s see.
I’ve been doing pretty much as I want.
Been going to obedience classes so many times that I now have Mom trained. As for me, I still have to think if that’s what I really want to do.
My instructor says that I am just too too friendly.
Mom tells me that’s a good thing and she loves me just the way I am, Dad too. I even tried agility and I have the same problem, just too friendly. The instructor said that there must be something that I could do to harness all my energy. Sure, I know what it is, its called play.
Mom and Dad still take me to nice places to eat. We go to a place in half moon bay and after eating we get to walk along the water and even go on the pier and that’s cool.
The park is one of my favorite places. I like the big dog side cause they let me run and I do mean run. Growing up with Boss and D.J. I have more fun running with the bigger dogs. I know it’s all that energy. I enjoy all the good smells the park has to offer too.
Halloween I dressed up like a pumpkin again and sat at the front door the whole time the kids were trick and treating. We made the alcove all scary. We even had a fog maker machine. I loved it when the big girls squealed when fog started coming up on the sidewalk all around them. I wasn’t afraid, but a lot of kids didn’t want to come up. Mom, Dad and me sure had a great time. The neighbor kids wanted me to go with them but Mom said I was to young. They thought that our house was the scariest and that made us so happy. Mom and Dad worked hard on our display. I still say Halloween is the best time of year.
Just before Christmas Mom and Dad had friends from Holland come and stay with us. Let’s see, Chris, Carla, Sanne, Guus, Jasper and Sraar. Oh, and Daan. I had so much fun running and playing with the kids. Best part was getting the guy’s up in the morning. I would get under the covers and kiss their ears. They were sleeping on the family room floor so when Dad left for work he would take me out to go potty and I would run back in and head straight for the family room. I jumped on them, ran all around them, on top of them and gave them kisses till they would get up. Oh what great fun.
Well another year has passed and I am still on the run.
I hope all my friends out there enjoy my writings and I will, don’t hold your breath, try to be better about writing.
Bye for now, Dusty…

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