|
Growing
up Steve
& I both had a variety of dogs, purebred and otherwise. We both
really liked the “Nordic
Breeds”. Both Steve and I had been working in obedience with our first Sammy
(Chantilly), who turned out to be a mini bitch at 18”. At that
time we had just placed our Alaskan Mal/Chow
mix, who had been so good at obedience, she was sold to a security company
as a guard dog for commercial buildings. Chantilly, the Sammy, had
turned out to be a very good
herder and was placed on a cattle ranch up in Netherlands, Colorado.
In
looking for a
show dog we ended up with two different breeds instead of just one
puppy, an 8-week-old
Samoyed puppy and an 18 month old Keeshond. The Keeshond was a beautiful
male named “Solo”, who was available to go to an obedience show home. I
had asked his breeder,
Shirley Shannon, if I could also show him in conformation. Solo was already
finished and was perfect for me to start to learning the ins and out’s
of conformation showing. She
told me of course I could but don’t expect too much, he was a bit dark
for most judges. The
first time I took him into group, he took a group one! He became “BVISweeps
Ch Shandell’s Napoleon Solo, AM/Can CD”. Solo taught me so much! I
needed it, cause I
had a wild man in my Sammy puppy, “Scotty” (“Am/Can Ch Snowmeadow’s Moondancer
of CF, AM/Can CD HIC”) Scotty finished with two five point majors,
going Best of Breed over
specials.
|
| Solo with Shirley Shannon his Breeder |  |
|
 |
Taken
the day Solo Arrived
 |
 |
 |
|
Solo
was a group
winner, Multi group placer. Solo won Best Veteran in Sweepstakes at the Nor Cal Specialty week of the KCA National 1996 at 12 years of age. Not bad for an obedience dog! This would be one of the last times I showed him. Solo died in 1999 one month after his 16th birthday |
 |
 AM/Can Ch Snowmeadow's Moondancer of CF ,Am/Can CD HIC |
 Steve finishing Scotty's CD |
 |
 Scotty
lived to the ripe old
age
of 16 1/2 years. He was very photogenic and loved having his picture taken |
 I won first place in DOGS U.S.A. photo
contest
with this photo in 1991.
|
 |
(more
on showing)
|