K-Lee finished her German Championship title at the double FCI dog shows held in Leipzig (18-19.08.2012). She made us very happy. K-Lee received the last two ratings VDH-ChA to complete the title of Champion of Germany, adding another title to her collection! Moreover, the kids from G-litter, barely 9 months and entering the junior class, are now already achieving the successes! Siblings Lola and Mandżur started their Youth Championships in Germany. On Saturday Lolka won the title Youth Winner, and on Sunday the judge placed Mandżur with Best of Breed (BOB)!

X-TROVERTIDA Fuerta Atropa Bella Donna, call-name Aslan, became certified to be a breeding female. In Germany, she passed a breed survey as well as her x-rays for hip and elbow dysplasia, with the result HD A and ED 0-0. She also passed a bonitation assessed by Slovak specialist Sonia Bognárová, with the result: As Og R1 P1/63

We are very happy and looking forward to the next meeting!

As with every year, we visited K-Lee’s birthplace at the annual breed meeting in Późna… Like every year, it was great… Like every year, it was wonderful to meet familiar faces and meet new people. After a successful camp in the Czech Republic, our two girls once again tried their paws at the obedience competitions at Hoky’s Memorial IX. Kalinka came up trumps, winning the advanced group with one point deducted for handler error… She got great rewards, but perhaps the most enjoyable for her was a big bag of food, which she earned. I am pleased with the enthusiasm and joy and the spirit of cooperation she showed. Little Lolka was not insane this time – she did her obedience exercises correctly, but we must still work on her socialization. A lot of work is still left to be done.

The puppies from our litter ‘G’ passed their 9 month mark, which means now they move up into the junior class at FCI dogs shows. All three puppies living in Poland have started their Junior Championships. At the age of 9 months and 1 day, Gran Milagro Azul (Mandżur) and Gran Rosa Amiga (Lola) both earned ‘Junior Winner’ placements at the FCI National Dog Show in Świebodzice (29/07/2012). Lola also placed Best Junior in Breed. Just one week later at the show in Legnickie Pole, Gran Rojo Corazon (Jared) placed Junior Winner and Best Junior (08/04/2012). Congratulations!

Here you can see GRAN ROJO CORAZON Atropa Bella Donna

Now we’d like to report on our ‘little’ Kona’s adventures and successes in the show rings in the United States. There are not a lot of Czechoslovakian Vlcaks in the USA, and even less with owners that compete. So far there are only about 10 in the entire country who have seen the inside of a show ring!
So Kona is a little bit of a pioneer, and she is showing under some judges who have never seen any of her breed. The US Club tries to give all judges some materials from the European specialty judges some weeks before the shows so that they have some insider’s notes too.
Right now all Czechoslovakian Vlcaks are shown under the United Kennel Club, the only kennel club they are fully recognized under. In the US, show rules are different than under FCI countries too – for example, any dog over 6 months can win any title. There is no Junior Champion title, and judges don’t rate each dog – either the dog wins something or he doesn’t..and of course other differences. Shows are sponsored by local kennel clubs or breed clubs and normally it is over an entire weekend with multiple judges, typically 2 shows per day running concurrently.
Debbie could not travel due to some scheduling conflicts, so Kona travelled with some friends going with other dogs. Sometimes Kona came first and sometimes she got reserve, but I will write all her placements thus far:

5 x Best Puppy, 5 x Best Female, 4 x Best of Breed, 3 x BOG 3

We are very proud of Kona for preserving without her owner, staying overnight in strange hotels, and doing well in the shows despite the weather, especially as a young puppy.
For these events Kona did have Czechoslovakian Vlcak competitors. Based on these results, Kona finished her first level of Championship in the United States! Now her ‘official’ name in the US is ‘U-CH. Gran Oro Sol Atropa Bella Donna’, or in other words, United Champion, USA.

Thank you to everyone who is taking such good care of Kona and giving her so many experiences in life! We look forward to other successes – in or out of the ring!