Josephine's Diary

May 16th 2004: I entered Josie in Open Bitch (the largest bitch class of the day) at The Poodle Club Open Show, it was her best performance for a long while. She managed a second behind the eventual BOB winner who had won a CC at a Champ Show the day before.

April 24th 2004: At a stiflingly hot WELKS today Josie decided to play around on her triangle and up and down but managed a 5th out of 13 in Post Graduate bitch..

March 27th 2004:Josie performed well again at the IPC Champ Show today gaining 3rd in a hard Post Graduate Bitch class, she is still a little off her best but improved on her Crufts performance.

March 4th 2004:Josie's form continues to improve and she is 80% back to the way she was during her golden spell last summer. She did really well at Crufts 2004 gaining 4th place in a hard large class, the winner of the class went on to gain the Reserve CC so that was a measure of how well she went.

February 16th 2004:Josie was more like her old self at MCPC Champ Show yesterday. In the largest class of the day her behaviour was exemplary. It was very hot in the ring and the bitches had to stack for 10 minutes whilst the judge "went over" the others. Josie did not move a muscle and was much better on the move, although I need to tighten her up a little it was her best performance since South Western in November. She got placed third in what was a quality line up and has qualified for Crufts 2005.   

February 10th 2004:Josie was super at Ringcraft tonight, I might have just found out what was causing her behaviour. 

February 8th 2004: Josie has finished her season and I have started her training again, and will be taking her to Ringcraft on Tuesday.

January 18th 2004: Josie is in season, that could have played a part in her recent bad behaviour. We will miss out on The Poodle Club but will be back for Midland Counties and Crufts.

January 17th 2003: Josie is still playing up in the ring, she would not keep all four feet on the ground at Manchester today and managed only 4th out of 10 in her Postgraduate Bitch Class. I will return her to Ringcraft next week to try and train it out of her. 

December 12th 2003: When I arrived at LKA, I moved Josie around and she was fine, in the class of 12 she was fine on the go round, stack and when the judge went over her. She really played me up on the move, she nibbled the lead, my bottom and my pocket. When the Judge said "up and down please Sir, I think she meant along the mat and not up in the air. At least she still got 3rd place. She did freestand at the end though and I have to get her back on track again.

November 29th 2003: Josie was even naughtier at Eastern Counties Poodle Club Champ Show today but still managed to win Graduate Bitch. I will have to work on her to get her out of this phase. 

November 8th 2003: Josie was extremely naughty today at The SPC's Champ Show, she played around on the move and would not stand still on the stack. She managed to get second in Graduate Bitch though..

November 2nd 2003: Josie wins Post Graduate bitch at South Western Poodle Club's Championship Show Today. It was a tough quality class, she had given me a hard time on the grooming table so I was delighted when she behaved in the ring. She does delight in shaking her top knot out after it has been put up though. 

October 27th 2003: We arrived at Midland Counties yesterday to find a Post Graduate Bitch entry of 21. That is the biggest entry I have ever taken part in and I must admit I felt a little nervous, 19 actually turned up (still the biggest). We all had to work very hard as the Judge and her Steward had the nightmare task of sorting out this very hard quality class. After everyone had been seen she picked out 10 . I was delighted at that point as we were picked out. She then made us all move again and had another look  at each of us. To my delight Josie was picked out second and the winner went on to get the Reserve CC too so that made it even more satisfying. Josie was not at her best today, I feel that she can move a little better but is not far off the plot now.      

September 27th 2003: Josie wins a class of five at The Alton CS Open Show today, she was naughty on the move in the class but gave a really good account of herself in the challenge.  

September 7th 2003: I entered Josie in Post Grad a couple of months early to see how she looked against more mature bitches. She didn't disappoint and got placed 4th in a class of 8. She ran the other three very close and whilst we were in the line the Judge told us that we would all change places on another day. Josie showed that with a little more maturity she will be there or thereabouts in the coming months. She shows her socks off for me and I really cant ask for anything more. 

September 1st 2003: Josie wins again at Birmingham City champ show. She looked stunning, I looked at the video this morning and she is just about there now. 

August 18th 2003: Josie wins her class at WKC, I was delighted to get yet another champ show win under her belt. She is a little "over coated" and is due for a complete restyle.  

August 9th 2003: Josie wins her class at Bournemouth and gave an excellent account of herself in the challenge. She is nearly there, a little more coat in some areas and a little less in others and she will be complete.  

July 16th 2003: Josie gets a second in Graduate Bitch in a very tough class at the East Of England Championship Show. With temperatures in the 90's Josie got "spooked"  on her way to the ring by three terriers benched behind us who flew at her. She was hesitant to go past them and in the ring she was sick on the go round but recovered well enough to get second place.

June 12th 2003: Josie finally gets her first (and second) critique in the dog press, see her page on my Affix site for what they said.

May 29th 2003: Despite temperatures in the 80's Josie showed her heart out at Southern Counties to win her second first prize in a week. I am now resting her from Champ Shows for a few weeks and she will return at East Of England in July.

May 26th 2003:A naughty Josie gets her first "red" at Bath Championship Show today. It was nice to finally get her into the line up.

May 8th 2003: Josie's mature performance at Birmingham National  gained her a well deserved second (her highest Champ Show placing to date). I was delighted with her, she showed her heart out.

May 2nd 2003: Josie joined the adults at Crewes Hill Ringcraft last night and gave a very good account of herself. She was very fidgety on the stack  and being "gone over" but her movement continued to show improvement. What pleased me most was her general fitness level, not only did she last the whole hour but still wanted to carry on at the end. When we got home she was tearing around the house with Poly as if she had been resting all evening. Crewes Hill is the place to go for movement improvement as the trainer there is exceptional in that and the size of the ring and type of floor is identical to the one at Stafford's County Showground.

April 26th 2003: Super performance from Josie at WELKS yesterday, her stacking was perfect, her movement was so much improved (she actually kept her topline) but she played Miss Fidget when the judge went over her. None the less in her first Junior class she managed a third, which I was delighted with as she was only 3 days over a year old and the baby of the class. She still needs a little more work but is moving in the right direction.

April 20th 2003: Josie has really become "finicky" with her food, she has gone off biscuits and is turning her nose up at Tripe and even mince. She does seem to like chicken so I am going to feed that and try her on different biscuits. I have just done her ears, teeth and nails for WELKS next week.

April 11th 2003: A course of Pulsatilla has enabled Josie to retrieve all her sparkle and I have started her at Crewes Hill to work on her movement. She had a really good session last night and I had her moving much better by the end of the evening. She also won the stacking competition, this is where all the dogs are moved around the ring and the trainer yells "stand your dogs", you have 10 seconds to do it. The one who takes the longest to stack  is "chucked out" and as the numbers reduce, the trainer lowers the time allowed to 5 and then 3 seconds until one dog is left. Last night it was Josie's turn to win (keeping up Poly's good work in this exercise).

March 30th 2003: Although below par, due to her having a "phantom" Josie managed a credible third place in her final puppy class at The I.P.C. Champ Show yesterday. She has now qualified for Crufts 2004 and I can relax and work on improving her over the coming year. 

March 19th 2003: As Josie is now approaching 11 months I have increased her training. I am doing the same body building as I did with Poly. She is now getting 3 miles a day off lead on a mixture of surfaces from cobble stones and concrete to hill work. She has really muscled up and her second thigh is now mouth watering. her feet have tightened up and her general fitness has really improved. Her lead work during the day is all on local hills too. At last nights Ringcraft she looked so mature and her movement is improving but still needs some work. I am trying to get that nice "U" shape in the lead on the move and she now does her triangle and up and down by voice command. She had the mat to herself I was running around the outside of them. She is also starting the coat change and is proving a nightmare but what I learned with  Poly has stood me in good stead.

March 9th 2003: A superb performance from Josie regrettably came to nothing in a hard tough class at Crufts today, she really has come of age. Superbly trimmed by Tina Ambridge she looked fantastic on the stack and her movement was vastly improved. I am now moving her on a loose lead and she has really responded.

6th March 2003: She is now face, feet & tailed, her nails clipped, her ears and teeth have also been cleaned. On Friday I will bath, dry and get her ready for scissoring. I am really looking forward to Crufts and I think she will give a good account of herself.

5th March 2003: Josie had a good session at Ringcraft tonight, it was a good workout and she thoroughly enjoyed herself.

16th February 2003: The vitamins and glucose have worked, Josie is lively again and has been jumping all over poor Poly. She has been for a 3 mile walk at 1:30 AM and still wants to play.  

13th February 2003: Now in the second week of her first season, Josie has lost all her sparkle. She is listless and is sleeping a lot, I have started her on SA37 Vitamin Supplement and am adding Glucose to her water. I can't remember my Min bitch being like this but it is normal, I have to build up her energy levels for Crufts though.

5th February 2003: Josie is in season and will miss Midland Counties PC Open Show, this will also limit her pre Crufts training sessions to two. The good news is that she will be OK for Crufts (which was a worry).

28th January 2003: I am taking Josie to a local Ringcraft Club whose trainer specialises in movement, as we now move into Puppy I want to start tightening her movement up.

26th January 2003: Josie gave me quite a fright earlier in the week by scratching her face, it looked quite bad but has healed up nicely and has not affected that pretty head of hers. I have started to "up" her training with more road work, taking in running up and down hills  and walking on cobble stoned roads. She is now getting 90 minutes per day (although still on the lead). I noticed another change in her today, she is developing quite a chin and her features are chiselling out, my puppy is becoming an adult. Time has really flown by and in three months she moves into Junior Bitch.

18th January 2003: Josie's stacking is now faultless, her movement still needs work but she did enough at the Poodle Club today to get placed VHC. 

15th January 2003: Josie warmed up nicely for The Poodle Club at last nights Match. She went Best Puppy beating some cracking dogs along the way and for good measure went Reserve Best In Match as well. She still needs to tighten up her movement but her stacking was exceptional for a puppy her age.

11th January 2003: Josie has had a month off from shows and training clubs, I have been working on her at home and she has a match this Tuesday, prior to The Poodle Club show at the weekend. She is coming along nicely and I am very pleased with her progress.

14th December 2002: Josie just keeps on improving, her stacking at LKA today was super, she was more settled when the judge went over her but still needs to tighten up her movement. It was a tough class with very little between the first five, Josie was in that five getting a VHC. I am absolutely delighted to have her back in the line, it will take some more work to get her up that line.

10th December 2002: Last night was the Dog Of The Year Show for all the local Ringcraft clubs match winners. Josie was extremely naughty but did enough to win Pup Of The Year. She managed to beat the Leonberger and Afghan who had beaten her in the last couple of matches and some very nice pups from other societies. We have a lovely rosette and are waiting for the trophy (which hasn't been returned by last years winner).

3rd December 2002: Last night was the Interclub match and Josie was entered in a class of 20 puppies all going head to head. She won her way through to the Best Puppy Final beating the country's top winning Doberman Puppy on the way. I was delighted with that win as he is also much older than her (11 months). She was beaten by a lovely Leonberger who also went reserve best in match. Josie's timing to produce her best performance to date was perfect as watching was one of our top all rounders. The match judge herself was in Beagles and commented how well Josie went.

2nd December 2002: Josie just gets better and better, she performed well at B.U.B.A but alas wasn't the judges type. A big thanks must go to all those who offered advice at B.U.B.A it was much appreciated.

27th November 2002: After a two week break from Ringcraft I took Josie along this evening to try out what we had been working on at home. Her movement tonight was exceptional, her stacking vastly improved and she stood still whilst people went over her. Now let's try it in the ring at B.U.B.A on Saturday.

12th November 2002: A good Adult Match debut for Josie (once again the baby of the class) as she won her way through the pairings to meet an 11 month old Afghan. The Afghan won the final pairing and went on to win Best In Match. Josie's performance was good, her stacking continues to improve as does her movement. The Judge made a fuss of her when she went over her and Josie made a fuss of her too. The Judge told me afterwards that it was a shame she came up against such a super Afghan as she would have won Puppy and considered for Reserve Best In Match. Josie really seems to enjoy herself in the ring and her concentration has improved so much over the last few weeks.

11th November 2002: Josie has had a good rest and I am entering her in a match on Tuesday, which will be her first at adult level. She will be entered in the puppy class and will be more good practice for the both of us as I try to tighten her performance up. Her next Champ Show is BUBA on the 30th November.

10th November 2002: At the SPC champ show yesterday Josie produced her best performance to date. In a class of 13 she stacked for ages, stood still whilst the Judge went over her and moved with real style. She looked super too as this was one of my best bathing & drying efforts.

26th October 2002: What a busy few days she has had, Wednesday she was clipped, Thursday she was bathed and dried and on Friday morning it was a 100 mile round trip to Marlene Carter to be scissored. Whenever she had scissored Poly in the past he has looked magnificent, and has been working on Josie's coat for a while now. By the time Marlene had finished, Josie looked absolutely magnificent and I had very little to do at today's show.  In a Minor Puppy Bitch class where she was the youngest by at least 6 weeks Josie did not let me down. She stacked like a rock and although her movement was not as good as I have had in training she did enough to get placed third and qualify for Crufts 2003. The Judge said that she felt that the first three would change places with each other in the line during their show careers. I was delighted as qualifying for Crufts was my goal for the year, now I have to improve and see where that takes us. Josie's show career is up and running.

22nd October 2002: Well that's it now, Josie is 6 months old today and on Saturday I will know if all the work over the last 4 months has paid off. At tonight's Ringcraft she was in a naughty mood when I took her into the hall but as soon as I got her into the ring she settled and boy did she settle, if ever I needed a confidence booster she gave me one. She stacked, she was fine when people went over her and did she move or what ! I now have her going well enough on a loose lead and fingers crossed I can duplicate that at Midland Counties. If she moves like that I cannot ask more of her. Tomorrow I will clip her, on Thursday I will bath and dry her. On Friday it is scissoring day, at least she will be easier to keep clean than Poly. 

15th October 2002: A super night at Ringcraft for Josie, she stacked like a dream, her movement was wonderful but she does still need some work. With 10 days to go until Midland Counties I feel she will give a good account of herself.

11th October 2002: As we close in on her show debut she is looking more and more mature. I measured her at 23" this morning and she weighed in at 42lbs. She is being naughty though at training classes and is being a real cow to Poly. She has sooo much attitude, I feel she just needs to channel it in the right area and she will do just fine.   

1st October 2002: Josie has improved so much over the last couple of weeks, she is now 22" to the shoulder and weighs 38 lbs. At Ringcraft tonight she was a naughty girl when we first went into the hall but she quickly settled down, and she had a good session.  

19th September 2002: I entered Josie in The Crews Hill puppy match (for the 3-6 months), this is always a difficult one if you are not in the working group, (Poly never managed even a place in the adult matches he took part in here). As you know Josie's first attempt  a few weeks ago brought a first but last night in a class of 18 she managed a credible third. Her stacking was simply super, don't know how long it was, save to say that the judge looked along the line and back again and she hadn't moved one iota ! Her movement was ok too but we were beaten by a Boxer and a Leonberger. The judge gives tickets in Newfie's and as Josie was the only non working to be placed I was delighted with that (you can't win em' all). 

12th September 2002: She managed a full hour at Ringcraft tonight, I had her doing "up and downs", triangles, social walking, stacking and had people go over her. This was the best session yet, she is looking really great and when we got everyone in the hall to clap she went on to tip toes and really moved. Once I am able to get her stacked she is like a rock and you could easily forget that you have a 4 1/2 month old pup in front of you. As she gets older and her movement tightens up I think she will be an excellent mover, at this stage I am making it fun and she seems to enjoy it, as her concentration improves she focuses on me in the ring. 

11th September 2002: Josie has been bathed dried and scissored today she looks terrific. I took some pictures of her stacked (not bad for 4 1/2 months). Ringcraft tonight and I only have to utter the magic words (show shows) and she jumps around with delight. 

10th September 2002: It was a second for Josie at tonight's match, she is really teething now and played up a little. However she really pushed the winner (a 6 month old Pomeranian) all the way. The Judge moved the two of us a few times and told us it could have gone either way. It was another big strong class so I was pleased with the result.

5th September 2002: Josie excelled herself at last nights Ringcraft. She stacked for over 4 minutes. She does like to lick and cuddle the judge though and is becoming a thorough show off on the move. She has plenty of spirit and really drives around the ring. She has now grown to almost  21 inches and continues to put on weight (over 2 stone), her coat is looking great  and is becoming the very pretty girl we thought she would be. 

28th August 2002: I didn't like the "professional" picture of Josie that was taken at the weekend so I reverted back to the last one. She is really coming along nicely and is now 20 inches to the shoulder and just over two stone in weight. I am delighted with her progress thus far, she is very pretty too and I will take some photos that do her justice when she is scissored next.

23rd August 2002: The first half hour of tonight's Ringcraft was outside on grass. Josie has improved immensely and moved really well. When we moved inside she again showed that delightful movement and her only misdemeanor was when people went to "go over her" she wagged her tail so vigorously her whole bottom was moving. She is now stacking for well over a minute and is on course for her debut at Midland Counties in 10 weeks time. 

16th August 2002: Josie was entered in the Nursery class (3 - 6 months) of Crews Hill Ringcraft Club's match last night. It was a big strong class with some excellent babies on show. One word describes her performance BRILLIANT ! She looked so mature against the others, she stacked for over a minute and moved like a dream. I thought she did really well and so did the Judge (gives CC's in Rottweilers) picking Josie out first saying she was an excellent puppy. This makes it 2 wins out of 2 for Josie in Nursery class matches and she just gets better and better. There is a long way to go but I think she could hold her own in a Minor Puppy class now and with 10 weeks to go until her Champ Show debut all I can say is that The Proof of the Puddin will be seen then. Watch this space. 

15th August 2002: Josie now has her name it is MAEFARE PROOF OF THE PUDDIN. Freda thought that one up yesterday and it rolled of the tongue nicely so I decided to see if the KC would accept it. They had turned down 6 names that I had tried for so it was fingers crossed. The KC have now registered it and transferred her into my name so now all that is needed is to carry on with her training and hope that she continues to improve in the way that she has been. She has a puppy match tonight and I am also entering her for Midland Counties in October (she will be 6 months and two days old on the first day of the show).

8th August 2002: Josie's adult teeth have now started showing themselves, she is really sensitive around her mouth area. At last nights Ringcraft she showed her much improved stacking now at around 20 seconds. Her movement was good too, it is easy to forget that she is still only 15 weeks old. She is 1 stone 8 lbs, her height to the shoulder is now 18 1/2 inches. 

5th August 2002: Poor Josie is teething, she has lost a couple of baby teeth and is gnawing her smoked bones almost continually. 

2nd August 2002: A much better session on grass for Josie last night, she is now stacking for 15 seconds and her movement outside with all the distractions was improved. I have a Midland Counties Schedule and I will be entering her for this show, she will be 4 days over 6 months.

28th July 2002: Josie is now in Pants, we felt that she had more than enough coat and boy doesn't it suit her, she is looking the cracking puppy that both Freda and thought she would be. Today she measured 17.5 inches to the shoulder and now weighs nearly 1 stone 2 lbs. 

18th July 2002: Tonight's puppy Ringcraft session was held outside on grass and it's a good job those of us with the younger ones have a sense of humour. They all decided it was great fun and played us up. Josie laid on her back and waited to be tickled by the lady next to me and her Bulldog wanted one of Josie's treats. I kept cursing my shoelaces as they were forever undoing themselves until I saw the reason. When the trainer was running through things with us and my attention came away from Josie, she decided she liked them untied and proceeded to pull on them without my realising.

17th July 2002: Although her height to the shoulder is still 16" she looks taller and today I caught her drinking out of Poly's water bowl (it is raised up on a stand), I suspect she is entering the "necky" phase. Her coat is coming along and she is learning rapidly. I have been able to get her to stack for 12 seconds and she will free stand at the end of an "up and down". I took a picture of her free standing on her own in the garden today (see above).

9th July 2002: Josie started her show career tonight with a win. She was entered in the Nursery class of our KC match this evening and was the youngest in a class of 8. I am delighted with her progress.

3rd July 2002: Josie showed her enormous promise last night, when she settles she really can move with all the drive we expect from a poodle. She is now happy with all the noises and I am now beginning to feel a dog on the end of the lead. She really didn't want to leave the hall and thoroughly enjoyed  herself. She is now 14" to the shoulder and 14 lbs in weight.

2nd July 2002: Josie is now in the "leggy" phase and is growing fast. She is putting on weight and is into everything, tonight she is coming to Wembley with me for more socialisation. The young puppies are walked in and out of each other and they get to meet lots of other dogs and people. I firmly believe that if I had got Poly at this age I would have had a much better behaved dog. It has been said that you cannot socialise puppies enough and indeed the Guide Dogs for the Blind start training theirs at 3 weeks of age. Next week she can enter the "puppy walk" part of our match night (for the babies), that is usually a lot of fun.

29th June 2002: Josie has been face/feet/tailed with a 30 blade, she looks very pretty. Not enough coat yet for putting into "pants" but it is coming along nicely. She has been playing with Poly today, they have been chasing each other around the garden. 

27th June 2002: Josie made her Ringcraft debut tonight at Crews Hill, she delighted everyone with her wonderful outgoing temperament. She was a little nervous at first but it only took a few minutes for her to gain confidence and she soon started joining in with all the barking. She moved delightfully and I even managed to get 10 seconds of stacking from her. 

24th June 2002: Clipped her face today, what a performance, she wriggled and made it very difficult. On Thursday  she makes her Ringcraft debut at Crewes Hill.

20th June 2002: She is such a madam, she gave Poly a serious nip today and he barked at her, she barked back ! She is becoming really independent and is going to be strong willed (typical Standard Poodle). She is not fussed by anything, is growing rapidly and putting on weight, I intend to start her at Ringcraft in two weeks time.

16th June 2002: Going to bath her today, that should be fun !

15th June 2002: I tried Josie on the lead in the garden today and yet another surprise, she is a natural. Poly has helped here, I move him in front of her and she follows behind, right alongside my left leg. The two of them are getting along better than I ever dreamed. She can be a little "so and so" and drives him mad, chewing his ears, top knot and coat. He is really protecting her and if she is in the garden and anyone comes to the fence he puts himself between them and Josie.

14th June 2002: Josie has surprised me by being almost house trained. She asks to go out and if she can't make it she goes on paper by the door.

11th June 2002: Josie starts her course of Homeopathic Nosode vaccination. 

10th June 2002: Josie comes to live with Mike and Poly.