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Please read our Kennel Visit Published in the June 2005 issue of the Pomeranian Club of Canada Newsletter.
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I've been showing dogs for 30 years. Boy writing that makes me feel old! My main focus has been Pomeranians for the last 12 ½ years and actively breeding for 10 years. My goals when I started out were way different than they are today. Since I came into Poms from a big breed background (Belgian Sheepdog (Groenendael), Malinois and German Shepherds) health checking was routine not an option. Dogs didn't come without guarantee's. Poms were an eye opening experience
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My main focus when I began breeding was on perfecting the Parti color Pomeranian. I had rescued a darling orange sable white parti out of a puppy mill. I was intrigued by his outgoing temperament (a far cry from my first Pom that was extremely neurotic) and his "flashy" color. I set out to create the perfect show parti Pom. I always loved a good challenge, which I proved by titling a Belgian Sheepdog to a Schutzhund III in a VERY male oriented sport with the "wrong" breed (Schutzhund is a German Shepherd breed sport first and foremost with Rotties in hot contention).
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Due to my big dog background I also am a structure fanatic. If a dog isn't sound and can't move then how can it be a companion? Although a Pom is suppose to be a toy dog and some claim a lap dog. You have to put it on the ground eventually.
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I had purchased a female Parti Pom and set out to breed to the nicest male I could find. I had already decided from researching parti's they definitely lacked type and coat. It was considered taboo to breed a parti to a solid. Most old timers only bred parti to parti and there is still a huge misconception about putting parti into a solid bloodline that it "pollutes" it. The parti color is a recessive color/pattern it's hard enough to get on purpose let alone by chance. In our breed we do have a "spotting" gene that can cause white legs, toes, chest spots. This IS different than a parti gene. I set out to find the perfect solid dog to breed to my parti. |
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Luckily for me the nicest male just happened to be 2 hours North of me. BIS, BISS Ch. Valcopy Wakhan Valentino aka Rudy owned and bred by Dana Plonkey and Randy Gemmill. A stunning black male that had the structure and movement I was looking for in a Pom. Rudy is also the foundation for my solid line. I was very fortunate that Dana Plonkey let me breed this very unattractive parti to his lovely boy..not that it didn't take some perseverance, and he check out my references! From this breeding I had 4 puppies 2 boys 2 girls, I kept a black bitch - Rise N Shine's Christmas Wish aka Promise.
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Rise N Shine's Christmas Wish ~ Promise
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In order to get the parti color back I then had to find a quality parti male to complement my girl. I found this male from Sherry Cartwright of Lil Ponderosa Poms in Wisconsin. His name was Lil Ponderosa's Icy Gold. He was a darling crème and white parti with a baby doll face and nice coat. From this combination I got Rise N Shine's Hit of the Parti. A wonderfully marked full coated black and white parti Pom. Unfortunately fate intervened. My big dog was stepping over him as he was lying down and he decided to get up at the same time and she snapped his leg. It didn't heal correctly and affected his movement and made one shoulder blade higher than the other. That ended his show career. |
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Rise N Shine's Hit
of the Parti |
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I ran into many health issues when trying to breed parti's and for me I've concluded there must be some pattern health related issues. If you start researching parti pedigrees they all basically go back to a few dogs. It's really amazing how closely bred they really are and probably why they seem more prone to certain health issues.
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In 2002 I experienced a "life change" after a very nasty divorce and moving. I pretty much gave up breeding parti's and went back to concentrate on my solid line and to work on other colors and patterns.
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My first solid show Pom was from Victoria Lovely of Lovely Poms. She was Ruby's Lovely Jinny Sais So, aka Ember. Ember was the daughter of BIS BISS Ch. Lovely Jessie Sais So. Ember wasn't crazy about showing and was reserve queen 22 times to majors.
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I bred Ember to BIS BISS Vacopy Wakhan Valentino and got Ch. Rise N Shine's Leading Lady aka Classy. Classy finished fairly quickly and even took time off for unexpected maternity leave much to my dismay but came back out and finished with majors. Her first time out as a special she took Best of Opposite Sex at the Puget Sound Pom Specialty. Classy then went on and had two more litters. My proudest moment at the age 5 at another Puget Sound Pom Specialty (and the same weekend as the American Pom Club Specialty) Classy won Best of Opposite with an entry of 107 Poms - 45 dogs, 40 bitches, 18 specials. For me you have to give a bitch a lot of credit that can come back out after having litters and continue winning owner/breeder handled.
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Aija's Sparkling
Chablis |
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Classy was bred to Ch. Cheyenne's Kodiak Bear Second and produced Ch. Rise N Shine's She's A Hottie aka Cayenne. Cayenne finished in a heartbeat going Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, Best Bred By Exhibitor and Best of Opposite Sex for her 4th major and a 5 pt major at that at the Puget Sound Pomeranian Club Summer Specialty in 2004.
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I repeated the breeding of Cayenne in the Spring of 2004. Classy had three puppies Rise N Shine's He's A Hottie aka Coltin, Rise N Shine's Hot Shot aka Sutter (both boys) and Rise N Shine's Light My Fire aka Flame (girl). They made their debut in March 2005 at the Puget Sound Pom Club Spring Specialty. Rise N Shine's Hot Shot took Winners Dog, Best Bred By Exhibitor and Winners Dog for a 5 pt major. Rise N Shine's He's A Hottie won Best Puppy out of 22 puppies. At the all breed show the following day Rise N Shine's He's A Hottie won Winners Dog and Best of Opposite over 5 male specials for a 5 pt major. A breeders thrill of a lifetime for two littermates to do so well and to have a litter of 3 show able kids. Rise N Shine's Light My Fire is maturing and waiting her turn in the wings.
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CH. Rise N Shine's
She's A Hottie ~ Cayenne |
CH. Rise N Shine's
Leading Lady ~ Classy |
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Other Highlights I'm proud of are: Best of Opposite in Sweepstakes with a Parti colored female Pom - Rise N Shine's Parti Music; High In Trial with my first Pom Aija's Sparkling Chablis. Chablis suffers from severe separation anxiety so training her was a definite challenge. Especially teaching her to stay, and for me to leave and walk across the room. Chablis has 2 legs on her CD and unfortunately due to health issues I was never able to finish her CD. Multi HIT Rise N Shine's Christmas Wish, GC took Back to Back High In Trials at the Puget Sound Pom Specialty and the American Pom Specialty… it was especially exciting since the same day I took High In Trial I also had taken Best of Opposite Sex with Ch. Rise N Shine's Leading Lady at the same specialty another thrill of a lifetime for a breeder, owner, handler.
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I'm also so very proud of the Agility dogs that I'm producing. Rise N Shine's Awesome Parti Music NA, NAJ owned and trained by Annette Sullivan. Rise N Shine's So Darn Cute, NA, NAJ, NAD trained by Arlene Wiltse, Rise N Shine's Black Coffee, NA,OAJ, NAD owned and trained by Anita Moran. Trainability with strong drives, and soundness all play an important role in creating a great agility dog.
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I use Pat Hasting's Puppy Puzzle testing method on all my litters. This has been an invaluable tool for my breeding program. It's not perfect but it's a tool to help me assess what I'm looking for in a puppy I want to grow out. I'm a firm believer in OFA hip testing and CERF. I believe in genetic testing and offer health guarantees on my puppies. I also offer rebates on any titles earned on the dogs. I want to encourage people to interact with their dog be it show, agility, obedience, therapy, herding etc.
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I feed my dogs a variety of foods. Currently I'm using: Dry Dog Food - Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul or Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Duck N Potato, I use canned food of the same brand and rotate with canned salmon, scrambled or poached chicken/duck eggs, frozen mixed veggies that have been thawed. They get table scraps or leftovers. Supplements I'm using now are Dynamite, Cod Liver Oil, Osteoform, and Vitamin C. I rotate everything and feel variety is the best thing for them. Dailey they have a bowl of peeled baby carrots that they can eat as they please.
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We live on a farm on 2 acres with 6 sheep, 21 chickens, 8 ducks, 2 cats, 2 rabbits and a Belgian Malinois. My dogs are all housedogs. They sleep with me on my bed at night or wherever they want. They are all pretty much housebroken. My oldest Pom is Aija's Sparkling Chablis. Chablis will be 13 in September 2005.
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Rise N Shine's Hit Parti Music
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In 1997 I was diagnosed with an illness called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Which has been linked with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Gulf War Syndrome. I'm ultra sensitive to chemicals and even strong natural scents. I also have major food allergies and am very thin because of it. Due to my sensitivities I cannot go into stores and have a hard time being around people because of laundry detergents, hairsprays, body lotions etc. When I show my dogs I've been accused of being anti-social, when in reality I usually stand by the door for fresh air to avoid all the hairsprays, perfumes, colognes etc. My dogs are truly shown natural. They don't get any fancy stuff sprayed on them if I'm showing them.
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To be a successful breeder involves other breeders. I really appreciate those that have helped me along the way. Special thanks to Celeste & Bob Solano of (Celestial) CR Poms for your friendship and allowing me to use your fabulous stud boy Ch. Cheyenne's Kodiak Bear Second. Dana Plonkey & Randy Gemmill for the use of BIS, BISS Ch. Valcopy Wakhans Valentino, Members of the Puget Sound Pom Club, and Alane Levinsohn of Showcase Poms. I'm eternally grateful to my cousin Annette Sullivan without her support, capable handling talents and my best sounding board I would not have succeeded to where I am today.
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Thank you Pomeranian Club of Canada for allowing me to share my story. . I've been a member of the Canadian Pom Club for about 9 years (longer than I've been a member of the American Pom Club!). Thank you to Carolyn Brady for introducing me to the club and assisting in my membership.
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Rise N Shine's Hit of the Parti
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