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DawgMom here, since I don't think the Bullies will get the "true' feeling of how the weekend went out there, I'm posting the story of our weekend at the dog show. (above picture of one of the groups of RV's during a cook-out on Sat. night) The week leading up to the show, should have been an indication of how the weekend was going to go, if I had only paid attention. This will probably end up in 2 installments because sooooo much stuff went on. I rarely drink anything, but I did have a drink on Sat night! There, I said it and I ain't takin it back!
We started off getting out of the driveway and on the way to the fairgrounds late, should have been there Thurs. night, but things at our auto repair shop we're crazy and by the time DawgDaddy got out of there, it was way too late to head out of here. Couple that with the fact that DawgDaddy had the RV at the shop 2 days of the week working on it, so I wasn't able to get it loaded and ready to go during the week. So we finally got the RV loaded with hooman & dog food, ex-pens, extra crates, extra beds, clothes and the dogs VERY early Friday morning and arrived at the fairgrounds at 12:15 pm. The RV's had already started coming in so we parked, plugged in, got the a/c running and started parking other RV's. Thus begins the crazy weekend.......
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See that beautiful Bull Terrier head?? You would think there were more brains in there than the average dog since there is so much extra room there, wouldn't you? Well, not so with that Bullie boy last weekend. Somewhere between our driveway and the fairgrounds, a mere 25 miles, that beautiful boy in that picture lost his brain. It disappeared, no where to be found, not even an inkling of a brain was present all weekend!!
Apparently, he has NEVER been on a lead, much less gone down and back or around OR stacked himself up for the judge. My mistake, I could have sworn I had taught him to do that and he had it down perfectly! I must have been dreaming that, because when I took him out of the RV, instead of a Bull Terrier on that lead, I had a bucking bronco, bouncing all over the place acting as if I were choking the life out of him! Even resorting to screaming!
He also has never seen another dog! Wow! Who have I been when watching play with other dogs at home? Was that really my Pappy that I was watching at home, or some little brindle alien that had taken over his body during the night??
As if that wasn't enough, he barked THE. ENTIRE. WEEKEND.!!! His voice is coming back, but for a week, I thought I had a hound in the house instead of a terrier. I mean to tell you it was non-stop barking!! By Sunday, even the other dogs were getting sick of him and Darla was determined to give him an attitude adjustment, Darla-style. We have all the crates strapped into the RV in place of the dining table so that everyone can go with us. So they were stuck listening to him while we were out parking motorhomes.
(That picture was taken in Gettysburg, when we went to the Nationals.) You can't see the whole set-up because it's hard to get the right angle, but if you see the blue crate on the bottom, that is where Feather lives for the weekend, Darla is on her left, closest to the bed, and Pappy is under the little crate (Chief, the Crested) right in front, to Feather's right, which means he can see out the door when it's open. So we switched Darla and Pappy around so he couldn't see as much. Didn't help. He still barked his fool head off. The only thing we can figure is that there were a couple of German Pinschers in the RV next door to us that were in season and he is 15 months old. Old enough to know he is supposed to do something about that smell, but still too young to know what that something is, so it turned into bratty frustration, like a teenage boy. Thankfully, the Diamonds with the German Pinschers have been been showing for years and we're very understanding about the whole "noise" thing. They even thought it was funny at times. Glad someone did, because I didn't. I kid you not, that monster could be heard all around the area!
I think he picked up his long lost brain on the trip back home and he is back to his normal self now that we are back home, and I hope by the time we head out again, he will remember what he is there for. Having Bull Terriers means you are willing to subject yourself to embarrassment at ANY given time, it's part of the deal, but this boy knows how to take it to the limits and really make me want to crawl under the nearest rock sometimes.
Showing his hiney is NOT part of the showing process, but it was this weekend. Needless to say, we didn't go in the ring, there was no way in hades I was going to take him in the show building and have him create havoc for everyone! I'm sure there would have been alot of laughs at my expense, but I wasn't about to oblige.
Now, the rest of the dogs did great! They have all been through these weekends before and as long as they have us around, they are content to enjoy the sights and sounds of the show. LizzaBella was a little bothered by the whole scene, but I think alot of that had to do with Pappy and his shenanigans. She did have to wear her "Frankie-stein" collar all weekend but she is back to her normal self as well now that we are home.
There you have the watered down version of Pappy's weekend. Stay tuned for the rest of the story.....power issues with some of the RV's, copperheads on the grounds, fireworks being set off on Sat. night (trust me NOT good with a fairground full of dogs!) storms, exhibitors arguing with one another, exhibitors arguing with US.......