Mr. Darcy

I once again contacted Jan Boyce, and she had a litter coming, but had promised a bitch and was keeping a bitch for herself, so I said well would she keep me in mind.   

The litter arrived and only two girls and two boys.   I didn't want another boy, but she said I will send you a photo and you can make up your mind.

As soon as I saw his picture, I said I will have him. 

  Here he is all grown up and winning lots of  ribbons and is not only an Australian Champion, but is well on his way to becoming a Grand Champion.   The most adorable little dog with a personality to be envied.   He just turned four years old and we are looking forward to some of his get in the near future.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

USA

I have been absent from my Blog for a long time.   Had a new computer installed and had a lot of
trouble getting my head around all the new functions and spending way too much time searching for
this and that.
Got very frustrating and I " kicked it to the kerb " for a good long time.

I arrived in the USA in February of 1972 and got my first silkys in December of that year.
I imported a male Ch Waitink Tiny Tink (Waiton line) and a female Grajule Sparklet (Lylac line)
from June Chivers of Sydney NSW. 
I named them Tinky and Precious.   They were mated several years later and they had one male.
Ch Centella Lil Fellah ROM.
I later brought into the family Grajule Claudine and she had 4 babies with Tinky.
Centella Sweet Roll ROM was one and  after producing some lovely pups in 3 litters total, was bitten
by a Copperhead snake and died several hours later.   A little bit of me died with her.
She was a very special silky.
Claudine also produced Ch Centella Senorita Chica out of the same litter, who was a big winner.

I travelled throughout the USA in my 28 foot motor home and began a career as a professional
handler and dog show groomer, while at the same time showing my silkys.

I also studied several years at the Texas A&M Veterinary School, in Nutrition, Genetics and
hereditary diseases.   I worked with a veterinarian at the same time, and learned so much from
him.   It was an invaluable experience.

Sadly, my house and kennel burned to the ground in 1980 while I was away and I lost my dearest
Champions Lil Fellah and Senorita Chica.   I lost all my records, books, study notes, and had no
Insurance.   So I was not only homeless, but nowhere to keep my 22 dogs that were left.
A friend kindly ran an ad in the Houston Chronicle and I homed 11 of the dogs that were left.

We lived in a tent on our property for around 6 months, until I sold the land to a neighbor
and built a house in another area. 

I was so traumatised, I pretty much did nothing for another year.   It took 2 years to retrieve most of the dog's registrations.   I had to rely on friends who had show catalogues and thankfully returned
many pictures I had sent them.

I obtained Championships on 13 of my Silkys whilst living in the USA.

I spent 26 years in Texas, before moving back to Tasmania, Australia

I had two girls and an ex-husband and 4 silkys.    The girls and my silkys I brought with me.

When 3 out of my 4 silkys died of old age, I contacted Jan Boyce in NSW and she sent me
a dear little silky CH Nantiki Hot Topic (Tootsie)  and when she reached 12 years, I knew it
was time to get another silky, as the thought of being without a silky at my side was not negotiable.

Next time I will catch up to the present, and now all is working again, I can hopefully make
more entries.

Bits ABOUT ME

My Grandfather Gillon had a little "Sydney Silky" (as called back then in the 1940's), and every time my Dad would go over there it would nip at his heels and Dad hated that dog.  Needs training, he would say.   Our property and my Grandparents' property backed onto one another, covering an area between two streets.   We had stables, where Dad kept pacing horses, and he would drive  them back and forth from Elwick Racecourse attached to their jinkers.   We also had a large vegie garden and Dad had his chickens and Mum had her bantams.   So I grew up amid animals and a city/country life.  Our property is now a concrete parking lot for Woolworths and our house is a shop and my Grandparents' house is completely gone.   Progress they call it !!!
  Dad had two red Kelpies that he showed and dearly loved, especially Flash.   He talked about him until the day he died.   The bitch was named Flame.   Sadly, both died with distemper and Dad never owned a show dog again.  Back then there were no vaccinations.    I don't think he ever got over it.

 Dad continued his interest in the shows and kept, trained and showed other peoples' dogs and often advised Judges, at their request, while serving as a Ring Steward.

  He also had an Australian Terrier named Snoop and I watched her litter be born in amongst some hay in the stable.   That's how it was back in the 1940's.  She had 3 puppies, two were sold and they kept a boy, named Ricky.   He was later re-homed and we just had Snoop then.   She was the best ratter and definitely earned her keep.   Dad bragged a lot about her too.   Here I am with my brothers at the old place with Flash and Flame, and a few photos of Flash and Flame by themselves.

That is Flash on the left and Flame on the right with myself and my brothers.

This is Flash in the top photo and Flame bottom left and Snoop and her baby Ricky (Australian Terriers) circa 1947.

The next picture is of me at the Royal Hobart Showgrounds with my first show dog....Colliehaven Regal Duke.   Circa 1958.   Picture take by the Mercury Newspaper.

Next time my involvement with Silky Terriers and 26 years spent in the USA.

 

A few more helpful hints.

 Just a couple of ideas that may work for you.
If you are having a problem with sunburn on your silky's coat or any other long coated breed, you can move the parting from the centre, a few centimeters either to the left or right, that way when show day comes, you can part it back down the centre line and the sunburned coat will disappear underneath.

Training a new puppy, or raising a home born litter,  hold the puppy a  lot and touch face, inside of mouth, around the gums,  top of head and ears along with feet, nails, tail and the underside as much as possible.   No use waiting until they are at training classes or their first baby puppy exhibit.  It will be a long struggle to get the puppy used to being handled with ease by a judge or for veterinary care.  
The first time I took my silky to the vet. for a check up and shots, he stood in a perfect show stand on the table for the full exam and shots.   The vet was amazed.  She had never seen such a well behaved dog.   He was used to being handled from the day he was born and handled a lot when he came to me at 10 weeks.  

You cannot successfully train a dog without eye contact.   That should be encouraged as soon as the eyes open or as soon as you are in possession of the puppy.   To do that try to get the pups attention with a toy, ball or treat.   Let them smell or mouth it, then move it slowly away toward your own eyes, until they follow the item all the way from them to you.  Then once the puppy locks eyes with you, give them the treat or toy.  NEVER reward a puppy until they do what you are asking them to do.   May take a few times, but they soon figure out how to get what they want, which is the treat.   Only ever feed them that treat when training.  Once you have eye contact with your puppy, that places you in control.   All dogs need a leader for their health and well-being.   Always be training.  Such as don't just throw the ball and wander off.   Stay and call, "bring it" and when they do give them a treat.   Gradually, you will be able to fore-go the treat for a "good dog" and a pat.

When out for a walk, let the puppy sniff and wander on a loose lead.   At the end of the walk pull the collar up under the chin and straighten the lead where the puppy has to walk with the head in a high position, and finish up the walk.   Stop and get the puppy's attention (eye contact) and "stay".
Then give the treat.

The next few Blogs,  I will fill in the "about me" section and post a few pictures from the "good old days".  Also some of my background experience in dog training, showing, grooming etc.

A few helpful hints.

Since I have been without a computer and phone for a long time, while the powers that be fixed lines and more lines to our NBN hook-up, I haven't been able to do any more research on the first silky shows, so I am going to make this post about some helpful hints.  

When buying your first puppy and have set your mind on a certain breed,  do as much research as possible from the internet, breeders at the shows, and books.   Once fully educated, and you make your choice of puppies offered, ask many questions of the breeder as to its' health, parentage, training and known hereditary diseases (which you should know if there are any common to the breed from your previous research), and especially grooming.   If you are not satisfied with the answers, you should abandon this choice even though the puppies are ever so cute.   Don't be in a rush to get A puppy.  You will have to tend to and care for this puppy for around 14 to 16 years, so choose carefully.

NEVER encourage biting (even in play).  Once a puppy lays its' teeth on you at any time for any reason, stop what you are doing and say NO BITING in a firm but calm way.   If the puppy persists, put them away on their own in their crate or bed and totally ignore them for at least an hour.  May take a few times, but patience, patience and more patience.   NEVER lay an angry rough hand on your pup.  NEVER yell !!!   NEVER reward bad behavior, by taking notice of it.   Ignore bad behavior and reward good.  They soon learn what gets them the most attention. Always, calm and assertive.


 Brushing and grooming should always be done on a table and the puppy encouraged to "be still".  If you are lucky enough to have a show quality puppy, investing in a small grooming table with a noose or lead attachment would be worthwhile.   So helpful in training and gets them used to being above the ground, when in the show ring they have to be displayed on a table and will feel secure if trained at home beforehand.   At first keep the brushing and grooming to a few minutes a couple of times a day.   Remember:  Brushing with a natural hog bristle brush (men's brush as the bristle are shorter and stiffer) is all that is needed for a silky terrier coat.   Bathing can be as little as when needed.  The brushing promotes blood supply to the skin and rids the coat of dirt and dead hair.   Since a silky does not shed,  the hair still dies off and must be brushed out or it will knot and that leads to many other problems.   Bathing too much washes out the natural oils and can leave the skin dry and itchy.
ALWAYS cut your shampoo and conditioner to a 50-50 radius mixed with water.
ALWAYS  rinse, rinse and rinse again.   Shampoo left in the dog's hair or on their skin can lead to yeast infections or other bacterial infections (hot spots, rashes etc).

Well, that is all for this week.  Back again next week, with a few more "helpful" hints.

The Australian Terrier

Just came across some interesting facts about the Australian Terrier (whose genes are in  our silky terriers).

Firstly, I am guessing that the rough terrier, first exhibited in the first Canine Exhibition on 12th November, 1862, was the fore-runner of the Australian Terrier.   There were 18 rough terriers exhibited at that first show.   Quite a lot really, considering the total entries.
So in search of the first show where the soft or silky coated terrier first appeared, I found the following:-
in the Mercury dated 27 March, 1890

THE AUSTRALIAN TERRIER

 The "doggy world" is excited just now over the Australian terrier.  This is a wiry-haired little animal that has been evolved in the colony.  Mr. Coupe, the judge at the Victorian dog shows, declares him to be a mongrel, and has a real John Hull kind of contempt for him.   But, to the horror of Mr. Coupe and all his friends,  Lord Hopetoun has actually bought two of the breed, and everyone is anxious to know if he is going to exhibit them, and if he does whether the uncompromising Mr. Coupe will turn them out of the ring as he has always done hitherto.  Dog fancying in Melbourne is progressing vastly.  

However, in the Mercury, 22 August, 1895 at the Tasmanian Poultry and Dog Society Show there were 8 Blue and Tan or Sandy Rough Terrier entries.   So it would seem that 5 years hence, the Australian Terrier was still being names Rough Terrier, but with the addition of Sandy, not seen before.  

So then jump ahead to 1903 at the Kempton Poultry and Farm Produce Society Show, held on the 19th August, 1903 the entries were named Blue and Tan Terrier (dropping the term Rough).

I hope by my next post I will have found some soft/silky coated terriers in the show ring in Tasmania.

The first show in Northern Tasmania

Five years have gone by now to 22 September, 1867 where the first Northern Tasmanian Poultry and Dog Society Show was held.

Then onto Friday, the 10th of October, 1873, as printed in the Mercury, the first Campbell Town Poultry and Dog Show was held.
As written.."Poultry and Dog Shows are daily becoming increasingly popular.
Hobart Town and Launceston having initiated the movement, Campbell Town followed suit, holding a very successful Show."

Amongst the entries of Spaniels, Greyhounds, Setters etc. I noticed one entry of particular note.
Kangaroo - dogs and Kangaroo - sluts.   This term "sluts" was apparently used for "bitches" at the time or changed from bitches since the first show in 1862, where the females were labelled " bitches."
I have been wondering if this term may have been applied to wayward wenches (humans), who were a little too promiscuous, in later years and often heard used even today.
The other entry that peaked my interest, was the Scotch Colley...now known as the rough or smooth collie.  
If anyone has an idea about the breed Kangaroo (canine that is) please feel free to leave a comment.

Up until this point, I have not seen any entries of soft or silky coated terriers, just rough terriers, which were most likely the fore-runners of the Australian Terrier.  

I hopefully, will have found one or both entered in a show as my research moves along. 

I discovered recently from a sight hound owner who once owned a  kangaroo dog.  He said his was crossed between a Greyhound and a Great Dane.   He said his was huge and could run like the wind and fell a full size kangaroo in one strike.   They are not recognized as a breed, rather a type and breeders have never shown any interest in trying to register them with the ANKC.  

If interested the full history of this breed can be seen on Google...Kangaroo Dog.