Ivy is a new champion! She won Winners Bitch and Best of Winners on Saturday and Sunday at the Palm Springs KC show last weekend (Jan 7-8). Both days were majors, so that gave her more than enough points to finish as a Champion. That makes 4 Champions at Ringsides Kennel.

I've got Ivy entered in a benched dog show in San Francisco on Jan. 28-29. I've never been to a benched show before. The format is a little different than the regular shows we attend. I'll tell you more about it after we're back from it.

I think Ivy will be held out of a lot of shows this year. It will give her a chance to mature. 2013 you'll see more of Ivy as a "Special".

Fern went on a big adventure with Stephanie House this weekend. Fern went to Seattle, Washington for a three day show up there. The following weekend she will be on her way home after she competes in Portland, Oregon. The Seattle shows are small and the Portland shows are 2 pointers. Fern needs the points and the show experience. Stephanie House is the daughter of Barbara, who handles and co-owned the father of Ivy.

Fern will compete in the same benched show in San Francisco's Cow Palace. Fern is also entered in the Santa Clara KC show on February 19th in San Jose. She is also entered in the Sun Maid KC show in Fresno on February 4-5. Fern's going to be busy. She needs 11points and 2 majors to be our 5th Champion.

Fern was Reserve Winners Bitch on Saturday in Palm Springs. That was a 4 point show that Ivy won. Ivy won't be competing against Fern for awhile so it's time for Fern to start winning the majors. That was a sweep for Ringsides Kennel in the bitch classes.

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Here is the latest picture of Ivy, this was the Best in Sweepstakes at the REMC Show

Ivy was Winners Bitch Saturday and Sunday for a point each day. Saturday she won the Best Mastiff Puppy. She went on to compete against the other puppies in the working group. That group had some outstanding puppies that are less than a year old. There were boxers, dobermen pinchers, Alaskan malamutes, Newfoundlands and more. The working group is the largest of the seven dog show groups. Ivy won the Puppy Working group! That made her eligible for the Puppy Best in Show against the six other group winners. The Puppy BIS went to the Welsh Corgi. It's nice to see a mastiff win a group, which doesn't happen often. It's even better to see MY puppy win!

Fern went to Tuscon, AZ for four days of shows. She showed well but didn't get any points or wins. Bummer!

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I've sent Fern to Tucson, AZ for four days of shows. Stephanie House is her handler for this show. All four days are majors. The dates are Friday, November 11 - Monday, November 14. Wish her luck. She stands now at 3 points and no majors. It would be nice to pick up a couple of majors in Tucson. Fern looks really good now and I'll post pictures if she happens to get a win.

Ivy is going to Napa this weekend with us for a two day show. No majors in Napa, just a chance for her to get some points. I'll keep you posted about any wins we pick up.

I bred Priscilla to Beowulf's Anchor earlier this month. I think she stuck this time! I'll get pictures of him and her so we can highlight the breeding. This will be really exciting if it sticks. I bred the pair last year and it didn't take. I think it made it this time.

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Ivy had a good day in Dixon, CA. She won the 6-9 puppy bitch class then took the Winners Bitch for 3 points and a major. She also won the best puppy from the mastiffs and when she went to the puppy group she received a puppy group 3 placing.

Her next show is in Santa Rosa this coming weekend. There aren't any majors so if she is to finish as a CH this weekend, before she's 9 months, she'll need to win Winners Bitch both Saturday and Sunday.

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We had a great outing at the Gridley shows! First Fern was Reserve Winners Bitch on
Saturday, June 4th in the Shasta KC show. Ivy was Winners Bitch that same day and she got her first CH point there. That was Ivy's first day in a show ring too. On Monday, June 6th Ivy was Best of Winners for another point and then she went on to win Best of Breed over her step brother,Bodie. Bodie is the number two mastiff in the nation right now. That was a huge win! Good thing it happened over her step brother, it keeps the owner/handlers happy because it stays in the family. Ivy got an additional
point for that win too. Three points in her first three days in a show ring. All this happened from the 6 - 9 month puppy bitch class.

Second was the Contra Costa KC show the next weekend. Ivy was Reserve Winners Bitch on Friday, June 10. On Sunday Ivy won her first three point major. She went Winners Bitch over 10 older female mastiffs. The judges at both shows were really fond of Ivy. They think she will have an exciting show career. I've never had such compliments from such different judges.

Our next seris of shows is in Ventura. It's a two day show July 9 - 10. Last year there were a lot of mastiffs entered so I'm hoping there will be majors there this year too. I've got Ivy and Fern entered both days in Ventura. Wish us luck.

Nex, I placed Archie in a great pet home. John and Janie Garcia of Madera are his new human parents. They have two Belgium Police dogs and Archie has two sisters to make the transistion easier. John keeps me updated and Archie is doing great. I couldn't be happier for both. I'm looking for a similar home for Rose now.

Lastly, Mae Bell, our oldest and first mastiff passed over the rainbow bridge. She had a wonderful life with us and she is the reason we have mastiffs at home now. She was a wonderfully sweet mastiff and a good mother. She got tired and left us after 11 3/4 years. That's a long time for a mastiff and I'm glad she didn't suffer when she went. I'm really going to miss her.

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I'm taking Fern and Ivy to Gridley for a 3 day show. The Shasta KC show is at the Gridley Fairgrounds and it starts June 4 - June 6. This will be Ivy's debut in the show ring. Pricilla still needs majors and won't attend.

The following weekend I've got Pricilla, Fern and Ivy entered in the
Contra Costa KC dog show in Vallejo, CA. That is a 3 day show for us too.
It's dates are June 10 - 12. I hope we have some majors there so I can take
Pricilla along.

Finally for now I've got the 3 girls entered in the Ventura KC dog show
in Ventura, CA. Those dates are July 8 - 10 at the Ventura County
Fairgrounds. Last year there were lots of Southern Cal mastiff breeders and
Arizona mastiff breeders there. This should be a major opportunity for
Pricilla and Fern too.

I have placed Archie in a great home! John Garcia and his wife, Janie are now his new parents. The Garcia's have 2 Belgium Police dogs that Archie will play and socialize with. They live in Madera so I'll be able to keep current with Archie and his girl friends. I'm really happy for the Garcia's and for Archie too.

Rose had to be spayed. She developed a Pyometriosis (uterine infection)
and so her breeding days are over. She has completely recovered from the
surgery and is in great health now. I'd like to find a great home for Rose.
She needs to be a pet in a home that will treat her as a dog princess.

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Pricilla isn't going to have puppies with Anchor the Beowulf's stud dog. Her blood testing came back negative. Bummer!

Fern was Reserve Bitch at the Silver Bay dog show in Del Mar on Saturday, Feb. 26th. Sunday she was Winners Bitch, earning another point towards CH.; she has 2 points now.

First, Fern was Reserve Winners Bitch on Saturday at the Sun Maid Kennel Club show.  On Sunday she was Winners Bitch and Best of Winners earning a point towards Champion.  I didn't get a picture of this milestone.  The judge was late coming back from lunch and there wasn't time for her to take pictures.  The AKC superintendant told her to wait until later if at all.

I've got Fern entered in the Santa Clara Kennel Club dog show in San Jose on Sunday, February 20th.  The Redwood Empire Mastiff Club has their quarterly meeting that day.  Laurie and I will attend that.

Second,  I've bred Pricilla to Anchor as planned.  I'll find out the results in a couple of weeks.  Leo and Bessie will have to wait until her next cycle before I breed them again. 

Third, we added another puppy to the Ringsides Kennel!  Her name is Ivy and she came from Dandylion Kennels.  She is another fawn female.  Her father is CH Wildrose's Music Man and her mother is  Ch. Dandylion's  Whoa Nellie.

I have some planned breedings. First, I'm going to breed Leo to Bessie again. This will occur when Bessie comes into season this Spring.

I've also got a planned breeding between Priscilla and a Beowulf stud dog.

Multi BIS/BISS Am Can Intl Ch Beowulfs Rockin The Boat, Grand Seiger, CGC "Anchor" is the dog I've got selected. this will also happen in the Spring of 2011 when Priscilla comes into season.