Nuka Bay Chesapeakes

17/07/2024

WooHoo! Nelchina is #2 and Deshka is #3 on the 2024 AKC Agility Invitational list for Chesapeake Bay Retrievers!

Congratulations to my other Chesapeake friends also on the list!

18/02/2024

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=25260832530181936&id=100000456105621&mibextid=CDWPTG

11/12/2023

I decided to cancel Nelchina and my trip to Florida for the 2023 AKC Agility Invitational. She is the Number 2 Chesapeake for this year's qualifying period. I will miss the event and seeing my friends - but NOT the trip getting there then getting home! Good luck to all - and also safe travels!

When I put together a list of Pros (go to Florida) and Cons (stay home this year), I was very surprised to see how short the Pro list was versus how long the Con list was!

Some of my reasons:

* I usually don't have two big trips within 8 months of each other (6600 mile, 3+ week road trip to Utah and back in September with RV trailer and all 8 dogs and upcoming Grand Canyon float trip Adventure with friends in April)
* Florida in December is an expensive trip (health certificate, $300 for Nelchina in cargo fee, vehicle rental, hotel, critter care for the other dogs left at home including cats and chickens, 55,000 miles for Alaska Airlines ticket, ...)
* "Possible" PTSD from 2022 adventure getting Deshka and I home after Alaska Airlines would not allow us to fly thru Seattle due to forecasted adverse weather🤣😂 (just that change of plans added over $500 to the trip budget and a ton of stress)
* 7 plus days impact to my life (would have been gone from December 13-19 plus time on each end getting ready to go then recovering from trip)
* my pack and I are still adjusting to recent loss of senior dogs Kluane and Kach
* (not a deciding factor ... but....) the confusion and uncertainty about the recent canine respiratory issue

Inde and I made our first trip to the AGI in 2010 - the last year the event was held on the west coast (California). Back then, AKC planned to rotate the big national event on some schedule between the east and west coast. That did not happen. Florida is a lovely place to visit --- but easily a 7700 mile round trip for us Alaskans (combination flight miles to Atlanta and driving miles to Orlando -- both directions). Look at a map - you cannot get much farther away from Alaska than Florida and still be in the USA! Hawaii is closer!

I've attended 9 AGI's (Inde 2010, 2011 and 2012); Niki (2015); Kach (2017, 2018 and 2019); and Deshka (2021 and 2022). Hopefully Nelchina and I will stay competitive and be invited to the 2024 AGI!

Now to enjoy a more relaxed/less stressful December! Revive my Annual Christmas/Holiday letter and send cards/emails to friends, watch my favorite Christmas/Holiday movies, bake cranberry nutbread for friends ... AND ME, enjoy the holiday lights (zoo, botanical gardens, homes) ......

09/12/2023

I'm catching up with last weekend's activities. Thank you Judge Dan Roy for fun courses, the Alaska Australian Shepherd Club and the Matanuska Canine Handlers (MACH) for three days of agility. And the Chester Family for Sirius ranch. Of course, trials don't happen without volunteers - thank you to ALL that made the weekend possible and fun.

I crossed the 600 earned titles mark over the weekend ... my lifetime tally is now 604 titles (265 AKC - the largest single registry and my primary competition area) in various sports. All of my dogs are loved, trained and trialed by me (with occasional help from friends when I have multiple dogs entered in some events) and all but two (thank you Betsy and Rupe Humer for Eastern Waters Shemya and Kach) were born at my home (Nuka Bay Chesapeake's).

Deshka - now has 56 titles (22 AKC) - added ASCA RS-E (Regular Elite) and NADAC EJC (Elite Jumpers) and GRE (Grounders Elite)

Nelchina - now has 55 titles (23 AKC) - added ASCA RS-O (Regular Open) and NADAC EJC (Elite Jumpers) and O-TNE (Outstanding Tunnelers Elite) and also earned her 1000 Lifetime Points recognition.

Now to catch up on other life activities! Including Christmas!

17/06/2023

Hmmmm ... will be interesting trying to load dogs in van so I can head to Agility trial this morning!

25/10/2022

Good information.

If and when a dog is spayed/neutered significantly affects their risk of developing certain cancers and orthopedic conditions. Learn more about this important research from our webinar available at https://bit.ly/3CLOuk2.

12/08/2022

https://www.facebook.com/1343348995/posts/10221841454609219/

Purple Girl... now Orca and her new family!

06/08/2022

Mary makes EXCELLENT leashes and toys!

Leashes for a whole litter of Chessies! The leash colors match their puppy collars and the Coyote tan is a perfect match for the Chessie coat!

06/08/2022

Fun times!

18/07/2022

Thank you Lizzy and Shawn for visiting Monday (7/11). And thank you Auntie Cara for feeding lunch and playing with puppies this weekend (7/16 and 17) so Aunt Nelchina could run agility! And glad Uncle Adrian could socialize puppies with you today.

Let me know when anyone else wants to visit! Just need to follow protocol.

Will be setting up garage play area over the next few days. With activity cube. Pictures and videos to follow.

15/07/2022

Pups now 4 weeks+ old. Received surprise package from Papa Keagan and Auntie Makai today. Big hit! Especially the red Lobster.

15/07/2022

Quick overdue puppy update.

Whelping box served its purpose.. moved on to expen (@ 3 weeks). Deshka still wants to come and go.

Someone is dreaming about ducks!

Less room at the milk bar.

03/07/2022

Contentment! Full bellies with mom nearby.

03/07/2022

Day 18 - I'll be able to return borrowed whelping box to Jo Hanscom real soon! Woke up Thursday night/ wee hours Friday morning to Purple Girl snuggling with Deshka out of the box. Later that day Navy Blue Boy did the same.

Earlier today I was helping friends evaluate Janice Royce's 7 week old Golden puppies.. looked at Reolink camera and saw Deshka IN the box with 5 puppies and the 6th puppy was in Deshka's area. And I watched puppy 6 climb back INTO whelping box! 😁🤪😬😯

29/06/2022

Happy 2 week birthday pupsters!

25/06/2022

More crowded at the milk bar on day 11 (versus day 1)!

25/06/2022

Love the puppy "stacked log pile" sleeping arrangement! Day 11.. Copper Kettle Girl and Light Blue boy have peepers!

Mom Deshka is ready for Chef Lynda's next kitchen creation ... a necessary part of keeping the milk bar open!!

24/06/2022

June 24 (Day 10) I'm seeing some peepers!

22/06/2022

The one week mark! Picture looks the same, but pups are bigger!

21/06/2022

Deshka and her pups are doing great!