Wednesday, April 25, 2007

We are back from Germany.....

All I can say what an awesome trip it was. I know I say this all the time and I wonder each time if it can get any better.....and it sure was! A suitcase full of trophies...

In October I left Felix vom Weberschlösschen at my friends Petra and Günter in Waltershausen Germany to get his youth champion title, which he did. Back then already I was planning this trip to pick him up when he is 15 month old so he could be meassured by a DTK judge, as a Kaninchenteckel and I was also planning to take his sisters Finchen and Florence so we could walk "Zuchtgruppe" (Breeders class) at the show.


I decided that I needed a helper on my trip with the dogs, lugguage e.t.c. so I decided to take Jacqualyn this time. We booked our flight to leave Philadelphia on April 12th. I was kind of nervous and worried about the dogs because I never flown with that many. I took Finchen, Florence and our new male Ilja vom Benthener Forst also to be meassured and shown at the show. Since we only could take one dog each in the cabin, I decided to put Flori and Finchen together in a bigger kennel and send them in the pet room.
When we got to the airport Lufthansa personal assured me that our dogs will be well taken care of that it was a nice pet room with lights and heat. They knew we were flying with three dogs and told me that the pilot is aware that we will be transporting dogs and will make sure the pet room is all ready for them.

We were quite an attraction at the airport, it must have been a sight, I had three dogs piled on top of my lap.
At the Philly Airport


After awhile we checked in Flori and Finchen and gave them to the Lufthansa personal, but eventhough I knew they will be fine I worried some. Ilja stayed with us and flew under our seat in his pet travel bag.

In Frankfurt, warm Spring weather greeted us, we landed on time at 7 :45 AM, We got our suitcase and then we picked up Flori and Finchen, I could hear them bark already, and then I knew they survieved their transatlantic flight in the Lufthansa pet room. Before we could leave they had to be examined by the airport vet. She didn't even notice Ilja in his bag, but gave Flori and Finchen clearance to go. Then we picked up our rental car and got on the Autobahn........... I didn't even think about how tired I was ---we hardly slept, and lost 6 hours. I was just happy everything went so well.

There were hardly any speed limits and our Opel Meriva got us to Waltershausen in about 2 hours. We had a big Herzlich Willkommen at Petra and Günters house and were also greeted by 12 or more Dackel including our Felix. He was happy to see us but it took him awhile to realize who we were. I think he recognized his sisters first.

I expected a big fighting between all the dogs that didn't know each other, several males, females some had puppies, but it all went well and they accepted each other and got along very well.
We had no chance to rest or even think about how tired we were, we ate and went on a big hike up the Inselberg, each of us held 2 dogs so altogether 8 dogs. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, no clouds, sunshine and very warm. The season was about 2 weeks ahead almost like May so lots of trees and flowers were blooming.

With Günter, Petra and Jacqualyn on the Inselberg

In the evening Heinrich and Inge my other dear friends, the owners of Ken vom Waldesrain which is the Daddy to our F- pups arrived also to stay at Petra and Günters house and to go to the show together the next day. It was a big Hello and we had a wonderful time together.

All the Landesieger of Thüringen

The next day On April 14th was a DTK show of the Landesverband Thüringen and then on the 15th was a big CACIB show. On these two days there were about 3000 dogs entered, about 200 different breeds and 125 Teckel. Jacqualyn enjoyed looking at all the differend dogs, some breeds we never seen.








Heinrich with Felix and Ken (note the NATC Shirt!)

Here is a link to pictures of the first show

Ken and his kids
Finchen, Flori and Felix
It took about 45 minutes to drive to the show grounds in Erfurt, we got there early and set up our area. The judging started around 10 Am. I was called in the ring and was totally clueless what was going to happen. There I received a special greeting by the show person in charge Herr Jens Witter for coming so far to the show and was presented a porceland longhairteckel. Thüringen is known for his fine porcelan and I was told that is is something very special and I sure will treasure it.










Then the show began, first all the smooth and whirehair dogs. then all the individual classes. Then finally the longhair Kaninchen, Standard and Zwerg and then each had a youth, open and inbetween class, and Gebrauchs class. I showed Flori myself I was so nervous but it all went well and my dogs despite that they have never been at a big show and being in a totally different enviroment and traveled so far behaved at their best. They do have a great disposition and good nerves and could handle such changes in their lives easily. Herr Jürgen Päplow, and his wife Christel were happy to see us and Herr Päplow offered right away to show Ilja for me, which was so nice of him.

Ilja vom Benthener Forst


Herr Jürgen Päplow and Ilja at the judges table

Then the very last class was the breeders class, where I walked with all three Felix, Finchen and Flori, there were one standard long and one zwerg longhair breeders class and I was the Kaninchen longhair Zuchtgruppe. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, I was not aware of my surroundings and concentrated to have my team in line. All three walked perfect and floated across the floor, then the judge came towards me and said congratulations and handed me the trophy! I guess I won it!

Zuchtgruppe vom Weberschlösschen

Günter with Zuchtgruppe vom Schloss Tenneberg

Wow what a day, all dogs got V1 which means Excellent first place and got titles Landessieger
now winning the Zuchtgruppe yet, it was almost overwhelming.
Then we packed up, we were exhaused, tired but extremly happy and excited.
Petra and Inge setting up our place at the show for the day


The show went very late, around 7 PM we all went back to Günter and Petras house where we enjoyed a great meal and fellowship.

Then the next day was the CACIB show it was very similar but different judges. Felix won twice over his Daddy Ken and took BOB out of 4 dogs. Ilja won and so did Finchen. Florence took V2 that day, but again I was extremly happy and overwhelmed. I went with the thought of gaining experience and have the dogs meassured in and everything else was bonus.

I met lots of nice people, and again we went home very tired and exhaused but totallly overwhelmed and happy about the accomplishments.

The next day we packed up and drove south to Urfeld-Walchensee to meet my Mom. Ilja stayed behind but we took the girls Finchen and Flori.
http://www.walchensee.de/

We made it through Munich pretty easy, we passed the Allianz Arena and some other landmarks, and then took Autobahn 95 towards my mountains I bet it only took 15 minutes driving almost 200km/hr till we reached exit for Kochel am See, then another 20 minutes and I was home.
We did a lot of hiking and biking and just enjoyed being in this awsome place, surrounded by the majestic mountains and lake.
Unfortunately Flori did get sick for us, and it seems like she ate something she shouldn't have or got a virus at the show. We cooked some special food for her but she didn't get better so Thursday night I took her to the vet, Thanks to Vet Dr. Münsterer in Bichl who gave her some meds and two shots, she was much better the next day. I was glad Flori got better because I was planning to take Finchen and Flori to a regular Zuchtschau on Sunday, if they would get each an excellent or V which means Vorzüglich then each would have 5 points, Felix has his 5 points already and then I would be eligable for the Bronze Züchternadel, which means the Bronze Breeders award. Which is another accomplishment which I never dreamed of!



My brother his wife Monica and kids Sven and Christian came also to Walchensee from South Carolina and also my sister Deborah and son Marc from Neuffen. It was nice to all see each other eventhough it was only for a few days.
climbing Gschwandkopf Austria Tirol

The whole family

Climbing the Jochberg














I had such a great time it was hard to think about packing suitcases, Sunday night and get ready to leave for Waltershausen to pick up Felix and Ilja. Tuesday morning we left Waltershausen to Frankfurt to the airport.
Herzlichen Dank an Petra, Günter, Heinrich und Inge für eine wunderbare und erfolgreiche Zeit!
........now I know how it is to travel with a bunch of dogs thank goodness their are Kaninchenteckel...... Mexico City World Dog Show here we come.......

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh how wonderful your trip sounds. I have spent a lot of time in Bavaria and the places you mention are so familiar to me that I can see them in my minds eye.
My first wire was from Landshut, and so I have a special place in my heart for Bavarian Rauhhaardackels.
I think it is wonderful to spread word of the NATC to those back in Germany who may not be aware. After all we are trying to do the same work here with our dogs that they strive to do in Germany.
Congratulations!!!

6:20 PM  

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