Interview with SEA Chair Dr Brigitte Mordan-Grimm (Our Dogs, December 2021)

All text and photos: Mordan-Grimm
 

AGM 2021

Luca

Gustav

Mishka Boots

Iris

 

Just as well I watched that suitcase!

Hi, 

My name is Indi….though my life started in London in 2014, last year my human and I moved to Germany. It was a strange year, where, when we were not with the horses, we walked a lot and my human did not seem to go anywhere without me. That was amazing!!!

After a busy summer at work, I had to go to the vet three times, but they were nice to me, so it was not too bad….Mum got a small blue book from the vet and seemed really happy about it.

 

The evening after the last vet visit my human seemed very excited. She had cleaned the car and loaded it with lots of things and she had packed THE SUITCASE!!!!! For any dog that does not know, this is the time where you have to watch your human very closely, or they might disappear for a long time and leave you with other humans…….

 

It was dark when we set off on our journey and I was happy my human had taken me with her in the car, PHEW! She drove a really long time to the sea-side and onto a ship I had been on before…it was noisy and smelly, but I was safe in my car.

 

At the end of our journey we arrived at a familiar place with lovely smells….

 

.......could it be possible we were back HOME, REALLY? 

 

OMG I was soooo exited!!!!!!!!

 

There was Margot, my best friend and 2 amazing humans, I knew from before…..my human seemed really happy too.  We were finally together again, yipeeeeeee!!!!!

Margot and I

One day my human put Margot and I in the boot of my car and we drove to a familiar place. I had been there before a few times, but best of all there were other Eurasiers there with there humans and some excited humans who just came to meet us. One human was very familiar, my human called her Brigitte. I saw her often when I was little and still living with my mum, brothers and sisters. 

 

It was raining a little bit, but that did not bother me, because I got to play with lots of friends and enjoy a really long walk. There was Lottie, who was still quite like I used to be when I was younger, Murphy and Bubbles, who were quiet and very polite. Sheeba, she`s family, and Annie too were super nice….in a nutshell, It was great to catch up with old friends at a familiar place.

 

The woods were full of lovely smells and we met lots of different dogs too. Afterwards we all got together to celebrate Murphy´s birthday with some dog treats for us and biscuits for the humans, which Anne, Murphy´s human had brought for us. She was so very nice to us all and made sure we were all happy.

Thank you for a perfect day for us and our humans. Lots of licks and wags, Indi xxx

 

Thank you, Anne, for organising a lovely walk, Bille (Indi´s human) xxx

 

 

A Eurasier Show from the perspective of a Dachshund

Mom just got us up super early and I’m not happy about it. She keeps brushing my ears! Take me back to bed! There’s bags everywhere and her and Dad keep throwing questions at each other. Have you got the poo bags? Have you got the leads? What about water? Do we have enough poo bags? Jeez, how many poo bags do we need? Where are we going? Can I go back to bed?
They’ve packed the car completely full of bags and shoes and coats and Dawg knows what else. There’s not a lot of room for me. I need quite a lot of space actually. Pretty sure I can smell treatos though… They’re still talking about poo bags.

The journey was sooooo long. So long! But we did eventually arrive. Mom’s just disappeared and Dad’s put me on the driver’s seat of the car. Maybe I can drive us home! I would be a great driver. He’s unloading some of the bags. I hope they’re all full of treatos. 

Mom just came back with a little yellow booklet and she’s reading out names to Dad. We’re all in the same class she said. I guess we’re at a dog show or something. Sometimes Mom likes to get Luca’s fancy, sparkly lead out and they run around for a little while and then when she comes back Luca and I get loads of treatos. I knew I could smell them. It’s a day full of treatos! Maybe that’s why they need all the poo bags.

Mom’s just put my lead on and we’re going somewhere. The grass is so long I’m swamped! There was no point brushing my ears, they’re going to be soaked. There’s dogs EVERYWHERE! Definitely must be a show. But why hasn’t she taken Luca? I hope she’s not showing me. I’d rather…look after…the treatos. We’re going over to some people who have dogs that look like Luca but they’re different colours to him. These ones are more similar to my colour. I like their style! Some of these people are trying to talk to me but I need to be keeping an eye on these other dogs. Sheeba, Annie (she’s pretty similar to Luca, actually!), Ruby, Ursa, Arwen and Frodo are their names, Mom said. I need to make sure they don’t beeline for the car while I’m not there. I hope Luca is guarding the treatos. What if he eats them without me? Mom we need to get back! No time for talking! Treatos at stake! Mmmm steak.

Okay we’re going back now. But Mom’s panicking. It’s okay Mom I got the treatos! Where’s the brush? I need his squeaky frog! Oh! They must be going in the ring. That was quick! Mom hasn’t even brushed Luca, he’ll look all scruffy! Wow she’s really speed-brushing now. Poor Luca. Oop they’re off. Dad’s got me now, can’t see Mom and Luca. Dad and I are making our way over too. They’re doing their thing when they run around in circles with their fancy leads. They must get dizzy. Luca keeps peeing everywhere, how embarrassing. I do not know him!! Oh my Dawg! Luca got first place! I was only joking when I said I didn’t know him. That’s my bro! They’re calling him 'Bob' or something. He’s not called Bob! Dawg humans are so slow sometimes.

 

Arwen came second, Ursa came third, Annie came fourth, and Frodo came fifth. Mom says we have to wait here longer now and go for a group whatever that means, so I guess I’ll have to guard the treatos longer. Dawg this is hard work. Sheeba and Ruby went to go and run around their ring with their fancy leads so we’re watching them while we have to wait. Mom says they’re in the AV Veteran class so that must mean they’re really good and been doing show stuff for a long time. I bet they’ve had loads of treatos. Jealous. There’s two new humans here now and one of them gives the best butt scritches. 10/10 would recommend! Ruby got first and Sheeba got third! They really are good at this. Well done the me-coloured Luca lookalikes! 

Okay, Luca and Mom are going in the group now. It just looks like another class but this time it’s all different kinds of dogs, not just ones that look like Luca. Me and Dad are sat on the other side of the ring. I guess so that we can stay nearer the treatos to keep an eye on them. Good thinking Dad. Maybe I’ll let you have one later too. Maybe. Oh Mom and Luca are running towards us HI LUCA HI MOM HI IT’S US ME AND DAD HI Luca saw us and he wanted to say hi but then they ran away again. Oh well I guess they’re busy that’s okay. Oh my Dawg my bro did it again everyone is cheering! He got first place! This is amazing we’re going to get so many treatos. Everyone is hugging Mom now, that’s nice, these are friendly humans! Dad is really happy too. I think that means we have to wait longer. Gosh they better be some good treatos! At least the sun is shining. Sun AND treatos oh boy oh boy. 

Mom and Luca went in the ring again and they did their fancy running, but they didn’t get a place this time. The dog that came first was a dog that looks like me but had short hair, so that’s okay! Mom said That was such a nice day, and we did Eurasiers proud! I have to agree, especially as no one stole the treatos. We had amazing support and company, too. She is really happy and she said we have salmon sticks and beef jerky, and we’re going to get some chimken from the shop too. I dunno Mom, I wouldn’t say this was a nice day, I’d say it was the BEST day! I guess getting up early wasn’t so bad after all.

 Can’t wait to go again!

 

 

Spitz in the Park 2021

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My first two times doing dis fing called showing. By me, Lux.

Since my dad abducted me from my home back in Sweden back in November 2019, my life has been rather odd. I was introduced to a dog who I was told was my "brobins" or brother. Well I couldn't really moan because as far as brothers are concerned he was really kind to me and took me under his wing. You see, brobins Lumen kept mentioning showing, I literally had no idea what he was talking about, but kept hearing I was 'what hoomans call it' "entered into a show" or sumfing like dat. Again, I had no idea what they kept talking about, but it was coming up in March 2020, whatever dis showing malarkey is. Brobins Lumen wouldn't really embellish at this stage, I fink he was holding back on purpose, as he was looking forward to sawprising me wiv whatever it was. 

Then it hit, da big fing called cawona! I hear da hoomans and dad talk about it all da time. I overheard a conversation that my first show was cancelled, I was now 6 munfs old and almost an adult, yet they still won't tell me wat dis "showing" is! Anyhow, the next year became a bit bowring for me, I was not allowed to socialise like I had before, I could no longer meet my new fwends in dis country, like Della, who was also teaching me how to behave around da ladies. Looms can only give so much advice, sometimes you need to put dat advice into pawctice, but I was told dis is not possible no more. Lucky to have a nice bro and a dad who was still learning how to hold two leashes instead of da one, we did as much as we could wivin da rules da goovernment set! I know what day were as dad had da blinking news on 24/7! 

Over da summer I was allowed to do sum normal doggy stuff and met wiv some friends again. I am a quick learner, but please don't tell dad, he is a bit slow on da uptake, but tries his best. A whole year passed, I was now getting quite old and a teenager, I know as I know everyfink at dis age! Early 2020 dis word 'show' popped up again! Having not heard it for a while I fought they must be tawking aboot a big spring party or somefink similar but no! Someting was difforoont. The  way day were treating me was not da normal way! Dad spent 1 howl hour wiv me, wiv a short leash that didn't look like it could hold a big lad like me! He ran up and down in da field and den did some weird turny fings wiv me trying to get me to listen for some reason! Fings were deffo diffo dis time. I also had a posh baff which set my alarm bells ringing even more! What is dis show fing they speak of, I kept asking myself. Lumen was still holding back! I even tried tapping into his brain one night wen he was asleep! Sadly, I was unable to locate a brain but dats ok as I wuv him, he is da best bro a boy like me could wish for. 

Then it happened!  My dad got up one morning looking worse than normal which is quite some feat! For some reason he dressed smart then took me for an odd walk around da roads! Dis is not da norm! Why can't I go splishsplash like normal! Why dis clean Road to walk on? Dad was also being extra nice to Looms and me! Almost like he was feeling guilty for something! Forward an hour and I'd been squished into my car all alone, no brobins by my side!  No banter in da back of da car! We then arrived at some massive field full of uver cars! I heard some dogs barking and could see more dogs getting outa cars than I have ever seen before! There was literally millions of dem! It was so strange! I never knew so many dogs existed! Day were all shapes and sizes just like da hoomans who we look after! Some had really weird fur! Not like mine at all! Some had literally no fur! It was so strange. I was a big bwave boy! I strutted my stuff around enjoying being in da moment as us dogs are good at dat! It's somfink I try to teach my dad all da time! So we wandered around dis strange field den I bumped into my old pal Della! I mean who of thought we came all dis way and bump into my fwend! It was so nice! Della was able to explain why we were here. She imparted some awesome advice but I can't tell you as it's dog speak only for dogs! I did a bit of flirting before we set up camp! I say camp! Della had a good camp! I just had grass to sit on! My dad isn't very pawfessional like some. 

I enjoyed meeting lots of new people, I recognised some names, so it was nice to put a name to a face, people gave me lots of scruggles and patted me lots, which I like. We met some more Eurasiers and I stood next to some shorter dumpier versions of me. They said I was not a proper one of them but I know how to cope with rejection, so it didn't bother me, my dad has taught me well. I fink day were chows or sumfink similar! I watched as lots of diffo dogs ran around a fing called a ring! Wat dis is I asked dad? Wait son, all will be revealed, was his reply! I then saw Della looking even smarter than just now, like she was getting ready for a night on da tiles. She went into da ring and ran round a few times with some others and the man picked her out first, I fink he must have wanted to take her home for himself but Jemma wouldn't  let him, he gave her wat day call a "1st place" whatever dis means. 

So after some waiting around my dad put dat little tiny lead on me, he walked me into a diffo ring and we too did what Della did. I can't fully remember what happened but I ran up and down and da person asked my dad to do it again. Apparently jumping around having fun wasn't wat dad wanted me to do. It was fun though, I did it again but this time I thought I would behave. We watched another nice dog do the same, I sensed he was in the same boat as me and new to all dis strange stuff. Anyhow, the lady gave my dad that thing called a "first place" which made dad happy and for me, an expawrience I wouldn't forget. We did it again but this time we came second, apparently I did very well though for our first time achieving Reserve Best Dog. I would say I had a very good day with dad and friends, we met new people, the atmosphere was lovely, I heard rumours it can be a strange environment at times, but thankfully, it was one I coped well with, meeting some lovely,
friendly people. Dad said I was a good boy all day long and I slept well on the way home where I was pleased to see my bro Lumen who said he had missed me. 

Fast forward a week and we were at it again, this time Devon County Show, last weeks was Southern Counties Champ show according to my dad. I won't bore you wiv as much detail this time, as my engloosh isn't great, being Swedish. First we had a walk around a strange place called a fairground, dis was a totally new expawrience for me! Why do hoomans like spinning around on scary machines wiv loud noises called moosic booming out? Strange, anyhow it was nice to see people having fun even though I wasn't allowed to win a goldfish for my pond!

Anyhow we found a nice place to park up with Della and Jemma again and their professional set up, my dad had an umbrella but not much more. It rained early on, which was a bit miserable and I did my best to stay dry, which was hard on wet grass. 

We waited for a long time and eventually got in the ring full of all sorts of dogs! Big, small medium & me. The heavens opened! The man called a judge told us to retreat, this time I was quite wet but some friends let us stand in their tent while they dried my dad off who looked like a drowned rat! Dad did his best with drying me and I didn't look too bad considering, we went back to the ring where we did that run around stuff! We then got picked out for another first before all those other smashing dogs! I quite enjoyed the feeling. Maybe I am good at dis? Then again, maybe it's a fluke as I don't really know what I'm doing, much like dad. We went in da ring for a second time, dis time it was for best in our AVNSC group, don't ask me wat dat stands for as I can't remember, I am a dog after all. Dat kind man picked me out first again, so I was best doggo in dat group! I was on a roll! People took our pictures and everyfink. I won two rosettes but I'm not allowed to eat them even though I've tried! 

We then went into a biiiiig ring that had like a posh picket fence with a huge group of dogs, like more dogs than you can imagine. Dis time we watched others get picked, which was also fun, as they were super nice. What an expawrience for me! I couldn't wait to tell my brother da news! Much better than bowring old corona news! Let's hope we can carry on showing throughout the year, I fink I like it. 

Stay safe everypeeps and look after your best friends, our hoomans. 

Best wishes, Lux 🐕🐻🐶

 

Sun, woodland and mud - a normal Eurasier walk

It was one of the hottest days so far this year, and mum, dad and I got in the car to travel somewhere for a walk. I had a nap on the back seat on the way and mum and dad chatted excitedly about meeting up with all our Eurasier human and canine friends after such a long time.

Finally we arrived at the Basingstoke Canal Centre (which isn’t actually in Basingstoke) and met up with the pack. There was a fabulous array of Eurasiers, including Bubbles and Murphy whose mum Ann hosts this popular and regular woodland walk near Mychett. There were 29 people and dogs including some potential Eurasier puppy parents, who enjoyed seeing our wonderful breed “in the fur”. It was a great opportunity for the humans to catch up with friends, and for us dogs to explore and sniff all the paths through the woods. 

Fortunately, being woodland, there was some welcome shade and also a couple of paddling and swimming opportunities to keep us water babies cool, although dad did his best to stop me from my other trick of rolling around in the mud! After the walk, we had refreshments from the café and Brigitte (AKA the Furry Godmother) handed out home-made cake to the humans, which was very tasty from the crumbs I managed to forage from being in the right place at the right time! Looking forward to meeting up with the pack again soon. 

Thank you to all those who came along and special thanks to Ann for hosting the walk.

Julie with Gabbie