Showing

I have had my dogs since 1972. It has always been my dream to breed and show them. I have not been able to until recently and this last year has been my first full year of showing.

I have enjoyed it immensely. The UK is the hardest place to show dogs as our competition is high in quality and numbers. We get on average 150 at a show.

I have shown three dogs that I have bred and have rarely gone unplaced (meaning in the first 5, usually in the first 3). All three have qualified for Cruft's.

Anyway, to the point of this post: I am getting very tired. I don't know if I am so exhausted because I am in the middle of a flare(bad pain/inflammation) or I am like this because I am doing so much. I am doing a show a week now, long distance driving, getting up at 2am and leaving by 4am and usually home again by late afternoon.

I have to attend the shows to find out for myself which judges are worthy of my entry and which are not. Also by keeping going, one becomes part of the show scenery.

I don't quite know where I am leading to in this post. I have another show, short distance, this Sunday and then next Thursday a show 250 miles away. I am thinking I maybe won't go to that one. Yes, I will lose the entry money but save more than that by not going.

There is also this to consider: if I just ignore how I feel right now and keep going, I might end up missing more shows because I wreck myself...

Between shows I do little. I swim half a mile at the pool at least 4 times a week. It gives me relief from the joint pain whilst I am in the pool and gives my a CV workout the only way I can.

I knit and watch tv all other times, apart from doing what I need to with the dogs.

So I don't think I am overstretched in any way, in fact written down it seems I don't do much at all!

Normally it helps to think 'aloud' and maybe if I read this again, I'll come up with a solution.....