Welcome Patty Storkel and Neala!!!!

[dobesign]

Patty is a friend of mine, pawsatively delightful person with the most drop dead gorgeous irish wolfhound to sport a ribbon in oregon! patty is a "real person", not that other kind of show person, and her bitch is just as wonderful as the human from which she learns. I hope everyone will make her feel welcome, even if she ISN'T a dober person, Moose Bah and T love her to bits!!!! Even if she does have a funny looking dog from their point of view. Moose wants to add, "Hey Wolfhound! You may be big, but just remember, from the KNEES DOWN you're MINE!!!!":eek::p:p:p

[doberdogsfd]

Welcome Patty! Love your breed...just a very cool dog in general!

Cheryl

[Sheila]

Hi and welcome Patty. I have always loved Irish Wolfhounds since I met one called Briany in early 80's. Never have had the room to keep one though.
I'm sure Brenna will fill you in on who is who but in case she doesn't I won Wei, Logres' Weihaiwej and Raker and his daughter Player and a twelve year old mini poodle (never shown).

Sheila

[Elaine]

Hey, welcome Patty... great to have another Hound Group enthusiast here to add a fresh perspective on things.

I sort of vaguely recall the kennel name of your dog… is it Erinwood. Seems I’ve seen that name again and again over the years. Always caught my eye … lovely Wolfhounds as I recall. Didn't an Erinwood dog win the Breed at the Garden in 2007?

Have you been in the breed a long time? Did you know an old guy, William Seizemore… or Wilbur Sizemore… or something like that, lived out by Duvall, Washington in the 1970’s…. a bit of a character as I recall… had a Wolfhound stuffed here there and everywhere… and there was a woman who lived outside of Issaquah, on Tiger Mountain… had nice Wolfhounds… can’t remember her name though… maybe Bev… Bev Little… something like that … once you hit 50 it all goes.

[Patty Storkel]

While i'm not new to the show scene, i do it very sporadically, and have never been in any "IN" group. Just me and my dog(s)...
I've had wolfhounds for 26 years, acquring my first one for my 30th birthday. I had wanted one since i was 5 years old and read the story "Derry The Wolfhound". Pam Paloma is the breeder/owner of the Erinwood Kennels. She used to be out here in Oregon City, OR; now living in Ohio. And yes, it was her CH Arannwood Viking that took the breed twice at Westminster. She has bred on and off with her dad (Arannwood) for many years. She has quite a record of BIS's and numerous group placements with her iws. My Neala is related to Viking (who is no longer with us), so i have high hopes for her. Neala is Gaelic for "Champion".

I'm also so happy to have become acquainted with Miss Brenna. She does a fantastic job of showing. Neala thinks she's quite wonderful. I can't show (well, maybe a puppy) as i have asthma, and neala's legs are longer than mine. I can't go at the correct pace to show her to her best, plus have to actually drop the lead and go to her rear to set it. Being short is sometimes a challenge!!!:^) And, no, i don't mind short jokes at all. I used to tell people i was a dwarf, which actually is the top height for that group of people. Same for Pygmies... except i'm too fair in coloring to qualify as one of those. And no nose or lip rings...

Anyway i'm delighted Brenna likes my neala and wants to show her. We're off to a good start.
patty, keenan & nealababy

[Patty Storkel]

I forgot to add that i heard of (i think it's) Wilbur Sizemore, but he wasn't doing much when i came on the wolfhound scene in 1983. Bev Little/Lilliput Farms, has been breeding and showing since the early 70's and is still in Issiquah, showing, breeding and judging. I only see her about once a year when i go to the Puget Sound Wolfhound Specialty (where neala went 4th in the 15 - 18 month class, her 2nd official show, this past august). Because of my work (supposed to be retired!!), and doing a lot of private and 4-H dog training and therapy dog work (neala will be my 7th certified wolfhound therapy dog), and being the OR IW Rescue Chairperson, i don't get to many specialties...
oh- Brenna forgot to tell you i'm somewhat verbose..............................
patty, keenan & neala

[dobesign]

Elaine is verbose. I am verbose! You are a goofball, and you aren't THAT short! It's just your bitch is THAT tall!:eek::D And Sheila told you she had Wei, which is Bah's sister! Neala is an AWESOME bitch, and a hoot to show! Settingher rear from underneath made me feel like those old German clocks where the people come out near the cuckoo door! :p And it's exciting to see an owner without a pro kicking butt! You go girls!!!:cool:

[Patty Storkel]

(Cough), (innocent blink), Oh My, you just haven't been around me long enough yet....
We joke that you have to be under 5' 3' to handle a wolfhound (unless you're a guy). As i'm 4'10", it really is a big stretch for me to set up an adult wolfhound, especially if it has the correct length of back.
And BTW, i love dobies and have certified several as an AKC CGC evaluator. We currently have only one that is in our Certified Therapy Dog program (Paws For Love Therapy Dogs).
I'm computer challenged, but will post a pic or two when i figure out how to do it... [you have to draw pictures for me ;^)]
patty, keenan & neala

[Elaine]

Patty, you're perfect for DSNN. :) Though you could not have a better handler for Neala than Brenna, I'd imagine that the sight of you with her in the ring would be worth the price of admission. :D

[Patty Storkel]

(big grin) Yes, i guess it must look amusing. I literally have had to drop my lead and walk to the rear of the dog to set the rear... and I can't get down on my knee to set from underneath as i then have trouble getting up!! I TellYa, this getting old isn't for the faint hearted!!! It's also quite the pain in the butt, sometimes literally...
I love to show and am sad that i can't do my dogs justice, but am sooo happy there are people like Brenna who want to (and do such a fantastic job!). I can show the puppies, but not very well, really, after they reach 12 months. Course, by 6 months, especially if it's a boy, they usually already have longer legs than me...
patty, keenan & nealababy

[Elaine2]

Patty, welcome to DSNN. Love your sense of humour already.
They call me E2 because Elaine is the boss of our family so she gets E1. :D
We have and love Logres Voltaire aka Quincy, Q, Q-man, The Goon etc

I love the Wolfhounds. They look like gentle giants. Is that what their temperment is like? Tell us a little about living with a Wolfhound.
I guess you have even less room in bed than we do with a Dobe. :)

E2

[Patty Storkel]

Yes, they are the true "Gentle Giants".
and living with them can in some aspects be a bit of a challenge- like having to step over driftwood logs in the middle of your living room, hallway and in front of the stove/sink/fridge...:)
And things you set at the back of the counter to be safe are within easy reach of a curious dog. One day, i was making toast, put the bread in, and knowing our toaster takes about 2 actual minutes before popping up, went in the other room to do something. Came back and no toast. Hummm. I thought i put bread in. Put more bread in and again left. A minute later, went to check on my toast, and caught my Rua stand up with her paws at the front of the counter deftly removing toast from the toaster!! John also lost toast to Rua...
I also caught her on another occasion checking out the things on the ledge above the sink, with her front feet IN the sink, and i can hardly reach the stuff on the ledge!!!
One of my friends, who started with chihuahuas & lhasos, then went to goldens, didn't think about their curiosity one evening when she had 3 yearlings in the house. They ordered delivery pizza, and right after it came, the phone rang. Hubby was in the computer room, so she put the pizza on top of the fridge and went to answer the phone. Came back literally 5 minutes later to an empty pizza box on the floor and not a crumb left!!! She forgot she wasn't dealing with goldens!
I tell newbys that when housebreaking, an iw puddle will always be in the middle of the living room carpet, especially if you have an expensive persian rug there. It will take 6 large bath towels to sop up...
and no, unlike most dobermans, they aren't good guard dogs- they will invite the person in and show him where all your good stuff is!! However, they are very devoted to their people, and heaven help the person stupid enmough to try to harm me. An old saying about them says they can tell by looking at your face if you intend good or evil to them or their people and will respond accordingly. It is awesome and fearful to experience, which i have on more than one occasion (and that's probably two more posts). "Gentle when stroked, fierce when provoked is an Irish Wolfhound" is another often quoted saying about them. I could write a book here - but i think i've given you a glimpse of their temperament.
They actually are a wonderful house dog (very accomodating) and excellent companion. I won't be without one as long as i can handle one (or pay someone to help me!)
feel free to ask more questions...
patty, keenan & neala