| Otis' show career started later then most. Otis is our first show dog and I really was not sure of everything that being a show dog involved. Otis grew, like any mastiff; like a see saw. He looked funny and awkward most of the time. He did not start showing until he was ready. He started showing at 17 months. He immediately loved the show ring. He has beautiful movement. He carries himself like he is a king, head held high always. We showed infrequently due to our own busy work and life schedules. This past June he became a champion, thank you to Sue Burrell who handled him!!! Actually he shared the major with one of his lady friends, Kada Hill's Over The Limit, Vera. Anyone who was at that show can attest to the fact that I was a complete mess. I cried like a baby. I was surrounded by people who had seen us from the start. Otis was very excited, although he acted like he was a champion long before he got the title! We will continue to show around the New England area and maybe even make another trip to Bucks! |
CHAMPION ERIESIDE OTIS JAMES, CGC, TDI
ROAD TO A CHAMPION...
GRIFFIN MASTIFFS
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SHOW CAREER
JUNE 16, 2007 TOPSFIELD SHOW- MAJOR WIN- NEW CHAMPION
The alarm goes off, it is 5:30 am on a Saturday
morning in the middle of the summer. The last thing
I want to do is get out of bed....but up I get. There is
Otis laying at the foot of our bed snoring to beat the
band. After I am completely dressed and ready to
go, Otis is still asleep. Another 10 minutes and I
have him up. He looks like I have beaten him up,
the only thing I did was wake him before 9am. What
can I say... he likes to sleep in. As I run around the
house packing Otis' show bag he realizes what is
going on.... Now the excitement starts, jumping
circles in the living room, followed by crying at the
door. He loves show days....all the attention from
strangers and the ability to kiss every person that
comes within a few feet and have them like
it.....GREAT DAY! OK in the car, Otis jumps in, he is
ready now. Directions next to me and off we go. 2
hours later we are at the Show grounds. Park the
car and let's go. Otis is ready, he is now prancing,
wanting to make sure everyone knows that he is
there to show! We make it about 20 feet from the car
before he finds his first interested person..It always
is the same. They look at him and say, "Oh my, isn't
he a big boy!" Otis hears "oh please come over
here, drool and kiss me while you stand on my feet"
Most people laugh hysterically at him, good thing
we are at a dog show! We finally find the ring,
usually easy to find as the 200lb dogs are not the
easiest to miss...Pass Otis off to his handler and I
run to the opposite side of the ring. He stands there
with his handler, loving everyone near him. If you
are close and do not pet him, he cries. Most people
realize quickly that he is in desperate need of
attention. I am across the ring, super nervous. You
would think that I would be cool calm and collected,
no chance of that! He is my boy I can't be calm!
Finally Otis is in the ring, he prances and greets the
judge. I can't breathe, too nervous....I hope the judge
likes my dog....complex. Win or loose Otis is the
happiest dog there. We visit other people after the
show and sometimes make it to other rings to
watch different breeds. Otis makes it perfectly clear
when he wants to go home. The noises that come
out of him are impressive!!! Off to the car we go, 2
hours and we are back home and look at that...it is
only 11am. There are so many great people and
dogs at the shows, it makes the long trips tolerable
and the best part is we get home and still have a full
day ahead of us!
morning in the middle of the summer. The last thing
I want to do is get out of bed....but up I get. There is
Otis laying at the foot of our bed snoring to beat the
band. After I am completely dressed and ready to
go, Otis is still asleep. Another 10 minutes and I
have him up. He looks like I have beaten him up,
the only thing I did was wake him before 9am. What
can I say... he likes to sleep in. As I run around the
house packing Otis' show bag he realizes what is
going on.... Now the excitement starts, jumping
circles in the living room, followed by crying at the
door. He loves show days....all the attention from
strangers and the ability to kiss every person that
comes within a few feet and have them like
it.....GREAT DAY! OK in the car, Otis jumps in, he is
ready now. Directions next to me and off we go. 2
hours later we are at the Show grounds. Park the
car and let's go. Otis is ready, he is now prancing,
wanting to make sure everyone knows that he is
there to show! We make it about 20 feet from the car
before he finds his first interested person..It always
is the same. They look at him and say, "Oh my, isn't
he a big boy!" Otis hears "oh please come over
here, drool and kiss me while you stand on my feet"
Most people laugh hysterically at him, good thing
we are at a dog show! We finally find the ring,
usually easy to find as the 200lb dogs are not the
easiest to miss...Pass Otis off to his handler and I
run to the opposite side of the ring. He stands there
with his handler, loving everyone near him. If you
are close and do not pet him, he cries. Most people
realize quickly that he is in desperate need of
attention. I am across the ring, super nervous. You
would think that I would be cool calm and collected,
no chance of that! He is my boy I can't be calm!
Finally Otis is in the ring, he prances and greets the
judge. I can't breathe, too nervous....I hope the judge
likes my dog....complex. Win or loose Otis is the
happiest dog there. We visit other people after the
show and sometimes make it to other rings to
watch different breeds. Otis makes it perfectly clear
when he wants to go home. The noises that come
out of him are impressive!!! Off to the car we go, 2
hours and we are back home and look at that...it is
only 11am. There are so many great people and
dogs at the shows, it makes the long trips tolerable
and the best part is we get home and still have a full
day ahead of us!
February 2009
Otis goes to Westminster!!!
story to follow
Otis goes to Westminster!!!
story to follow