When we first began this journey with Staffords our intentions were to have some fun, meet new people, travel a bit and study the breed. Somewhere along the way we also broke some breed records and enjoyed some firsts. Bragging isn’t really our ‘thing’ but at some point it does become important to document successes. Below are a few accomplishments for which we are incredibly proud to be associated with and also some firsts that aren’t so great but worth a mention.
Nowadays we often hear frustrated new owners complaining that their Stafford is ‘still not titled’ even after several shows. Geez. When did this even happen? Fifteen years ago it wasn’t at all uncommon to show your Stafford for a year or two semi regularly before you earned that title – and it was important too – a title actually meant something – most people showed their own dogs – now it seems handlers are everywhere in the breed – now also it seems people aren’t happy if it takes them more than 5-6 shows. As well, it seems breeders think every puppy in a litter should be (and is) shown. Not a record to be terribly proud of, but certainly impressed by, is that it took us nearly 40 times in a show ring to title our first Stafford, Pnut. In those 40 times in a show ring we learned A LOT and became better at presenting our dogs. So – our FIRST champion was a lot of hard work, travel and dedication. Pnut is also our first to compete in weight pull, rally obedience and she even tried terrier racing. She was also our first raw fed dog.
Captain was our first big winning dog – winning BOB at many prestigious shows including Devon, Hatboro and Morris & Essex. He sadly also became our first dog to die young in an accident.
Nealie became our first therapy dog, first AKC Breed Ambassador, first Obedience dog and first imported Stafford. She became our first dam to our first litter and therefore she became the matriarch of what was becoming Wavemaker Staffords.
Our first litter was also our largest litter to date. Six healthy puppies, naturally whelped in under 4 hours – three of them were shown. Three became titled. One sad fact from our first litter (which I blogged on years ago) is the fact that we were fooled and sold one dog from this litter to a person who lied to us. He was treated very poorly. We tried getting him back, went to court and still didn’t get him back. To this day we think about him and just hope he lives a good life despite the rumors. So. . . our first lesson in the importance of carefully interviewing new owners. We have been lied to since then, but the difference being the dogs are well cared for whereas Madoc was not.
Of those first puppies, Hula became the first Stafford to earn a lure coursing Excellent title. Our girl Pnut became the second to earn that same CAX title and she did it at nearly 11 years old. Our Staffords always ran the full 600 yards to earn their ribbons. I add this b/c many only ran 300 yards for that same ribbon, claiming the breed was brachycephalic which they are not.
Hula became our first working medical alert home bred girl. Marina became our second.
Francis, who was a Hula son, became our first to show at Westminster, our first to place in the Terrier Group, first top Owner Handled Stafford and our first to title in Nosework. He also was our first dog we lived with and then sent him to be with a good friend who needed him more than we did. He is in the very best home we could ever hope for now.
Somewhere along the way we grew from a collection of various enrichment protocols with litters to following Puppy Culture and seeing it make a big difference. Our first PC litter was Marina’s first litter.
Marina has gifted us with many firsts – she and her brother Stirling (who is now DD) were our first blue puppies, she is our first to show at UK Champ shows, first to qualify (4 times) and show at Crufts, first to win BOB over specials under a breeder judge, first to win BOS at specialties, first to win SB at specialties, first to win two excellent titles in Dock Diving (DMX and AJX), first to try barn hunt and first to travel overseas with us. Marina is an amazing girl and we do brag on her often. She is the winningest blue in the history of the breed anyplace. We learned a lot when we had a litter with two blues in it. We learned mostly that some people are shallow, dishonest, fickle and cruel. We also learned not to care and just enjoy our dogs.
Two very sad firsts include losing our first puppy (in our 4th litter) and having our first stillborn puppy (in our 5th litter). Both heartbreaking experiences.
Sailor is the first Stafford to earn the FCAT title in FastCat trials. He also may become the first Stafford to earn the Trick Dog Performer title very soon.
Schooner is the first Stafford we have bred to be a serious agility competitor. He is also our first homebred to with an all breed High in Trial at Obedience and on the same day High Stafford in Trial at our National Specialty.
Smithy is our first homebred to win 14 points, all majors, in one Specialty show weekend. Let’s hope I can travel west again to try for that last single to title him. Smithy was our first singleton puppy.
Johnson and Dutch became the first puppies we got back after selling/giving to new owners. Dutch made his way to an incredible home and is doing fantastic and Johnson is still with us. If my husband doesn’t fall too in love with him we will sell him into a home one day who wants to enjoy barn hunt, nosework, obedience, swimming, biking, hiking and more. He is an amazing dog and a real good guy to live with. He is a special boy.
Pnut, Captain, Nealie, Hula, Pixie, Gracie, Tackle, Cotto, Madoc, Derby, Sage, Finn, Francis, Stirling, Marina, Bay, Schooner, Sailor, Roka, Smithy, Johnson, Colt and Dutch – these are (or were) the Staffords we are responsible for. Most of them do not live with us, but with the exception of Madoc we know where they are. We continue to be in touch with their owners. We receive texts, calls, emails, photos, videos, brags and questions. That’s how it should be.
Firsts. All of them special.
