It's show time again

March 11 /09

Early tomorrow morning Mama and Papa are loading up the truck and we're hitting the road again. This time we're heading out to a small town called Tillsonburg, Ontario for Canada's Third Annual Purina National. We're so excited! The show is such a huge event, we hear it might even be on TV. (I'll let you know when just as soon as I find out ... although it may be on a Canadian channel.)

So I'm going into dogshow mode starting .... right now.

THINGS TO DO:

n I'll totally have to forget I know how to jump. Til the show's over anyway. That's pretty hard for a dog who loves to jump and spin in the air all the time. Remember my "Chef Unleashed" video from last summer?



That's me and our friend, Lianna. But I jump in the house too. Sometimes Daniel holds my ball way up over his head and I jump up and snatch it right out of his hand. And when I'm at the park I'm always jumping for joy. It's hard to keep a good dog down but I'll do my best because if I jump in the ring, I'm toast.

n I must go to the park today and sniff as many pupbutts as I can. Butt-sniffing is a definite faux pas in the ring. I've been exhibiting a lot of, well, manly behavior lately (it's those hormones), so I better get it all out of my system before I get to Tillsonburg.

n Since I'm known as "a good mover" in the ring, I'm thinking maybe I'll flaunt my posture by wearing my new paw and crossbones collar. I think it'll make my topline look very handsome, don't you?

My new paw & crossbones collar - do you think the judges will like it?

n I'll have to learn to concentrate all over again. Between shows, I get so ADD I totally don't remember how to focus. So today, I'm going to ask Mama for 50 cookies to balance on my nose, which I will then cleverly flip into my mouth

n I'll need a bath. But I'm going to refuse so I'll get lots of exercise running Mama ragged as she chases me through the house.

n I must learn how to get the mini-bar open when Mama and Papa go for supper. Did you know that dog-friendly motels now stock their mini-bars with all kinds of dog yummies? At least that's the buzz out on the show circuit. Who knew there's a veritable feast behind those funny little doors? I always thought they hid stuff that make Mama and Papa act silly. Anyway, shhhh ... don't breathe a word of this to my Mama or she'll crate me in the room.

This is what all the showdogs have been barking about ... motel mini bars stuffed with yummies.

Papa says if there's time we're also going to skip over to Detroit and Buffalo in the U.S.A.

The Purina National is a big funraising event. In the last two years, it raised $75,000 for the Canadian Kennel Club Foundation, which does very good work. It funds medical and genetic research, educates the public about the value of dogs in society, and supports animal-control legislation. How about that?

Anyway, I've got lots to do. So I'll leave you now and go and practice my break and enter skills.

Follow this link to see how the Purina National (AKC) works.http://www.purina.com/resources/nds/viewersguide/index.html

Wish me good luck!