Ryder goes Winners Dog at the Prescott Arizona Kennel Club

Imagine, if you can, the high you get, going into the show ring knowing that you're taking your darling, favorite, spoiled dog who is the BEST DOG IN THE WORLD to show the judge what a great dog he is. Now, imagine coming out with the third place ribbon, out of three dogs...time after time after time...for the first 2 years of his life.

Now, fast forward past all of those memories; you've learned that you go into the ring with different priorities...to learn to handle, to work on a specific skill or training item....and it starts to pay off.

A few weekends ago, when Ryder went Winners Dog at the South Bay Kennel Club show, I cried. Not hard, not loud...not even spectacularly enough to get a red nose (we had photos later, a woman's got to have priorities), but I cried.

Sunday, at the Prescott Valley Kennel Club in beautiful Chino Valley, Arizona, Ryder went Winners Dog for his second point (only 13 to go!!!). I didn't cry this time, but thanked him for not losing faith in me when I was ready to give up on him.

My baby boy has grown into a wonderful dog. He's not perfect, he's got his faults...but he loves me unconditionally. He's no Lassie, to go get help when Mommy wakes up at 2am whimpering with a migraine, but he will curl up beside me to try and comfort me. And, whether or not we win that elusive CH in front of his name, he will always be my first place Winner. If he could read, I'd say here "Love ya, Ry" but he can't. But he knows it...oh boy does he know it.