Billie goes to a dog show

I was feeling stir crazy on Sunday after having spent four straight days staring at a computer monitor, so Billie and I decided to go and visit her daddy, Stoli, at the Fergus Dog Show. The Fergus Show has baby puppy classes, which makes it acceptable to bring younger pups onto the show grounds. Since Billie is up to date on her shots, off we went for an adventure.

Billie has never been to a show before – in fact, until yesterday, Billie had never been anyplace before, other than the backyard and a quick walk to the mailbox and back.

Talk about your first times!

First time on a leash. First time in a car (since her vet check ups). First time meeting new dogs. First time meeting big groups of new people. First time getting petted and picked up by strangers!

For some dogs, this can all be a bit overwhelming. There were more than a few puppies at the show who were suffering sensory overload. Not Billie! She walked in like she owned the place, accepted compliments and petting and pieces of liver like they were her birthright, and approached strange dogs with the kind of fearless aplomb you don’t usually see in puppies three times her age.

“Ho hum, endless adoration and the flashing lights of adoring paparazzi. C’est la vie”.

It was a really nice day overall. Myself and Billie’s other “Gramma” (Stoli’s mom, Brenda) got to hear lots of squealing comments along the lines of “OMG!!!!!!!!! That is the cutest puppy in the U-Neee-Verrrrrrrrse!”. Who were we to argue, especially since it’s true?

Billie also got to see her dad, Stoli (aka A’Vigdor’s Idem per Idem) take two more points towards his Canadian championship – four points altogether his first weekend out. Good looks run in the family! I can’t wait to get Billie in the ring at six months, so I can see if she’s as accomplished as her daddy.

Needless to say, Billie slept like a rock the entire drive home. It isn’t easy being the world’s cutest puppy, after all.