Owners Blog 2023
Countdown to Kerrville 2/12/2023
We are counting down the days until out next dog show. Just 24 days until Bexar and Boerne show in the Kerrville Texas AKC Conformation Dog Show. The cold and wet weather in Texas has slowed our progress in the Dainty Acres Training Studio, but not at the Bunk n' Biscuit where we take Ring Manners class on Tuesdays with Tammi White. Even though these Italian Greyhounds are 13 months old, we still train like they are puppies. Every experience, good and bad, effects their confidence and performance. The #1 goal is to have fun. Performing good just happens with practice. Being great is in the confidence.
# InstillConfidence
#Good2Great
Dainty's Cashmere Beret
The Dainty's Cashmere puppies turn 13 months! Puppies can be awkward and gangly for the first 2 years. I like to see the progress we make. Boerne is really turning out to be a nice little lady!
Today in the Dainty Acres Studio: Trimming Toes
Dana Taylor here at Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds, today we are in the studio working on trimming our dogs toes. Every weekend is spa day, I have a grooming table and an arm that holds my dogs head still. I use a cordless Dremel with a sanding barrel. I only tap the toe 2-3 times before I move to the next toe. The sanding barrel causes heat on the toe, and you can get a squeal! I don't want to hurt or have any bad experiences, so I reward often and put the foot down often.
Owner's Blog
Show Leads and Martingales
Bexar has found his forever Home!
Bexar has found his forever Home!
I couldn't find what I wanted, so in 2018 I made my own. The design of a flexible 3 strand braid of soft high quality leather. I train and show using a 6' lead. I could not find a comfortable 6' lead that was comfortable and slim. I want my lead to be flexible against the flat link collar chain. Toy Breed sizes only. https://daintyacres.godaddysites.com/leather-show-leads
Bexar has found his forever Home!
Bexar has found his forever Home!
Bexar has found his forever Home!
Look for this little super star in the show ring and in the Dainty Acres training studio! He has not moved far from home, and he gets to continue his show career! I am incredibly excited about this new partnership.
Boerne is workin it!
Bexar has found his forever Home!
Boerne is workin it!
Boerne is developing into a really nice little lady. She can be really sweet when she isn't attacking her brothers.
Saturday October 29, 2022
Stay safe and protect your loot from little night stalking gremlins!
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#CH Infiniti Cashmere
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#DaintysCashmereBeret
#Amayla's Machiatto
#DaintysBigRed
Friday October 28, 2022
Pups are all current on vaccines, YAY!!!
Today they got their DHLPP, protecting them from Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus. They are wondering where they cookie is for being such good babies!!!
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#DaintysBigRed
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#DaintysCashmereBeret
Monday October 10, 2022
Best of luck to all our friends in Lebanon, TN at the IGCA National Specialty. Blessings on the journey and enjoy making memories!
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#DaintysBigRed
#DaintysCashmereStetson
#DaintysCashmereBeret
Thursday August 25, 2022
Rain is such a blessing but a pain when the training carpets are laid down! So today we are indoors, working on some of the AKC details in our breed standard. How about measuring and weighing? Do you know what your breed standard says about that? This is a great video from AKC, a video they make available to their Judges in a training series. Check it out!
Saturday August 6, 2022
July Goals met! Redmond and the pups worked real hard last month to make an impressive entry into the dog show ring in July. Since then the pups have been enjoying some time-off at Dainty Acres napping on the porch and chasing squirrels. After that hard push last month in the Dainty Acres Training Studio, the dogs and I needed a break.
Re-capping what we did all year in the training studio:
- Head-Straight
- Stay
- Shake-the-Lead
- Come
- Judge Hands on the table
Communication is the foundation of a great dog, a show dog and a companion dog. For us, all our dogs are companions that just happen to show. So my goal was to have them listen to me in the show ring with all the distractions of a busy dog show. Goal met! I want a solid stay and stack, one I can count on every time when we make it into the Specials. Winning the AKC Championship title is just the first step in a show dog's career. When I get to the level where I am showing Specials, I am competing against all the best dogs and the best handlers. Every dog in the BOB class is deserving to win the Best of Breed ribbon. So to stand out in the ring, I need to show off my dog and have a special communication with my dog so we can impress the Judge together. So, we will finish taking a break and get back to the Dainty Acres Training Studio in a few weeks.
#RoyalBreak#TexasSquirrelChasers
#TakingARoyalNap
#DogDaysOfSummer
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
Saturday July 30, 2022
073022 - Willie is really enjoying his retirement. The weekend is Spa Day for the dogs here at Dainty Acres. I like to do the toes outside because I use a Dremel tool and toe nail dust goes every where. I wear a mask, well because I don't need toenail dust in my lungs! I have gotten smarter as I get older, the mask, a taller grooming table and a second Dremel tool because 6 dogs it too much for the $20 Dremel I use!
Sunday July 17, 2022
7/17/22 - We came home from the San Antonio Dog Show with lots of ribbons, memories and lots of homework for the next show! In the ring for the first time was my Jr Handler as well as the 3 pups. She showed her puppy, Dainty's Cashmere Fedora and my little girl Dainty's Cashmere Beret to win her class and go back in with all the Specials. It was so fun to see my babies try so hard and see a junior handler get bit by the dog show bug!
#DogShowPeeps
#PuppiesFirstDogShow
#MalindaJulienPhotography
#HowToGet4PuppiesToStandStill
Judge Mrs. Cindy C Lane
Judge Mr Allen Odom
Judge Pamela Wilson
Judge Darryl Vice
Judge Anne Savory Bolus
#KennelClubofGreaterVictoria
#SanAntonioKennelClub
#AlamoAreaToyDogClub
San Antonio AKC Dog Show July 2022
They did great, bringing home lots of ribbons and even making a final appearance in the ring with all the Italian Greyhound Winners!
Day 163: Monday 6/20/22
I just watched "The Complete Head Straight Video with Trainer Eric Salas" for the 20th time! I love going back to the basics, and I always pick up something new that I missed! Getting control of the head, gives you control of the whole dog. The body follows the head, so get control of the head and many of the problems go away. Puppies are difficult to get to stand still because they are so wiggly. I started them in their crates with the crate door shut and a piece of bait they can't reach. When I transitioned them to the examination table, they already knew how to stand still. With the Head-Straight, I get control of the head and they know the stay command, so all that is left is to put the feet where they belong. We are 5.5 months old now, and they are really starting to get it. I practice 3 times a day everyday (almost!), and when I have taken a break from Head-Straight, I can tell the difference!
Day 162: Sunday 6/19/22
Today is Spa Day! We started the morning off with a deep coat conditioning treatment, a recipe from Kent Boyles and Eric Salas of beer and egg. While that was setting up, the pups got a mani/pedi on the grooming table. After a nice warm bath, and a run around the 90* yard, they were ready for a siesta. Each pup has a crate that I use for traveling and RV'ing. So as we get closer to show-time, I like to get them staying in the kennel for a few hours at a time. The pups took a 4 hour nap and I got a 4 hour break! We finished up the afternoon with a coat sealer of citric acid, cider vinegar and H20. They are shiny and beautiful! Check out this video, "Grooming Tips for Double Coated Breeds with Kent Boyles and Eric Salas"
Day 161: Saturday 6/18/22
Today Blanco moved out of the house and has started his next chapter in life. He may have left me but he is not leaving the show ring. Please help me give Danica, David and Victoria a big congrats on their newest member of the family. Blanco and Danica will be showing with us at the dog show in July. Congrats Danica, You will do great!
#DaintyAcresBLitter
#AKCJrHandler
#DaintysCashmereFedora
Day 160: Friday 6/17/22
We have exactly 27 days, 11 hours, 14 minutes and 46 seconds until show time at the Harry Freeman Colosseum in San Antonio Texas. This is an "AKC Conformation Dog Show", we are showing the judge the best dog that represents the Italian Greyhound Breed Standard. The judge will watch the dogs move, stand still and even run their hands over our dogs, all to narrow down the pick and award the dogs. Bexar and Blanco will enter the ring together, in the 6-9 month division. Then, who ever wins the puppy division goes back into the ring to compete with the winners of the other divisions for Best of Winners and the Best of Breed. The puppy division is very forgiving, because, well, puppies will by puppies. So, when it cools down we will get our furry little hineys into the Dainty Acres Training Studio to practice our "Free-Stack", "Table-Stack" and "Down-n-Back". https://daintyacres.godaddysites.com/owners-blog
owner's Blog
Day 150: 6/7/22
Now that I have my picks for the AKC show ring, I need to get serious about their show names. Bexar, Boerne and Blanco are getting a name changes in the show ring, for now their call names are staying the same. It all came together Sunday night when Bexar became enamored by my husband's cowboy hat. He just loved it, sniffing it and staring intently at it. All of this was going on as we were talking about their show names. We both looked at each other and said, "Dainty's Cashmere Stetson"! So the rest of the pups were a "no-brainer!" #DaintysCashmereStetson #DaintysCashmereBeret #DaintysCashmereFedora
Day 147: 6/4/22
Announcing the retirement of of our first breeding pair, CH Infiniti Cashmere & Amayla's Macchiato. This proven pair passed on their incredible quality in structure, movement and brains. I am excited about the legacy that CH Dainty's Big Red and the rest of the pups from these beauties will leave in the hearts of humans and the AKC registry. I pray for God's Blessing on my fur-babies and their fur-families and I thank you for loving my babies so well. You are making a difference in this little Italian Greyhound world we live in!
#LoveMyDaintyFurFamily
#CHInfinitiCashmere - Matriarch of Dainty Acres
#CHDaintysBigRed - First Champion from her first litter
#AmaylasMacchiato - Patriarch of Dainty Acres
Day 146: 6/3/22
Brady is getting ready to go to his new fur-family. Recovering nicely after neuter surgery. He loved the vet and staff, never even knew what was going on, thought it was a spa day. Brady is developing into such a sweet companion dog, and he wants to please me sooo bad. He is going to be a 3 on a scale of 0-5 on the "Needy-Meter". He is happy playing with a ball, or stick or squeaky toy all by himself. He will usually separate himself from the pack to go do that alone. Brady Is a wonderful little snuggler, he loves when I bring him in and have one on one time with just him. He sleeps all night in the X-Pen or my bed, and can hold his potty for when I take him out. He does his businesses and wants to go back in to snuggle some more. He looks deep into my soul and says, "Mama, I love you". Who can resist a puppy with his sweet face snuggled into my chin. I am really going to miss this one!
Day 142: 5/30/22
Every pure bred dog registered with the AKC has a Breed Standard that defines the uniqueness of that Breed. The Italian Greyhound has been the favorite of royalty for thousands of years. They are incredibly good at sleeping and bonding into a co-dependent relationship. They are also incredibly good at mousing. What sets the Italian Greyhound apart from other blueblood pups is their ability to see, stalk and chase prey. Yes they are good at sleeping, but they are even better at hunting. They can move at lightning fast speed and change direction at high speed on a dime. Their haunches can propel them into an instant sprint. This sprint isn't just a sprint, for the Italian Greyhound, they are built to do something quite extraordinary. Their speed and agility make them incredible hunters of small prey. Lizards, rodents and birds usually out maneuver their enemies before dodging their assailant. But these guys are no match for the Italian Greyhound who can launch into a full run and change direction mid-stride. Their long neck helps them reach the prey, while the torque in the hind end builds the power to launch the body forward. Cat like claws scoop the ground and change directions on the fly. Since this Sprint-Spin-Turn is so hard to catch with the natural eye, I slowed it down to watch in slow motion. Their keen sense of vision, unique structure and incredible reflexes make them a winner every time when a mouse is loose in the royal house.
Day 141: 5/29/22
Day 141: Sunday 5/29/22 - I didn't get to make it very far down the list this weekend, at this time all 4 pups are spoken for. If you are still interested in a future litter, let me know. And of course, check out our FB and YouTube channel for activity in the Dainty Acres Training Studio. Thank you so much for your support, prayers and love of this breed.
Day 140: 5/28/22
Brady ate a frog this morning. He is such a happy boy, chased it, ate it and ran around smiling like he was king of the world. More like a Jester than a King! He is so silly, bouncy and HAPPY! The pups are being introduced in turn out with the big dogs. My goal is to have the pups and the dogs out together to access the dog room and the dog run to potty. I don't want them to rough-house, so I turn out the pups separate from the adults at first. Then after they have blown off 30 minutes of steam, I let the adults out with them. I don't want anyone getting hurt! There is a fine balance between the adult setting boundaries and rolling a tiny little puppy down a hill.
#KingFrogEater
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#DaintysBexar
#DaintysBoerne
#DaintysBrady
#DaintysBlanco
Day 137: 5/25/22
The pups are getting to a really good place, I am so pleased with this pack of pups, they are sooo sweet and try so hard for me. I am also really excited about the new fur-ever homes. I have been working my way down my short list, some folks have found their for-ever fur babies somewhere else, so that is giving me the chance to make a couple more calls. The first pup I am looking at homing is Brady, he is set for his "snip-snip" surgery Tuesday, and once he has re-cooperated he will be ready to go home to his new family. He will partner well as a single dog or in a home with another dog. He loves all adult humans, he would make a terrible guard dog. But is very nervous about young humans. He is the first to meet me, and seeks me out, so be prepared for a co-dependent relationship here. He sleeps in the bed with me, crates easily, uses the doggie door to go outside to potty, stands on the grooming table for his mani/pedi, and walks nicely on a leash. He is so eager for my attention, he is not at all interested in standing pretty, he just wants to be held, loved, walked, petted and told he is a good boy. So I made my decision to find a pet home for him early. He is really ready to start his new life, and I don't want to hold him back any longer!
Day 132: 5/20/22
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Day 131: 5/19/22
Little Champions showing off their stuff! They all got great brains, they vary in boldness starting with Boerne as the most sassy and bold, fading to a pleasant and agreeable demeaner in both Blanco and Brady. But a show dog not only needs to have all the right conformation qualities to pass on, but also needs to like to do the showing job. Boerne is happy to see total strangers and wants to be doing something. Bexar does too, but he is also happy just sitting on my lap doing nothing.
#DaintyShowDogs
#DaintysCashmereBoerne
#DaintysCashmereBexar
#DaintysCashmereBlanco
#DaintysCashmereBrady
Day 130: 5/18/22
Day 130: Wednesday 5/18/22 The pups are doing a great job improving their leash walking and their stacks. I love when I catch them doing a free-stack all on their own! Everyday we work on the "Head-Straight" verbal and hand sign. They love when they get something right, and this "Head-Straight" is a great tool for when you need control. Control is important if they get scared, go to the vet, meet a new human, go to a dog show and when you need to groom them. The leash training is going great too. I use a flat link chain on a 6 foot lead. This is an Eric Salas technique as is the Head-Straight. I like that they hear the end of the leash coming as that flat link chain slips through the ring. So when they bolt away they can hear the "ch-ch-ch" of the chain just before the chain tightens around their neck. So they learn to respect the end of the leash. And with a 6 foot leash, I can control how long the leash is. I can control that launch by giving them some lead or bring it up by rocking my hand. I take each pup on a walk in the back yard at least once a day. This looks like total chaos, but I see the little improvements. They have lots of energy at this age, and they need to be exercising their brains and their bodies. They love the walk and it helps them learn to come up to me so I am not chasing puppies. I like keeping the whole process in perspective, we went from total resistance a month ago, to knowing the rules of the leash. They love it and we have made progress!
Day 129: 5/17/22
I have a "New-Puppy Orientation" video I created a couple years ago. One of the common questions I am asked is "what should I do to prepare for my new puppy?" Well, here is what I would tell anyone who asks, and anyone who takes home a puppy from Dainty Acres Italian Greyhounds. I hope you enjoy a blast to the past!
Day 126: 5/14/22
We are making some progress! Since we started focusing on our Conformation Show Ring training, we started out knowing nothing, to 4 puppies who are eagerly trying to stand still and walk alongside me. In this video, the 4 puppies are one by one in the training studio practicing walking around the ring and walking into a free-stack. We are also starting them out on the Judges Examination Table for the table-stack. I just love watching the video because from my elevation, I can not see what they look like. I am walking around trying to keep my hand in-front of their face. Trying not to fall or drop bait. If you are wondering why I am all hunched-over and looking silly, well, that is because I am really tall and they are incredibly short. I want them to get in the habit of watching my hand. My hand is their communication link. My hand is giving them a hand-sign. You may notice I do that even with the adult dogs when I am training them. Since I train even when I am in the show ring, you will see me even doing it in the show ring. Once my dog gets to the "Specials" level, he knows the drill and is also listening to my verbal signs and only using my hand signs when he gets off track. If my hand is holding bait and giving hand-signs from my full upright posture, they will be looking up and throwing their whole top-line off. I use these videos to watch what the puppy looks like when I am walking, trotting and standing in my free stacks. I can learn thing from watching the video. I can see if they are watching my hand, and if I have a problem, I can see what is causing it and fix it.
Owner's Blog
Congratulations Redmond! 3/13/22
Kerrville and San Antonio Kennel Clubs March 11-13, 2022 3/13/22: Dainty's Big Red moved into the big league the weekend of March 11-13, 2022 when he won his last point toward his Championship and moved up into the BOB division. Thank you to Judges Vicki Abbott, Susan St. John-Brown and James Mitchell for placing us Winner's Dog and Grand Champion Select. Was a truly memorable and great weekend for all of us here at Dainty Acres.
#DaintyAcresItalianGreyhounds
#NewAKCChampion
#DaintysBigRed