Presley earns her Junior Hunter title and CeCe get her 1st JH leg!

Presley, with Qualifying Ribbon #4 for her JH title!

 We are thrilled to announce that Presley has earned her AKC Junior Hunter (JH) title and is now, Grayhart's Another Star, JH.  Presley completed her JH, handled by her breeder/co-owner,  by qualifying in four straight tests with terrific scores and at only one year of age!

Presley earned her first two legs at the Nutmeg Weimaraner Club Hunt Test in Simsbury, CT at the beginning of November under very difficult conditions.  The first day brought torrential rain but that did not deter Presley as she made her hunt test debut in style by finding and retrieving four birds to hand!

Extreme conditions call for the right attire & it worked for Presley's 1st JH leg

The next day, the weather was cold with swirling winds, which can be very challenging especially for novice dogs.  Presley hunted well and found her first bird, although did not point it and after the bird flushed, searched in thick cover and retrieved the bird to hand.  There is a rule that the dog must point 50% of the birds they encounter so we needed to find another bird and have a solid point.  She did not disappoint and with only minutes left, she made game, then a solid point before she went in on the bird.  She also caught that bird and retrieved it back. Chasing and busting the bird is allowed in the Junior level but not in Senior and Master so we will have to work on her training. Two tests, two qualifications on her debut weekend.

CeCe and Presley

I also ran CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous, co-owned with KellyAnn, in the Sunday test and this birdy girl qualified for her 1st Junior Hunter leg.  Tough conditions with few qualifiers but our girls made us proud by bringing home those orange ribbons. Guess we could call it a double Q!

After the test was over on Saturday, we took Savi, and her daughter, CeCe, out for a run and some training on the leftover birds in the fields.  What a beautiful sight to see CeCe back her momma!  Savi has her Senior Hunter and hunting is her favorite thing in the world.

CeCe honoring her mother, Savi

Savi on point

Presley with JH ribbon #2

The weekend after Thanksgiving brought the final hunt test of the season in the Northeast with the Nutmeg German Shorthaired Pointer Club Hunt Test at Flaherty Field Trial Grounds in CT.  Things did not look promising as we had a major snowstorm on Thanksgiving eve and the ground was covered with snow and ice.  Arriving at the test, those coming off the Junior course reported poor scenting conditions and the birds, Quail, were not staying planted.  Challenging conditions to say the least.  Plus it was cold!  

We met Presley's bracemate, a handsome, 22 month old male GSP, who turned out to be a hunting machine.  They took off from the start and after playing a few minutes started to hunt.  The GSP found a bird right away and hearing the shot of the blank gun, Presley upped her game and was trying really hard tracking and hunting to find a bird.  She found a quail under a log and pointed before flushing the bird.  She did not catch it.  She continued to hunt until the judges told us time was up and leash the dogs.  Presley qualified for JH leg #3.

On Sunday, we returned to Flaherty and fortunately, warmer weather.  Presley immediately knew why we were there and once we entered the bird field, boom, went on a gorgeous point.  The bird flushed and flew away.  Presley continued to hunt and the judge complimented her on how methodically she hunted.  We then saw her make game, showing the signs she was on a bird and boom, another beautiful, staunch point and to my surprise, she was pointing a walking bird!  Presley was easily 20 yards away so I couldn't get to her in time before she broke her point to flush the bird.  Very impressive for an untrained dog to point a walking bird and hold for a good 10 seconds!  It was exciting to see her perform so well and this was reflected in her scores of 9, 10, 10, 9,

Presley will now begin training for Senior Hunter and will return to the show ring in 2015. Her owners, Bob, Meridith and I are thrilled with how well she is doing and just adore this girl.

Major Win & New Rally Title for CeCe!!!!

It has been an exciting two weeks for CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous, CGC.  First, CeCe went with owner, KellyAnn to shows up in Springfield, MA, where Bonnie Lane, owner/breeder of Parker, (CeCe's dad and sire of our Fast Times Litter), piloted CeCe to Winners Bitch for her first major win in the show ring!!!  This gave CeCe a 3-point major and with her six single points, she is over halfway to her AKC show championship.

Then this past Sunday, KellyAnn had CeCe entered in back-to-back Cynosport Rally trials and not only did CeCe qualify in both trials with wonderful scores, she placed 5th and earned the final leg for her RL1 title!  

We are so proud of KellyAnn and all she is doing with CeCe, who is her first performance dog and allowing her to be shown.  CeCe has also been training for agility and field work.  A truly versatile Weimaraner.

Jam becomes a Grand Champion!!!!

In July, we went on our 2014 Grayhart Southern Adventure with Jam and Presely!  This included the Greenville, SC dog show circuit, visiting Debbie Moody, who owns two Grayhart girls, in the stunning mountains of North Carolina and a quick trip to Alabama to visit UofA.  

The first day of the Greenville Circuit was the Piedmont Kennel Club show.  We were thrilled for Jam, the only owner-breeder-handler in a very competitive entry of Weims, to go Select Bitch for a 4-pt Grand Champion (GCH) Major and be awarded Best of Breed Owner-Handler.  Jam, who is sparingly specialed,  she's been busy with agility, pups and many other things, only needed two singles to finish her GCH title so finishing in a big way was tons of fun.  Jam also was eligible to compete in the Owner-Handler group and showed well, photo above.

Jam is the first Grand Champion in her litter and the second Grayhart dog to earn this title, with Bravo being the first.

Very proud to announce...Jam is now GCH Grayhart's Purple Haze, CD,JH,AX,AXJ,SD,VX!!!

What's up next for Jam?  She will be competing in some local agility trials and will be bred on her next season for her final litter.

CeCe goes WB on Long Island!

Happy to report that at last weekend's Riverhead Kennel Club show, CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous, (Parker x Savi) from our Fast Times litter, was Winners Bitch for another point towards her AKC show championship.  Thank you to Bonnie Lane, who owns Parker, for showing CeCe as I couldn't make the show.  Then CeCe's momma KellyAnn, took CeCe into the Best of Breed class, a first for Kel and from what she reported fun and nervous at the same time.  CeCe now has four points.  We look forward to getting the official win pic.

Mica's 1st point

A lovely photo to commemorate Mica's first AKC show point going Winner's Bitch and Best of Winners at the Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association show.  

Congratulations again to Debbie Moody, Mica's owner/handler for doing such a wonderful job presenting her.  Mica is Grayhart Lightfoot River of Light, NRD, out of our Fast Times litter (Parker x Savi).  Mica is the second pup out of this litter to be show pointed (CeCe was the first).  Mica is not only on her way to her show championship but is training for agility, tracking and hunt tests.  Another versatile Grayhart pup!

Happy 6th Birthday to our Hendrix litter!!!

Happy 6th birthday to our Hendrix litter - Jam, Marshall, Mia, Monty, Ranger & Sky! These pups are extra special to us as our first litter and the amazing friendships that were formed due to these incredibly talented pups out of Parker x Trixie. 

Four are show champions, another specialty major pointed, futurity placing, multiple Best of Breed winning, obedience, agility, rally hunting titled, therapy dogs and super models!

Our Hendrix litter!

• Jam, Multiple Best of Breed Winner,CH Grayhart's Purple Haze, CD,JH,AX,AXJ,SD, CGC ,VX, Dam of 2 litters  
• 

• Marshall, CH Grayhart's In From the Storm, RN,CGC, 2 RA legs, Futurity/Maturity Placing

 

• Mia, 2x Specialty Major Winner CH Grayhart's American Woman, CGC 
• Monty, Grayhart's Stone Free, JH, CGC  
• Ranger, Specialty Major Pointed, Futurity Placing, Grayhart's Midnight Lightening 
• Sky, CH Grayhart Lightfoot Early Morning Rain,RN,TD, JH,AX, MXJ, CAT, NSD, NRD,CGC, VX2, Futurity/Maturity Placing 

Dynamite Debut for CeCe!

What an exciting weekend on Long Island, where CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous, (Parker x Savi) owned by KellyAnn and Chris Kwiatek and me, made her show debut and came away a winner, not once but twice, earning 3 points towards her AKC Championship! A big thank you to Steve and Bonnie Lane, owner of Parker, CeCe's sire, for showing CeCe to these wins.  CeCe is off to a wonderful start to her show career.

We also showed Jam, CH Grayhart's Purple Haze, CD, JH, AX, AXJ, SD, VX, (Parker x Trixie), for the first time in months, and she was awarded Select Bitch for 2 Grand Championship (GCH) points!  Jam only needs 2 more single GCH points to earn the GCH title.

Happy 1st Birthday to the Fast Times Litter!

Happy 1st Birthday to the Fast Times litter (Parker x Savi)! These special pups share my birthday & brought together some amazing people into the Grayhart family! We've had a wonderful year watching them grow & look forward to many more gray-t times ahead!

Wishing Mica, Reagan, CeCe, Sophie, Cruise, Henley & Ice a wonderful day!

More Holiday Cheer from the Grayhart family!

 CeCe (Parker x Savi) helping TSWR gift wrap presents at Petco!

 Chloe (Summit x Jam) above and below - this is how they celebrate in NYC!

Ranger (Parker x Trixie) and his lovely family!

Memphis and littermate Savi, (Clay x Trixie)

 Logan (Trixie x Clay) and Ripley

Above, Henley (Parker x Savi) with his gorgeous family!

KellyAnn and Chris' card with Haze, Junie and CeCe in her holiday best!

A Christmas movie by Nina - Rigby (Summit x Jam) and Rocky love getting presents!

Silly Sophie

 Sophie, (Parker x Savi) 6 months old, thinks the pool cover is her own personal trampoline.  Don't worry about her falling in, that cover could hold an elephant!

CeCe is a STAR!

 CeCe has something to smile about - she passed her AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy!  Congratulations to KellyAnn for doing a fabulous job of training  six-month old, CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous, (Parker x Savi) to her first title!

The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy test is a pre-Canine Good Citizen test for puppies under one year of age., who complete a basic puppy obedience class and can demonstrate specific skills.

20 STEPS To Success: The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® TEST

 S ocialization 

 T raining 

 A ctivity 

 R esponsibility

OWNER BEHAVIORS: 

1. Maintains puppy’s health (vaccines, exams, 

 appears healthy)

2. Owner receives Responsible Dog Owner’s Pledge 

3. Owner describes adequate daily play and exercise plan 

4. Owner and puppy attend at least 6 classes by an AKC 

 Approved CGC Evaluator 

5. Owner brings bags to classes for cleaning up 

 after puppy 

6. Owner has obtained some form of ID for 

 puppy-collar tag, etc. 

PUPPY BEHAVIORS: 

7. Free of aggression toward people during at least 

6 weeks of class 

8. Free of aggression toward other puppies in class 

9. Tolerates collar or body harness of owner’s choice 

10. Owner can hug or hold puppy (depending on size) 

11. Puppy allows owner to take away a treat or toy 

PRE-CANINE GOOD CITIZEN® TEST BEHAVIORS 

12. Allows (in any position) petting by a person other 

 than the owner 

13. Grooming-Allows owner handling and brief exam 

 (ears, feet) 

14. Walks on a Leash-Follows owner on lead in a straight 

 line (15 steps) 

15. Walks by other people-Walks on leash past other 

 people 5-ft away 

16. Sits on command-Owner may use a food lure 

17. Down on command-Owner may use a food lure

18. Comes to owner from 5-ft when name is called

19. Reaction to Distractions-distractions are presented 

 15-ft away 

20. Stay on leash with another person (owner walks 

10 steps and returns)

How I love the puppies....

One of the best things about breeding is having the pups come visit.  Like a grandma, I get to have fun with them and then send them home.  Two weeks ago, Ella (Summit x Jam) came for a weekend of shows and Reagan's owners brought her to visit us at the show grounds.  Reagan, (Parker x Savi) is 5 months old and did great when we stacked and gaited her.  She is doing super in obedience class and we are excited about showing her in the Spring.  It was a good experience for her to walk around an all-breed show with all the sights and sounds that are exclusive to a dog show.  And like all our other pups, they go crazy when they see their breeder, (me), as they never forget, no matter how long it's been.  Lucky for me, I had seen Reagan the week before.  Thanks Kathy and Tim for bringing Reagan for a visit!

Reagan, 5 months

Reagan, Grayhart's Wild Life, (Parker x Savi) 5 months old, came to visit us at the Garden State Weimaraner Club Specialty show on October 6th. It was great to see how well she is maturing and to spend time with her owner.  We can't wait to for Reagan to start her show career!

CeCe struts her stuff at the GSWC Match Show

 CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous, (Parker x Savi), now 4 1/2 months old, is in training to be a show dog.  Match shows, which are not worth any championship points, are a terrific way to get real ring experience in a relaxed, fun environment.  The goal is for the puppies to have a positive experience.  CeCe stood for exam like a champion and the chicken we used for bait was as good as gold.

 Show dogs are judged in two areas, conformation and movement.  The pups need to learn to do the show stack, the stance that shows off their conformation, allow the judge to examine them from teeth to tail, which includes checking their bite, to being felt all over and their legs being reset.  Movement is gaiting around the ring at a trot with their head up.  This was only CeCe's 3rd time on a show lead and I was proud of how well she strutted her stuff around the ring.  

 CeCe showed correct movement, with reach and drive.

 CeCe on a down and back...

 CeCe's first 1st place ribbon! She also received a trophy gift bag filled with lots of good stuff.  

It's hard work being pretty CeCe!  

CeCe is owned by KellyAnn and Chris Kwiatek and myself.  We are thrilled with how this little pup is developing and having a ball with her.

Reagan the Graduate!

Congratulations to Reagan, Grayhart's Wild Life, (Parker x Savi) for graduating from Puppy Kindergarten!

Once the pups leave us for their forever homes, usually at 8-9 weeks of age, it is up to their new owners to continue socializing and training them as the period from 8-16 weeks is one of the most critical developmental periods in a dog's life.  The experiences that the pup has during this time period will shape them for life.

Reagan attended class at the Staten Island Companion Dog Training Club and below is the description of the Puppy Kindergarten class:

Be a part of our interactive puppy experience which focuses on developing foundational training skills.  Our program provides the tools necessary to meet the social, intellectual and physical needs of your puppy while using primarily positive reinforcement techniques withina safe environment.  Puppies ages 9 weeks to 20 weeks will learn basic obedience skills such as sit, down, stay, to come when called and loose leash walking.  This class will practice human and dog socialization as well as introduce your puppy to agility equipment with the purpose of building confidence, developing dexterity and strengthening coordination.  Is your dog learning while having fun or having fun while learning?  That’s the beauty of Pups 101.  Come join the fun and be a part of the ultimate puppy learning experience.

Reagan is already signed up for the next level class, Beginner Obedience and was also invited to be part of a special Attention class later this fall.  We are proud of how well Reagan is doing under Kathy's tutelage!

CeCe 14 weeks old

I love when the puppies come to visit and go through withdrawal when I don't see them for awhile.  Thanks to KellyAnn for bringing CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous, (Parker x Savi) up for a night time visit so we could play, cuddle and stack her.  She has grown so much since our last stack shot and we are please with how pretty she looks.  Plus, she is such a sweetie and very biddable, stacking like a pro.

Mica at 13 weeks of age

Mica, Grayhart Lightfoot River of Light, (Parker x Savi) from our Fast Times litter at 13 weeks of age, stacking like a pro with owner Debbie Moody.  Debbie is holding a lid with cream cheese on it to help Mica stand still and enjoy the training.  Who doesn't love cream cheese?  I call it puppy crack!

Debbie has also started Mica tracking, something which Weims excel at and Mica made it look easy.  The beginner puppy tracks were 25-30 yards and Mica love finding the glove at the end.  Debbie reports that Mica is also a little retrieving machine just like her Momma Savi.

Terrific Tuesday: Cruise & CeCe go to handling class

Cruise, Grayhart's Show Me the Money

 On Tuesday, we took two of our Fast Times (Parker x Savi) pups, Cruise and CeCe to their first handling class. At 13 weeks old, they are not too young to start learning how to be show dogs and get used to a new facility for training.  The show handling classes teaches the dog to stack, to gait properly on a lead, to stand for exam and to free bait plus goes over ring procedure.  It is important that the pups have fun so we used food and praise to motivate them.  We were very proud of the awesome job that these pups did with their stacking and held up for a very long class.  We need to get them used to gaiting on a show lead but there were moments of brilliance that we could see that these pups are lovely movers.

Cruise on the move

CeCe, Grayhart's Almost Famous