Easter: Milestones and memories

This Easter has been special in so many ways. There have been some milestones to reach and the memories have come as beads on a string. Some good, some sad and some in the middle of that. A lot of mixed feelings, that's for sure...

Seven years ago my dad died during Easter. How I miss him. He was truly a role model for me, my hero and my Dad. The Easter never quite gets to be the same again, but then again I ask myself what he would have said to me. He loved Easter, the family gatherings, the food, the feeling of spring, the walks...the list goes on. I believe he wouldn't want me to be sad, so I choose to celebrate him and remember the good times. Sure, I miss him and even cry as I do that, but I try not to let it get the better of me.

He worked as a plumber for many years and through him I like to think that I learned to be practical. Today I changed part of my sink in my bathroom as the old one was broken. I have recently started to paint my kitchen. Maybe he didnæt really care for painting, but that's not my point. He taught me to not be afraid of trying, he let me watch while he worked and I really do love him for that.

This Easter I also turned a huge milestone. Rikke, my oldest dog, have now been with me for more than half her life. I'd like to think of it as the better part, although she's had a nice life before I got her. How that dog has changed my life... Thanks to her I've found one of my greatest passions: the Portugese Water Dog. When I got her it soon felt like I had come home, in the sens of finding the ultimate purebred dog for me. If it hadn't been for her, I really don't know where I would have been today.

Another milestone:  Maja, my oldest Chinese Crested Powder Puff is halfway through her pregnancy and it's starting to show. I am so excited about this as it is my first litter EVER!

Milestone: Two years ago around this time of the year I was planning to move into the house where I am living now.

Milestone: Four years ago I was preparing the move from Trondheim to Romerike - the area where I grew up.A thank-you is in place to my friends who helped me move. They made an incredible effort driving to Trondheim and back not only one, but two times, to bring my stuff and store it for me until I got my house.

Milestone: Referring to my previous blog entry, I have also learned a lot this Easter. I attended my first Swedish Winner Show for dogs - it certainly won't be the last.

One more trip, one more dogshow, one more day with reflecting upon this and that

This is why I never really seem to get fed up with dog shows - it is never boring. I se loads of both wonderful dogs and dogs that should have stayed at home "show-wise", meet friends, other breeders, see silly behaviour around the ring or people truly happy for other people's success. Countless of educational conversations, meeting dogs that will be (and very well could be in the future) mated with my dogs in the future. This weekend I have learned so much and seen so much travelling to the Swedish Winner Show 2015 in Stockholm.

Even though I see a lot of silly and childish things - for example a BOS (meaning: Best of Sex, the dog of the opposite sex that don't get BOB - Best of Breed) and it's handler/owner not wanting to be in a photo of the breed's top two dogs is nothing short of childish and a sign of being a sore looser in my eyes. Of course the judge would accept the 30 seconds (max) that would take before continuing the judging in the ring. Talking about putting one's head out there for gossip - when it so easily could be avoided.

Setting that aside the weekend was wonderful, educational and really an example of the purpose of dogshows: breeders meet other breeders, conversations about choosing a puppy from a litter, seeing dogs that are eligible partners for each other for breeding and generally having a good time being around dogs and friends. I often make notes after a dogshow, to remember things that could be useful later on. This weekend was one of the best in a long time. I mostly enjoy time at shows, but this was special.

I travelled more than 1000 kilometres on my own in my car within 24 hours, showed my two dogs Portinbo's Amber The First Lady (Rikke) and Isostar's Fabel Om Eventyrvannet (Frøken, co-owned with her breeder) and they woth did very well in the ring. They both got Excellent and Rikke became 3rd best veteran bitch and Frøken 2nd best junior bitch. No winner-titles, but I still love them. They really gave it their "all" both inside and outside of the ring.

One more show under the belt - already looking forward to the next one :)

EDS 2015

EDS 2015
(The text will appear in English at the bottom of the document).
Prissettingen dere har satt til EDS 2015 er fullstendig horribel! Økningene ut over i året er vannvittige! Raseklubbene in Norge får henvendelser fra utlandet om at de ikke kommer på grunn av de høye prisene (til og med høyere avgift enn til Crufts!) I tillegg til påmeldingsavgiften kommer overnatting, transport og opphold.

Det kan være ganske risikabelt å melde på en hund såpass tidlig på året. Det ingen som vet hvordan en hund vil utvikle seg i løpet av året med tanke på hvilken klasse som vil være mest rettferdig for hunden å stille i. Hvordan vil NKK forholde seg til de som eventuelt ser at det å stille i en annen klasse/bytte klasse ville ha vært hensiktsmessig? Hvordan vil NKK administrere arbeidet med de som eventuelt vil ha krav på tilbakebetaling av påmeldingsavgiften? Spesielt når dette i mye større grad kunne ha vært unngått ved å ha en frist – hele året.

Folk ønsker å spare mest mulig penger på å melde seg på før 1/1-15, men kan fort bli tvunget til å melde på senere når spesielt januar og februar inneholder mange store og faste utgifter som tv-lisens, terminbeløp på forsikringer og så videre. Jeg stiller meg undrende til at NKK har satt opp frister med stadig økning av påmeldingsavgiften når det finnes så mange gode grunner til å la være – eller i det minste ha en frist og ett beløp hele året. Jeg tror NKK skaper mange, og unødvendige problemer for seg selv, ved å gjøre det på denne måten.

Flere raseklubber har planlagt rasespesialer samme helg, i lokalene, men blir nå tvunget til å føle de samme satsene – det er i alle fall det «ryktet» sier. Jeg håper inderlig at jeg tar feil her. Om folk ikke har noe annet valg, og må melde på ved siste frist, så koster det 1530 norske kroner å melde på EN hund! Da mener jeg selvfølgelig om en skal melde på både EDS og respektive rasespesial. Jeg utfordrer NKK til å nevne ETT ENESTE land i verden som tar like satser som dette ved påmelding til utstilling. Og jeg tillater meg selv å minne om de andre kostnadene også: transport, opphold og overnatting. Hva tror dere dette gjør med NKKs rykte (og Norges rykte som allerede fra før er frynsete og er et av de dyreste landene å være i)? Sånn reellt?

Det skulle ha vært interessant å høre hva Konkurransetilsynet hadde å si om dette, hvordan NKK utnytter sitt monopol i Norge. Det skulle også være veldig interessant å få ordentlige svar på spørsmålene som stilles i løpet av dette innlegget, og ikke bare standardariserte svar som «Leit å høre at du ikke er fornøyd. Ta kontakt med oss på telefon om det er noe du lurer på». Jeg sender innlegget også som epost, så dere kan svare der også. NKK har vært svært tilbakeholdne med argumentasjon for hvorfor de har satt opp dette regimet med påmelding og avgifter. Da er det ikke rart at folk snakker og opplever stor misnøye med organisasjonen.

I Fjellvettreglene heter det at «Det er ingen skam å snu». Det krevet ETT møte for å gjøre om på disse vedtakene. Tenk på hvor mye arbeid dere kommer til å spare dere for i månedene som kommer. Jeg vil anmode, oppfordre og innstendig be om at dere tar et møte på dette og setter ett beløp og en frist frem til arrangementet slik dere gjør til alle andre utstillinger dere arrangerer. 

Med vennlig hilsen, Lotte Werner Pettersen

In English:

The prices you have set for  EDS 2015 are outrageous! The increases throughout the year are scandalous! People from breed clubs outside of Norway turn to us to say that they are not coming because of the stiff prices (it’s even more expensive than Crufts!). In addition to the fees there are expenses related to accommodation, transport and other costs.

It may be quite risky to enter a dog so early in the year. Nobody really knows how a dog will develop throughout the year and which class that would be the best for the dog to be entered in. How will NKK handle the ones that might want to switch classes during the year ? How will NKK administer the work with the ones who might have the right to get their money back if something happens to the dog (and can be properly documented)? If you think about how you could avoid this by having one price – the whole year.

People want to save as much money as possible be entering before February the 1^st, but they might have to choice but to enter later on. If you consider that there are many fixed expenses during January and February: tv-lisence, insurances and other expenses. I really wonder why NKK have set this regime when there are so many reasons not to. Or at least have one price and one deadline the whole year. I strongly believe that NKK creates many, and totally unnecessary, problems for themselves by doing it like this.

Several breed clubs have planned their breed specialities the same weekend, at the same locations, but are now being forced to keep the same fees – at least according to the rumour. I really hope that I am wrong here. If people don’t have a choice but to enter their dogs at a later stage, it might cost NOK 1530 to enter ONE dog for both EDS and the respective breed specialities! I hereby challenge NKK to mention ONE SINGLE country that keep these high fees. And I allow myself to remind you of the other costs: transport, accommodation and other expenses. What do you think this does to NKK’s reputation? Really? And Norway is already considered one of the most expensive countries to live in.

It would be interesting to see what Konkurransetilsynet would have to say about this, how NKK uses their monopoly in Norway. It would also be very interesting to get proper answers to the questions asked in this blog and not just standardized answers like “Sorry to hear that you feel like this. Feel free to call us at anytime if you have questions”. I will send you this as an email so you have the opportunity to answer me there as well. NKK have been very restrictive with information and argumentation regarding this matter and there is no wonder why people talk and are displeased with the organization.

Norwegian hiking rules state that “There is no shame in turning back”. It only takes ONE meeting to reverse this matter. Consider how much work you will spare yourself of in the months to come. I will strongly recommend that you have a meeting about this and that you put one fee and one deadline for this event, as you do for any other event in your control. 

Yours sincerely, Lotte Werner Pettersen

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So far the fees are: 

Påmeldingsavgifter og priser:

1. frist		1. februar			NOK 590
2. frist		1. april			NOK 730
3. frist		1. juni			NOK 820
4. frist		1. juli			NOK 940
Norske raser/ Norwegian breeds		1. + 2. frist			NOK 350
Norske raser		3.  frist			NOK 820
Norske raser		4. frist			NOK 940
Valper/Puppies (6-9 mnd)		Alle frister			NOK 400
Oppdretterklasse(breeder's group		Alle frister			Gratis
Juniorhandling		Alle frister			NOK 250

Det gis også 30% i rabatt f.o.m 3 påmeldte hund registrert på samme eier. Rabatten gjelder alle frister.