Ailsadot Dalmatians

CRUFTS 2022

All three Spots qualified for Crufts this year, so off we went to the biggest dog show in the world. This was Mac and Seren’s first time, Lottie’s second time, and classes were huge!

None of the Spots got placed, but all showed their socks off and I couldn’t have asked more of them, they just weren’t to the judge’s taste.

Crufts is a very long day, you have to be on your bench before 8am and can’t leave until after 4pm, so lots of lying around in crates, or going for mooches round the outside of the NEC for the dogs.

We love a good critique ….

Seren’s Critique ❤️

St Helens and District Canine Society
Open show, Sunday 20th February 2022.

Judge: Mr Colin Goodswen (Alphadal)

Puppy D/B (3 entries, 2 absentees)
1st Wallington’s Ailsadot Astral Lyra, 10 month old black spotted bitch with lovely dark pigmentation and pretty expression. She was full of beans today, loving every minute, but certainly not phased at all. Lovely feminine head and nice long neck down to well defined withers. Good level top line which she carried well on the move. Nice angulation front and rear with good bend of stifle and tight cat feet. Nice rythmic movement when she settled. Best Puppy in breed.

We’ve done a few Open Shows …

Barrow and District Open Show:

Mac and Seren made an appearance for this show, Mac’s first open show since 2018! It was incredibly noisy, lots of people and barky dogs, not the best experience for either Spot.

Seren got 3rd in a Junior class of 8, and making her Best Puppy in Breed. She went on to take Utility Puppy Group 4 .

She got 2nd in AV Puppy.

Mac took reserve in an Open class of 6

St Helen’s and District Canine Society

Just Seren for this local show.

She got first in Puppy, and so Best Puppy in Breed, and third in Junior.

Ellie took her into the Utility Puppy Group, but she was unplaced – a little kangarooy on the unfamiliar mat flooring.

Seren’s BUBA critique

Seren got placed first in Minor Puppy Bitch at BUBA in December 2021. Her critique was published yesterday.

MPB (12,2) 1 Wallington’s Ailsadot Astral Lyra. b/w 7m Dark pigmented happy puppy with the sweetest expression on her very feminine head, a “look at me” way about her which will stand her in good stead as she matures. She presented a lovely picture with deep chest, strong bone and well angulated. I think she’s a little star in the making, beautiful and free flowing in her movement.

Kerry Harrison-Stratford (Dalkereve)

I’m so pleased with the critique, and so proud of my little star ⭐️

Boston Champ Show

Ellie and I took Mac and Seren down to Peterborough for the Boston Champ show. We stayed in a hotel overnight, Seren’s second time in a hotel, and she loved it!

It was the first time back on benches since March 2020, so something for both dogs to get used to again.

Mac looked great, but sadly didn’t get placed. Seren got placed third in her Minor Puppy Bitch and Puppy Bitch classes.

British Utility Breeds Association Champ Show

Just Seren and I went to BUBA, Lottie and Mac stayed at home and Ellie went on Explorer camp.

Our last unbenched show (hopefully), so we pitched up in a quiet spot. Seren was entered in Minor Puppy and Puppy bitch, so she didn’t have to wait for a very long time to get in in the ring. Whilst she was waiting she met Nannie Karen, Lottie’s breeder, and I got to meet Mia, Karen’s new puppy.

In the show ring Seren truly strutted her stuff in big classes, 10 in each class. She got 1st in Minor Puppy and 2nd in Puppy, so I was super proud of her.

Love a detailed critique

I was so pleased to get the critiques back from the judge at the Hyde and District Canine Association’s Open show in November. It’s lovely when the judge spends time to write a detailed critique, and especially when it’s from a breed specialist judge.

Puppy (5,1)
1st Mrs C Wallington – Ailsadot Astral Lyra – Super confident black 6-month-old bitch with a very pretty spotted face and dark brown eyes, lively expression and well carried broken ears. Strength to
her muzzle but retains her femininity easily. Round bone, slightly sloping pasterns lead down to tight feet with well-maintained nails. Scored well in front assembly with elbows carried close to body,
clean neck and shoulders well laid back. Good length to her ribcage, strong loin and tail set straight off her back and carried well when moving. She has good turn of stifle and already showing good definition of second thigh, strong straight hocks with excellent bone. Coat in fabulous condition being glossy and tight, with evenly distributed spotting. On the move showing fantastic reach and drive, and once she grows up she will be able to showcase how well she can move with ease. An exciting future for this puppy surely. Reserve Best of Breed and Best Puppy.

Post Graduate (7,6)
1st Mrs C Wallington – Kaytoni Isn’t She Lovely At Ailsadot – 3 year old well-schooled black spotted bitch, coped with the slippery floor well! Flat skull, nice width between her ears, ghost face with
lovely dark eyes and again well broken spotty ears which were used well. Good length to her neck but not as clean over the withers, ribs well sprung and carried well back. Enough bone and she
stands on round feet. Well set tail that did not stop wagging, her hind quarters are well muscled but rear angulation not balanced with her front. Strong hocks, driving off nicely when moving and she has a beautiful clean evenly decorated coat, in great overall condition.

North of England Dalmatian Club Champ and Open Shows

Seren’s second show and first Champ show, her first time out in a big ring. Lottie came along to show her the ropes, and give her some support. It was a very long day, with it being back to back Champ and Open shows, with lots of dogs entered.

We started with the Champ show. Seren did really well, stayed focused, coped well with being in big classes, and they were big! 12 in Minor Puppy, 13 in Puppy and 10 in Novice! Seren got a 3rd in Minor Puppy and a 3rd in Puppy, so she qualified for Crufts, which was amazing! Lottie did well in her classes, again big ones. She got a reserve in Graduate but missed out in Post Graduate.

The Open show didn’t start until after 4pm, by which time we were all a little tired! Seren got a Reserve in Minor Puppy, and a 3rd in Puppy. Lottie got a 3rd in Graduate and a 2nd in post Graduate.

So it was a good day for both girls, very long, but both behaved well and Seren took it all in her stride.

Hyde and District Canine Association Open Show

Seren’s first ever show and Lottie’s first open show in 2 years! A nice local one to us, literally 15 minutes drive away.

Seren was up first in Puppy, where she came first out of 4, coping well with running on mats and having puppies ‘chasing’ her.

Lottie won her Post graduate class too, which meant the girls were up against each other in the Best in breed challenge! Seren was very excited to chase mum round the ring, so she was asked to run on her own – opps!

Seren got Best Puppy in Breed and Reserve Best in Breed, so went onto the puppy group, where she missed out, she was a bit flat and tired. But I’m super proud of her performance, a fantastic start to her show career.