# The Hummingbird: Clayborn's Jamaican Mango



## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

We were planning on a Silken litter set for next year buuuuut.... meet Clayborn's Jamaican Mango. I loved her while doing her [Avidog] temperament test, and then she blew us out of the water with her structure eval. I adore her personality and drive and everything, and she has the structure for the sports and activities we plan to do. We will be keeping her reg. name because I love it, and call name will be "Azuma" to keep with our mountain theme. She is 9 1/2 weeks old currently, and should be coming home next week after Christmas.

Not the best stack, tired after their structure evals.



























Hummingbird theme litter, this is the Jamaican Mango hummingbird.









Mom, Chloe: UKC CH Clayborn's Quest for Glory 









Dad, Titus: UKC GRCH Ricmar's Kristull Tradition


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## Moonstream (Apr 3, 2016)

I just saw your post in the puppy fever thread. I've honestly been really excited to see your addition, as I'm developing a bit of a thing for Silkens. Haven't met one yet, but have a few NoCal Silken owners who've offered to let me meet theirs.

Ugh, be still my heart, she's wonderful! Her parents are lovely- I love dad's coat, especially. I'm so, so excited to get to virtually watch her develop!

As a very, very side note- do you offer the Avidog temperament test for litters as a professional service? Have you experienced any reliability/validity or do you know if there's been any research into that in this system? I know you work as a trainer, so just curious. I have a friend expecting a Lab litter that should be confirmed soon (and hopefully took!), and she's big in to gundogs, so she recently introduced me to Avidog and got me curious about it.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

I don't offer it as a professional service, and I've only done it on the Silkens and assisted with it on a litter of Labs, and a friend with Entlebuchers I haven't seen but I know she uses it. I enjoy it so much that honestly I dunno that I'd ever charge to do it for a respectable breeder unless I had to travel a long way. The Avidog temperament evaluation (I'm seeing now I put 'test' in my post but it really is more of an evaluation than a test) helps with placing puppies as much as it helps the breeder learn what they need to work more on in future litters. Avidog is very well researched and scientific from my understanding. Very in depth. Breeders spend *thousands* on the courses and everyone I've talked to says it's completely worth every penny.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

As I already said in the puppy fever thread, she is absolutely beautiful. Do you plan to show her in conformation as well?

Interesting about the testing. Sounds like a great breeder, too!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

ForTheLoveOfDogs said:


> As I already said in the puppy fever thread, she is absolutely beautiful. Do you plan to show her in conformation as well?
> 
> Interesting about the testing. Sounds like a great breeder, too!


 Yes, I do plan to, which will be a lot for me to learn. I also want to give rally and obedience a try. I have the Puppy Culture Killer Free Stacks dvd I need to watch. 
She's a really fantastic breeder, has a great page on her website http://claybornkennel.com/index.php/raising-pups/ and lots of videos of facebook https://www.facebook.com/cathi.wester/media_set?set=vb.100000517933966&type=2


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Sibe said:


> Yes, I do plan to, which will be a lot for me to learn. I also want to give rally and obedience a try. I have the Puppy Culture Killer Free Stacks dvd I need to watch.
> She's a really fantastic breeder, has a great page on her website http://claybornkennel.com/index.php/raising-pups/ and lots of videos of facebook https://www.facebook.com/cathi.wester/media_set?set=vb.100000517933966&type=2


Puppy Culture is such fun stuff!

You probably won't have much difficulty learning to show. I mean it is a little bit of a learning curve, but because you have to show in UKC it should be a lot of fun. Most clubs/competitors/judges are pretty helpful to newbies in my experience. I'm sure your girl will have a lot of fun in all the things! Can't wait to see more pictures once you bring her home.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Yesss!!! Congratulations!!!!!!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Today she got stuck in the baby gate. True to how she acted in her temperament eval when faced with a difficult problem, she tried to solve it, didn't solve it, then was content to give up and wait for help. Honestly I love this trait as I'm not fond of dogs that get frantic and panic and really amp up when frustrated. She accepts her fate, and wags her tail until help arrives.









Breeder working on leash walking skills. Stupid leash gets in the way of happy bouncing, I'm told. I asked if she ever moved at all if she wasn't bouncing.









Pic from a couple days ago, breeder tried stacking again. Stacking puppies is hard.


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

She is just SO adorable! I'm trying to imagine a puppy patiently waiting to be helped. **looking at my crazy beast** Nope. I can't picture it.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Sandakat said:


> She is just SO adorable! I'm trying to imagine a puppy patiently waiting to be helped. **looking at my crazy beast** Nope. I can't picture it.


 The temperament evals on this litter were interesting because the last thing is Breeder Recall. The eval area is enclosed with several tall xpens that have sheets and blankets on them. A gap is opened up and the breeder is on the other side, and calls the puppy out- but puppy can't see the breeder at all until they get out of the test area. Typically I've seen silken babies run to the area they can tell the breeder is behind, fuss and whine as they try and try and eventually figure it out. We do it twice, as the purpose of this is to see if the puppy remembers and learns how to get out, and to also see their problem solving style. If a puppy tries for a while then returns to the tester to ask for help, the tester can assist as they think appropriate to do so. We don't want to help too much, but we don't want this to be a bad experience. Every single puppy in this litter asked for help after trying, and several seemed to accept that they were close enough but couldn't figure it out and that was fine, and just laid down next to me when the breeder continued to call. I had to walk through the gap myself for a couple of the puppies to get it... and most of them didn't remember! It's common for it to take about a minute the first time, and the second time about 15-20 seconds. But these guys for the most part asked for help again the second time, needed less help but asked anyway, and most took just as long f not longer- but with me helping less because they were still thinking about it themselves that made it take longer.
Edit: If a puppy is too stressed or frantic we help as much as needed, and even stop. I had a couple puppies on a previous litter that were crashing into the pen, leaping up into it, trying to climb it, and too likely to hurt themselves on the first try. After helping, the second time they figured it out themselves quickly without help.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Aaaaahh I am so jealous. I would love to have a Clayborn silken some day. <3


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

Sibe said:


> The temperament evals on this litter were interesting because the last thing is Breeder Recall. The eval area is enclosed with several tall xpens that have sheets and blankets on them. A gap is opened up and the breeder is on the other side, and calls the puppy out- but puppy can't see the breeder at all until they get out of the test area. Typically I've seen silken babies run to the area they can tell the breeder is behind, fuss and whine as they try and try and eventually figure it out. We do it twice, as the purpose of this is to see if the puppy remembers and learns how to get out, and to also see their problem solving style. If a puppy tries for a while then returns to the tester to ask for help, the tester can assist as they think appropriate to do so. We don't want to help too much, but we don't want this to be a bad experience. Every single puppy in this litter asked for help after trying, and several seemed to accept that they were close enough but couldn't figure it out and that was fine, and just laid down next to me when the breeder continued to call. I had to walk through the gap myself for a couple of the puppies to get it... and most of them didn't remember! It's common for it to take about a minute the first time, and the second time about 15-20 seconds. But these guys for the most part asked for help again the second time, needed less help but asked anyway, and most took just as long f not longer- but with me helping less because they were still thinking about it themselves that made it take longer.
> Edit: If a puppy is too stressed or frantic we help as much as needed, and even stop. I had a couple puppies on a previous litter that were crashing into the pen, leaping up into it, trying to climb it, and too likely to hurt themselves on the first try. After helping, the second time they figured it out themselves quickly without help.


That's interesting! Do you expect a certain way of performing for this breed or is the kind of response breed specific at all? For example, would you expect a Border Collie to have gone about solving the issue differently than the Silkens? (You can answer this in a different thread if this is hijacking your picture thread)


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Sandakat said:


> That's interesting! Do you expect a certain way of performing for this breed or is the kind of response breed specific at all? For example, would you expect a Border Collie to have gone about solving the issue differently than the Silkens? (You can answer this in a different thread if this is hijacking your picture thread)


There are some things that really vary by individual puppy, and somethings you expect differences among breeds. I'm not sure how the problem solving with the Breeder Recall would be for border collies, or herding breeds in general. With the lab puppies I saw tested they seemed to be more thoughtful in general about thinking about what they needed to do, more aware of looking for an answer and keeping their heads on their shoulders about it. The Silken puppies are often whining and barking as they check around the area they can tell the breeder is behind, but in general seem to have a harder time looking away from that spot to look for an answer (unless looking back at the helper) than the one litter of labs I saw.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

She's home! Here is FB album https://www.facebook.com/beyondblond/media_set?set=a.10104255502725413.1073741989.19228523&type=3 

Pickup party









AAAAH PUPPIES!!!!



























Zoom


















I can already hear my dad, "Why the long face?"



























With her mom, Chloe









My husband









Car ride home (selfie mode, we're not in the UK)









Nap


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

That puppy may be the definition of the word "cute"! I love her smile.


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

Congrats!! She's adorable!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

My husband said, "My heart is so full right now."









And then she did this and I asked him how it was now, and he said his heart was spilling over.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

SO MUCH CUTE!!! I love that last picture. <3


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

We ran errands today. To work to pick up my paycheck and play, three pet stores to find a basic harness (carried in each, no feet on the floor or exploring in big pet-friendly stores yet), bank, agility facility to meet a friend, visit at my boss's house to say hello, car wash, then to see my parents for dinner. Busy busy day, met lots of people, napped a lot in the crate in the car and on our laps.

The lobby at the car wash









Slept on my lap during dinner (and dessert of M&Ms)









Safe puppies ride in crates, but I thought it would be good to get some practice riding not in a crate as well. The clash of the bed (which is Denali's new bed!) and her jacket is awful but she's so cute and perfect!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Videos!
Flirt pole yesterday
https://www.facebook.com/beyondblond/videos/10104257188666773/

She discovered the sandbox this morning and it is so overstimulating.
https://www.facebook.com/beyondblond/videos/10104258819698173/


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Chompers









Snuggles









Cards Against Humanity helper









Bobb has decided Azuma is ok.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Vet visit for checkup, fecal, and bordetella so she can be in puppy school.









Play at a park this morning. Follow, eye contact, sit, down, drop it, and lots and lots of chasing the flirt pole.



























She came to agility. On her own, went through every single tunnel at least once, went through hoops, and when she put feet on the dogwalk I called her off (not safe). She's going to be a wonderful agility dog!









Came to work, I had Adult Day School eval for a Scottie who was in puppy school. He's super sweet. Also gave her a chance to meet a lot of our adult dogs (most in the 8 months to 2 years range).









This is trash. Please collect. 









Stalking with the Scottie and a Gordon Setter


















Also, new collar came!


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

That little face!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

The other puppies in Puppy Day School are so big.









Finding the sun in the morning









With her best friend Jackson









He carries her sometimes.













































Dirty puppies get baths.









I didn't have the heart to crate her last night. She spent the night on the bed.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

She did great sleeping on the bed last night! A little wiggly at times, but no fussing and no accidents. I was fully expecting to need to get up and crate her but she was awesome.









We visited my friend who lives closeby on 5 acres of wooded property and spent about 30 minutes exploring.









And my friend also has a pig! This is Eddie.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Playdate with her brother who lives close










Zuzu in red, Ryder in bandana


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Her ears were in an up phase for about a week
Jan. 8th
https://scontent.fapa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/r180/26232771_10104277174509983_6626206194863566425_o.jpg?oh=6b8f3dcb8b5ea68a5ddcdd9fa53f1633&oe=5AEA6B11p/img]

She's been doing AWESOME with her training skills.
[img]https://scontent.fapa1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/26678577_10104278261761123_9118111487841976231_o.jpg?oh=7fb5407e8613be7d444a6e1c001734ae&oe=5AE07C06

Her patience is amazing. Here she is getting a treat every so often as I work on paw handling and clipping nails on this doodle.









Organized chaos! The xpen moves around frequently depending on what we're doing and how confined she needs to be. We were building a Lego set so had her and foster dog Little Bit (who got adopted a week ago!) playing in the pen.









This face fills my heart to bursting.









With a friend at puppy school









She almost always rides in a crate in the car (Ruff Tough Kennel) for safety but every so often she gets a lap.









Growing! Jan. 15th


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Jan. 18th









After bath I was blow drying her and look what happened! She has tail floofs!









"I can't walk you just have to carry me"









Family photo Jan. 20th to celebrate Amaze-Bobb's 13th birthday.









This morning we have snow! So we cuddled in bed as long as possible before getting up.


















Playing with a pine cone


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

With her friend Penny, a doodle, in a tunnel during school


















With a catahoula puppy



























Paw handling practice (I can dremel her nails no problem, want to keep that up!)




































Maltese puppy friend









Catahoula and Lagotto


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

Oh my heart! Love her!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

At the park with a doodle who we're dogsitting, my best friend, and Zu's brother Ryder and his family.









Long lines just in case, but they were great with recall!




































We also got a rabbit fur treat tug today! Ordered from Clean Run. Velcro pocket to hold treats, rabbit fur on the outside. https://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=494


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

My beautiful. Azuma is almost 16 weeks old already!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

We did some lure coursing yesterday! Her brothers and sister and mom were all there. Puppies did a short, slight uphill, straight run. We don't want downhill on puppy joints.

My best friend released her so I could get pics.




































Her mom, Chloe



























Few hundred pics of the day posted on facebook, lots of different breeds running including a German Pinscher, Portuguese Water Dog, Cattle Dog, Catahoula mix, Samoyed, Malinois, Staffies. https://www.facebook.com/beyondblond/media_set?set=a.10104323563960153.1073741991.19228523&type=3


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Azuma


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## NorCalFMD (Dec 12, 2016)

That face! She's irresistible.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

NorCalFMD said:


> That face! She's irresistible.


It breaks my brain, she is so cute.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Azuma is already 16 weeks! 


















Did a temperament evaluation at our house today so she got to play with some babies


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Blowdry after a bath. Working hard to make baths and drying a pleasant experience!









Watching a litter of Silkens do their Avidog temperament evaluations.









Titer testing is ouch. (Litter last year got parvo so we're being appropriately overly cautious and proactive).









Dogsitting her boyfriend!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Azuma is losing her teefies! She has that "I'm in 2nd grade!" smile.









Today is a snow day.


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

She's growing so fast! So stinking cute...!!


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## Sydneyrocky (Jul 16, 2017)

She is so pretty, love the coat, mine tears up clothes.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Cat. Puppy. Paper. Enjoy. Zebulon is 9 years old, and Azuma is just over 4 months already!
https://www.facebook.com/beyondblond/videos/10104365815293143/


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Your dogs are always great, but your CAT is a saint!


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

Canyx said:


> Your dogs are always great, but your CAT is a saint!


YES! This!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

He is suuuuuch an awesome cat. I really think he might actually have damage to the part of his brain that tells him to be afraid/cautious of things because he is so stupidly social. He will walk straight up face-to-face to an unfamiliar dog to sniff noses. I take him to visit with the Silken litters when they're about 5-6 weeks old so they can meet a good kitty.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Did structure evals at my house on a litter, Azuma said hello to them.









Zeb also said hello









Then her littermate and twin Ryder came over for a play date. Can't tell in the pic but he's quite a bit bigger! Azuma is the naked one, Ryder has harness.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

School pictures! I take pictures of the puppies in our Puppy Day School program at the end of every month.









ears









no ears


















eyes


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

That face! I could just smooch on that face! What a doll!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Azuma is 5 months old, as of the 12th. She's been very busy losing teeth.









And also very busy entertaining our board & train puppy. Met her at work, she's nuts, offered to help family, and concluded after a week that they are an awesome family, she is a great puppy, and they're just not a good mix. We're working with her breeder (who is fantastic!) to try to find her a home locally instead of sending back to breeder in Texas.


















Oh and I finally remembered to do Azuma's pawprints! Done a couple weeks ago. I'll have it tattooed eventually... still need to add Bobb's as well.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Took our first hike today! She is 5 1/2 months old, 4 mile hike. 

Getting out of the comfy crate is the hard part.









Started on leash. We have done only one walk down to the mailbox and other than that have not done any walks at all. Between coming to work with me 3x/week for pup school, going to agility class to hang out, going to friends' and famlily's houses, training and playing at home and in the yard, digging, oh and her initial *extreme* opposition reflex and struggling with the leash, I just haven't felt the need to walk. I figured we would wait until our relationship was stronger, we'd worked on leash walking manners w/o leash more, etc. And it seems to have been an excellent plan. After only about 10 minutes on leash i realized she wasn't going anywhere and was very in tune with me. Never wandered off, never chased anything.









Spent like 90% of the hike right here, by choice.









When she did stop to sniff I would just keep walking, and when she started to run to catch up I'd praise. She didn't want treats, figures.



























End of hike


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

In only a week Azuma will be 6 months! She used to say "Hello, am pepper, just got born'd!" and now she says "Am pepper, recently born'd, am dirt!" [puppy -> pupper -> pepper] because she is always dirty from playing and wrestling with Denali and K2 and her friends. She had her first (and my first!) confo class on Tuesday, and on Monday she starts puppy agility foundation class.

Playing in the freezing rain/snow this afternoon. Zooooooooooooooooom













































As kissable as it looks. Very good snoot.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Just over 6 months old. Azuma playing with her brother Ryder, and friend Jackson.









Jackson pinning Azu while Ryder bites her









Boys teaming up against her, no fair!


















Grabbing her brother as he bounces









Ugh, boys.









Ry and Zu, I love Kaytu in the background!









Favorite. She's a wild thing.


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

She is just so gorgeous! She sounds like such a good puppy, too. I think it's a really good thing that a sighthound wouldn't fit our lifestyle because I might have to seriously consider one of those guys!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

First time at dog park a week ago.

"Hallo fren!" *headbutt*



























Took a bit of convincing (me on the other side) but she did it!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

7 months old today


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

So gorgeous!!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Good noodle! Her first ribbons.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

She keeps getting more and more beautiful! Congrats on your puppy show win!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Thank you! Here is her win photo her breeder just sent


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

8 1/2 months old! Went to LGRA on Sunday to do a couple practice runs. It is 200 yards straight, and dogs are all muzzled so that they don't rip up the fur at the end of the race; it's a real fur. She was laser focused and right on the lure both runs!!! She's going to be so fun to race when she's old enough! Her second run we also had her start in the box (like this), with the front open as I held her waist behind her. Great way to intro the box.







Playing tug in agility class last night, she's been doing awesome in class. This is a foundation class where the focus is on building confidence, body awareness, handling skills, stays, etc.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Haven't posted for a bit! Azuma is now 9 1/2 months old. A couple weeks ago we attended a specialty show and was Puppy Best of Opposite Sex. There were over 50 Silkens in the show, it was a great turnout and lots of great dogs. 


Here's a picture from today 












Yesterday with her bulldog friend 












With her favorite toy, the mutilated soccer ball about a week ago 





















PLEASE THROW


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

So gorgeous!!


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

Beautiful! Congrats on the show!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

10 months old! She and two of her littermates did a lure coursing event. 200 yds straight, timed. She ran in 14.388 and 14.386 seconds the second time. The first round she was the fastest Silken Windhound, including the adults! After the second round another female beat her by 0.1 seconds. 




































Her sister B-mer 









And brother Ryder


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

Fabulous pictures! I love the one of her standing there so proudly with her windblown hair looking like, "Look at me!".


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Sandakat said:


> Fabulous pictures! I love the one of her standing there so proudly with her windblown hair looking like, "Look at me!".


It's "look in me" in such a nonchalant cool kind of way. So full of her herself but so modest about it.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

This very good noodle is now 11 1/2 months old! We're having a birthday part in a couple weeks and will have 4 of the 6 from her litter in attendance; the other two live out of state. 

Lighting makes such a big difference. From starving aspca commercial to one good looking noodle by rotating 90*.


















From a couple weeks ago 



























Uuuugh I'm so over the formatting issues DF is having


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