Every time we saw little Benny (Gibson, Beseme's Love at First Sight) as he grew up, both Bob and I commented about how beautiful he was and how we should have kept him. Well, when little Strider was born, we felt the same way. However, having an intact male at our home with his mother and sister would present problems at least twice a year. So, we arranged with a nice family to have him at their home but I would show him to his championship and see how he turned out.
Well, not too long after he went to live with them at 10 weeks, their daughter showed signs of allergies to his kisses, and his kisses were plenty and often and face-washing kisses like his mother gives. So, we took him back in our home, waiting to see if she would outgrow the reactions. A month or so later after Wendy figured it would not be fair to Strider to keep us hanging, wondering if and when McKenzie would be able to ever be kissed again, I got another call from someone very interested in him for her breeding program. Reluctantly, I flew down to Southern California with Strider to see if she would like what she saw. She did and so I left Strider with her, of course, crying all the way home.
A few months later, just as Strider was turning 6 months old, he came home again, this time to stay. Extenuating circumstances for the family made the move back home necessary. This was just at the beginning of the show season for us here in the mountain west, so I promptly entered him in the closer shows. At seven months of age, he had all the points he needed for a championship except for one major. We didn't have any more shows to go to until September except for the National Havanese Specialty (you never expect to win any points there as you are up against all the top dogs of the breed from all across the country). Our next show was here in Farmington, just five miles from our house, and wouldn't you know it, Strider finished his championship on his 10 month birthday.
Strider is an awesome little boy and very loving and sweet. He has an adorable personality in a wonderful small package. At 10 months of age, he is just over 9 inches tall. We're expecting great things of Strider in the future. For now, though, we'll just let him stay home and grow up. Watch for him next spring as he starts his "specials" career.