Josh

DOB: 08/08/2007
Sire: Aus/NZ Ch Bayshore Manape TopHatNoTail (Imp USA)
Dam: ASCA Ch Northbay's Salacious in Silvr (Imp USA)
Breeder: Lindy Dawkins & Nancy Pelletier
Hips: To be done at 2 years
Elbows: To be done at 2 years
Eyes: Cleared at 6 weeks
DNA: To be done
Nicknames: JoshM, Josh-Josh, Joshi

Highlights to date:
- Emptying every container of water in the yard!

Josh got his name from one of my all time favourite TV shows 'The West Wing', after the
character of Josh Lyman. Prior to that he was known as Mark to fit in with the other M
names of his brother and sister Mason & Mickey. When I changed his name to Josh,
Lindy asked me 'Where's the M in that?' and thus the nickname JoshM came about.

I first met Josh when he was 9 weeks old in New Zealand. All three of the pups left at
that stage were utterly gorgeous, beatifully marked balls of fluff to look at and with
tonnes of attitude between them. They were all friendly, outgoing and already adept at
retrieving their toys. After several days and many hours spent with all the pups, we
decided that Josh would be the one to come home with me.

Josh flew home with me on 21st October 2007, coming from a cool, rainy and very
green New Zealand to a humid, dusty and 30+ day in Adelaide. He travelled very
well, playing in his water bowl on the way over (little did I know it was just the
beginning of his fascination with water!)

He settled in well to his new home, making friends with everyone he met (both
human and animal). Busy with socialisation his first few days we visited the tram
station, the skate park, watched the traffic, watched the kids just out from school
and went for a run on the beach, just to name a few. He approaches all situations
with confidence and curiosity - even the tram's blasting horn didn't phase him!

At puppy classes he turned from his quiet, well-behaved self to a bouncing, barking,
silly puppy, rounding up the other pups in no time, chasing jumping and chewing
on all of them. He came to agility training and watched with fascination the dogs
running, jumping and climbing.

Josh learns new things quickly and with enthusiasm, and soon he could sit, stand
and drop, and learnt to lie quietly in the house on his mat. He loves to carry things
around, particularly his rattly snake toy and the apples he picks for himself off the
tree.

Once we had the paperwork sorted, Josh was able to enter his
first show - was he nervous? Not likely! Was the handler
nervous? You better believe it! Of course the handler's nerves
were completely unfounded as he behaved himself perfectly,
stood like a rock for the judge (the first time another person
had gone over him apart from myself) and trotted out like a
pro.

When he is older, I am sure Josh will become the excellent
agility and obedience dog I'd hoped for - he certainly has
more than enough drive, intelligence and willingness to
please. For the moment though, he will do a little showing but
mostly just enjoy being a puppy - playing in his pond, chasing
his apples and rounding up the birds at the park!

I can't thank Lindy & Nancy enough for letting me bring him
home - he really is a dream come true :)