This all after a very rather lengthy drive up to Georgia with Darius last night! As with all my trips with my partner in crime, we didn’t start until almost 10 PM but packed up to the roof with gear and dogs, up I-75 we drove. This trip was our first with the tailgate storage pice. It worked wonderfully actually. It allowed out us for more room for dogs in the rear end of the car! Grizzly got a lot more room. But of course Duncan got the best seat in the house – as always!

The trip itself was eventless and the few hours of sleep we were able to get were cherished! A mad dash to bathe Havanese and then back to the hotel to try to catch up on all that lost sleep. Another day to show tomorrow!

The smoke detector i our room needs a new battery and while Darius seems to have no problem sleeping through the noise I am not having as good of a time. Apparently they don’t have new batteries at the front desk so… I can tell you I’ll be picking one up tomorrow, that is for sure. Too tired to worry about it now!

Tino did not show so well. Honestly, I think he’s getting tired. And I don’t blame them! We took on the handler by default with our best opposite sex. Again Issue definitely three because she was for sure the best dog in the ring today! We didn’t do anything in owner handler because he definitely didn’t deserve anything. He’s just very distracted lately. Since there is no major, I have made the decision to go home tomorrow morning after a good night’s sleep. They’r Tipsy is entered and there is no owner handler competition tomorrow soooo…. Maybe it’s time to head home and enjoy some family time?

Now on to the Team Figgy front…Stella ROCKED it today with Darius and totally earned her WInner’s Bitch ribbon! One more point for our sweet girl! YAHOOOOOOOO!!! All she needs is a major and two singles – They way she has been showing lately that shouldn’t be too hard to finish her. We just need to fin the majors!

Side note, I got to show some other breeds this afternoon, including a hairless puppy for Brandy , a Havanese and a Pomeranian! I also got to socialize the pups to small humans hands – Thank you Parker!! You are so awesome with puppies!!

I packed up and headed back to the hotel after groups – I am so excited to be able to SLEEP IN TOMORROW!!! I never get to sleep and it shows! I’m usually living on two or three hours sleep. So the chance to have the entire bed to myself is dreamy! I’m sleeping in until 10 so I can check out by 11. It’s time to spoil me a little bit.

Tino and I showed this morning and I am proud to say we got Best of Opposite Sex to Dolly and Issue. I am beyond honored, Issue is a beautiful girl! I also got to stick around this afternoon to watch Emma and Breezy in the Junior ring – Always a major bonus for me! She is starting to show her typical dislike of the show ring so I offered to allow her to stay with me tonight at the hotel. Sometimes being away makes her reconnection very strong. We shall see how she shows for her tomorrow. She was a little bit reserve today. Let’s hope tomorrow goes better.

Tipsy came along for her second travel weekend and as always, she was a huge hit! The dog show community is so awesome to help in socializing puppies! As I was tending to the Match Sign up table, up walked a fellow breeder, picked up Tipsy and off they went! PERFECT!! Of course Terry also did the same along with Karen and the girls – More familiar face for our crew!!!

I stayed at the show site this evening to not only root on Dolly with Kelly AND Nicco in the Group Rings but to also with help run the B Match that Dauris was in charge of. Thank you Janice for stepping an helping as well. The event went off without a hitch and was a true success!

Tonight Dolly brought us to a local Thai restaurant for another fun evening of food adventure. I always let her choose my meals when we got out for Asian food and I have never been disappointed. Tonight I was shocked but pleasantly pleased! The food was good. Scary to look at, but good! She knows I am on a special diet with low to no carbs and that fish and green veggies is about all I eat. Well this was fish alright! OMG! I cant believe I ate it!

It was when I got back to the hotel with Breezy and settled in for the night that I realized that the my room was going to be a problem – Apparently we had a case of bed bugs! OUCH!!!! I scratched and itched like nothing else and was miserable enough to pour myself a bath to get some relief.

Another vendor I discovered here sells the Best in Show Trolleys along with all of the extra part pieces and toys. Apparently they’ve come out with a totally  new design! Individual crates that break down and stack. Quite ingenious actually! Lana was giving them a go to see how they fit in her car. I’m not sure how well they would work for Darius and I but they sure are Purdy!

We did have a Tino accomplishments today though! He is not been one for liking other breeds. Specifically ones that are much larger than him. This morning JuJu was all about playing with his toy on the floor beneath my feet. Tino didn’t bark or growl –  I was so proud! In fact he was engaged and appeared to want to play with her! Periodically, looking to me for reassurance, I encouraged him to play with her. It was adorable!

This evening we decide taken a local favorite for dinner. We headed to Spondivits for some of the best seafood ever! Well – ok, maybe no EVER but it was really good. On the expensive side but there was a lot of food. The company was the best part of it! Renee, Lana, Dolly, Darius Savannah, Jess and myself…Yea, we were quite the scene! Especially since I had to be the one person the group that could not not only did I break the tool they provided but bent my fork every way known to man. I will tell you the crabmeat was worth the extra effort my fork was destroyed!

Tino traveled perfectly in the SturdiBag and he got to travel alone. I used the extra side to carry my camera equipment – which turned out to be perfect actually. I honesty don’t think anyone even knew there was a dog in there and he never even made a peep! He stuck his nose out to take a peek once we landed but that was about it.

We rushed from the Rental Car place to the hotel to then get ready for the Regional show this afternoon. Today was the Long Coats and tomorrow are the Smooth Coats. Al that rushing was so beyond worth it though! OMG! When you have 46 other Specials entered never in my wildest dreams would l have thought we had a chance in HELL! Seriously! The best Chihuahuas in the WORLD are here. But I am here to tell you that Mr Tino made the cut! YES! HE MADE THE CUT!!! I was blown away! Rushing downstairs while still pulling up my pantyhose to actually being pulled aside and making the cut? WOW! Totally amazing! And totally honored!

After the Specialty was over it was time to kick back and have some fun. Getting to hang with Suzanne all weekend was the next best part of the trip since this is our annual chance with her being all the way out in California! We headed over to the Texas Roadhouse with the rest of the gang and chowed down like kings! Afterwards, I pulled dMr TIno out of his carrier and let him cuddle with me in bed. It’s never just he and I when we travel so he is going to be uber spoiled this week I think!!

The entries today were less in number but no less impressive. Stella was a tad spooked in the ring today – probably tired – but Darius was able to help her pull it together. She apparently has the new Reserve Queen title – you guessed it! Reserve three days in a row! TIno on the other hand was a rockstar! Pranced around the ring like he owned it, great on the table, fabulous on his down and back – So much so that it was on his back that the judge said, “And there you have it – BREED!” His first Best of Breed as a Champion! And his second Major towards his Grand Champion Title! He also took Best Owner Handler but because of our agreement,  we had to skip both Group rings. He still earned his 5 Owner-Handler points – I can’t wait to see if this weekend has him anywhere on the ranking list!

We didn’t pull out of the show site parking lot until almost 3:20 pm and the drive back to Florida took every bit of 10 hours with the stops. Of course we took advantage of the record breaking Powerball and purchased tickets in each State. I dropped Darius off and then started the trek to my house. I knew my body had hit it’s limit about 30 minutes into the final stretch and the Days Inn in Ocala called my name. Tino, Style (yes, she is coming back to the FIggy house for the next couple of weeks) and I have cuddled up the king size bed here at our old Ocala show hotel spot, with a late check out – I am sleeping in!!!!!!

All in all it was a great first day in North Carolina – A full day as we stayed for Groups but will CRASH early to rest up for tomorrow! And we have a full house too! Havanese, Staffies and Chihuahuas – All perfect travel and hotel buddies.

The boys did awesome in the ring – couldn’t have been more proud! Not only are they learning how to be show dogs on the road (pottying on a wire-bottomed pen for example) but they both showed very well and did a great job. Georgie walked fabulously and was a true joy on the table. Tino looked amazing on the ground and was a good boy on the table. To get Reserve two days in a row to a 5 point Major makes me extremely proud! Sure, a 4 pointer is all he needs for his Champion title and boy it would be great to reach that goal but with the entries we competed with, honored for sure!

The fun continued into the afternoon after we assisted Jessica and the Shelties again. Today’s thank you came in a cup! A cup filled with Strawberry Daiquiris! OMG x2!!! Quite the memorable way to experience a dog show – My second first of the day. Boy I was much more relaxed! And giggly too. I think tomorrow we may go with the Tropical Punch!

Our fun-filled day led to a fun-filled night, topped with even more firsts! Like experiencing New Orleans – Bourbon Street to be exact!  We gathered at Jaegers Seafood & Oyster House for dinner and cocktails and then off to experience the real party of the city until the wee-hours! Great friends, tons of laughs and amazing memories. Apparently the 190 Octane is a traditional must? I can  go for that! I can guarantee that I will be coming back to this show next year – Way too much fun!

We arrived at the show grounds, unpacked our grooming set-up and got everything set to go for the weekend. Can’t wait for the show fun to start tomorrow – We are all tucked in for a good night’s rest!