Since the last update, our family of three went for our first real road trip.
The car was rented for the weekend, and as it had no air conditioning whatsoever, we were sweaty and happy to finally reach our destination after a day and a half of driving on country roads.
We put up our tent just by the track, at a sweet camping-place just by the river Labe, which runs through the beautiful old town of Roudnice - location of the Belgian Shepherd World Championship of 2009.
People came to Roudnice from all corners of the world. Cars from Netherlands, France, Germany and Sweden were parked outside the show grounds, where beautiful Belgians could be observed mastering sports like agility, mondioring and tracking, and where eager dog-lovers stood in line to pay up for their dog's chance to win 1st prize in exhibition!
As we stood there, ready to part from the 50 € it was going to cost us to walk our three exclusive rounds with the dog on a leash, we had no idea that the hard work we had done on brushing off all of Liska's winter fur the day before would actually harm her chances!
It wasn't until we came home again that we found out from the Norwegian Kennel Club's data that it could be not less than disqualifying for a Belgian to be put on show without underfur. News for us! Liska got away with a "Very good" diploma, also reminding us how little we indeed know about dog-shows, as it says conclusively; "Completely out of coat today!"
The judge was very fond of Líska though, and as we went to talk with her after the show, she had only good things to say. I would not be surprised if she'd let Líska get to the top if she had just not shed her fur yet! We had a lot of fun that weekend anyway. Halldor was completely fascinated by the activities on the mondioring track, and I hardly get tired of letting the agility dogs and their masters impress me!
And the town of Roudnice Nad Labem is a sight - a typical Czech small-town with a town center that lets you believe (for a short time only) that you're in a city of some size, with just farmlands upon farmlands stretching out around it!
We might just take a trip to visit it again.
I would love to write more, but Liska hurt her paw and I should go tend to it - and then maybe study a bit for my physiology exam before today is over and panic enters the building...
