First we have to get his Championship! Max is 6 years old and out of Rowdy's 3rd and last litter. His owners had pick of the litter and we helped them select Max. They never wanted to show him but they left him intact. Every year he'd come and stay with us when they went on vacation and our house has became as much his home as his own home.

When Rowdy was diagnosed with cancer a year ago July, Max's owners asked us if we would like to breed/collect Max since they knew we had not been able to collect Rowdy. We said "yes" since Max is the one Rowdy kid that looks and acts the most like him, but we had conditions:

1. he had to get his health clearances

2. they had to let us try to get him his Championship.

Well, Max is Hips Excellent, Elbows Clear, Heart Clear, Eyes Clear (CHIC Full Clearances) and he now has 13 pts. including 1 major and he just started showing last January. He's shown exactly 8 times in his life.

Our plan is to get him done and breed him to Moxie's mom, Juneau, who is a Rowdy granddaughter. And maybe -- just maybe -- we'll get some little Rowdies and Rowdettes . Frankly, if we got one or two Maxes or Maxines I'd be delighted.

We have no plans to show him once he's completed his CH but I have to tell you that we've been overwhelmed with the number of handlers who have told us that he'd make an awesome Special. His owners really don't have the appetite for that. And we don't have the $$$ for it . But he will be shown a few times as a Champion in appropriate venues -- like at next year's National Specialty where I'm the Official Photographer. He already has 3 invitations to meet bitches of merit and several people who want his puppies. What greater compliment is that?

Jim