The American Kennel Club defines Fast CAT as;
Sure, you think your dog is fast. But have you ever wondered how fast? Can your dog outrun Usain Bolt, who has been called the fastest runner in the world? They just might: Usain’s fastest time has been clocked at almost 28 mph – yet dogs have been known to reach speeds of 35-45 mph.
Well, you no longer have to wonder how fast your dog can run. Fast CAT® – which stands for Coursing Ability Test – is a timed 100-yard dash where dogs run one at a time, chasing a lure. It’s over before you know it — and it’s nothing short of awe-inspiring to watch your dog run at top speed, ears back, eyes focused, legs strong. And if your dog is really fast, you might earn bragging rights if their name makes onto our list of top 20 fastest dogs by breed! All dogs can participate in Fast CAT, whether purebred or mixed breed.
Although it is a relatively new sport, its popularity has spread like wildfire. No wonder. According to one AKC official, “The Fast CAT® provides a terrific opportunity to introduce new participants to the world of AKC sports as one of the few events where all that is needed to compete is a dog’s natural instincts.
It was Tux and Asher’s first time doing Fast CAT or any official lure coursing. Both came home with their BCAT which is the first title they can earn. Taz also came home with his BCAT to add to his CA title which is a Coursing Ability title. As you can see by the photos below, they adore it. Tux was the fastest at almost 19MPH, both Asher and Taz were clocked in at various intervals over 18MPH.
Enjoy the photos taken by MLBAER Photography. As a hobby photographer I’m very fussy on photos and these ones are fantastic. The weather was very overcast to pouring rain, which for Cavalier photos actually ends up being fantastic. No squinty eyes or harsh shadows.
A very special thank you to Carleen (Danger’s Mom!) @dangertakesover on Instagram for releasing my guys at the start line. Danger also earned his BCAT title so 4 Embee dogs came home with new letters to add to their name. I really love having titles on both ends of my dog’s names, this breed is capable of more than just show titles and they love doing them.
We’ll be attending our first Canadian Sprinter event at the end of the month and can’t wait. Hopefully we’ll have more action shots to share. You need to have an Canadian Kennel Club registered dog to participate in Sprinter and an American Kennel Club registered dog for Fast CAT. If your dog has been bred in Canada and you’re wanting to compete in the United States or vice versa, it’s easy to obtain dual registration if your dog has one or the other. All puppies who leave this house are registered with the Canadian Kennel Club, as a purebred dog owner in Canada, you are entitled to your dog’s registration and your breeder should have provided it. If they haven’t, investigate further and/or report it to the CKC.
]]>Our gorgeous Finn looking…. gorgeous
My sweetest boy. He has an extra terrible coat after being neutered which makes grooming more of a challenge but he’s happy, healthy, and very well loved
This adorable senior guy is my friend Lori’s boy Rufus. Rufus is our Molly’s half brother, they shared the same Momma Reese(CH Burbrook Rebecca’s Last Fling) and were both bred by Karen Murray. He’s 11 years old
Ginny who is here being a fantastic Momma, flying through the leaves with her best buddy Taz
Ginny, on a mission to find the ball!
I posted in a Toronto Cavalier Facebook group using this photo that we are thankful for Cavalier’s smiling faces, warm hugs, and their pure joy of everything and everyone around them. Appropriate for these two pictures I think. I wish they were in focus. I was able to partially save them with a sharpening filter, but not my best work. L to R: Taz, Ginny, Raphy (who belongs to a friend), and Finn
Baby Asher with the ball and zooming through the leaves. Asher (Embee’s Arctic Blast) is from Finn and Cricket’s litter this past February. He mostly resembles his Momma Cricket in both looks and temperament but he inherited his Daddy Finn’s pure love of playing ball. He belongs to a friend and we’re hoping to show him if that ever becomes a thing again
Happiest of ball dogs! Taz, Ginny and Asher. Bottom photo is Taz
Poor Raphy was having a hard time with Ginny. He hasn’t been around very many intact girls and was completely in love. She wanted nothing to do with him.
My friend’s beautiful senior girl named Scarlett. Scarlett is a rescue is having some health challenges. She is however very loved and I’m sure thankful to be cared for in such a caring home
Finn’s “I’m beyond happy” ball face
Scarlett and Rufus hanging out on the deck while the younger ones burn off all that energy chasing balls
One happy toad enjoying the fall day
Wherever you are, I hope your Cavaliers are keeping you healthy, safe, and giving you comfort. I know how thankful I am to have mine.
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Taz, enjoying the view
Load em up! Time to go fetch splash balls from the lake
Life jackets on for safety, Loki especially is determined around water. He runs and jumps right in without much thought or concern!
Rob and a fishing buddy
Lake dogs! I love how Loki takes off on his own at the end of the video
Beautiful views at the Oxtongue Rapids and great hiking
Finn is not a fan of swimming even though he’s certainly very capable. This is very much his “I’m so not impressed with you right now” face.
Rory ready for another round of fetch splash balls out of the lake
As you can see in the video, she got very good at it! She’s 8 months old in these clips and photos
Taz and Loki showing off their splash ball skills. Taz is in the orange life jacket, Loki neon yellow. Loki celebrated his 8th birthday the month before!
Is it time to go home yet? Out of all my dogs, Finn was the most homesick. He was especially missing the air conditioner vents that he lays right on top of when it’s hot. This is him pouting in the corner on his cooling mat, not quite as good as home but it’ll have to do.
Taz all packed up and heading home. A quick stop for gas.
Until next time beautiful cottage. Thank you for making our 2020 Summer wonderful.
As a side, I’m still getting numerous inquiries every day about puppies and although I’ve replied to some, there are many I just haven’t been able to. I’m sorry for that. I am trying to respond to the ones that have done some research, are familiar with the breed and have been following us either here or on Instagram but even that has been challenging. With our area now well into stage 3 and most things operating (although differently) I was comfortable enough to move forward with a long planned breeding I had. Please know that I currently have NO puppies available, even though I may be sharing some photos in the near future. If you have sent a comprehensive inquiry and I do end up with something available, I will contact you when I’m ready.
Along with demand of puppies everywhere, the price has sky rocketed among those “breeders” trying to take advantage of the current market. As always, it’s buyer beware. This breed is still one that is very prone to significant health challenges. Finding a puppy from a breeder who is doing the proper health testing in Ontario is becoming closer to finding a needle in a haystack, there isn’t many. Please make sure you are seeing current health clearances by Cardiologist, Ophthalmologist and in this area especially, there is no good excuse as to why an MRI for Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia hasn’t been done. Accurate and affordable DNA testing is available for Episodic Falling and Dry Eye Curly Coat Syndrome, it should be done long before a breeder has puppies on the parents. Do not compromise on something that is so easy for a breeder to do and can save a lot of future heartache. A certification for normal patellas and an xray for hip dysplasia are also important for this breed.
With the pandemic some of these clearances have been challenging to get updated or completed at all, however I’m happy to learn that several health clinics for breeders are going ahead as scheduled. I’m looking forward to having my guys hearts and eyes updated with the East Lake Cavalier Club in September. If your breeder can’t provide current health certificates and is charging an exorbitant amount of money, my advice is to go elsewhere and be prepared to wait.
]]>For the past 3 weeks my phone has done nothing but ring and I’ve received tons and tons of inquiries about purchasing puppies through email, phone, and Instagram. Some have been absolutely wonderful, others it is clear are just mass mailing breeders as fast as they can. I’m terrible at the best of times about responding to puppy inquiries but this has been on a whole new level. I do not breed very often, absolutely detest the concept of a waiting list and how some breeders take deposits for future litters, and in general have a very strict and somewhat difficult placing process for my puppies. I’m never in a hurry to commit and I do not make any promises. I place them when and where I feel is the absolute best home for my puppy. That home may have inquired 6 months ago or it may have found me 3 days ago. I’m very sorry if I haven’t got to you or responded to your inquiry, but it’s been absolute madness.
So a blanket statement here. My breeding program is currently on hold and will be until the world is a more stable place. It is NOT the time to be searching for a puppy. Most Veterinary clinics are emergency only and even getting basic things done such as a puppy check, microchips and first vaccines are not considered essential.  New puppy owners will have no access to in person socialization or training classes that are so desperately needed for both owners and new dog. Groomers for basic nail care are closed and even things like sourcing a raw food diet is starting to become a bit difficult as supplies are running short.
These puppies of mine were conceived at Christmas and I’m very thankful that I have no more on the way. It’s been very stressful trying to find ways to creatively introduce them to new things and socialize them as we cannot currently have visitors over. I am unable to meet their new owners in person and that bothers me so incredibly much. Thankfully these guys are all going to people I either already know really well or who are good friends of my friends. Thank goodness for some wonderful connections.
Enough of that, we had fun this afternoon taking some photos. I’m not sure how but these guys will be 8 weeks old on the 21st. Brutus our gentle giant of a nextdoor neighbour has taught himself to jump our fence. It is a normal sized sturdy wood fence and yet somehow he scales it so gracefully. He adores the puppies and just can’t help himself. They honestly feel the same about him, thanks for the added socialization Brutus!
Our pretty black and tan girl Raine, looking very much like her Momma Cricket.
Grandma Ruff was on puppy duty today. If Momma is outside, it’s all about her and we can’t get any photos!
Storm, this little BT boy is very confident and outgoing!
Our little man Cloud isn’t looking so little anymore! I adore this sweet boy that started off SO small.
This is Finn’s “mini-me’ Frost just painted fully in red. He reminds me so much of Daddy Finn, his looks, his mannerisms, and the way that he HATES to come inside. A true outdoors kind of guy.
Our glamour girl Twister, she truly believes that she is a Princess already.
Storm on the prowl!
Storm and Twister thinking about what type of trouble to get into. They’ve recently discovered how to dig!
What? Do I have something on my face? ~ Raine
Oh, hey! Look who is here?! It’s Brutus!
Nose kisses for Brutus.
Brutus needs a hug <3
Storm and Brutus having a chat
We’ll see you soon Brutus, thanks for the visit!
Until next time, stay home, stay healthy.
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This litter was somewhat of a surprise, we of course planned and timed it properly and all the steps were taken like in any other litter. Cricket (Embee Burbrook Silent Song) however missed on her first breeding and decided to not show any signs of being pregnant for this litter until very late. She didn’t put on much weight and both her co-owner Peggy Wallace (Burbrook Cavaliers) and I were really surprised to find out she had 5 tiny babies tucked away. They were born very small but have always been strong and feisty. They are 4 weeks old now and doing wonderfully. I’m enjoying listening to their little growls as they start to explore their world and figure out play. Their names are all related to weather after their Daddy Finn, CH Embee Brinklow Whirlwind and their Grandpa Chase, GCH Burbrook Storm Chaser who was bred by Peggy and is owned by Carol Rose, Karlee Cavaliers
This is the little guy of the group, he was born the smallest and dropped the most amount of weight in the beginning. I was the most worried about him but he’s turning into a very personable and curious little fella. His name is also a bit of a tribute to a certain favorite video game around here.
His sister Raine wasn’t nearly as co-operative with her photos. I think she’s going to be very sassy like her Mom and Grandma’s. Typical black and tan girl!
Frost reminds me the most of his Daddy Finn, both in looks and temperament. He’s the biggest of the group and very laid back and easy going so far.
His sister Twister on the other hand I think is going to live up to her name. She’s a bit of a live wire and it was very hard to get a photo of her because she was moving around so much!
Last is Storm, a beautiful black and tan boy. He is sweet as can be and very photogenic! He really seemed to enjoy posing for photos.
Looking forward to sharing more photos as they grow and develop. We’ll be spending a lot of time outside as the weather warms up.  Stay safe and stay home.
]]>I thought I’d start easy by sharing some photos of our most recent litter. Before I get a ton of inquiries for puppy availability, they are all spoken for and have made their way to new homes. My application process for puppies has and and remains closed. I can’t respond directly to all the inquiries I get for puppies, it’s overwhelming and very time consuming. It’s easier just to have a blanket statement saying that we aren’t accepting any. I wish it was easier finding a puppy from a reputable preservation breeder but sadly there isn’t enough breeders doing what they should be in their breeding programs. Be very careful who you elect to purchase a puppy from regardless of breed. Ask lots of questions especially in regards to updated health clearances (not just heart and eyes), and be prepared to wait a long time.
These beautiful babies were born at the end of November and have been a complete joy in all regards. Daddy was BISS GCH Saranade Royal Charmer “Harry” a beautiful ruby boy in Minnesota, who I’ve been watching develop since he was a young dog. The dam was our gorgeous “Ruffi” GCH Embee’s Raising the Stakes, CGN, CA who adores being a Mom. It was somewhat bittersweet as this was Ruffi’s last litter, she turned 6 in February and has contributed so much to my breeding program. She won’t be happy just sitting on the couch so we’ll try and keep her busy and look forward to showing her as a Veteran next year, She would also tell you that she wants to run some more lure coursing and find some FASTcat trials, I wish it was a sport that was more developed in Ontario for non sighthound breeds, most of my Cavaliers love it!
I named this girl “RJ” or Ruffi Jr. because she reminds me so much of her Mom. She’s not quite as over the top in personality but is very sweet and loving and has a beautiful outline both standing and on the move.
Rob named this beautiful red head “Summer” and she’s going to keep that name in her new home. Summer has gorgeous reach and drive and is very laid back and sweet in temperament. She’s not typical for most of the rubies we’ve had here.
“Benny” is now named Huey and has an absolutely wonderful home in Toronto. That sweet face gets him out of any trouble he may find himself in and I know he’s a king of snuggling.
Summer, looking adorable.
What? I don’t have anything in my mouth.
This pretty girl was known as Maizy here but her new call name is “Sadie” better known as Embee Frostwood Star Charmer. If you live in Nova Scotia, you’ll have to watch for Sadie in the show ring. I was thrilled to be able to share her with Wendy and Peter Aalders (Frostwood Cavaliers) who have been waiting a very long time for a beautiful black and tan girl!
“RJ” and her beautiful front/neck.
“Summer” – Can’t a girl take a pee?
Sadie and Summer doing some winter gardening for me.
Hey! Who’s on the other side of that fence?! Neighbour dogs Brutus and Blue love saying hi to everyone.
If you want to keep connected with us on a more regular basis, I’m very active on Instagram. @embee_cavaliers if you want to give us a follow!
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Fall is the best time to go out and take photos. The dogs love the cooler weather and according to them, anytime is a great time to play ball or frisbee. I haven’t taken many photos lately so it was great to play with my camera again.
Hopefully we’ll have a chance to take some more fall photos before the weather changes. I’ve done some updates to my website, mostly in the Our Dogs section.  Everyone went to the CFSO’s annual heart and eye clinic and got fresh heart and eye certificates. All of that info on their pages has been changed to be current. I have also taken some photos for a Grooming post that I hope to have done soon. A lot of people ask me about what products to use and how to groom their Cavalier at home, I did a post like this awhile ago but it’s definitely time for an update. Dirty boy Finn got to be the model for it! He’s very clean and smelling good for the moment.
I hope to be at the Aurora and District Kennel Club show that is being held in conjunction with the Canadian Pet Expo, November 23-25th at the International Centre. The CFSO is hosting a booster, so it should be a great turn out. Hope to see everyone there.
This little girl is Tori, she reminds me so much of her Momma Lolly, just in another colour.
Rose has the sweetest little temperament, very happy and outgoing
Anne is our bully at the moment, big, strong, athletic, confident and BOSSY. She’s always on the go!
Harry is our little guy. He was born half the size of his littermates and struggled to gain weight. I was just going to start supplementing him with tube feedings when I decided to try and see if Ebby would nurse him. Ebby is a bit of a “helicopter mom” and her two rubies were born very large and strong. She was so full of milk and there was way more room for little Harry without being squished out by his bigger siblings. It worked, Ebby fed Harry for the next 3 weeks as her own. He’s still smaller than everyone but doing great so far.
Will is very sweet and laid back. He loves a good snuggle and is very much a go with the flow kind of guy.
4 days later we had our two rubies born. We named them Ron and Ginny and of course they had their adopted little brother Harry.  Ron reminds me a lot of Daddy Reese, while Ginny looks a lot like her Momma just in a ruby jacket. We’re thrilled to have both of them.
All puppies are spoken for and I am not taking inquiries at the moment. We’re just sharing because…cute puppy pictures!
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