My name is Henna. Actually, I have a long, fancy name – it’s “CH Barben’s I’ll Make You Famous CD, JH, CGC” – but nobody calls me that. Mom & Dad just call me Henna, and that’s how they introduce me to everyone. I am a Vizsla, and I'm also a Princess. A Vizsla is a Hungarian Pointer, and we are incredible dogs. You don’t have to take my word for it, just ask any other Vizsla.I know I am a Princess because Mom says I have a “title” and that I come from many, many generations of “titled” dogs. That’s why there is a “CH” in front of my name. Dad likes to point out that I also have a “working title” (that’s the JH) and have many of those in my ancestry as well. I don’t know about those “working titles” – it sounds very blue collar to me – but I guess they’re OK since Dad seems very proud of them. After all, many famous individuals came from working class backgrounds.
I was born at my Grandma Barbara’s house in Atlanta. She has her own website, telling all about my famous ancestors. Her address is www.barbenvizslas.com . Many other Vizslas live with Barbara (I’m not supposed to call her Grandma, it makes her feel old), including my dogmom, Sabrina. She’s a Princess too, and also has a long, fancy name, "Ch Lada'N Barben's Broadway Bound." My Mom and Dad first came to meet me when I was just 11 days old, but I didn’t get to go home with them until I was eight weeks old. If you think I'm cute in this picture, click here to see even MORE pictures of me! I'm incredibly photogenic (aren't all Princesses?) and Mom and Dad took lots of pictures of me when I was a baby.
Even after I went home with Mom and Dad, I had many brothers and sisters. There's Juno, a GIANT Newfoundland; Sam, a hound mix; Tina Louise, a long-legged Collie/Greyhound mix; and Yoda, a terror - oops, I mean TERRIER - mix. None of them are Princesses, but Juno has one of those "blue-collar" titles. All my brothers and sisters have their Canine Good Citizen certificates, and Juno & Tina are certified Therapy Dogs. They all helped Mom and Dad raise me properly so I could earn MY Canine Good Citizen certificate too! I passed the Canine Good Citizen test and the Therapy Dog test when I was only one year old!
Although I was born to be a Princess, I still had work for it. When I turned six months old, Mom started taking me to dog shows. I LOVE going to dog shows! They are so much fun, and I often get to see Grandma (oops, I mean Barbara) at the shows. She is always happy to see me, and lets me kiss her on the face and steal treats out of her pockets.
At dog shows there are hundreds of dogs, and we all want to be Princesses. There is only one person who gets to decide who becomes a Princess – The Judge. The Judge is a very important person, and we all do exactly what The Judge tells us to do. We enter the ring, and trot around it to demonstrate that we are graceful and coordinated. Then we have to stand very still to show that we have good posture. The Judge comes over to admire us, and will pet us, rub our ears, and feel our muscles. It’s very important to remember to brush your teeth before going to a dog show, because The Judge will check that, too! After admiring everyone, The Judge decides who is the most graceful, has the best posture, and strongest muscles. Quite often, that’s ME! After The Judge picks me, I get to have my photograph taken by a professional photographer. Click here to see a few of the pictures I’ve had taken.
At a dog show in Tampa, FL, The Judge chose me over all the other female Vizslas, and he gave me other prizes as well. I must have been really beautiful that day, because Mom was hugging me and laughing, and Barbara gave me a big kiss – right on the mouth! – and told me I was her “75th home-bred Barben Champion.” I don’t know what all that means, but I’m pretty sure that was the day I became a Princess.
