An Interview With Phil Juliano of Best In Show

Truly Amazing

Hi everyone!

These are my pooches and these photos are all in my back yard with my new Go Pro Hero 3+ Silver camera.

Jack is the first photo and that’s him saying, “Wow, I’m cool!”  Because he is.  He’s the smallest and at 3.5 years old he’s the lousiest hunter I have.  Can’t sneak up on anything.  He had a bad habit of chasing birds until a couple months ago when I kept fussing at him telling him he was never gonna catch the feathered critters but unfortunately he did…when a bird deposited a special "packet" all down his back!

Next is Mikey, the alpha in the group and that’s him sticking his tongue out at the other dogs because he hates them all.  I’ve had Mikey the longest, since 2006 and he’s very attached to me so much so that if I left I fear he’d grieve himself to death.  He’s very loving at times and not so much at other times, -he’s moody!  Mikey hates children because he’d been beaten by boys when he was a puppy, then taken to the pound and picked up by a no-kill shelter before he came to live with me. 

Next is Eddie tearing up Mikey’s b-day card he got from a friend of mine who owns a dog food company.  Eddie is the baby and highly annoying to all of us! The little monster is Jack’s arch enemy and at times he'll just lurch at any of the dogs at will which is gonna get him hurt one of these days!  Jack and Eddie are both rescues from a high-kill shelter in Eastern Ky. where many dogs are not as lucky as mine are.

Next are Maggie and Daphne.  Maggie is very independent and offers little affection. She’s the smartest of the group.  Daphne was a rescue off Craig’s list.  A friend called me late one night saying there was a dog that might end up as a bait dog if we don’t go get her because some people posted her on Craig’s list because they need her gone that very night.  So we jumped in the car and drove 25 miles out to get her.  She’s been here ever since.  Daphne is a bit neurotic due to a previous owner who mistreated her though I don’t know exactly what he did to her.

Next is Sammie (Stinky) and Daphne.  Sammie, who we call Stinky because she rolls all over anything that stinks, was found at a breeder in a chicken coup.  Fortunately she was so young at the time she was found that she doesn’t remember anything but love.  She’s very annoying but very innocent and sweet. Stinky is just now 3 and shows potential for having some brains.

Next is Buddy.  Buddy is very special.  I adopted him when he was 8 years old.  He’d been taken by a family that had him for 8 years to the pound where a woman with another shelter happened to be and she took him to her shelter. He was severely matted and flea ridden to the point of sickening.  This was in November 2010. He had all the odds against him.  Because of his age and the fact he had some health problems no one wanted to adopt him so he sat in a cage and in and out of foster care for six months.  Then one day I walked by his cage after checking on him off and on for a few weeks, and he stuck his paw out and smacked my leg.  I looked at the lady at the shelter and said well, I guess he wants to go home with me so let’s make it happen.  
For 9 months he suffered from a very horrible depression fearing I’d take him back like every foster did and slowly, very slowly he began to understand he was finally home.  Still he suffered more health issues including Cushing’s Disease.  But with much prayer and love Buddy is very happy now despite still having some health issues.  He runs and plays with the other dogs and loves lunch and dinner more than anything else!  Today he looks at me with great affection and he’ll break my heart in the worst way when the day comes I lose him.  

Next is Jack and Stevie. Stevie was also a Craig’s list dog who ended up in a no-kill shelter before coming to me. I don’t know much about her past.  She’s the most popular female with my males.  They all like her but she doesn’t like them, ain’t that just the way it goes!  If I get mad at her and punish her for something she did, she always gets even with me!

And the last photo was supposed to be of Jack but as I snapped it Eddie decided to show Jack up.  It’s one of my favorite pics!

All of the dogs are rescues from various local shelters except Daphne.  Daphne was a $50.00 late night trade to rescue her from possibly being a bait dog.  I'd take lots more if I could afford them but on average these pups cost me about $500.00 a month to feed and care for them.  Today they range in age from 2 to 11 with 5 of them between 2 and 4 years old.  They've aged me by at least 10 years!  Ha-ha.  It's a great reward in and of itself knowing every day that I keep the safe, happy, fed and loved.

P.S. For a little added fun here are 3 pics of Jack and Eddie as Batman and Robin.  Eddie is bigger than Jack so he got to be Batman even though Jack wanted to be and he is clearly ticked off at Eddie for taking his role.  

( In the first pic Eddie says, "I'm Batman" and Jack says, "I'm pissed."  In the second pic Eddie says, "I'm Batman" and Jack says, "I hate you."  In the last pic Eddie says, "I'm Batman" and Jack says, "I can't even look at you."

Hahahahaha)

I want to mention one thing about the pups...They are all named after saints...Mikey Alasdair, Buddy Rocco, Magdalene Elizabeth, Stephanie Genevieve, Jack Henry, Daphne Elizabeth, Samantha Elizabeth & Eddie Alasdair.

Plus they all wear St Benedict medals to protect them from all evil!

We all live in Barkinham Palace.  The sign on back door and the mail box state, "Bark-bark. Who  goes there?"

All of my hounds are also all Lords and Ladies except Daphne, she’s a Duchess.

Mikey also has his own Face Book page and Onion and Pea are friends with him!  Here is his address...

https://www.facebook.com/lordmikey.wehrley?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

Here is a postcard from Onion and Pea that Mikey recently received.