Thursday

Just another day like Tuesday; sunny but quite cool. I had the farm pretty much to myself as Nancy had already left when I got there. Rose served me a coffee & then had to leave for her physio. appointment. Her knee is coming along pretty good; yesterday we met at Costco after her specialist appointment where she was told to get rid of the heavy-duty brace.
I picked up 3 very nice crate pads for $15/ea. - they are bathtub mats with memory foam. 100% perfect fit for Blair's wire crate in the living room and although a tad wide for the topper holes for Dusty & Owen. They will make be cozy & give nice cushion for riding in the truck. As well, the tight fit will hopefully prevent the boys from mussing them up. Dusty will still have his 'chew' blankie to relieve his anxiety/stress when I am working the other dogs.....and keeping fingers crossed that he doesn't ever ingest enough to cause a blockage.
I worked Blair again today and he was pretty good. I know I should have cleaned up his flanking a bit but....I am very lame at that. Then I brought Jayne out and took my lawn chair into the field. I hung onto Blair's collar and worked her a bit. Had her push them into a corner and then lie down in the pressure of close quarters. Then called her off and had both her & Blair just hang out by my chair with sheep in the field. They rarely get that kind of exposure so I took advantage of no one else there to work sheep. I should also mention about how much I like working Jayne these days too. Big brother Blair will always be my 'heart' dog but Jayne is probably the better dog. She hasn't had the same opportunities, varied exposure, big spaces many more trial miles but...I think I am a bit better handler now than with Blair's first years and Jayne is a bit better dog. Her feel and ability to hold a line is nicer. Blair was all about 'pedal to the metal' and I never have been able to get a really good pace out of him; he had it but I lost it. When I have a hold on Jayne, she is pretty awesome.
Maureen stopped by on her way home to loan me a pass to the BIG(biggest in Canada) dog show at the Tradex this weekend; Lynn has a booth for her Downriver Herding Facility and some other friends will be competing in obedience & rally. As well as checking out the Barbie Collies in conformation....;-) And maybe picking up a few deals from the vendors. And does this 'support' of the Kennel Club corporate business make me uneasy...yes.
My lower back is feeling a bit sore tonite. I stopped on the way home to load up a few buckets of gravel at Karen's(thank you very much). Spread it behind my kennels and then laid my rubber perforated mats on top - hoping to prevent some of the worst mud & lawn chewing up as the dogs run off the deck each morning this rainy season. I had a hell of a time yanking up the mats from where the grass/weeds had grown thru them all summer....grrrr....which is probably what strained my back.

Tues. at McLeods'

sorry no pix again. We had a beautiful sunny but cool day to work dogs. The perfection of Oct. fall weather in BC. To be enjoyed while it lasts. I worked Blair again to tune him up a little and keep him in shape for the trial in Arlington next month. He is still my beautiful 'wonder dog' that is such a joy to work. I am paying special attention to every opportunity to work with him as, at age 10, our trial days are numbered. So I am still thrilled by him and loving him to death. I don't care what he does on the trial field any more at this point, he has earned & proved everything he needs to; took me as a green newbie to Open in a very short time with some bits of success but only held back by my dreadful handling. My younger dogs are teaching me much & a fun challenge but neither has the special 'something' that Blair has had. He will always be my 'one in a life time dog'. Which is added by the fact that he has the sweetest temperament along with everything else. Also cool that he has sired some exceptional pups in Ruedi's Teak & Celeste's Maggie who have also taken their relatively newish handlers to much success in Open. Plus my own, Owen of course. Although he is a bit more of a challenge, mostly due to our limited training opportunities. Which I am sure you are all tired of hearing about...... Whatever, today was about The Wonder Dog and how he still is the most incredible dog I have the pleasure to work with.

Sunday in Arlington

It was a gorgeous day, I should have taken my camera. Sunny but cool with many trees changing color. Lynda & I took a scenic drive down I5 to Arlington to work sheep at the Co-op of Erin, Lynne & Lorri. Same field we had a lesson on last month. It was super great to work these nice sheep, thank you Erin for allowing us to come. Lynda worked Try & I worked Owen first. We did a couple outruns, setting for each other then a bit of driving. When I was working Owen, Lynda walked over to the middle of the field, between a couple of trees. Owen was down near the bottom of the field, but when he spotted her, he spooked! He didn't recognize her or something and ran all the way around the perimeter back to me. She even spoke his name and called him....he was still scared until he got near me. Then he was happy enough to go up to her to get a pat. What a silly dog! God help me on the trial field if someone steps on the course. LOL
Then we worked Jayne & Lark. Both girls did well. Jayne was awesome on these sheep - lifted nicely and fetched with decent pace. She also did a big drive fairly nice. I tried to cross-drive but she kept wanting to turn it into a fetch so I had to keep flanking her to hold the line half ass. Looking forward to the upcoming trial at this field next month. It is not huge but has many obstacles in uneven terraine, a little ditch, trees dotting here & there. Woods lining one side pose a draw & if you lose the sheep in there, you're toast. :-)

Big Field Sunday

No pictures - just a little update. Surprisingly the weather was quite nice today; the rain held off and there was a bit of sun but not too hot. Pam hauled her sheep to Brooksdale now operating under the name of A Rocha(http://www.arocha.org/int-en/index.html). Their pigs have grown HUGE since we were last there and were quite curious about the dogs & sheep. :-) Their gardens have also thrived this summer. The field was leased to the cattle only for a short time this spring so the grass is still quite high & with a lot of seed. Which is not great for the dogs so I checked them very carefully when we were done.
Lynda worked Lark on some balancing drills at first as she thinks she has lost it a bit from a lot of driving work lately. Then I took Owen out and we did stretched them with some bigger outruns. The sheep were not visible because of the high grass so Owen went out a bit straight. But as soon as he saw them, he kicked out beautifully. I left him along at the top to see if he would handle it on his own and I figured he might not hear me anyway in the grass. He hit the top nice and lifted ok then was a bit charging down the fetch but not real bad. The sheep were loping not running for their lives so I didn't get on him too much. Afterward I did some driving and he was being very stubborn about taking an inside come bye flank & holding it. I had to really get after him about that. He has been doing that a bit at times at McLeods' too. So I need some advice on that. Lynda & I went to Arlington for a lesson with Lorri Schubert last month & plan to go again so I should work Owen with her.
Next we worked Jayne & Try. There was no way that Jayne could see the sheep but she went out to the fenceline and kept on going until she found them. I left her alone at the top as well because I couldn't see her anyway. lol She did fine I guess as the sheep lifted nicely and came down the fetch at a decent pace. Poor Try was at a loss not being able to see the sheep. Lynda had to come a good way up the field to help him. He also saw the pigs in their little field beside us & wanted to go to them.....hairless white sheep he thought. lol But eventually we got him around the right group of sheep.
I took a detour on the way home to sightsee the new 'High Point' equestrian development in south Langley. It is adjoining Campbell Valley Park which already has a nice 2 hour trail. There is a huge fancy equestrian complex of barns & indoor arena/country club house/fitness center plus trails leading everywhere. The subdivision offers everything from 1/2 acre - 8 acre lots to build your dream home. It has a lot of green space and groomed bridal paths winding around the homes. Wow is all one can say! http://www.highpointestates.ca/
Then a stop at the Co-op for groceries and home to catch the last couple innings of an exciting Yankee-Tiger game. Bottom of the 9th. and holy cow! Raining hard. Tigers survive to even the series 1-1 but Yanks almost came back.

Visit with Jamie

Our friend, Jamie from Saskatchewan came out for a visit & pick up her dog, Roy. He has been here at McLeods' for about a month to get some vet work. So we've been spending the weekend at McLeods' visiting and working dogs.
Here is Jamie's young 5mos. old pup, Glen working sheep for almost the first time.
He was awesome!
Keen but very cool headed. Super nice feel and balance.
Went both ways easily. And squeezed between sheep & fence.
He didn't want to quit.
Glen is from Joni Swanke; her Hope(I think) and by Alasdair's Don.
Lynda working Lark.
Lark driving.
Rose is getting around better with this brace while waiting for surgery on her blown knee.
Lynda & Maureen having coffee in between working dogs.
Rose keeping us up to date with FB.
Jamie working one of her young dogs.
Max who now has a great new home with Jan Alexander in Vancouver.
Blair is ready for his turn.

Plum Pickin

Some of you may remember these pix from the fall of 2006.
Wyatt is picking apples off the tree.
Dusty is hoping he will drop one. Wyatt was 5 years old then, he turned 10 in August this year.
He was successful. The apple tree has not produced much since that first year, so not a lot of jumping going on. Last year they ate a lot of pears & plums that fell on the ground.
This year the harvest has been very very late probably because our spring was so cold & wet. There isn't much fruit on the apple tree again. There is some on the pear tree but pretty small and not within reach. But the plum tree is pretty full and they are just starting to fall on the ground. However, not soon enough for Wyatt:
I am sitting on my deck & look out to see this. He has tried to jump and has reached a couple pears but the plums are too high. And perhaps at age 10, he can't jump quite as high.
No more in reach so trying to climb higher.
There is a strange orange growth on the plum tree that just appeared. It had one something like this a couple years ago too.
He jumped up into the tree probably a dozen times. Sometimes he missed and fell out.
He is getting tired. And discouraged; doesn't seem to be any more within reach. He ate 3 or 4 I think.
Cattle Dogs are far too smart for their own good.
Wyatt you never cease to surprise me.

Feeding my Dogs

No nice pix but just an update. I spent several hours today preparing dog food. Blair is experiencing some issues & may need more fibre in his diet to help with anal glands. But I figure they can all benefit.
I bought a super cheap chunk of pink salmon not long ago & froze it. So today I cooked it up. I also defrosted & cooked a baggie of lamb guts; liver, gizzard, etc....and the last of the $5 turkey from last fall. I cooked up some chicken soup stock and used that to cook a cup or so of brown rice. I also cooked a lovely big spaghetti squash for my dinner last night, so used the left overs of that to add to the mix. Plus cooked up a few yams and added the pumpkin from a tin that I have been adding to Blair's dinner.
So: I have 5 yogurt containers in the freezer to add to their kibble dinners over the next week or two. Salmon/chicken/lamb liver+/brown rice/spaghetti squash/yam/pumpkin/garlic/dill/cilantro/rosemary/corn oil/chicken stock.
It was a nice way to spend a cloudy cool afternoon and to know that I have some good clean ingredients to top off my dogs' kibble dinners with.

Lacamas pix

We arrived mid-afternoon Wed. and drove up to the P/N field to let the dogs have a good run.
Looking up to the Open field with Mt.Hood in the background.

A few others have also arrived early in the handler's camping field. Sheep grazing on the Open trial field.
If you look really closely, you can just make out a little white dot above the cab of RV and near the powerline tower. That would be Lynda and Enzo walking the field. They went all the way up to the set out and back.


Parked on the knoll in the shade. Saving a nice camping spot for Jeff & Dee. Too hot and too busy to take any more pix.

July 2011

Lynda setting. We got out on Pam's big field for the first time in about 6 weeks. The grass was pretty high and all in seed. It was the first really hot(29c) day all summer. Our dogs all felt the heat. These 4 pix taken by Jim Kling who came up from Bellingham to work his dog, Rodeo.
Little Jayne driving in the tall grass. This was only her second time on sheep in 4 weeks since my accident. My dogs were all a little rusty & out of shape needless to say.
Me in my sling setting for Lynda. I have 6 more weeks to go before it is completely healed....we hope. No lifting until then but don't have to use the sling anymore. Although I may wear it for working my dogs to be safe.
the peanut gallery of Pam's dogs.
Count the 'peanuts' - they are all in the truck to go home.
Half a dozen more are in the back seat! LOL
See that apple beside the Pom? Wyatt would have it long gone in my truck. ;-)
This is where Enzo & I sleep(and live) this summer. It reclines & is quite comfy.

Whidbey Island

The view from my 'camp' looking up to Susan's adobe house.
My toy; I go to the trial early to help out by doing some mowing around where handlers will camp.
This year I got to stay in Susan's big 5th wheel trailer.

Sadly I did not take any pictures during the trial, just ones beforehand. Lynda came down on Sat. and we stayed through til the following Thurs. It was here that I fell & broke my arm. Thank goodness Lynda was there to pack up my truck and follow me home to Canada....and then take me to EM.

Owen and Jayne last Thurs.

Margaret took some nice shots of Owen and Jayne working at McLeods' last Thurs. I finally got them uploaded.
Owen is super biddable and has nice feel.

My freckle face boy.

Jayne
Jayne had a very short session as she dove in & gripped when I was trying to set up a shed. She hasn't done that in a long time. Not sure what I am doing wrong that is creating this tension in her.