Labor Day weekend in Olympia

Here are just a few pictures of the weekend working dogs at Fido's Farm. Photos by Marroni Photography.
Young Owen doing remarkably well of a huge flock of lambs. Awesome experience for a young dog.
Dusty also perplexed and having to work his butt off to move the hungry flock of lambs.
That wee white dot near the treeline is where Dee was setting sheep for us.

Kathy Knox clinic

Here is my lovely little campsite in the shade for the dogs tied out all day.
Beautiful spot with a nice forest to walk the dogs in right behind my rig.
Looking up the driveway towards Vivian's house and gorgeous flower gardens.
Looking through the round pen to wards the field. You can just make out one of the LGDs under a tree in the center of the photo.
Kathy and Lora discussing Bella's round pen session. Nice shade tree in the background for the handlers to watch from. There was a cool morning mist that burned off to mid-70s in the afternoon.
Kathy working a round pen pup.
Discussing Bruce's session.
Dave and Cap in the big field. Cap is littermate to Jayne(and Peter Gonnet's Taff).
Cheryl doing some outrun & fetching with Flint.
Lorri working Quill.
Wyatt enjoys an apple at the end of the day.
Sunday evening after everyone else had left, my dogs got to hang out around the trailer. It was a great clinic with lots of young dogs from 14mos. to almost 3 yrs.old for the most part. I worked Jayne Sat. morning and tried to set her up to show how she blows up and busts through....but she worked really nicely. I worked Owen in the afternoon and stretched him out past his comfort zone. He didn't cover and allowed the sheep to escape to some shade trees(and LGD) but I just waited him out. It took a little while but he figured it out and was able to bring them to me. Sunday I just worked Jayne; in the morning session my timing was off and that may have contributed to her busting in twice. So I got Kathy to work her in the afternoon and she was awesome! Kathy said it wasn't anything that I was doing wrong which is a relief, just that it may be a stage Jayne is going through. I could see that Kathy was holding her off the sheep at a bigger distance when driving than what I allow. Plus she would stop her and settle her for a brief time which seemed to keep Jayne's mind relaxed. As well, Lorri's sheep worked really well; dogs can get a good feel and 'push' on them. I could tell that working in a big space on these kind of sheep will really help Jayne.
While we were at the clinic, Peter Gonnet was winning Reserve CH at the Canadians in Alberta with Jill(on the left) and Western Canadian Nursery CH with Taff(on the right). Congrats to Dennis Gellings and Jan; 2009 Canadian CH

Thurs. Working Dogs

Wow back to summer heat today! I worked Dusty and Blair; both did well. I wish Dusty could work like this in trials. ;-)
Then we got FB results via Kristi from the Canadians in AB: Jayne's littermate, Taff won the Western Canadian Nursery Final under the fine handling of Peter Gonnet. Yay Taff! Wish I could send Jayne to Peter for some real work this winter...... Scott and Don were Reserve, Thad & Nic were 3rd, Lee and Rex were 4th. Don't know who won the Canadian Nursery but would guess it was someone from the east - Amanda, Bev or Kate? So just waiting for the promised daily results posted by Louanne. They had around 90 runs to go through today so are probably still going til dark.
Well we'll see how she does this weekend. I am packing up tomorrow to head to Arlington,WA for a Kathy Knox clinic. It will be interesting to see what she suggests.

Update: they ran the Westerns separate. So the Canadian Nursery Ch. is Scott & Don. Bev & Esther were Reserve. Peter & Taff tied for 6/7.
There were only 8 pens out of 54 runs in Nursery.

Tues. Working Dogs

We had a very good session yesterday with both the young dogs. Owen did well as usual although still showing a certain lack of intensity at times. He works much too carefully for a young dog so I need to remember Peter Gonnet's advice to "work a fast dog slow and a slow dog fast". However I did take the 'magic' tool of a rolled up dog food bag to insist on some more precise lie downs on the fetch. ;-)
But the best news is that Jayne did not bust through! Yay! I really tried to use my voice to 'steady' her up in the places I know she feels pressure and it seemed to work. It may have helped that at the very start, the sheep were grazing and didn't lift their heads even as she came around the top. It was so surprising that Jayne even stopped short and kind of looked at me as if to say "Whaaat?" I gave her a soft flank with a steady and she got round to balance nicely with good pace the rest of the way. I used the magic tool on her stops during the session as well.
Then my friend Ruedi from the Island arrived for dinner and stopover en route to the Canadian Nationals in Alberta this coming weekend. I cooked him roasted turkey thighs, twice baked potatoes & steamed broccoli with a seafood cocktail appy. He supplied the wine for dinner. :-) We had a great visit and talked dogs til past midnight. Ruedi's Teak got to hang out in the house with my dogs too. Her daddy Blair wishes her the best of luck in the upcoming trial; we all think a top 50% would be awesome considering the calibre of competition at this event. Every top handler in Canada plus a few from the US including Bev Lambert in a field of 67 dogs. And on a big course on some challenging sheep hand picked by Louanne. <> Hopefully we will get some of Jenny Glen's great reports on the trial each day.

No work for dogs this week

Wyatt in my truck.(photo by Rose McLeod)

Just a short update: I made it to Van.Island Tues-Thurs this week to help get my Mom moved albeit with a 2 sailing wait = 4 hours sitting in ferry line-up at Horseshoe Bay! Yuck. So the dogs spent 3 hot days mostly in the truck topper. Luckily our motel was close by a good safe place to let them out for a good run each day. But otherwise they suffered some heat in the no shade parking lot at the 'home'. Although Dusty and Wyatt did spend the evening/night with me in the a/c motel room. Needless to say they are very happy to be back home to normal playing in my cool shady yard today. And of course being 'house dogs' last night and again tonite....
I am looking at run orders for Canadians with envy - had hoped to be one of them this year. But family takes precedence & it just didn't work out timing wise. Good luck to everyone going to Zoerbs' trial in Brooks this weekend too. Sounds like everyone had a great time at Lacamas last weekend too.

How to spend a summer day

All done big red! Go get a drink.
My Man.
Susan and Kyu setting up a shed.
Spent all Sat. afternoon hanging out and working dogs at McLeods'. Here is Lynda and young Lark waiting a turn. We worked dogs in the back field for something different. Rose sorted out a group of lambs that were a lot of fun and tricky for the dogs at first. ps; Lynda isn't a bit cranky unlike the expression the camera caught.
My youngest, Owen showing some style.
Dusty settles sheep like nobody can.
Rose's Jana driving in style.
Dusty bringing them up the fenceline.
Young Owen gathering out of a corner.
Cool shot! All photos taken by Rose McLeod.
Blair starts the day off teaching the young lambs that dogs are not scary!
Dust gets down for a big dog and settles sheep with his calm demeanor.
Jana in not impressed with the lambs but will work when asked.
Pretty Meg watches after a working session.
Jana is intent but patient while other dogs work.
Young Lark is also a keener.
Lynda and Lark. Rose gave us a group of lambs that had never seen dogs in with two ewes who don't get worked much but were a steady influence.
Try in figuring out who he can work some more.
I like this shot of Try with his head down.
Lynda's Try again.
Lynda with waiting dogs.
Meg and Kyu.
Susan petting Helen.

I did work Jayne too, but at the end of the day in the front field on the 'working' flock not lambs. Then we went in the house to partake in a DELICIOUS mango/berry mousse cake that Susan brought!

Today was spent in Cloverdale watching some of the Gary Cunningham Memorial Cutting Horse competition next door to Gaby's QBall Agility tournament. Rose was volunteering and working all day while I just went to mostly spectate for a few hours. My dogs all stayed home in their kennels dreaming of the day before. Weather getting hot again after some cooler days and a bit of rain which amazingly greened up my lawn already. Must mow it tomorrow....before I leave.

Then Tues. I head to the Island to help get my 93 yr.old Mom moved into the assisted living home. It will be a boring cooped up couple of days for the dogs as I will be in a motel and they will be in the truck topper most of the time. The movers will pack/load/deliver all in one day, then with help from my cousins and aunt we will get things unpacked and set up hopefully on Wed. So while it meant cancelling my trip to Alberta this summer, it is a huge relief that my Mom will be settled into a much safer and care giving environment. Huge life change for her as she has been living alone in a mobile on part of a rural 25 acre farm surrounded by trees and hay fields with views of Mt.Arrowsmith and the Alberni Valley. Her new place has a balcony with a view at least so that will help a little.

Back to Normal

Meg McLeod driving today.
Owen fetches the flock.
Owen walks up.
Owen hurries to cover.
Jayne flanking.
Jayne walks up.
Photos by Rose McLeod.
20c on my deck today. What a difference! I actually put my slippers on because my feet were cold. Worked Owen and Jayne at McLeods' late morning and it wasn't too hot. Owen did well although I wish I had more of a plan in my head when I go out there with him. I tried to work Jayne calm and loose but she still bust through at the end for no good reason other than the tension I have somehow put into her. :-( Poor little dog.