Curling Party

Enzo was the center of attention and he made the most of it.
Enzo was on the go all afternoon and evening. Bouncing from lap to lap.
The smokers outside.


Past someone's bedtime.
Enzo playing tug Sunday morning.

Sunny Saturday

Tailgate party after working dogs.
24-30 dogs are out there playing at the end of day.
Handlers visiting and chatting while waiting turns to work dogs.
Pretty small pic, but it is the lovely big Shilo Shepherd, Railey(sp?) The above pics all courtesy of Nancy Barker.
Nancy and her Aussie, Striker on the fetch.
Donna's Foxy is deep at the top.

Donna and Foxy.
Nancy sends Striker on an outrun.
Donna and Foxy try to hold the sheep til Striker gets to the top but the sheep know the game.
Foxy's son, Rye is watching the sheep. It was a gorgeous warm sunny day. Nancy brought wine & cheese & crackers & salami and we had a tail gate party after working dogs. Battery in my camera died to these are the only pix I got.

No Pix & not much new

Ok I have not pix and no reason to post. Worked my dogs today and last Tues and last Thurs. Switched out between my 3 trial dogs: Blair, Jayne and Owen. And not much else to say.......same old same old..............sheep were wicked flighty on Tues. in the wind but much more settled today. But I tried to create some distance by working them from the front yard instead of inside the field. Our friend Pam is going to haul sheep to the big field this Sat. which will be awesome. Might try for some pix............but will still be same/old/same/old.

Snow Week

Looking out my front room window. Notice the unbroken snow in my driveway. I hadn't left the house since Thurs. until after the photo shoot.
Collies ready to play! This is the area they have packed down. It is much deeper along the tree line.
Enzo ventures into the deeper stuff. It was pretty cold for him to be without his sweater and down jacket but we weren't out for long.
Jayne always has eyes on me. Owen is watching what Dusty is doing, who is watching what Blair is doing. Collies....always someone working someone.
Enzo is chasing Owen who ignores him now. Jayne is playing soccer with one of her balls. Dusty would like to play or take it away or...he just isn't sure but it is very exciting.
Enzo still chasing Owen. Dusty still chasing Jayne. Blair wishing he could get the toy that Dusty has.
Looking to the back of the house. I have this gate up as a cross-fence to help protect the grass from getting churned into mud during our normal winter weather conditions.
Enzo has gone back up onto the deck. Watching the collies, but has had enough of the cold snow on his tender little paws. "Time to go back inside, Mom!"
First photo shoot with no Wyatt to take shots of. Shed a tear or two.

Bluespirit Wyatt Earp 081601-010612

thank you Rose mcLeod for this cool shot of Wyatt watching me work a BC.
Wyatt second from the left.
one of the only baby pix b4 I bought him sight unseen from Ontario.
with his beloved Auntie Cajun
baffed out

how much do I love this puppy?
Much later in life - beside Owen, who he decided to have nothing to do with. poor Owen has suffered since.

back in the early days, 'someone' thought she could teach flank commands with a water hose.

likes the new red puppy
Oh F#@k why do I allow this.....
working cows at Downriver

photo credit Jeff Jaquish

loving Lynn Leach


heading a cone

King of the castle

oh good grief

frog legs
I can sleep in the sun


but water I cannot

heat wave


after chasing ball in Arlington


end of day at herding clinic Downriver

MY apple

air time for apples

or just climb into plum tree

my last day at home

lil Enzo

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.