Metchosin Day 10

Sunny this morning but a cold wind blew in clouds and then rain by late afternoon. Worked the older dogs waiting for Judy to arrive but got a msg. canceling later. However she still came for dinner as well as Donna. Martha arrived home about 5p. so we all got to hear all about her trip and the finals. Nice evening, great way to end my week in paradise. Supposed to rain off and on all week at home too....sigh....can't stave off winter forever I suppose. Heard there was snow on the Coq. already.

Metchosin Day 9

Lambs stayed safe and sound overnite but they pushed their way out of the barn at dawn(I suspect) and were grazing peacefully in the 'exercise field'. It was another beautiful day; sunny and warm enough for tshirt/shorts but cool enough to work dogs and sheep.
I met Julie for Dim Sum at the Red Lion in Victoria; luckily she made a reservation as it was packed! Then we came back here and worked our young dogs on Telford field below the house. Jayne's first go was wild; I had her pick up a group in the middle field and they raced through the gate into Telford. It obviously fried her brain. However I worked her a second time and she was settled and MUCH better. Owen worked pretty good; his outruns have been a little tight but in this big space he kicked out about half way up. Beautiful to see him thinking like that. I was sending him further than usual and his lie downs on the fetch were broken so I shortened up and got him back into the right frame of mind. I also did some really long drives with him; he has good pace but perhaps a little too good for his age.
I got an email from Martha at Marroni's; they came back on Friday so she will be home on the 2:30p CoHo in time for dinner tomo. nite. So I shall be home on Tues. Julie is coming over to stay for an agility trial next weekend so I shalll be busy cleaning and mowing the lawn I am sure.

Metchosin Day 7 & 8

Friday was another gorgeous day. We played in the sunshine.
Today I woke at 7:30a to John Buchanon knocking on the door and rushing through the house saying that there were dogs in the fields chasing the lambs!!!
I threw on some clothes and followed him outside. There was a large black dog pacing along the fenceline at the bottom of the field. John had shut all the gates so there were sheep scattered in several places. While John was calling 911 and Animal Control, the black dog disappeared through the bottom field. Once an officer arrived I used Blair to gather the sheep back together & into the barn. One little lamb is severely savaged and one other has some bad bites. The others seem ok. John is coming back later today with the farm truck to take the two injured lambs home to the main farm. John had managed to get near the dog and make out it's tag # so Animal Control will try to track it down. Otherwise they will come back. Not sure what we're going to do with the sheep in the meantime. There is another flock of lambs just up the road as well as a large group of ewes on the trial field just across Taylor Rd. (which is the direction the dog went).
There are no coyotes on Vancouver Island and the only other rare predator is the odd cougar. Most of the neighborhood dogs are kept in.....but are the biggest danger to sheep.

ps: Neighbor phoned to say there was one more lamb acting very stressed in the far field. I grabbed Blair and he worked a single for the first time. We managed to bring her back to the others without undue stress. She is chewed up too so when John arrived at 3pm, he took her back home also. No word on the stray dogs so I'm keeping the lambs in tonite. Gave them a little extra grain and a dozen apples for their dinner.
I should also add how proud I am of my 'hobby weekend trial' dog. Handled those poor traumatized, in shock babies with calm and confidence. At one point, with the single, he stopped and did a 'look back' as he thought there must be more sheep out there! lol What amazing dogs they are.

Metchosin Day 5 & 6

More awesome weather! Ruedi came down Island yesterday and worked his dogs on the nice young lambs here. It was too hot to work the ewes over on Banzer field. He brought dinner and we had a great visit catching up on all his news/experiences from the Canadians.
All on my own again today. Cool morning fog blowing in from the water but with sunshine and blue sky above. Great day to work all my dogs.
Following the Nationals via the USBCHA website and various blogs which is sure neat. Awesome group of dogs making it through the next stage and also looking at some great dogs that, through a little bad luck didn't. I think that people who need good working dogs are in no danger of a lack of choice from all over N.America. Interesting to look at pedigrees and past results to see continuety and good bloodlines still producing a large variety of good dogs. Also interesting to see how most of the top handlers always seem to find a way to succeed along with some new names who manage to rise to the top as well.
All who qualified and ran dogs in these Finals should be proud of their accomplishments regardless of placing...just making it is a dream for many of us.

Metchosin Day 4

Pam Earl came this morning to take some pix of Owen. Here is one of them. Then Julie came in the afternoon so we drove down the road to work the ewes in the 80 acre Banzer Field. When we got there the sheep were no where to be seen but Julie thought they might be hiding in the top corner. Sure enough, there they were so I parked on the road and got Dusty out to push them out into the field. Then Julie shed off a group to work - I used Blair to push them way down the field while Julie drove the rest of the flock back into the 'corner'. I worked Jayne and Owen while Julie worked Drift & Woody. The flock had drifted out onto the bottom on the field so Julie drove the small group into the corner. I then sent Blair on one huge outrun to gather the whole flock. Julie thought it was over 500 yards but I'm not so sure. I took a bunch of pictures but...no upload when I get home. Stunning view with the Olympic Peninsula mountains in the background. Great weather continues. Then back home to run & feed the Marcar dogs before we headed up to the My Chosin cafe for dinner.

Metchosin Day 3

Repeat of day 1 & 2....no surprise. Other than the fantastic extended summer weather we are gifted with. Which I will take whole heartedly - so much easier to look after dogs in dry conditions. Plus perfect conditions for working dogs.
Everyone did well on sheep today. Except for some bad kennel behavior aka barking by my dogs when I'm out with the MarCar dogs!
Jayne is liking the wire crate in the living room and eating up her dinners with no trouble. Dusty and Wyatt are behaving and not chasing Cinder or Smoke who tend to stay upstairs in the evenings anyway. Don't tell Martha but Wyatt is cuddled up next to me on the couch tonite; LOL he has been a little put out that he is missing his normal comfy bed(s) at home so I decided to indulge him. However there are some stinky odeurs(aka dog farts) floating in my vicinity. I can't blame him for sure as Dusty and Jayne are both in range as well. Wyatt's peeing jag from the pears at home seem to be over but he is still scarfing down apples every day.
Julie is coming tomorrow and we shall drive down the road a couple farms over to work in the big Banzer field. Ruedi is coming the next day for more of the same. Pam Earl is coming over tomorrow to take some pix of Owen for an art project. She stayed with me for a couple days last spring and offered to do a painting of one of my dogs. Of course I offered up the most challenging face in the kennel.....LOL She is so picky that none of my amateur photos of him have been up to her standard....thus the trip to take her own pix. Not that it has anything to do with his freckles and unique markings :-) . Check out her art at: http://www.snarkydogstudio.com/ I will be so honoured and thrilled to get a piece of her fabulous artwork!
I cannot upload any of the million pix I am taking until I get home. Despite seaching, nothing here will work for my camera so uploading won't happen until I get home. So just blog posts for now. I know some people take out the memory card on their camera and use that......but I've never done that/don't know how...any help?

Metchosin Day 2

Old photo from spring '05 of Blair working the flock of ewes & lambs in Metchosin. Showing a cool head and patience otherwise those ewes would charge him.
Fall '04 one of my many weekends traveling to Metchosin to learn how to work Blair. Juan de Fuca Strait and Olympic Peninsule in the background looking SE.
View of Martha's house from the road.
Old Cajun, Blair and Wyatt getting a run below the house. Juan de Fuca Strait in the background. Always in view when working on the farm. I will have more up to date pix at some point. Be interesting to compare.
This is a typical group of lambs just like the ones I am working this year. Old photo from several years ago. Buchanon's Parry Bay flock has developed into a breed of their own and are the best sheep to work dogs on. Each season here brings a different group to help develop a well rounded sheepdog.

I uploaded a few old pix because:
I took a bunch on pix today but, alas, may not be able to upload them until I get home. I forgot to pack the cable needed to connect camera to laptop. I will search Martha's office just in case she has a compatible one... However while searching through my laptop case I did find a DVD player that I forgot I had - guessing it has been hidden in a flap for several years. So I installed it and watched the end of 'The Wrestler' which I viewed part of, on the ferry ride over here. ;~}
Otherwise it was another day in paradise which it truly is with the lovely extended summer weather we're having.
We are all settling into a nice routine; the MarCar dogs are happy with someone different catering to them - adjusting like troupers and coming up for love and pats. Ryan of course remembers me from my many visits & when I lived here during the Telus strike in '05 but Rick was only 7-8 weeks old when I did another short stint here when Martha was in the hospital. Sylvie doesn't know me from Adam but would like to be my friend. Rick and Sylvie had a good play today while Ryan rolled in the grass with 'his' special toy. Who says old dogs don't play! I used the gator to give them a good long run down to and around Telfer field as well as a good stretch in the 'exercise' field. Same for my crew this morning.
Then I took Owen and Blair down with the gator to work. I park in one field and work them in the two fields next door. The dogs learn to do an 'away' outrun to go through the connecting open gate. Then I do some flanking and driving from one field away. I let Owen bring the sheep into the closer field and then had a tough time convincing the lambs to go back through the shade at the gate. It was very good work for him and a huge mental challenge I am sure. Then I forgot to take my whistle so had to remind Blair what voice commands are! LOL
Everyone then got to sleep in their kennels while I went to the Farmer's market. What a treat to pick up fresh local farm produce!
Ran all the dogs again when I got back before putting them up for dinner. Then Dusty got to work late afternoon and bring in the lambs to the barn for their grain. Grilled some absolutely delicious lamb chops from Martha's freezer tonite with fresh rosemary as well as nice new potatoes from the market. Martha's greenhouse is full of tomatoes & veggies too. Man I miss fresh rosemary! I haven't planted any herbs in my 'new' place as I am wanting to sell it, but I think I must do so regardless. I miss the sage, rosemary, tarragon, chives, oregano, thyme etc. of my old Burnaby home.