Things I learned yesterday

Back in the days of the old west people were always prepared for the worst. But nowadays we take convenience for granted. We all knew a big cold snap was coming for almost a week. But me being an extreme optimist thinks ah it won't be that bad.
The following is a list of things I learned to be prepared for.
When a person is living in their holiday trailer make sure you stock up on propane. Apparently when it gets to a certain temperature below freezing gas stations can no longer sell propane because it turns to gel. So we are running on our last half a tank of propane.. A quick trip to Canadian Tire to buy up the few remaining electric heaters will do in a pinch.
Another rather important point make sure you have an extension cord plug in your truck.If not it is good to know the a half a tank of fuel will do when your truck runs all night.So that you can go to town in the morning and buy an extension cord. Also it is much better to look for your block heater cord in the daylight instead of in the cold with a flashlight.
Stock up on food if you don't want to go out grocery shopping.

All things I did wrong and have learned my lesson.

Just say the word mom

I have never worked cattle with any of my dogs. In fact I don't think my dogs had ever seen cattle before we got some of our own. They were curious but really didn't care what they did.

Then one day in August last year the neighbours cows got out and I decided to take Isla to help watch gates while we tried to move the cows. One heifer decided to try and make a break for the gate and Isla was like "I don't think so. over my dead body" Well she grab that girl by the nose and was not letting go until she turned back. Well she did turn her and brought her back to the rest. The whole time I was panicking that my little girl was going to get hurt. I kept thinking What have I done. Well that was the beginning of Isla's obsession. She is so keen to work cows that one time I sent her out to gather sheep and she went through the fence to the next field and gathered the neighbours cows. I kept calling her back. Once the cows started to move off her she stopped and wondered were I was and then heard me calling her and came back.

Now everyday when we go for our walk Isla has to be at the ready just incase I say the word.

Just one of those days

Today was one of those southern Alberta days we are all happy to get in the middle of Winter. Above zero and no wind. It is days like this that help me get through the long winter also one of the reasons why I love living in the south. Days like this were a rarity in Lacombe.
I was finishing up walking dog this morning and noticed that my big flock of sheep were in our big hay field. OK, By "big flock" I mean 30. I know not big compared to some of you. But big to me. I usually train on six sheep in a smaller field. Anyways I decided to take Isla and Kipp out to the field to train. Both dogs did fabulous. Left me feeling great.
When I got back to the "house" there was a flurry of activity. Electricians and other contractors working on the house. YEAH!!!!! Really nice to see some thing being done after nothing for over a month.

Nursery Finals or Bust

My goal for 2008 is to get Kipp qualified for the USBCHA Nursery Finals. The finals are being held at Sturgis, South Dakota this year. Working toward this is going to be more work for me than it will be for Kipp. I think I was born missing the competitive gene. I am way to laid back of a person to really get anywhere in competitive dog sports. OK, I call it laid back others may call it lazy. I love working my dogs but just not so much when I am by myself. I would rather drive 2 hours and work dogs with a group of friends then go the 100 feet behind my house. So I am asking my friends to help motivate me. Anyway you see fit nagging phone calls "Are you working your dogs" or harassing e-mails whatever you think will work. Because in my head I have already decided that I am going to the finals weather my dog qualifies or not.

I am looking forward to trialing season to begin. This year I will be running Isla in Intermediate and Kipp will be running Nursery as well as Intermediate. First chance for my little man the get a qualifying leg is January 26.

We still have alot to work on. But I have been trying hard to work on what a wise man told me. I find that I second guess myself when I work my dogs alone (Was that out run to tight or good enough.) I try fixing things that I think are not good enough and end up making mistakes in other places. These dogs can out think you before you even know what has happened. That is what I love about them always challenging you to do better because if you don't step up they will do it for themselves.

So remember friends I want to hear from you.

Jet's Day

Today was Jet's day to spend with her mom. My Friend Lynda was having a new year agility fun day and I decided to do something a little different and take Jet for the day. It has been a year and a half since Jet last did agility. Jet went into early retirement because of arthritis in her pasterns.

Jet was never particularly good at agility she was more in it for the social aspect. She loved it when people would shower her with attention and feed her treats. And today was no different. Everyone was very happy to see Jet out having fun.

Now a days Jet spends her time giving the other dogs their exercise. We call Jet our lure rabbit. She just loves to run and when she runs the border collies chase. She used to be the fastest of all the dogs but time is catching up with her and her arthritis is slowing her down. (she will be eight this year).

I would take her with me to herding trials now but I live in fear that she would get loose and end up on the field chasing sheep and we would never catch her. Jet loves her sheep.

So when I am off doing the sheepdog thing her and fox take care of things at home.

Happy New Year

Wanted to wish everyone a happy new year. I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I spent the week at my mom's place at Lacombe. We had a good Christmas. Really nice to sleep in the same building as the bathroom. The dogs especially love going to our Lacombe place because they get to go for long walks on the trails in the trees. Or what they like to call find the deer and scare the crap out of them. Then chase them until we can't see them anymore. We just got home yesterday and everything is still standing.

Good news is one of my foster puppies found a new home. They have been super pups. So easy to take care of and slept through the night from day one. I know the other dogs will not miss them when they are gone. I think they are tired of being tackled and chewed on.

The reconstruction of our house is suppose to start the first week of January. I have already picked out new kitchen cabinets and purchased them. Gotta love Ikea. You can plan, buy and build a new kitchen all in one day. Everything they need to rebuild is sitting in our shop just waiting to be installed.

Tis the Season to help the less fortunate

In our house the less fortunate means the four legged kind. When I lived in Red Deer, I managed a pet store. we helped out Shauna at Misty Creek rescue when we could. When I heard that Shauna was over run with puppies and was desperate for foster homes over the holidays. I decided that we could help out. When I contacted the foster coordinator and explained how I knew Shauna and would like to help out by taking a couple of puppies. She knew just the right puppies for me. She had two border collie pups that were slated for euthanasia in the next day and the shelter had no room to take them in. I was more then happy to take them in. Kyle was adamant that we take both pups.

So I met with Shauna in Vulcan and picked up the pups.

Enter Earl and Eddie.

They are suppose to be 4 months old but I suspect they are a bit older. I also suspect that they have a little more then border collie in them. From what I know they have spent most of their lives at animal control in Taber. They are both over weight and out of shape.

Earl is the more " No you come to me" type of dog. He would rather sit on my feet then play with the dogs. Looks to much like work.

Eddie on the other hand is full of energy and ready to take on anything.

Finger crossed that my good deed goes unpunished.