Gus is growing up

My friend Amanda put together a little video montage of Gus growing up so far.

Thanks Amanda

Lights, Camera, Action

Last week Isla got her turn in the spotlight so to speak. A local animal wrangler called me looking for border collies for a commercial shoot the next day. With a little rearranging of my busy Saturday schedule I was able to go and spend the whole day on the set working with the trainer and my dog. I should start off by saying I had to get up at 4:30 in the morning. We had to be on set by 6:30. It was way out west in the hils.

The morning started with half the crew trucks getting stuck in the driveway.

I wasn't nervous until I saw how many people were there.

Most of the work was done in the house. Which was tiny and full of people and equipment. Isla just hit the ground running. Totally sucked up to the director which really helped. I thought she did really well considering she is not trained for this and has never been on a set before.

It was really hard to get any pictures. I didn't want to look like the crazy tourist lady on the film set.

The food was amazing. Every time we went into the craft service building there was something new to eat. 

Lunch was a full on turkey spread. Some of the best turkey I have ever had.

The scenery very was really pretty although it was bitterly cold all day. 

It took me all day to figure out what the commercial was for. Finally at the end of the day I figured it out. Electricity

It is for a local power company. Funny I thought it was for coffee. There was a lot of coffee drinking by the actors in the house all day. The day was long and tiring but really interesting. I have a new appreciation for people who do this for a living. It is hard work and not at all glamorous. 

Hair cut

Often Joe gets confused for a Papillon cross. Or certain friends bug him about his hairy feet and ears.

Today is day three of super cold weather and I am getting bored. 

So I gave Joe a trim.

Before 

After 

The out takes

I hate you

I laugh in your face

I am going to eat you in your sleep.

Best puppy raiser ever

I will say this again. Joe is the best puppy raiser ever.

Best Friends

I am taking care of a friends puppy and I am quickly falling in love with her.

She is just too cute. Joe is also loving her. He goes to the back door and whines for me to let her in.

Glitzy update

This is the first guardian puppy we have raised from square one.

So far she is doing great. And I am impressed by her barking and patrolling at night already.

Can you spot the sleeping puppy?

How about now

Meg's new career

Meg was worried about how she didn't do well enough at the trial this week.

So while walking them in the field she decide to try something new. 

I'm sexy and I know it.

 

Joe had a great time in Klamath at the finals.

He had many admirer's. There was talk of a fan club starting up. 

Gus

Big Joe

Lana

Derek


He also took a turn at the post

And was awarded

Just kidding

In the end it was really all about the Border Collies
But we won't tell Joe that.

Now where was I

When we last left off I was trying to pen the cheviot with Mack at the national finals. Thank goodness for a time clock or I might still be there trying to get Miss in the pen. Good times were had a the nationals this year. Catching up with old friends and making new ones as well. One of the best handlers dinners I have been to in a long time. By the end of the night it was a small and intimate group dancing our asses off. I haven't done that in a while. Thanks to the friends that sent private pictures instead of posting them on facebook. After all no one needs a dancing freeze frame of themselves.

We left Klamath Falls bright and early. We had a long drive ahead of us.

A 17 hour drive to be exact. That prompted Lisa to decide to try and learn the words to Gangnam Style. Both English and Korean. Needless to say I wanted to stab my eyes out.

Picture it with me.

After quick couple of days I was off to the Alberta Field Finals. The wind blew and the cold weather socked us in. Many ways were tried to keep warm. Stormy's Pug was the place to be. Mostly because we could see the trial and the heat was on. My dogs ran mediocre the first day. The second day was a marked improvement  Mack won the nursery and Meg was up in the top 12. But because of the first days performance there would be no playing on the finals day. Instead i got to set sheep all day in the cold,wind and rain. 

Another quick turn around and off too Coldstream, B.C. for the Alasdair MacRae Clinic. I was so looking forward to this weekend. Apparently so was Craig. He showed all of his worst for Alasdair. I was pretty disappointed in him. I know he can do better. We came home and started working right away. Kristi and I have a little bet going for next year. The clinic was excellent. I am fortunate to get to work with great handlers like Scott Glen and Alasdair MacRae (even if it is only every once in a while). 

Lee's place was a nice change.

Who ewe looking at?

This picture says it all. This sheep made Mack's nursery run very difficult. Ran all over the course and then would not pen. Running the course is good if it was the Calgary Stampede but not at the National Finals.

Princess gear packed

Meg and I have packed our princess attire. Mack dosen't want to bring attention to himself so he is just going to sport his ranch wear.
We are about to leave for Oregon to attend the USBCHA national finals. Very excited to go back to Klamath Falls. Last time was so much fun.
BTW- this is a test of my mobile blogger app. Hopefully it works out.

Me and My Shadow

We have a new team member.
The coyotes have been over working bear and he was lonely. So we got him a friend and
future co-worker.

Right now her name is Glitzy but we may change it to Stella.
She is a three month old Pyrenees/Maremma

 They spent the last couple of days getting to know each other with the weaned lambs.

Bear is taking his new role very seriously.

Today I let them out in a smaller pasture.
When she got worried and went back to the shelter Bear came back and sat with her until she 

was ready to go back out.

As I write this they are out in the field hanging out with the lambs. 

Back in the saddle

I had to jump in sooner or later. 

After a rough spring and early summer. Many times I thought Craig was ready to work and in the end would come up lame again after a few days in a row of training. Finally in the end of July after a consult with Craig's Physiotherapist and vet he was given the OK to go back to work (I was the only thing holding us back). So I went back to working him and training. Craig has always hit the ground running even when he broke his leg, there was blood and bone sticking out of his leg and he was still holding the sheep in the corner. He has no quit in him. So I jumped in and entered him in the Pro Novice class in Shaunavon. The first run was total madness. A lot of forward and not a lot of control. We got to the pen and the nice square flanks went out the window and turned into slashing flanks. The pen is not the best place on the course the have those flanks. One ewe broke off and headed straight for the fence with Craig in hot pursuit. I immediately had an anxiety attack and called him off. I walked off to catch my breath and shake it off. Since Craig doesn't remember the past I am here to remind him now and then. 

The second day's run started off better he stopped and the top briefly and listened slightly better around the course. I was still out of breath when we were done and had penned the sheep. Ended up with a 78 to win the class that day. I was surprised because it didn't feel like a winning run in my head. 

More good news from the trial Stormy has nick named Craig the racing greyhound. Never a good idea to get stormy's attention. But I may give Craig a nice stiff drink in the pug before we run at the next trial. maybe slow things down a bit. 

Ring of Fire

A couple of years ago I referred to the shedding ring to be like a ring of fire. And nothing could be more harder for me. Well fortunately that opinion has changed. But like most people I need to improve skills and can always use a reminder of where things have gone wrong. This weekend I went down to Alta-Pete Stockdogs for a shedding clinic. The first day covered regular shedding, second day was on the marked shed and the third day was the international shed. The used Craig for the first day and a half. He held up pretty good. He was a little sore the first night so I gave him some Medi-cam. The second day he was not sore at all. I brought out the big guns for the marked shed and the international shed. Meg was more than happy to step in.

As usual life on the road is very hard on Joe

Photo proof that Craig indeed can "lie down"

(photo by Jenny Glen)

Also have photo proof that Meg does in fact have another gear.

Shannon actually said
"man is that dog fast" Something that has never said about Meg.

This white ewe bolted for the barn and Meg had to pull out the niturous to stop her. And stop her she did.

(photo by Jenny Glen)

Always happy to listen while Scott imparts his wisdom.

Meg makes another good save during the international shed.

(photo By Jenny Glen)

As usual I failed at taking pictures. Thank goodness my friends are more proficient at photography.

Princesses in southern Saskatchewan

Naomi (apprentice princess) and I made the long trek down to Wendy Schmaltz's trial. I am so glad I carry all my princess essentials with me because this is not the kind of place for Princesses. I told Wendy when I arrived "you are a better woman than me". Even though it was far this was a fantastic trial. The sheep were a nice challenge and the scenery was beautiful. We will defiantly be back next year.

As always the Palace was the place to be seen at.

The new princess is working out just fine.
Check it out a pink hat too.

Right down the middle.

Naomi is a much braver handler than I was in my first year. 

Trialing on yearling range ewes in the nursery class.
Watch out kids she is going places.

(photo by Wendy Schmaltz)

(photo by Wendy Schmaltz)

It took Meg and I two days to get our shit together. Finally on the third day we had it all together and had a good run. No finals points for us but lets keep our fingers crossed we make it in with what we have.

My Nursery dog was consistent. We were one of only two dogs to get a score the first day. Not a great score but it turned out not to matter. After three days the reserve nursery champion was mine to lose. All we needed was a score.

Mack had other ideas and decided to go visit the kids at set out.

So I walked off.

In the end a great time was had by all. It may take me until next year to get all the dust out of my trailer.