Craig update nine months and counting

I really think Facebook has ruined me as a blogger. I post little things here and there on Facebook and then forget all about my blog followers. One of those being my mom and her co workers. Although my mom has stepped into the current century and purchased her very first computer and wait for it "got the internet". Way to go mom.
We are moving into month number 10 since Craig broke his leg. It has been a long and expensive haul. As of mid January Craig was discharged from Physiotherapy and from the care of the orthopedic surgeon. His radius is fully healed thanks to the bone graph. However his ulna is still broken and hopefully in time will heal it's self. Now it is up to me to recondition him and try to bring him back to where he was. Craig goes for weekly underwater treadmill appointments and goes swimming as well. He is by no means sound. He has a pronounced limp. I am hoping in time the limp will go away.

This video is from his first time.

I have also started to take him on free runs by himself. We only go for about 15 minutes but in that time he is aloud to run as much and as fast as he wants. It is very hard for me not to tell him to slow down. After nine plus months of telling him to take it easy. 

Making a ranch dog

Mack is a customer dog that has been here since October. I will be running him in nursery this year. In an effort to make training a little more interesting I have been using him to do farm chores and sorting sheep for lessons. This week after some snow we needed to feed sheep. We have increase our flock tremendously this year. We currently have 120 yearling ewe lambs and 50 bred ewes. This weeks task was hold the sheep of the feeders so Justice could get the bales into the feeders without being ran over by sheep. Or sheep getting run over by the tractor.

Meg is also the helper. Although small problem working Mack and Meg together I am regularly telling Mack to lie down and Meg thinks I am talking to her. Their names sound too much the same.

Here is the obligatory Guardian dog picture.

Next the ewes. We just bought a flock of pure bred Katahdins that have never been moved by a dog. Mack handled them like a pro.

Auditioning a new friend

In the past I have had no luck with Guardian dogs. Luckily now we have Bear and he is super. Just turned two and hitting his stride. With our sheep numbers now over two hundred Bear is needing some help. Raising a puppy just takes too long. We are currently auditioning a new friend for Bear.

Hannah is an 18 month old Maremma. She came from a farm not far from here where they had sold all their sheep and needed to re-home all their dogs.

She is still learning the ropes. Only been here a month now.

Bear and her are getting along good.

Ode to a sunset

Sunrises are highly over rated
They also involve me getting up very early. Over the last couple of weeks I took pictures of the sun set.

Some pictures with my camera and some with my iphone.

Those are what we call wind clouds over the mountains.

I also took these cool fog pictures the other day.

How do you remove a curse?

I am not sure it is possible for a dog or a person to be cursed.
All this could be my fault not the dogs. I have certainly had my share of bad luck over the years. Risk being included in the run of bad luck. 

I believe Risk is cursed. He has been searching for a new home for over a year now. OK, to be honest a couple of years. We have had some very close calls. Almost to the point of people coming out to meet him and then something weird will happen like their car breaking down on the way here and then never to be heard from again. I will get a call from the perfect home after days of communication they will plan to come and meet him and then not show. I no longer hold up hope that Risk will find a home. I believe the cure is too strong to break. 

Too Bad he would make somebody and really good buddy.

He loves to go for ride in any vehicle and gets along well with other dogs.

He has an amazing recall.

There was the unfortunate knife fight incident in New Mexico a couple of years ago when he lost his eye.

Why you ask is Risk looking for a home. Well he is a herding wash out.

Anyone knowing how to break this curse can email be with the details.
phantomridge@gmail.com

Puppy portraits oh the agony

It has been pointed out that my pup has been here nine days and I have yet to post more pictures. Getting the little turd to pose for pictures is pure torture. For me.

Bless Joe for helping me raise the puppy so far. He taught Gus how to go outside and down the stairs. Joe also is very good at wearing Gus out. I do fear this is coming to an end soon. Gus can now beat Joe in the chase game and is learning what his teeth are for.
Gus has a beautiful set of show dog ears. Really accentuates his bull terrier like head.

I also managed to get this nice pic of Joe before I lost the sweet light.

Happy new year

It has been a very busy couple of weeks. Family here for Christmas and then a house full of friends here for new years. The weather has been incredible hardly any snow gives me time to work dogs and give lessons. Also time to avoid the indoor stuff like house cleaning. 

Gus has joined the house hold gang. Now I will have lots to blog about.

Lisa took this pic with my iphone. 

Craig and Joe are worried about their status.