This morning while having coffee with my Shelties I am trying to start another day. It is difficult alone but my dogs definitely make a difference. It will take time to adjust to my new normal but I am sure in time it will happen.
I have started a basic obedience class with my boy Luke and that is so good for both of us. He is a sweet boy and will be an excellent Therapy dog, maybe even a little agility eventually. By the time he is trained my new normal should be well on its way. 

I am also helping a friend with a very shy Sheltie, he is coming to live with me for awhile to see what I can do to help him. He is a young boy who just needs more socialization. This gives me a goal and a little more purpose at this time in my life. I am looking forward to see what I can do for the pup.

I am also keeping little Walter from my litter and co-own him with my granddaughter. She and I will be training together. This is going to be fun and the first pup she has trained, She is excited and for a 10 year old this is awesome! She will be coming up today to see her puppy.

The sun is coming up and time to get my new day started. I pray for all those in Florida and hope that they will be safe and that all the animals find safety too. So sad for all these residents of Florida.

Everyone  be well and enjoy your Sheltie and make the most of the day. 💟

The Start of a New Life!

This has been a hard year for all of us, including my Shelties. My husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in July of 2016. I have spent the past year as full time care giver for my husband. My husband passed from his cancer July 16, 2017 exactly one year to the day that he was diagnosed.

My Shelties took a back seat for most of the year. They were so good and seemed to be so understanding of the situation. They received all the basic care to keep them content and healthy but the extras were missing. Agility took a back seat and probably will continue to take a back seat for some time. There are too many basics that need to be caught up with.

My Shelties are awesome watch dogs so I do not worry about my new life. Hopefully it will become the new normal, as my normal life was shattered a year ago. Having been married for 51+ years it is definitely a new normal and will take time to become comfortable with my life.

My Shelties taught me to live one day at a time, the only way to get through the past year. I just did as they do, don't think about the past and don't think about the future. Just make the most of and enjoy the day you are in as best you can. A really good way to live your life.

My new life started with a litter of new pups, they are such a gift and to have all that new life in my house has been a blessing for me. They need much care, handling and socializing. Needless to say they have kept me very busy. They are now almost 6 weeks and so much fun. They develop by the moment and you see changes physically and mentally every day. Maybe a new agility prospect, who knows. 

The first thing to do with my Shelties is to take Luke to basic obedience class and then on to get his canine good citizen an then to become certified with Therapy Dogs International. He is a sweet and loving boy and will be an awesome therapy dogs. My husband talked about giving back all the time and even though he was so sick he always wanted to do something to give back. So no better way than sharing my Shelties with the elderly in nursing homes or those who are housebound. 

I hope to be much more faithful with keeping this blog up. There should be a lot going on with my dogs now that I have so much time. They are the best company and give so much comfort. I would be lost without them. As I write one is under my computer desk and the others are scattered around the office. 

Training with Luke starts this week and I have high hopes for this boy. At the same time I am keeping one of the pups, we call him Walter which is a family name, my husbands middle name and the middle name of both my sons. He was a special pup that I bottle fed for awhile as he was small and needed the help. I will start his house training soon and socializing is on going. Every day the pups experience something new, a different room in the house, a different floor, different music, a small tunnel to play in and with, they love to drag it around but are learning to run through it. You would be surprised at how fast these little ones learn. 

It is getting late but just wanted to start the blog again and let you know that I hope to keep it updated as much a possible. It really will not be just about agility but about living with and having fun with your Shelties. Maybe eventually a little agility thrown in for fun.

                                                                            Walter

Once again I am remiss at keeping the blog up. I really need to try to do better with my news! 

Chanel did have her pups, 2 boys and 1 girl. A blue boy and a tri girl and boy. They are lovely pups and what I was hoping to get from her when she was bred to Belmark Earthshaking. The two boys are now in wonderful homes and getting loads of attention and training. The girl is here with us and we are working and socializing to make her the best puppy ever! She is so smart and it only takes seconds to understand what you want and then she remembers. 

Chanel was an awesome mom for the first five weeks and then she decided that was enough. She would get in and feed and clean but after I coaxed in in with a cookie. Puppies had teeth by then and I think it hurt her too much to continue nursing. She also decided by then to sleep by herself at night and that was ok.

We have named the little girl Amy, Jopavist Maybe Amy. She starts a puppy class on Sat, Nov. 7 and I am looking forward to that. I took her to our rescue meeting Oct. 25 to socialize and she got plenty of that. She was passed around and held and petted and loved. She got to see some goats and chickens but not too close.

Jeep and I went to a Nose Work clinic and had a lot of fun. He really enjoyed all the treats when he scented the right box. You could tell he was really enjoying the day. He is back in Agility Classes with Diane at Ellis Dog Training, we are getting him ready to run a trial in December. By the way Ellis Dog Training in Gonic NH is an awesome place to train. All kinds of classes are offered from Puppy to Competition.

Thats the news from here today, hopefully I can remember to keep up with everything that is going on!

Today is clean the kennel room day. Vacuum and scrub down the crates. Once that job is done will get out the puppy pen and scrub that so we can set up for Chanel's delivery. She will be having the pups in what we call our formal living room. We have a nice couch there so that I can be with her at night when she is getting close. Tried to hear heartbeats today but I don't think that my stethoscope is strong enough. Lots of gurgling noises. Must have been her breakfast digesting!!LOL!Poor Chanel is as round as a barrel, but it does not seem to bother her, still wanting to jump and run. Most of the day she spends with Luke in his patio block pen so that she will not be so active. As soon as her puppy pen is ready she will be spending her days inside with me. So looking forward to this litter, and I just love black pups. 
Once the kennel room is clean and the puppy pen ready to go I will give Luke a good brushing. Hope to show him when he comes back into coat. If not this winter definitely this spring. He is a lovely boy and deserves to be out. 
Be sure to check out Molly's K9 biscuits, they are just the best biscuits you can get for your pets.

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Our little blue girl Chanel is expecting. Pups are due August 10th. She has been bred to Belmark Earthshaking and we are pretty excited about this litter. Should be some very nice quality pups available.

Will post more when pups are born and with pictures. Contact Jopavist Shetland Sheepdogs at jopavist@myfairpoint.net

BELMARK EARTHSHAKING

JOPAVIST LATEST FASHION

 

 

                                                                       CHANEL

 

Just finished updating and redoing my Sheltie Heart website. Working on my book again and it is in the last stages. Next to edit and then publish.Sheltie Heart gives a nice preview of my book. Take a look and see what you think. Welcome to my wonderful world of the Shetland Sheepdog!