I TOLD THE DOGS IT WILL WARM UP!

Minus 15 this  morning, so very cold. I did tell all the dogs that it will be warming up soon and they will be able to spend a little time outside, with some sunshine.  I think they understood as they scratched at the back door to come in after five minutes. I just can't envision all the dogs that are left outside in this weather and the wild life, how they cope. Hypothermia can set in so quickly and their feet can freeze. Anyway they now know that it is going to get warm and they are so excited. Especially Keeper, I believe he hates the cold more than any Sheltie I have ever know. 
I am turning over a new leaf and really trying to live in the  now, just like my dogs do. They really have it right, no yesterday and no worries about tomorrow. They are incredibly intuitive, and just know how to live. They face each day with new excitement and are so happy to have the day. That is what I hope to do.
Today will be a really happy day for the dogs as my granddaughter is coming to visit and her favorite thing to do is to play with the dogs and they love it and her so much.
She taught Walter to do the high five and I am hoping she will teach some of the other young ones to do the high five. Walter thinks it is just great! 
I need to set aside an hour every day to get in some training time. They love the one on one and to really learn they need the consistency of every day training. You would be amazed at how fast they learn, just fifteen minutes twice a day and you can teach them almost anything. I am setting aside an hour only because I have the three young ones to train, and they need the basics. I used to take Bonnie out to the agility area to train and she did awesome but with the cold settling in I have been lax with her training so now to get back to it. Topaz learned to sit with hand signal in five minutes one afternoon. I will put more training aside for her until she has her babies,  she will be busy for several weeks.
Need to get moving this morning, a few things to get done before my granddaughter arrives. Keep warm and don't leave your pups outside for more than a few minutes to do their business. They get cold just like we do!

                                                                          

                                                                 Brrrrrrrrr!

                                                                      

MY SENIORS HATE THE COLD

The last couple of days it has been so bitter cold that I have to actually help my senior dogs go out. They hate the cold, stepping in freezing snow and just generally don't want to go out. I feel so bad for them but they have to go out. I am really hoping for a nice February thaw. They will more readily go out and can spend a little time in the sunshine. 
After I have everyone out, Keeper will stand there and give me such a look that says, " you really aren't serious are you?"You can just see it in his eyes and he will just stand there and hope that I forget about going out.
I will be sitting at the computer and feel this nose resting on my knee and it is Keeper, he goes where ever I am. Such a love. 
I am teaching Bonnie the stairs, she is getting too big to carry. I stand her on the first step and get a hold of her ruff and help her up to the next step. If I am holding her she will do the first five steps and when we get to the landing I let go and she goes up the next five no problem. She just does not want to start the steps on her own. She is seven months and really should be doing the stairs without help. She must be a little afraid and it will come in time.
Little Lisa who is visiting is as sweet as can be. I sit on the floor to brush the young ones and Lisa comes right over, she would stand there for hours while brushing, she just loves it. She will be going home next week, I will miss her but it will be nice to have just my own dogs here. It is too easy to get attached to a visitor.
Topaz appears to be pregnant and I am very excited. It has now been 19 months since we have had puppies here. I really miss raising the pups. They are so awesome when their eyes and ears open, they start to discover the world around them. I can spend hours watching.
Another 10 degrees and it may be warm enough to get out today.
They say there is a thaw coming soon and the dogs and I are so ready.
 
                                                                        

                                                              First Meal

MY GOOD PUPS

Wow! did not realize how many days I have missed writing here. We had some very nice people visit yesterday to meet the Shelties. And I must say the pups were all so good. I was really proud of how they behaved. Even Walter let his personality shine, he can be such a funny boy and he just loves doing his high five. I think he feels proud of himself for learning this. My granddaughter taught him this little trick. From the way he behaved yesterday I think that he could be a therapy dog. He is very gentle when he meets people and that is so important for therapy. Rosie took turns laying at the visitors feet. She is such a good girl, loves everyone. She is a good ambassador for the Sheltie breed.
Topaz is still off her food and last night did not eat her bedtime biscuit. These are such good signs that she is pregnant. I should know for sure in a couple more weeks. It has been almost 19 months since we have had pups here. It is always such a special event. Keeper the sire is a wonderful producer and has produced better than he is. That is our goal to improve on the breed He has some very lovely kids out there.
Secondly we want to produce healthy pups both in body and mind. With Keeper and Topaz we should have awesome temperaments. Keeper probably has the perfect Sheltie temperament, he is calm and stable but friendly, a little wary of new people but warms up quickly, a very easy dog to live with.
I have had all of Walters health testing completed which is all normal and when he turns two he will have his hips checked. Important to do this testing!
Bonnie who is usually my little wild one was so good too. She greeted our visitors and then decided on a nap. 
Today is my least favorite day as it is dump day. Living in the country so much you have to take care of yourself. Every day seems to be a little easier. Later, off to a friends to help her groom her Shelties. 
I know that my granddaughter will be happy that I wrote. She usually reminds me that I have let too many days go by. She loves the dogs and wants to hear all about them. 
Bling is 8 years old and decided to take up reading last night. I have a book called the Dog Church and it is actually a place in Vermont. I guess the cover looked really good so she took it off and read the first page. I was so surprised, you usually don't see an 8 year old decide to read. 
Dog Church is a fun place to take your dogs, very pretty grounds for the dogs and also a small chapel for pictures of your deceased pets. 
Maybe Bling was trying to tell me something.
All for now.   

Topaz

 

GOOD GROOMING DAY

Well it snowed over night and it is still snowing. I always have a hard time with motivation on these gray days whether snowing or raining. I will wait for the snow to stop before I go out to clean up. 
In the meantime I will work with Bonnie, she definitely is ready for more training even having to train inside. Once we do a little training I will do some grooming. It is strange that my dogs are shedding this time of year. Not just a small amount of coat but a complete shed, losing all the undercoat. They usually shed like this in August. Maybe it is just this crazy winter we have been having with cold and warm. It seems to be the older dogs who have the most coat. The younger ones don't have the undercoat that the others have so that is a huge help. 
They all look so nice when brushed out. Will try to do some nails and teeth too. Which most of them hate, only because I did not start young enough, with the teeth. It is really important to try to brush your dogs teeth, dental disease can bring on so many other health issues. If you do a little each day they will eventually be good with teeth brushing. So important!
Starting with a young pup you can make a game of it, something to have fun with, and they will always look forward to the brushing. Be sure to use tooth paste that is made for dogs, our tooth pastes are not safe for them. Plus dog tooth paste is made to taste good which is a help. If you can be conscientious with this, regular brushing, you will not have to have cleanings under anesthesia, nor spend the money that it cost. It can be expensive!
So much to think of in caring for you new pup. If you start now your pup will grow up to enjoy the attention and grooming will be so much more pleasant for both of you.

Bonnie

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year to Everyone! Hope you have made some good goals with your dogs, whether it be obedience training, or just learning a few new manners. My young dogs can easily get out of control and act like they have not had any training. So it is now time to concentrate on them. 
I would like to have Bonnie herding tested in the spring and I can't do that with her if she is out of control and does not have a good recall. Basic obedience for her is a must. I can't just sit by and let her grow up.  She is 6 months now and really ready to learn. Maybe even a Beginner Novice in her future. Young Shelties love learning and they love to please you. 
For Keeper I would like to do some basic obedience training and then maybe shoot for a Rally title.  Lots of work for sure and he is almost 9 years old. Old dogs can learn new tricks. He is very engaging and I think will enjoy the training.  I remember reading the Sunny Bank Collie books by Terhune and how each Collie found his favorite place in the house and as I look around here I see the same thing. Keeper who has only been here a month has found his spot beside the couch in a corner. He loves it there and if I ever can't find him that is where he is. Bling who is also an older girl has picked the landing of the stairs that go to the dog room. I think she chose this place because the heat from the furnace comes up the stairs. And Max who will be 13 in a couple of months is always under the computer desk, his den and he gets upset when someone takes his space and Brooke usually tries to take it. Both Rosie and Brooke like the floor in front of the couch in the living room. Rosie is more under the coffee table than Brooke. 
Walter, Topaz and Bonnie are too young to have the run of the house yet so they have not found favorite places. Topaz's favorite thing to do is to grab the remote and often something clicks on the TV. She will run with the remote, maybe because it has a soft rubber cover on it. Once in her mouth it is a real challenge to get it from her. 
So it is time to get busy with training the young ones a few basic manners. If I don't we won't have a peaceful house and that won't work. I joined Susan Garrett's Recallers and with that I will have hopefully the motivation to get into training. Her training is game based and fun for the dogs and for me. 
Now is the time to get started, they are not getting any younger and this is a goal that I should be able to keep.

                                                                    

                 This is Amber who belongs to friend Kathleen, doing a pretty sit.  

A NICE BREAK!!

Christmas is over and I am glad. It did go well, spent the Sunday before Christmas with my older son and family and we had a nice somewhat old fashioned Christmas. Christmas day I spent with friends for lunch and a couple of hours. That was nice too. The highlight was going up to Illusion farm with friends to visit Kathleen and all her Shelties and Walters litter of 8 week old pups. They are gorgeous, almost perfect pups. We saw Quinn's pups also and they are lovely too. I could have taken the little tri male home. Such a lovely pup. We also saw three older pups of Kathleen's, maybe four months or so. All three were lovely pups and the sable male that is going to a pet home could easily come here. Kathleen's breeding program is awesome and I have been so fortunate to get most of my foundation dogs from her. I am breeding Topaz to Keeper so I may soon have my own lovely pups. Time will tell. 
My grand daughter is coming to visit today and we will make cookies and play with the dogs. That is her favorite thing. 
This will be a nice relaxing day and maybe a movie tonight. I love the old western movies and the dogs just like to snuggle up. 
My new years resolution is to set aside and hour or so to do training with the young dogs. 
I have to have a schedule or I do not get a whole lot done. I will start with Bonnie who is 6 months old and a little on the wild side. I did a lot with her as a young pup so she does have some basics. Hopefully she will pick up where we left off and we will make some good progress. 
Well I am going to put some cinnamon buns in the oven for a mid morning break. Hope you all have a wonderful week between the holidays!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful day.
This is my second Christmas morning alone and I will say it is a little difficult to get used to. I played my husband's favorite song from Fast and Furious," When I See You Again." He loved this one, so I played it for him, I sure hope that he heard it.
I started a new tradition and made cinnamon rolls, played bagpipe Christmas music and shared the rolls with the dogs. Just a little piece for each. Made the morning special for all of us.
I opened a gift from my sister and it was perfect. A green zippered sweat shirt, just what I wanted. Keeper my new boy was not sure about the sound from the paper tearing. I let him sniff the paper and he was OK.
Off to my friends for lunch in a little while. I was alone all day last Christmas day, except for my Shelties, so not truly alone, but I am making progress.
Last night the kids all got one of their Christmas cookies that a friend made for them.
They are all natural and human grade and the dogs just loved them. A real treat!
The Highland music is still playing and I could sit and listen to it all day.
The music seems to soothe the dogs, maybe because of their Scottish heritage. They are all sleeping peacefully.
Have a wonderful day!!

       COOKIE TIME