A Day in the Life of a Mutt

A New Chapter

2011-12-16T04:41:00.001-06:00

Life as we know it, has changed.

A new chapter begins with a tearful goodbye and piece of my heart now broken. But, at the same time, I am filled with a deep sense of fulfillment, accomplishment, and pride that will stay with me all my life. I know, with every fiber of my being, that I did the right thing by my dog and I have no regrets. Only gratitude.

To love a dog is to make a great sacrifice. Their lives are never long enough. They bring fantastic joy to our lives, and sometimes horrible decisions to make. Decisions we owe them, decisions we owe ourselves, and decisions we hate but at the same time are grateful for.

Bailey is gone. Free from his pain... free to dance in the heads of those who loved him with the very best of memories. Free to be anything and everything we remember him to be.

It's a funny thing. Death is final, but memories are kind of like a toy lost under the bed. One day, out of the blue, you look under the bed and there it is - waiting for you all this time to bring a smile to your face.

Mendel, Lilly and I are moving. To a bigger house with a bigger yard in a lovely neighborhood. Young Bailey would love it here. Thirteen year old Bailey would have been tortured by the stairs.
I know I did the right thing.

Moving means packing things up, discovering toys under the bed. Yesterday, while packing some things from a shelf in my bedroom I picked up a sculpture made from coat hangers. My Dad made it in college for an art class while working to earn his Education degree. It's one of the most beautiful things I own.

The description he wrote to accompany the sculpture when he turned it in makes me both heart-wrenchingly sad and unbelievably happy at the same time. After placing it in a box and bringing it out to my car I decided that was enough packing for one day and headed off for a tearful drive to the new house. The sculpture now rests on a shelf between Bailey's paw prints and his ashes. Toys under the bed.

The accompanying paper reads:

I chose to sculpt a dog for the simple reason that I can related well to dogs in general and this dog (Bailey) in particular. Bailey is my daughter's dog and I spend time with him each day. He is a "rescued" dog who was neglected as a puppy and grew up at the Human Society. He never learned to socialize with people and suffers the ill effects of it, to this day. The Wisconsin Liberty Dog program trained him (with my daughter, Amanda's help) to become a service dog. Unfortunately, Bailey's inability to socialize with new people (he hides in a corner and shakes when in the presence of strangers) eliminated him from consideration. If I were to complete this project I would have another sculpture of a scared German Shepherd (the other side of Bailey) cowering in the corner and shaking.

But that's is not the side of this fun loving dog that I like to think about. I much prefer to "see" Bailey crouched and ready to spring, at one of the many toys Amanda has bought him. I delight in watching my daughter and her best friend play together. The image that always puts a smile on my face is Bailey running and pouncing on his Frisbee and sliding across the floor with his front paws on the coaster-like frisbee and his rear end in the air. It is the "spirit" of the happy Bailey that I tried to capture.

I cannot possibly express how proud I am of Bailey for what he was able to accomplish in his life, or how grateful I am for everything he has given me. Bailey left his scared version in the dust and never looked back. He learned to love people and even made regular effort to befriend any stranger who looked like they could give a good ear scratch. The obstacles he overcame were many, but he never let me down.

Very little in our lives was ever perfect. Even his very last day on earth was far from what I wanted for him. Bailey and I seemed to have an understanding - we never expected things to be perfect, we just took what we got and made it work, together.

Perhaps that's the greatest gift he has bestowed upon me. A complete lack of need for perfection in life. An ability to see the light at the end of any tunnel, to see potential... no matter how broken things appear. And most importantly, to remember what true priorities in life really are.

I'm not really sure why, but it doesn't seem right to continue my blogging here. A chapter in my life has ended and it seems fitting that this chapter end as well.

I will continue documenting our adventures at my new blog site - www.whitesmilingfaces.blogspot.com
It's not much to look at now, but I'll be working on it soon.

Until next time, here's wishing you lots of wonderful toys under your bed...

Goodbye, Bailey. I miss you. I love you. I am so grateful for you. I will never forget you.

The Monthly Mendel - 9 Months

2011-08-26T14:54:00.001-05:00

It's that time again. Another Monthly Mendel.

Getting ready...

This time I decided we should do things a little bit differently. We had some fun with my friend's little girl.

Oh dear... this is not a great start!

Hug it out...

Look out, Mom. There's a bubble trying to get you!

My favorite...

We're outta here!

So... do you know how to open this gate?

And, of course, the usual stacked pics. :)

A little photo editing fun...

Specialty Weekend

2011-08-03T15:58:00.000-05:00

This past weekend Mendel, Lilly, and I endured a grueling 5 consecutive days of shows.
We have since come to the agreement that we will NEVER do this in summer again!

That said, we did very well!

Check out the show report on our website.

For those who don't completely understand how dog shows work, here's a quick summary of how we did:

Mendel got "Reserve Winners Dog" on 5 out of 5 days. This means he beat all the boys competing in the classes, except for one - the one who got the points.

Frustrating, yes. Encouraging, yes.

Friday was a Specialty show (large Saturday and Sunday entries followed) and there were a lot of really nice dogs entered. For Mendel to have beaten all those dogs but one at 8 month of age, on the leash of an out-of-shape handler with only 4 months of experience under her belt, the weekend was really quite spectacular. Points-shmoints... that's what we say. :) It's definitely opened my eyes to just how lucky I am to have lucked into such an awesome dog. (cuz I already knew he was the sweetest white fluff ball I knew)

The Monthly Mendel: 8 Months

2011-07-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

They grow up so fast. sniff

2011-07-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

To be honest, I think Mendel is as cute now as he was when he was a bitty baby. He's just growing into his fluff a bit more now. :) He's still sweet as can be, that's for sure.

More 8 Month "Monthly Mendel" pics to come...

Happy Father of Genetics Day!

2011-07-20T02:01:00.003-05:00

It's a big holiday at our house today! Even google is celebrating! Go check it out!

If you don't know who Gregor Mendel is, don't tell me, it depresses me terribly... and makes scientists cry. Just go google him. You'll learn something. :)

Happy Father of Genetics Day!

AND today is ALSO the anniversary of the first moon walk! No less important, but I don't have a dog named after Neil Armstrong... yet. :)

Spondylosis stinks

2011-07-18T20:08:00.000-05:00

Mr. Bailey has been on Deramaxx (NSAID) for over a year now and I've felt like it didn't seem to help him as much as I thought it should. His hip x-rays at only a year old showed that he had shallow hip sockets so I always knew that would be something we had to contend with as he aged. Given the way he played - no holds barred, wild and free - when he was young (and even not so young), I also knew that one day he'd likely pay for it. It's who he is and what he has always loved so I don't regret letting him go wild for even a minute.

I'm not sure if I have mentioned it here before, but I wasn't particularly happy with the vet we had been going to. We decided to start going to that clinic largely b/c they accepted Care Credit and it gave me piece-of-mind knowing that when I was out of town for a dog show, etc that whoever he was staying with could take him there and he would be taken care of with no worry about payment.
I missed my holistic vet. I missed her terribly. Then, out of frustration with a visit for Mendel's second puppy vaccines I decided to call the old holistic vet. My world got a whole lot brighter when I found out they had recently begun accepting Care Credit!

Why I love the Holistic Vet:
She asks me what I want for my pets instead of telling me what to do. I can't even express how big a deal this is to me. When Mendel and I went in for a distemper vaccine she asked me what I was thinking I wanted to do for other vaccines, if any. When I told her I was definitely not going to do more than the distemper combo at that time b/c I don't think it's in his best interest to have multiple vaccines at once, she breathed a sigh of relief and said she was happy to hear that. When I asked her what she recommended as far as his first Rabies vaccine she said she likes to see people wait until 6 month of age to make sure we're not throwing too much at them too young, at which point I breathed a sigh of relief and had to resist the urge to hug her. She answered every question I had about the other vaccines completely honestly and without the usual "spin" vets tend to give. (I don't have a problem with a vet recommending things, but I want the whole truth, not just the data that supports their recommendation.) I truly trust her to give me her opinion based on what *I* want for my pets rather than what the "standard protocol" dictates. I am so very grateful to have her back in my dogs' lives!

Today Bailey and I went to the holistic vet for a check up and to talk about some different treatment options. I wasn't planning on having x-rays done because long ago I decided that I would not consider surgical options for him. As the one human who knows him better than anyone else, I feel I am most qualified to determine that it's just not what he would want. Fortunately, I trust the holistic vet completely and she suggested that we might have a better idea of what the best drug options are for him if we knew what was going on with his bones. I will freely admit that had another "by the book" vet suggested the same thing, I might not have opted for the x-rays, but because I trust her to recommend them for the right reasons I decided to go ahead and get them. I am so glad I did.

As I said, I knew Bailey had some issues with his hips themselves, but I hadn't seen them in black and white since I worked at a vet clinic nearly 10 years ago. I was pleasantly surprised to see this:

If these were Mendel's hips I would be concerned, but for Bailey I'm ecstatic to see that the hips are in the sockets where they should be and there aren't a lot in the way of boney changes. For a 13 year old train wreck, these look pretty great. You can see that his femoral heads are quite flat and his hip sockets are a bit on the shallow side, but over all they're a relief.

So what's the problem? Why does he hurt?

Here we're looking at his spine. Starting from his head, things are looking pretty good... until we get close to his hips. Notice they get a bit closer together, and then there's this:

Spondylosis. Not good.

What is happening is that he has developed bony projections on his lumbar vertebra and they are forming a bridge. For Bailey this is particularly problematic because the location of the problem is also the location of major nerve bundles that service his rear. I have noticed that he seems less "aware" of when he needs to defecate lately, and this is an issue that may continue to be a problem, but there are solutions for that problem and it's certainly not going to slow us down.

Here is a really great (and sad) x-ray I found on Flickr of another dog. It shows a number of the spurs and bridge formations I am talking about so you can see the different stages of their development. At only 7 years old, x-rays like that are just heartbreaking, but it's wonderful to see that her owners are doing everything they can to keep her happy and healthy.

So what's in store for Bailey?

Once the Deramaxx is gone, I don't think we're going to continue it. His liver and kidney functions look great, but I see no reason to tax his organs when it's not really bringing him all that much benefit. Right now, Tramadol is what really seems to be helping him. My next step is looking into acupuncture. I have heard a great number of stories from people who swear by it, so it might be a good option for him as long as it doesn't stress him out.

For right now, the main goal is to keep him happy and pain free so he can be as naughty as he wants to be. :)

Pieces of our Hearts.. and Minds

2011-07-07T20:39:00.002-05:00

A few of my good friends have lost their dogs recently.

My Bailey is 13 and on a small handful of drugs to make sure he's not hurting too much. I am fully aware he will not be around forever.

When I was 22, I learned one of the hardest lessons a dog lover will ever learn and had to make the choice to put down an only 8 month old puppy I raised and co-owned. He's the number one reason I am so completely adamant about proper breeding practices and the reason I will ALWAYS put health before beauty.

As an atheist, I sometimes find it difficult to find the right thing to say or the right way to impart my feelings in these kinds of situations. I don't believe in heaven or a rainbow bridge or any of the other things people will often reference when a beloved pet passes. It's certainly not that I think there is complete finality in death. I don't believe that at all. It's just not my faith that lends to the idea of an afterlife.

The human brain is a most amazing thing. Because of the ability of the human mind to retain memories and voluntarily revisit those memories, it stands to reason that as long as we continue to remember someone - they can never be truly gone. And the amazing thing about memory is that we can choose to remember the most important things about those we love - what brought them joy, the special connection we had with them, the favorite things we did together...

Fact: Every time you recall a memory or have a new thought, a new connection is created in your brain.

I find that this very connection is precisely how those we love remain a part of us.

I may have learned some very important and difficult lessons from Cain's death, but the way I remember him is the way I imagine he would want to be remembered.

A friend made this for me shortly after Cain was released from his pain.

It's not that I believe Cain to necessarily be an angel or to be waiting for me in the afterlife, but that when I remember him - I remember a happy bouncy puppy. I remember him free from the pain his joints came to cause him. And in many ways he is an angel. The lessons he has taught me will continue to inform my decisions and I truly hope that his life will serve as the spring board for the long and healthy lives of many dogs to come in my life.

The same goes for Bailey. I am very fortunate to still have him with me, but the number of lives he will continue to touch long after he is gone as a result of the lessons he has taught me are innumerable. He has changed every man, woman, and dog to ever meet him and because of that he will live forever.

Imparting his wisdom on young Mendel

Recently this quote was shared on a list I follow, and I loved it so much that I decided to combine it with my most favorite Mendel picture.

Click on Mendel to view full sized

Remembering Travler... doing one of his favorite things.

And Dora, who gave everything she had... because that's what dogs do. :)

Sportsman of the Year?

2011-07-05T13:23:00.001-05:00

**It took a little while for me to decide to write about this, but ultimately I just couldn't resist throwing in my two twisted cents.**

Recently, the Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards titled Michael Vick as "Sportsman of the year". Of course, this enraged the masses - I don't think anybody is surprised by this. But, there's this thing about the masses. You see, I find that the masses tend not to think about things very much, they like to shoot first and ask questions later. Me, I like to ponder...

If you are so inclined, I highly suggest you have a little look-see at my Dog fighting Dissertation before you continue. It'll at least give you a little bit of an idea of how I tend to look at the world - I like the "why" much more than the "what".

Allow me to preface this whole thing by stating that after some cursory research, I'm a little confused by the BET awards. From the beginning of the BET awards in 2001 until 2009 the award for sports was titled "Male Athlete of the Year" and "Female Athlete of the Year". If you have a look at the winners from those years, you will see that the pool of nominees has been pretty small. This is very interesting to me because as a sports fan I can tell you there is no shortage of exceptionally talented black athletes. I really truly don't get it. Who nominates these people? Do they even watch sports? Where are the college athletes? Football players? Is Derek Jeter the only black man who plays baseball? Is it a politics thing? I dunno.

Then there's the question of exactly how they choose to define "Athlete of the Year". Does it have to be an athlete that is at the very top of their respective sport? Or can it be a wide receiver who only makes the pro bowl once, but is exceptionally involved in the community and is opening a school for the blind next week? I can tell you what *I* think it should be, but I'm the last person on earth who has any right whatsoever to tell Black Entertainment Television how to pick their award recipients.

So on to that name change. I find it very interesting. Why is it now called "Sportsman of the Year" instead of "Athlete of the Year"? According to Dictionary.com, we have two "Sportsman" definitions to work with:


Sportsman
— n , pl -men
1.	a man who takes part in sports, esp of the outdoor type
2.	a person who exhibits qualities highly regarded in sport, such as fairness, generosity, observance of the rules, and good humour when losing

I personally find that this change in name for the award is quite significant. Especially if we assume the latter definition. Should we make that assumption? Hell, I don't know - but let's do it anyway.

Here it comes... are you ready for it...?

*I* think this change in name is probably the one thing that makes a reasonable argument FOR Vick getting the award.

SETTLE DOWN! Let me tell you why.

Did Michael Vick do some disgusting, terrible, hurtful things? Yes, he absolutely did. It doesn't particularly matter why he did them in this case - he did them. The question is sportsmanship, and as an avid football fan I can tell you that from where I sit and what I have seen he has been a pretty stellar sportsman this past year.
When Vick came to play for Philly he brought a LOT of distraction with him. I find he clearly recognized this and (I firmly believe he had help in this) he also recognized that the best way to do good by his team was to shut up, put his head down, and play his heart out. And that is EXACTLY what he did. He shut up, showed maturity (my gut tells me he has Tony Dungy to thank for this), and worked his ass off. That's what a good sportsman does, he takes responsibility for his mistakes and works his ass off to help his team; he cans the trash talking that hurts his team and just does his job. As far as "Sportsman of the Year" is concerned, I can't say I have too much argument against him.

I understand that a lot of people will hate him forever as a result of what he did, and to some degree I think that's fair. What I think is dangerous is when people have a complete lack of ability to recognize any good someone has done because they don't like them. Arguably, this is the very reason the US government is such a joke right now - everybody hates everybody and that means that nobody is even going to consider trying to compromise. Life is not all black and white, people are not infallible, and forgiveness doesn't only help the forgiven.

The real question, for me, is whether Vick will still deserve to be called "Sportsman of the Year" next year. After a great 2010 season Vick has two options (assuming the NFL players and owners can find a way to get along) - Recognize that working hard, staying humble, and acting like an adult has gotten him where he is and continue to follow that road OR take his success for granted, start strutting around like an idiot peacock and throw it all away. It's up to him, and I for one am very interested in seeing which path he chooses. I'm rooting for him, and I can confidently say I will be the first one to tear him apart if he makes the wrong choice.

As for the BET awards. Well, I can't say I put much stock into them. The system seems to be very flawed, and not very representative of the huge pool of exceptionally talented black athletes out there, which I happen to think is a shame. So, in the end, I'd have to say I just plain don't much care about them.

How's that for an anticlimactic finish?

So, there you have it, my two cents.

In other news....

Mendel got Reserve Winners Dog at the Kettle Moraine Kennel Club show on Saturday and I'm working on a tough to write post. I don't know how long it will take me to write, but I'll get there. :)

The Monthly Mendel: 7 Months

2011-06-26T06:49:00.001-05:00

We actually did get the pictures on the very day Mendel turned 7 months old, but I didn't get them posted right away. I know... you're shocked.

Let's start with my favorite

And now, here's my quick public service announcement:

Last month, at Mendel's first show, we were informed that we needed to do a better job of cleaning his ears. Well, more accurately the hair around his ears, because they tend to get greasy.

This time I made sure to get some dish soap and really work on his ear hair when we were getting pretty for his monthly pictures. At the time I thought it seemed like the soap was awfully bad at really working up a lather, but I didn't think much more of it. I figured maybe it was just something about his coat. Then, earlier this week I had grease on my hands form cooking and I used the same dish soap to help cut the grease and get them clean. What I learned is that I had purchased the most ineffective dish soap on the face of the earth.

Generally I make an effort to buy earth friendly cleaning products whenever I see them (and can afford them). Last time I bought dish soap I got this because it's pear scented and I love fruity scents such as peach and pear.

Never again! This stuff is crap. It doesn't really impress me if a product is earth friendly if it doesn't work.

Don't buy it! Even if it smells good.

The Value of a Dog

2011-06-17T09:07:00.001-05:00

Samsung 46” LED-LCD HDTV: $2099.99*. Expected lifespan: 50,000 hours.

Canon EOS 7D 18.0 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera: $1,899.99*. Expected lifespan: 8-10 years, maybe?

Apple Mac Book Pro with Intel Core i7 processor: $1,799.99*. Expected lifespan: Many say about 4 years.

Alpine 50W x 4 iPod/Satellite Radio/HD Radio Ready In-Dash navigation CD Deck for a car: $1,149.99*. Life expectancy: 4 – 10 years, maybe?

Ford Focus compact car, bare bones with nothing added: $16,270** MSRP. Expected life span ~12 - 14 years.

Well bred, genetically clean, healthy purebred puppy from a stock of healthy parents produced by a GOOD breeder who will stand behind him for his entire life: ~ $800-$2,500. Expected life span: 8-16 years.

Think about that for a second. Among this list of things many of us buy, the only thing that will likely be around as long as our dogs will costs us over $16,000. (and I don’t know about you, but my dog brings me significantly more joy than my car ever will) So WHY is it people look at me like I’m nuts when I say $1,500 for a puppy is perfectly reasonable? Why do people think they should be able to pick up a dog that requires literally hundreds of hours of his breeder’s time for a couple hundred bucks or less? Why do SO many people fail to see the value of a healthy, well bred companion?

* prices taken from Best Buy.com
** price taken from Ford.com

I talk to people all the time who tell me their dog came from a GREAT breeder, but when I ask them a couple questions it becomes apparent that what they really mean is that their dog’s breeder was very friendly, easy to talk to, and more than likely MEANS well. What I find is that the buyer often knows nothing about the health of the dogs who produced the one on the end of his leash and as far as he knows, neither did his breeder. He’s likely not seen or heard from the breeder since the day he took the puppy home, and he looks at me like I’m speaking french when I ask him about OFA ratings and CERF tests.

So, I ask you: Would you buy a car without checking out the spec sheet? Would you do a little research and see if there are any known issues with the model of that year before you forked over your hard earned money? If you found out that the little motor that operates the trunk latch tends to burn out would you talk to the salesman about it? Would you tell him you want some kind of assurance that they are doing what they can to prevent the problem and to know the dealership will stand behind the car should your trunk latch stop working?

What about a computer? Or a Camera? Do you go online and check the reviews to see how the products have been performing before you buy? Do you consider the reviews the company has gotten on previous products it has manufactured? Do you choose not to buy ones that get poor feedback about their quality?

Have you done the same kind of research when you bought a dog?
The argument can be made that it’s unfair to compare a dog to a car, but is it? Which do you think is more important: that the car doesn’t have a faulty trunk latch motor or that a dog doesn’t end up with a debilitating genetic disease that can easily be screened for and prevented?

Who is this GOOD breeder that’s going to charge you $1000 for one of her puppies?

Truly good breeders screen for everything they can (which, by the way, is NOT cheap), and they don’t breed dogs who will pass on unhealthy traits. They screen with the most effective and up-to-date testing they can and they are always looking for more ways to produce healthier dogs. Many other breeders MEAN well – they take their dogs to the vet when they’re supposed to, they give them lots of love, and they often try to breed what they view as a “great temperament”. The fact is, meaning well just doesn’t cut it. It doesn’t prevent blindness, it doesn’t significantly reduce the chances of a dog developing hip or elbow dysplasia (among other things), and it doesn’t maintain the proper structure and temperament that will provide a great life for the dog.

Do you really need a show dog, though?
Many people say they don’t need a show dog, so there is no reason for them to buy a puppy from that expensive “show breeder”. This way of thinking is a failure to recognize the true purpose of dog shows. It’s also a failure to understand the goals and values of GOOD breeders who show their dogs. What these people often mean to say is that they do not require a “show prospect” puppy. Certainly, they don’t mean that they don’t require a healthy puppy simply because they don’t want to show it. Every GOOD breeder does something – showing, hunting, herding, trialing, sledding, etc. This is not simply for bragging rights, it is for the very important purpose of selecting the best individuals among their stock to breed. When a breeder takes her dogs to a show, they will be judged based on their structure and movement – this structure isn’t written in the standard simply for fun, it has purpose. A dog with proper joint angles will excel in the work he was bred for and he will maintain healthier joints because they are functioning efficiently and without the need to compensate for weak links. It makes no difference if you’re hoping for an Iditarod racer or a couch warmer – any dog, and any dog owner, should appreciate good health.

Nearly all litters produced by show dogs will contain puppies who will be unlikely to excel in the show ring. These dogs are often sold as “pet quality”, but the genetic health screening that went into producing them is no less valid (and no less expensive). The structure of even the “pet quality” puppy produced by exceptional parents is quite often very good. As a just-a-pet owner, what more can one ask for than a puppy who is highly likely to go through life free from the genetic problems his parents were screened for?

What about rescues, you ask? Why can’t I just go buy a dog from a shelter?
Oh, you can, you absolutely can. In fact, if you find a dog that suits your life and your home perfectly, I truly hope you do. I own two rescue dogs, and while they both had some issues when I got them, I simply could not love them more. They were both purchased as full sized young adults and I knew exactly what I was getting with both of them. The unknowns are, however, certainly something to think about when considering a rescue. For all I know, my German Shepherd’s sire was severely dysplastic and carried the gene for cataracts and heart problems. I saw no test results to say otherwise. I am taking a risk, but it is a risk I am willing to take if it means giving a loving companion a good home. $200 for a neutered and vaccinated rescue dog is a reasonable price to pay for such a dog. It is very important to recognize, though, that a $200 dog can get MUCH more expensive very quickly if he happens to have one of those preventable diseases a good breeder screens for and eliminates from her program.

What about the “Means well” breeders?
The lady down the street breeds Pugs and she only charges $7-800 while that show breeder I’ll send you to charges $1000 or more. Why should you pay more for the fancy show dogs when clearly the lady down the street is able to produce them for less?

First, they’re not the same dogs. They may be the same breed, but they’re as different as a Sauder table from Walmart and an Amish handcrafted dining set. If the lady down the street isn’t doing the appropriate health testing, the dogs she’s selling are truly no different from a rescue at the pound. Unknown health is unknown health - it doesn’t matter where you buy it. So what on earth makes the lady down the street think her dogs are worth so much? She hasn’t put the proper things into them to make them that expensive (the good breeder spent hundreds of dollars on her health tests). In fact, by charging you so much money, the lady down the street is flat out ripping you off. Would you pay $800 for a dog from the shelter? Would you pay “new”price for a refurbished computer or name brand price for knock-off products just so the person selling it can make more money? Why would you do it for a dog?

By buying a dog from the lady down the street, you’re taking a home away from one at the shelter. The good breeder is producing a completely different “product” that you can’t get at the shelter. The shelter can’t provide proof that a puppy’s parents were both OFA Excellent rated, they won’t tell you that the puppy is genetically free of this disease or that one, and they won’t necessarily take back the puppy in 5 years if you are suddenly unable to keep him. This is what a good breeder produces, and it’s the reason she charges you what she does – to cover her costs. Puppies from good breeders don’t go to shelters, their contract requires it, and if the unthinkable should happen there is a whole network of breeders who will communicate and do everything they can to make sure he makes it back to his breeder or finds a suitable loving home.

It’s all about making educated choices.
When it comes down to it, choosing to buy from a good breeder or from a rescue organization are both excellent choices. Neither choice is “better”, they are apples to oranges of equal merit in the right homes and the right situations. Hopefully, this article will help potential buyers to understand the choices available to them. When we buy a puppy from the "means well” breeder, we are telling her we support what she is doing and we think she should continue. If we take the time to understand that her actions, while meaning well, aren’t in the best interest of our dogs – we can choose to direct our support elsewhere. Instead of berating good breeders for what we perceive to be an attempt to rip us off, we can seek to understand the true value of what they produce; and if it’s right for us, show our support for them by choosing to buy their dogs.

Written by Amanda VerBruggen.
Please feel free to share with proper citation.

Read another perspective here.
Then, PLEASE read this. I simply couldn't have said it better myself.

Urban Mushing

2011-06-15T16:12:00.000-05:00

Recently Mendel and I have been going for short runs in the cool morning. Well, he's been running, I've been roller blading. Since I hurt my hip flexor last month I couldn't run even if I wanted to. (Why oh why does that take SO long to heal?) We've been going partly to wear him out so can get a full "night's" sleep, but also to start encouraging him to run in harness. So far, he's doing wonderfully and having lots of fun. Lilly went with us this morning and she is less enthused about it. She thinks we go too fast because she likes to window shop for wildlife when out for a stroll. Not only does Mendel have longer legs than she does, he moves at a trot MUCH faster than she does - it's all about those angles. I think she has resigned from our sled team. She prefers the mascot position.

Here's some video from this past weekend when we took a trip over to my parents' nice quiet neighborhood for a run.

If you're interested in more info about the equipment we used, check out the post on my Photo 51 site.

Pool Party!

2011-06-13T19:27:00.011-05:00

It was HOT! Too hot for June, that's for sure.

Bailey was doing what he does best.

... and Lilly was busy surveying for prey.

Mendel. Well, he had never experienced such heat in all his 6 months. He was sure to melt.

So, I did what any good Mama would do... I got the pool... and the hose.

"Oh my GOSH! Is that water for ME?!"

"Oh, yes, Mama! I think I'm going to like this!"

One foot...

Two feet...

Oohhh... I quite like this!

Lilly continued her very important job of surveillance

while Mendel went to work in the pool.

It's important to bite the water. You know, show it who's boss.

Then comes the digging...

LOTS of digging!

Shake and repeat!

It's important to let the King have a turn

Then back to sun bathing for the King

Lilly, never one to abandon an important job, still on the look-out for marauding wildlife.

She didn't even stop to smell the Poppies

Mendel found other things to survey... like the food on the grill.

It was a fun day had by all!

Yeah, yeah, I know you saw this picture yesterday... but I just like it SO much!

One's Company, Two's a Crowd, and Three's a Party!

2011-06-12T15:23:00.001-05:00

It's finally here!

2011-06-07T01:18:00.001-05:00

Well, not really HERE, but the proof is online and that's good enough for me.

For the 2 plus long weeks I have been waiting to see Mendel's win pic, I have been convinced that it wasn't going to be very good. I don't know why, and I wasn't really upset about it, I just didn't expect to like it very much.

See, there are just so many choices to deal with when taking a win pic.

Hold with the left arm or the right... or with both hands
Look at the dog or at the camera (this actually wasn't a question for me, I had already decided)
Keep your number on or leave it off
Put free hand behind your back or leave it loose
Smile or don't smile
Hair up or hair down... ok, not really, I don't give a crap about hair. :)

In the end, I figured I'd just try out what I have seen with a number of other win photos I liked. I always prefer pictures with the handler looking at the dog and smiling, after all, the dog is the one who did the winning. :)
Lucky for me my super cool friend (and co-breeder of Mendel), Drea, was there to stack Mendel perfectly for me. I wasn't afraid to do it, but if I have the pro do it then I can't be held responsible if the win pic from the first point in the litter was of a bad stack.

Uh huh, that's right, see how I did that - CYA - it's the name of the game, baby!

So, without further explination and babbling, here is my most wonderful little sweet pea in his very first (and my very first) win photo at only 6 months and 4 days...

And once again, I would like to extend a huge Thank You to Diane Anderson for this most special win. Not only did she give us a point and some pretty ribbons, she told me she just loves my boy.
She's one smart lady, if you ask me. ;o)

Not a Fan of 8am

2011-06-05T16:17:00.001-05:00

I work nights. Usually I don't get home from work until about 4 or 5 in the morning. I try to stay up late on the weekends in order to keep some semblance of a schedule going. Usually I only make it until around 2 or 3.

Yesterday it was ungodly hot out and the dogs barely left the house for more than a quick trip to the yard to go potty. Then, last night we went to bed at around 1am. This all lead to a house full of wired dogs by 7 this morning and they weren't taking "go back to bed" for an answer. Since I refuse to go to the dog park on the weekends after 9am (because there are simply too many dogs and too few dogs under control) I decided it seemed like a reasonable plan to head to the park.

It was positively gorgeous! It was still around 65 degrees at that time, and the nice wooded park was even cooler. Mendel and Lilly ran their little tails off. I can't believe I forgot to bring my camera... but I was still half asleep.

When we got home we went out in the back yard for a little bit and I realized the rising sun was shining on the dogs beautifully.

So I ran in the house and grabbed the camera.

I'd been wanting to get a picture of the 3 of them together for a while, now.

Oh, dear, Mendel.

I had to return Mendel to his spot a couple times, but overall I was very impressed with how well they all did.

It was a little tricky because with the trees behind us it was easy for one of them to get in a shadow.

And here's my favorite:

It's just such a perfect representation of the three of them. Mendel and Lilly just smiling away while Bailey casts his inconvenienced glare just to make sure everybody knows just who the boss is around here.

These pictures were posed. I asked them to sit and lay down and they did it without too much trouble. But, just to prove that they do in fact like each other enough to share the same relative space on their own volition, here is a picture I took the other day when I was cooking myself something for lunch and turned around to click "I'm still listening" on my pandora player.

My camera makes a noise when it turns on so Mendel and Lilly looked... I'm sure Bailey didn't even hear it.

Pennings

2011-05-30T15:18:00.000-05:00

I've always loved rodeos. I usually try to at least hit one up each summer.

This year I get a bonus. My Aunt's new boyfriend competes in penning/cutting. This means is that the horse and rider work together to pick particular calves out of a herd and put them somewhere else. Sometimes it's into a pen, sometimes it's from one pen to another, etc.

On Saturday the task for the riders was to cut 3 calves of a certain number out of the herd and then drive them down to the other end of the arena and into a pen. Their particular number was announced when the timer was started. There were a number of teams who did this in less than 40 seconds. Later in the year, I'm told, the times get so fast that you'll have to do it in 30 seconds just to place. Amazing.

Notice the orange line - it is important that a cow of the wrong number does not cross that line, or you get a "no time" for your run. Three riders make a team, so often one person would break up the herd and go for a cow of their number while the other two hold back the herd and start looking for the next cow.

I didn't get any video from Saturday, but the configuration of the arena made it a great opportunity for photos. I got lots I like.

Bringing them down to the pen, just to left of this picture.

Bringing them down to the pen

Father and Son, eying up the herd

Putting them in the pen. Notice how one person blocks each side while the third pushes them from behind.

Then, on the second day the sorting was a little different. This time, there were two round pens set up and joined at the middle. The job of the riders was to cut out the numbered cows one by one, in order, in 1 minute. The announcer gave you the number to start with. If a cow of the wrong number gets through to the other side, you get a "no time". There were a handful of 10 head sorts for the day. Here, check out the diagram:

Now, watch:

This little girl got a couple runs at the end of the day. She did a great job! On her last run she did so well she placed second in her class competing against all the adults.

Spectating

Mendel thinks he should get a turn

Show Report: Mendel's First Show

2011-05-24T17:50:00.000-05:00

Hop on over to my Photo 51 Page to get the scoop!

The Monthly Mendel: 6 Months

2011-05-24T17:10:00.000-05:00

My tail is down? Yeah, so? I'm still cute.

We like to BOUNCE!

Getting Ready... (aka Procrastinating...)

2011-05-19T15:12:00.001-05:00

Mendel's first show is this coming weekend!!! Horray!

I haven't picked out my two show outfits for this weekend... but I will.

I haven't decided which pair of nylons to ruin this weekend... but I will. (am I the only person who almost NEVER wears nylons more than once before ruining them?)

I haven't packed every available crate I own into my car... but I will. (out of state friends are coming to show so I'm making their load lighter)

I haven't put together my tack bag... but I will.

Mendel hasn't had a bath yet... but he will.

I haven't trimmed Mendel's feet yet... but I will. (and I will not mess up because I've been practicing)

I haven't entered the show site into the GPS... but I will.

We haven't done 6 month pictures for the "Monthly Mendel"... but we will. Tomorrow.

We HAVE been practicing. Of course, we've been practicing at "show class", but we've especially been practicing our bounce game. We're still working on the not bouncing ONTO me part, but it's fun either way. (hoping to get some pics of the bounce game tomorrow)

Mendel HAS figured out how to use those lovely shoulders his genes gave him. Yay for sidegait!

We HAVE stocked up on some delicious show treats that can be stuffed into my bra or mouth without activating my gag reflexes.

Tomorrow my bestie is helping me with Mendel grooming, pictures, video, and driving to the show site to stake out prime grooming space at the show. This is her "adult time" that she hasn't gotten very much of lately with a 1 year old at home. Do you see what having kids does to you? Your FUN time consists of being put to work by your dog nut friend. Poor girl. I should probably buy her ice cream. :)

Every day is Mother's Day

2011-05-12T01:57:00.000-05:00

I spent Mother's Day at my mom's house just as I always do.

We had lots of fun playing in the yard

This is one of my new favorite pictures. You simply can't stay mad looking at that big smile.

Bailey loved getting some sun

Then my brother helped me get some nice stacked shots of "the Monk"

My mom was impressed at how well he stood still while doing his "stand pretty"

I spy a very angry Bailey and Lilly who are wondering where THEIR pieces of chicken are... do you?

Mendel was VERY interested in what Grandpa was making on the grill

And, as usual, he was all smiles.

That smiling face, it'll make you feel like every day is Mother's day...

The Monthly Mendel: 5 Months

2011-04-17T12:52:00.000-05:00

Yaaaayyyy! It's picture day!

Let's start by getting soaking wet and running around the house like our pants are on fire!

Then, we'll move on to grooming table time. With only enough power to run one motor without tripping the breaker, a guy has plenty of time to discover cool things around the room.....

Like that handsome dog over there in the mirror!

Time to get down to business with the pictures!

Sadly, I did a terrible job of getting him stacked this time. I think we're going to have to start doing pictures on the floor pretty soon.

Much better stack, at least.

We did some shots that I'll use for advertising my grooming table aprons and covers.

Hehe! He looks like such a puppy here! Love it!

You can really see the biscuit on his ears here.

One of these days I'm going to have to bring Lilly to do pictures with him. I wouldn't even dream of ever making Bailey do this again - he HATES it!

Stacking Blocks

2011-04-04T06:52:00.002-05:00

We've been busy. Mostly busy having fun (which is why I haven't even started looking for a second job) but we've been working on having fun with show stuff, too.

I think that's the very definition of awesome - when the WORK part is even primarily focused on having fun!
I love it!

This past weekend we took a trip to Minnesota to drop off Whitey and we had lots of fun. Mendel and I stayed at my friend / his breeder's house so he got to hang out with his mom, half brother and sister, and their grumpy big brother (who's a lot like Mendel's grumpy big brother, only white). :) He thinks his half brother is REALLY cool, and was following him around paying attention to what a guy is supposed to do at that house. It was pretty cute. I can't believe I didn't take pictures. :o\

We got some video of Mr. Mendel.

I still feel like he's not reaching in front as much as he should, but tonight at work a great idea came to me. I'm in the process of working things out in that department.

Now, the main point of this post.

See, Mendel is better at this whole stacking thing than I am. As you can see in the video, he knows how to stack. It's me that's the problem sometimes. My timing is bad on rewarding him when he stacks sometimes b/c it takes me too long to "check" that all his feet are in the right place. Then, I still move too much and wind up pulling him out of it or I reward him for a poor stack by mistake. I'm a mess, what can I say? :)

So, I found these on a website somewhere: http://www.happylegs.com/

Now, the reality is that a dog who is built right structurally should not need help putting his legs in the right place, the right place should be where the dog puts them naturally and where they will be most comfortable for him. I like these for ME, to help me more consistently reward my dog for a correct stack and learn better what things will look like form my perspective when he is in the right place. But I'm NOT even going to consider paying $200 for them. That's just crazy.

Another reason I like these is because I find that the concept of "muscle memory" is very valid. I do see where this might help us as a team.

So, of course, I decided to "MacGyver it" instead of emptying my wallet.

Step one, hit up the grocery store.

I chose cans of something I actually use so if I decide I don't need these in a month they won't go to waste. This is one of the big wide cans, about the size of my palm on top.

Step two, pick up some of that rubbery place mat stuff to use as a non-slip surface.

I traced the cans and cut one ring for each can slightly smaller than the trace mark and one slightly larger. The smaller for use on the top and the larger for use on the bottom to make the can nice and grippy.

Then, I used double sided tape to adhere the pieces to the can.

Here's Mendel's second time up on his "stilts".

This is a great example of why it's awesome to have great breeders/mentors. The first thing I did was send a link to the video off for advice on how to do it better next time. I've already made some improvements (like holding his collar and baiting him better to get him to pull up more over his front and setting the cans further apart) and our quick session when we got home from work was even better than the one in the video.

Chicken Liverbread

2011-03-26T21:59:00.003-05:00

You know, like Gingerbread... only different. :)

There's this thing with dogs - they like it a lot if you reward them for doing something good. I'm a huge stickler for making sure dogs get rewarded for doing good things - in fact, I find most people don't reward anywhere near enough for my liking.

Somehow people come to the conclusion that just because a dog has been sitting on command for 3 years now, you can't tell him he's a good boy for doing it today. We all know what that's like - we often experience it at work, it sucks, and we all know it. I'll never understand why we choose to be like that with our dogs.

One very easy way to reward dogs is by giving them food. Most dogs are pretty big fans of food.
At dog shows we tend to use lots of food. There's lots of waiting and standing around and boredom at dog shows, but a handler has to keep the dog engaged and happy. Food is often good for achieving engaged and happy. Unfortunately, food often makes a mess in pockets. It'd greasy, slimy, crumbly and stinky. Some of it is in big pieces and hard to break, tear, or otherwise reduce in size and often if you do break it up it makes a mess.

There are some options out there that are less problematic, but they're also comprised of more "food-like products" that real food. I can't pronounce many of the ingredients, and if I can they are nondescript things like "meat meal" and "animal fat".

So, today, since my freezer is packed full of liver I need to do SOMETHING with - I decided to work on developing my own recipe. Believe it or not, my very first batch seems to be a winning combination.

Here's how I did it:

First, toss two cups of chicken livers into the food processor and give 'em hell. Make sure they're really well pureed.

It might look like a strawberry smoothie, but it sure doesn't SMELL like one.

Add 1 cup of whole wheat flour and mix it in well. Then add another 1/2 cup, this time pulsing it in just until the flour is combined. Things will be looking like a pretty sticky gooey mess by now.

Place a sheet of wax paper on a pan or baking stone and place all of the "batter" onto it. The stone I used is 14" in diameter. Place another sheet of wax paper on top of the goo and very gently roll it out between the two pieces of paper into a circle about 12" in diameter.

It is VERY important that you trim the wax paper to at least somewhat close to the edge of the mixture. (I just used the stone as a guide and trimmed along the edge) The one time I forgot to trim the paper, one corner that was hanging off did singe and make an awful smell.

Cook the mixture in a 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. At this point take it out, peal off the top layer of wax paper and place back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. When the bread is done, all the pink color should be gone. (you can use a pizza cutter to slice down the middle and make sure it's cooked enough for your liking)

No matter how good it sounds at the time, letting the puppy lick out the food processor bowl is probably not the best idea you will have all day.

Once out of the oven, pick the cake of liverbread up by the paper and place it top-down on a board for cooling. After it has cooled a bit, peal off the other piece of wax paper. Use a pizza cutter to cut squares or whatever shape you like then allow the bread to fully cool. (Give the begging dogs a little just so they can make sure you didn't mess anything up)

You'll notice I left mine pretty large. This is because the point of these treats is that they are one nice big piece, but I can easily tear off a tiny piece for rewards.

These treats are NOT dry and hard. I want the treats to be soft and pliable. If you want them crunchy, you could cut them up and place them back in the oven to cook/dry out for a while.

Since there are no preservatives in these treats, you don't want to leave them out on the counter in large quantities. I suggest freezing them, then taking out a few at a time to thaw for training sessions.

Also, keep in mind that these are over 50% liver. This makes them very popular with the dogs, but pay attention to how much you're using. A bunch of these for a dog not used to them could cause an upset stomach. (this is partly why I don't use just straight dried liver)

I intend to try making these with rice flour next, but most of the rice flour I have access to is very grainy rather than very fine ground like the wheat flour. If you try this with rice flour, I'd love to hear how it turned out. :)

Sun & Snow

2011-03-25T21:51:00.000-05:00

Snow is always the most fun when the only tracks behind you are your own

Or of the dog chasing you. :)

Weeeeee!

If you think a day goes by that I don't look at him and say "Good word, you're gorgeous", you're mistaken.

If this doesn't crack you up, I'm afraid something might be wrong with you. :)

You should really click on the next two and make them big. DO IT!

View of the park from the car out on the road

And look who's in town for a visit!

Mother Nature is Bi-Polar

2011-03-24T02:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday you saw what it looks like here right now - inches of heavy white stuff. It's really quite beautiful.

But what about last week?

I suppose that's why they say in Wisconsin, if you don't like the weather - just wait 20 minutes. :)

And on the 4th day of spring...

2011-03-23T16:17:00.001-05:00

4 Months!

2011-03-22T19:32:00.000-05:00

Bug's getting so BIG!

...and gorgeous!

We actually coordinated bath day and picture day, can you believe it?

Not Me Did It!!

2011-03-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

"Uh.... you know *I* didn't do this, right?"

The guilty party - he's long gone.

Lilly... she doesn't even know what it means to be in trouble for something like this.

What are PETA and the HSUS doing to our culture?

2011-03-10T17:29:00.000-06:00

This is a letter written by a woman named Amy. Permission to cross post has been granted.

The United States was founded under the assumption of liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all. To that extent, we are a multicultural country. We have racial cultures, we have religious cultures, we have sports cultures, we have work cultures. We tend to be accepting of other cultures. One neighbor can be a sports fan and a Lutheran, another a jazz fan and a Catholic but they still manage to be neighbors and to accept one another’s cultures.

The culture of the dog hobbyist/fancier is not so lucky. The powerful, rich, and mighty Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have decided that our culture our very lifestyle is unacceptable.

In 2009, over 140 pieces of anti-dog and anti-breeder legislation were introduced in 37 states. The language in all of these bills was remarkably similar. It isn’t by coincidence! It’s the huge, deep, lobbying pockets of HSUS and its ilk.
Wayne Pacella, CEO and President of HSUS, has indicated that he has no problem with eliminating domestic animals: “One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding” (Animal People News, May 1993). HSUS has over $130 million in annual revenue and assets of more than $200 million. Yet less than ½ of one percent of donations goes directly to the hands-on care of animals. Most of the rest of that cash, hard-earned by its donors, goes to six-figure payrolls for staffers, salaries for “social media” personnel who are paid to respond to any and all comments about H$U$, and massive lobbying efforts. In fact, the IRS has been tasked with investigating the 501c3 status of the HSUS based on the tremendous amount of lobbying it performs. Wayne Pacella is an attorney. He is not an animal husbandry expert. He does not even have a pet.

Ingrid Newkirk, President of PETA, has said “I don’t use the word 'pet.' I think it’s speciesist language. I prefer 'companion animal.' For one thing, we would no longer allow breeding. People could not create different breeds. There would be no pet shops. If people had companion animals in their homes, those animals would have to be refugees from the animal shelters and the streets. You would have a protective relationship with them just as you would with an orphaned child. But as the surplus of cats and dogs (artificially engineered by centuries of forced breeding) declined, eventually companion animals would be phased out, and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship enjoyment at a distance. Ms. Newkirk advocates militant action and has been arrested more than 20 times. She is an ardent supporter of the Animal Liberation Front, which is listed by the FBI as a terrorist group.

Who are these people to force their anti-animal, vegan culture on us? Why are we letting this one culture, the culture of those who believe animals should have the same rights as humans, legislate what we do or do not do with the dogs (and other animals) that we own? How can we let them dictate our breeding practices? These two leaders, and most of the staff of their organizations, have no experience in animal husbandry or welfare. Yet they have infiltrated the nation through legislation, the media, and yes, even our grade schools, convincing the public that they have the expertise to determine how many dogs a person should own and who should own them and when to breed them.

None of us likes puppy factories. We know they exist. Yet there are already very adequate animal welfare laws and regulations in place in every state. And while there have been instances in which inspectors have dropped the ball, there is no doubt that the laws do exist and adding another layer of bureaucracy certainly will do nothing to improve the manpower shortage that caused the inspectors to drop the ball! It would be much more practical and economical to simply consistently enforce the already existing animal welfare laws.

All of us believe in animal welfare. We provide food, water, shelter, veterinary care, and love to our animals. But do they really have rights? Having rights also entails having responsibilities. Taking responsibility involves having morals. Humans have the right to go shopping but we do not have the right to steal while doing so. Dogs don’t have that morality. If it’s there, and it’s edible, they’ll try to steal it. Dogs understand “safe” and “dangerous” it may be “safe to lay on the rug and drool while Mom is cooking, but it’s “dangerous” to try to steal food off the table but there is no morality about it. Dogs don’t have an understanding of incest. Dogs don’t go to the ballot box and vote. Humans do.

Alas, our counterculture cannot and will not leave us alone. Sporting badges that look remarkably like police badges, HSUS staff takes part in “raids” on dog owners and breeders. Raids! The very word evokes visions of war. Pirates raid ships. Armies raid other countries. The word “raid” invokes a level of criminality to those being raided even if no charges are filed.

There have been well-publicized cases in which reputable breeders have been “raided” and no findings were made, or charges against them were dropped – yet their dogs were seized and in many cases, adopted out, sterilized, or euthanized before the courts had a chance to make their findings. In one case, not only were the dogs confiscated, but so were the owner’s show win photos, title certificates, ribbons, and other mementos. They were not returned.

This is a war. The HSUS and PETA culture have been gathering steam for years, while our culture the dog culture has stood by with our collective heads in the sand. We have accepted the term “puppy mill” to encompass anyone who breeds more than a litter a year. Shame on us. We are supposed to be the experts on breeding. How does one gain expertise if we bow down to the anti-animal culture that says breeding dogs is bad? Why have we allowed this anti-animal culture to grow to its current, tremendously frightening level?

Most people would not dream of forcing a vegan to eat meat. If a religious cult of any type began lobbying in the same manner as HSUS and PETA, attempting to force its culture down the throats of Americans, the hue and cry raised by citizens would be deafening.

It’s time we stood up to the anti-animal culture. It’s time every one of us, whether owner, breeder, or exhibitor, took part in the legislative process that threatens to overrun our very culture.

If you don’t like Fords, buy a Chevy. If you don’t like meat, don’t eat it. If you don’t like dogs, don’t go to a dog show. But leave me and my dogs alone.

Amy

Yay for more snow!

2011-03-10T03:59:00.001-06:00

Yes, I know many are tired of the snow. We are not among the many.

Fresh snow means a fresh covering on our back yard when it was starting to get a little gross. It also means FUN!

Wrestle Pile

Mr. Rigel

So THAT's how the paint on top of the fence posts disappeared.

He's particularly cute today

Big brother showing him all the important things he needs to know... like digging.

So what other naughty things are you going to teach me today?

Can you hear the old west duel music playing?

Mendel's favorite battle tactic - dive under Lilly. If she can't put her feet down, she can't beat you up.

Mush for a Cure

2011-03-08T15:53:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know, the Iditarod is going on. Once again, it's looking like the Lance show.

I'm not bitter. I'm not complaining, and I give the guy a lot of credit for his accomplishments... it's just getting kinda old. Although, I must say, last I checked Martin Buser was ahead - that makes me happy. :) I like Buser. I don't even know why, other than he named his son Rohn and I think that's awesome. Rohn is a checkpoint along the Iditarod trail. (someday I'm gonna name a dog Rohn - not after Rohn Buser, after the city)

There's another race going on. One in Minnesota that I found out about by following the blog of a wonderful musher couple who dropped everything and moved out to the middle of nowhere to chase a dream. They, along with another couple, started a charity race called "Mush for a Cure" in 2008. The event has grown exponentially. I don't even know how to describe it, but the community of Mushers just oozes friendliness. Some day I would love to be a part of this race.

Please, go check out the website and consider donating.

Then... go check out the Mushers. See #35? WooooHHOooooo! A Samoyed team! Candice has some beautiful dogs! She's also super nice and has offered to let me come train with her team when Mendel is ready to start pulling. I really wish I had some extra time and money so I could go watch the race this year. Next year I'm going to have to plan better.

Fun at the Dog Park

2011-03-07T16:41:00.000-06:00

Making friends

Standing next to Lilly. Little Bear isn't so little anymore.

Don't you just want to kiss that face?

Upgrade

2011-03-03T16:16:00.000-06:00

Remember this...

It's the scene from my desk when I was working on pedigrees.

Well, my desk recently got an upgrade.

All I can say is that I never in a million years would have thought a 23" monitor could make a girl so happy. It's bigger than the TV in my bedroom for heaven's sakes. And the sound system... well, that had been sitting in a box on a shelf for a long time, but now it's rockin' out the Pandora like nobody's business. (ok, maybe not "rocking"... it's played "easy listening" more than anything else so far - but it's still awesome)

Also, I would just like to say, Windows 7... rocks my socks.

And, of course, a sweet picture of Miss Lilly showing her little brother the good napping places.

What Wisconsin Knows...

2011-02-25T14:21:00.000-06:00

There are some things we do well here in Wisconsin:

Snow

Football

Protests

(I am very proud of my fellow Wisconsinites!)

Milk

Did I ever mention how much I would love to move to the western part of the state and work for Organic Valley?

But, here in Wisconsin, some things are more important than others.

Like Beer...

and Cheese...

and Bratwursts.

And when we get really crazy, we bring them all together in a culinary masterpiece of epic proportions.

(if you're on a diet, I suggest closing your browser... immediately)

That's right. We think beer makes a perfectly acceptable "broth" for soup, and we (or maybe just I) find that most food is best served as a cheese delivery system. The brats just add to the perfection.

Should you feel you need to taste a spoonful of heaven yourself, here's the recipe:

2tbsp butter
1/2c chopped onions
1 bottle of beer of your choice (I use Guinness)
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup
1 soup can milk
1tsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp Dijon mustard
1lb cheddar cheese - shredded

Couple Johnsonville Bratwursts. (I suppose other brands would be acceptable, but why not use the best?)

In soup pot, fry chopped onions in butter. As soon as they are fully cooked, add all other ingredients except the shredded cheese. (After putting the Campbell's soup in the pot, use the empty can to measure out your milk.) When the mixture is hot (no need to boil) and the Campbell's soup is completely mixed in, stir in the shredded cheese. Stir regularly on medium heat until all the cheese is melted and blended into the soup.

Boil a couple brats until they're at least mostly cooked. Slice brats and brown slices in a pan, then toss into soup. (grilling the brats is excellent, unless your grill is currently buried under 2 feet of snow) I suggest adding brats right before eating - I'm not sure how they would reheat if there was left over soup and they were mixed in.

And just for the record, since this is a dog blog and all, dogs LOVE beer cheese soup. :)

All in a day's work...

2011-02-21T17:17:00.000-06:00

You're just jealous you don't have Beer Cheese soup on YOUR face!

Lilly and Mendel hanging out. I woke them up and they started alligator dueling.

Mom got me a new toy!

Mud is fun

Bath Time - Part Deux

2011-02-14T11:49:00.002-06:00

This looks reminds me SO much of his daddy!

Bath Time is exhausting

The Monthly Mendel

2011-02-13T11:48:00.000-06:00

This is the beginning of our Monthly Mendel pictures. I'm planning to have pictures done every month for comparison. Mostly for my own curiosity, and partly because it forces me to get some good shots of my little monkey every month.

Here he is at 3 months:

This is actually probably the best stack of the bunch, but I need to do a better job of editing it.

Making Friends - 11 Weeks

2011-02-06T10:41:00.001-06:00

My cousin's little girl, Ella, has been wanting to meet Mendel so last night we went and had a visit.

Ella's little brother Cameron visiting with Mendel

Getting a face wash. Cam's giggle was just hilarious.

Dancing

Mendel wants to know - "Can we keep her?"

SQUIRREL!

2011-02-03T19:19:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, this happened:

Click on the lower right portion of the video where it says YouTube to watch it on their site - it sucks watching it on here and you won't be able to read the annotations.

Today, this happened:

This is not an injury. It is bystander/assistant spray.

This... is an injury. Dogs really should be warned -

Squirrels fight back.

But not hard enough.

That back leg going the wrong way kinda grosses me out a little.


"That's right squirrel! That's what you GET!" ~Lilly

On another note.

I ate this today. It was just so pretty I felt the need to photograph it first.

Try not to drool on your keyboard, k?

Preserving Memories

2011-02-02T16:16:00.000-06:00

A while back I was reading an article about removing clutter from your life. It mentioned a lot of things I should probably take into consideration but won't. (hey, at least I'm being honest) One thing, however, did sink in.

It said that instead of keeping a ton of sentimental things that will just sit around unused, you should take a picture of them and then let them go - particularly things that somebody else could use if you were to donate them.

I happen to think this is a great idea.

A couple weeks before I went to pick up Mendel I stopped at PetCo to see what they had on sale after Christmas. I do this after most holidays. Pretty much everything from the holiday is on sale, and it's a great way to get super cute toys cheap. I spotted a really cute little lion with a Santa hat on that was 50% off.

It was one of those toys that doesn't have any stuffing in the body of it to pull out, it had squeakers in the feet, and it was super soft. I decided I would take it with me to Seattle to give to Mendel when I picked him up.

Mendel played with it a little at the airport and snuggled with it on the plane.

Now I put it in his crate with him at bedtime every night, and every morning after going out to go potty he retrieves it from his crate, plays with it a little, and puts it on his "nap blanky" next to my desk to cuddle with later. He really likes his little lion.

Given the nature of stuffed toys, I know it won't last forever. So, I decided to get some good pictures of it while I still can. It's not exactly something I need to get rid of in order to reduce my clutter, but the article sure gave me a good idea of what I can do to preserve Mendel's favorite baby toy for all of eternity.

We don't normally play with stuffed toys outside, but today the sun is out and shining bright so I decided it would be a good idea to get out and take some pictures.

Speaking of neutering...

2011-02-02T09:31:00.000-06:00

A friend shared an excellent article with me about Spay/Neuter and since I just recently wrote about that I thought I would share this one as well.

Here's a link.

Mendel in pictures - 10 weeks

2011-01-30T10:38:00.000-06:00

Yum!

Yes, my Mom trimmed hair off my Right ear - I don't want to talk about it.

Mom, seriously, I'm busy here!

New Toy

Putting his new toy in his "secret hiding place"

Wresting

Pretty Boy

What do you mean I'm not supposed to be in here? Lilly does it all the time!

Watching TV

Such a good girl putting up with all his crap.

HI!!

Apparently, Mendel thinks we should go without the bushes this year. :\

Bath Time

2011-01-26T15:21:00.000-06:00

Where are Bailey and Lilly? Well, they got the heck out of there when they saw he was headed for the tub. They've learned about this whole bath thing. :)

Packer Game Sunday - Mendel Style

2011-01-26T06:15:00.000-06:00

You've already seen the pictures of Mendel and Lilly playing outside at Grandma's before the Packer game.

Bailey was outside, too, but he was laying down and pouting because his feet were cold. He walked all the way down to the end of the yard, after I repeatedly asked him not to (knowing his feet were going to get cold) and then he got some kind of crazy idea that I was going to put my Dad's boots on and trudge all the way down there to carry him back in. I won that battle. It may have taken him a week and a half, but he walked his sorry butt all the way up to the house. (where, of course, grandma fawned over him and filled his belly with treats)

Here's some pictures from during the game:

All that playing outside just took it right out of him.

After being woken up by cheering, he went right back to napping.

My Mama likes Lady Bugs. I like that whenever she sees a lady bug, I get a new toy.

Frog Dog

Hey, keep it down! I'm nappin' here!


What? What happened? Did we win?

Yes, Mendel, WE WON! We're going to the SUPER BOWL!

Oh, good, wake me up when it's supper time. K?

I'm So Embarassed!

2011-01-25T15:11:00.000-06:00

Somebody, please inform protective services. My mom has crossed the line. She GLUED my ponytail in. Something about my ears needing to stand up and the little band constantly getting knocked out. I think somebody should tell her that I'm a BOY and boys don't wear pony tails! Plus, my ear was CUTE floppy! I think she's lost her mind.

~Mendel

Dear Mendel,

Your pony tail is so tiny nobody will even notice. (holding his right ear hair up on top of his head) You'll thank me later when all your friends aren't making fun of you in the show ring because your ear is all wonky. Plus, now I don't have to pin you down every five minutes to put the band back in your hair after you manage to knock it out. Nice try with the sad face, though, I'm sure somebody will go for it.
~Mama

Playing in the Snow (Mendel: 9weeks)

2011-01-25T00:34:00.000-06:00

Sticking with my big sister, she know all the good spots in Grandma's yard

Wonder what Bailey is doing over there

Wait for me Lil!

Playing at the dog park:

Mendel: 8 weeks

2011-01-25T00:26:00.000-06:00

Here are my favorite pictures of Mendel from his 8th week.

Getting ready to head home from Seattle:

It's as good a place as any to take a nap

The more we know...

2011-01-20T11:19:00.004-06:00

In my last post about my new puppy, I mentioned that my dogs do not play "fetch". At the time I considered explaining my decision regarding "dodge and dart games", but decided to wait for another post. Here's that post.

First, let me tell you about Bailey. When I adopted Bailey I was working at a training/breeding field Lab kennel. He quickly learned from the other dogs that the orange retrieving bumpers (used to train bird dogs) were extremely cool. Bailey became positively crazy for the things. When we lived across the street from a park, we went over and played fetch with them nearly every day. When we went over to my parents' house, my dad would throw bumpers as far as his arm could fling them and Bailey would run after it at break-neck speed. The running wasn't so much the problem - it was the stopping that worried me. I loved that Bailey was having such a great time, but I was always afraid he would blow a knee. I find we are exceptionally lucky all he ever really ended up with was a limp that lasted 1/2 a day here and there. Unfortunately, in my opinion, we still did do some joint damage.

Bailey with his bumper

As of late, I have seen a fair amount of research about Unilateral Hip Dysplasia. All this means is that only one hip is displaced from the socket while the other is normal. There are many opinions on the topic, but one of them is that unilateral hip dysplasia doesn't just "happen", it is made - usually by injury. The idea is that if hip dysplasia is genetic, both hips will be effected, but if only one hip is displaced it likely is the result of an outside cause. Some studies have been done showing that better hip health is achieved in puppies who are exercised freely (under their own power and motivation) for greater portions of the day as opposed to puppies who are crated and then encouraged to burn off their excess energy quickly via things such as dodge and dart games. The pounding caused by games like "fetch" and the stress on joints from sudden stopping can have a lasting effect on joint health. I find that to be a pretty substantial cause for concern. I also think it makes perfect sense.

I can't tell you how much of it is a result of our games of fetch, but I can tell you that Bailey suffers from joint pain. I certainly have to wonder if the times he was so out-of-his-mind-excited to get the bumper that he launched himself of my parents deck from the top step, or even just the regular games of fetch, didn't have something to do with the way he hobbles around today. It's a terrible feeling, wondering if something you did lead to your dog's pain, even if you had no idea you were doing anything wrong at the time.

As Bailey got older, and I got more afraid he would hurt his knees, we began playing our game a little differently. I would take him out in my parents' back yard and hand him the bumper instead of throwing it, and play chase with him at a more moderate speed. He would run "victory laps" around the yard while I pretended to stalk him. (he had a pretty good recall and would come if I asked him to so this wasn't really the bad form of keep away where I wasn't in control and he thought he was getting away with something) Another thing we did is play fetch in the water - I would stand at the edge of the water and toss it back in for him to fetch. If anything, water retrieving is some of the best exercise you can give your dog, you just have to be very attentive to his limitations if you have a dog who will keep trying to go after the ball even if he is totally exhausted. These alternate forms of the game were significantly better for his hips and seemed to be just as fun for him.

I can't help but wonder what might have been if I had always played this way. I don't wallow in guilt about it - what's done is done - but I absolutely have changed the way I handle my dogs as a result of my experiences with him and with the information I have gathered.

Mendel enjoys Bailey's bumpers, only more for the rope than for the fetching.

Lilly does enjoy tennis balls, but she doesn't care to use them when she engages in play with me - she doesn't get anything out of it. (the only time I will ever even touch one at the dog park is to kick it across the ground to show her I found one she can play with) You see, Little Miss has figured out that OTHER dogs like them - which is a very good way to get them to chase her. Occasionally, she gets so wrapped up in the excitement of a chase that she actually drops the tennis ball from her mouth and gets frustrated because the dog stopped chasing her and went for the ball instead. Lilly never got into the habit of playing dodge and dart games with me, so she doesn't even see me as a source of that type of play.

This sort of relates to the reason I am on the fence about having Lilly do agility, as well. Her front end is very straight and that means that every time she jumps those front joints take a beating (a well angulated front can cushion the blow and take stress off the joints). It is my hope that I will be able to find a place where we can use agility equipment without being criticized and I can either remove the bars for the jumps or put them on "chihuahua height" so she doesn't pound her front and hurt herself. I likely will never compete with her because the pounding she would take during practice simply wouldn't justify it. I do, however, think that we might be able to do some slowpoke agility where she practices on mostly lower jumps and just does her jump height for competition, I guess we'll see when the time comes. Read more about structure and why it's important here.

Lilly loves to instigate a good game of chase. I love that she engages in self paced play.

There is a fine line between allowing our dogs to be dogs (which I think is exceptionally important), making sure they have fun in play, and keeping them safe and healthy. It's a line that, unfortunately, I don't think can always be effectively walked. Sometimes we just have to do the best we can and spend equal amounts of time on each side. A reasonable argument for the purchase of healthy, well bred, purebred dogs can certainly be made. I won't have to be nearly as careful about what I do with Mendel as I do with Lilly (or probably should have with Bailey). Mendel is put together correctly, his body is built for work and athleticism, and he will have the proper nature-given growth hormones he should have throughout his entire life. (This certainly doesn't mean I don't have to be smart about things such as not allowing him to jump off beds and couches while his joints are still just developing) I love my rescue dogs with all my heart and a piece of me would like to always have one in my home, it's just something to think about when we make these decisions.

Fact is, now that I have an intact dog in the house, I'm pretty much out of the running for most rescues anyway. THIS is something I find to be terribly sad. Let me explain why:

I will absolutely never spay or neuter a dog before 2 years of age ever again. More likely, I will never spay or neuter one of my dogs at all if I don't have to in the future. Just as injury can lead to potential joint damage, so can removal of important growth hormones. An astounding number of studies are coming to light completely refuting much of what we thought we knew about neutering. When important growth hormones are removed at a young age, strange things start to happen - bones grow longer (because those missing hormones were responsible for closing growth plates at the appropriate times), parts of the body never fully develop, and the risk of some cancers are actually increased (instead of decreased as we once thought). When bones grow longer, proportions change and risk of torn knee ligaments can be increased (among other things). This is something to keep in mind especially for canine athletes - it is important that their bodies fully develop as nature intended in order for them to perform at a high level without injuring themselves. Often people think that since they are only going to do agility with their dogs, they don't need one of those "fancy show dogs". The fact is, those fancy show dogs are quite often bred specifically for correct proportions (this is certainly not always the case, you MUST do your research) and that means the well bred ones are going to be your best bet for a performance sports - as long as you commit to allowing them to develop as their breeder intended. Many of the show breeders *I* work with have a requirement written right into their contracts that the dog is not to be spayed or neutered until 2 years of age. On the other hand, the "working dog" breeders *I* know personally don't know a damn thing about correct proportions, joint angulation, or about the physiology of a canine athlete, which I find is terribly unfortunate. Find out more (and check out some of the studies on the health effects of spay/neuter) here and here and especially here.

Certainly, pet owners need to decide for themselves whether they are truly capable of handling an intact dog. There is no doubt many are not. I do find it very interesting how different the "norm" is in the US vs Europe (I really don't know for sure what the climate is like as far as neutering in Canada).

If you asked people who have lost a dog to bone cancer, would they say they would have chosen not to neuter their dog if they had been given all the facts? I don't know. I don't know if we really can know. I do think that most people would say they at least wish they had been given ALL the facts... told the truth.

I am not against neutering. I think it's necessary in the case of shelter pets (with a few exceptions) upon sale to new owners. I do, however, have a very big problem with the effort to push mandatory spay/neuter laws, and I also generally have a problem with spay/neuter campaigns because they do not offer up ALL the facts. If you're trying to educate people, you owe them the whole truth - not just what you want them to hear.

I think it is also very important to recognize that often times many of the problems associated with spay/neuter can be prevented simply by waiting until a dog is sexually mature to do it.

I'm not writing this to make anybody feel guilty or to suggest that my way is the right way. It's simply the conclusions I have come to as far as the care of my dogs and hopefully an encouragement for people to do their own research that will inform their own decisions. Just as the title says, The more we know...

Decisions, Decisions

2011-01-18T23:07:00.001-06:00

Mendel playing after a long trip home

First of all, never before have I ever been so glad I got this computer for my TV. Sitting at my desk with my back to the rest of the house is just not workable for a puppy. Of course, sitting on the floor with a wireless keyboard on my lap is an open invitation for "help" typing as well. Let's just say there has been a lot of backspacing of excess letters.

Mendel got a tour of the house and some playing in before Bailey and Lilly came home

My trip to Seattle wasn't very "Seattle-y". I never once even saw the Space Needle and I didn't drink a drop of coffee. I was supposed to arrive at 6pm, but that got a little pushed back as a result of major headwinds on the flight. It was a very long 4 1/2 hours on a plane. Fortunately for me, everybody else was also behind. You see, Mr. Rico - Mendel's daddy - won Breed on Saturday morning. That meant they got to stick around and show in Group competitions as well. (learn about how a dog show works here) Group at this show ran WAY late. I didn't get going to the hotel until almost 8pm (after getting my rental car) and they were just getting started with puppy evaluations then. They did the girls first so I wouldn't miss any of the boys.

Mendel got a brown blankey from his breeder that smells like all his brothers and sisters

Evaluations are best when they include input from lots of people and lots of preferences, so you kinda have to take it all into consideration and decide what you like for yourself.

For the girls, the two are of different "type". Pink likely has the best proportions right now and some people might consider her pick of the litter, but they both have show potential. The general consensus is that Pink is going to be a very "cute" girl, and Purple is going to be more "pretty". I don't know if that makes sense or not... "pretty" would kinda go into the more "majestic" and "elegant" category where as "cute" is more in the "adorable cuddly bear" department. Speaking of Bear, miss Pink has learned how to become one. She is the smallest of the litter, but she rules as queen and she will stand up on her back legs, arms as high as they go with toes spread and mouth open to stand over any brother or sister who might challenge her authority. She is SO out of my league.

As for the boys...

Orange is pet quality. He's a lover and a nice family in Alaska is going to just LOVE him. Dog shows are not in his future.

Green is very pretty, but his structure is not the best of the litter. Because these lines tend to mature late, it's hard to tell exactly how he'll end up right now. He's not the best of the litter, but he will likely be finishable (still able to get his championship) if he is shown.

Some placed Yellow as the pick of the litter. I can best guess he will look a fair share like his half brother, Mater. He's got a pretty manageable coat given that his Daddy is a hairy monster, and as a result of Pink taking him down a notch, he's not quite as much of a handful as he was. That doesn't mean he's not still a little on the "spunky" side.

Red is considered pick of the litter by some of the other breeders who came to evaluate. He's very pretty, pretty enough to potentially win a lot. He's also very hairy like his daddy. He moves very nicely, as does yellow.

The breeders talked and came to me with a proposal: They offered me Red or Yellow as my best options. Because they are unsure as of yet about what they will keep for themselves, it was my job to spend some time with the two of them and decide who I "clicked with" best.

On Sunday I planned to go see Seattle, but I wound up looking at the vendors at the show for a while and then Mater (Mendel's half brother) won Breed... so we got to stay for group competition again. I'd say it gives you some confidence when you fly out to pick a puppy and his Daddy wins breed at a show one day and his Brother wins the next, wouldn't you? :) I got Mendel a nice adjustable puppy learn-to-pull harness at the vendors, which made me very happy since that meant I didn't have to pay shipping for one.

Sunday night everybody went out for dinner while I stayed and bonded with Red and Yellow. If I'm being honest, I wanted to like Yellow the best because of his shorter coat. I played with them Sunday evening until they were worn right out and crashed on cool floor behind the toilet in the bathroom. By the time they were asleep, I had made my decision.

Red Boy is now "ArticCross 'n Double Helix's Mendelian Masterpiece"


Mendel with me and his breeders. L to R: Drea, Julie (ArticCross Samoyeds, me & Mendel, Robinette (Double Helix Samoyeds)

Here's how I made my choice:

Red boy has always been a dog with a "switch" as best I could tell. There is play time and there is rest time, and after some play time he likes to just go have a rest (often by himself while the other puppies played). This is something that reminds me of my other dogs, especially Bailey. I love that they don't constantly have to be busy-bodying around. Another thing I noticed between the two is that Yellow could be a little pushy when playing. If he wanted to play but the other dog did not, he just poked at them until they had no choice. Lilly would not be impressed by this, and quite frankly neither am I when I'm busy and I'm getting mauled because the dog has decided he's in the mood for a romp. Even while I just had the two together he did this to Red. I got a free squeeky toy from a vender at the show so I got it out and tossed it for them. I noticed that every time Red got the toy, he brought it back to me (very proud of himself) - when Yellow got the toy, he got it for himself. Now, I'm not looking for a retriever and I don't allow my dogs to play "fetch" (where I throw something and they chase it down over and over) so when it comes down to it this doesn't matter all that much, but it did sway my decision a little bit. (and today it came in very handy when he took a candle off a low shelf and brought it directly to me - I just thanked him and gave him a treat in trade for it) The final thing that helped me make my decision was when the breeder's Fiancé came in the room. Yellow b-lined it straight for him and when he left yellow cried and threw a little temper tantrum. I liked that he clearly loved somebody he knew, but his tantrum made me wonder if perhaps he was a little on the clingy side. Lilly is right about at the limit of how much clingy-ness I care for, and even sometimes she has a hard time with some aspects of life when she needs to be left alone, etc. Later, I put yellow in the bathroom by himself and he pitched a major fit - to the point I just ended up opening the door while he was screaming just to quiet him (since we were in a hotel and all). Red did protest after being in there for a minute, but I waited to see if there would be a break in his tantrum for a second and when I opened the door he was laying down and looked fairly relaxed. He wasn't happy about being put in the room by himself, but he wasn't having an existential meltdown either.

Mendel napping as I write this post

After a 2 hour flight delay, change of gates at the airport TWICE, a 3 1/2 hour plane trip, a 4 hour drive home and what I've seen at here so far - I think I've made the right choice. He's just an angel. At first Lilly wasn't too sure about him. She's always been challenged by what to do with puppies, but just while I was writing this earlier she and Mendel played for the first time. He's not super pushy and the play was as much instigated by her as it was by him (which is EXACTLY what she needed). I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself that I know my girl well enough to pick a good puppy for her to play with. Bailey's done this puppy business a number of times before so he's an old pro. Mendel clearly thinks he's a super cool big brother, but as of yet he has been very polite and has not angered the King. (correction, we just had supper time and Mendel wanted to see what Bailey had in his bowl - not a good idea - Bailey behaved and wasn't too nasty, Mendel will learn to let the King finish eating before touching his bowl soon enough)

Here's a video of the first time Lilly and Mendel played. Lilly's still working on figuring it out and Mendel is just the perfect amount of polite and playful for her to get the hang of it.

Operation Puppy Wings: T minus 12 hours, and counting...

2011-01-14T19:00:00.003-06:00

I fly to Seattle Saturday afternoon, and puppy evaluations are to be held Saturday evening. Amazingly, this week has not gone nearly as slowly as it could have.

The last couple days have been like the world series of packing - everybody in the house is headed to a different place and that makes things much more complicated for me.

I made some pretty cute photo collages of each of the puppies while waiting for my laundry to finish the other day. You can see them on my Photo 51 site. (I think laundry is the only time I ever actually make use of my photo editor program. Better than never, right?)

It took me about 85,000 attempts to get my Photo 51 site/blog just how I want it. What do you think? There is already some useful stuff on there, like a "how dog shows work" page and a really cool story on Rex of White Way (who is an ancestor of my new baby). Hopefully I'll be disciplined enough to keep adding more as I go along. It's kinda nice having the Photo 51 site/blog where I can put more "down to business" stuff, and this blog where I can just ramble on about any random stupid thing that comes to my mind.

I think this is the first, and probably the last, time I have ever posted a photo-less entry on my blog...

It's a little weird.

Yeah... this isn't working... I can't do it.

Whew! Much better! That's my puppy's mom, Allele, and her big brother (not by blood) Traveler enjoying a kayaking trip. Isn't she just gorgeous? (Photo from Double Helix Samoyeds)

I'm off to "go see about a dog". If you wish, place your bets as to who will come home with me. Maybe when we get back on Monday night I'll come up with a prize for a randomly chosen correct answer.
(just for the record, I don't even know who I'll get - I have to wait for the breeder to make her choice, first)

I can't breathe...

2011-01-14T00:43:00.000-06:00

I used to want a parrot. They're cool, but I can now say it is highly unlikely I will ever get a bird of any kind again. The noise is a little out of my league.

The first time I watched this bird sing Drowning Pool's "Bodies", I laughed so hard I could barely breathe. If you haven't seen her before, you simply must check out Lolita.

If you've never heard the song she's singing before, you can check it out below. Not really my style for every day listening, but I find myself listening to it at least every time I get a tattoo. :) I definitely enjoy Lolita's take on it.

So Proud of My Girl

2011-01-12T21:27:00.001-06:00

Today was Lilly's first training class at the local kennel club.

You would think that classes at the local kennel club would be easy and worry-free. Unfortunately, it's not always easy and history has shown me that it is almost always frustrating. The kennel club and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship. I am regularly frustrated by things involving the club and training classes, but I am also grateful for the fact that there IS a local kennel club for me to participate in.

Much of my frustration is a result of a phenomenon I have found to be common among training classes: People who teach training classes tend to be control freaks. I'm not being mean, or trying to ruffle feathers, it's just a observation I have made time and time again. I can't remember a class I have taken where the trainer, with the exception of ONE, has not become irritated with me. They often don't like the way I train, they don't like the fact that I don't always play by their rules, and they REALLY don't like the fact that I don't MAKE my dogs do everything perfectly - because, in case you weren't aware, the world might come to an end if my dog doesn't sit straight on a recall. *smirk*

Allow me to share some examples:

Bailey was in agility classes years ago. We took the class for pure fun and confidence building. I let him use the A-frame as a launch pad, the boy wouldn't know what a contact point was if it hit him upside the head, and I didn't stop him if he took the wrong obstacle (in fact I cheered if he ran through the tunnel because he had initially been terrified of it). I tell you, I could FEEL the heat coming off the trainer as her blood boiled behind me. I paid my money, we didn't take any more time on the course than our fair share, I felt we had just as much right to be there as anybody else. This was before mutts could compete in AKC events and I'm not so sure people felt the same way as I did about our right to be there in the first place. We never went back to the same place for more than one session.

At the age of about 10, I decided it was silly that Bailey did not have his Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate yet. I decided to enter him in CGC class at the kennel club to get it. We went to 2 classes. The first one was a total zoo with a ton of people and nobody had a clue what was going on, I laughed. We didn't go for a week or two, then when we went to the next class the teacher went completely ballistic on me because I took Bailey's leash off of him for a down/stay. Apparently, WE DON'T DO OFF LEASH EXERCISES FOR CGC. Ok, lady, but my dog has been in obedience classes for about 9 years now, and he DOES do off leash exercises. We didn't go back.

We don't need no stinkin' CGC class!
The other night, the trainer for Rally classes called me to confirm Lilly's reservation in the class on Friday nights. I explained to her that Lilly has her Rally Novice title, but that I wasn't sure if we were ready for the more advanced class since we were so out of practice. I mentioned that maybe we would stay in the Novice class to brush up for this session and work on her off leash skills. The trainer responded with something like "Oh, no, we don't do off leash in Novice". Seriously? Really? Are you kidding me? What the hell difference does it make to anybody else in that class if my well trained dog has her leash taken off to practice off-leash heeling while everybody else is still using a leash? *Sigh* Here we go again...

Lilly earned her Rally Novice title - thanks to the kennel clubs in/around Milwaukee and Waukesha.

My most recent frustration with the kennel club comes with the recent inclusion of mixed breeds by AKC for performance sports. See, the AKC says we can compete (and both of my dogs have been registered for the purpose of doing so), but the individual host clubs get to decide whether or not they will include "All American Dogs" (mixed breed dogs) in their shows for Obedience, Rally, and Agility. I'll give you one guess as to whether the local kennel club decided to include mixes in their shows last year or not.

I refuse to volunteer at a show where the club does not allow me to compete with my own dog (unless it is a Specialty show where only one breed is allowed). If you help me, I'll help you - simple as that. Going to Kennel Club meetings in the coming months should be very interesting - I will have some very important questions to ask the board and the attending members so that I can make my decision as to whether or not I will join. :)


Maybe we'll be able to push a little change and get the local club to give mixed breeds some pretty "New Title" ribbons like this one Lilly got in Menominee Falls near Milwaukee.

So, back to Lilly and how proud I am of her. Tonight was our first Novice Obedience class at the local kennel club. I was very curious to see how this was going to go. I really truly don't care if my dog's heel is slightly off of perfect, and I give Lilly a lot of leeway with obedience because the stuff we do in those classes is so very far from the truly important things in our lives. I demand my dogs come when called, and wait when told to wait - these things could save their lives. A straight sit, well, I'm not sure how that could be a life or death situation. We're there to have fun, and that can be a tough thing for lots of trainers to accept, especially for those who show. I talk to Lilly incessantly - they REALLY don't like that one - and even ASK her to do things once in a while rather than telling her. *gasp*

We walked in a minute or two late because Lilly had not been there in a long while and she had a lot of sniffing to do outside. Once the class got going the trainer asked me who I was and what classes I had taken before, with just a twang of "are you supposed to be here" in her voice. I shook it off and made sure to provide her with Lilly's credentials, which seemed to satisfy her. I have no doubt there will be a few times I'll have to explain to the instructor that I am qualified to make my own decisions regarding what I expect of my dog and what I don't, but over all I think it will be ok.

How did she do? Amazing! We did a down/stay with all the handlers walking around the ring and I will admit, I was very afraid she was going to move. If only people knew how terribly difficult it was for her to stay put with strangers walking up on her from behind. She didn't budge, not an inch - she watched me carefully and waited patiently for me to return. I had a handful of cheerios waiting for her in my hand when I did. She also is doing wonderfully with standing still for the "Stand for Exam" exercise. Who knows, maybe, just maybe, she's got a CD (Companion Dog) title in her future. Only if she's up to it, though. The regular obedience titles are just not as fun as Rally.

Pet Blogger Challenge?

2011-01-10T13:27:00.001-06:00

Ok, so I'll admit I don't even know exactly where this started. I've just seen a couple of the blogs I read do this little questionnaire and it looked like a pretty cool idea. I'm not really the best "blog community" member that ever lived, but I have found some pretty cool people to follow along the way.

1. When did you begin your blog?
Uh... well... lemme go look.
Ah, yes, there it is, October 24, 2008. It was a dark and stormy night....
Maybe not.
This one still cracks me up. My second post ever. I kept the video camera by my bed for weeks to catch some of Lilly's hilarious antics.

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?
I used to be a scrapbooker, but then I got a flip video camera - how the heck was I supposed to put videos in my scrapbooks? Scrapbooking was also a heck of a lot of work and I very rarely actually wrote things in the books - it was all pictures (which is probably why most of my posts here are on picture overload). Blogging allowed me to add more different kinds of media, share posts with family, and save a tree. My blog started out largely as just a personal journal, and in many ways it remains as such. I do like the little extra push that having a few readers gives me to write something at least fairly regularly, though.

3. Is your current purpose the same?
I would say so. I might have a couple readers, but this blog is still very much my digital scrapbook.

4. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?
Ha! What do YOU think? ;)

If the latter, do you worry about… well, whatever you might worry about (e.g. losing traffic, losing momentum)?

There are many things I worry about in life (almost all of them involving my dogs) but my blog is not one of them. I'm just entirely too "don't sweat the small stuff" for that. I've also always been one of those people who's relatively unconcerned with whether or not people like me - it actually kinda weirded me out a little when one of my posts was featured on humanewatch.org and I had hundreds of readers in one day.

5. Are you generating income from your blog?
Nah, that sounds like work.

6. What do you like most about blogging in general and your blog in particular (bragging is good!)?
It's much faster than scrapbooking and MUCH less expensive. It's super easy for me to send a link to family members or friends if they want to see pictures of something my dogs and I did, and it's a coherent place to keep pictures of my babies that I otherwise would probably never look at. (I go back and re-read my own blog posts all the time)

7. What do you like least?
I can't really think of anything I dislike off hand. Sometimes I wish it was faster to get posts together, but if I think about how long it would take me to put all the stuff in a scrapbook I get over that real quick.

8. How do you see your blog changing or growing in 2011?
Well, as you know, there will be a little white fluffy addition coming to our pack this weekend. My google calendar is heavily sprinkled with purple (dog shows) and blue (races/trials) entries and darn near every one of them will show up here in some way. I expect this year's blog posts to include lots of Photo 51 Samoyeds, and I can't wait to get started! I'm also excited to further Lilly's show career.

Right here and now I am setting the goal to not let Bailey fall by the wayside as far as blogging goes - he may be retired, but he's the king of this house and he needs proper representation.

Puppy Notes - 7 Weeks

2011-01-09T01:32:00.001-06:00

Seems things have come full circle.

The puppies that I liked best at 2 weeks (Green, Orange, Red) are the ones I find I like best again this week. Last week I thought Orange's head looked a little over done. Now, well, I'm in love.

Only one more week...

How I know Lilly wants a puppy

2011-01-04T11:12:00.011-06:00

... and Bailey will just go take a nap somewhere else. :)

Oh yeah, and that's one of the sexiest men alive talking on the TV in the background.

Mike Rowe... deeeelicious!

Flashback to summer

2011-01-02T20:08:00.004-06:00

Remember Whitey? She stayed with us for a little while in Summer?

I found this video on my memory card and it made me laugh.

The last thing I needed was for the "loaner dog" to choke on a Dove Bar stick.

Don't worry, I got it back and all was well.

Here's Whitey enjoying the grass at the dog park earlier that afternoon.

I have to believe...

2011-01-02T19:42:00.001-06:00

... that when I see them, I will know. I have to believe that when I meet him, it will be an easy choice. I have to have faith in my gut... and in the breeders who will be there to help me.

Because until then... how on earth does anyone choose?

Can you see his Biscuit mask? You have to look closely.

* I melt *

He He! I took that picture of Rico on the left.

Just look at how completely adorable he is.

Stacked and pretty in the snow already. If the structure is there, this boy is gonna be a show demond.

His face has filled out SO much from when he was born. I'm really starting to like him.

A big thanks to ArticCross Samoyeds for the awesome 6 week pictures!

Countdown

2011-01-01T14:09:00.000-06:00

Created by OnePlusYou

Christmas Traditions

2010-12-27T15:55:00.000-06:00

As an atheist, my Christmas isn't about the birth of Christ - it's about tradition. For me, since childhood, Christmas has always just been about being with family and celebrating the gift of each other. Years ago, we all squeezed into my grandmother's living room and proceeded to open a giant pile of gifts. As a kid, this was the coolest thing ever. I mean, really - what kid doesn't want to be surrounded by wrapping paper and toys? Today, I take so much more joy in just having a relaxing day to be with my family. With or without a god in my life, Christmas has always been an important tradition for me and my family.

Some people would probably say it's a disrespectful way to celebrate Christmas... that it's not ok to call my celebration "Christmas" because Christmas is a religous holiday. They are probably right to some degree. I have attempted to come up with other names for it, but it doesn't seem to be catching on. Of course, if that's really the case, we should probably stop calling people in a legal union "married" since that is a religous concept as well. It's hard to know where to draw the line.

More recently, Christmas Eve has become a more major tradition among my immediate family. I like to call it "Seafood Feast Day". It's the day I look forward to in the way many people get excited about Thanksgiving. To me, turkey is dog food - Christmas Eve / Seafood Feast Day is when the truly awesome food hits the table and my mouth waters.

Oh, yeah - that's totally a pitcher of butter right there.

This year, my brother rocked our socks by getting us lobster tails. Did I ever mention that my brother is the coolest guy I know? Well, he is... and not because he bought us lobster tails.

There was also shrimp scampi and king crab legs. I meant to get more pictures, but I was kinda busy stuffing my face. Nobody leaves the table hungry on this day, that's for sure.

The best thing about Seafood Feast Day is that we hang out at my Mom and Dad's house for the rest of the evening and exchange gifts, play games, and laugh until we can't breathe (usually as a result of one of my brother's perfectly timed jokes). At one point during a rousing game of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" my Mom was laughing so hard I was trying to remember whether or not I knew CPR.

I hope everybody enjoyed (or will enjoy) their own holiday traditions this month.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T14:52:00.002-06:00

I still don't know who I'll end up with, so I included all the possible Mendels. As you can see, there's one possible Mendel that is particularly on the naughty side.

Thanks to ArticCross Samoyeds for the great 5 week pictures!

And here's an Oldie but a Goodie of Mr. Bailey in his Santa hat

He looks young with his muzzle still so dark back then.

Perseverance:

2010-12-24T06:19:00.005-06:00

per·se·ver·ance: steady persistence in a course of action in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement

"Lilly, get out from behind the pond."

"Lilly, you know everything past the little fence is the pond."

"Lilly, you're still in the pond"

"Lilly... oh, forget it"

What's that Mom? You give up? You're not even going to bother to yell at me for being back here anymore?

Yeah. That's what I thought.

Egggggcellent!

2010-12-19T15:12:00.001-06:00

***Note, this post was written a week ago, but clearly never posted for some reason. It seems a little lame to post it now, but I'm going to do it anyway just because the picture is so pretty.**

Let me show you what it looks like in my neck of the woods right now. I'm the red X.

Isn't it just positively BEAUTIFUL!?!

I have been very impatiently waiting for this. My skis, they have been feeling so terribly neglected. This afternoon the dogs and I headed outside to prepare the yard for all the snow. Last year I forgot to take the kayak down before the first big snowfall. Trying to get it down with a foot of snow on top of it darn near killed me. Who knew snow could be so heavy? It was much easier this time, and I finished the task with much less snow down my shirt.

I have been cooking because, well, there's not a whole lot else to do. If you're lucky, I'll show you what I made later.

Puppy Notes

2010-12-19T15:03:00.000-06:00

The ticket to Seattle to pick up my puppy next month has been purchased. The hotel, well, not so much... but I'm working on it.

Now, It's time to start figuring out which puppy will be best for me. I'm sure I won't know who I'm taking for sure until I actually get on the plane with him, but here's what I DO know:

Green Boy is very pretty. He's active, but not the most active in the litter. This could be a good thing. He is also looking like he's going to be a little more on the hairy side. Considering his Dad is a total hairy monster, this could is something to keep on eye on. Lots of hair can hold in heat and make him more likely to overheat when running in harness.

Orange Boy is Mr. Cool of the litter. I'm not gonna lie, I LOVE mellow dogs. I think he would be extremely easy to live with. He's so mellow I have to consider the possibility that he's too mellow to really be a good show dog for a first timer. There is a definite element of showing that involves showmanship and "spunk" and it can be hard for a newbie like me to get it out of a dog who doesn't naturally just have it. Also, how motivated will he be to run in harness, especially being the only member of the team for a while? Orange boy will likely have a little less coat than green, which is a plus.

Pink girl is way cute. She'll probably have a little shorter coat than some of the others.

But, well, she's a girl and a boy is a better option for me right now.

Purple girl is pretty bold. She's probably going to be a spunky girl. However, it's looking like she's likely to be pretty darn hairy for a girl. Hope whoever takes her doesn't get bossed around by her too much.

Red boy is pretty. He's got some biscuit markings like his Daddy. He's definitely got some spunk and made sure his voice was heard on picture day (a couple of his pictures were snapped while he was barking in protest). I think his head will be pretty and his coat will fall somewhere in the middle. The breeder says he's just like a mini Rico (his daddy). I'm interested to see how Mr. Red shapes up structure-wise.

Ah, Mr. Yellow. I just don't even know what to think about him. I don't think he's the "prettiest" of the litter, but clearly he does. He's bold and spunky and extremely smart. The breeder's fiancée has already posted on Facebook "Yellow puppy is a pain in the arse.. will be a great ball of trouble and fun for some one who is into agility." So the question becomes whether this would be a good thing for me, a person who wants to show and do agility and run a sled... or is the puppy pure poison for somebody who also wants an "easy to live with" dog. I think Lilly would have a heck of a lot of fun with this boy, and I have every intention of doing lots of training,etc. But is this going to be a puppy who continues to "research" possible escape routes from the back yard all day until he figures it out?... Who just can't adjust on days when I'm sick and can't work him? Well, I just don't know. His structure will be a big deciding factor for him.

On another note, yesterday a friend and I drove to Minnesota near the Twin Cities to "see about a horse".

Am I the only person on earth who likes to say this because it reminds me of Good Will Hunting where Robin Williams character tells his story about going to "see about a girl"? Yes? Ok, well, whatever.

Anyway, my friend is a horse girl. She found a nice Fresian in Minnesota that is being sold at a VERY good price. So, we went to see her. On the way we talked about both horses and dogs, and did a lot of comparing and contrasting between the two "worlds". When I told her what a puppy like the one I'm getting costs she said she couldn't believe people would pay so much for a DOG when you can get a perfectly good one for $100 at the shelter. Of course, I smirked and asked her "HOW MUCH is the horse we're going to look at again? $6,000? Don't they also have those on Petfinder.com? Yeah, that's what I thought." I think after a little bit she started to realize that things are pretty much the same in dogs as they are in horses. :)

We're slackers and didn't get pictures of the horse, but here's a picture of a Friesian so you know what they look like. They're very pretty horses.

Horses are funny, though. Even though they're supposed to be "work animals" the desired gait for many breeds is more about "pretty" and "flashy" than it is about "efficient". With Samoyeds, as you have read before, we are looking for great efficiency in movement. Check out this gait of a Friesian horse:

Now, don't quote me on just how "excellent" this horse is, because to be honest I see too much drive from the rear and occasionally he interferes under himself and has to pull up in the front. But, well, I'm just not a horse girl so I don't know what they like. Either way, I have to admit it is pretty. One thing I can say is that he generally has good balanced movement. Watch his opposing legs and you will see that they move in unison, for example: his right front leg and his back left leg come up and move forward in unison. When it's balanced like that is really does look lovely.

Notice on that video it says the horse is standing at stud at Blackshire Equestrian. Apparently, that place is some kind of meca for Friesian people. Turns out were were like 15 minutes from the place when we went to see the horse and didn't even realize it. My friend was so bummed we didn't have time to stop there. If she ends up buying the horse she'll have to make a weekend of it and visit.

The handy thing for me was that I got to pick up a carrier I will need for the puppy next month while I was in Minnesota. Bonus!!

It's love

2010-12-11T03:51:00.001-06:00

Allow me to introduce you to the reason it is essential that I ski on a daily basis from now until the snow is gone:

It never fails, the snow begins to fall and I begin to have intense cravings for hot chocolate. The chocolate wine I picked up on my recent Door County wine tour sure doesn't hurt. It's magically delicious straight from the bottle, not that I would ever drink wine from the bottle or anything.

And, of course, my baby is 3 weeks old now - I wouldn't want to deprive you of baby pictures.

I'm still loving Green Boy's head.

So far he doesn't appear to have a very strong personality, but I'm keeping my eye on him.

Clearly, he's a little drunk on the milk here. :)

I'm told that Red is just like his Daddy. Similar head, has some biscuit coloring.

(Biscuit is the slightly tan-ish color Samoyeds can have, they're not always all white)

Apparently, Mr Orange is seriously mellow.

I'm keeping a close eye on him, he might be a good choice for me.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have some hot chocolate calling my name.

Jen at Cabin Fever is a Rock Star, just sayin'

2010-12-08T01:10:00.000-06:00

If you read my blog with any real regularity, it's probably pretty apparent that I'm a bit scatter-brained at times. Not with everything. There are many things I know like the back of my hand and I can be very particular and precise about.

Usually it's the details of things where I tend to get lost. I am simply not a very detail oriented person with most things. Friends will ask me if I noticed the terribly ugly shoes somebody was wearing at the mall, and I can pretty much guarantee you the answer is 'no'. I probably don't even know what shoes *I* happen to be wearing, or if they matched. When I meet people for the first time, it's pretty common that I have forgotten their name less than 3 minutes after they told me (if I meet their dog, you can bet I'll remember his name, though). When riding in the car somebody might point something out to me and I'll have forgotten they pointed it out by the time we pass it on the way back in the other direction, it will be completely new to me. If I had a significant other and he got angry because it seems like I don't pay attention when he says things to me, he'd have a perfectly valid complaint. (Fortunately, my dogs never seem to mind.) This is one of my worst qualities.

I've been working on trying to get better about this for years. I am reminded on an almost daily basis that I need to try harder. A lot harder.

Last month Jen over at Cabin Fever in Vermont had a photography contest like she does every month. I love her photography contests. She comes up with great topics every time. The subject for November was "Thankful" photos. Excellent topic!!

It was a pretty easy choice for my photo entries. I can think of very few things I am more thankful for than this guy:

I remember the Saturday morning I took this picture. One of many Saturday mornings I spent laying on the floor taking endless pictures of my pets while we lazed around in the sun pouring through the window. After I snapped this particular picture I crawled over next to Bailey and snuggled right up next to him, which of course prompted him to turn over on his side so I could rub his belly while he took a nap.

Hmmm... I don't seem to have much trouble remember THOSE details.

The sun doesn't pour in the windows anymore because I work nights and have blackout curtains blocking it out, and Bailey doesn't often sleep on the floor anymore because his orthopedic bed (or my bed) is much easier on his sore joints... but we're still professional nappers around here.

At the end of the month Jen announced the winners and there he was, my boy and his bunny, one of the winning photos. Below the photo it said to contact Jen to claim our prize.

And here it sneaks up on me again, that attention to detail I seem to have so much trouble with. I didn't even know the winner was to get a prize. When I sent the e-mail to claim my prize I honestly had no idea what I had won. Imagine my surprise when a $50 gift certificate for Amazon.com from Jen at Cabin Fever showed up in my 'In Box'.

Let's just say I have a bit of an Amazon.com addiction. I buy so much stuff they gave me a one year free trial of their "Prime" membership so I even get free shipping. What a totally SWEET prize! I pondered for days what I should buy with my winnings.

I finally decided on this book... and a kong for the new baby, of course

It's a book aimed at teaching you to pick apart the structure of a dog and understand what exactly it is about a dog that makes him look "correct" or not. Often the differences are very subtle that it requires a "skilled eye" to see them. I'm working on developing that "eye".

It's just another attempt on my part to get better at that whole paying attention to the details thing. :)

One step at a time... one step at a time...

Thanks Jen, your blog is one of my favorites!!

Can't Depend On Snow

2010-12-05T00:28:00.002-06:00

It's a great name, really. "Can't Depend on Snow". That's what they call this annual race put on every year to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation. December in Wisconsin, you really can't depend on snow.

Speaking of snow, given that snow has fallen just about everywhere in the Upper Midwest BUT where I live, I'm feeling a little ripped off. I'm holding onto the idea that maybe this means rather than a few dustings here and there, we will get one nice heavy dump of snow sooner or later... I just have to be patient. Yeah, that's it, just be patient.

Today, my friend Kat and I headed about an hour and half south to go watch the Can't Depend On Snow sled dog race. It was quite a lot of fun. There was just a light covering of snow on the ground which gave racers the option to stick with wheels or go for a sled. I love seeing the cool dry land rigs people come up with.

So, here's a bunch of pictures from just outside the starting chute:

This picture makes things look like it went smoothly, but these dogs sure gave this poor handler a hard time.

Check it out! A team of Australian Shepherds! Sweet!

This rig was nice, with a big 'ol spring under the seat and everything.

A team headed for the finish line.

In the home stretch, the very definition of "dog tired".
It was obvious a lot of teams hadn't gotten a lot of running in for this year yet, and it wasn't as cold as they dogs would have preferred it (though it was plenty cold for me).

I am relatively certain this team won their class. The were running as hard through the finish as they were out of the chute. Clearly they were a very well conditioned team, and their handler is just a little bit crazy to be riding a bike on a slippery golf course with a dusting of snow over it.

It's way cool to see kids handling a team. This young man had his dogs in the weight pull as well.

That's an awfully big smile for a guy who's rig broke down and he had to run with his team the rest of the way. His rig is on the trailer behind that big orange Argo-type thing behind him. This picture makes me feel a little guilty for not getting my butt to the gym today.

This is a 12 dog team a guy had for giving kids sled dog rides. They went in a big circle, all the while the handler on the rear of the stripped down dune buggy screamed "Right, Right, Right, Right...". It didn't take long for the dogs to become disenchanted with the whole running in circles idea... and to get hot.

The helpers brought them water every time they stopped to let different kids onto the cart.

Given that this was on a golf course, I was totally shocked the first time I saw the guy throw his snow hook into the turf. It appears this particular spot is being "remodeled", as you can tell by the tree that has been cut down, so they must not have been too concerned. In case you have never seen one, this is a snow hook:

Normally, you would stomp this into the snow to anchor a team so they don't take off on you. Big teams, like you see in the Iditarod and such often have to be held with more than one hook. You can imagine bringing a team of twelve dogs to a screeching halt with a hook like that is going to leave a bit of a "divot" in a golf course. :)

This white husky was the nicest moving one of the bunch. It was so interesting to watch them run - when most of the team was at a gallop, and he was just trotting along making it look effortless. It's not hard to see what a difference good movement makes in a sled dog. I wish I brought my video camera so I could take some video of it.

This lady's dogs had never pulled a rig before. They were the only Sammies I saw there all day so I had to take some pictures of them. They were more interested in sniffing around at first.
This was after the race, they borrowed a rig from somebody just to give it a try.

It's a good thing the rig was easy for her to steer.

I won't say too much about this except that this is something you would never see me doing. I am a bit of a stickler for preparation. When I help people with training I do everything I can to drill into their heads how incredibly important it is to NEVER set your dog up to fail. I will freely admit that quite often my dogs are "over prepared" (if that's even possible) for a lot of things, but I can also say that means they don't get thrown into situations they're not prepared to handle. I have always found that it is 100 times easier to "over plan" an experience for a dog and ensure that they succeed (and do it correctly) than it is to jump in on a whim and wind up having to go back and fix mistakes.

**Please excuse me while I climb down from my soap box, now.**

Fortunately, it seems they did eventually catch on.

Two 'fer... Thursday?

2010-12-02T18:53:00.000-06:00

The baby's breeder just posted pictures and I simply couldn't help but share.

I am going to make my official guess as to which Boy and Girl I will like the best. This doesn't take into account structure since I can't really tell that yet, but I do happen to be one of those people that falls for pretty heads. I know better than to be fooled by pretty heads, but I still love them.

So, for the boys, I'm going with Green Boy:

Can I just say that I think this is the best puppy picture ever? I do.

and for the girls, I'm picking Purple Girl:

Happy Thanksgiving?

2010-12-02T18:25:00.001-06:00

Hmmmm....

So, I'm a little behind. This is nothing new. I'm behind on a lot of things right now. Blogging just became my best option for avoidance of all the other things, so here I am.

Thanksgiving was nice this year. We just went over to my parents' house and had dinner. My grandparents came over and it was a nice quiet day to relax.

There were Thanksgiving baby pictures, of course (courtesy of their breeder):

Mama "Allele"

Red Boy

It was great to have a few days off after Thanksgiving. Black Friday is the one "not an actual holiday" that UPS gives us as a paid holiday every year, so I got a nice long 4 day weekend. Yay!!

There had been a wall in my house that was totally blank and I just couldn't decide what to do with it. I used to have a big blanket with a German Shepherd on it hung there which pretty much covered the whole wall, but I kinda got tired of it (and it may or may not have started becoming a dust problem).

*** Pause the story! I need to tell you what my Lilly is doing right this very second. It's simply too funny not to share. She walked over to the toy box and was snooping around trying to find something she wanted. Unfortunately, she is just too polite to disrupt the other toys in the box so she just gave up on the one she wanted, which was under another toy, and walked away. It doesn't help that the edge of the box comes to about halfway up her chest. I got up and tipped the box on its' side for her so she would have an easier time of getting in there to grab what she wants and told her to try again. Now, she is slowly and VERY carefully removing toys one-by-one, selecting only the ones on top that come out easily, and bringing them to the living room. ***

Ok, back to the story. So, since I've been living with this big blank white wall for MONTHS, I decided I simply must do something about it. The wall is located in what normal people would use as a dining area. I'm not normal. Though I do eat there a lot, it's because I'm eating at my desk, not a dinner table. It really is a perfect place for my "office" because it's centrally located in the house. Behind me is the living room, to my right are the bedrooms, and to my left is the kitchen. I can generally see where the dogs are and what they are up to at any time. (which is good considering I'll be getting a puppy soon)

After getting my pictures from the photographer the other day, I thought they would be a good place to start. I decided that a bulletin board would be very helpful in my "office" as well. So, here's the finished project:

Why, yes, I do have a portable dish washer in my 'office'. Doesn't everybody?

I simply must show you this picture of Mater from the Nationals in Tennessee where he won Reserve Winners Dog! Mater will be a half brother to my baby, and I am a little bit in love with him. I can only hope my baby will look (and have a temperament) a lot like him. I think this is an absolutely awesome picture!

Double Helix Tractor Tipping "Mater"

In other news, Mendel's name has be altered slightly because a friend came up with a GENIUS registered name for him. He will be:

Double Helix 'n ArticCross' Mendelian Masterpiece

Now, the big question is... which one will be Mendel?

On Saturday I'm planning to go to the first dog sled race of the season. It's called the "Can't Depend on Snow" race for a reason. It's gonna be dry land rigs, but that doesn't mean it's not fun. Hoping to get lots of good pics. There's a weight pull, too.

A Day in the Life of a Mutt

A New Chapter

The Monthly Mendel - 9 Months

Specialty Weekend

The Monthly Mendel: 8 Months

They grow up so fast. *sniff*

Happy Father of Genetics Day!

Spondylosis stinks

Pieces of our Hearts.. and Minds

Sportsman of the Year?

The Monthly Mendel: 7 Months

The Value of a Dog

Urban Mushing

Pool Party!

One's Company, Two's a Crowd, and Three's a Party!

It's finally here!

Not a Fan of 8am

Pennings

Show Report: Mendel's First Show

The Monthly Mendel: 6 Months

Getting Ready... (aka Procrastinating...)

Every day is Mother's Day

The Monthly Mendel: 5 Months

Stacking Blocks

Chicken Liverbread

Sun & Snow

Mother Nature is Bi-Polar

And on the 4th day of spring...

4 Months!

Not Me Did It!!

What are PETA and the HSUS doing to our culture?

Yay for more snow!

Mush for a Cure

Fun at the Dog Park

Upgrade

What Wisconsin Knows...

All in a day's work...

Bath Time - Part Deux

The Monthly Mendel

Making Friends - 11 Weeks

SQUIRREL!

Preserving Memories

Speaking of neutering...

Mendel in pictures - 10 weeks

Bath Time

Packer Game Sunday - Mendel Style

I'm So Embarassed!

Playing in the Snow (Mendel: 9weeks)

Mendel: 8 weeks

The more we know...

Decisions, Decisions

Operation Puppy Wings: T minus 12 hours, and counting...

I can't breathe...

So Proud of My Girl

Pet Blogger Challenge?

Puppy Notes - 7 Weeks

How I know Lilly wants a puppy

Flashback to summer

I have to believe...

Countdown

Christmas Traditions

Merry Christmas

Perseverance:

Egggggcellent!

Puppy Notes

It's love

Jen at Cabin Fever is a Rock Star, just sayin'

Can't Depend On Snow

Two 'fer... Thursday?

Happy Thanksgiving?

They grow up so fast. sniff