Breakthrough!

Woo hoo! Phoebe is now coming out of her crate to go to the back door without the aid of a leash. She follows my leg like glue (so long as I don't look at her) and then heads out the door. She has beaned herself in the head on the glass door a couple of times in her haste to get outside. Pretty funny, poor baby! This was a major hurdle for her and I am absolutely thrilled!

Welcome Phoebe

Her name has been decided (at last!). Phoebe it is, thank you all for your input! Brian got the final say in the end since he has to live with her for now. So welcome to your foster home Phoebe, I am looking forward to seeing your progress over the coming months and helping you come out of your shell. Here she is this morning.

Her progress thus far: she still needs to be put on a leash to be taken outside but she goes out right past me. Once she is out there she is happy, she does her thing and is even starting to play chase games a bit with the other dogs. She really likes Toque and Sobe the best (Heidi gave her a nice dane paw smack so she is not the favorite). She has decided that inside the house is the only way to go and she scratches at the door like a little fiend if she thinks she has been left. She still spends most of her time in her kennel in the house, but she comes out more and more. She put her paws up on the chair yesterday, she was curious about Toque being up on the chair. Of course as soon as you look at her or acknowledge her she shoots back into the kennel. But, she is no longer plastered at the back of the kennel as far as she can squeeze herself. She is at the front and is comfortable enough to rest with the door open now. She still won't take food from my hand, but cheese is a great motivator and I have high hopes for that and I'll keep trying. She is eating with us in the room which is progress. She is booked for a grooming appointment on the 29th (they are aware that she bites, of course little biters cost extra). Hopefully she is ready for that, but regardless she stinks and is leaving clumps of matted fur everywhere so she is getting done like it or not and I will take her somewhere so that she doesn't associate me with the experience. That is it for now. I'm going to try peanut butter on a spoon today and see if she goes for that.

Cai was learning to lick his lips yesterday. Another ridiculous trick but what the heck. Sobe and Jorja are learning to do handstands, I'll try and get a little video of that progress for all you interested folks!

Really stupid pet trick

No, I haven't decided about the new dogs name, although a friend has suggested Snappy Von Bitenstein and I have to say that one has kind of stuck!! (No I will not call her that, honestly).



In the meantime I was doing some free shaping with Heidi. Don't ask me how this came up, it just did! I started putting it on cue (the hand signal of holding my nose) but I'm not sure that I really want to encourage this behaviour! For those of you wondering about Heidi's deafness, she can hear the clicker (so long as it isn't in my pocket or behind my back) but voices are pretty much out (unless I scream at a distance which I have to say has been pretty handy).

The name poll

For some reason this little foster girl is not speaking to me and letting me know her name. So here's the shortened list, have a look at her picture (below) and let me know your choice! :) She is about the size of a pomeranian or small sheltie.

Aspen

Dot

Tilly

Phoebe

Simple Progress

I am happy to report that we have succeeded in our goals. I am now able to clip the leash on and off Shiloh while she is in her crate without being bitten. I did get her on my lap with some struggle and some snapping. I think she is learning that I am more persistent than she is! She is now coming in and going out the door with me standing at the door (going out is the double whammy of lino and evil person so I still have to hold the leash). She is also scratching at the back door to come in! Yay! Yesterday she ventured out of the crate with the other dogs around. She still bolts back when I look at her though. Simple steps.

A couple of random photos

Cai weaving in Quesnel, always a good time! The truck packed to the gills on the way south, add one more big crate and the suitcases and that was how full the truck was!

Shiloh at the back door looking not too weird. :)

Doggie Detox Days 1-5

Day 1
Shiloh (soon to be renamed, haven't thought of anything good yet but it won't contain the word "shy") is transported from Adams county into my care along with four other puppy mill rescues. Shiloh has not been out of the kennels like most of the other dogs that were rescued. She is a complicated case, extremely shy and a biter. Unlike the others she has not had a chance to be in foster care or warmed up to her caregivers. Long car ride for her in her little kennel but she managed just fine. I did not let her out of the kennel until I got back home, and even then waited an hour or two to bring her out. One thing you don't do with a biting dog is stick your hand in the kennel to get a leash on, so I unceremoniously turned the kennel upside down and shuffled her out. First thing she does of course is hide in the corner, but at least I was able to get the leash on her without being bitten. Off we go outside. First time she's seen a leash, so i dragged her out the door (first time she's seen a sliding door, steps, and grass). Lucky me, she had on a regular cheap collar that broke. One free puppy mill dog loose in the back yard. Oh dear god are my thoughts, how stupid was that that I didn't put the martingale collar on her right away. Thank god for Brian's excellent fencing, there is no place for her to make the escape. If there was it would have been game over as she ran around the perimeter looking for her escape. Brian and I managed to corner her inbetween the house and the shed. He kept her from escaping while I ever so gently held out my hand (carefully sealed inside the puffy winter jacket). She snapped, snapped, snapped and then let me get my hand up behind her ears. If you ever have to pick up a biting dog the easiest way to get them without being bitten is to scruff them like a cat. Hold on to their neck folds nice and tight so they can't swing their heads around to bite you. Scruff her I did, holding on for dear life as I knew I was only going to get this lucky once. Into the house we went and on went the martingale collar so she couldn't slip another one.
Detox has begun, I put her in her kennel with the non-slip collar and a leash attached. This is essential so they a) don't ever figure out that slipping their collar works to get away; b) the attached leash gives me easy access to the dog without being bitten; and c) I can interact with the dog at a distance.
Days one and two consist of complete kennel rest away from commotion, on leash potty breaks only and fasting.
The kennel rest away from my herd helps the new dog to settle after the noise of a shelter and cold concrete plus they do not have to try and establish themselves in my group. As well, this allows me to see if the dog has any contagious diseases or extra critters. On leash potty breaks only helps the new dog learn that pottying in front of me is not a bad thing (many dogs have been punished for going to the bathroom in front of people) and I get to see what the dogs behaviour is like in general with the security of the leash. Fasting has three purposes. First is to help the dog get whatever food that their previous home or shelter has been feeding them out of their system so their gut can handle the new diet I give them. Secondly shelters, transferring homes, crate training, new environment etc. is very stressful. I find that if you feed new dogs in the first day you end up with a diarrhea problem and then you have to further stress by bathing. Third is I am making the dog hungry so that it will want to take food from me (this is really the most important I think). It is essential that I develop a relationship with the new dog so they can learn to trust and learn how to earn reward for good behaviour.
For Shiloh, Days one through three were all focused on getting her comfortable with the leash and going outside. I tied two leashes together so she could have twelve feet between myself and her. By day two she was doing better and following along for the most part so long as you don't look at her. The lino is still scary but she is getting over it. I have been dropping the leash for her as she gets outside so she can potty with me standing in the yard. It is too much for her to potty on the leash even at twelve feet but she can manage with me in the yard which is great. Her kennel is in the computer/t.v room so she sees us regularly now, sees the dogs and is getting used to house noises.
Day four I cut her back to one leash. Again, very stressful for her to be a mere six feet away now but as the day progressed she got better and better. She also was subjected to being forced to be near me at a distance of four feet while I watched t.v. on leash with no access to her kennel. This met with a lot of resistance, she was trying desperately to chew through her leash, back out of the collar, and find any means of escape. After about a half hour she gave up somewhat and lay down on the dog bed next to her closed kennel and gave me the evil eye.

Today (day 5) I have taken the leash off in the kennel and left the kennel door open. With no other dogs in the room she has come out of the kennel a few times, success! As soon as I turn to look at her and tell her she's a good girl she shoots back into the kennel though, and she refuses to come out with another dog in the room. We have two goals today. First is to get the leash on her to go outside without being bitten. The second is to get her on my lap for fifteen minutes of touch the person time. I have been hand feeding her her meals. She has thus far refused to take anything from me but yesterday was the first day she ate something in my presence (yay for chicken necks!). She is making steady progress, a little bit each day.

The Washington Post

Hi all!

Well we have arrived, it is official. After a long journey (with a great stop over in Kamloops to visit) we made it here to the US. Customs was not a great time, they did not know what to make of a crazy dog lady travelling with seven dogs. I got detained for two hours. First they totally ignored me then they put me behind a wall on a bench (reminded me of the Group W bench from the Arlo Guthrie song Alice's restaurant!) so I couldn't see while they went through my truck. Yes, even with the dogs in it they went through it. Needless to say I was a quivering wreck by the time the inquisition began but we made it through, they gave me my passport back and off I went. Unfortunately, Heidi and Toque can not behave themselves left to their own devices in the front seat for two hours. Heidi ate all seven international health certificates and my address book (thankfully the customs agent had my passport or that would have gone bye bye too) and Toque, in casual Toque style flipped the lid off my iced tea and drank it all (about 750mls worth). So off we went, some of us shaking with anxiety (that was me) and some of us shaking with sugar rush (that would be Toque).

I stopped of at the Noah Centre to let the dogs out for a run (great place for some safe off leash exercise if you're travelling by the way). Playing chuck-it Toque (in her sugar rush not that she needs any extra speed) whipped herself into a frenzy for the ball and managed to get herself T-boned by Jorja. In her haste to tell off Jorja for standing in the way and get the ball at the same time she injured herself. One little scream and up came the hind left leg. She hasn't put it down since.

I drove the rest of the way down, got everything unloaded and the dogs all settled (by this time it was 8 o'clock). I spent the night worrying about my little Toque. She was off to the local vet yesterday morning for exam and x-rays. I had to leave her there for the day as the transport for the mini aussies was already planned.

The transport went well, I drove to North Bend to pick up the dogs (lovely spot, mountains and forest very pretty) and then drove them up to the Skagit Casino for the exchange with Kim. The casino cops were unhappy about us meeting there (apparently "transactions" on casino property are not allowed, ha!) but all was well in the end. Of course I forgot my camera yesterday to take pictures of the dogs during their adventure. They were all really good, Cyrus rode up front with me to keep my company (the whole time he would look over at me then look away really quick, he was trying not to get caught being social :) ) Penny is off to Kim's, Scruffy and Don Juan and Cyrus to the shelter and Shiloh (who needs a new name that does not contain the word shy) is here.

I arrived back home around 4:00 and was then off to pick up Toque at the vet. She has dislocated her knee. The vet tells me he put it back into place and showed me the xrays. A very nice vet, but not a sports medicine guy. Anyway as a side benefit I got to see her hips which are beautiful. She is still refusing to set down the leg which has me worried tremendously. Did the kneecap slip back out? What do I do now? I have a call in to another place that has a hydrotherapy pool and have sent a message to Dr.Jeff Bowra at the SPAW in aldergrove for advice. So much for weave training! I just hope that this is an injury she will be able to recover from without surgery. They were unable to determine the state of her ACL because of the swelling. So I guess we wait. Poor baby, she wants to play but she can't.

Shiloh the puppy mill dog is very much a puppy mill dog. Of course, night one she slips her collar and is loose in the back yard. Not a problem since the fence is excellent there is nowhere for her to go but definitely a pain in the you know what. Brian and I managed to corner her (she is a little biter the brat, thank god for down coats). I picked her up and brought her back in the house. Round one for her unfortunately but what the heck. She has started doggy detox. I'll write separate posts for her and her progress. That's all for now, I am off to work the dogs!

The BC post...

One more sleep! I was supposed to be on my way today but my uncles and my Grandad are coming into town today. I don't get to see them often so I'm delaying my trip by a day. No worries, I wasn't packed yet anyway!

The dogs and I went out for a last romp in the snow. This is their favorite spot for walkies, LOTS of space and no other people. It doesn't get any better than that!

Heidi wants to show off her funky ears. She also wants everyone to know that she has outgrown all the crates and is now in her very own Dane sized kennel. Don't be outgrowing this one there Heidi, they don't make them any bigger! At six months old she is now 23" at the shoulder with lots more growing left to do. Despite all my whining about her screaming and incontinence she is a wonderful dog. Very outgoing and social, she loves everyone and has lots of toy drive too. Watch out when she comes running though, the brakes aren't there yet!

In rescue dog news the puppy mill aussies are at last on their way north. I'll be meeting the great folks from Adam County Pet Rescue on wednesday and picking up the last of the 120 rescued dogs. Five of them will be coming north, one to stay with me and the others will be going to the North Van Humane society for assessment and further placement by our good friend and fellow spotty dog lover Kim. They will be well cared for there. Stay tuned for a diary of progress on whichever dog comes to stay with me.

Here they are!

Shiloh (she will be staying with me likely, she needs very serious and intensive rehab. She has not been out of the kennels yet and is a fear biter)

Pennie (she'll be fostered with Kim, another that needs intense work)

Don Juan

Scruffy (no pictures of him yet sorry. He is a black tri male though)

Cyrus See you all in Washington!

Four more sleeps

I have a headache. A bad one. I think from clenching and grinding my teeth for the last week. I almost said something truly nasty today but thankfully my jaw was clenched so tight at work that nothing came out. Grateful am I! One more major project done today at work. Not done really, but at least I have done everything I can for the moment. The next steps are out of my hands so I am officially going to not worry about it any more.
It looks like maybe, finally, we will be helping to get some of the mini aussie puppy mill dogs into care. It is too late for me to help in the way I wanted to but I will still take one and help to transport the others since I will be down that way. There has been so much calling wolf with this that I will believe it when I see it but that is maybe my clenched jaw talking again...
Four more sleeps to no more appointments, agendas, sessions or meetings. Wahoo!

The countdown begins!

Five more sleeps until the big adventure. Holidays, two glorious months! House insurance is paid, mice are exterminted (sorry to the mouse lovers), Mollie got a bath (she is the most resistant dog to bath, honestly she is like a two year old playing the 'limp noodle in the store' trick) Heidi got a bath, the rest are still stinky for now. Trixie has two months of pre-made individually packaged meals for my mom. All we have to do now is survive the last two days of work and try to cram myself, seven dogs, and two months worth of supplies into the truck without making it look like we are crossing the border and never coming back! Managed to get the bridesmaids dress for my friend Katie's wedding in to be altered today. Four seamstresses later and I found one who can get it done in two days! At least that will be all finished, I'll be glad to have that one last emergency task out of the way. The dogs and I had a great walk yesterday in the snow, I did take some pictures that I will upload maybe later tonight. Off to handling class with Toque just now and a dinner for work tonight. I can not WAIT for my schedule to slow down even a little. My christmas shopping is even done since it needed to be all finished before I go on my adventure. First time EVER I have finished before the 23rd! I still haven't wrapped yet though. For those that have been enjoying the tricks, I will have more time as of next week, so stay tuned there should be some good ones coming your way! If you have any ideas please send them along...we are always up for a clicker challenge! Happy Tuesday,

S

Kelby

Kelby is looking for an extra special home. She is a 5 year old mini aussie who is both blind and deaf. She is missing one eye and is blind in the other. Despite this, she is a loving and tolerant girl. She gets along well with other dogs, children and cats. She is also housetrained. Kelby is located in Winfield B.C. Please send me an e-mail if you would like to be connected with her current gaurdian to hear more about her!

#4 Eight dogs wait for their supper

Not really a pet trick, but watching them eat in 20 seconds flat is always entertaining! More rescue dog news is on the way in the next week or so (hopefully!) so stay tuned for dogs looking for homes. In the meantime....release the hounds!!!!

SPT #3 Cai gets a drink

I taught this one originally with a cooler a couple of years back after I saw the Bud commercial with the border collie in it. Too bad I don't have a terrier to make the whole thing! Anyways...no canned beer in this house, and we can't risk having the fella drop a glass bottle on the tile, so a toned down version this is. On another note, the fridge addition is new, and no, I did not leave the toy there after he did his trick! He is a garbage gut and needs no help in finding inappropriate things to eat! Without further ado, here is Cai!

Baggage

Baggage

Now that I'm home, bathed, settled, and fed,All nicely tucked into my warm new bed. I would like to open my baggage Lest I forget,There is so much to carry - So much to regret.
Hmm... Yes there it is, right on the top -Let's unpack Loneliness, Heartache and Loss, And there by my leash hides Fear and Shame.
As I look on these things I tried so hard to leave -I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain. I loved them, the others, the ones who left me, But I wasn't good enough - for they didn't want me.

Will you add to my baggage?

Will you help me unpack?

Or will you just look at my things and take me right back?
Do you have the time to help me unpack?To put away my baggage, To never re-pack?I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see, But I do come with baggage - Will you still want me?
By Evelyn Colbath

#2 Mollie shuts the cupboards

Stupid Pet Trick #1

Toque Helps with the Dishes!

Stay Tuned!

Since I don't have any dogs up for adoption at the moment the blog is going to go in a new direction for a little while...stupid pet tricks!!! The dogs want to show off some of their stuff and maybe give people some new ideas on things to teach with your clicker. :)
On another note, there is a deaf australian shepherd named spotty in the Boundary SPCA that is looking for a home. Check him out on the SPCA website, he is a staff favorite!

Eddie's looking for an agility home

This is Eddie. He is up in a shelter in Smithers BC and is looking for that perfect someone to love him and teach him things. He is an around 2 year old jack russel (or mix) and as cute as can be! Here is what his friend Lorna has to say about him:

He looks like a JRT but may be a mix, certainly has the "bounce", lots of toy drive, works well for food but is not nuts, he can settle down quite quickly even after playing. He seems to get on well with other dogs, likes people, doesn't chase the cats at the kennel (they are very used to dogs so don't run). I've been taking him out every couple of days for a week or so now, he walks fairly well on leash, is learning to sit before going through doors, before the toy is thrown etc. He is on the Northwest Animal Shelter Society website at http://www.nwass.ca/

PUP-dates

Everyone has gone off to their new homes!

Here is what Jake's mom has to say:

I had to write to let you know that Jake is a WONDER dog. Every
minute of the day he is just pure joy.
In the morning he comes upstairs (usually he sleeps in his crate
downstairs but I leave the door open and he goes in and out as he
pleases) and will settle down at the foot of the bed and hang out
till one of us gets up to take him out to pee. If he has to pee real
bad he'll nudge me a bit and stare very intently (like 'don't you go
back to sleep lady! i gotta go outside now!). He hasn't ever had an
accident, but I never make him hold it for long, I think the longest
might have been movie night and that was for about 3 hours.
We go for a run in the morning. He'll run with me, at my side most of
the time. Sometimes he runs ahead on the track and then stops to
sniff things till i catch up. He circles back to check on me all the
time though. Then we'll finish off the morning exercise with a good
game of ball or frisbee till he calls it quits. Then home for
breakfast. He eats his breakfast so fast, then he'll usually watch me
eat mine with such a doleful expression on his face that I end up
sharing. He quite likes bananas and apples and all kinds of berries
and he loves carrot sticks too. Occassionally he gets some low fat
cottage cheese or an egg.
He's great in the house when I leave him alone. I'll take him out to
do bathroom business then give him a treat to keep him busy, usually
his kong with a little peanut butter or some carrot sticks. When I
come home my place is intact and he's always curled up in his crate.
He comes out stretching and ready to play. I'm happy to report that
there has not been any hoarding of toys ( his toys are all over the
house) nor thieving of socks or shoes. He will occassionally carry
one around but never into his crate.
I've taken him hiking a few times already, baden powell and pacific
spirit trails, he wears his blue backpack when we go for hikes. I was
surprised at how happily he took to carrying a back pack. He'll carry
a bottle of water and his portable bowl, my apple, some treats for
him and a small towel for when he decides to go swimming. I trust him
off leash when we get away from the roads, he runs ahead on the trail
but always comes back looking to make sure I'm following. His recall
is excellent, he comes back without fail everytime I call him.
His backpack came in handy the other day when I went grocery shopping
too. He carried home the groceries very dutifully, not once stopping
to sniff. He's decided that it is a very serious job and I was
beaming and laughing on the inside at how serious he looked.
He is very well behaved when we're out. Everyone loves Jake.
Everywhere we go people stop to pet him, children love him and adults
stop and ask what breed he is. He is a great champion of your
organisation. I can go to starbucks and sit outside and he'll plonk
down next to me and he's happy to stay there no matter how long I
take reading the paper. All my friends have remarked on how well
behaved and friendly he is and beautiful to look at and they are
falling over themselves lining up to petsit if the need ever arose.
He went to the vet's on thursday. Jake had a general check up and the
vet pronounced him healthy as can be. Jake gave him lots of kisses
and the receptionist and his assistants kept giving him treats. We
did the paws for a cause walk today and Jake met a few other aussie
shepherds there. He's good around other dogs and surprisingly ok in
stressful environments, I keep him on a short leash and he takes his
cues from me. He does get a little jealous when I pat other dogs so
we're going to work on that a little.
In the evenings we'll play a long game of ball, sometimes i'll play
soccer with him, we sure have fun. He'll have his dinner and watch tv
with us and then i spend some time lying on the floor with him and
talking to him. We're bonding. He use to avoid looking at me a bit
but now it's long loving eyes. My man thinks we're in love with each
other- and in truth, we are.
You've given me the BEST dog ever. He is doted on, adored and loved.
with much thanks,
steph

Sam went to his new home this last weekend. So far it sounds like he is a popular boy! He is certainly getting plenty of exercise! Here he is with Emma:

Tile floors and other things

I really love tile. No, I mean really. Except for the grout, if they made tile with no dirty grout someone would be a millionaire. Why do I love tile? Because when Trixie the geriatric dog is incontinent you just wipe it up and carry on with your day. Poor dog peed herself while eating her turkey neck. I can see how that might be exciting I suppose.
Jake went to his new home this week. So did Moo. Back to back dog adoptions has made for a tough week in the emotional end of things, but I am so glad for them both. I can't wait to hear how they are doing in their new homes. They both deserve so much more than life has delivered them so far.
Sam has an adoption pending too! He gets to meet with his potential new family this coming weekend. I will be posting some video of the boy for them soon as I can peel myself away from work (should be Monday).
Heidi got her chance to see the opthalmologist today. She has trouble dilating her pupils but is otherwise totally normal thus far. Hooray! I guess she will have trouble in bright sunlight (which I already knew) and there is still risk of glaucoma and cataracts as she matures, but as it stands she isn't too bad, no major deficits. They do want her to return each year to keep an "eye" on things. :) Now if they just had travelling BAER testing I'd be set! Alas, to washington we go at a later date....
Tomorrow is exam day for a course I am taking for work, so I am off to study. I am looking forward to doing the Paws4acause walk for the spca afterwards, Marty and Trixie will be showing off their SPCA greatness to the public!

Feeling Guilty.....

Yes, I've been feeling guilty for not updating recently! Lots happening around here lately. Moo has an adoption pending, he'll be heading off soon. Same with Jake. Sam has a home visit for him this weekend too! We are off to Quesnel this weekend for a trial, so I promise I will come back with some pictures to post and some stories to tell (though not all the potlickers will be joining me this trip).
Trixie the geriatric collie is off to spend the weekend at the dog spa (also known as my parents' house) where she will no doubt be spoiled horrendously and not want to come home. yay! :)
Heidi is now 15.5kgs at 15 weeks. She has surpassed Sobe and Toque in height, and is now about the same size as Jorja, so around 19"tall at the shoulders. Ayuh, she is going to be a horse!!! She is still having bladder problems and screams like a strangled cat but thankfully her cuteness outweighs her problems!
More to come.....

Officially Announcing Sam!

Sam is ready for his new home now. He is a 2 year old neutered male homozygous merle australian shepherd. Due to his genetics, Sami is bilaterally deaf. Happy and sweet but also young, energetic and still a wee bit short on manners is our Sam! He prefers a home as an only dog. He likes to play with other dogs and meets/greets very well, but he does like to gaurd his person and attempt to climb up the canine social ladder as it were. No cats for Sam, it seems he is a bit obsessed over the kitties. He loves to play ball! He likes to celebrate by himself and do some victory laps before he returns it. I have been playing with multiple toys with him so he fetches one, and brings it mostly back and drops it while I throw the next one. Work in progress :)

Warning

This video is not for everyone, but I thought it was important to share. I'm not interested in scare tactics, making people feel guilty, or making more out of something than what is true. This is one of those things that goes on every day, and is indeed a significant problem in many places. We will never be able to save every dog, and not every dog should be saved but we can all try to do a little something to help.

Jake Hits the Spotlight with Supporting Actor Sam

Here are the boys doing what they do best, fetch!! Both live to play ball. Thankfully Jake is great at bringing it back, Sam needs to do a few victory laps first!

Back from Vacation

We had a wonderful time, despite missing camp and not one but TWO agility trials! Our adventure up north was well worth the agility rest however, and we are ready to begin training in earnest once again.
Jorja is working on her weaves, she has to weave for her breakfast every day now. It seems her work ethic leaves a little bit to be desired in the weave department (ewww, these things touch my FACE, maybe if I just run beside them that will work?). I struggled a bit with this one, she did beautifully with the poles right up until it came time to have them close enough to TOUCH her, then it was like they were the plague and she had never seen those sticks before! We have hit upon the jackpot with breakfast though, it is her happiest time of day and she is now slamming into those poles with gusto (and a little Jorja elegance as always :) ).

Mollie managed to consume 30lbs of dog food in one sitting while I was away, but in typical Mollie fashion she was quite okay (maybe a little fat). Note to self: do NOT teach the dogs to open and close cupboards and the fridge, this has haunted me now for ten years!

Marty is perfect as always, he came with us on our adventure and had much fun playing with the kids, chasing squirrels and receiving tidbits from Grandma.

Cai, well, what can we say about Cai? He is busy policing the house and ensuring that puppies do not get to have toys to themselves, and that all other dogs must be kept away from *his* girls.



Toque is a superstar. :) She won top starters dog at the DogOPogo trial, despite only running half the courses (I was judging). I was very proud.

SoBe is about the cutest little aussie you ever did see. She has mastered jumping on the kitchen table in a single quiet little bound. I pluck her off the table and crate her (bad baby) at least once a day, sadly I am laughing on the inside and she knows it. She has the funniest little impish grin on her face all the time. I can't wait to get her back to classes this week.

Ah but what about Heidi you ask? Well, she came along on the northern adventure (of course!). So much socializing, what a great trip for a baby. Her social skills are fantastic, she loves people.

In rescue dog news:

Trixie fell down the stairs twice this week, she is getting close to the end. She still has more good days than bad days though, and enjoys her chances to tell off the puppies in good collie style. She'll be off to the groomers soon to get her fur cut down, she drools in her beautiful mane (not so pretty).

Jake has an adoption pending, he is such a wonderful dog. I don't want to jynx it though until all the work is done. I'll be posting some Jake video soon (hopefully later today if the rain stays away!).

Moo is still Moo. He has found his voice! Moo's morning consists of: Bark at 5:20 a.m. high pitched and loud (yo dude, it's time for breakfast!). I get up, kick him outside with the now awoken and whining Heidi. "Moo it is NOT time to get up yet." Back inside at 5:45. 6:00 a.m. Moo starts pulling things off the counter/table and letting them crash to the floor ("yo dude! Gimme my breakfast!"). Like the dishtowel, with ALL the clean dishes on it!! Moo gets locked behind the baby gate at the back door. "Moo it is NOT time to get up yet!" 6:20 a.m. Moo starts barking behind the gate. One high pitched loud bark every three to five seconds. Bark!.......Bark!.......Bark!...... "Yo b*#ch! Breakfast!!" I get up, kick out Moo, Marty, Cai, and Mollie. Ah silence until a respectable 7:30. Moo is too busy peeing on everyone else's pee to bark. Breakfast is momentarily forgotten. Moo really loves breakfast. Once it is over he spends all day asking for supper. Now? how about now? now? I refuse to feed him on a schedule so he never knows when it is coming, hoping that he will quit asking from 11 a.m. on. So far, not so successful, we may have to change our tactics.

There is a new addition, Sam , who is a deaf aussie. He is currently being assessed, stay tuned for more info in a couple of weeks.

Mini aussie puppy mill update: court date is this Wednesday. Hopefully the dogs will be released then and we will at last get them up and settled. I hear that they are doing well though.

Summer antics

Just for fun!
Here is Toque attacking the lawnmower (she gets put away while I mow for obvious reasons!) and Toque, Jorja, Sobe and Jake with the hose. The barking is Mollie and Cai who were stuck in the pool. :)

Good Nite!

Nite has found his place in the world. Thank you John and Kelley! I look forward to hearing all about how the boy is doing in his new home. Lucky fella gets to have all the attention to himself! All the best Nite, may the squeak be with you......

Heidi the yodelling princess is getting bigger; 6.95kg up from 5.5 in just six days. This baby is growing! She is doing fabulously with her socializing, she has decided she likes starbucks coffee thank you very much. Watch out Toque, you have coffee competition! Heidi wants to eat...everything....as quickly as possible. So to torture her I give her turkey necks, she is forced to CHEW. Listen to her whining...she can't stand that she can't just EAT the thing!

For those of you who may have heard, here is the news story on the mini aussie puppy mill bust in eastern Washington. The aussie rescue of BC group will be bringing up ten or so of these dogs once they are released legally.

That was easy

I did a little shaping session with SoBe today. I was lucky enough to win an "easy" button at the last Kamloops trial (thanks Mary!). Gotta love the clicker! SoBe is coming along nicely with her shaping skills, she is doing less and less sniffing around after every treat. Here she is.....

In other news, Nite has an adoption pending! He went with me for a home visit today with his new family. He gave Kelley and John two paws up! He is packing his bags and can't wait for Thursday when he can have two of his very own belly scratchers all to himself.

Moo and Jake are still waiting...anyone?

Okay, so June was a blur....

And now it is almost half way through July! Time to update for sure. The summer is flying by so quickly. The dogs and I spent a fabulous week in Kamloops with great friends, competing in agility and attending a seminar. Then it was off to regionals. The dogs did well, smarty Marty is a superstar. Marty was seventh overall in his division, pretty awesome for an eleven year old dog to still be competing and Cai is spectacular as always and quite the crowd pleaser (lots of ooh's and wow's as he skids off the side of the dogwalk from going too fast!). Then we were off to Vernon to judge. Toque got to play quite a bit, she is doing great for a baby dog and even won the "Top Starters Dog" award. I couldn't have been prouder! Her first little bit of hardware (and mine too). :) Then it was off to Quesnel for the 10th annual clear sailing trial. Hard to believe I've been to the last eight years of that trial. What a wonderful group of people and friends. Agility folks are the best!

Here is Marty (Photo by Sheldon Pineo)

And the Cai-kenstein (photo by David Greenberg)

And here's baby Toque (David Greenberg)

Maverick has been adopted. He has a wonderful home, look out for him on the agility field in a couple of years! Here he is with his new family:

For those of you who know me, I have a soft spot for deaf dogs. The dog at the top of the blog here is BoPeep. She was my deaf border collie who died last year very unexpectedly at 18 months old. I've been a little lost since her passing, my hearing dogs still have to put up with my ridiculous thumbs up signs, I never did stop with the hand signals. Anyway, not that anyone could ever replace Bo, but I do have a new addition to the household. A rescue that is here to stay, this is Heidi. I've branched out a little, not so much a herding dog, Heidi is a deaf Great Dane baby. She will be learning rally and agility as she grows up.

That's all for now. Jake, Nite and Moo are all still looking for their forever homes. I'll put up some new pictures of the fosters sometime this weekend hopefully. I am looking forward to a weekend at home!

I'm very proud..

Of our graduates and the wonderful things their owners have done with their dogs.

Red, Roode, Rouge gets her ATChC!! Jennifer has done wonderfully with this little girl. She came to me after having been through multiple homes. She bit a child and was a smart smart dog that was seriously misunderstood. In the right home and with the right amount of aussie knowledge, lots of hard work, and a brain kept busy this is rescue at its best. Thanks Jen!!

Here's Bud. Seized from an abusive situation by animal control in the lower mainland, this is one of the sweetest and coolest cattle dogs I've ever met. He has his very own ring of equipment in his 80 acre back yard. :)

I got the pool set up recently. The dogs are so excited they leapt in there with all of a couple inches of water. They refused to get out! Mollie is as always gurading the ladder (this is mine, this is mine and this is mine, bug off! She is the fun police) Oh yes and they ate the box...

Meanwhile back at the ranch..........

Jake spends his days "collecting." I will be enrolling him in a support group for cleptomaniacs soon!

Jake says.....who me? No I'm innocent! Mollie did it, really!

Okay, so maybe I just touched this one...

..back off lady, I worked hard for these!!!

Darcy has been adopted, hurray! She had a great time at the airport and arrived safe and sound in Vancouver.

Up for adoption at this time is:

Jake

Maverick

Nite

Moo

Darcy has an adoption pending!

Darcy is a lucky girl and is going to be living every dogs' dream...thank you Charmaine! Here are some videos of the once rowdy girl learning her lessons. She has settled down a LOT and is no longer leaping up to grab my ponytail but is actually consciously showing restraint. It is sure neat to see these dogs go from obnoxious to willing participant. Big thanks to NorCal for saving this girl and seeing past her flunked temperment test!

Warning! Graphic picture....

Look closely! Yes!! That is POO hanging off her collar. I had to get the camera, I was laughing so hard! Disgusting baby!

On a happier note, Jake LOVES the vacuum....he runs from crate to crate in the house so he can leap out and attack!

Ever Wonder What it Costs to Feed 12 dogs?

105 chicken backs (1 case per week) $25

35 pounds of hamburger $32

Veggies $10

2 cartons yogurt $4

2 dozen eggs $7

84 vitamin E capsules $7

84 salmon oil capsules $8

42 Evening Primrose capsules $5

1/2 jar kelp/alfalfa $7.50

Total per week (not including individual supplements like recovery or thyroid support, training treats, cookies, etc.) $105.50.

That is well over $400 a month just in food, never mind training, toys, vet bills and all the other little expenses here and there (like a nice grooming).

Having dogs in my life? Priceless! (Sorry, couldn't help myself!)

Any donations of any of the above items are very gratefully accepted. The dogs also eat orijen or go natural kibble a few meals a week so they are happy in their new homes eating either diet.

The Dogs are overflowing

Spring has sprung! I am so glad to see the brown grass in my yard. I'm even happy to be picking up the poo. The dogs are running around the yards with glee, and have rediscovered the ancient art of excavating. The holes are growing enormous, but they are having a marvelous time and who can argue with that?

But on to bigger things, like the dogs that are looking for new homes. Please please tell your friends and anyone that will listen that animals are not commodities that can be given away at will. Spay and neuter! One of the husky puppies that I raised recently is already back at the shelter, just five months old. Huge, and totally out of control. He isn't the cute little "snow dog" that he once was, and now he is left, again, with no place to call home. Not to mention the two ten year old beagles that are still there, a month later after their owner tied them to the doorstep and drove away. What are we coming to as a society that we think this is o.k.? I know I'm preaching to the converted most likely but there you have it. There is a big difference between people surrendering their animals because of genuine need or to do what is best for the dog and those that throw away the no longer wanted disposable animal in favour of something smaller, cuter, or "hypo-allergenic." There's my rant for today! On to the wonderful potlickers that are looking for homes!

Moe the Mooing Dog

Moe is a 2 year old neutered male Border Collie. Moe is about the sweetest dog you will ever meet! Slow moving, and not especially motivated for a border collie Moe will entertain you with his “mooing” antics! Moe is a confirmed car chaser. He broke his leg at one year of age chasing a car. The fracture was repaired, but Moe still has a wire in his leg and will not make an agility dog. I bet he would love to try rally though! Moe has been kept as an outdoor dog thus far, so is just now learning all about stairs, warm beds and house training. Moe is the perfect buddy, he just wants to hang out and get lotsa lovin!

Darcy

Darcy is a one year old spayed red tri purebred Australian Shepherd. Darcy is a high drive young dog looking for a job to do. Couch potatos need not apply! This little girl will go as far as you are willing to take her. Keen, fast, and agile as she bounces off your head this baby failed temperament testing at the shelter where she came from. Too mouthy, too busy, and NO manners! She is a clean slate, willing to learn and is getting along well in foster care. She is crate trained, house trained so long as you let her out regularly and is learning basic manners in foster care. She is rough in her play like most young aussies but not aggressive. Darcy’s ideal home is one that will train her in agility or other dog sport and give her mind and body an outlet. She will not be adopted to a home with children due to her exuberance and mouthiness.

Jake

Jake is a 3 year old neutered male blue merle purebred Australian Shepherd. Jake is a wonderfully sweet boy. He is housetrained and crate trained and can be left loose in the house while you are out. Jake is suitable for a home with cats and/or with children. Jake’s ideal home would be as an only dog or with a quiet adult dog. He is not aggressive at all, but he feels the need to hoard his toys and guard them from other dogs. Jake is a sensitive boy; gunshots, fireworks and loud noises make him panic. He is even having trouble with the clicker, but we are working through that. Jake loves to retrieve and goes beserk over the water hose! This boy is as handsome as they come, inside and out.

Interested? Send me an e-mail! herdingrescue @ shaw.ca (no spaces)

What an adventure!

I am back! 5300kms later and lots of dirt on the truck, the dogs and I are back from our California adventure. Tired, lots of laundry to do but a successful trip! I promise I'll share more, but as it stands there are four new additions to the household......

Sam

Deaf, double merle Australian Shepherd, 18 months old and the sweetest dog you'll ever meet! Sam caught the heart of our good friend Jeanne, he has been adopted before I even made it home. Jeanne is the perfect person for this fella, I wish you the best and lots of wonderful aussie adventures Jeanne!

I don't have a good picture of the fella, so we'll wait to get one from his new home. :)

Jake

This is what Jake's previous foster home has said about him:

"Jake is a 2.5 year old blue merle. Jake is a darling boy who has lived with children including 2 five year olds as well as cats. He's easy to handle -- tolerates brushing (although he doesn't like it, particularly), and lets me work on his feet and ears. He's a great patient at the vet! He needs to feel secure, whether this means being in the house, in the car, in his crate, or with his person. He would be fine as an only dog as he hoards his toys and wants other dogs to stay away from them, but doesn't care if people take his toys.
He loves people of all ages and sizes, but it will take awhile for him to develop total trust. He's great with cats. He's a great house dog and can be left loose all day unattended. He knows "sit," "down," "stay" and "wait." He's very easy to train. I get him to do things just by talking to him in an easy tone.
His hoarding of toys seems to be directly proportional to his stress level. When he first came here his crate was full of toys. Now there are only three toys in the crate and five outside the crate. He's very agile and could be good on ducks, or even sheep. He seems afraid of horses and mules.
He loves toys, but he is obsessed with the hose and digging for critters. He loves running in open space and needs regular running exercise. He's good on leash walks, too. Jake's a darling, darling boy who needs a quiet yet active home."

Jake is not yet ready for adoption, he will be fully evaluated here for his resource gaurding issues and will be receiving some noise sensitivity desensitization and further obedience training. He is a lovely boy though and stunning to look at. Pictures coming soon!

No name as yet

1 year old red tri australian shepherd. Another beautiful girl. Needs an owner with a sense of humour! This girl likes to bounce off your head..she needs a sport home with no young children! Not yet available.

Another fella with no name (well he had one but he doesn't like it and neither do I)

2 year old border collie, beautiful temperment. Has the cutest woo woo you will ever hear! This boy was sent for euthanasia for car chasing, luckily the vet refused and he is now safe with us. This fella needs rehab to learn to trust again, and to learn all about the joys of being a loved house dog. Here is a photo of him now, I'll post another one once he is all groomed up, poor guy is filthy.

That's it for now, I will post more hopefully tomorrow!

Nite arrives

Nite has arrived, is settled and is ready for his new home. Nite is 5 years old, neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped. He is also house trained, although he does like to check out the counter for goodies! Nite is well trained, he knows all of the agility obstacles and has competed in trials in the past. He has a bit of arthritis in his front feet so prefers to jump in specials and not be "serious" about agility. He loves rally obedience! Nite can heel with the best of them, and has wonderfully flashy 270 and 360 left turns. Nite is the complete package, he is friendly and well socialized, loves his belly scratches and is just an all around nice dog. Nite is looking for a home that has a well fenced yard, no horses, no cats, and no young children. He is a confirmed cat and horse chaser. He is looking to be someone's new best friend!

SoBe on the wobble board

A little video of SoBe on the wobble board. She has no fear of surfaces whatsoever!

She went to her first obedience class this week. She was a little star and worked well amongst all the distractions. I do however have to start putting her on a leash now and again (bad Mama!).

Speaking of Cleaning

HAPPY ST.PATRICK"S DAY!

Toque got to play her favorite game yesterday. This is a version of the 1,2,3 game that I have applied to one of her favorite objects, the vacuum. It doesn't send her quite as over the top as the hose, but for winter we have to make do! The game is that she has to sit and wait to be released to "kill" the vacuum. This is some serious impulse control!

What is it about Murphy's law...

that dictates that whenever your house is at its dirtiest that people *always* come over unannounced? No one ever comes over the day I clean and everything is perfect for those few blissful hours. I will not grant you with pictures this time, some things should just be left up to the imagination (unless you are my mom who got to see the most recent disaster). Needless to say the dogs discovered the stuffing inside the dog beds this week, Mollie ate a box of Fruit loops (like she needs any more sugar) leaving bits of box everywhere, the dishes were not washed, Jorja jumped on the coffee table and spewed all the nicely folded laundry everywhere, Mollie (in her pursuit of the fruit loop box) knocked over the flowers on the kitchen table, and well, there is always the tumbleweeds of dog hair that I take full responsibility for. Today my house is clean, the laundry is put away, the dogs have had a good run and all is quiet. I can bank on no one knocking on my door today.....

Some new faces

I have a couple of new faces for everyone to meet. The first is Ally, she is in need of a new home quickly. She is located in Quesnel B.C. She is an owner listing, I have not met this dog or assessed her. Unfortunately due to her issues (and since Sobe is so young) she can't come here for rehab as I just can't manage keeping so many separated. So if you are interested or looking for a lovely high drive border collie that needs to be the only dog please contact me and I will put you in touch with her family. Here she is, pretty miss Ally....

Ally as described by her current family:

She's about 1.5 years old, been to level 1 obedience class and did very well. She walks well on a leash, has learned to sit, shake a paw, down and retrieves a ball and returns it to you. She needs improvement on the 'come' command. She loves to retrieve a fabric frisbee. She gets along very well with our cat. She has one eye that is half blue, half brown. She has a thin coat, not much undercoat. She enjoys riding in a vehicle. She's been good with our 10 year old daughter.

The issue is her behavior toward our other dog, Cassie. Cassie is ten and gentle to people and other dogs. We've have quite a few attacks between the two and can't put up with it anymore. She would be a great pet for a family that only wants one dog (unless they know a way to fix her behavior - we haven't been able to do that). We've observed that she submits to Cassie as top dog when they are outside, but for some reason when they're inside Ally has shown aggression toward her.

Coming Soon (Wednesday to be precise) is Nite!