Hello May!!!! I, for one, am very excited to see that you have (finally) arrived!!! It was a long and cold winter, and I am so happy to get outside and enjoy the spring. Even if it does mean the arrival of black flies and other such critters.. right now... that's more than OK with me.
And "we" have an announcement !!!! the arrival of "Foosie's babies!!!" Now, Foosie if a very special pet, she is Abbie's constant companion, and was given to Abbie by a friend of mine.. Aileen... when Abbie was just a wee baby. Foosie is one of "those" toys that became a favorite from the start and has just been that way for the whole time. Abbie is quite excited that there is the chance that one day, Livy will have babies.. so I am pretty sure that's where the idea of Foosie's babies have come from.....
For, we hardly lack of babies around here.... new service puppies each year for one... and there have been chicks and keets, and even baby birds in the barn each spring... so, "babies" are good things in our book.
Most mornings, I have my two little buddies walking up to the barn to help with the morning chores...
And Abbie has been very certainly that Danny is meeting "all the right people".. and learning "not to be afraid of anything - Baby!!!" (he certainly is not afraid of anything/anyone, he's turning into a very nice happy, stable puppy!!!)
Even a hike into the hayloft proved to be great fun!!! and so, I think we can officially say that spring is here, and suddenly it seems like our "list of things to do" has grown.... but truly, I am just as happy... spring and fall are my favorite times of year.....
Hello Livy.. and yes, this is what your life is going to be all about. "Training and showing, and training and.....".... I have to say, it's so exciting to have a puppy once again. I know... "you've had puppies all along".. but this is MY puppy, she doesn't have to go anywhere and she is my "ticket" back into the dog show world. I have so missed the show ring, and with all the "new" sports out there now to try, I'm excited to give them all a shot and see where Livy and I will be happy.
So, today's adventure was a workshop on the "recall" (ie: coming when called). All my dogs have been excellent "comers".... but, being an instructor and hearing new ideas such as "the reliable recall"... I like to see what's going to be certain that my students are getting the best information in my classes.
And not to brag... but I was very pleased to see that--- according to this seminar anyways, I am teaching comes the "right" away. Quite simply, there is no magic in teaching a dog to come... it's work, practice and positive reinforcement.... but now I know for sure...
It was a beautiful facility that we went to.. all kinds of dogs and humans were there. Everyone was very friendly and fun, and it felt good to be doing "dog things".. The other neat fact, was no one there knew me, so it was easy to be just a "student" and not an "instructor"....
Livy had a pretty good time too... I think this is first time that she and I have gone alone together... well... "alone".. Camille waited in the car for us. (Can't leave Camille behind!!!) I think too, Livy was the youngest one there, so everyone had to make a fuss over the puppy.
The next day, it was Danny's turn to make his debut in puppy school. Can't give this boy any time off, we don't have much time to spare!!! Of course, he was a hit, especially with Mary (who also raises service puppies for CCI)
Danny had no trouble "fitting in".. he's a solid little boy who thinks life is grand. Here he says hello to Peace (Mary's puppy in training)... she was pretty excited to meet him too...
And then he made the rounds with Kathleen and got to know everyone else in the class...
Because I teach this class, Kathleen will be his handler. I feel so fortunate to have "extra" handlers in my life... doubt my puppies would even be trained without them!!!!!
Abbie has taken to Danny like no one else. I'm not sure if it's because he's a puppy, Rylie's little brother or the fact that maybe Abbie just loves black labs. But either way, these two are real buddies.....
She's plays with him all the time, and is happy to practice "his training"... have to say is there anything cuter than a little girl and a puppy... especially a puppy that comes when called????
She's pretty much willing to do anything... except "clean up"... after he "finished".. she yelled to me... "Baby... Danny let a poo here"... when I asked why didn't she take care of it... she gave me "that look"..... OK.. can't expect everything I guess....
working on the "touch" command.....
And to calmly roll over and let your belly be touched... (she knows it all!!!!)
A fire in the stove??? yup, sad to say, despite all the beautiful sunshine we've had.. it's been chilly some days and this little stove takes just the edge off a cool house. I always like a fire anyways, so lightening this one once in awhile is still fun.
What is more foolish than a puppy raiser??? I sort of think... nothing... for we chose to break our hearts at least once a year... and why??? You'd think I could answer that question... but I can't.. other than to say, I love the work that NEADS does.. I see what that work does, and I love what it does for me... so, I say goodbye to one, and hello to another... who just so happens to be... Danforth!!!!!
I will call him Danny.... he's 11 weeks old, and there is already something very familiar in this little boy, who I have "owned" for one day.... he is Rylie's half brother. Same Mom... and I feel right away a kinship with this little chap... and we head straight on into the year ahead....Our first new friend and greeting upon arriving home... Mona..... who - at the moment - is the same size as our new little pal.
The cockers are the next to say hello... and pretty much as I figured, the "old" ones look him over... and say to me "oh another one... thanks alot Mom"... but Livy - right away - sees a new playmate... and I know that this is going to be good.
Labs and water... I'll have to remember to keep an eye on the water bowl while in housetraining mode. Lab puppies believe that if there is water.. it is to drink... but what goes in.. comes out!!!!
And then in typical Lab fashion... how about a nice little swim in this wonderful water bowl. Oh my.. how quickly I forget. But I have a feeling this little boy is going to be hugely excited when we get him to camp. I have a feeling I'll need to watch him there... he'll be swimming across the lake. Seems to me his older sister enjoyed swimming!!!!
After settling in at home... we must get out and meet the family. Grand babies are at the top of the list... and little Reagan, who is so close to walking, is a great first friend to meet. Danny thought this whole "tractor" thing was simply a neat idea and chose to hang out very close to his lively new friend....
A boy, a puppy and a tractor... what's the cute factor on that one?????
I see it all over again.... Abbie wasn't that much older when we raised Rylie.... maybe Danny boy and Reagan will have the same sort of "first year" together......
and there's no doubt that these two will be great friends... though I doubt the "size" thing is going to be equal for that long!!!!
Playtime now seems fair... but it won't be long before Livy will be looking up to her new friend.....
And you just have to know that Abbie fell immediately in love with our new little boy. And to add the fact that he and Rylie are related, only made this even better. She has taken over the training, and the leash, at least on the farm, isn't going to be in my hands much!!!!
Trips back and forth to the barn have already begun......
and training... well..... it's just an everyday thing... and we're going to get right to it!!!!!!
