Tuesday, July 28, 2015

summertime... dog training!!!

There's a saying that goes... "find what you love to do, make it your job and you'll never work a day in your life".... and I have been very blessed to discover... that statement is true. Being a "dog trainer" is one of the greatest joys in my life, and not a class goes by, where I don't remember that. But, this class.. has to be the icing on all the cakes. I am teaching this summer, a class called the Canine Good citizen community class.. and basically, it's designed to work (and test) the dogs on the streets, in real life situations.
I have made this a "traveling class" and so each week my students and I meet at a different place, and put our dogs threw their skills. We have five weeks of prep work, and then on the last class, another instructor, who has never met these dogs.. will pick another location and we will go and be "tested" by her. Last week, the class began, and we hit the malls... this week... it was the BEACH!!!! A perfect summer night, a great group of gals and canines.... I mean really??? this is work?????
We had to practice a number of skills... one being "walking nicely"... Kathleen is working Livy for me (since I am teaching)... and as long as I am close, Livy goes well... but I would say by her backwards walking (in this photo) Livy isn't too impressed that her Mama has fallen behind the group....
Mary, and shepherd Stormy... can you tell he's having a great time in class too.... goes to show.. dog training does not (and should never be) "mean, abusive or breaking their spirit" (as some have said and thought to me)... and I go with the idea, that a well behaved dog is always welcomed.....
Here's my group........
Down stay is another skill that the dogs will need to do on their test night. We practiced on the sidewalk, as all kinds of people went by. And not just people... dogs,  bikes, baby carriages.. skate boards.... and the dogs need to just be relaxed and wait.... as pitbull, Daisy and lab, Brutus are so easily doing here.
Glory the boxer.. and Livy show their skills off too....
and so does Storm. Nice he can wear a back pack with his supplies inside... water, clean up bags, and treats... I think the rest of us have to carry our dogs supplies....
Walking along the board walk.. shows that the dogs are comfortable when going over different types of surfaces.... we might not think that walking from tar, cement, sand, dirt, would make any difference.. but to a dog these things are very different....
Waiting politely on the corner, before crossing a street......
Then, we headed into the amusement park.... now talk about "things" to manage here.... the sights, sounds, distractions... were amazing.... 
and you just have to know that a group of well behaved dogs draws everyone's attention... in fact, it was almost hard to get threw without being stopped, people wanted to know all sorts of things....
now, this isn't part of the 'testing".. but simply because it's fun and we can....







Brutus and Kathleen...




Daisy and Sonya.....




Glory and Martha...



Stormy and Mary......
Our evening ends with stopping for ice cream... just a treat??? No... it's training, because one part of the test... "to work the dogs around food and in crowded situations..."  needless to say, they did great, and people all around us were just amazed that they sat or laid quietly and never bothered... even when we were eating....
Not so sure Livy was impressed.... but I am.... 



and there is still a few more weeks to go....

Thursday, July 23, 2015

deck(ing)

The summer wildflowers are in full bloom all around the farm. No wonder our bees are doing so well..... queen anne's lace is in bloom, and I see the beginnings of golden rod too... the fall honey harvest will be a nice dark color I am thinking. We had to add more boxes to both hives, and I think I could have taken a frame or two of honey, but decided to wait and give them some time to get up into their new boxes.... but I'm excited about having a decent honey crop......
The spring got off to dry a spell, but the summer has been really good. We seem to get nice rain showers maybe once a week or so... never enough to "ruin" the good weather, but just that nice rain that has kept things green and growing.....
However, it hasn't helped much with the deck project..... oh... our poor deck project, that we started (dare I say) last May... and no... it's not done.... 
My Ed gets to it every chance possible, sad thing is.. those chances seem few and far between. We are busy!!!!!! and sometimes, there are other projects that are simply more important.... but, we're hoping the next couple of weekends.. and maybe some evenings, will help us get back to it and get this project done!!! I would like to have at least one or two cookouts on it before the snow flies!!!!
It's a big deck... and there's much to do... but it's so going to be worth it.....
Oh joy... looks like this little rain cloud is going to stop us again tonite....

I think I like the underneath almost as much as the top!!! We're going to have a "cement patio" (for lack of a better description) put down just outside the kennel door. That will help alot with keeping out the "dirt' and I'm hoping will also help with next winter's snow issues..... besides, it will  make a cool shady place for the doggies too....


so.... stay tuned... deck project is still in the works...

and Joey moves on.....

He came to us on February 16th.... a little black bundle of puppyhood.. and I remember the day well.. too well. We had it all lined up to turn in Danny and pick up Joey... OK....Danny was ready... and it's "easier" to trade one for one. And that morning was when we had to have Silver put down... and so poor Joey, came into a very sad family. 
But his sweetness shown threw and we gave him the nick name of Joey Jumping bean!!!! He moved right in, and became another member of the family. Service puppy in training, number nine!!!! He was (is) fun, confident, eager to please, and the time that he was here on the farm went flying by. 
Two weeks ago, I got the call from neads that they were ready to have him come back in. And so, it was time to get ready to pass on another sweet baby and send them off into the world to do what they are meant to do. Course advance training will be the tell tale, I never know "where they are headed" exactly... but I am always certain they go where they need to be. 


And so, today, with Kathleen and Abi in tow, I packed Joey up, took the "parting photos" that I always like to take around the farm... and headed out.....
The ride down was uneventful.... Joey was happy to hop out and stretch his legs. Lacy was waiting for us, and we took the time to talk about all of Joey's wonderful qualities and thoughts for what his future holds...
I wasn't able to get any last minute photos of my and Joey (I could have asked the staff, but just didn't feel up to doing that).. so I got these ones of Abi.... she is always so happy to be a part of these puppies and their training..... who knows, we may have a future puppy raiser!!!!
She wanted to walk him into the kennel, and I said that was fine.  And all in all, the parting went as they usually go.... me in tears and wondering why I do this.... and asking "when is the next puppy coming???" (we hope within the month!!!)



And so, hugs, kisses, best wishes and prayers for our Joey Jumping bean........he's off to do good works!!!!

Monday, July 20, 2015

happy weekend....


This is just no way a weekend can't be grand when it begins like this!!!! My life long friend, Lory, was in the area visiting with family and was able to sneak out a few hours with me!!!! Lory and I go way back... way, way back... before kids... and even though she has moved far away, and we haven't seen each other in at least 10 years... we have always remained in touch and when we got together, we picked up our conversations as though we just had them yesterday. Lory and I were very much in the dog show world, two of my winning cockers --Frosty and Randi-- were from her kennel. It was very sad for me when she had to move away, but I am just so thrilled that life changes and many miles has not taken away a dear friend.....
Like me, Lory still has cockers.. well.. one right now, but she will be heading home with another one!!! This is her little girl Kenzie... who is a darling little dog and who was very interested in the crew at the barn. I was so happy to meet her and show Lory my cocker crew... and with any luck... we won't let another 10 years go by without visiting (in person) again.........






Weather wise, it was a pretty yucky day and it rained a good amount. Which meant we got no work done on the back deck... but the day ended as fun as it began when we decided to meet up with the fam and have dinner our at the beach.  The Goldenrod is always a fav.........

We grabbed Abi on our way down to the ocean... and as you can tell by this big smile... a night at the beach, a favorite place to eat... the promise of some time on the playground (and some candy).. now that's a summer night out with Baby and Papa!!!!
Reagan was all smiles as well......
Abi loves her "Krunkle" and Uncle Sean...... (they love to spoil her too)....
After supper, it was off to the playground as promised. Both of the grands love to go here... so many fun things to do. Reagan has gotten so brave since just the spring... there are two sets of "climbing set with slides" and the like, at first he stuck just to the small one, but now he has begun to tackle the bigger one. This  is his new accomplishment... climbing the "bull dozer track" as he calls it..... 
And this curly slide has be at least 15 feet high... he climbs right to the top and down he comes!!!!
Abi has a great time too, and is pretty good at keeping an eye on her little cousin.....


Papa and Kass (and grandbaby number three ---- which we can't see just yet).. but he/she is on the way and will be joining our family late in February!!!!!! 


YUP.... we're going to be Baby and Papa again!!!!!
Then it was onto the beach for a little running around there...... with the tide out, there was plenty of room....

and even the coldest of oceans draw people in... we don't even bother saying "don't get wet"... 
and this grand day ended with a few rounds of skee ball... I have to say, this is one of my favorite games to play. (and I'm pretty good at it).....
On Sunday, Joey and I headed back to the beach. Ed decided to stay on the farm, wanting to get some things done... but I went because this is Lee and Tom's week at the beach house, and our annual "neads puppy raiser's lobster bake".... 

Joey loved the beach house and had the grandest time, just looking over the porch rail. 
He's such a good boy, and it's hard to think that this will probably be our last big outing... Joey is heading back to neads at the end of the week.....I'm already sad thinking about him moving on, so this is a really special time with him and with good friends.....

It was a wonderful bake... we had the usuals, plus everyone brought something wonderful to share.... I am a sea food girl and I make sure that each summer, I have my fill.....
Not as big a group as we usually have, but great company and conversations just the same....
Bernice and Zuzu.....
I think the little house looks happy when people are enjoying it.....
and the view that everyone comes here for....
Joey and Zuzu, being good and enjoying the party....
And Atticus checks out Lee's little grandbaby.... it was such a fun afternoon, good food, good friends, and dogs... for me, it doesn't get any better....
A timber frame!!! Living in a timber frame house, (and having built a timber frame barn).. I don't think there is anything prettier... this sweet little barn is being built up near camp, and before it is covered over, I just had to get a shot of it. That's the "sad" thing about timber frames, all that pretty framing is covered and you can only see it from the inside.... I never get tired of looking inside my house!!!
Abi said she wants to go to NEADs with us when we take Joey back this coming week. She hasn't had as much time with him as she has had with some of the others, but she loves them all just the same.... someday she I hope she will be proud of the work I do with these dogs, but in the meantime, I sure do appreciate what she brings to these puppies...