Seminars

Why do we go to so many seminars? Well I think it is our responsibility to educate ourselves in anything dog related. Dog training has come a long way and our dogs will be better off with positive training.

I remember when we had german shepherds years and years ago and the school of thought back then was roll them over, give them the stare down and wait till they give in.

Well I never bought that but can you imagine getting your dog to behave due to fearing you? With positive training you build that bond. Coupled with the skills, training and consistency, it equals a better way!

No trainer is the bug guru of training but you go and you glean and you try and you train your dogs in school settings, at home, during walks and you will end up with a dog that you can brag about. It's worth it!

Stairs & Height

The crew here runs up the stairs, down the stairs and well these stairs are extra huge. Really they are.

In fact they really are. When we put them in we were not thinking about pups and so we went for less stairs and more height.

It makes for learning stairs a tad more difficult for the pups but today he is running up and down them.

Success!

First Snow

Today we had that white stuff flying around. It was a tease as it never stuck and its supposed to get up to double digits over the weekend but....

it was so much fun to see Nathan and the dawgs.

Check out a few photos taken when it first started.

Then Marlee Sue came over with her humans and I came out but couldn't hang out for too long as Fiona was really fretting perhaps cause there was activity that she wasn't a part of as she was feeding.

So I came in and calmed her down and was sad that I didn't get more time outside.

Pups remain the priority.

I am not sure if Nathan got photos. I am hoping so but he was busy as usual enjoying vs. clicking and who could blamed him.

Walking Over the Man

 In this house Nathan loves his naps. I rarely get them unless I am so fried I can't make sense. But he loves to take one dog or 2 upstairs and catch some serious zzzs.

Thing is with Dennis doing nights and me doing pups during the day for the most part, he's it after I finish grooming for the adults. That changes when the pups reach 4 weeks. They sleep upstairs and Dennis sleeps nights again. He has 2 more weeks to get there.

So Nathan crawls into the tv room and so do the dawgs and then they proceed to walk all over him. Today Andy was part of this craziness and seemed to fit in nicely. I think he is missing Maxine.

I am not sure if Nathan is actually sleeping or just trying. I 'get' his voicing "I get no sleep."

Katsura is the worst as he walks up and down your body. It's how he wakes you up. His momma Risa does similar but I don't allow so they saunter up to me and lick my face. That I can handle. They snuggle with me, lay between the legs, draped over the head but don't walk up my body. I think its a claustrophobic thing.

It's not that I don't love the dogs. I absolutely do. I just have boundaries and they respect them.

It's sort of like our kids. For years they went into Nathan's closet and took his socks and he would have to buy more and more and he always complained that he never had any. As adults they still do it. Me, I said you ask you don't take anything of mine. Of course they tried over the years but they finally learned that I wouldn't tolerate it. The dogs are similar.

Neither is wrong. You just have less to complain about and better behavior my way. hahahahahaha

Fun Play

 Here's a photo of Phantom (he has sired a few of the last litters) and Logan who was bred by our friend Yvonne.

Logan lives with Panda from Phantom and Abigail (Roxie's sister) and he truly loves to muck it up when he visits here.

They seem to fly through the air when they play like a fast ballet.

Run & Play

The crew just LOVES to muck it up with each other. This is truly the perfect time of the year for amazing fast run play.

It's not too hot. It's not too cold.

I am still washing dawgs but none of them look that way. Mud comes into the house caked on their feet and I meet CAKED.

This is the time of the year that the floors just never stay clean. Hint, keepa wet mop handy and voila it's clean again.

Tucker's Visit

Tucker came for a visit and had a ton of fun and got a bath too!

He was a crazy boy in the bath. I think I have to give him more baths so I can condition him. Well that's the excuse to get him back.

I think I got me wet more than him. Oh boy... but he had a really good time and now it is quiet around here.

Me, I am playing recovery.

Cooper Settles In

Some of you have asked how Cooper is settling in.

It sounds like he made the transition and we can't wait to see him on Wednesday.

Cooper should enjoy the few remaining days of peace and quiet. Maxine is going to rock his world in less than a week. She has been eating everything in sight and doing her best to bulk up to take on her older brother. I’m told she has a good memory too and will continue to grow long after he’s stopped. That might be something for Cooper to consider. In the meantime, she can’t wait. She told me so.

Nathan

Acrobats

I am amazed always at what positions the havanese can get their bodies in.

They jump, they sail through the air and they wrap their bodies this way or that.

We have snow in the air. Not enough to stick but what the hey is that about?

It best not snow tonight if I am going to Ottawa. I do not want to miss the first snowfall with the Treasured ones pups.

Tomorrow while I am away Meeko and the family are coming to meet their new member of the family.

Nathan best take photos. They are going to love his personality but this dup is fun, fun fun!

So either Nathan will fill you in or I will tomorrow bight. Till then...

Class Photos

Here are the photos I took at Wednesday's class.

Class and Socializing

It was fun to finally get out and see the class. We missed Susan and Illan but I am hoping to see them next week.

The crew has some practicing to do. They are all doing quite well but homework is important to accomplish and so is that scavenger list. Are you filling it out?

You may think, okay its just work but what you are doing is building a base of bonding, confidence and much more. Plus the scavenger list exposes them to all sorts of things. We fear what we do not know and that's true of the dawgs too.

Even if yours is sitting solidly or staying solidly, expand the space and length of time to see how they do. Practice on walks but keep the sessions short - 10 minutes at a time.

To this day we can give a hand signal and Shoshi will go immediately into a down position.

It's nice to know all that hard work pays off. They are only wee ones once in their lives and you are working on getting them to be marvelous adults. It's a fun ride!

Photos are coming later.

Cooper Goes Home

Cooper & His Forever Family We had a busy day. Sparky was visiting this morning with his humans and now they are off to Montreal. They should have arrived at home by now.

He was delightful to have around. You should have seen him playing with Cooper, Spicey and Truffie the mad race game.

Then Cooper was off this morning with his humans. It was bittersweet. I know I will see him tonight so its not a real goodbye but still the house is in a funk with Cooper and Sparky gone.

It's a strange funk that goes over the group as if to say where's the fun? Not that they can't create their own fun but always nice to have different fun with visitors and all.

Sparky After His BathSparky, Cooper, Logan, Rox and Panda got a bath today - oh boy. Am I ready for class or what! Now to change out of these dog grooming clothes.

I hope Cooper had a fabulous day. With all this rain its not the best timing to go home but it is what it is. I look forward to seeing him again tonight.

Did you practice?

Shoshi Cleaned Up

 Shoshi was unabled to be clean due to her surgery until she was healed. She was needing a bath at that time so you can imagine the condition she was in.

Sure I brushed and combed her but dirty hair simply mats by touch so when I washed I had to take the thinning shears and cut into those spots and pull it apart. It took me 2 hours to do her but I am particular about finding anything and I want to be careful not to hurt her when pulling a mat apart. It's rare we get any as I do brush and clean them up all the time but this was special circumstances.

I am telling you this cause with hair like Shoshi's you can cut into the knot with thinning shears and pull the knot apart and not see it.

She may have the coat from hell but it's also easy to cut into it and not see where you did as she has that electrified look - paw in the socket look. Her hair has taught me so many techniques on how to demat or coat a cuticle etc.

Them after using a tightly tined comb I went through her emtire coat making sure I didn't miss a thing. I cleaned her pads, her tummy, her ears and them she went out in the rain and came in as a mud ball.

They all came in as a mud ball. I can't win....

Sparky & Envy

We are still working on a name for the little one but Sparky is warming up to these little things. It's nice to watch it all unfold.

Today I managed to brush all the dogs. Tomorrow I wash a couple and play catchup and tonight I get to snuggle in bed with the dawgs.

How can it get better than that?

Sparky's Visiting

I think Abigail, Treasure and the rest of the gang is going to enjoy his visit. (they did indeed). I hope his parents don't mind me being half asleep.

Will fill you in later...

Well Sparky and his parents came but I have no energy to do photos. I will try to get to it when things calm down.

Sparky's parents are wonderful and it was great to see them. Sparky has been having a grand time but I think he thinks Treasure's pups are curious things that he is trying to figure out.

Recall Class

 Ah thanks goes to Nadia and to Lynda for sending me photos so I can see what happened in recall to a point. I would love to hear what everyone thought of the class. It's painful to have missed so much.:-(

It looks like Nathan was praying to the dawg gods he remembered what to do or something. hahahahaha

He got home late so I got oh an hour sleep and then I was up for the night. Today I managed to sleep from 8am till 2pm.

We are getting semi back to normal. I figure by Monday ewr may be in great shape or conditioned.

Missing My Dawgs

Yes, I take turns snuggling, grooming, playing but I am not sleeping with the dawgs.

I miss Truff snuggling up next to me.

He is turning out to be my dawg.

Fiona is also over the moon in love with me. Why? I give her massages and lots of love and she knows I am taking care of her pups and I know that is noticed.

I have to say I really do not like the all night shift. But I am the one that supplements for the most part so I get to miss the rest. <sigh>

Oh well, this too shall pass.

Times Are Changing

Truth be known I rather like the haphazard look of hair flying every which way and leaves stuck and well messy but I do like knot free.

So how do you combine such?

Just let them play and brush each day.

Who looks the messiest here? Certainly not Cooper but he's had a bath. :-)

In less than a week Cooper who now knows his new name will be going to his forever home.

We will miss him and I gather Truffie and Spice will too.

It just means they will have to come to visit.

Bath & Stuff

This was Panda after her bath. Her and Logan looked quite good. Logan's hair has fullness these days and so does the Panda.

But did they stay that way? Nah

Wait till the snow comes. What's worse - dirt or that wet stuff? Time will tell!

Healing

 Shoshi needs a bath in the worse way. But her face has to heal completely so maybe by weeks end. Let's see how much emergy I have.

The longer I wait, the bigger the job.

Everyone got brushed, played with and snuggled with.

It was me that got a 3 minute shower. We do have our priorities. Yes, 3 minutes was long enough but at times its nice to have it longer!