Shoshi Has the Play

It's funny but Shoshi is an older lady that still finds the play. She is patient, loyal and loves the pups even though she has never had any of her own.

I caught this photo of her sitting watching the birds fly by. Her favourite past time is chasing them. I am not sure she would know what to do if she ever caught one but Wasabi has managed to catch squirrels.

She doesn't do anything with them. She catches their tails, holds on and then lets go. I think she just does it as she knows she can.

Cooper Came to Visit

I wish I was able to get better photos but it was wet, mucky and well not suitable for those that get sick with being soaked but we tried.

Next time I hope the weather cooperates.

Here are the photos I took and some are quite enjoyable. :-)

We really missed the Cooper and he rather enjoyed the pups so if you are a Teaser puppy person there are a few of those in these photos.

Cold?

Okay, it's not the dawgs but last year at this time I was dressed like this. Tonight it is raining and Truffie won't come in and neither will the Teaser pups.

Nathan is dripping while I am warm, dry and typing.

It's warm, almost spring like and muddy. Oh boy Truffie will need a bath and so will the Teaser pups in a big way but come Wednesday the 3rd pup will have his bath and go and the one remaining will have his bath too and yet another when he goes home.

Truffie is a water dog. I have a sneaky suspicion that Kat will have competition in the diving department when the pool opens.

I have a feeling the Teaser pups are water dogs too.

Cooper' Visit

Can you believe after Cooper came inside from the wet sopping outdoors, when he dried he looked gorgeous. I kept looking at him thinking I best brush him.

Funny I didn't look at MY dogs and say that. I was just worried about him.

I guess cause I felt responsible taking him outside in that wet sopping snow that has been melting.

Cooper is a Teaser boy and he will be moving to Huntsville as soon as his house is ready...ooops his human's house but I am sure he thinks it is HIS house and it will be too!

Cooper is a tri-colour sable. In reality he has more than 3 colours in that coat of his.

He's done several obedience courses and will be doing a tricks class. I can't wait to hear what he learns from that. It is a fun thing to do with your dawg and its great bonding.

Cooper lived here for a fair bit of time till he went to his forever home. It was, will he be a show dog, will he not but when it all came down to it Paula was having kids and we were having pups so we are able to be blessed with having more dawgs in our life.

Cooper used to be called Sinner so if you are looking back at old posts about him search on Sinner as well as Cooper.

His parents were really nice and brought the pups some treats and some pad holders and a tunnel. It is most appreciated. Cooper is no longer using and well yes they will all come in handy so THANK YOU!!!

I realized how very much I missed the Cooper. It was so mice that he came. Hope to see him again soon. I rather enjoyed his human parents too!

We will add photos and a video possibly tomorrow or Sunday. With pups going home we will try....

Waiting

The two moms came out to play with us today.

Nathan was throwing snowballs and Terra was trying to catch it and the rest of the crew was actually picking up the snowballs to bring them back. It was a riot.

Who needs toys when you have wet snow.

I will tell you no one had snowballs today so it wasn't that wet.

The moms go to the door ahead of the rest to say, hey got to get back to those babies even if they just fell asleep.

I think they feel better just sitting inside or outside the pen watching.

Patience

Sometimes Katsura is so patient. He sees Truffie snuggling up to me at night. He sees Phantom and Logan doing the same and he must be saying, I am YOUR boy!

Today he was laying on me while I was in the TV room just before Lynda came in to see the pups. He had just settled in and I did too for that moment.

It's important to me to have those moments with each and every one of them each and every day.

Life is too short to not make the most of those moments.

I find when I get that extra nice snuggle my body just relaxes. You should try it!

Socks & Ours

Socks is not one of ours but he came for a visit and I got him freshly bathed before his family picked him up.

He was not happy about the bath but he started warming up to it. His first response was to soak me.

I tell you this as this does happen with some. I do some bathing conditioning but some get one bath before they head out and its up to you to keep it up till they get used to it and they can and do get used to it. Sometimes even with several times before they go out, some just do the fight longer. It depends on the personality. 

This puppy has a fun loving personality.

Now this photo is Chico who is a Wasabi and Kat puppy (dark black and white pup) who moved to a fabulous place. Fidel is from another breeder (silver and white) who they had before getting Chico. This is what they wrote:

Hi Nathan & Darlah,

Quick update from the west!  Chico and Fidel have moved to our new home on Eagle Island, West Vancouver.  The dogs are thrilled.  It’s a pretty leash free life as there are no cars on the island, which is a friendly community of about 30 families.  No wildlife to worry about (no skunks or bears here!) so it’s just pure fun, tearing up and down the trails to the houses and all over the island basically.   Getting to the island involves a very short “barge” ride.  Both dogs are very accustomed to it now, waiting for the command to get on and off the barge when directed.  Nobody has gone swimming voluntarily or involuntarily – yet!

Lots of walks in the neighbourhood on the mainland too, lots of canyons, trails and beaches to explore.  A few photos attached.

Hope things are well in Toronto!

All the best,
Kaarina

-----

From us... we are so jealous as it sounds like dawg heaven. We miss them and its sad that they are so far away but we are happy they have such a grand life! Thanks for updating us. :-)

Funny Poses

The dogs and the puppies had a blast so many times outdoors today that I am late getting the blogs done.

Tomorrow I have Socks to wash (not one of ours) so I may be late tomorrow as I SHOULD clean up a couple of others like Logan and Panda. It may be time for them. Won't know till tomorrow when we see them. :-)

Don't you just love this lazy pose of Roxie? What mom, no back legs. Here she was staring intently at the play till she could figure out where to pounce and what advantage to that pounce she would have if she made her move. You can just see them thinking it through then acting upon it.

Ah to be a DAWG!

Snow Angels

Risa in action. I also took video below. She loves her snow and so does Wasabi, Truffie and shall I go on?

Update on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 9:06PM by Darlah

Risa's Senior Moment

The video is above!

Wet and More Wet

There are some days when a guy just can't stay dry and that's me. My mom is going CRAZY!

I go out, I swim through the wet snow and she swears I am laughing about it and I am. What can I say, I am a water dog from the frozen wet kind to the pool kind but baths, I could lose THOSE!

Mommy says I am really good at laying on my back. So it took me about 10 months but she wouldn't give up and now I just lay there and I am relaxed. Of course she massages me and gives me yummy treats but today I got brushed 3 times and I think that is ridiculous and she says its in the cards again today.

You see I am a show dog and I can't afford to lose coat so this is my life but shhh we have visitors tonight and I am absolutely going to show them how you can swim in snow. How could I not.

Poor Mommy will she have to brush me again? maybe this is payback time? ROFL!!

Sparky & the Vets

Hi Nathan and Darlah,

All is well. Sparky is terrific!

Just had Sparky's annual check-up and rabies shot.

He's Florida bound soon!

---------------

Can't wait to see an updated photo of him in the sun but I just adore his chillin' attitude. We will be envious that he is enjoying a salt water pool and we will be shovelling perhaps.

TV Time

Do you know havanese like to lay on the back of couches? There is something about on high spots that they adore.

They also can see TV. Now that the resolution has become better there are some that you can shut the sound off and when they see an animal or two will bark at it or put up a fuss and that is with NO sound.

Some don't seem to care about the TV and others will intently watch. Some only care about the sounds.

Remember When

This was Wasabi's previous litter and I wanted to post this so you could see just how agile of a group she seems to have.

This one escaped from the pen and they were only a half a week older than her crew now. They were 3 weeks old.

Will this crew do the same? I suspect so.

I Was Brushed

If you look closely you can see Risa rubbing her face in the snow. It's a crazy process. You brush, they mess and if you have my husband he fondly caresses them rubbing their hair every which way and direction till you say, I just brushed her you know. :-)

Only the one that grooms daily will stop themselves from making them a mess. hahahahaha Yes, Nathan brushes them the odd times but he forgets or assumes they can be brushed again and they need to be a dawg. He's right.

I am right when its just before a show. :-)

But hanging out at the house, who cares?

Toy Play

Truffie loves the wet snow and playing with toys. He's much like his father when it comes to toys. Phantom will jump up on top of a crate for a toy and he surrounds himself with toys and covets them. He takes them to bed, he takes them outside and he just loves playing with them and so does Truffie.

Truffie also finds a stick charming especially if its a big huge one that he can run and jump with and rotate all around with.

I love a dog that can amuse himself. Of course I like the focus to be on me at times too but a zest for play is nice and fun, don't you think?

Snowballs a Coming

I don't know about you but wow the dawgs are getting snowballs all over them. Maybe it is time to put some snowsuits on....nah.

Phantom tends to get them on his face as he sticks his face right into the snow and shakes off as if I never brushed him. Gad I love this boy. Risa knows this trick too.

Remember spray silicone spray before going out if you remember and brush the coat or put on coats with legs or just brush or wet them off. You want to brush or you can get knots if just let to dry in.

Where Are U?

I love these tunnels especially the ones with holes at the top. Here Roxie is checking out who is in the tunnel.

They jump in and out including the adults. Yes, the adults love this toy too.

I just love this play and it gets better as the pups get older where all are joining in and even mimicking. Check out this photo to see what I mean.

Today Spice and Katsura got a bath. They were both way overdue. I think I will wait till Monday for anymore. :-)

It's great sleeping with the dawgs again!

Bath Times

Today Truffie and Phantom had a bath. Tomorrow Katsura and Spice. Now understand I do these baths in the window where the gals are not feeding the pups. I have approx a 1.5 to 2 hour window. Everyone needs baths but are getting them on a 'can I fit it in' order.

Truffie is good these days. He now lays on his back and even lets me take out knots in armpits and feet. He had a few today as I got him groomed but not lined combed the last few days and its been wet outside. Wet and not brushed equals knots.

Can I go to sleep now?

Alyssa and Vince (and Mia) sent us a basket of edible fruit. Yum. Thank YOU!!! I am eating it right now. That sure made the day nicer!! Most appreciated - not necessary...but wow nice!

We have a visitor that is Yvonne's Lola's pup called Socks. What a cutie and he is having so much fun. I am celebrating as Spice and Treasure are no longer in heat and Spice is one of my biggest play monkeys with visitors. Isn't that great timing and here I thought I had to wait till tomorrow!

Best of Times

We turned our dining-room into a tv room. We placed a couple of couches in it, tables, a desk and of course a TV. Now the recliner is also in it.

One of the dogs best place in the house is this room. Why? They have a huge crate that they can lay in that connects the 2 couches together. This gives them easy access to go back and forth between couches without going back down to the floor and it has a comfie bed on the crate so one of them can sit up there and watch. It's a high end crate the size that takes a golden with wheels and a slide down door that always stays tucked up and out of the way and open.

We also have beds on the side table, stairs and a dog bed on the floor plus a recliner if Daddy is sitting in it.

It's a pure dog heaven. We never used the dining-room. So we figured why not. With xpens being in the family room along with my desk and dogs not having access while pups are small, it makes sense to have another room to chill. I have to say Fiona will ask to go into it when no one is there just to hang out and have quiet.

I think it is their most favourite room in the house after the bedroom and even the guests think so too.

It's rather nice having a real dog friendly tv room to chill in. Just think I dragged my feet on this one and the men in my life was right. :-)

Dog Shows

Katsura Waiting Turn in RingI thought this may be an interesting read. As it gives you insight into this crazy dawg world. Not always the best but money indeed plays a part and without it, it's a pipe dream.

All of ours are champions but we don't campaign our dogs. We have fun with them. Campaign dogs are out every single weekend taken out to be groomed and shown and placed back in their crate for hours on end. The odd pro handler who doesn't have too many dogs will play and try to give them balance.

The owner/handlers that have the $$ to indulge and want the bragging rights and show themselves are more apt to give that dog balance as it is the only one. There are exceptions but hard to find.

Some have died in the hands of pro-handlers, left on tables and sometimes strung up by accident, not cooled off sufficiently at a hot dog show etc.

When someone does want to campaign their dogs it makes it hard to find who will actually care enough about your dog if it doesn't win big that it will give balance. Sometimes simply they have too many dogs to make ends meet to be able to invest the time.

Dog shows sometimes start in the morning and end at night if you have multiple dogs.

Bravo for all those that invest the time, the dollars etc. as it does give people exposure that wouldn't. Many will brag about their dogs for 5 to 10 years after a big win. They spent the $$ so they deserve the bragging rights.

But you also deserve to see the whole picture of this crazy dawg world.

Nathan loves the dawg shows, me it's work as I groom and prepare and wrap etc. I prefer to applaud the fast runner, the swimmer, the obedience, rallly and agility stars and they are all stars to me that do their time and the dog that has a special gift of calming others that are nervous.

We all celebrate dawgs differently but until you have the experience its hard to see the whole picture.