NESA AKC TRIAL

  I had the boys entered in cattle 1st thing this am.  I was so proud of them. They were awesome! The cows didn't want to play so Dare walked up introduced himself and bit the crap out of them.  The cows said "yes  sir-Where would you like us to go sir?"  He got them up the centerline and around the post and we made the Y chute and  played with them around the Z chute but got them in and on to the hold  pen.  The buggers started to run coming out of the Hold pen and Dare tried to stop them and did get them stopped at the number4 but when I asked him to take them on the cross drive, he couldn't help himself and did some cow twirling which mad them all split and he could not cover them back to the repen.  They called 1 minutes and the way it was going I knew we were not going to get the crossdrive so I repenned them. He got  a 78 which of course was NQ because you need to get at least 50% of each obstacle and we lost that on the crossdrive.  

Dually got the same cows and introduced himself the same way. Again we got them up to the cone and made the turn to the Y. We had some trouble on the Y but got them through and skimmed the Z and made the hold pen .  He took them to the 4 and had some trouble holding them but got them to the center panels although we skimmed them too.  We q'd for leg number 2.

Dare's duck run was really nice except for the cross drive. He didn't take my first stop and then tried to bring them back to me so I reflanked him and screamed down and he stopped and we had a beautiful crossdrive but we placed 2nd.  Bummer.  Not sure if we got HC pts or not.
Dually had a nice outrun lift and fetch but wasn't listening to me as I yelled down down down and then gave up since he was bringing them so nicely anway.  I think we skimmed the Y chute and got the Z and the Hold pen but then he was not listening at all at the crossdrive and the ducks crossed the center line and I didn't know what to do so I went on.  He didn't Q his first time in ADV ducks. I was happy with it though.

Tomorrow is another day and hopefully tonight will be full of sleepless dreams and lots of sleep.I'm tired and the dogs are very tired. Puppy too.

OMG THE PEACHES THIS YEAR ARE TO DIE FOR

 I just took one off the tree and it's dripping with juice and soooo sweet.  I have been giving a lot of peaches away because I hate to just feed them to the sheep . There is only so many peaches one person can eat and I had a lot this year. I also made a big pan of peach crisp(am I repeating myself?).  I think I will make a peach,pear,razzberry crisp this afternoon. It's just too darn easy.

Puppy was good today. I put him in the xpen while I gave a couple of lessons and worked my dogs too. He as pretty quiet almost all the time. Not sure what he was doing but he couldn't get in trouble where he was. Now he is taking his afternoon nap.  Just like a baby.  They grow up faster though.

Dare did a really nice A course duck run and so did Dually. The ducks were cooperative today.  Need some uncooperative ducks to really test them.

Then I used Dare to hold sheep for a student and he seemed to understand that is all he was out there to do. He didnt' try to take the sheep away from the other dog and he would put them back to the set out point after her outrun.  Damn smart dog.  Love that dog. Love them all, but sometimes I love him best.

Puppy pics

Screaming is lessening

  Or I am managing it better,not sure.  Edge sleeps a lot and if I wait until he is tired to put him in a crate then he whines a bit and maybe screams once and off to sleep he goes, but it's not a good idea to put him in an xpen and try to work stock.   Dare also has quickly determined that if I put Edge in a crate , he could scream ,so as soon as I open the crate door, Dare leaves. Last night he went under the baby gate at the top of the stairs and of course the baby gate went flyiing down the stairs after him.  Those gates make a lot of noise at 1:30am.

Puppy has been really good about peeing and pooping outside.  I am very vigilant.  He went out in the sprinkling rain this am and didn't think that was a good idea , so I a little worried now that it is coming down pretty heavily. I took him out with me yesterday to the granite store and we walked around there and met people and he was very good. I think that tired him out.

An old friend came over last night with her 3 dogs and we tried them on the stock. The little dog that she thought was a corgi,sheltie cross did nothing, the golden retriever chased them a little but the dog that looked like a harrier cross was very keen and could be worked.  The little dog might turn on, you never know.

My shower wallboard will be delivered on Wed afternoon and I went to get my granite cut for the vanity top yesterday.  Moving along  now.  My contractor took my buffet/vanity home with him to get the top off and cut the legs down and paint it and get it ready to install. Yay. Taking showers in the trailer is getting a little old. It's not bad but it's much nicer to not have to walk out of the house to get clean.

Dare and PUp

Dare is very tolerant of the puppy but when he thinks it is going to cry or scream , he tries to leave the house. I have to lock the front storm door or he will hit the latch and leave.  Sccary.  It is to the point , that if I put the pup in the crate, Dare assumes it's going to scream and starts to hyperventilate and leave.  Now mind you , the puppy is getting better and there is less screaming,but the problem is that if there is screaming and any possibility that Dare can get out , then I have to get Dare and not discipline the puppy.  For instance , if I put the puppy in the xpen outside, I have to make sure Dare is locked in a crate inside. And the crate I have been locking him in is getting  a beating. He is tearing at it trying to get out and has bent the door and the frame of the wire crate. I will have to go out and buy a newer stronger crate to keep him safe. But  I need a new one for the pup anyway. These duck crates that I have been using for  him are not going to big enough for very long.


Just finished making another peach crisp from memory but boy was it good.
7-8 peaches peeled and sliced mixed with 2 tbsp flour and 1 tsp cinammon,dash salt

topping-5-6 graham crackers(the whole piece)crushed roughly
2/3 C brown sugar,more cinammon1/3 stick butter cut in pieces and mixed in

Put in peaches in pan and drizzle with honey then put crumb topping on and bake in oven 375 for 35-40 min and serve warm with ice cream or  cool whip.  OMG is it good.

Edge on cows

  Just kidding.  I took him out back to feed this morning on a line but picked him up when I got close to the cows and the sheep out there. He thought that was great fun.  I put him on the ground to go back to the house and he had to practically be dragged because he kept trying to get back to the cows.  He  hasn't acted that way around the sheep or the ducks so maybe he 's a cow dog.

He chased the water hose this afternoon like he had been doing it all his short little life and also decided the kiddie pool was fun too.

Edge on ducks --check it out

http://youtu.be/TPCoki10K78

sleepy day

The pup slept all day pretty much. I'd take him out and walk him and he would walk a little and just lie down.  so back in the crate and out like a light. Yesterday was a hard day on him.  I was exhausted today and had to go lie down in the trailer this afternoon so I could be awake enough for some lessons this afternoon.
Apparently Cindy's puppy has been on the go all day and she even worked ducks with him today.  No way my pup would have worked. He did, however, have a lesson about being tied to the fence .

The bathroom is all roughed in with elec,plumbing changes and blueboard and hardibacker for the tile floor.  They even put up some of the beadboard paneling.  I 've got to run over to the marble place and get them to cut my vanity top tomorrow.  It will take maybe 2 wks before the tiles I ordered come in and the shower wall board should be here middle of next week. Looks like no shower in the house for 2 wks or so.  Trailer is fine.  short and sweet but warm and wet.

puppy is here

   Man on the Edge is here--I was undecided about his call name until he snarked at the ACD  puppy that cindy got today not once but numerous times to he has a bit of an edge to him so that will be his call name...Edge.
We got up at 4:30 and on the road to Logan airport at 5:30.  The flight was due to arrive at 6:45 and we were there, but they had not unloaded them yet so we left for 15 min and came back.  And when we came  back we could here a puppy screaming . I said "Cindy , That is your puppy" and she said Oh no "It must be your puppy". I was right. She has a screamer, but mine is no shrinking violet about making noise.   He did lots of crying today. I think he is overtired. Can't imagine why.  Long flight and he had to pee and poop in the crate poor baby. And they were thirsty pups.  Right now he is sleeping in a crate and I worry about the rest of the night.

 He met Peaches and Dare and Dually.  They all corrected him one way or another for some unseen infraction of dogdom.  Dare was jumped on and he didn't like it. Peaches was just snarky and Dually was just plain Dually. He hates anybody near him and so did much growling. They will be buds soon I hope.

In the meantime, My bathroom has been demolished and I still have a toilet, but no shower. I showered last night in the travel trailer and that was fine.  My shower wallboard shipped today and should be here in5 days and I picked out the tile for the floor, but I am waiting to hear how long it will take to get. Can't finish bathroom with no tile. Shower floor is in and replumbed. Electric has been redone .  Making progress.

The Clinic

   The clinic with Tenley went well.  We went to dinner on Sat night and that was fun.  11 of us and we stayed a couple of hrs and had Mexican food and Margaritas.  Very tasty.  Glad I am home alone tonight and I dont' have to get up early tomorrow and cook and sort and etc etc.

Sending payment for the puppy tomorrow. Most expensive pup  ever for me.   He better be worth it. On the other hand , the airfare is cheap  only $229 .

Just found out the cattle they are using on Labor Day have not even seen the A course or the obstacles , so I will go down to Janets and run them around the course a bit and make sure they are workable.  Hope they are as good as my cows are.

puppy has been picked

  I had another video of the pups --all of them.  hard to see--They were all very interested in the ducks and all showed eye and stalking behavior.  I just picked the one Jan wanted me to take.  Pros and cons.

I got up early to go get my PET scan and then groceries and then more picking up around the farm and getting ready for the clinic tomorrow.  Then Jan kept calling to see if I had watched the newest video of the pups yet and I couldn't get to it because the plumber was here.  Finally he left and I watched it and talked to her briefly about my decision and went back to cleaning and cooking.  I'm tired and i"m going to bed.

Puppy Update again

ok so  Jan is now saying the white toed boy is better stucturally than the blaze boy .  And I think she really doesnt like blaze boy.  She thinks he will be a huge handful and is high energy but more frantic.  I don't really care , except the white toe puppy tested as food aggressive and that frightens me.  I don't want aggression in any way or form.

My friend Cindy is getting a puppy at the same time(a cattle dog puppy)same age from a breeder near Jan so Jan is going to try and fly them in together and Cindy and I will go pick them up together. Not sure how this will all work out. Jan was supposed to call me back tonight and did not do that and  I will be gone to the hospital tomorrow am for a PET scan.  I guess I will be done by the time she wakes up. She has to make a decision tomorrow before the other person arrives from Missouri to pick her puppy.

more puppy news

THey all passesd their ear and eye tests today and that's all I know.

Hot and muggy today. I got nothing done. Just remembered there is a load of laundry still in the washer. Not going down now.

My contractor Bill stopped by today to discuss the bathroom renovation again.  He is going to try and bag another ladies job and start mine.  I told him it needed to be done by Sept 26.  He said he could do it if he didn't have to start the other job which was going to be a very big job.  I might meet the plumber tomorrow .  I need to change the location of the shower faucets and drains.   It's moving along.

another puppy update

They did the puppy testing today(Vohard's).  Got some extremes I guess.  Blaze boy was off the charts in drive and food motivation.  Brown leg boy was not of a forgiving nature.  Guess he's not for me. The girl was less than Jan thought she would be, but I dont' have the details yet.

Puppy Update

The pups are now 7 wks old and tomorrow they will all be puppy tested. Can't wait for results.  Then on Wed they will have eyes and ears checked and Thurs will be structure eval day.   I  have seen 3 of them on ducks on a fairly decent video.  white feet, brown legs and the girl. The girl was very nice and brown legs showed sustained interest I thought. Didn't really see white feet do much.  Jan said brown legs is a sorta stand offish puppy that doesn't like just everybody. Not sure that would suit me and I was leaning towards him since she said white blaze might be kinda dumb.  must wait for puppy test

It was cooler and drier tonight and the boys were feeling it. Dare was his usual zippy self and so was Dually . I was beginning to think they were sick. Just heatsick I guess.  I put the AHBA course up to see how hard it was and it wasn't hard at all for them.  Good --of course the ducks are really good here. I need to get Kathy's ducks and try them.THey aren't as cooperative.

UMass to day for the first thryogen  shot .Why should one lousy injection take them a full damn hour. I was a little annoyed. They promised tomorrow would be quicker. It damn well better be.

ASCNE TRIAL TODAY in NH

  It is over 2 hrs up to the trial and I am only entered in Cattle which will be the first 2 runs of the day and then you have to wait until 6 pm for awards.  It would cost me $60 in gas to get  there and back and the entries cost me  $110 so by not going I am only losing  $50.  I can live with that.   I don't need the cattle legs and I don't have enough low iodine food to go or the whole day so I will stay  home. I slept in, and  will work my dogs here and maybe clean some house.

I have a clinic this coming weekend and I have to start to straighten things up.  The outside looks pretty good but the inside can always use some cleaning.

Last night before going to bed , I worked on the excel program that will keep the scores for my upcoming AHBA trial. I have to switch some things  around to make it work and it still needs a bit of tweaking. But I like to do that and I need to do it so I can check it off of my list.

WHAT'Wrong with DARE now?

 Gosh he is an enigma.  I took everybody in the car to Ct to help set up for the Labor Day trials this morning. And no they never got out of the car.  I was there for about 4 hrs.  Dare hates the car.  I accidentally left his crate door open when I left and that upset him even more.  He started whining and cying until I stopped the car and put his thunder coat on and closed the crate door. Then he stopped crying but still paced and drooled. Poor guy.   So I got home and made dinner and then decided to go out and work somebody.  He would not come out of the house so I worked Dually on ducks. Nice job by the way.  I worked the A course in both directions and worked on his flanks and taking the duckies out of the corner. He got better at it. Thank goodness.

I went inside to get Dare figuring  he was trying to get out to me , but no he was just lying on the hallway floor and I kinda had to convince him to come out and work.  He as happy enough to work and did a great job , but that is what worries me. He wasn't trying to get away with anything. He just did it. That's not like Dare. So I took  him out to work the cows and his heart wasn't in it. He did it, but again there was no diving in and grinning at me.  Hope it's just the heat and humidity which I know he hates.

Dinner tonight was chicken cacciatore.  I had it on rice and it was pretty darn good. I was hungry.  Dessert is homemade pineapple sorbet.  Not as sweet at the first time which was a little too sweet.  And for a snack before dinner I had big bowl of summer squash and butter. Mmmmm

Pups

    I just got a video of the pups and they let them see the ducks.  It was a little chaotic so hard to tell much.  Will  wait for the next one. THey showed interest, but not sustained.  7 wks old now? I think.  puppy tests next week along with eye and ear.  I've decided to have Jan airmail the little bugger to me.  It doesn't make sense for me to fly out there for 1 day and fly back the next. If she had time I would go and stay for a  while, but she is on her way someplace so I am not going.  He'll be fine. \
   
   I brought my wallboard samples to the marble place today to match my vanity top.  What fun.  My shower is apparently arriving tomorrow.  I called my contractor and told him I was ready to start. He may not be.  lol.

Some of the pups-missing one I think

side view white foot black boy

white feet black boy

blaze boy

brown  leg boy

the girl

DAY OFF??

    I didn't have any lessons but Betty came to work her dogs  and Ed came to work.  He got a lot more done.  I have sweepers on some of my gates now so the ducks can't get under. And he replaced the breaker that goes to the well pump and we will find out if that was the problem. I hope that was the problem because I am not sure where to go from here if it doesn't fix it.  And he put slats on the ramp going to my shed so I wont' break my neck when it rains and I go out there.   He also put a few tractor loads of fill against the duck fence , again so the ducks don't escape.  

I went out grocery shopping, but the butcher was closed and I need to get salt free chicken so I will have to go back tomorrow. But I made an interesting penne with roasted peppers dinner. Lots of vinegar in it. It was good but not great.  I also made strawberry sorbet which was really good and I had it with some pieces of dark chocolate which I can eat. I cooked some more garbanzo beans and will make more hummus tomorrow sometime. lessons in the am.

I finally ordered all the ribbons for the AHBA trial at then end of Sept.  It's not easy to know what to spend when you have no idea how many people will come.

And I gave my farm sign a coat of exterior finish so Ed wouldn't have a stroke.

And Tim showed up and left 2 loads of fill for me.  Ed started to spread it, but will finish tomorrow. He did all the work today but I was exhausted this aftenoon . Now I am wide awake of course and watching the Olympics.

New WTCH!!

    Okay do I feel dumb.  I got Dually's ADVdc title and his WTCH title in the mail today and I immediately thought they had made a mistake.  I called the office and they told me he had an ADVcattle leg from ALA that I do not remember at all.  duh. So I finished his WTCH 2 weeks ago  at Maine Moose Mania Trial which  is where I wanted to finish it but then thought I blew it.   NO Celebration, no fanfare, no WTCH ribbon and no WTCH doll. Damn I  gypped myself.  WE would have partied hearty.   And now I have him entered in a trial this weekend that I dont' need to go to.

THE NEW FARM SIGN IS HERE

 I had a bit of trouble getting this sign made, but it's done and it's here and it's hung up and it looks darn good!

Lesson for me today --Yay

    Betty and I traveled out to Barb Armata's place in NY again today. We went about a month and a half ago when Barb finally convinced Betty she needed a down and so we have been working on it for all that time. He was good not great but she moved onto his other problem which is slicing his Away flank.  I have been trying to get Betty to see it and to put pressure on him and get him to give. Barb mimicks my words so it's all good.  Now that is what we will work on , in addition to the down until we go back in mid Sept.

     I worked Dare first and he was his normal self .   Last time he was the good dog and Dually was the bad dog and it got reversed to normal and so Barb got to see what a pushy SOB Dare is.   We worked on his down a bit by getting in his face with the rattle paddle and using a belly band but more to keep a rope on him than to actually use the belly band.  He got better but it was soooo hot that I think he was more tired than better. We'll see next time I take him out and demand his down.  Also worked on the novice novice outrun and he can do it but he is tight.

      Dually was a good boy.   He did a very nice outrun lift and fetch .  NIce distance and pace. And then we were going to work on driving, but he won't take his gobye inside flank nice and square so we worked on that also with the rattle paddle and banging it on the ground , but we had to have a line on him or he was just going to leave.  Barb worked him a bit and I said he was soft but when she threw the stock stick next to him to get him to square up , he kind of lifted an eye and said "Is that all you got" and kept going.  She laughed and said " I though you said he was soft" and I said " Well , yes, soft for and aussie" and that is when we changed to the rattle paddle. Got good results too. Can't wait to try it again.  That flank has been bothering me a lot.

Todays' adventures

 Today we hooked up the horse trailer for the first time after being mostly fixed. New tires(2 not all 4) new floor,new tailgate fasterners and new upper doors so the livestock doesn't jump out.  It was an uneventful trip to Shelley's to pick up my lambs that I had lent to her to eat her grass. Grass is almost gone so back come the lambs.  I forgot how many I have her so I was surprised to pick up 5. One died while it was there. oh well. THey look good and now I can incorporate them back into the flock to use them. I counted and I have 20 sheep and 3 goats.  Too darn many.   No wonder I am buying hay every other week.

I worked Dare on the A course ducks and I realized that going from the hold pen to the number 4 , was a weak point( I knew that), but now I have a plan. I am going to teach him to hold them on the fence just like he does going from the corner thru the Z chute. He does that on his own so I guess I can teach him to do it from the hold pen to 4 and then work on the turn from 4 thru the crossdrive.   I also worked on  his fetch and is was much straighter and I really liked it.