Individual Personalities

  Last week, we had our gutters cleaned.  After the crew was finished, one asked if he could visit the dogs.  Of course I said yes and gave him a tour.  As I introduced him to each of the dogs, he commented that I knew each by name and seemed very surprised about it!
  I know many people perceive those of us with multiple dogs to consider them a business and are surprised that we love our dogs with the same intensity that they have for their one house dog.  For us, the kennel is a practical way to house the collies.  I can't imagine what our house would look like if we had nine large dogs running through it all the time!
  I'm equally baffled though, by people who are surprised that I can tell the dogs apart.  I've heard that comment ever since we had more than one dog.  Besides the obvious differences--coat color, coat length, markings--each dog has distinct personalities and quirks.
  For instance, Jackson won't eat until he's had his "love fest".  He practically quivers as I'm distributing the food bowls, then races outside to greet me at his gate as he's the first to have his kennel cleaned.  He greets me as if I haven't just seen him and given him his hug.  He leans against my leg, his head and ears get a thorough scratching, then he walks with me while I clean his kennel.  He watches me as I clean the next kennel, and only after that goes inside to eat.
  His grandmother, Lauren, is the opposite.  Meal time is the best time of day for her and nothing will stop her from getting to her bowl!  She jumps up and down in anticipation of eating, sometimes so high I'm afraid she'll go over the gate!  Lauren doesn't even notice when I scratch her back as she eats, her enjoyment of breakfast or dinner is so great.
  Lauren is also our "town crier".  I said she was a tattle-tale but our handler had the more flattering term for her.  She lets us know when deer are in the yard (sometimes waaaaay back in the yard but she thinks it's important to let us know), when one of the dogs is mis-behaving or she thinks breakfast is late.
  Phoebe and Claire also enjoy their meals and do a synchronized jump as I give them their bowls.  They are not as athletic as Lauren and don't jump as high.  Phoebe likes to conserve her energy and will find her bed as soon as she finishes eating.  Her biggest pet peeve is cats.  She doesn't like them at all, objecting to the semi-feral cat that visits us or the house cats that are peacefully sleeping by the wood stove.
  Claire is quiet and can get overlooked when she's by her more dominant sister.  Phoebe pushes her aside for attention, the cot, the daily brushing and Claire readily gives way.  Usually, this works to Claire's advantage as we try to make up for it with extra hugs.
  Dixie is the opposite of her mother and aunt in many ways.  Besides being smooth, while they are rough coated, she can be hard headed and determined to have her way.  When I tell her "no, you can't nip at my shoes" she'll sneak behind me and nip my backside!  Dixie is very athletic and our only dog that likes to play fetch.  She will chase after a toy until my arm gets tired and is disappointed when I stop playing (which is when the nipping starts, I think she's trying to keep me playing).
  Mosby is the old man but doesn't realize it.  He thinks he's the pack leader but the girls put him in his place!  He pushes himself into any activity they are doing, often clumsily knocking into someone.  Sometimes, they gang up on him, knocking him down and rolling him about.  Mosby always gets back up, covered in leaves and grass clippings, sometimes a little stiff, then goes right back to whatever behavior earned him the put-down!  I often have to separate him from the others on play days as even I can see he's annoying, although he just wants to be part of the gang.
  Ref looks big and dominate, but he's a marshmallow.  He doesn't like Jackson or Mosby and will posture if they are near him.  When I call him out on it, he immediately flattens his ears and leans against my leg, with a "I don't really mean it" look on his face.  I call him my delicate flower as he refuses to leave his kennel when it rains.  Even on cloudy days, he stays inside, only poking his nose out and looking anxious as I clean his kennel.  If he does have to walk in the rain, he almost cringes, as if he expects the raindrops to weigh a ton!
  In looks, Gemma is a female version of Ref but her personality is completely different.  She can be most stubborn and dismissive of things she's not interested in.  It could be a toy or the show ring.  She's actually looked a judge up and down, gave like a "phhttt" sound, clearly decided he wasn't worth her time and that she was bored.  But when she wants something, I can practically see the wheels turning as she tries to figure out how to get it.  She has a very sweet face, which she uses to get me to relax my guard, then quickly tries to stick her nose in my pocket, grab the brush out of my hand, knock a water bottler off the grooming table...
  Gibson is the smartest one of the group.  He's a fast learner, picking up on how to do something after seeing it once or twice.  Unfortunately, he watches Gemma and can figure out how to accomplish whatever mischief she's attempting.
  While I try not to have favorites, Gibson is my special love, filling the space that Ben left.  Gibson is always sensitive to my moods, knowing when to act like a clown or when to snuggle.  He has expressive, brown eyes that look like melted chocolate.  Sometimes, I see him sitting in his yard, watching the house and of course I have to run outside to spend extra time with him.  But since I try not to play favorites, everyone ends up with a hug and a pet!

Lots to Do!

It's Saturday, so of course that means the "to-do" list is lengthy!  We need to brace puppy ears, get updated pictures on the website and here and get some good pictures of new champ Dixie for advertising.  But first, we're going to take one of the puppies--the smooth girl we think we'll keep--to a "Barkfest".  There won't be much for us to do but gives us a chance to get her out and socialized individually.
  Last week-end, we did manage to get a couple of pictures.  Here's the rough girl and one of the smooth boys having fun:

Snowmageddon Part Two

Here's some pictures and video from the blizzards:

The Collies and the Blizzard

  A lot of people are wondering how our dogs cope during severe weather, like our current "Snowmaggedon", the blizzard from the week-end.  Ben and Sophie, as the seniors going on 11 years old, are house dogs as soon as the temperature starts dropping in autumn.  If we had puppies, they would also be inside.  As for the others, our kennel is well built with drop doors to keep the dogs inside during heavy wind, snow or rain.  Friday night, we dropped the doors and with their heavy show coats, the dogs generated enough body heat to keep their water buckets ice free!  When I opened the doors on Saturday morning, the dogs made short work of making paths in their runs and packing the snow down.  That night, I wasn't comfortable with closing the doors, after hearing too many reports of collapsed roofs, including on a barn.  The kennel is surrounded by trees and even our sturdy building would not be a match for a couple of those massive oaks.  I was concerned that if a tree came down, the dogs could be trapped inside.  The only effect has been that we've had to break ice in the water buckets morning and night which delights Sadie.  She's an ice cruncher!  She dunks her muzzle into the bucket, fishes around for the biggest piece she can find then happily crunches away while the water drips off her whiskers.
  The dogs love to play in the snow and they were more than ready to go out on Saturday.  I wasn't in the mood to stand outside while the snow pelted my face, so they had to wait until Sunday for a chance to play.  Lauren couldn't wait!  She barked incessantly at me as soon as I went outside with their breakfast.  Once she ate, she started jumping against the gate, pleading to go out.   I had a couple chores to do inside before they could play and as I was moving around the house, I could see Lauren steadily staring at the window, willing me to come back out.  But when I let them out, Lauren found the snow to be too deep for her liking and she kept to the couple paths we had made in front of the kennel.  Gibson, Dixie and I made two huge circles around the play yard, then everyone came running through.  Actually, for Claire and Phoebe it was more of a short stroll.  They can become quite the princesses in snow, acting as if they are too delicate to romp with the others.  Claire did forget for a minute that she couldn't be in deep snow and started to run with the gang, then made my heart skip a few beats as she turned towards me with her front leg held high, her paw dangling.  I was afraid she had somehow broken her leg, wondering how we'd get her to the vet's, only to find she had ice balls between her toes and she wanted me to take care of it!
  This morning's play session found us making more paths through the snow in the play yard. Gibson, Dixie and Sadie forged ahead and found a spot along the fence that is so packed down that they did not break through the snow. They could have easily hopped over the fence and I could see the wheels turning in Dixie's head as she was starting to figure that out. Somehow, she communicated that to Sadie and the two of them stood at the fence, almost like they were double daring each other to go over first. I decided play time was over and got everyone but those two back towards the kennel before the pack mentality started to kick in and everyone thought about hopping the fence. Fortunately, I can bribe them with the promise of a cookie and got most everyone in, but this morning Sadie and Dixie weren't buying it! They picked up on the panic in my voice and refused to come back. They started teasing me, taking a couple steps away from the fence and down the path, then bouncing back on the snow and towards the fence. Finally, the lure of cookies brought them in. All I could envision was them getting over the fence, finding packed snow on the other side, jumping on to the drive and running out to the road. We don't have too much traffice yet, but the road is basically one lane and treacherous.
  Tonight's forecast is snow through the night and heavy winds, causing drifts up to 6 feet.  I'm planning on doubling and tripling the dogs into the runs on the east side of the kennel to concentrate their body heat.  I'm not looking forward to tomorrow morning and the prospect of battling wind gusts of possibly 40 mph and blowing snow to feed the dogs.

Fun in the Snow!

Dinner Out

Tonight we had dinner at Lowry's Crab Shack and took Gibson along. He was great! It was quite hot, there was a huge fan and lots of people so lots of hustle and bustle. Gibson let people approach him and pet him, he wanted to play with another dog who was also dining al fresco and was the most relaxed I've seen him in situations like this. I ordered him a side of hush puppies and he wolfed them down! I enlisted a family waiting for a table to feed him some "cookies" and he took them without hesitation. Ellen, you might have to start frying up these treats for the show ring!

Dog Days in August

Join us in Berryville on Aug 29 for Dog Days in August! This fun day is hosted by our new collie club, Northern Virginia Collie Club, and will have dog games, raffles, demos, seminars and more. We'll also have other dog clubs represented, rescues and vendors of great doggy stuff. Click here for more info: www.dogdaysinaugust.com

It's Spring!

End Results

No more points for Gibson and Sadie, although Gibson took a major reserve on Saturday and was Reserve Winners Dog again today. Here are some recent pictures of the two:

Strike Two....

Followed by a home run!! Claire's breeding did not take but Phoebe's did! We saw four puppies on the ultrasound. One was bobbing its little head, almost like it had the hiccups. The fourth puppy tried to stay out of sight, but was finally on the screen so we're hoping there could be a couple more shy ones that don't like to have their pictures taken. Phoebe is very pleased with herself and was able to entice the vet office staff to keep giving her treats! The puppies are due in two weeks--maybe St. Patty's day??

Second Point for Gibson!

I got a letter from the AKC last week, stating that the dog that was Winners Dog on February 1 has been "disallowed" and that Gibson had been moved up from Reserve to Winners. In checking the web, Gibson now has 2 points! But how? The only entries were Gibson and the now disallowed dog, who had earned the point by placing ahead of Gibson. A call to the AKC was in order, but I still don't understand the reasoning. The rep said the dog was disallowed after earning the point, so any points earned go to the Reserve Winners Dog, even though the reserve and the dog defeated were one and the same. Apparently, disallowed is not the same thing as disqualified, which makes the difference in getting that point. Regardless, Ellen and I don't want to take any chances with Gibson's championship and will have him earn 16 points instead of 15, just to be on the safe side!

Sorry About That...

The visitor count that I attached from blog patrol can give me lots of information--not that I understand or care about a lot of it. I not only see how many people have looked at Lauren's blog, but what time, which post was viewed and what country the viewer is from. It also tells me how a person finds the blog, through a bookmark or a search, which search engine and search terms. The funny thing about tags and titles is that I post something (let's say smooth boys) which in my context has a totally different meaning than to someone in say South Africa or various European countries. I wondered why this puppy blog was getting hits from outside the U.S. then saw what search terms were used and which posts were being viewed--oh my! I'm afraid I've disappointed many a person when they click on the blog and see it's about smooth collies! I'm sure it's not what they expected! Although there was one Norwegian who read all my posts after finding the pictures of our smooth boys--perhaps someone became a collie fan...?

The Great Adventure

Gibson's trip to PetSmart on Sunday was quite a success! The only downer was that he got car sick coming and going. But, once he was at the store, he was interested in everything and not intimidated or nervous over any new experience. The store was having a large adoption event so there was lots of people, dogs and a few cats. Gibson has been with our cats of course, but was interested to see cats in crates that couldn't be chased. He really enjoyed seeing all the dogs and seemed almost baffled that not all the dogs were interested in meeting him and playing. One dog approached him, seemed friendly and wanted to play, then suddenly started snarling and barking at Gibson's face. Gibson just took a step back with a quizzical look on his face, trying to figure out what exactly the rules of the game were supposed to be! He got to see children, which he hasn't before, and found them to be loads of fun. Gibson almost dragged me down the toy aisle, where he nosed just about everything on display and even picked up a couple of rope toys. We would have bought him a new toy, but he quickly lost interest, wanting to explore the other aisles. All in all, a very good trip. Now, we need to work on walking on a lead some more. He's very good for the most part, but if something catches his attention, he wants to dash off to explore.
Today, Gibson and Twister got de-barked. Twister re-covered faster than Gibson, he was able to walk into the house, although his legs weren't completely steady and his head was a bit heavy on his neck. Gibson had noodle legs and body so I had to carry him into the house for a long afternoon nap. He only weighs 58 pounds, but it felt like closer to 75! Now, both boys are completely recovered from their morning ordeal and are ready for supper and a romp in the little bit of snow we have.

Winter Break

Yesterday's temperature when we got up was only 2 degrees. Just 24 hours later and it's a balmy 32--heat wave! The boys and Jewel are spending the day in the big play yard for a much needed day of exercise. They find this perfect weather for games of chase, tug of war and just running to their hearts' content. Jewel is able to outwit her brothers by running through the trees, cutting sharply around then grabbing their tails. She also like to hide behind one of the larger trees, popping her head out from side to side while the boys try to figure out how to flush her out. Tucker has been racing from one end of the yard to the other, leaping over the pack of pups when they are in his path and happy to really stretch his legs. Gibson will get a special treat later this afternoon and will make a trip to PetSmart in preparation for his first shows in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, it will be busy and he'll get lots of attention and see some other dogs besides collies.

Week-end of Mixed Results

We had a very fun week-end, although it didn't end on the high note we had hoped for. Ellen stayed with us for the Mason Dixon Collie Club and Collie Club of MD shows. We had a good time, we talked dogs and we got to meet Danny, CH Travlers Greased Lightning, owned by Cathy Keefer. Ellen suggested he might be a good match for Phoebe, and we had to whole heartedly agree! I went to the Mason Dixon show with Ellen on Saturday and got to know Cathy and Robert, plus spend time with Danny. And, I won the fleece vest I really wanted at the raffle! After the show, we relaxed at our house with chili and football. Before it got dark, Ellen, Cathy and Robert got a tour of the kennel and met the dogs. Ellen thought both Cyclone and Twister have matured so nicely, that they belong in the show ring! David got home from a basketball game in time for a lively conversation on names for the boys. Twister will keep his call name, but will be registered as Hillcroft Rock the House. Cyclone has been re-christened as Gibson and will be registered as Hillcroft Hard Rock. At this point, the boys are still available, but to serious show homes so they can pursue their championshiops. Gibson will start his show career at the end of the month in NJ.
On Sunday, Claire was entered in the CCMD show, hoping she would finish. She's in a beautiful, bloomy coat and went to the show with lots of attitude, very showy and with that "look-at-me" stance. I thought nothing could go wrong and today would be our day! Unfortunately, as Claire went into the ring, things didn't go as hoped. For whatever reason--in heat hormones, too long a break from the ring, unable to maintain her attitude--she didn't win her class. So, we'll try again next week-end. Dog shows really demonstrate the saying--"hope springs eternal"!

Christmas Joy

New toys, treats and a long week-end of playing in the yards makes for a perfect Christmas!

Fiona Update

Pat recently sent a picture and update on Fiona:
"She is filling out nicely and looking like a beautiful girl. She is a wonderfully intelligent and spunky girl and she is now able to sleep up in our bedroom at night (with a gate at the stairs). She likes being treated as an adult very much. We recently put up our artificial Christmas tree and we knew that the lure of ornaments would be too much of a temptation for her (but not Duncan), so we decorated only the top half of the tree. It works for us. Duncan, who just turned three, loves her companionship and they play together very well."

Twister

He's still waiting to go home!

Lauren's Halloween Costume

Lauren the Parade Dog

For many years, the library has participated in the Leesburg Halloween Parade. A few years back, I taught one of our other dogs, Ben, to pull a wagon for the parade. This led to other parades and a special program one month with Outreach Services where he visited several senior sites with his wagon loaded with books. Ben's almost ten now and starting with arthritis in his shoulder and has had to retire from wagon pulling. We decided to train Lauren to take over the parade duties and the video shows her progression. She wasn't enthused at all in the beginning, but once she pulled her wagon in public and got lots of attention, she enjoyed it. Lauren had a blast at the Halloween parade, stopping for every camera and wagging her tail the entire time!