May 16 2008

Levi’s Show Dog Days

May 16, 2008 – 10:30 am
10:30 am By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Levi | Tagged |

Levi I found this picture on my laptop when I was going through old pictures… isn’t he handsome! This is Levi when he was doing the dog show thing. He finished (which means he got his championship) at 18 months old. He’s a very handsome boy. Not too straight in the front, I don’t think… at least for a collie. Collies tend to be quite straight, like Tatum.

Levi has good proportions and he’s a good size. His ears are rotten, but this picture was after they were taped for days and weeks on end, so they stand up fairly well here. Finishing a dog at 18 months old is actually quite quick, and so I am proud of my boy!

Levi was born November of 1999… so this picture is probably from sometime in 2000. Maybe 2001, but we were in and out of the show ring pretty quick. Tell you the truth, I didn’t really enjoy showing, though I say I’d do it again if I got another well bred working smooth collie. Which.. I really am considering getting again, maybe in five or so years. I really am a bit tired of the rescues with all their issues. And I know so much more now than when Levi was a baby. So maybe next dog I’ll get it right! ;)

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Levi | Tagged |
May 16 2008

Seeds

May 16, 2008 – 10:27 am
10:27 am By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts, Info, Stuff | Tagged |

Well personally I’m not a cannabis smoker, but I’ve heard it can help medical problems and pain a great deal. And since I like to post about controversial subjects… this is a good one eh! Personally I think it should be legalized. Anything can be abused, look at alcohol, and it’s legal.

So it’s interesting to know that Feminized Seeds are available… and in three languages online, too. From what I’ve read, male seeds do not grow any seeds and therefore cannot be smoked.

So if you are looking for Feminisierte Samen, or Graines Féminisées, you can find them online for order.

Though of course I don’t give any to my dogs… and I don’t smoke myself. I tried once, it just hurt. LOL. Was too hot. But for medical purposes, and if it works, more power to people who use it, I say!

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts, Info, Stuff | Tagged |
May 15 2008

Tatum’s Stressors

May 15, 2008 – 4:03 pm
04:03 pm By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Tatum | Tagged , , |

Tatum Just wanted to make a bit of a list of the things that seem to stress Tatum out… hopefully with time, and work, this list will get less and less. When she is very stressed she wont take treats, and if she is semi stressed she won’t pay attention to toys. Only when she’s very comfortable and happy will she play with toys.

Stressors:

  • New Places - Though the more new places we go, the less nervous she is in them.
  • Strange Noises - The more strange noises she experiences, the better she is at excepting new ones.
  • Being Tired - The more tired she gets (from activity or learning) the more stressed she gets.
  • Being Restrained - Like many dogs, she does not like to be restrained and it frightens her.
  • Collar Grab - She does not like her collar grabbed or to be pulled with a collar. We are working on the collar becuase all dogs need to be collar touched once in a while. But we don’t pull her. No reason, she is small enough to guide or herd along or carry.

Signs of Stress:

  • Tail - A tail is such an excellent way to read a dog. I feel sorry for dogs that don’t have them… When Tatum is happy and excited, her tail is high and almost over her back. The more excited, the more erect. The more stressed and unsure she is, the lower it goes. When she is completely overwhelmed, it’s sucked under her tummy.
  • Treats - She won’t take treats if she is highly stressed.
  • Toys / Play - She will not take a toy or play if she is stressed.
  • Gait - When she is stressed she will not run… she will only trot or walk. If she gets away from me and is afraid, she will trot around looking for her crate.
  • Facial Expression - You probably have to know her pretty well, but her facial expression will change to look worried and frightened if she is stressed.

She’s fairly easy to read if you know what you are looking for… she is a doll, and cute in her pink coat don’t you think? LOL… anyway,

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Tatum | Tagged , , |
May 14 2008

WW - Me Tatum and Chase

May 14, 2008 – 9:14 am
09:14 am By Cynthia Blue | Posted in AR Meme | Tagged , , |

Me Tatum and Chase

Me, Tatum (the smooth sable collie) and Chase (The black Border collie) on a nature walk by the agility trial site in Brighton, Colorado.

Wordless Wednesday

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in AR Meme | Tagged , , |
May 14 2008

Metal Dogs

May 14, 2008 – 9:07 am
09:07 am By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts, Info, Stuff | Tagged |

Much of the agility equipment used in a competition nowadays is made from Metal. Welded, I think. We used to have a person who made it locally, some great equipment, but I think she is no longer making it. I want to buy a nice fold up weave poll base but she is no longer making them. My PVC weaves are just breaking up and really need to be replaced, they are about four years old now.

Another source of metal working and manipulation is rollform equipment. Very interesting how they roll out metal products. It’s an amazing industry and very interesting.

Maybe rollforming can be used for agility equipment! Though I think the metal forming process is, actually, a lot bigger than the small agility equipment we use in our trials. :)

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts, Info, Stuff | Tagged |
May 14 2008

Marley the Springer

May 14, 2008 – 8:30 am
08:30 am By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Rescue | Tagged , |

Marley Well, Thursday before we went to Colorado for the USDAA trial in Brighton, Colorado… I got an email from Springer Rescue saying they needed a transport for a Springer to his new home in Boulder, Colorado.

Marley And fortunately the driver of the Fun Bus is a Springer guy! He has two of his own. And we were able to get Mr Marley fit into the Fun Bus so we could take him with to his forever home in Colorado.

Marley was a bit nervous at first, and he really missed his foster Mom when she dropped him off at our house on Thursday night, but he was a trooper and when we got to the trial site he was doing really well, curious, and hardly seemed nervous. He was such a good boy. As soon as he was in our house, I feel in love with him. Such a sweet and handsome boy!

So now he is in his new home in Boulder, and I’m very happy for him! I’m glad we could help out.. and we didn’t even need any Phentermine 37.5 mg to keep us going on our trip. :)

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Rescue | Tagged , |
May 12 2008

Performance I Snooker Title

May 12, 2008 – 4:59 pm
04:59 pm By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Agility | Tagged , , |

Chase and Tatum in the Fun Bus Well the USDAA trial in Colorado was fun. I had a great time. Chase and Tatum, as you can see, got to ride in the back of the Fun Bus. The crates are attached and there are four of them. And more crates stack on the top. It can carry about 8 people, but not quite that many when there are as many dogs. But it’s a nice setup, for sure!

Chase did great at the trial, too. He got his PK1 title, which is his Snooker Title in the Performance Class. I have him in Performance because I don’t really want him to jump 26″, which is what he’d jump in the regular. He’s 21.5″ at the shoulder, and the cut off is 21″. He’s just a half inch too tall. He jumps 20″ in AKC, and 26″ is, I think, a big difference. Maybe someday I’ll train him up to that height but… not sure if I want to take the time.

So anyway… Chase did great. He got a Pairs Leg on Saturday, thanks to a great partner named Ollie. And he also got his Snooker leg on Sunday. He would have had some more but… of course, me the Mum screwed up. The Standard leg on Sunday, I stopped at the end of the course and he knocked the last bar, looking back at me. Doh! Other than that it was a good run.

Chase now has the 3 PI snooker legs (and title), one Standard leg, and one pairs leg. I’m excited for June when we, hopefully, will get some more legs!

Both the Steeplechase and Grand Prix (both the Performance versions, I forget what they are called) were a lot of fun too and Chase did really well. We had a couple of off courses, though, so we didn’t qualify. But I am still learning to run him. I’ll probably always be learning to run him.

I had some great coaching and confidence building from the people I was there with, and I appreciate it greatly! I don’t think they even know how much it helped. I do lack confidence and I think I have an attitude where I’ll never really succeed… and I need to get rid of that and get a more successful frame of mind. Chase is a great, fast dog and he has a lot of potential!

He did tunnel suck a couple times, but that is a training issue and we will be working on that. I have a tunnel and weaves and some jumps, so I’ll be breaking those out in the yard and practicing, too.

I have some more pictures, just of us, not really of the trial, but I’ll get them up in a while. Now.. I’m tired, and it’s time to veg and watch TV. ;)

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Agility | Tagged , , |
May 12 2008

Travel and Pet Insurance

May 12, 2008 – 11:37 am
11:37 am By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts, Info, Stuff | Tagged | Comments (3)

I travel with the dogs a lot. Most of the time I seem to drive myself with the dogs, but lately I’ve been travelling a lot with other people as well. And sometimes, as much as I even hate the thought, I know that it’s possible for one of the dogs to get hurt.

My husband and I have considered getting pet insurance for our dogs but we haven’t yet. It seems very complicated and expensive. Especially since we have the six dogs now.

There is a site through Money.co.uk that makes finding pet insurance much easier. And they also give you a took to compare credit cards, too. But their Pet Insurance page is very helpful.

You can select a number of different pet insurances and compare them against each other in order to find the best one for you and your animal family. The online form gives a great deal of information, including provider type, whether they offer an online discount, cost quotes, claims information, and more. When I look at all the different types of things the site compares, I keep scrolling down on the page because there is a lot, and it can really help out in deciding which pet insurance company is best for us.

So if you are interested in finding a good pet insurance, and you want to be able to see your choices, you might want to check out Money.co.uk.

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts, Info, Stuff | Tagged | Comments (3)
May 12 2008

We Are Back from CO

May 12, 2008 – 11:21 am
11:21 am By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts | Tagged , , , |

Well, Chase, Tatum and I are back from doing USDAA in Colorado. I’ll post more about it later and get some pictures up after I get them off the camera. USDAA is complicated but I’m starting to figure it out, and will understand more as I go up in the levels.

Tatum got pretty stressed and wandered off through one of the courses! Dangit! A friend had his dog at the start line, though, and he was understanding thank goodness! Tatum was looking for her crate, and went into Scaredey Dog Mode and wouldn’t let anyone get close to her. But she followed me to our crating area and went right into her crate so that was good. :)

The drive was much too long… 10 hours. Even if it had been 7 or 8 it still would have been long and tiring. I’m not going to travel again until June, and that’s to St George Utah, only four hours away, for flyball. It’ll be nice to just be home for a while!

Chase got to swim, and got some legs, and I’ll post about them in a bit!

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Daily Posts | Tagged , , , |
May 08 2008

Goin’ to Colorado for USDAA

May 8, 2008 – 12:25 pm
12:25 pm By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Agility | Tagged | Comments (8)

Well, bright and early tomorrow morning, Friday May 9th, I’m going to be on the way to Colorado, Brighton to be exact, for a USDAA trial. I’m being picked up at about 5:15 am. Ugh. I do not like early! The driver wants to be there before business closes on Friday so I’ll be going with. It’ll be super nice to drive with these guys, though, and not have to drive myself. There will be three humans and an odd assortment of dogs in the van.

We are not allowed to roll.. last time I was in a van going to Colorado for a dog show was with Lucy, back about 6 years ago. It was a snow storm and we rolled. The driver (not me) was going too fast in the snow. Not even sure why I was in that vehicle in snow. But this driver is safer and there is no snow, so we should be fine! Though I admit I’m a touch nervous.

I’m bringing Chase and Tatum. Chase is running, Tatum will go for socialization. Levi will be jealous, I’m sure, but he’ll be happy to see me when I get home.

I won’t have much time to blog again until Monday. I am giving training at work today, and helping with training, so am not on the laptop much. And at lunch my friend spilled her drink… oops! We needed floor mops to clean up, but someone came and cleaned up for us. :)

So off I go! Wish me and Chase luck!

By Cynthia Blue | Posted in Agility | Tagged | Comments (8)
ss_blog_claim=773f2a92c28111e0a6a0048e8e09d15d