Our Newest Toy...

This is our new-used Contact Trainer. It's very exciting, and something that we can use indoors. I'm working on making the biggest room in the upstairs/attic into our training room. It will allow Kane to get back to obedience training, and it will be a place where Syd and Hawk can work on agility and obedience. The room is not huge, but it's the biggest room in the house, and it's completely open, so it will be better than braving the elements outside when the weather is bad!

The contact trainer is an added bonus, and this weekend we'll be bringing home our new-used A-Frame! Yay! Someone in our obedience club posted a used A-Frame for sale, and I was just lamenting that I needed one at home to work on contacts and confidence on the obstacle (our agility club A-Frame is USDAA height). I happened to be the first to call, and the lady mentioned that she had this contact trainer also, if I was interested. Um, yep... For a bargain, I now have the A-Frame I need, and I have this great piece of equipment that the seller bought new from Clean Run. It folds up completely, is easy for one person to carry, and is small enough I can use it indoors. Perfect.

*Safety Note: Big Nick would like for me to add the warning that when you are a 95 pound, hyper-drive lab/GSP mix, you should NOT, I repeat, NOT run up the stairs, across the attic, and leap onto the contact trainer when it's on a polished hardwood floor. DEFINITELY wait until the mat flooring is put down!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Sydney and Breezy!

Happy birthday girls!!! How can you possibly be TWO years old? I just don't believe it. It seems like just yesterday that you silly puppies were raiding the fridge, searching for some snacks.

Sydney went visiting on her birthday, and Auntie Mel took some pictures of her hanging out and looking pretty. I'm so pleased with how the girls are growing up. Not just the physical maturity, but for Sydney, I'm most pleased with her improvement in confidence. She is definitely no angel, but she's come SO far since I started this blog, and I'm very proud of her.

Happy Birthday, girls!

Playin' With Patti Sue

Syd says, "Hey Patti Sue, let's play! It's muddy and wet, and it's fun to play chase in the mud."
Patti Sue says, "No thank you. I'll sit up here and stay clean."

Syd says, "Oh, come on Patti Sue, live a little. Come chase me. Look, I'm the master of the 'Bark N Dash' to motivate dogs to play with me."

Patti Sue says, "No thank you."Syd says," Wee, are you chasing me, Patti Sue?"

Patti Sue says, "Stupid youngster..."

Action caught by Melissa Perry.

Sydney's Aunt Lilly

It's so funny that Lilly is an aunt to Syd and Bree, because Lilly is only about 6 months old. But she's a Harry daughter, so she's Syd's aunt. I love these photos, because they SO remind me of Syd. In person, the two girls look nothing alike, but those eyes, and that expression are identical. It cracks me up, and I warned Jacque that Lilly is probably going to be too smart for her own good, just like someone else I know. ;-)

This photo (with her 1/2 brother Henry) was funny. I called Lilly's name to see if she'd turn around for the photo, and the expression was priceless. Camera ham mixed with "excuse me, I was busy stealing my brother's toys."

DM Results

Syd's DM results are back, and she's N/N normal. Another bit of information in her resume.
:-)

Wordless Wednesday

Granny

Some more pix for Emily. :-)
This is Maggie, AKA "Granny." I can't remember the last time I called her Maggie, as her family calls her Granny. And that's Grr-annie with a hint of an Oklahoma accent. :-) She's closing in on her 17th birthday, and I've never known a dog who aged so well. Two months from 17 years old, and Maggie's front is just as pretty as it's ever been. This girl is just so beautiful, in person she looks like she's been sprinkled with pixie dust as she greyed. Granny is Gizmo's mom, and she's grandmother to Syd and Bree.

I am the chief caretaker of the Kingsbury Clan this week, so it's been fun taking photos of all the relatives. Unfortunately, a couple of the dogs are not camera hams like Harry, Maggie, and Syd. Bogey sees me with the camera, and he puts his ears down and he skulks away. It's funny how some dogs are like that. Gizmo does the same, as if he thinks having his picture taken is some form of cruel and unusual punishment!

Generations

Especially for Emily, a Maggie smile to help heal your heart...

Syd's Momma as a Baby

This is Josie as a puppy. I always loved her little white ear, and as a puppy, she was too cute for words! Jo's babies are pretty cute too. I think Syd, Bree, Carly, and Angus are proof of that. :-)

Happy Howl-O-Ween