Calling from Colorado...

Well, after my dismal runs at the trial today, it was nice to get home and get some great, uplifting news.

Lisa Webb, the new owner of Break sent me an update today. I am so happy for this new team.

Break and Lisa working together. Check it out....only a trace of snow and nice weather.

Nice turn at the top. See how nice his distance is from the back of the sheep.

Break on a fetch. They have bonded well together.


Break loves being a house dog. He also loves his new toy, a basketball.

Break has come a long way. He has come a long way and landed in a place that he will be top dog. Lisa will be sending us some updates and we will post them.

Some excerpts from her email to me:

Wow...we had a great session today. The sheep were very FAST at first.... and Break was ready to rock & roll...

....... I am tickled pink. Once we get to know each other better on stock, we are going to kick ass!!

.....We drove probably 20-30 yards today, worked in a corner on flanks and did small outruns.... he had no hesitancy whatsoever. He came between the sheep and the fence great

.......but he picked the pace of the stock good........ we are going to have alot of fun.

......I am motivated now to drive the 2 1/2 hours to work dogs on the weekends!!

Oh, his new toy...that huge basketball of my sons!!! He will chase that forever if I let him

Isn't this the best news to come home to....I sure think so.... ;-)

Sheep Jokes

Some sheep jokes

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Two guys are walking through the woods and come across this big deep hole.
"Wow...that looks deep."
"Sure does... toss a few pebbles in there and see how deep it is."
They pick up a few pebbles and throw them in and wait... no noise.
"Jeeez. That is REALLY deep... here.. throw one of these great big rocks down there. Those should make a noise."
They pick up a couple football-sized rocks and toss them into the hole and wait... and wait. Nothing.
They look at each other in amazement. One gets a determined look on his face and says, "Hey...over here in the weeds, there's a railroad tie. Help me carry it over here. When we toss THAT sucker in, it's GOTTA make some noise."
The two men drag the heavy tie over to the hole and heave it in. Not a sound comes from the hole.
Suddenly, out of the nearby woods, a sheep appears, running like the wind. It rushes toward the two men, then right past them, running as fast as it's legs will carry it. Suddenly it leaps in the air and into the hole.
The two men are astonished with what they've just seen... Then, out of the woods comes a farmer who spots the men and ambles over.
Hey... you two guys seen my sheep out here?
You bet we did! Craziest thing I ever seen! It came running like crazy and just jumped into this hole!
Nah, says the farmer, That couldn't have been MY sheep. My sheep was chained to a railroad tie.

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What happened to the clock that fell into the sheepdip?
It lost all its ticks

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What is a sheep's favorite newspaper?
"the Wool Street Journal"

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Why was the sheep arrested on the freeway?
For doing an illegal ewe-turn.

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Where do sheep get their hair cut?
At a baa-baa shop

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Longshaw Sheepdog Trials

The Longshaw Sheep Dog Trials claim to be the oldest continuous trials in the country.


http://www.longshawsheepdog.co.uk/index.html

Beauty Queens

Every two months, the girls go and get groomed. I give them baths here but am hopeless at clipping them and making it look nice. I mean, that when I can clip them but it looks like a Mohawk gone wild. So to spare them the humiliation of my bad clipping, I send them to Lisa and she take my fuzzy girls and grooms them.

They get a bath, no doubt to remove some of the finest Carnation mud on their bellies. Trimming around the paws and ears and legs and belly. Groom/brush/remove hair. More grooming with a few kisses and pets thrown in.

Nan loves to roll in cow or geese poop. In fact, you can smell her before she enters a room. She takes great pride in finding only the finest to roll in. Then she delights herself by rubbing in on me.

Nan after her bath and grooming. Look, no green goose poop around her neck!!

Nan has hairy paws and super fuzzy ears. They got trimmed and now her feet look so cute. Here she is at Lisa's place, just hanging out by the door.


Tess was quite fuzzy too and had hairy feet. Here is Tess on the grooming table. Let's make a face to show how excited I am!!

Tess is happy that 47 pound of fuzz hair was removed. Now, you notice just how husky she is. Nan is very feminine while Tess is a very solid and husky built.

Nan at home doing the cute model pose. She is a great subject for the camera. Full of life!!


Another side shot. See how well clipped she is around her tail, paws, legs, ears etc....


OK, a cute play bow while she is posing too!



Look how neat her paws are and how cute the ears are. She looks great!



Nan is happy! She loves to have her picture taken.

Tess, on the other hand. I asked her to pose nice and she stuck her tongue out. Kinda like, when you are asked to smile and you stick your tongue out and your mom gets mad?

So, I asked Tess not to stick her tongue out. Fine, so she didn't. But instead, she closed her eyes.

Finally I got her to stand nice but then again, she closed her eyes. Will I ever get a picture of her without her tongue out or eyes closed. I told her that Nan was a model dog and she was a brat.

Tess agreed to pose nice if she would get a cookie. You can see her tail is neatly trimmed also.

Last picture. See how broad of a chest she has. That must be from her sire, who is from Germany. She is very broad and square. She could play rugby while Nan would be the ballerina.

So, if you want your dogs groomed I have provided the website of Lisa's. She also clips my Livestock Guardian dog, Kodi!! My other Border Collies, also get groomed from her.

http://www.laurelhillsfarm.com/

"5 for 25"

Folks, this is a great opportunity to support the 2009 USBCHA Nationals Finals. I am honored that people are sponsoring me and very grateful for their kindness. Please consider being part of a "5 for 25" sponsorship package.

I also donated as part of this "5 for 25" to sponsor Anna and her dog to go to the Cattledog Finals this year.

Details below and thanks to Sue R for this effort and write up.

******************************************************************

People who love and admire the skills of the working Border Collie have the opportunity to see the these naturally-talented stockdogs at sheepdog and cattledog competitions throughout the country. The very best of the best come together annually to compete in the National Sheepdog Finals and the National Cattledog Finals.

The United States Border Collie Handlers Association and the American Border Collie Association (as the registry for working-bred dogs and a primary sponsor of the Finals competitions) support the International Sheepdog Association (ISDS) style trials that are the testing ground and showcase of the talents and training of the working Border Collie.

Handler and dogs teams can be sponsored at these events by a contribution of $125. But many people can't afford that level of contribution and so, last year, a group of people got together over the internet and through the United States Border Collie Club message boards, to sponsor handler/dog teams as groups. Each person contributed $25 (or more) so that four full sponsorships were raised (and these were matched by additional sponsors for a total of $1000 raised for last year's sheepdog finals).

This year, many of the same people are already committed to raising sponsorships for both the sheepdog and cattledog finals. So far, three sponsorships have been raised for each finals, for a total of $750 in support of the working Border Collie.

Those of us who are participating are honored this year to sponsor Diane Pagel, of Washington State, and two of her dogs, Tess or Lucy, and Nan, in the National Sheepdog Finals.

Diane and Nan's sponsors are Cindy (GA), Terry (VA), Carolyn (CA), Joan (TN), and Karen (TN). Diane and either Lucy or Tess (whichever dog goes) are Janeen (VA), Lisa (NC), Laura (KY), Joan (NY), and Sue (WV).

None of the donation money goes to the individual handlers but rather is in support of those handlers and their dogs by being a financial support for the Finals and a moral support for the sponsored teams.

This is an opportunity to support the working Border Collie through support of the top events of the sheepdog trialing year. Dogs of this breed, that originated in the Borders region of Scotland and England, are now found on farms and ranches throughout the United States and Canada (and much of the world), helping to manage livestock in a reduced-stress, economical, and efficient manner.

Trialing is one way in which to assess the training and potential of promising dogs, and help owners make sound breeding decisions by allowing them to see dogs at work on the field. It is essential that Border Collies are bred solely on working ability, to maintain the intelligence, soundness, stock sense, and other qualities that make the working Border Collie unique in the dog world. Quality breeding is essential to the future of one of the world's greatest and most useful breeds of dog.

If you would like to be a part of this endeavor to support the working Border Collie through sponsorships at the 2009 National Sheepdog Finals or 2009 National Cattledog Finals, you can contribute through the respective websites or be part of a group sponsorship by contacting Sue Rayburn at susan.rayburn@gmail.com

http://www.nationalsheepdogfinals.com/ <<<----2009 Nationals Finals Website

Does your dog drink out of the toilet?

The truth be known......

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24959131-13762,00.html

Dog save women's life and is invited to her wedding!!!

What a good life for Boris. He gets to be the guest of honor at a wedding.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4319248/Dog-invited-to-be-guest-of-honour-at-wedding.html

Can't whistle?

Can't whistle?...drill a hole in your teeth

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1368693/Hole-gives-shepherd-back-his-whistle.html

40 Things

OK, I got tagged with this and decided to add it to my blog.

Now I am going to tag Jennifer Glen, Lora Withnell, Amelia Smith, Monique Feyrecilde and Janet Thorpe.

1. I am Japanese, German and Norwegian.
2. My degree is in Electrical Engineering
3. I like desserts and my favorite is crème brolee.
4. My first Border Collie was Shiro and we got her over 15 years ago.
5. Shiro was the first Border Collie that I did any herding competitions with.
6. My brother is totally opposite of me as he is quiet and shy.
7. My mother makes the best Japanese food
8. My father was in the Army and we lived in a lot of places (Asia, Central America, many parts of the USA)
9. I taught English as a Second Language in Japan
10. After High School I was a studio model for a brief stint.
11. I was the shyest person in High School.
12. I was on the Drill Team in High School
13. I was the only women to graduate in my College class. I went to a private engineering college.
14. I played the violin and viola for years.
15. Sushi is my favorite meal, followed by seafood.
16. I was the Captain of the Women’s Ultimate Team that went to Worlds in 1992 in Japan. We got the bronze.
17. I feed my dogs my food from my plate.
18. I used to train horses when I was in my teens and sold them to buy my car and support my personal horse
19. I used to show horses in 4-H.
20. When I won my first Open Class, I called Scott Glen to thank him since he helped me and is my mentor.
21. I worked full time and put myself through college at night to get my degree.
22. I have been married for almost 13 years to Getty.
23. When I first went to college, (before I changed to EE), I was in Business Management/Journalism and Dance.
24. My father was a Deputy Sheriff after he retired from the Army. He busted me but didn’t arrest me at a drinking party. Actually, a lot of us were the Deputies daughters and we all got in trouble!!
25. In High School we poured Rock Salt on the lawn for our “YEAR” and the grass burned from the salt and stayed that way for year. They never found out who did it
26. I had a 67 Mustang and drove very fast. In fact, I always had sport cars, until I got Border Collies. Then I got a truck and sold the sports car.
27. I used to SCUBA dive and also was an assistant instructor.
28. I used to pitch softball for a AAA league.
29. I used played Flag Football on the men’s team for Boeing.
30. As a child, I would bring home all sort of wild animals and sneak them into the house. It would drive my mother batty.
31. I had a pet caiman, cotomundi, silky anteater and parrots as some of my pets.
32. I like a good home brewed beer
33. I enjoy training dogs and any animals
34. My dogs have pet nicknames
35. I love art and love to draw. I am learning how to do watercolors.
36. I work for the FAA and love my job
37. I believe in enjoying life and laughter and being positive.
38. I love doing brain teasers, crossword puzzles and Sudoku.
39. My favorite colors are purple and red.
40. My motto “Do what makes you Happy” (You only live once, you know!!)

The Changeling...

I work all of my dogs in the stalls. It's very good for them for close up work and being in tight spaces. I start off by putting sheep in the stall and filling their feeders so they are eating. Then I grab a chair and sit in it and drink my coffee. I take the dog in with me and have him or her on a leash and after a few sessions, we walk around the side of the stall (on leash) and have the dog move the sheep off the wall and around we go.

After a few more sessions, then I take the dog off the leash and we walk around together and then much later I would stand and drink my coffee and the dog does the perimeter work by themselves.

Soon the dog is calm and can squeeze themselves against the sheep and wall and move them and also hold them so we can hoof trim or do worming or other sheep work.

I took Nan in a few months ago and that is where she got her nickname Howler Monkey"

I brought her in and sat on my chair. Nan looked around for her back up Tess. Tess was asleep in the house and Nan realized she was all alone in the stall with no Tess. I had her on a leash and when the 30 sheep turned and faced her she ran behind me. I moved my chair closer to the sheep and then she ran to the stall door and clawed at it, howling like a "Howler Monkey"

I lived in Central America for a few years and it sure was nice to be reminded of the loud sounds that emitted from the Howler Monkey in the wee hours. It’s loud and obnoxious.

Nan continued to claw the door and screeched and the whites in her eyes were huge.

"Tess, Tess, come save me. OMG, somebody HELP me!!" she screeched.

I tugged on her leash and made her lay next to me. She turned her back to the sheep and stuck her nose in the stall door corner.

Wisely, the sheep observed that Nan was a no threat to her and finished their hay and began to lie down and chew their cuds. A couple lay next to her and when their bodies touched her, she cringed.

I am thinking, "HUM, my Open dog needs a bit of work in tight places"

So over the months we worked on it. Also at the night time feeding, I would use Tess and Nan to hold the sheep off the feeders. Nan looked to Tess a lot to see what she would do and mimic her. A nip her on the nose, a walk up to the head and so forth. Over the months Nan got stronger and stronger and many more hours were spent in the stall.

Tess has been lame the last week so the chore details have fallen on Nan’s shoulders. She can push the sheep off the feeder now and has a nice push to the sheep on the heads. Tonight I wanted to snag a ewe to check her hoof and had her bring the sheep into the stall.

No chair, no coffee and trying to see if the many hours had paid off in real work.

This is what I got.

Nan squeezed herself between the sheep and the wall and brought them to me. She went on both sides and all I could see was the top of her back and then sometimes that disappeared when she went under a ewe. She would grip a hock or nose to move them along and when I told to down, she lay next to the sheep and her eyes were glowing.

The sheep decided to back down. I had her walk up and she backed them up to the wall. I sent her around the crowded sheep and she almost got stuck trying to squeeze herself along the wall. She was fearless.

As we left the stall and Tess greeted us Nan turned to her and said “You can go and sleep in the house now. I got it covered now”

And we walked up to the house, Nan and I, all puffed up with pride. Tess was nowhere to be seen.

Rainey...little but all attitude....

Delmar Scot (sire!!)



Another pix of Scott


Deltabluez Tess (dam!!)

Rainey.....who does she remind you of?

Dropping the head down and using her eye.

One ear up and one ear down


Walking into the sheep


Two ears up. She is fearless

Coming on strong on her fetch.

Leaning on the sheep.

At the top and keeping her eye on the sheep

Almost at the top.

She comes on strong to her sheep. She has never backed down from the sheep. She will grip the nose if needed!!

She works a lot like her sire. See the resemblance.

And this is a pose like her mother.

Rainey turned one year old in November. She is a very strong pup with lots of heart. She will hold the sheep of the feeders and work in the tight stalls. She is very clever and not afraid of sheep. She is full of attitude and is going to be one nice working dog when she grows up. She has eyes but if free flowing and is aware of the stock at all time. She is a joy to work and wants to please. She has pulled 30 plus ewes off grain and backed down a ram.

She is a little dog, a bit over 27 pounds but a fireball. But the best thing she has going for her is that she is a LSU fan and Getty's lapwarmer during the football games.

Breeding for looks = dumb dogs

As if we didn't know this?


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4283328/Pedigree-dogs-are-becoming-stupid-as-we-breed-them-for-looks-not-brains.html

Another herding game

Here is another fun game. Herd the sheep but AVOID the black bull.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/fun/sheepgame.shtml

Jan 17 trial

Saturday was a great day for a sheepdog trial. Judy held one of her Winter Series sheepdog trials. This on was held down in Roy, Wa. I appreciate that Judy hosts a series of trials. Sue/George MacDonald and Dirk/Sony also host them too.

Anson enjoyed the trial too. He was not running but Kathleen brought him to visit. Here he is just having a fun time running about.

I like this pix of him. He is so full of life. Anson is Tess x Delmar Scot and just turned one year old in December. He is very much like his dad!!

Bob Hickman. He is our WASH president. It seems like everytime I was trying to take a pix, he was in it. So here he is in his own private pix!! He is a cool guy.


The gang around Judy's RV and she just served lunch. It was tasty.

Tess was lame so stayed home to snuggle with Getty. Nan and I made the trek to the field. Nan was very pushy and a bit tight on her flanks but overall I was happy. We placed mid pack but she took all the downs and was a willing partner. The doodling on the drive (tight flanks) was nine points that kept us out of the top. The last trial she only lost five points on her drive.

On her outrun, she spotted a horse galloping about and locked on that. She went straight up the field and I stopped her and reflanked her and she still was fixated on the horse. I stopped her again and then she took a big redirect and saw the sheep and came up nice and lifted them well. She was pushy on the fetch and the sheep weaved a bit. She had a nice turn at the post and a great, direct first leg and a wide turn then a little low. Her flanks were tight and that caused a little zigzag and she had a nice turn at the cross drive and then snuck the sheep a bit inside before she straightened them out.

Her line to the chute was honest and clean and she marched them in. In the shed, the sheep were clinging together like teenagers on a first date and all the flanks I asked Nan were nice and square. I called her in but missed the hole and then we ran out of time. I was very happy with how well her flanks were in the ring and how she tried so hard

Nan certainly was pleased with herself and kept dancing around me. I praised her and she was happy and we both walked to the exhaust.

Nan was loose with me all day and was quite the social butterfly. A couple of times, I got worried as she was not next to me, but she was 10 feet away, working on someone to give her some of their lunch. They did.

I remember a year ago when she would slink away and sit at the edge while Tess would work the crowd. She would let people pet her but not approach them. Now, she works the crowd with Tess and if I don’t keep an eye on her, she will have someone convince to share their lunch with her or give her belly rubs. She is quite a character too.

She certainly enjoyed being the only dog with me today. She got the coveted spot to lean her head on the back of my seat. She got my undivided attention and all of my leftovers. She is a dear dog that enjoys just being herself.

There were some very nice runs and it was a fun day. A bit chilly but sunny. . I scribed for the Novice and Ranch runs. There are some very nice youngsters coming up.

The next trial is Jan 31st and will be at Dirk’s in Sedro Woolley. Now, that course is very tough

Puppy Power

Judy held a sheepdog trial this weekend. She had these two adorable puppies (not for sale) They were in the x-pen and being quite cute. I had to take some pixs of them.

Checking out the handlers. Very sweet and just darling.



" I am sticking my tongue out at you...so there!!"


With a strong gust of wind, this little pup will soar away.



Something smells good. Fresh sheep poop....yummy!!

Let me practice the "cute eyes" on you...is it working?

Hum, some more sheep poop. Lots of exciting smells.

What is that in the distance....white, fuzzy, objects....sheep?

Let me run to you and get some puppy pets.....

I think I am going to close my eyes the same time you will be taking this pix

OK, the right ears goes this way and the left ear goes that way.

Judy and one of the pups practicing the perfect cute sit. "Now, do I get a cookie?"