PLAY A LOT

Today they, the dogs were just on edge.  They have been "cooped" up for a day or two because of the rain, so they were raring to go all day.  I have them on a new food that has a lot of protein in it and it has really charged them up.  I have been taking them for long walks and they get to poo and pee all along the way.  It is a long road and there are other dogs that walk too.  They make a point to mark each and every spot that every dog from Moses to the present has marked, but they enjoy it and it really cleans them out.  So we went to the area of our property that has a lake and a big field.  One reason we went to the lake area is "Meg" and "Abbie the House Dog", on one of the walks rolled in some poo and got it around their neck.  With that being said, "Abbie the Official House Dog"  was not Official last night.  She stayed in her kennel run last night just to air out. 

So off we went to play.  It did serve two things, the first it wore them out, and then it washed them in the lake.  Abbie is so pleases because she gets to be Official tonight.  By the way, if your thinking it's too cold, they don't seem to mind and they will do it until the lake freezes over.  Meg and Abbie did jump off the dock (with just a little help) just to make sure they got a good cleaning.....



They do love the water and don't care how cold it is. 

If I only Had a Cup Holder





Clancy James "Clancy"

There is no doubt Clancy is our alpha dog when he wants to be.  He is strong, stately and carries himself well.  His hair is hardly ever messy, and he holds a striking figure.  But what you don't see is he is the most loving and gentle of all our dogs.  As I write this, he is inside, by my side, asleep, with his head on my foot.  His movements are slow but sure, always knowing where he is headed and in what direction.  We got Clancy from a breeder in Pekin, Indiana.  He said that he had an excellent bloodline, but we didn't really care because it was not important to us.  Little did we know his bloodline had some Champions, some which are;

2004 International Supreme Champion
98/96 Scotland National Champion
1994 Irish National Champion
94/91 International Supreme Champion
92/89 International Supreme Champion

His Grandparents are from Kamloops, BC Canada and Selkirk, Scotland which is one of the oldest Royal Burghs in Scotland and is the site of the earliest settlements in what is now the Scottish Borders.
Selkirk is the site of the first Border Abbey. William Wallace, was declared guardian of Scotland in the town and little did we know that Our Clancy James had famous parents and Grandparents, but it really doesn't matter because we love Clancy, because he is Clancy

Just today Clancy and the girls were put up because I was going to grade the roads with the tractor and I didn't want him to follow me, it's a long way, and he would be on the roads.  When I got back, he had let himself out of the kennel and opened all the runs that the girls were in and they were all waiting for me.  Clancy had a tennis ball in his mouth and was sitting, waiting for my return.  Of course, we played ball.  He is the best.

He loves the snow, water, mud and any action.  When he runs, he will gallop like a horse until he sprints full speed.  Clancy doesn't jump unless he has to.  When he sits in my lap, and I am in the recliner, he will slowly work up the recliner moving ever so slowly making a nest and settling in for the night.  Clancy loves to play ball and jump off the diving board even when it's cold.  He's one of those dogs that likes to sit near you, leaning up against you,  and when I put my shoes on, he puts his head between my arm and body trying to get me to rub his head, which I do.

Some of the cute things he will do is find a ball (we have many around the farm) and bring it to me and set it at my feet.  If I move, he will pick up the ball and roll it to me, stopping right at my feet again and if I move again, he repeats it again and so on.  After a while, I will pick up the ball and play with him.  Of course, the girls are ready to play too.  He is also a licker.  If you sit in a chair and your leg is exposed, expect a good washing from him, he will make sure there is not a speck of dirt, sweat or anything foreign in that area.  He is such a lover, a great companion, and devoted friend.

Molly Mae

Molly Mae is my "Heart Dog."  For those that don't know what that means, she is my forever dog, my soul mate dog and usually, humans have only one.   I went to the Tennessee/Kentucky border to get her, and she was in a big barn, and the old farmer had 2 females that had delivered 8 pups each two weeks apart It was quite a site to see 16 puppy's running around "just looking for love."  You could not walk for fear of stepping on one.  For some reason, Molly and I made eye contact, and she captured my heart, and I wanted her.  My cousin had gone with me, and she kept steering me to other ones, but I kept going back to Molly.  Little did I know Molly's half-sister was also running around as a pup, and in two years, we would have her too.  More on that later...

Molly was a cute pup, I called her the cow pup because she had a "party" coat.  She was not marked as most Border Collies, but she has a random black and white pattern.

Molly has a look that can pierce your heart.  She is so gentle and loving, and she is our only dog that will speak in whines and grunts.  It's just like she is trying to talk.  She doesn't beg or pester.  Most of our dogs look to her as the female alpha.  She is quite, but strong.  Every once in a while Dutchess will challenge her, but every time Dutchess comes up on the short end of the stick

Molly is the best mother of all the females.  She is very devoted to the pups and will nurture and care for them the entire time they are here.  During this last litter, we were with her as we always are and as she was cleaning and licking them, I attempted to move them so I could keep the area clean and put down clean bedding.  When I picked them up and moved then just a foot or so away, she would gently pick them up with her mouth and move them back to keep them close.  She will forgo food and water to keep her baby's safe.  The only time she will bristle up is when another dog gets too nosey with the pups, and they know she means business.  She loves to be inside and lay in my lap.  Many Sunday afternoons we will take a nap together in the recliner and when bedtime comes, just say "let's go to bed"  she will trot to bed and be waiting for me with her head on my pillow.....

Another Night....

We were going to Louisville to see our new Granddaughter Saturday morning.  Molly would not come out of the kennel and wanted to stay put, right where she was.  I knew the time was close for her upcoming birth of the puppy's so I went and got Elaine, because she is the "expert" on this sort of stuff.  We took her temperature, because normally dogs are about 102 degrees and when they are 24 hours or less from delivery, it will go down to 100 degrees.  Molly was at 98.8.  So we knew.  Now the dilemma.  My son wanted to use my truck for a project and we wanted to see our beautiful Granddaughter.  Well.... you know Elaine IS the expert so I got to go on to Louisville and take care of business.  I got to hold "Maddie",  feed "Maddie", cuddle "Maddie" and just look at "Maddie", such hard work. 

Back to Molly and Elaine....Molly did go into labor.  Elaine took her into the house so she could keep a watch.  She was on the bed and all of a sudden, Molly went to the back door, like she wanted to go out.  Molly went about two feet and stopped and turned around and Elaine said "what's wrong"  Molly came back a foot or so and then turned again and stopped.  Elaine said "are you ready?".  With that Molly went straight to her nesting box in the kennel with Elaine right behind her.  In just a short time Molly had started giving birth.  It went until about 1 AM.  After she was done and all finished, she had 4 girls and 6 boys.  I knew she was big as a barrow,  and yes ten pups is a lot of puppy's.  The hard part will be when they are 5 or 6 weeks old and we are in the yard playing and they all want to be right under your feet trying to play with your shoe strings while you walk.  I can't wait........
By the way I did tell Elaine about all the work I had to do in Louisville...........

"What a Night"

Here is was, let me set the stage.  I knew something wonderful was going to happen, the birds started singing, the bees started making more honey, dogs and cats were playing together.  There is even talk of Peace in the middle east and even the Democrats and Republicans were working together and the world was right.  God, then sent a little angle to us and her name is Madalyn Grace. 

My son Brad and his beautiful wife Angie had a bundle of Love and Joy.  As you know, I am pretty close to the chest about myself, but this is different.  I can't keep it and I hope you understand, and I'm sure some have experienced the same thing.  She is beautiful.  By my own admission, I am not a baby person.  I am just a little intimidated.  This has now changed.  I want to see her, hold her and can't wait to be with her.  I even day dream of things that we can do when she gets a little older.  Some of this comes from a time when both my boys were going to be born.  We were told that they were going to be little girls.  I was not disappointed, however, I have always had a soft spot for a daughter.  Well life goes on and we adapt.  God always has a way of making things work out, even when we don't understand, we just need to trust.  All things were made right and the circle was made complete.  Madalyn has completed my life.

To Brad and Angie,
Thank you Brad and Angie, you have taken on the most important job in the world.  It has it's disappointments and rewards, but in the end it will pay big dividends and the rewards will be great.  You get out of life what you put in.   Put God first and trust him.  He is always there, waiting to help, and comfort you.  Brad, my Father told me, when you were about to be born that I would now experience true love, I was a little unsure what he meant until you arrived.  How true....  Daddo

Catching Up

This has been a good week, the dogs are fine and they are starting to put on their winter fur.  Clancy and Max stay out all day but also have a dog door to the garage that they can come in and sleep under a heat light with a blanket to keep them warm.  They also have an Igloo dog house on the back porch that they both get in when it's really cold.  It's such a sight when I go out and they both, at the same time, stick only their head out and look around.  I have just completed some much needed insulation on the kennel for the girls.  I have insulated the walls and ceiling and put drywall up.  This will make it much warmer and the appearance is very nice.  I wanted to wait until it got a little cooler before dealing with the fiberglass insulation.  I usually make things a little nicer than they need to be and that is no exception on the kennel.  They have automatic fans that come on when it is hot and heat in the winter.  The girls sleep on a combination of straw and ceder chips and are quite warm.  I am pleased.  All of the cats sleep with the dogs.  They will curl up and get as close as they can.



Meg and the Cats



Meggie, Meg's little Girl

Meggie, the last pup to go home gets special attention.  We bring her in to stay with us in the house. She is doing great and has had no accidents yet, but we watch her like a hawk.  We are crate training her and she goes in about 10:30 or 11:00 PM.  So far, she has no accidents in the crate and does not whine at all and will sleep all through the night.  I get her out about 7:30 AM and take her outside.  She loves to set in my lap and chew on a rawhide and watch TV with me and then we take a nap.  She really is doing good.   She will be going to Michigan this weekend and will be missed.

Just Stuff

It seems like time goes by so quick, I thought I had just done this and now I am late, sorry readers.  We had a wedding at the farm on Sunday and there was a lot of things to do and to get ready.

Two of the dogs have gone home and another will go home on Thursday.  Which will leave one that will come in the house and be the "House Dog" with Abbie.  Abbie will sit in my lap all the time for fear "somebody" will take her place.  Abbie will watch any other dog that's in, just to make sure that no-one gets too close that will take her place.   She really doesn't mind too much, but she does like her lap.  Sometimes if Meg or Molly is in my lap first, Abbie will jump up too, and then they get heavy.  They love to be there, and I kinda like it too.  The little one "Meggie" will be fun.

Things are going well here, Abbie has run so much, she has wore the skin off her pads and I keep her in more, and put "Bag Balm" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bag_Balm on her little pads, she does well with it and does not lick it off.  For whatever reason, she has tender feet and, I use dog booties on her once in a while.  It's so cute and they really work.  I have pink ones for Molly.  If you think you might need them or want some, contact me, I have a link.  It's the same ones they use in Alaska on the dog runs.  They run a couple dollars a piece and they stay on pretty good.  In the photo, Molly has on the pink ones and Abbie has on the purple ones.  They really don't seem to mind and it helps a lot