Sheep Herding Trials - Aug 6th Weekend

As written on the City of Kingston Website ... Top 10 Ontario Events for 2009/2010 ...

http://www.cityofkingston.ca/residents/recreation/events/sheepdog/

It's the 3rd largest herding trial in North America.

Mark your calendar for August 6, 7 & 8, 2010, and join us for the Kingston Sheep Dog Trials at Grass Creek Park (on Highway 2 between Kingston and Gananoque). The trials run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Visitors can also look forward to a variety of interactive side attractions, along with our popular craft and artisans fair, ongoing sheep shearing demonstrations, spinning and craft demonstrations, a Sheep to Shawl competition, dog training seminars, a children's play area, pony rides, a petting zoo and so much more, this festival is one that you won't want to miss.

Admission is $10/day or $25 for all 3 days.

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Puppies In The Late Day Sun

We got rained on mid morning & pretty heavy late today, so the pups didn't get to spend much time outside. It cleared up around dinner time, so once we'd cleared their pen of water they were ready for a romp. Pups are just over 9 wks now.

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The Simple Things In Life

With 14 pups (8 are from the largest litter we've ever had; combined the most we've ever had at the same age) one has to be creative on many levels. Each day they bring up new puzzles for us, challenges to make life interesting, plus keeping up with the daily rituals. Feed, clean, play, clean; feed, clean, play, clean; and all over again @ dinner time .. feed, clean, play ... quiet time & bedtime.

These 2+ weeks of hot/humid +30C weather has also made it a challenge, 5 days of that our a/c went down.

Kate, owner of one of our agility dogs, lent a helping hand to bath pups. It was dunk, dunk then splash, splash in the baby bath and a quick squeegee to let air dry. Thanks Kate!!!!
Here, another day Marylou and I are doing it ... splish, splash another puppet gets done ... always someone to check things out.

"I'll get you from this side then."

I was waiting and watching for the pot to starting rolling ... and yes it did.

Do you see the behind hanging out of the pot? There's another pup inside of it too!

A baby's bath tub on its side makes a nice 'hammock'.

Trying to sneak up on sleeping pups is really hard ... this one I captured through the patio screen door.

"Oh PLEASE, don't take my picture!!!"
(sorry, I'm sold)

Quite time. When evening comes the mosquitoes get SO BAD, it's time for some chew time. I found this view so interesting ... one never stops learning, I tell you ... look at the position of just about all the pups ... their backs are turned inwards, they are facing outwards ... all so not one else can get THEIR chewie!

Nite, Nite .. tomorrow we do it all over again ... and it's supposed to be another HOT one.

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Ticks- Ottawa Area News

In the Mon July 19/2010 Ottawa Citizen Dr B Pukay, an Ottawa veterinarian discusses ticks in our Ottawa area.

"The incidence of tick infestations appears to be on the rise in Canada in the past few years. Why this happens, is not really known, but it may be due to the fact that we are experiencing warmer temperatures and significant climate changes."

Personally in grooming outside shelties have seen more on them over the last 2 yrs, with one coming up positive for Lyme disease, which is the main one we are concerned about in our dogs.

Ticks are grey or brown insects roughly the size of a coffee bean. They attach to the skin and survive by sucking blood from their host. You can't simply pull the tick out since their mouthparts can remain embedded in the skin, causing localized inflammation. First sock them with rubbing alcohol or with a flea/tick spray or shampoo. They will usually withdraw in a few minutes. If it doesn't fall off, then grasp it as close to the skin as possible with a pair of tweezers and apply steady pressure to pull it off. You are concerned about Lyme, place it in a jar and have your vet send it off. It will only cost you the courier fees. The lab will identify the tick, and there are many (American/Brown dog tick, deer tick, Rocky Mountain (cause of Rocky Mountain Fever) and if it is one that can carry the Lyme disease they will test it.

Lyme disease symptoms can be swollen joints, lameness, swollen lymph nodes, fever, loss of appetite and weakness. These symptoms may not show up for some time after a tick has been on the dog. Fortunately, antibiotics are very effective.

Control if you're in a country environment.

If this is where you live and frequent the woods, then I highly recommend either K9 Avantix, Preventic or Revolution. Tick repellent sprays & powers, along with collars are available at most petstores and are a good choice if it's a one time thing.

NB: consult your vet 1st to ensure you are using the correct product for where you are going, age of dog and condition of your dog.

Keep your dog safe - check their skin regularly (one reason to line brush your sheltie!), consider using a flea/tick shampoo during the summer if you tend to be in a high risk environment and seek medical advice if you are unsure about any of the above.

________________

I wrote about our trip to Saskatoon and finding ticks on several of our dogs, luckily they were the dog tick which doesn't carry the Lyme disease.

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Our Newest Hopeful - Kodak

Kodak and Taphee are just coming 4 months. This week they are attending with Marylou various kid camps in the Ottawa area, to promote canine awareness, care and how to approach a dog.

Thanks to Mary-Anne & Marylou, they got bathed and blow dried on Tues, so I captured a quick head shot of Kodak.

sire is our newest Ch Shelamo Sugar Rush, his dam is Ch Shelamo Chasing Rainbows

Haven't thought of a registered name ??? hummm anyone any ideas ???

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Too Hot To Walk Your Pooch? Does He Need A Physcial Challenge?

Last Saturday, dropped into friend Mary-lou's - Harley & Sadie chased the Frisbee for about 5-6 times ....

then Harley said by his actions ....Love it guys ... but someone open the FRONT DOOR, PLEASE! Too DARN HOT for me!

Here in Ottawa, we've had a long hot & humid spell ... what we're into our 2nd week?

Some days +33C, it's just exhausting to be outside. So how can we keep our dogs healthy, mentally and physically, if we can't get out and exercise them? They will only chase after a ball for so long.

Why not consider a Canine Brain Teaser? Check out this site to see what I mean.

http://www.bestfriendsgeneralstore.com/unique_dog_toys_c/Puzzle_Toys/Puzzle+Toys

Dogs have to figure out how to manipulate the toy to dispense the treats. It allows dogs to be dogs, feeding their instinct to forage for food. Don't leave it all up to him, you can play for 20 minutes and then let them do the rest.

You're helping to stimulate their brain, keep it sharp and exercise them at the same time.

Remember, we've domesticated many breeds, but they need to be dogs first ... just as they would have had to figure out how they'd get their daily rations, this give them something else to do, other than chewing your walls, carpet etc. or going nuts 'cause they haven't had enough exercise.

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New Cdn Ch Shelamo Sugar Rush

We have a new Canadian Champion, Ch Shelamo Sugar Rush. He finished with going Best of Winners, along with 3 Best of Opposites at the Kars Dog Show this past weekend. He is out of our girl Multi Group Winner Ch Shelamo Sugar Shack, sired by Ch Highledge Irish Cream. This makes #3 Ch for Rush's dam, the 3rd one we've finished in his litter, and #15 for his sire.

Ch Shelamo Sugar Rush

On Friday, it marked a milestone for me, as it was 22 years ago, (1988) that I witnessed Diane Biggar show a dog called Ch Arhope Bold And Gold (Wolfie) that I fell in love with. That day I followed the breeder, Kerry Proctor home and spent 3 hours watching a bunch of puppies play and came home with my new puppy who was a Wolfie grandson.

He went on to become Arhope Call Me Sibeau CDX. There was a tri boy the same age as Sibeau, but Kerry wouldn't sell this show prospect to me, however late in the fall she was willing to part with him so I could learn the show ropes ... he became the stepping stone into this world of breeding ... Ch Arhope Simply Sinful CDX.

Interestingly enough, the owner of Wolfie, Jan Douglas came knocking a month or so ago looking for a sheltie to add to her home so we placed our girl Ch Shelamo Sands of Time with her. Flicka now has her own side of the bed to sleep on :)

Today (it's Monday), at the Valley Kennel Club in Lombardy, just outside of Smiths Falls, Ontario, Rush was Best of Opposite under breeder judge Guy Jeavons.

Good 4 days of showing so far - just with the heat/humidity would break, even for a day.

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An Inspiring Video On You Tube

Sent to me by a doggie friend, who else :) it is a tissue alert!

Inspiring video about a service dog drop out, who still made it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=BGODurRfVv4

As Cesar says, "you get the dog you need, not the dog you want."

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Puppies - Dealing With This Heat

It hasn't been easy with these 2 litters of 14 to get them outside for some romp time, new sights, new sounds, new feelings under food, with this awful 40+C humidex weather. Luckily their play pen on the deck doesn't see full, beating down sun till around 12:30, so with some extra work I can keep them somewhat cool till then when they have to come in.

I make sure the deck is watered down, wet towels are down, shade tarp is dampened and their water bucket is full.

I did this on Monday ... it was time everyone had a bath. So I brought out 2 buckets of warm water, my shampoo bottle, and filled their baby bath up with cool water. One by one I dunked each puppy in the bucket, shampooed them up, rinsed, another dunk in the cooler tub water and a quick slick squeegeed off.

Hummm ... something new here, wonder what mom has up here sleeve ... ????Checking a little further in ...

By the time I was finished I was too pooped to take any more pics. They all settled in on the damp towels and snoozed for a good hour. Then it was time to come in.

Here's part of the group taken mid morning today. Lunch was served, a little bit of time to do their business and now they are in for a nap.

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New Titled Dog For Shelamo

Can't wait to find out an answer .... you'll read it at the end ... in the meantime just had to post this ...

This past weekend a Shelamo bred dog obtained his Agility Trial Champion of Canada. This is the 1st one of our breeding to obtain this recognition.



He is none other than .... drum roll please ...... now ...


AtCHC Shelamo's Highland Eagle ADC RN-MCL, RA-MCL, AGN, AGDC, ADDC, AGN, AGI, SMADC, SMTRDC


(DC/Cdn Ch Linden Danbie The Blacksmith NA VCX HTDI x Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC )

(l-r Linda Howie, Gryphon, judge)

Linda Howie tells me that in Canada only a ribbon is given out for this title, however in the US you do a victory lap taking the pole of the last jump and having people sign it. Well Linda broke Canadian tradition, bought her own jump pole, did her victory lap and had everyone sign it.

Maybe the tradition will catch on here now!


Linda has spent hours training Gryphon to get to this prestigious title, he's been a great dog to work with and taught her many things about agility training & competition.

What we don't know yet is whether some of those titles at the end of his name get removed as they go towards his AtCHC.


In her words ...

"He's been waiting for years for me to catch up."

And we can't forget her next star in training is her newest Canadian Best Puppy In Show Ch Shelamo's Riding The Sky, who just happens to be a Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC great grandson.

It's also noteworthy that Gryphon's sire was the 1st Sheltie Duel Champion in the USA, bred and trained by Dr. Sherry Lee, Linden Shelties FLA. Sherry's been a special friend for many years, the best of which she piloted our BPIS Am/Cdn "Rocky" to his American Championship.

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Celebrating Mom's 80th Birthday

Saturday the family got together and went out for dinner to one of Ottawa's nicest downtown restaurants

called Hy's.

Living almost an hour now from the downtown core Mike and I don't get to the area much now. It was nice to see the streets with all their Canada Day decorations. We wanted to drive around the Parliament buildings, but it was all closed off as they were taking down the stage from the July 1st events, which included our Queen of England's visit.

You'll soon read where I'm going with this ....

It was a busy weekend here at the house, some 14 pups that are 6 wks of age and a full house of boarders we could only be gone for so long without being up till the wee hours doing dogs. All those that we could call upon to doggie sit were either out of town (and their dog's here), or had other commitments. Thus Mike & I went down in our own van, arriving a few minutes early.

Parallel parking isn't something I have to do much anymore ... I did this in one go! And with 2" to spare :)

And why were we early ???

To be there when the limo arrived with mom, her husband and my sister & her family in it. Yeah, a bit disappointing we couldn't enjoy the ride with the rest of the family, but with the dogs it would have added to much xtra time to our trip in and we certainly didn't want any surprises when we got home.

The family ... back left our nephew Alexander, sister Karen, husband Al and Mike ... back right nephew Connor, mom, me and my mom's husband Wilf.

Yes, Uncle Fred & Kathy if you're reading this the kids are growing up. Too bad we're all so far apart that we couldn't be together for this event.

The food was great, service was excellent.

Mom and her 2 grandsons beside the white limo that picked them up. And to think Alexander on the right was just tot as our ring bearer for our wedding, and Connor, he was there, but not as a 'real' person yet. (will have to dig out and scan a pic of him, Alexander that is, from our wedding) (correction from original post, Alexander if to the left in the pic, on mom's right)

Nothing fancy mom ... just special mention to the world.


Love and kisses ... Maureen & Mike

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Now Time For Lunch

Never ending ... feed, clean, feed, clean, play, play, feed .... clean again! Just an absolutely lovely day for the pups to be outside. The pack having lunch.

Ring around the bowls

Out in Saskatoon we spotted this whimsical mobile so with the breeze today it's really spinning and giving the pups a good overhead distraction.

Hummm ... said I had other things to do today ... yup, one by one the jobs are getting done ... before we get ourselves ready for a Special evening out.

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A Hay Day for 14 Pups

With these 2 litters of 14 pups, now 6wks of age they are certainly keeping us hopping. We purchased this Precision pen when out in Saskatoon and it's really been put to good use. Once the pen area has been hosed and disinfected, and somewhat dried - all depending on weather and timing ... the pups get hauled out two by two to spend some quality time outdoors.

Hosed and almost ready for the pups

Gang is all out.

The play fights begin.


How many pups can you get in a Kiddy's bath tub?

The Bath tub

I, I mate ... what do you see???

HEY! You're not to look that far down ....Whopps!!

Could add a bunch more but ... gotta get back to the rest of the gang and do some client grooming ... puppies ... too much fun, too much distraction ....

And have a special Birthday Event tonight, so no more farting around time.

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