Participaction in Educating - Judging 101 Seminar

On Saturday, the Eastern Ontario Judge's Study Group held a seminar for aspiring CKC judges, and we were invited to bring several of our dogs for the afternoon part that entailed how to go over a dog on the table and to properly measure such dogs as shelties. John & Joy Hodgkinson were the organizers for this 2 day event, with all breed judges Charles & Letitia Bett presenting the 1st part on what it takes to get started.

Mary-Anne & I spent most of Friday, preparing 4 dogs for them to use. At least we got 3 of our kennel dogs spring cleaned!

Patiently waiting was our Ch Shelamo's Sugar Shack (foreground), our 2 seniors Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN (Blue Merle) and BPIS Am/Cdn Ch Shelamo's Prospector (in the background).

And then there was "Izzi", who is a girl just shy of 13" I borrowed from a client of mine for them to experience measuring the low end of our standard.

Here is "Rocky" being used to explain how to go over a dog.
Everyone watched as Charles showed the proper way of measuring. Mary-Anne is in the foreground with the 2nd dog for them to practice on.

At the end of the seminar we gathered at our place for dinner. On the far left we had an aspiring judge that came all the way from BC and our breeder friends of Graloch joined us. The "Master Chef", husband Mike, stayed behind and prepared a lovely roast beef dinner. That is why he is missing in this picture .... he's in the kitchen serving up the main course!And Charles, uncorking the bottle of wine! You can do it Charlie! It was a good gathering with good conversation.

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Loss Of A Dear Friend And Mentor

Last night, suddenly without warning Kerry Proctor, Arhope Kennels, Ottawa passed away. Kerry stopped breeding around 1998, so her kennel name is not out there visibly with dogs being shown today. Am sure tho, a lot of you just might have her kennel name in some of your pedigrees, especially some of today's prominent dogs that have Arhope Nationview Bombshell ROMC in there. She was to me, my 1st mentor, always willing to share her wisdom on any doggie topic. When my life settled to where I had time for a dog in 1988 I went to the Kars Dog Show in July to check things out and saw a lovely red sable boy being handled by Diane Biggar. His call name was 'Wolfie', Ch Arhope Bold and Gold CD, an Am Ch Sunnybrook's Heritage Spirit grandson. Kerry showed up and I followed her back to her house, only to have a mini seminar for 4 hrs on just about everything sheltie. I can still remember her holding a ruler to pictures in the sheltie magazines showing me where the front assembly & feet should come in reference to the head/neck, while puppies nibbled at my toes. I left there with an 8wk a grandson of 'Wolfie's' who became my best bud & reintroduced me to obedience.

She had a lovely tri boy that she had co-bred with Diane but wouldn't let him go. Later that fall she offered him to me as a starting point in showing & breeding. He became Ch Arhope Simply Sinful CDX.

In Kerry's later years she spent most of her energy in dogs helping foster many through our local Humane Society along with the tougher cases I received in thru CSSA sheltie rescue. Am sure the Bridge was full of shelties just waiting to welcome her. She leaves behind her husband Earl. Until we meet again Kerry, may you enjoy armfuls of shelties.

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Summer BBQ Fun

Monday, really was the 1st day of any kind of decent, sunny, WARM 27C deg weather! SO nice after all the days of drizzly rain & clouds.

The Community Center where I teach dog obedience had a BBQ to kick off the summer fun. It was held at the home of the Director, in downtown Ottawa, just off our beautiful Rideau Canal.

When we got to the Canal there was a back-up of traffic to cross one of the bridges as it had been opened to allow a boat to go thru. At this point in the canal it is a lift bridge and you can just see the two master control towers on either side. It is one of many bridges that make up 125 miles of a boater's paradise and in winter, the longest outdoor skating rink of 4.5 miles. Wish I could have gotten a better shot, but once the bridge was down the traffic wasn't waisting anytime moving.

Below the canopy of large, old trees was an little piece of calmness. The waterfall attracted squirrles coming in for a drink ...

and birds like this Red Wing Black bird came in for a cleaning. The animals were so trusting, passing by in the backyard without, what seemed to be a care.

It was a small group this yr that were able to attend.

Judy put her BBQ skills to the test, making smoked cedar shake salmon ... YUMMMM!

Look forward to the summer's end BBQ at Everton's place and see how his BBQ competition skills are compared to Judy's! I also know his place is a gardener's envy.

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A Day At the Kingston Dog Show

It was a 1/2 sunny day here at home, but at the Kingston Dog Show about 1 1/2 hrs away it was a soppy, rainy day. We didn't enter this yr because of our expecting girl Tyme. Since all was well with the litter, Mary-Anne and I ventured down for the afternoon as we knew Penny was showing the 3rd litter mate from her 1st home-bred litter. The other 2 have already finished this past spring. It was certainly worth the trip to see some different shelties. The best part tho .... doesn't Penny win Best of Breed, over a Special to obtain her 1st 5 pts on Rose.Well, we couldn't leave now, just had to root Penny on in the large competitive group ring.
Rose's baiting well and showing those gorgeous ears for the judge, again!

So a few more down and backs, more go arounds and Rose is still holding her own, altho not so sure about Penny, her back is giving out quickly with the slippery, uneven ground. I'm just thinking, Penny stay on your feet, we've already had one sheltie owner take a real good plunge, sliding on his backside in the grass, loosing his boy into the camp grounds, oodles of people going after him ... luckily he was captured in due time and the judge even had him come back into the ring and try to settle him on the table and do another go around.

Now the nerves kick in even more as Penny is pulled in the group for consideration, Rose is still showing her heart out ... rain tickling her ears but she keeps steady. Judge, Jack Ireland points and gives her Group 4th!!! YEAH, Penny & Rose! A GREAT day for Penny, and a well deserved evening rest for all. Hope that glass of wine goes down well .. hee hee ..... good luck tomorrow Penny, my fingers are x'd for you.

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Life Is So Easy Right Now For 6 Day Old Pups

Ummm ... what should I do now? Thinking hard ......

Tyme's pups are so relaxed. Mary-Anne found this small, fluffy round dog bed in one of her US travels and it is just the greatest thing to put pups in when they are being changed, or mom is off taking a break.

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I think It's Done!! Are You Still Listening?

These just in. Our Vista has been spending some fun time at Mary-Anne's and this morning she decided to check out whether any of the T/D treats were left.
Yep gals! I think they are ALL gone :( oh so sad.

But hey ... is anyone still there? are you still listening? It ain't funny any more ... someone?? you must be there 'cause I can hear your gut bursting in laughter!
OK, PLS!!! Stop the pic taking ... would you remove this bag from my head? My paws aren't long enough!

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Second Clutch - Mrs. Robin

Mrs. Robin was away at play! She's back and has laid 3 eggs. Her nest is in an OK location in the dog pen area, however I still need to get the Phoebe's nest down so she doesn't leave her 'surprises' behind again.

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A "Mother" In Love with her puppies

Can we say Tyme is 'in love' with her pups? She is slowly spending less time right in with them, but when she does, is so calm and enjoys just resting with them. Tyme really is 1/2 on her back in this picture ... can we say like mother, like son?

Believe it or not, they've put on close to 2.5 oz since birth.

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New Lives Come Into The World

Today, Sunday wasn't able to do much or go far from the kitchen as we brought 2 sable shelties into the world. Our girl Tyme had 2 boys! More boys as I say! This past yr is just about all we've seen ... come on ladies where are the girls??

Tyme's 1st boy just minutes old.

The 2nd boy was born about an hour later, now he's settling in. All in all it was an easy and quick delivery.

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Learning the Ropes for Obedience CD

Look at that attention!!! "What do you want me to do next????"

This Saturday I dropped in on a Fun Match that Mary-Anne with our girl Casino, and Mary Lou with her Shelamo boy Harley were participating in. Nice to watch our 9 yr old 'show girl' being put thru her paces in the obedience ring. She's still got that 'show' attention I'll tell you! And Harley, his skills are being perfected each and every time. I think these 2 obedience newbies are getting the hang of it!

Casino doing a quick recall.

Harley's got his square sit down pat.

And he stays for the stand for examination.

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Taking Flight - Eastern Pheobes

They are Eastern Phoebes!!
Thanks to a Shelamo shelties' 'mom', Judy emailed me answering my question on what kind of other 'mother' bird we had nesting in the rafters of our covered kennel area.

I've been watching them over the last week, seeing them get large enough where their heads have been peering over the top of the nest ... think they are getting cramped up there!

This morning I decided they were obviously big enough, and with holding the camera up high, on flash you could see them clearly in a picture.
2 pics later! and I had the 4 baby birds take flight (ya, I figured the camer flash might do it) .... 3 of them flew out over the dog pen towards the laneway, while one headed for the rafters. It ended up taking one more flight towards the last rafter and there it sat while I finished the morning kennel run, hosed down their poop droppings in the dog pen and tended to the front gardens.

5 hrs later, it's found its way to the open forests.
Yes, it's been neat to watch 2 different birds tend to their nests these last few weeks ... however I'm tired of cleaning up behind them too! This 'mother's' entrance always seem to start near the stairs/railing to the front door, and she'd always leave 'presents' there. Not nice!

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Busting Dirt with a Scrub Buster

If there is one handy tool I wouldn't be without when it comes to dogs & keeping things clean is a Scrub Buster. It's a savour on one's hands and arms when trying to clean crates, remove the oiliness left behind from their coats and get into some of those hard to reach crevices. It's got several attachments and is rechargeable. Its charge outlasted getting all these travel crates done this week.

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CGN pic of Mary-Anne & Casino

Here is the group picture of the CGN testing @ Camp Dogwould Mary-Anne did with Casino. Top right holding her Shih tzu is another one of my class students, Darlene with her boy Beckham.

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Hoya - Indoor Glory

One of my favourite indoor plants at this time of year is my Hoya plant. It is a hanging one and has oblong green leaves. In the late spring to early summer tho it is spectacular not only in the flowers, but its fragrance! OH my, especially in the evenings, it is so sweet, it oozes out from our dining room ... unbelievable! Wish the web had a scent scratch pad :) The flowers are hard to explain as it's a bundle of them, gosh maybe some 40 stems on my variety that come together in a 1/2 moon shape hanging down.

Each individual stem then has a small flower bud which has about 4 layers placed on top of one another, glossy, almost waxy like, that are star shaped with a darker center one that is 'felt' like. Am hoping you can see in this pic some tindy (shiny) droplets that look like water but infact they are sticky. Below is a variation (of many) I found on the main Hoya Plant website.

Ooooo, this one is such a pretty ruby red colour! I might just have to (order) do more indoor gardening!
http://www.hoyaplants.com/ Check them out ... they are easy to grow in good indirect lighting & easy to start from a shoot.

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TWO more CKC CGN Accomplishments

We've had more good news this weekend. Yesterday, at a sheltie picnic down the TO way, to raise funds sheltie rescue, two more of our dogs obtained their CGN. They are Ch Shelamo's Sure Fire CD, CGN and Shelamo Truffle Delight CGN, both out of our Shelamo's Party Pack ROMC, and are owned by Judy Flanigan.

Congrats Ladies!

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Casino Obtains Her (CKC) CGN award

Just got news that this afternoon that at Camp Dogwood, in Perth, Ontario, our blue-eyed beauty Casino, handled by her good friend Mary Anne obtained her (CKC) Canine Good Neigbour award. Now she's been awarded with beauty & brains! Already the camp instructors have commented on how friendly & outgoing she is compared to many of the shelties they see. And to think an old dog (9+ yrs of age) can't learn new things! ha, ha, Casino proves that theory wrong. Congrats ladies, job well done!!!!

Ch Shelamo Burleigh Casino Rama CGN

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Robins Have Flown The Nest

Not much to see but an empty nest. Yep! was just out (3:30pm) to bring in the dogs for an early supper as I head out to teach dog class ... and ... they are ALL gone! The commotion I heard late this morn by the dogs must have been the robins as they were trying to take flight.

I wish them luck as they fly to their new lives.

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Lilac Capital of Ontario

Did you know??? the lilac Capital of Ontario is a very small town just west of Ottawa called Franktown. We live just around the corner from it. Our road boosts several groupings in spots where cedars, especially, don't line the edges. It is now June and many of the lilacs are finishing their blooming ... the constant rainy weather the last few weeks hasn't help them maintain their blooms. Sadly their beauty & smell will soon be gone.

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Almost Ready To Fly

The Robins I calculate at around 13 days of age and now have all the Robin colouring. They look awfully cramped ... am sure they must be almost ready to fly the nest. They are quiet, I never hear them when I'm out with the dogs, even when Mrs Robin is sitting on the dog fencing, squaking at me, usually with a meal in her mouth.

This is the other Mrs Bird Mom that has a smaller nest which is too high up for me to peek into, yet I'll be darned if can find what kind of bird she is in my Audubon Handbook. Anyone know ?? would love to find out.

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Agility Regional Results!!!!

We're SO proud of our Shelamo dogs that competed at this May 09 Agility Association of Canada competition. TWO of our dogs qualified for the Nationals! WOO, HOO!! On Sunday Tic was 1st in her Jumpers competition and Gryphon came 4th out of 60 dogs in his gamblers on Sat. Unfortunately, Panda didn't qualify overall, he was 10th in his standard run and 7th in his jumpers, however Kate did qualify with her Collie Riley. Here is the website should you be interested in the National competition http://www.aacnationals.ca/.

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