TMT #10 on Friday

Laura over at Crooks and Crazies has a single question for Tell Me Thursday #10. Because I've been busier than a woodpecker in a lumber yard, I am a day late. 

Laura wants to know:  Going forward over the next six months, what are your goals?

Training/Trialing Goals

1. Enable Brynn to work correctly at home or at a trial.  That is first and foremost at all times.  
2. Be choosier with the trials we enter.  Select trials that will be a benefit to Brynn & me, as a handler. 
3. Consistency, consistency, consistency
4. Begin to let go of Beth for chores and start using Brynn at least 75% of the time.   
5. Send Bea to Dianne for training - no matter how much it will hurt to let my little Beetle-Bea leave for a few months.

Personal Goals:  

1. Continue to lose weight, slowly and steadily (I will not set a goal for actual pounds lost - lest I self sabotage). 
2. Continue with therapy and personal growth.
3. Walk across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, alone.
4. DO NOT start smoking again (I have been so very tempted of late *sigh*)
5. Survive my daughter moving back home with the baby. 

Professionally/Business related Goals:

1. Release print line & begin marketing
2. Finish book
3. Expand advertising

Tell me Thursday #9

It is once again time for Crooks & Crazies Tell Me Thursday.

This week Laura would like to know:

1. If you're not at the 2011 Sheepdog finals this weekend what are you planning to do?

Saturday I am picking up 150 lbs of meat (beef, tripe, organ mix & heart) from a butcher who drives up from Oregon.  I am a member of a co-op that puts together massive orders which saves us on price.  Saturday afternoon I am going to watch my husband extending the fence line creating an additional pen/pasture at our field so we can separate the sheep while the ram is here doing his job. While he is working on that I am going to begin construction on a shelter for hay storage, and set the posts for the creep feeder/lamb pen - might as well get that completed before the weather turns yucky.  


Sunday we are going to Longbranch for the "Left Behind" trial at the MacDonalds.  It is the first in the series of winter training trials for our neck of the woods.  I imagine I will be running away from the post at some point with Brynn.  John is going to run Beth in Ranch and Novice/Novice.  I am running Brynn in Ranch and Pro-Novice. 

2. One item you NEVER walk onto the trial field (any trial field, or training class will suffice) without?

My whistle with pink braided kangaroo leather lanyard with pretty beads and silver accents.  I have been looking for a pink crook, alas had to settle for a graphite training stick with a pink handle. 

3. Katy wants to know if you have a pre-run ritual that you observe?

I call it the Three P's.  Panic, Pee, Pill (Ativan)

4. How old were you when you had your first real kiss?

Does accidentally french kissing a cow count?  If yes, 10. 

5. What do you do for yard mud control during the winter?

Mud control in our back yard is going to be harder this year since all the bark/mulch in the flower beds seems to have disappeared and my husband has not seen it as a priority to replace. 


In the past if it is very wet and icky out I will dry each dog as they come through the door.  I keep several towels at the door for that purpose.  Each dog is very good about sitting and letting us wipe them down.  We are lucky to have a covered/dry back porch away from the mud where they spend most of their time while outside.  I like to keep the steps covered with carpet remnants and plenty of bedding in their houses which seems to capture most of the muck before they come inside. 

Tell me Thursday #8

It is time for Crooks & Crazies Tell Me Thursday

1. What is the biggest thing that grossed you out over the past week?

The wound on one of our ewe's leg.  It is not healing well, is infected, reeks like decomp, gobs of proud flesh, exposed bone and muscle.   Due to the location of the wound (inside of her rear leg, near the udder) I have to bend over to treat it, with my face right next to her privates (which are glaringly exposed due to her tail being cropped way too short). On Tuesday she treated me to a lovely gaseous emission cloud that melted my nasal passages and rendered my olfactory system inert for hours.   How is that for gross?  (Before anyone offers advice, yes she is on antibiotics IM and we are doing everything possible to facilitate healing). 

2. What do you feed your dogs?

I feed all of my dogs a raw diet.  This morning they had meaty lamb necks.  This evening they had a mixture of beef tripe, beef heart, chicken liver, sardines, broccoli, spinach, pumpkin, salmon oil, an egg...topped with my left over salad from dinner.  

3. If you could move anywhere where would you live?

I would move back to North Carolina.  I loved living there and never wanted to leave, but the damn US Army decided we needed to live at Fort Lewis.  My second choice would be Pocatello, Idaho. 

4. What is the funniest thought that occurred to you (or thing that happened to you) this week?

I was using Brynn to gate sort the sheep for working.  She had to go between the sheep and Jim the Llama.  Instead of going behind him, she went under him and bumped his leg.  The look on his face was priceless.  Reminded me of Beeker from the Muppet Show.  

5. If you couldn't have your breed of choice what would be next on your list?

I cannot imagine not having a border collie.  But if I was not able to have a BC I would have to choose a rescue dog of indiscriminate breeding.  It is not the breeding or breed that gets me, it is the dog's personality. 

Tell Me Thursday #7

It is time for Crooks & Crazies Tell me Thursday once again.  A welcome reprieve to coming up with a blog post all on my own.  A rare occurrence these days, what with sheep, dogs and summertime to enjoy.






1. What five things can't you live without? 

• Our children

• My husband (on a good day, bad days replace this bullet with SHEEP)

• My dogs

• Cotton underwear big enough to sail a boat - no thongs or Victoria's Nightmares here, just good old fashioned grannie panties - yep.  Nothing compares for comfort or to cover a overly large bootaaaah. 

• Powder (I am a powder addict, I love body powder, scented powders, deodorant powders, corn starch...any powder, I love it. Most likely I will die of some powder induced lung disease.)

2. How do you transport your dogs? 

• I have a Ford Freestyle.   I love my car.  It is a cross over utility vehicle, or what we used to call a station wagon.  It seats seven.  I have folded down the third row of seats and put two crates there.  We are in the process of building a platform for the crates to sit on with drawers underneath for storage.  When I need to to have four crates I fold down the middle row of seats and can get two more medium sized crates there.  If I really cram them in there I can fit 5 crates total, when desperate.  If I have to take all the dogs with me (short trips to river or field to play) I stuff Bea & Brynn in one crate.  Ranger & Bonnie together in another and Beth is the princess, she is loose in the back seat with the kids. 

3. What role does obedience play in your training or running of your dog(s)? 

• I taught Brynn how to sit, lie down, stay, perch work & target.  She knows how to speak and a have worked on impulse control & balancing a toy on her head.  - nothing else that I can think of.  I think the little bit of off-sheep training has helped develop our relationship but other than that, I dont think it has made a difference one way or another on sheep. 

• Beth has the full range of obedience from her former drug detection training & agility training when we first adopted her - but she forgets all of it if there are any distractions - the obedience has helped her with impulse control on sheep - however I think it is the basis of her petulant, passive/aggressive behavior on sheep - to some degree.  

• Bonnie has had all her obedience training and several Rally-O classes, CGC & service dog certification.   When we work on sheep she heels, and I have a very hard time getting her to leave my side to go after the sheep.  I wish I would NOT have done so much obedience training with her before she went on sheep - personally I think it messed her up a bit.  We won't talk about her lack of talent or drive, I prefer to blame the obedience training, mmmmkay?  

• Ranger can do everything except herd sheep, so it is a moot point with him.  

• I have not taught Bea how to do anything other than recall (that'll do), stay behind me when I am walking (sometimes), loose leash walking (sometimes), lie down, sit, target with her nose, we are working on a stay and some impulse control (waiting for release to eat her food etc).  Other than that she jumps up on me all the time and her manners are non existent. But she gives the best hugs in the world. She goes to Dianne Deal for training in a couple of months.  I don't want to mess her up or put a bunch of pressure on her for things that don't really matter to me. 

4. At what point do you start putting commands on your dogs? 

• I cant really answer this, as Dianne started Brynn for me.  She will also start Bea.  Until I am confident I will not ruin a young dog I will let a professional help me with the all important foundation.  The only 'command'  I have put on Bea is "that'll do". 

5. Do you talk to strangers in elevators? 

• Typically...no, I take the stairs.  I hate elevators & avoid tall buildings.  If I am on a high enough dose of anti-anxiety meds I will sing, dance and strip for strangers, or so I am told.  I have no memory of this and as far as I am concerned it never happened. 
  

Tell me Thursday

1. How do you teach recalls to your dogs?

It all depends on the dog.  I used a long line with foster dogs, and if they didn't come, I just calmly and unrelentingly walk them down until they got it.  I used positive reinforcement with Bonnie, because she was so food driven.  Brynn was not as food driven, from the moment she was a puppy I would call her back to me in every situation.  I varied the reward, from petting to food.  I never had to walk her down - she wouldn't stray out of my sight from the time she was a pup.  Bea has been another story.  She has not been easy.  I had to do a lot of walking after her.  She is stubborn and can be a wee bit sneaky.  Her recall is about 75% reliable now.  I just make sure I don't put her in a situation where I cannot get to her.  Distractions are difficult.  Just time and miles with her, she still has some growing up to do. 

2. What is your favorite Restaurant or type of food?

Favorite Restaurant:  I love good old fashioned American diners, where the staff know your name.  We have a place here in Orting called Around the Corner Cafe that serves good 'stick to your ribs' food.  That type of place can't be replaced by big chain restaurants.  We also have another restaurant here in Orting called Los Pinos - it is a Mexican place, owned and run by one of our neighbors.  My son used to work there washing dishes.  You know you have been to a restaurant too much over the years if the waiter has your order written down before you even tell him. 

Favorite type of food: I am blessed my husband is an avid fisherman. I adore fish. I could eat salmon morning, noon and night happily. My favorite food is salmon. Tomatoes follow a close second. (We wont mention Cheetos puffs or chocolate...shhhhhhh!).


3. What is your favorite interest outside of dogs/livestock/sports?

There is life outside of dogs?  I think I would have to say my favorite interest outside of dogs would be photography.  Wait, does that count if I am always photographing dogs? 

4. Describe your path from where you started out to where you are now.

I have been doing this 'herding thing' with my dogs for three years now.  We are barely out of Novice.  I have run Beth in novice/novice, ranch and pro-novice.  I ran Brynn in nursery (badly) and we are now running in pro-novice (still badly, but improving/learning every trial).  I cannot express enough the importance of finding a good trainer and sticking with them.  Do not bounce around to different trainers - stick to one and train with people who are familiar with their techniques to reinforce what you are learning.  I made the mistake of bouncing around from one trainer to another when I started and the only thing we accomplished was confusing the hell out of myself & Beth.  Dianne Deal has been my choice for a trainer & I am very happy with how we are progressing.  If it is financially feasible invest in sending your dog for training - it helped me immeasurably.  Being a novice it is very difficult to train your dog while you are learning - I was  fortunate with Beth that she was so forgiving.  Many people say you will ruin your first dog while you learn.  Thankfully I got help with her at the right time and she was a strong enough dog to get past it - I really hope I don't damage Brynn with my awkward handling. 


5. Is there a dog that you raised that, if you knew then what you know now, you would have raised them differently? Question posed by Jodi.

I would not have let Brynn get away with snarky-snotty behavior or resource guarding & been more assertive in protecting her from bad situations where she could get in trouble or make a bad choice. 

Quick Mumble & TMT #4

This blog has fallen by the way side.  Victim of sheep obsession.  We have been working a lot at the pasture, among other things.

For those of you who have emailed me asking about the next installment of the Photography Tips Series - please be patient.  I am almost done with the next four installments & will be posting them soon.  

That said....

My husband has been home everyday and driving me borderline wacko.  The other night after he vacuumed everything in the world, he decided to vacuum the inside of the vacuum.  It didn't stop there, he took it apart and WASHED the filters, cleaned out the canister & did other crazy things to our poor Dyson.

Now the washing machine is suffering from his cleaning frenzy.  I swear to doG I can hear it screaming at me, begging for mercy.

Seriously, if he does not get called back to work soon, I may have to beat him to death.  Maybe the washing machine will rise up in revolt and take care of the problem for me.  

But he does barbeque a mean steak,  does dishes, cleans the house, is easy on the eyes, smells good and I rather like him.  I am actually happy to have this time with him.  The last time he was on stand-by he was in a panic over money.  This time we were prepared and he is enjoying his first vacation in years.

It is all good. 

Since I don't have anything else to write at this very moment, I thought I would actually respond to Crooks & Crazies Tell Me Thursday...on THURSDAY!





Questions for today:

1. In sheepdog training (or lets call it *any* type of training), how do you keep from taking yourself, your dog, your lack of progress too seriously? posed by Ann

I try to set small achievable goals for each trial.  Sure, I would love to finish a course, or doG forbid - win.  However, to be realistic I make sure my goals are aligned with reality which enables me to feel good about our progress, no matter how small.  Every trial brings opportunity - even if it is just to see where you need to focus your training before the next one. 

I struggle with taking things too seriously, because this is a deeply personal journey for me.  Overcoming my anxiety and learning to keep my head in a healthy space is going to be a life long battle, on or off the trial field. 



2. How many crates do you have? For reals. 

3 in the garage
4 in the bedroom
2 in the car
1 in the guest room
10 Total (I think?). 


3. How do you keep your dogs in shape? 

Lots of work & running off leash.  Now that we have our own sheep the dogs are working almost every day.  The days they do not work we take them to the river or a near by field where they run their butts off. 

4. Who is your favorite movie/tv star eye candy at the moment? 

Who needs to dream when they have this to look at every day?

The ORIGINAL Eye Candy.  Ranger. 

5. What is your livestock situation? Have your own? Borrow? Herd the cats? (You can substitute other equipment for livestock if you don't work stock with your dogs). 

We rent a near-by 10 acre pasture where we keep our 5 Romney's,  5 Clun Forest, 3 Dorper/Katahdin mix, 1 ancient Black Belly Barb & a strange Llama named Jim.  We have entered into a co-op situation with a friend.  Monique will soon be adding her sheep and we will be breeding this winter for lambs in the spring.  YEAH!  

Tell me Thursday - on Sunday

Again, I am late to the game.

(1) How did you get into border collies (or whatever your dogs of choice are)? What started it all?

I have always loved border collies.  I adopted my first border collie when we were stationed at Fort Bragg in NC when my kids were very small & I was pregnant with my third baby.  His name was Mikey.  He adored my middle son and watched over him as he crawled around the house & was my buddy while my husband was deployed.  We had him a few months when he suddenly became ill and passed away.  I was devastated.  It took me several years to adopt another dog.  After we adopted Katie in 1999 I was hooked.  When Katie started to exceed a normal life expectancy I accepted it might not be long.  Her long time companion Elmo had passed away, and I wanted a dog in our home to help ease the inevitable passing of my Katie.  We adopted Ranger, then Beth.  We went over the deep edge when we adopted Bonnie.  Katie was still hanging in there and in Nov 2008 she passed away peacefully in my arms at the age of 17.  As I type this I can see Katie's paw prints and a lock of her hair in a memorial box - she will always hold a special place in my heart.  6 months after Katie passed we adopted Brynn, and finally brought Bea into our pack last November.  Katie was the catalyst, prompting this incredible journey. 

(2) How many dogs do you have? All dog math variations accepted.  

We have five.  Ranger, Beth, Bonnie, Brynn & Bea

(3) What do you do for a day job?

I like to pretend I am a professional photographer.

(4) What questions would you like to answer (or ask)?

Why are some clouds dark but others lighter?
Are your socks supposed to match your underwear?
What do you prefer? Pizza or Teriyaki?

(5) What was for dinner last night?

I am not sure if I am supposed to answer this for Wednesday night or last night, so I am going to go with Wednesday night.  Broiled salmon fillet served with tomato/basil relish, steamed asparagus & jalapeno/cheese pan bread.  Yummy.