Purina Walk For Guide Dogs

This morning was the Purina Walk for Guide dogs. It was held at Nicholas Sheran Park & is held every year to make money for the purchase of Guide Dogs for the blind. Last year I brought Kort with me, but this year I took Tate. He enjoyed being the "only child" for the morning.
There was a good turn out considering it was raining/snowing, & was -3!! Last year it was so hot they had bowls of water around the entire length of the walk for the dogs....
I won a $10 gift certificate from the Backstreet Pub & Grill too!
The total amount raised this year in Lethbridge was $30,000!!! Pretty awesome I'd say!
Here is Tate & I enjoying our stroll in the less then ideal conditions! The bag I am holding was given to every participant & was filled with goodies for the dogs & us!......

He's Home!

Kort is home, yippee! He did well in surgery, just one "rough episode" the vet said, I didn't even ask what she meant, didn't want to know! Sometimes too much knowledge isn't good either LOL!
As far as his blood tests are concerned he is at the very high end of normal....this could be an indication of a problem with his kidney's, or the beginning of a problem. I still have to bring in the urine sample as his bladder was too empty for her to check it during the surgery. I am to repeat the blood tests in 6 months to see any changes.
Kort is doing good so far, he just went into his kennel & went to sleep. Now I can breathe! :)
My sleepy baby :)......

Today's "the" Day

Just sitting here thinking about Kort. He's at the vet clinic waiting to be neutered.
I'm worried for him, he's never been under anesthetic before & he carries the mutant/mutant gene in collies. That means they have to stay away from certain drugs to put him under, as well as some pain relievers too. For a collie with the mutant/mutant gene some of these drugs "could" be fatal.
I have a fantastic vet who has already called me twice this morning keeping me up to date on what she is doing. She has also been on line reading about collies & drugs etc. just to be sure.
Kort also showed elevated levels in some bloodwork involving his kidney's, but we will talk more about that later when he is safely at home & I know more. He is having his urine tested while under also.
To say I am not worried would be a lie, I'm terrified, I wish I didn't have to neuter him at all......but......this will be the best thing for Kort.
So please don't judge me if you don't agree, just support my decision & help me get through this day.

Oh Happy Day!

Yesterday Brad & I were finally able to put our new patio table & chairs together! They have been sitting in the box for well over a month as all we have had is cold weather, snow & rain.
We also managed to get in our first barbecue of the year & enjoyed sitting outside & eating at our new table.....
Unfortunately it is cold & rainy again today so we only enjoyed it for one day :(

Update

I just received word from Wendy that the greyhound that broke his leg in yesterday's run had to be put down......I am actually very emotional about this right now.....before the race the owners of the dog, & 3 others, came over to chat with Wendy & I, they were a father & son who drove down from BC with their dogs for this race. It was so cold yesterday & this wonderful dog kept leaning into me for pats, I fell in love with him & told the owners I was going to steal him before they left......such a tragedy.
The only happy thought at this time as he was doing what he loved the most in the world when it happened.

Lure Coursing

What an awesome day!!
Wendy & I drove up early this morning to Balzac AB. to watch a Lure Coursing trial. Wendy had been invited to take pictures of the event & I jumped at the chance to go. It was both of our first times seeing lure coursing other then on TV. We got excited just seeing the "bunny" in practice LOL!
There was quite a variety of dogs entered, including 2 Ibizan hounds, one rough coated puppy & one smooth.
There were a few spills, & one serious accident where a greyhound broke his leg below his hock....poor baby! He was one of the greyhounds that I was visiting with before the trial started & he was super sweet, it was horrible to see him being carried off the field by his owner...it happened so fast I didn't even notice what he did....the club was out bright & early filling in all holes & making sure the course was safe...I think he just twisted it wrong somehow while running.
Pictures from the day......
This girl was an 11 year old Basenji & she was all heart !......

The Irish Wolfhound......

The Whippets......



A smooth Saluki......

The long coated Saluki......

The rough coated Ibizan puppy......


The smooth coated Ibizan hound......

A well muscled Greyhound!......

A Borzoi......

An Afghan......

We were even entertained when 2 Siberian Huskys got loose and ran around the field!......

Like I said, an awesome day !!

Happy Long Weekend!!

Amanda sent me these pictures she took in Medicine Hat last weekend of my "2" Champions!
Tate......

The new Champion !......



Me & my boys !......

Tater dog in the ex-pen sleeping with Kort's stuffed rabbit......

Have a wonderful long weekend !

Video

As promised I have a short clip of Kort the day he finished his championship......

Here is a section of Kort's Novice A Rally course......

Thank you Amanda for getting them put together for me!

Whoo Hoo!

On Sat. May 15, Kort became a Champion!!!
Many many thanks to Tammy Sawatzky for taking Kort in for me & getting that final point! I just couldn't take him in the ring, I was feeling too negative after not taking the point the day before, & my energy was not good. Plus, there is no way I can show him to his full potential as I just can't move fast enough. I thought I could , but try as I may, it wasn't happening, he deserved to be presented to his fullest. I had managed to get the other 9 points on him, but it wasn't always easy.
Kort also tried the Rally ring for the first time. I entered him on 2 days only.
On Sat. he went in the ring & just lost his brain somehow! seriously, he didn't heel, he would come "front", he wouldn't even sit with repeated commands to do so !!! yeesh!, what a nightmare! I didn't let it get to me though, for some reason obedience affects me differently. I think Kort was exhausted, he is a busy dog, constantly looking, thinking, moving. He had just had enough.
Today I pulled him from conformation & just concentrated on Rally. We spent the morning walking around the show building, letting him just look at dogs & calm down. I felt more relaxed, more confident, Kort knows his job, he is capable of high scores, & that is what we got!
Kort went in & wowed me, he had moments of barking, but they were short lived, we completed the course & got our first Rally leg with a score of 99/100, first in the class too!
I am so confident in Kort's abilities, that I even bought utility articles this weekend!
I will be posting some pictures after Amanda has time to send them, she had a busy but awesome weekend too. Wicca picked up 2 Excellent legs, getting a perfect score today !!, & Pixel earned her RN this weekend with all high scores! You can read more about it on her blog, manymuddypaws....
I'm off to bed now! Sweet Dreams for sure!

Sugar

I received word from Tate's breeder, Peg Vohr, that Tate's mom Sugar passed away May 3 2010 from a stroke.
Condolences to Peg & Jim on loosing such a special girl.
Here are some pictures of Sugar, Am. Ch Fantasy Mariner Frosting My Cake......
Sugar, the proud momma, with Tate's litter, that is Tate smack in the middle of the pile....

Sugar in 2002, after Tate's litter......

Sugar winning the 11 & over class at the 2009 Am. Collie National Specialty......

Thank you Sugar for producing my Tater dog!

GOING TO THE ZOO !

This is how Wendy, Amanda & I started yesterday morning, by singing along with this song....catchy isn't it!
Wendy arranged a surprise for Amanda & I to go to the Calgary Zoo. I have never been to a zoo & I was like a kid, trying hard not to squeal, or scream, or jump up & down when I saw my favourite animals! I think I did actually squeal a couple of times!
As usual Wendy took some awesome pictures, here are just a few of my favourites, there were so many to choose from!









Thank you Wendy for the most awesome day ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obedience/Rally Pictures

A week ago Amanda put on an obedience/rally match. She asked Judi Snowdon of Shadowbar German shepherds to judge the obedience portion. Judi is a licensed rally judge. She had many suggestions & critiques that I really appreciated, & was a hard marker, she didn't do anyone any favours! So I was VERY proud of how Tate & Kort did!!!
Pictured below are the top 3 dogs in the Obedience match ......
1st place- Jane the Jack Russell with Sarah,
2nd place- Maggie the Bernese Mountain Dog with Kim,
& 3rd place- with a score of 193.5 Tate!!!
Some of you may not know, but I never did get Tate's CD! He is 8 yrs old & I am thinking of trying for it this year finally!
Kort got a 190! & this was Kort's first time running through an entire novice obedience course!

Gail also got a picture of me & Perkins, who made his rally debut seen in a previous post.....
HUGE thanks to Gail for taking the pictures!!!!!

Here are the videos from the rally portion...both Tate & Kort scored 99/100! Kort also did an advanced course......

Kort's Novice Course......

Kort's Advanced course, an awesome job & off leash too!......

Poor Perkins!

I had a laugh at Perkins expense this morning....after our walk (in the snow), Perkins ran in the house, I still had to fill up the bird feeders so I went about doing that, when I came back in I found that Perkins had already tried to undress himself.....
Apparently he needs more practise !......

Happy Birthday Baby Boy !

Today Kort is 2 years old, it is hard to believe actually. These past 2 years have been wonderful, trying, exhausting, fun, & the best 2 years ever!!
Kort has brought much happiness into my life & I have learned so much from this wild crazy clown!
Happy Birthday Peanut!
My first pictures of Kort, 9 days old!......


First visit to see the puppies at 3 weeks....I didn't know this guy would be mine!......

Sun June 29/08, coming home as an 8 week old!......

An adorable 6 month old!......

Showing the promise of a gorgeous boy at 1 year......

Maturing into a handsome boy of 2!......