Enough already!

Finally had 10 minutes to sit down and relax before I start drying Fee. She was running around, after her roll on my bed, and I kept hearing this funny noise. She came into the living room, laid down on the dog bed, and I heard the noise again. Something was bothering her, because when I heard the noise she would jump up and run around again.

I looked at her closely and there peeking out from her tail was….. no, it couldn’t be! My hair brush!! When she was on the bed, rolling around, her tail must have flipped inside my suitcase (which was closed but not zipped, since I am not done packing), caught the brush, and she had been wearing it ever since.

Now, how to get it off?! She ran for her crate and hid. I pretended to do something in the kitchen, and she ran and hid in that crate! Every time I got close she would run again. I HAD to get that off. I followed her into the bedroom, and then crawled into her crate as much as I could (not a pretty picture for anyone coming into the room!) It was dark (she has a small Vari-kennel that she loves — she likes caves) and small and every time I managed to get some of the hair off, she would shift and it would get caught again. This is a round brush, and hair can wind right around those bristles. As I expanded my vocabulary, I very carefully kept easing hair off of the bristles, trying to keep the brush high enough so that it wouldn’t catch again!

I think she may be missing a little hair, but there were finally only a few strands left and I gave it a quick yank and it was off. I am exhausted [LOL].

Now if we were trying to get her to do that, it would never work!

Of course now she won’t come near me to get her hair dried, so I will have to figure out a new trick to get her near the grooming table. I hate it when my dogs are smarter than me!

Val

The dogs were outside enjoying the spring weather while I was cleaning the living room. I let them all in, except of course Miss Fee, who requires an engraved invitation, hand delivered. I went outside, calling her name, but couldn’t see her. Small moment of Panic!

Then I looked towards the fence at the front of the house and there in the MIDDLE of the bushes was Fee. She was stuck!! She had gone in and somehow gotten herself into the middle of the thick limbs and couldn’t get out. Once she saw me, she started pulling and struggling and then popped out!

She was covered in pine needles and looked a little scared… that bush attacked her!

Poor thing — last summer and fall, she could fit right inside there and hide with no problems. Growing up is not all that much fun. She can’t fit under the end table or the rocking chair anymore. To fit in the closet she has to bend her body and her tail sticks out. And now this!! She hopes that things improve!

Val
www.avalonbeardies.com

Ok, I know Trav has been in testosterone land, but I have NEVER seen this before! They just had their dinner, and he cleaned his bowl, then peed in it?!!!!

That’s one way to make sure nobody takes your stuff!

Val

It’s really quiet here with Trav off visiting. He usually takes toys outside and Fee steals them, but she looks confused when there are
none out there.

Mac has no one to bark at him. I think he likes that, but he does wonder where the Pest is. [LOL]

It’s always interesting to watch the dynamics when one of them is not there. Fee would like to fill his shoes, but is too busy bothering Maddie and running around with giant sticks.

Fee reminds me of her great-great-grandmother (not sure if I got enough “greats” in there) Cher, our first Beardie. Cher loved sticks, but her passion was more to the tree limb length, the longer the better. Fiona seems to have that as well. I was afraid she was going to hurt herself with one, so I broke it, but she loves those biiiig loooong limbs.

Been busy trying to clean up after such a long weekend. I may have found my dining room table…YEA!

Val

We are tired but had a great day. We took Fiona and her half brother Rocky (Donbarlen’s Rocky Coast) to their first match today. Smaller than a show and used to help train your dogs, it gives you the feel of a show without the points (or pressure [LOL]).

Rocky has never done any of this before and while I have worked with Fee, it was her first time in the ring. Rocky did a great job and loved seeing everything. Grandpa Pat did a fine job handling him, and they only had a rocky moment(sorry couldn’t resist) when the judge wanted to feel him over. His mom said don’t let strangers touch you! So we need to work on that a little, but he shows lots of promise. He moves very nicely!

Fiona was the perfect princess, giving me everything I asked of her (as long as I kept the chicken coming). She got Best of Breed and then won Best Herding Group Puppy!

It was fun and tiring, but very much worth the experience.

I will have some new pix on my website soon.

Val

It was Traveler day today. He got brushed, had a bath and then went to York to visit his boy Rocky. Boy did he have fun!!!!

Traveler took to him right off, and “talked” the entire time [LOL]. He just did his “growly” talkie thing the whole time they played. They raced and ran and bounced and possibly wore each other out, although Traveler wanted to keep playing [G].

Then I got to work with Rocky a bit, and see if wanted to be a show dog like his Dad. He caught on pretty quickly (at least to the hand with the chicken [LOL]) and shows some real possibilities. He looks a lot like Traveler as well, so it will be fun to watch him grow.

Rocky is a typical bouncing Beardie, but did very well to settle down when it was “work” time. Once he figures things out, he is going to do very well. He is silly as well, and was more than happy to show me his tummy. What a boy!

Val
and a tired Traveler

Maddie and Lovejoy are EIGHT YEARS YOUNG!! They both are perpetual puppies, so it doesn’t seem possible.

Maddie got a lovely fuzzy stuffed bird that chirps (she LOVES things that make noise) but Fee keeps stealing it and hiding it in her crate [LOL].

I made Banana bread, Maddie’s favorite. All I have to say to get her inside is “Maddie CAKE!” and she comes running.

Fuzzy hugs to brother Lovejoy!

Val

Hope you are having a “sweet” day today!

Yesterday the dogs were finally able to get out back to the rest of the yard. The snow has been so deep that they haven’t done this for
weeks. Well, Mac went out back and nibbled on the bark from the willow tree. (he does this, willow is very healing and used as a pain reliever)

Last night we came home and found a little bark on the floor with some foam. Well, that didn’t agree with him much this time. A short while later, he started making swallowing movements and coughing a little… look out, he’s going to blow! Sure enough, he up-chucked all over the dog bed and floor. (that is a step up, as he used to run for our bed. Old age keeps him on the floor more)

He coughs once in a while, but seems to be ok. He is eating and drinking fine, and being his usual self. He may have scratched his
throat a bit when that came up, or there is a bit more there working its way through… It’s organic, anyway [sigh]. I’ll keep my eye on him for the next couple of days.

Val

Traveler is not happy that Fee has been taking up his snuzzle time in bed. She ALWAYS gets there first and he has to wait, and that’s not fair!

So last night I wasn’t even in bed yet when he LEAPED up onto the bed and stretched right out. Fee joined him once she saw that I was under the covers, but I made her leave so he could have some special time. (then she wasn’t happy, but she thinks I’m a… well, you get the idea. I see future power struggles ahead, but I bested one Queen [Mira]. I can do it again [G]. )

So Trav was snuzzling with Mom and Dad, very happy and all was right with the world. After awhile it was getting a bit cramped, and I decided that snuzzle time was over. Usually I just say “that’s enough” or something like that and he leaves. Not last night. He just wagged his tail and stayed right where he was.

So I started fooling around and pretended I was snoring… Mommy’s asleep now, time to get down, lots of snoring.

Well, every time I would do the fake snoring thing, he would growl! If I stopped, so did he. If I snored, he growled. He was laughing — I could tell, because his tail was wagging and he had a silly grin on his face. [LOL]

He does have a great sense of humor, that boy… it’s usually directed at me, but that’s nothing new.

Val

As a breeder, one of the hardest things to do is to wait for that call….a dog you have bred is dying.

You were there when they were born, watched them grow and learn… smelled their little furry bodies, laughed as they surprised themselves with a new accomplishment.

Sometimes they stay but most of the time you send them off to new homes, fingers crossed that they live happy, useful lives.

Thistle was both of those. She went to live with wonderful friends who helped to raise her when we had a houseful. When I lost her mother, she came back to me. I worked with her and got her into the show ring, and while I had some help, she was the first Beardies I finished myself. She helped me through the pain of losing her mother, and worked on trying to be Queen (it never happened).

She had a lovely litter of puppies (thanks for Maddie, Thistle) and we all continued on. But I could tell she wasn’t completely happy. It happens to some dogs, ones who have been shown and taken here and there — they don’t take to being retired to a bunch of other Beardies that well. I knew where she had to go. I put a bug in their ear and let the Universe take over. I trusted it.

Sure enough, Cathy and Bill Pollari took Thistle to live with them and her son Lovejoy and Lionel the Bouv. I knew it was a match made in Heaven. After all, they never visited me here, but always came to see Thistle [G]. So she became Queen of their castle and ruled the 2 boys lovingly. I loved getting pictures of all of them lined up in their Halloween costumes or sporting new haircuts or bandanas. Thistle was a Mama’s girl — just what she needed.

Occasionally I would see Thistle again, but she was never that thrilled to see me, always keeping an eye out for Cathy. I always told her I wasn’t making her come back [LOL].

I love that she was that close to her mom Cathy and content and happy for the last years of her life. She was 13…. longer than I had her mother, and pretty healthy till the end.

We knew it wouldn’t be long. I had a session with her and immediately knew she was leaving soon. So hard, but at least I could start preparing myself (although it never matters — it still hurts). It’s not the same as living with one who is leaving. I have done that. You treasure them each day, make the most of each moment…..

So I waited, knowing it would be soon. Going about the day, taking care of the dogs and work, etc…. Maddie would keep coming to me, wagging, putting her head in my lap. She is a lot like her mom.

Thistle left this morning, surrounded by her family. She was just too tired to go on. She used to make this cute grunting noise when I rubbed her chest……. .

Rest easy Piglet… run with your Mom and those that went before you.

Ch Tolkien Thistlewool……… greatly loved.

Val