Spirit is 4 weeks Old

Little Cool Spirit turned 4 weeks old yesterday. She is a very busy girl...could it be in the genes?

RATS!

Kona killed a rat in the yard on Monday (my day from ___...a story for another day) and he was so funny. He WOULD NOT let any of the other dogs anywhere near it. He laid about 2 feet from it and just hung out guarding it. GROSS!!!!! I thought I was going to be so tough and deal with it myself. Gathered a huge plastic bag and a rake to pick it up. Walked right over to it with purpose and determintion....LOOKED AT IT....and threw the bag over the top, laid the rake on that to keep it from blowing away, turned and walked away feeling like a real failure! Kona just looked at me like "What?". I was sure to praise him, but I am sure he read my body language. As soon as I was back on the deck, he lifted the edge of the bag, dragged the little gross body out and took it about 2 feet away, dropped it and went back on guard duty. This happened about 4 times and I finally gave up and closed off the lower yard. Poor Kona...I spoiled all of his fun!

Driving Miss Betsy

Well, what a wonderful trip we had this weekend. I drove down to The Dalles Thursday night so we could leave for Walla Walla at a decent hour. I was up bright and early to check on Happy and Oz who spent the night in the car. Happy found the pond in Bill & Dena's front yard alot of fun, he barked at the dead fish and dug for... whatever. Oz had a good time GENTLY running in the yard.. he had pulled something in his hind rear leg and was not to do too much so as not to aggravate the injury.

With Dena at the helm we drove and chatted as we always do. Unfortunately that means we weren't paying attention to the exits either. We stopped at a rest stop just past Umatilla exit. Dena asked an ODOT guy if we missed the exit and he confirmed what we thought. He said no problem, just continue east and take the Hwy 11 exit that runs past Wild Horse Casino.. CASINO?? I hadn't gambled in a long time... the thought of dumping money into a machine, never to be seen again always kind of turned me inside out. But I had some "extra" money from a large tax return so... silently I thought that would be kinda fun. I casually worked it into our conversation that it would be fun and VOI LA... we decided to stop. COME ON DADDY, DOGGIE NEEDS A NEW COLLAR!!

I tried several machines before I gave up hope. I found Dena and sat at the slot machine next to her. I plunked in some money and it kept giving me money back.. What a concept.. How fun!! From inserting maybe $80 I took home over $300!! The picture shows one happy woman and hard earned winnings with the lovely Pendleton landscape and Wild Horse Casino behind her!

On we traveled to Walla Walla. I can't remember what time we got there but it was early yet and still light so we set up camp quickly. We were perfectly set next to bathrooms (I have issues with toilets in motorhomes :)), close to the entrance and pretty close to the ring we were scheduled to show in both days. The picture is our "camp".. and another of the view from our "veranda".

Points for Oz & Alex, Rally Excellent leg for Happy, Fun with Susan, Vicky M and Marie, Good Food, Good Friends Lots of Luck.. I'm a lucky, Lucky woman. I love you all!

Another point for Lady Kinloch of Wolfpit JE!!!

Alex was awarded another point toward her AKC Championship today in Walla Walla. It was a truely great weekend for Dena. I am so happy for her, she really needed this! Oz tood reserve. Our friend Marie (from the Portland area) took Best of Breed with her dog Bouy. (pronounced Boo-E)
Congratulations everyone!

Rally Excellent 89 points for Happy!

Betsy just called to report Happy scored an 89 on his Rally excellent run today! Next up...Oz in Novice! What a wonderful day for them....

NEWS FROM WALLA WALLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lady Kinloch of Wolfpit (aka Alex) Took Best of Winners today in Walla Walla. Betsy's puppy Oz took Winners Dog. Congratulations to both! Points for the Northwest Paws gang!

Spirit is 3 Weeks Old!

Little Spirit is 3 weeks old. She is playing with her friend, Baby.

Speciality Raffle Item

Susan M donated this wonderful Toto bag to the raffle which will be held at The CRCTC July Stumptown Cairn Speciality.

(Puppy NOT included!!!)

Kula's first outing

Yesterday was the Cascade Cairn Terrier Club Fun Match /Obedience and Rally Day. They also had a "Best Pet" contest, so I entered Kula. Now clearly the judge (althought esteemed and loved by many) didn't get the memo on the criteria for the event! If she had, Kula would have won. Our good friend Bette entered her 9 year old Terry and he won. Now he was the dog that MOST represented the breed standard, but come on...it was for "BEST PET" and we know there is none better than Kula!

By the time she had walked around the ring one time, she was all done, that is the most she had walked since December 25! She just got her bandage off from her ACL repair a week ago. She was so excited to be interacting with people and dogs, she is ready to be healed!

I never thought I would see the day..

Greg bid on and won A CRATE!!!!

She is Definitely Her Mother's Daughter!

Spirit is already showing her inherited talent for climbing...next, will it be the fence????

The differences-

between a German Shepherd Dog and a Maligator are many. Both are large, double-coated working dogs, but they have few similarities beyond that. Over time, the temperments of the breeds in the US has changed. GSD's have gotten weaker, more scared and easier to spook. Malinois, on the other hand, have gotten harder, quicker to fire (neither of these are meant in a good way).

Case in point. As a teenager, my GSD loved to be chased. It was her favorite thing ever. We'd go out in the big yard, where the dogs weren't allowed, and I'd chase her for an hour or two. She liked to have a toy in her mouth, but if she didn't, she'd still run. She would go behind the trees and I'd stalk her, she'd pop out either in front of or behind me, zoom the entire yard and back behind the trees. I could call her in or down her at any time for a rest, but as soon as she could, she'd be up and running off, looking back to make sure I was chasing.

I was sitting on the back of the couch eating an apple this morning. Rain was racing around with Sammy while Tally sat on the couch watching my apple. Sam got a little tired of the game and went and sat in the corner. Rain ran to the toy box, grabbed a half toy (all they have is half-toys after the first day or so, and it's not just the Maligator- Tally takes a lot of the credit for that), and spun quickly so that he was facing me. Toy dangling from his mouth as he stared at me, alert, he looked just like the GSD's did when they wanted to be chased.

Wanting to oblige his obvious request for interaction, I shot the hand holding the apple toward him and said "BWAA!" loudly. What I expected next was for him to take off across the house, and either Sammy or I would then give chase.

What I forgot is, Maligators do not run from things, even in play. I found myself lying sprawled on the cushions of the couch, legs dangling over the back, apple and my entire hand in Rain's mouth, his front legs on my chest and his back legs up on the back of the couch.
Intending to maintain some vision of authority here, I yelled, "No! Off!" since Rain is not allowed on furniture (nor, for that matter, allowed to jump on people without invitation). This made him pummel me harder as he struggled against my flailing limbs and attempted to kiss (he's also not allowed to lick) my laughing face. Tally decided to step in and enforce the no-big-dogs-on-furniture rule, which just gave Rain someone else to play with while continuing to squish me into the couch. The end result is that I rolled out from under him onto the floor and he ended up sitting on the couch, playfully chewing on Tally, who looked at me like, "Isn't one of us supposed to be in charge?"

Squirrel has been taken care of.

Jimmy—
Just wanted to let you know that we called out our best trackers and snipers and were able to track down the squirrel in question and dispatch it. He will never be able to do damage as it did on the Monday morning rampage again. Semper Fi

Spirit says "HELLO" to her new world

This morning "Spirit" saw the world for the first time. She is almost 1 1/2 pounds at just two weeks. Nanny Cindi gives "Spirit" her daily workout to try to keep her weight down as does Grandma Karen when she comes and visits.

Here is another picture of Jim Jim's nose before surgery. Not only did the squirrel try to slice his nose off he then tried to give him whiplash as the squirrel darted in front of the car en route to the ER and Sharon had to slam on her brakes.

Beware of Squirrels!

Jimmy High Hopes had a discussion with a Squirrel on Monday.

Unfortunately the squirrel had the last word,

Spirit is 2 Weeks Old

Mama Elle's Little Spirit is 2 weeks old today. 

Nanny thinks she is trying to open her eyes.

Why Singletons need Arobics...

Since Baby Spirit has been the only customer at her Mom, Elle's Cafeteria, an exercise program has become part of her schedule.
Love, Nanny

Hmmm, I wonder if Bill...

...could make something like this. This is the base for a weave pole set. To buy a set is $199...seems extreme...and yet?

A little on the lighter side

My dogs always make me laugh, they are good for my soul. Happy, in his singlehood, had to try really hard to keep me occupied and entertained. Now he has a willing participant in the Happy and Oz show.

Happy is 4 years and Oz is 1 and play together without a harsh word. On occasion they try to include me, no matter where I am or what position I am in. They play similar to cats, hiding and dodging and running wildly through the house. On occasion one will tire of running in circles and stop behind the couch, reverse direction and run head on into the other. They roll and snarl and do the Snarky dance on the floor then get up and do it again. Pretty entertaining.

Now this is story going to shock Vicki, Dena and Val because they have never seen me on a toilet and I would never, in my right mind allow anyone to see me doing it. HOWEVER, last night not only was I sitting on the toilet but I was laughing my ass off at Happy & Oz.

The picture is the view anyone would have when sitting on the toilet in my "Powder Room" aka downstairs half-bath. Happy always comes in and lays, sprawl-legged, on the bathroom floor and waits for me. Last night he got a bit bored (bad lunch returning to haunt me) and got up and left his spot at my feet. I can hear him rustle around in the toy basket and in about 45 seconds later he reappears with a rawhide "flip". He gently sets it on the floor by the edge of the door (see my estimated positioning), swings his butt around so his back is to me and he is facing the flip and sits down and looks at it. After a few seconds he stands up, puts his nose to it and moves it maybe 2" so that it is just barely visible to anyone (or dog) walking by the bathroom door. He then backs up and, still standing, waits, watching his bait very intently and listening to Oz playing with the cat. Now, we all know that cats and dogs only play so long before the cat gets sick of the dog and jumps to higher ground or hisses at his confused playmate. Happy knows this too and was evidently banking on it. Within 1 minutes (yes, it was a horrible lunch) Oz had been freed by Tom and is on the prowl for a new playmate. He trots by the bathroom door and sees the flip, unprotected by Happy. A very unusual opportunity for Oz. He enters the bathroom to grab it and Happy pounces on him!!

Funniest darned thing I've seen. Happy baited poor Oz! They chased around the house for awhile and then dropped themselves onto the couch to rest. What a wonderful end of a pissy day, we all went to bed and slept very well. I knew Happy was intelligent... but calculating? Scary.

BEAUTIFUL NEWS

The following message was just sent out to the Board of Govenors for the Cairn Terrier Club of America:
"We have received the final count on the standard ballot, from the accounting firm. Based on the result there will be no changes made to the American Cairn standard. Thanks to Lynne Nabors and Nancy Deleyea for all of their hard work. Ken> >The count:> >Option 1 = 185 votes> >Option 2 = 151 votes> >> >> >Thanks!> >> >> >Louise B. DiCiesare, CPA> >DiCiesare & Co. PC> >Certified Public Accountants"
Yipee. That means our darling little dogs will remain the dogs we fell in love with!

Leashes and why we use them

I saved this to post last because I'm very upset at the attitude of some dog owners toward their responsibility to their dogs and others.

Shown to the right is a picture of my friend, Dena's, leg. Saturday evening as she was walking Alex 3 standard Dachshunds attacked them. Luckily Dena saw them coming and picked Alex up and held her out of harms way while the 3 weeners jumped and bit at her, Alex and Dena's jeans.

Now, this is not an isolated incident. A year ago another Paws member, Val, was bit in the leg by a Dachshund owned by the same woman. Val's bite was worse, the dog actually made contact with her leg (I'm not sure the skin was broken) and her leg was horribly bruised. The owner of the dog was merely fined $100 and verbally reprimanded... I KNOW that the majority of dog people I run with would be extra especially careful NOT to allow that to happen again. I'm not sure about Val's incident but this time these dogs were turned loose INTENTIONALLY. The owners excuse was that they were "running for her truck". Sorry, that's no excuse, there is NO excuse for this. This owner KNEW these dogs had bitten before and yet turned them loose after a day of hunting while the adrenalin is still pumping. She turned them loose in a parking area with clear view of everything between her dogs and her truck yet she either ignored the fact that Dena and Alex were there or didn't care.

If you have ever been approached by even one dog (I have) moving aggressively toward you you know how terrifying it is. I cannot imagine how it feels to have 3 coming at you full bore knowing they are coming to harm, even kill, your best doggie friend. Some may say that is an exaggeration but it is not.

This time the owner was fined $500 and suspended for a minimum of 3 months from any AKC event. The AKC has the final word on how long the suspension will be I vote for a minimum of a year but then, I don't have a vote. When she was asked to leave the grounds she did not, I would have been mortified if this was me, anyone with any sort of moral fibre would have left, but then again, if they had any conscience at all it wouldn't have happened again.

USE A LEASH, they protect you, your dog, and others. These are DOGS, and are not under control unless they are tethered regardless of what you think.

IF YOUR DOG ATTACKS, YOU ARE FINANCIALLY AND MORALLY LIABLE.

Alex, Dena and the Judge, Tom

Sorry, forgot the pic : Not the best but better than nothing :)

Update on Spirit from Nanny

Elle's little girl, Spirit, has doubled her weight since April Fool's Day.

Earthdog and Leashes

This last weekend several of us attended Greater Portland Dachshund Club's earthdog trial in Turner, Oregon. What a wonderful weekend, weather wise, we had. On Saturday the breeze was cool but my face and neck got sunburned from the glorious, bright, yellow Orb we so seldom see here in the Northwest. Alex (Pictured) (Lady Kinlock of Wolfpit) won her Senior title, Oz passed his Intro. In Senior Happy went right to the rats, worked like the wonderful hunter he is but wouldn't come out once the rats were removed. Ryan handling Uno, Oz's dad, got 2 senior legs... Go Uno!! Cooper & Tally both passed Master, I'm sure. Having 2 trials in one day is kind of cool, not sure how the club felt about it but it made the day go by fast and I didn't have to get up at the butt crack of dawn for an 8:00am start time.

Sunday's weather was even more wonderful but our spirits had been dampened but an incident that happened Saturday evening, after the trial. I'll elaborate more on that in my next entry. Oz passed Intro with flying colors. He worked the rat for 31 seconds then came out to tell me about it... what a good boy. Happy worked the rat like a champ for 90+ seconds. He did finally come out the false entrance while I was waiting at the real entrance. The judge was wonderful and really wanted him to pass. I went over to the false entrance and he actually came out but I wasn't quick enough to catch him.. I'm buying knee pads so I'll be ready in May. AT LEAST HE CAME OUT three times, I caught him on the third. :) Tally was the buy dog, she passed Master easily. Ryan has perfected the flying terrier catch so Cooper passed easily!

Dena, Bill and I stopped at Rockin' Rogers in Salem for lunch, great burgers... Take the Market Street exit and go west. It's on the right with a big pink Cadillac in the air.

Thank you Bill, Dena, Ryan, Marie, and Tom for a really nice time.

Cairns 3 Rats 1

Early report from this years first Earth Dog tests in Turner Oregon.

New Senior Earthdog: Lady Kinloch of Wolfpit SE

Senior Earthdog leg: Uno

Yet ANOTHER "Q": Tally (the honorary Cairn)

blew off Intro to Quarry.....Hunter!

Coming up...Padme, Oz, Happy and many more I am sure.

Yipeee! Spring really IS here!

Dog V.Plant reminder

The following plants are toxic to your dogs!

Autumn crocus (Colchicum): Its active ingredient, colchicines, triggers an anti-metabolic effect that can cause rapidly dividing cells, shedding of the gastrointestinal tract, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.

Azalea (Rhododendron): This popular plant can harm a dog's cardiovascular system and trigger vomiting or gastrointestinal upset.

Daffodil (Narcissus): Toxic ingredients in the bulbs cause convulsions, tremors, lethargy, weakness, and upset stomachs.

Hyacinth (Hyacinth): This popular plant can cause severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, depression, and tremors.

Japanese yew (Taxis): Extremely toxic to dogs, this group of ornamental plants can cause seizures or cardiac failure. The plant and red berries are toxic.

Lily of the valley (Convalaria): This plant can cause heart failure, coordination problems, and vomiting.

Oleander (Nerium): Extremely toxic, this popular outdoor plant contains cardiac glycosides that harm the heart, decrease body temperature, cause abnormal pulse rate, and can cause death.

Rhubarb (Rheum): Although the stalks are used to make pies, the leaves pack the potential to cause kidney damage.

Sago palm (Cycads): Resembling an upside down pineapple, this plant thrives in sandy soils, especially in warmer states such as California, Texas, and Florida. A few seeds can kill a dog.

Tomato (Lycopersicion): Surprisingly, the greenery of this common plant, not the tomato itself, contains solanine, a toxic ingredient that can prompt gastric upset, depression, weakness, and a decrease in heart rate.

Meet the New Baby!

Elle and Casey proudly announce the arrival of of their new daughter, born April 1. 2009.

About to be usurped??

My grammie (Val) just learned that there was a new baby added to the pack today. .... a wee tiny "Spirit" all alone for a little while.
So, does that mean that "The Grapes" are about to be usurped as the cutest puppies ever? .... I doubt it, but we will be happy to share the spotlight until she can fight for herself!
"Welcome Spirit, I can hardly wait to play with you! Love, Ivy"

It's a game, folks

I just wanted to take some space to reflect on the level of over-seriousness shown at the Albany shows last weekend. Not by any of us, of course- we're all part of this blog because we recognize that this is a GAME, a SPORT, and we do it for FUN.

Not so for everyone else, sadly. I saw some pretty angry, un-sporting-like behavior last weekend, and it just kept coming and coming.

It started on Friday over at the agility rings. Sammy was the first dog on the line, and the judge said I had five minutes from the time she cleared the course from walk-thrus. I am waiting in the bleachers, and when she clears the course, I take Sammy toward the practice jump. A gate steward starts bellowing for me- "First dog! Where are you? First dog! Sammy! First dog on the line NOW!" I waved to him and called out, "I've got five minutes, I'll be right there!" He said, "Are you first? Get over here!" I waved him off and headed for the practice jump, and he called after me, "we're skipping you!"
I ran Sammy over the jump once, without taking the time to take her leash off (I know better, if that leash knocks over a standard, good luck getting her into the ring that day!), then looped back and ran for the gate. As I approached, he started to berate me and I started to argue- "I had five minutes!" At this point the judge noticed from the steward's table, and called out, "Yes, I did say five minutes to first dog, we're not ready yet!" The gate steward apologized in a way that wasn't like he meant it, and I took Sammy back to the warm-up jump.

Later, I volunteered to work a class, as a leash-runner. The job is not that hard. Don't distract the dog. Pick up the leash, take it to the exit gate. Repeat. Dispite the ease of the job and my experience having leash-run at many, many trials in the past, I was repeatedly yelled at by the (different from before) gate steward, who decided that he was in charge of everything. Several times, he started yelling, "leash runner! LEASH RUNNER!... LEASH RUNNER!" each time with me standing behind him or approaching him, going, "I'm right here, I'm RIGHT HERE, I'm RIGHT HERE!" Then he would tell me to do something painfully obvious, that I was already starting to do, and would have been finished doing if he hadn't started yelling for me. The third time this happened, I said, snarky, "My name is Ryan!" Missi came over, noticed I was working, and jokingly said, "Having fun yet?" I said, "Actually, Missi, I've never been so yelled at while working, and I don't think I'll ever volunteer at a trial again."

On Sunday, the obedience and rally competitors proved themselves similarly lacking in a sense of comraderie and sportspersonship. I watched a mellow-looking middle-aged lady who is probably the mother next door during most of her life approach a little old lady to yell at her because apparently, the little old lady's Doberman had barked and lunged inside his crate at her Golden and upset her dog so much the Golden couldn't work in the ring. Now, I'd seen the Golden go in, and the dog wasn't bad. The handler was obviously pretty new and pretty nervous, the dog obviously knew the commands but was slow to put them together, and then the handler got all frazzled and lost just 3 exercises from the finish, and ended up just leaving the ring without finishing. Thus the yelling at the little old lady, "It's all YOUR FAULT my dog was so upset, you should cover that dog!!"

After my fairly nice Rally run with Rain, I let him grab his leash as we exited the ring gate, and started tugging with him as soon as we were out of the ring. A lady sitting near the ring gate, right on the asile used to get into the ring, with her tiny dog on her lap who started growling at Rain's play, snapped at me, "You should get out of the way, you're blocking the start gate!" I smiled and turned Rain a little more away from her dog and told her brightly, "It's okay, we're the last dog!" Not to be deterred with simple things such as logic, she said defiantly, "NO, you're not, there's still Novice A!" I made a quick check of the asile leading to the gate (which we were indeed blocking) to make sure no dogs were lining up to get into the ring for Nov A, checked over my shoulder in the ring to make sure the judge wasn't waiting for a dog, then said evenly, "Looks like we're doing awards for Novice B first." She persisted, still sounding like an angry toddler losing her ground with nothing to fall back on but anger, "STILL. It's RUDE to block the ring gate!"
At this point Rain had tugged enough and I was tired of arguing with someone who wasn't saying what was really bothering her- that she'd been sitting next to a busy asile for a long time, her dog was reacting to every dog that went by, and now her dog was getting agitated over the way my dog was playing, so could I please move further away and next time she would avoid busy asiles to park her reactive dog on? We moved on.

Sheesh people. It's a sport. It's a game. It's fun. Chillax or go show horses or something.
(note that none of that is directed at the co-authors of this blog or at our general readership- it's a message to all the crabby, taking-myself-a-little-too-seriously folks who attend dog shows all the time but don't have fun while they're there, and only spread their bad attitude onto the folks around them.)