Nice Day For A Hike

Today, some friends invited Pogo, Jane and me out for a hike.  We met up at their house.  Isn't it nice to be able to just take your dogs to a friend's house, where they have never been to hang out with dogs they have never met, and everyone can just hang out together with no issues?  Yes, it is!  I think someone likes diet pepsi!

We drove out to the start of the hike.  It looked like a serious hike.  That house in the background was the closest we saw to any established dwelling.

I think Jane and Katy did at least 10-12 miles.  Missy was somewhere in the middle and Pogo and Tess stayed pretty close to us.

Pogo flushed a jack rabbit and spent some time searching for it.  Thankfully, it did not lead her over a cliff!

On the way back to the cars.  What a beautiful day!  The dogs are thanking me for the outing by lying perfectly still for several hours.

A Good Day

We went over to work dogs with some friends in California today.  Last year, we attended a trial on this field and it kicked our ass.  I've been wanting to go back and try it again for some time now, and today was the perfect opportunity.  Lovely weather, if a little hot for the dogs; friendly folks who just want people to come out and enjoy the farm and the sheep and work dogs.  They had different sheep than we had at the trial last year, but the field is still full of tricks and draws.  We don't get to work on rolling hills with tall grass very often, so this was a great day of challenges for Jane and me.

Jane pushing on those heavy lambs and unhappy ewe.

Our first set of sheep were pretty nice.  We're just working on pace at the drive, getting Jane and me more comfortable with it.  She did some overflanking and gottagettotheheads reactingtoPRESSURE stuff, but we got some things done.

Our second groups was a bunch of lambs and one ewe with her lamb.  They warned me before that one would turn on a dog. . .not try to attack the dog, but would test a dog.  When I was setting up to send her, the sheep started up and over a hill toward the draw.  I sent away, whenever Jane is worried about sheep escaping, she goes come-bye, no matter what.  Some day, I will either learn that or fix it.  She crossed over, went down behind the hill where I could no longer see her or the sheep.  I didn't hear anything bad happening, so I shut up and gave her a few seconds.

Pretty soon, I saw a bunch of sheep heads pop up, so I knew where Jane was and she was right.  Then, slowly (a miracle. . .slowly), the heads turned toward me, and then they started coming toward me.  We had six sheep, mostly lambs, so they were not coming straight and trying to scatter, but, she had them and she was bringing them.  I tried to help with a whistle or two, but Jane moved before I could ask her to.  About half way to me (short, maybe 150 yard gather), one little squirty lamb split off and tried to get back to set out.  Jane took off and caught it, although, it did a sommersault in the process. . .I was watching  the lamb, so I don't know what Jane did, but the lamb came back to the group, which was settling around my feet, and Jane was convinced she had lost it.

If there is one thing Jane hates, it is to loose her sheep.  She was sure she lost it, so she spent a few frantic moments looking for it, unable to hear me.  I counted and I had six.  I called to the sidelines to be sure we hadn't lost one; we hadn't.  I got Jane back on board, but for the rest of the work, she was looking out of the corner of her eye for the lost one.

Jane usually has an opinion on how the other dog is working.

That tan ewe turned on Jane and while she didn't make a move toward her, she wasn't going to move without a fight.  This was great practice for us. . .we have very rarely encountered a ewe that will turn on Jane, and for all of Jane's impulsiveness and for all the trouble I have stopping her, she is usually really good in this situation.  She kept her cool, never got cross with the ewe, and backed her up for a long ways.  There were times when the ewe would turn and walk, then she would turn back and test Jane again.  A few times, Jane wanted to flank to get away from the pressure, but I got her back and in the pressure.

It wasn't my plan to work through these challenges today, but I was really happy with how it went.  Jane showed me some things.  The sheep showed me some things.  The field is so nice, as are the people.  We will go back.

Singe keeps a careful eye on things.

It's Clinic Season

The dogs had a good romp in this huge alfalfa field.

I attended a sheepdog training clinic in Idaho over the weekend.  I didn't have a dog to put in the clinic, but it was a good excuse to get away for a weekend, visit some friends, work dogs and help out.  And visit my puppy, Pearl and see the progress she is making with her trainer.

Pearl relaxes after a good work.

Pearl was very happy to see me, and she was happy to see Jane and Pogo.  But she doesn't take her eyes off her sheep, or the possibility of sheep for very long!  She is coming right along and I am seeing great changes in her work.  Looking forward to her first Nursery pretty soon!

Jane setting sheep for the clinic participants.

Jane and I had the opportunity to set sheep on a hill, which was a great experience for both of us.  It's been a year and a half to two years since Jane has worked this hill, or even been on this property, but she remembered exactly where the sheep were last time she was here.  Our setting wasn't great, or even very good, but it was ok, at first.  It sure did make my heart sing to watch my dog covering ground up and down that hill, feeling the range ewes and working some of the time in an area with a great deal of pressure.  She, not always, but some times even took direction from me.

Throughout this weekend, I saw things in Jane's work that tell me we are still coming together.  We are not as good as we're going to get; we are continuing to improve as a team.  Small things, that others would not notice.

Participants had a chance to work on some nice rolling hills.

The clinic was interesting.  As always, the people watching is something I enjoy.  As I watched, I wondered about each person, why they were there, what did they hope to accomplish during the weekend.  Are they looking for a magic wand to wave over their dog?  Are they hoping to have a nice weekend socializing?  Are they open to hearing observations from the experienced handlers?  Are they a working stockman, looking for ideas to improve their handling of their livestock?  Are they new to this pursuit and hope to learn everything they possibly can from each person with whom they talk?  Are they there, perhaps not to learn, but to show off?

Over the years, I have attended clinics and lessons put on by big name trainers/handlers in multiple dog sports.  I think each event has some or all of each of those type of attendees.

Shedding practice.

I didn't truly audit the clinic, as I stayed with only one of the trainers and didn't split my time equally between the two, as the clinic participants did.  My goals for the weekend were partly social, partly to learn something new (and Jane and I have a great new exercise to practice!) and partly to help out. . .plus, Saturday was homemade Basque beans and Basque bread at Lavon's house, so I was definitely down for that!

Quick trip to the store.  Just the essentials.

In two weeks, I will audit another clinic, by one of my favorite clinicians.  This will be the third time I have attended this clinic, with this clinician, put on by this group.  It will be interesting to see how much each of the participants has improved or changed based on past attendance and a year to work on it.

Our Feb. '13 Napa Trip

We had a quick trip to Napa a few weeks ago.  Our first trip to Napa, in fact.  With only two dogs now at home, it was easy to make short notice boarding arrangements at our favorite kennel, K9 BnB.

We checked into our hotel in mid-afternoon on Friday.  Our hostess offered two suggestions for tastings that we might hit close-by before dinner, both in the Carneros appellation.  The first was her favorite and mine, Artesa.  I fell in love with this place, their wines, and our pourer, Jesus.  I'm pretty sure we spent the most money there, as we spent in any one location the rest of the weekend.  Club members, now.

Atresa

The view from the tasting room at Artesa

Our next stop was the beautiful and sustainable, solar powered tasting room of Cuvaison.  I think I could sit on their patio and drink wine all day long!  I didn't love their wines, although very uncharacteristic of me, I did love their Espiritu dessert wine.  Chris liked their lightly oaked Chard. . .I prefer big, bold, buttery Chardonnays.

Cuvaison

After two tastings, we found our way to downtown Napa and a little locals place called The Pearl.  We have been missing our Pearl dog, who is away with a trainer, so this was a happy reminder of her.  Wonderful food, great service, friendly, casual atmosphere!

The Pearl Restaurant

Here's where my photography and our trip had a slight parting of ways.  We contracted Beau Wine Tours to show us the way on Saturday, with a small group tour.  Whether the mistake was mine or theirs or both (likely), I was worried on Friday evening when I hadn't gotten a confirmation call from the driver.  So, I called them, catching their CSR as she was just about to leave for the evening.  They had me booked for March 16, instead of February 16.  She said, Let me call you back in 10 minutes.  In less than that time, she called me back and said, here's what we are going to do for you:  private tour, no upcharge, driver will pick you up at 11am, what would you like for lunch?

That, my friends, is the way to go to tour and taste Napa!  No worries about finding wineries, no worries about how much who is drinking, no parking hassles.  Just perfect.  Beau Wine Tours has a faithful customer in me, from now on!  First stop, Domaine Carneros.

Domaine Carneros

 I could probably never leave the Carneros appellation and be perfectly fine.  Tasted bubbly that I could drink all day long, and Pinots that I absolutely loved! Pinot Noir is not my favorite, but this was a weekend to fall in love with new (to me) varieties.

Here is where the photos stopped. . .we then went to Jessup Cellars in Yountville.  LOVED the chardonnay they were releasing to members that day.  Yes, we bought some.  Like every place we stopped the service was great, the pourers were fantastic, and all of our fellow wine tasters were so fun!

Next was up the mountain to Nichelini Winery.  Great story.  Great pourers.  Great building. . .the original family homestead.  Fourth or fifth generation Italian wine family.  The youngest daughter is the wine maker.  Bought their Cab.

Saturday evening, we went to Grace's Table for dinner.  Noiser and more crowded than The Pearl, it still had the endearment of having one of our (late) dogs' names in the name of the place.  And, the food was amazing!

Sunday morning, we went to French Blue in St. Helena for breakfast.  I think I could live inside that restaurant!  I did not want to leave, but we had one more impressive stop to make before we left the region for home:  Castello di Amorosa.  I can't do the place justice with just a few words, so visit their website and then go visit the castle in person!  And try the Cab!  Wonderful, all the way around.   A perfect end to a remarkable and memorable weekend.

Castello di Amorosa: Armory

Castello di Amorosa: French Oak barrels, used only twice

Castello di Amorosa: Underground cellaring

Castello di Amorosa: Underground cellaring

Castello di Amorosa: Armory

Castello di Amorosa:  obouiltte

Castello di Amorosa:  Sprinkler system, in case the brick bursts into flame

Castello di Amorosa: Tasting Room

Castello di Amorosa: Free Range Sheep

Kriskella's SunTrip T'First Base MX MXJ NF

06/12/1999 - 01/26/2013

Rest well, Gracie.  Thanks for everything.

No Nursery Trial This Weekend, But. . . .

I was bummed that El Presidente SDT had to be cancelled, but better safe than sorry.  So, Pearl's Nursery debut will have to wait.  But, Lavon and Katy set up a course and worked on Mindy's big field this weekend.  Thanks for the photos, Katy!  (Click the images for a bigger version.)

The Turn At The Post

Driving

Driving

At The Pen

Jane and I had a nice day, too.  Pogo even got to go and hang out.  We went down to Gardnerville and did some arena work.  I wasn't sure what to expect, since Jane hasn't seen sheep since early December!  

She was very good!  Maybe her age is starting to catch up to her.  I got some stops and some nice little drives.  The arena is set up for the upcoming AHBA trial next weekend, so there were obstacles to play with.  Toward the end of our second go, Jane was coming in a little harder and not releasing pressure like she had earlier.  

The Carson Valley, Nevada

Jane ended the day in her favorite way:  jumping in the stock tank and then lying in the mud.  What a happy dog!

Pearl is a learnin'!

Updates are ready and waiting for me to make them.  Someday.  The short version is that Pearl is doing great with her trainer and I miss her like crazy.  Going to see her next weekend.

Pearl coming in on a shed!

Gracie has left us and gone on to Samoyed Agility Dog Heaven.  And, my husband has a new job, which will involve us moving 30 miles up the road.

Generally, life is good.  At least things are settled and a little more certain!  That Gracie. . .she was a real force in this house, and we are all adjusting to not having her here.

Dog Food Review: The Honest Kitchen

Recently on Facebook, The Honest Kitchen asked fans if anyone with a dog blog wanted to do a food review.  Naturally, I jumped at the chance!  I really like THK, the company.  My dogs really like THK, the food!  While the dogs eat a primarily raw diet, we do keep kibble and some THK on hand for the times when I forget to thaw the raw.  We usually use Embark (grain free turkey) or Love (grain free beef), and I currently have a box of Preference (grain free fruits and veggies, to which I add fresh, raw meat), so I asked to review the Zeal (grain free line caught Haddock).

While I was out of town last week, this happy little package arrived.  Two trial sized boxes of the Zeal, a cute little packet of parsley seeds and three booklets/pamphlets.  I really like "A Little Book Of Honesty," which introduces you to the corporate culture at THK and talks about ingredient sourcing.  "Feed Your Way To A Healthy Pet" outlines the importance of high quality nutrition.  The product guide is a quick guide to their entire line of products.

As friends and regular readers know, I work in the pet food industry in an independent pet food retail store.  What you may not know is that the store where I work sells TONS of THK.  In fact, at one point I was told by our sales rep. that we were the biggest account for THK in our region.  As a retailer, I love these booklets to give to customers.  Not every customer is a dog food nerd, or wants to be one, but some do!  And, they eat this stuff up.  We give out so much information in our nutrition consultations.  Being able to hand the customer a brochure or booklet like these helps immensely.  They can take it home and go back over things we discussed in the store.

So, back to the matter at hand.  I had three hungry dogs to feed this morning (Pearl is away, training to be a sheepdog).  All are 45-55lbs.  I feed them all a little bit differently based on age and activity level.  The two trial sized boxes were not quite enough to feed all three dogs, so I gave each a slightly smaller portion and added some fresh meat and their usual supplements.

Gracie (13 1/2 yo Samoyed), Jane (5 yo Border Collie), Pogo (9 yo Samoyed)

This crew does not like to be kept waiting.  That would be their only complaint about eating THK.  That 5-10 minute wait!

The Zeal rehydrates a little bit differently than the Embark.  It takes less water.  I usually forget this and end up with really soupy soup.  Today, I did remember and each dog got a pretty consistent porridge-y breakfast.

Gracie gets a double shot of salmon oil.  Because of her age, I try to give her as much Omega 3s as I can. She and Pogo get Connectin by In Clover for their arthritis.  Jane gets K9 Glucosamine from Liquid Health.

FINALLY!!!  The wait is over.  All three dive into their bowls and don't come up until the bowls are clean.

The Zeal is a big hit!   As with the other THK products, the finished product looks fresh and smells great. . .I admit to loving the smell of Embark and Love more than Zeal, just because I am not a huge fish fan, myself.  But I love the health benefits of it.  The Samoyeds tend to like fish more than the Border Collies do (speaking only for my own dogs, of course); that said, Jane devoured the Zeal this morning.  They all really love Embark and Love.  I use the Lithe tea for Grace and Pogo and believe I see a difference on the days I use it.  I just don't always have some ready to go at meal times.   Beams, the dried fish skin treat, are a HUGE hit in our house.  Perfect Form is another excellent product we wouldn't be without!

I think the only THK recipe that we've tried that they didn't all love was the Thrive.   That division ran right down the breed line.  Instantly, the BCs let me know they did not like it.  Both staring at me before tentatively licking at the contents of their bowl.  The second time I fed it, neither would even sniff it, and Pearl  backed away from it.  The Samoyeds, of course, happily lapped it up.

As a retailer who sells quite a bit of the stuff, we do occasionally get returns from customers whose pets don't like it.  At our store, we really try to use the free samples and the trial size boxes to have customers introduce the products to their pets slowly and in small quantities.  For some pets, this isn't important, especially, if the customer feeds a variety of foods.  For some, they need a little time to become accustom to the texture.  

I like the company, their values, the excellent customer service.  At work, our THK sales rep is awesome.  (Hi Ed!)  Improvements that they could make, for me. . .the only thing would be to have it raw or freeze dried.  At one point, in their charitable giving, THK was aligned with H$U$, and I was very critical of them for that.  H$U$ is no longer listed as a recipient of THK's donations and I hope it stays that way.

From our kitchen to The Honest Kitchen:  all paws up on the Zeal!  Thanks, and we'll be happy to test and review any other products you want to send our way.

Moving Forward, One Way Or Another

Where is your road taking you?

 If you've been reading long, you know how tired I get of the "journey" talk.  But, I can't deny that we are all following our own road, and even if we have similar goals as our friends (Open Handler, perhaps?), each road is different.  The obstacles are different.  The road is longer or shorter or bumpier or smoother.  Or so it seems from the outside.  Everyone has their own bumps and bruises along the way.  Everyone struggles and has successes and proceeds at their own pace.

Why is that so difficult to remember?

This dog will sit in a box, if she thinks she might get a good game of tug for it.

Why do some people try to lift up their fellow travelers, even when they have their own challenges?  Why do some people try to pull down others, instead of focusing on their own paths?  There are also those who just try to get through, on their own.  And probably many variations in between.  This is true in all pursuits. . .or at least in all things I have pursued.  Helpers, hinderers, independents, and combinations there of.

Which am I?  Which do I want to be?  What do I need to do to make changes?

Zane's birthday:  shedding like the big dogs and a lamb bone.

Change can be hard.  Change is inevitable.  I have been teasing blog readers with a change for a while now.  I hope it is soon and big!  I am ready for a big shake up, and hope we all land on our feet.  Change will be better than limbo.

Zane putting two groups back together.

Almond Bread Update

I HATE almond bread!!!

And, I got to work my dogs today and that is a good thing.

Almond Butter Bread

I'm trying to elminate as much wheat from my diet as possible.  I breathe much better without wheat.  If I could let go of dairy, too, I would probably breathe like Michael Phelps.  Not there, yet.  But today, decided to try an easy recipie for almond butter bread.

So, pretty much 1 C Almond Butter, 4 Eggs,1 Tsp Baking Soda.

Mix it up.

Bake in a 8" x 4" pan, oiled or with parchment paper.  325F for 30 minutes.

Let it cool.  Slice it.  Eat it!

Butter and honey are good!