Visions of green grass

No we didn't move house, I just decided to post a photo that didn't contain snow in it. This photo was taken in the month of June, a happy, tired dog enjoying summer. It has been a long LONG time since I have seen a schnauzers tongue hung this far out of his mouth.
Not to be totally negative, here is a list of my top reasons to LIKE snow

• You don't have to mow it
• Frozen dog poop is easier to scoop
• A fresh snowfall covers yellow snow
• Roads are too bad to drive on so I don't have to justify not getting out of my PJ's
• A chance to stay in and get caught up on all my email

Ok it is a pretty skimpy list, but we have just broken records for snowfall this past month, the pluses are starting to wear a little thin.

Lip smacking good!

Hilde dropped by this morning for some grooming to get her ready for a dog show this coming weekend. The Standard Schnauzer Club of Canada has a Schnauzer Booster at the Ontario Breeders show in Markham and Hilde is one of the girls entered. The other Dinsdale dog that will be in attendance is Fergie, she was over for her pre-show groom on Sunday. Usually I would attend the show as both Fergie & Hilde's owners are new to dog showing, however I have pups due to arrive on February 26th and it is not unusual for pups to arrive 3-4 days earlier then planned. The ladies are off to show the girls without me, I hope they have a fun time.

Happy Valentine Day

Where do you place your Valentine bouquet? If you live with a houseful of Schnauzers, then out of their reach....well almost out of their reach.
Hexe says we should all take time to stop and smell the roses.

Focus

I am trying not to keep posting about the weather, but, MAN it is hard not to mention it when I look out the window at all the snow and the porch thermometer reads minus 21 C! The dogs rush outside and within minutes high tail it back to the door, cannot blame them.
I remember talking to the local store keeper a couple years ago, of course immediately we were talking about the weather, she remarked how in Canada conversation always revolved around the weather, while, in her home country of Korea, the conversations revolved around food, and in particular hunger. When greeting a stranger they would ask " Have you eaten today?" Apparently whatever controls our survival is what we focus on.

This photo of Hexe was taken inside...thankfully in a warm home with full stomach. She is showing her focus as we practice her obedience down stay, not an easy exercise for this high energy girl.

Winter siesta

I love the light in our house, on a sunny day it fills the front room and creates this beautiful warmth in my photos. My dogs enjoy the warm filled room as much as I do, like cats they seek out the sunny warm areas and stretch themselves out. Eventually the sunshine will heat up their coat, causing them to pant, as much as they love the heat, they have to move to a cooler area, moments later another will steal the sun drenched spot.
What to do the day after a major snowfall? Snooze says Fiddle.

Ears up!

I am in the process of adding individual web pages of my younger dogs to my Dinsdale website. I started a page for Trinny and quickly realized I have very few photos of her, those I have are either puppy photos or very poor photos. Trinny is such a big sweetheart of a dog I found it strange I haven't photographed her often. However, on closer examination of the shots I do have, I realized that Trinny likes to fold her ears back against her head whenever she is excited or receiving individual attention. Her mom Casino was the same, makes it very difficult in the show ring as the judges want to see the dogs with ears up and alert. With Casino the more the judges would talk to her the more she would clamp those ears to her head and wiggle her bum....not the look they were hoping to achieve.
This morning the sun finally made an appearance, I took Trinny out for a photo shoot and voila! Finally some nice Trinny photos, ears up and alert.