Happy Endings

As a breeder we try to stay in touch with owners of our dogs, we make ourselves available to help them tackle training issues and answer the many questions a new owner has. Sometimes this is a frustrating ordeal as occasionally people don't want to hear that they have made mistakes, other times they except our advice with an open mind and are able to correct quickly. At times I feel rather beat up as owners tell me how rotten, evil, dominant, vindictive, noisy, dirty, destructive their dog is. I sometimes loose patience and feel the need to remind owners that THEY came to me looking for a pet with promises of raising and training them to be good dogs, these people are actually letting me, and their dogs down. Occasionally a pup or adult is returned to us, like Sam was at 2 years of age. Sam's first family was having difficulty with him being wild and uncontrollable around children resulting in a couple of excited nips. It is always difficult to rehouse a dog that has a history of biting, I was a little unsure what I would do with Sam. When he arrived I was pleased to find him to be a really neat dog, with a very big personality. I did a little training, kept him with me for a few months to make sure he was temperamentally sound and when the right family came along we sent Sam off to his new home. His owners check in every now and then with news and photos of Sam, below is there 4th year update: Hi Lori, just thought I'd send an update on Sam, he's helping us plan and outfit our boat for retirement, leaving in September for parts Floridian.He's not much help actually doing any of the work but he likes to watch me and lets the "Admiral" know if I mess up anything. He'll be a Caribbean dog as of about November this year. He's going to learn salt water is not for drinking and to stay away from sharks and alligators, but he is a very fast learner so I'm sure he will be fine. He is a lot calmer now that he is almost 6yrs old and he spends two days a week working from home with me and the other three he watches the house for us. We'll have to send you a picture on him on his own Bahamian Island when we find him one. Just thought I'd send this quick note so you know we are happy as heck to have him with us still, he's in great health and looking forward to travelling. Take care bye for now. Below is one of my favorite photos of Sam enjoying some Ontario Sailing. I look forward to a future postcard from a place with sunshine, warm breezes and one very happy schnauzer.

Token's new BFF

Hazel

Here we go again, training another puppy...what was I thinking?? Meet Dinsdale Witch-Hazel the newest Dinsdale addition. She is very sweet, energetic (of course) and Token says, "can we keep this one? Puleasssse" And here she is strutting her stuff in her best show pose

St.Patrick Day Arrivals

Here they are, Lia's new litter of pups two days old, from left to right we have Orange boy, Blue boy, Purple girl, Green boy and Yellow girl.

Puppy Watch

Today I am on puppy watch. Three year old Lia is due to deliver us five (confirmed by ultrasound and x-ray) pups any day now. This morning she started with normal signs that she was getting ready, her temperature has dropped, lots of huffing, puffing and nesting.

Extremes

You couldn't find more different dog buddies, a short coated, natural standing ear, black & tan 10.5 pounder, and a wire coated, bearded, pepper & salt, natural drop ear 40 pound pooch.

Caged

This was taken a little while ago (Mersey's pups are all off to their homes) those feet are my size 9's. I love Mersey's expression in this photo...I think she is smiling, perhaps it is a sarcastic grin, wait is she sticking her tongue out at me?? You see I am inside an ex-pen with her pups and she is having a mommy break watching me deal with nine pups tugging, climbing and biting me.

Dinner preparation

Our house is a constant work in progress, we have been doing renovations ourselves and it appears we will be doing them for the remainder of our lives. The kitchen we tore back to the outside walls and we are slowly getting it up and in full working order. I was so thrilled to finally get my dog food prep area moved into the kitchen, for years I have prepared dinners on a grooming table in the grooming room, this is wonderful. If anyone is looking for a great storage system for dog food, check out the 'tvatta' bins at IKEA you can store two 40lb bags of food in a bin. They are sturdy and on rollers with a large lid that flips wide open to dole out dinners or replace bags, I love them and they look much nicer then plastic containers.