Beautiful morning on the deck today.  Glad I enjoyed it, I hear we are in for a few days of rain

Flower Power

Our Summer flower....Daisy

It must be dinner time

I am sure I have mentioned that Standard Schnauzers are evil little stalkers, they watch everything you do, they do attempt to do it without you noticing, but they are not fooling me.  They are also very precise about their schedules, for instance, as soon as I click the TV off with the remote each night the dogs run either to their crates, or up the stairs to the bedroom.  Here Daisy and Clover have migrated towards the kitchen, because, it is pretty much dinner time, and if I don't respond shortly, they will start to pace.
Please note they are doing the stare/stalk while I finish up on the computer.

 Gathering by the kitchen entrance, attempting to be patient

Yes, I am just about finished guys.  As soon as I pick up bowls they scatter to their crates, this happens so fast I wasn't able to get it on the camera, as a matter of fact, in this shot, Olive has disappeared to her crate.

Beach Run!

Update at Dinsdale

Anyone that checks in on my blog has noticed that it has been a rough year around here.  I topped it all off by throwing my back out last month.... badly.  It had been aching a bit for a couple of weeks and I was trying not to aggravate it, than, I opened the cupboard under the sink to pull out the garbage bin and BOOM out went my back, just like that.  For a week I could barely move, I could also barely sit or lay down, was an interesting time.  It loosened up a bit after about 10 days, feeling a little better I took Currie to his weekly training class and managed to injury it again, sigh.

Mick has been working double time, doing his normal job, trying to finish up early to get home and do all the things that I have not been able to do.  It has certainly messed up all my plans to get the garden planted and for us to start some home renovations.  I actually decided to skip a Spring/Summer litter of pups so that I would have time for all the things that need to be done here.  What is it they say about the best laid plans???  We are getting things done, slowly, but, we are having to make do and cut lots of corners, the yard and garden work suffered the most, but at least the many critters are being looked after, we (read Mick) was able to get most of our seedlings planted, we even cut the grass...once :-)

With all of this happening, Hazel came into season and I finally made the decision to skip breeding her.  I hope to be feeling a lot better in a couple of months, but, I am paranoid that hulling a litter of pups around will have my back injured again.  I have cancelled the breeding and will hold off on pups until early Spring 2015. Seems a long time away, but, it will be here soon enough and with fingers crossed, my back will be healed, I will be refreshed and we can raise pups with energy.

I am sorry to anyone that is waiting for a pup from us this Fall, I will post news on my website, if anyone wishes to remain on my waiting list for a Spring 2015 litter be sure to touch base and I will keep your name on our list and update you as I have news.  You can email me at dinsdale@eagle.ca

Lovely Spring days

We have been blessed with some gorgeous weather this week and Fiddle knows how to enjoy it

 Ducks and Geese have been outside for a couple of weeks now and are enjoying roaming over the property, they graze on the grass (haven't had to mow anything in the farmyard area this year) grub around for bugs, mess up all the water bowls, generally annoy the hell out of the chickens and make me laugh every day.  I call them...'the collective' this is truly a flock, they move as one unit, if a duck or goose is accidentally separated they all work themselves into a tizzy until they are all together again.  Very different from the chickens who are much more independent of each other, choosing one or two friends that they hang out with and only getting together when I feed them and at night to go to roost.  This bird thing is all very interesting.

My old fellow :-)

One of my goals this Spring/Summer was to get Cutter through the awful Winter so that he could enjoy the Summer snoozing in the sunshine like an old dog deserves.  It sure made me happy to see him doing that this evening, hopefully there will be many more days of this over the coming months.

The beauty of a zoom lens is being able to capture moments like this, my two old guys having a cuddle on the porch, lovely.

Oh the irony

Stuck inside for five months of Winter, Spring arrives I am excited to get outside and work and I throw my freaking back out.  This happened more than a week ago, first five days I could barely move, slowly it is loosening up, but, I am paranoid about damaging it further.  Excellent :-(

It's coming

We had a very long, cold, snow laden winter, the last week the snow is quickly receding, mud has come and will soon dry up.  I have felt like a caged animal the last five months, yes FIVE months of being snowed under.  Right now life here is a little in limbo, the ground remains too unstable to get out onto and work, saturated with water, everywhere you walk you find mud.  But, I know, any day now the water table is going to drop, the paths will dry, the soil in the raised beds will be ready to work in.  When that happens look out it is going to get pretty wild, I cannot wait!
I have my seedlings growing under lights, I have boxes full of seed envelopes to direct plant.  I have ducks and geese on order, fingers crossed the hatching goes well and I get to add these fun birds to my flock.
So, for the next few days we wait...and the dogs snooze, and soon we will be outside.

Herbs and chickens

I am almost scared to hope that Spring is maybe on it's way.  I am certain that winter isn't completely done with us, but, I am going to enjoy the sunshine and receding snow and ice for the moment.  Gearing up for the coming season I have started my seedlings, tomatoes, peppers, herbs and such, they are beginning to germinate and poke their little green heads out of the soil.
In three weeks I am hoping to have ducklings and goslings arrive (big smile :-)))) I sure hope that once Spring does finally get here it does so quickly, not wanting to have to keep them inside for too long.
Hurry hurry Spring we have so many projects planned for when you do make an appearance!

Dinsdale Mersey Beat

Mersey is feeling much better, she is being treated for Pyoderma, a bacterial skin infection and I have switched out her food, she is now on a total raw diet.  Her eyes look brighter, coat and skin healthier.  Nice to have her on the mend, she had me concerned for a bit.

The Sisterhood

 Photos of Vimy in her new home with big 'sister' Poppy.  Safe to say that Poppy is enjoying having a new family member.  I am sure every moment isn't like this, but, so pleased to see them bonding

Our little man Currie

Currie, missing his sister

We are down to just one puppy.  Our little girl Vimy has gone to live with new co-owners, we are very excited to send her off on a life adventure.  Along with Vimy they own a Beamish & Trinny daughter called Poppy.  So far things are going well, but seriously, how could someone not fall in love with Vimy?  If all goes as hoped Vimy will return to us in the future for motherhood.

Beautiful Vimy

That leaves little man Currie with me, love him, he is the sweetest little boy and reminds me of his Great Grandpa Cutter at this age.  He is an easy pup to have around, if anything I wish he was just a little more naughty and headstrong, Currie is a lover, a very soft, sweet boy, much like Cutter was. 

Today he tagged along with me while I ran errands, we walked through the park in town and down to the lakefront, the morning wore him out.  Tonight we have puppy classes, so rest up little man.

March 2014

No different from February and January 2014, or for that matter, December and the second half of November 2013.  More snow over night, nothing else to say, yes, I am speechless about the weather, I am not going to mention weather again until winter is no more.  Which could be a long long time from now!

Waiting

I love dogs, every morning they rush outside, I think, certain that today the sun will be out, the grass will be green and the birds will be singing.  Oh, to be that optimistic every day.  Even when reality rears its head, they are OK with that, snow is fun for them, sure they don't want to stay out for too long, but, every new snow fall elicits a good romp before returning to the door. 
I need to get me some of whatever it is that keeps their spirits up!

Winter viewing area

Fiddle, very pleased about the placement of the pups crate

New fallen snow

So very quiet

Cold outside...damp inside

Last Thursday while out performing my farmyard duties Hope was inside peeing.  Now, Hope is 13 years old and on heart medication that causes her to drink a lot and pee a lot, but, even so, she has never soiled her crate, or, peed in the house.  I cleaned up, cursed myself a bit, but didn't think too much of it.  Come evening she started trotting back and forth to the door, all evening, then she squatted and strained to pee in the house before bedtime.  I called my vet first thing in the morning, took in a urine sample which showed a very bad bladder infection.  I was somewhat relieved as I was imagining all sorts of problems.  Hope was in a lot of pain, panting, pacing, hunched up and straining to urinate all day and night.  By Saturday evening, after a day and a half of meds, she looked a little brighter, tail not clamped and she was no longer hunched over in pain.  But, OH the peeing!!!  If you have ever had an adult incontinent dog in your home you can feel my pain, I tried dog diapers with a pad inside, these would overflow within minutes.  Next step, incontinence pads....EVERYWHERE.  Although this was working to keep my furniture clean, it was upsetting to see Hope soiling herself, and worse she had no idea she was peeing until she was soaked,  poor girl.
Another call to the vets yesterday to confirm that this was not normal behaviour after almost five days of meds for a bladder infection.  Last night I started her on Propalin, a medication to help dogs regain control of their bladders.

Today, Hope is feeling good, tail wagging, a little happy roll and the peeing has slowed dramatically.  Fingers crossed that we are on the way to being able to remove the pee pads from my furniture.

This is the first bladder infection I have had with one of my dogs, and other then Gussy, who lost control of her bladder during the paralysis of her rear legs, never have I dealt with a totally incontinent dog in 25 years of owning dogs.  I have been discussing with other dog owners and am completely floored by the number of dogs that have suffered from Spay incontinence starting in very young dogs.  Hope is Spayed, but, she wasn't until her last litter at about 7 years of age.  I don't believe this episode is connected to her being spayed, but, due to age and I have a haunting feeling there may be something more serious behind this sudden change in Hope and her bathroom habits.
Having a geriatric dog is difficult, they suffer from the same ailments as us humans, but, they cannot tell us what hurts, this means we are usually behind the ball in catching and correcting them.  It is my hope that this is just a bit of a hiccup for my old girl and that she will pull through and carry on happy and comfortable for some time yet.

Gorgeous November Day

Fiddle poses in front of the fence, ears a little drawn back...if you look in the small image to the left you will see she was being photo bombed by chickens the whole time. 

Don't let anyone tell you Unicorns don't exist....

...I have a secret one in my garden