Perhaps I should have named Josie Joy. She is the funniest puppy I have ever owned. She loves to pounce on things....all things including, and especially, her brother and her mama. She has this rare ability to make a game out of everything. Any found item becomes a toy.....wood chips, fern branches, old, dead toy remnants, tiny crawling bugs. She's very bold and confident; she has no issues attempting to take chews from her mom or letting the big, black, barking lab know she is not to be messed with at her first nose work field trip. She is also biddable, friendly, and takes corrections....for now anyway.
I really love Jon too. Although he is playful, silly, and rambunctious, he has a more serious side. He has some opinions and his own way of doing things. His leash is NOT his favorite training tool. He is very thoughtful and is very bonded to me....but he definitely marches to his own drum. Since I've never raised a boy pup before, I wonder if it is that Y chromosome, his genetic make up, my raising of him or a combination of all the above. He forces me to think outside the box.
The puppies are headed to Puppy Class starting next Monday. I am so excited! A good friend is going along to handle one pup while I work the other. Leash walking is top of the list of things I want them to love....that and riding in the car! I'm starting to drag them along with me to nose work class as well. With two, I have to discipline myself to work on all the puppy things that are important to me: leash walking, riding in the car, waiting patiently in their crates, sleeping in crates, coming when called and perhaps not trying to cut me off at the pass when I am walking!
I've retired Nell from sheepdog trialing and have career changed her into nose work. Nose work is like search and rescue to some degree....only thing is, we are rescuing "odor" in the form of anise, birch and clove. I started into nose work with Dottie Jean.....I had spent so much time on sheep with Dot....attempting to sort her tension. On the one hand, she was a natural. But on the other hand....the tension laid just under her skin and I'm not sure she found joy in her work. Together, we started nose work and she really blossomed.....she loved Tuesdays and even attended a few mock trials. Dot has since gone on to live with my good friend up in Washington and loves her life...filled with hikes and dog parks and people. She has a new best friend and is loving life....and I could not be more happy for her and my friend. After she left, I started Nell on nose work and just love to see Nell sort and figure out things....and shine. My little sheepdog, the one who took me to the finals and ran on Saturday......loves sniffing for things. She surprises me everyday with her ability to overcome......nose work class meets at crazy places like Lowes and dog training facilities....places Nell has never gone into. She does not care about the people, or the other dogs....she just loves searching for scents with me!
Here in the Pacific North West, we are having the wettest winter (in the history of the world according to me!) and the daily rain that started October 1 is relentlessly holding on. The weather man predicted it will last well into April.....at least turning into showers and not steady, mud producing, faucet impersonating rain. It's warming up and things are growing which is nice but frustrating as I see the hemlock growing unhindered by the spray I am longing to drench it in.....I can't because of the rain. The bees are eating me out of house and home...one hive is consuming a gallon of sugar water daily. Because they can't get out to collect pollen and nectar, I am feeding. My bee class says March is ofter the month of hive death because the bees have eaten their winter store and starve not being able to fly in the rain. Not if I can help it! Finally something I can feed the heck out of and not worry they will get fat!
As I wait, not very freaking patiently now, for some sun....these are the things that bring me joy. I know sunshine is just around the corner.....in the mean time, I'll get ready to hit the road running. Literally!!! Running is top of the list of things I have missed this long, crazy winter.
Seize the Day!!!!
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