Collieday!

Yesterday was Mom's day off from work.  So we kept her day busy with our errands, so she wouldn't get bored!  BOL

First Scarlett had mom take her to the veterinarian, for her vaccines.  She has dog shows coming up, and needed to make sure she was well protected!  Our veterinarian loves us, and was so happy to see Scarlett!  Our vet is a very special lady, she even teaches a dog hanlding class once a month!  So we get to see her at class too!

Then Scarlett came home, to rest after her vaccines.  So I, Ryder, took mom to Petsmart to buy some more kibble!  I noticed we were getting low on our Blue Buffalo!  Then we went by her job, so mom could show me where she goes when she leaves me us.  I couldn't go inside, but two of her co-workers came out to meet me.  They loved me, of course!

We then went by my human sister's college, since she was done with her classes for the day.  She was so happy to see me waiting in the car for her!

We drove home, and then mom decided that Kori, Abby and Holly deserved to go somewhere too.  After they put their heads together, they decided to go to the dog park.  Mom kept telling them that it would be muddy, but they wouldn't listen!

They had a great time, but came back so muddy!  Their pretty white paws, a collies' pride and joy, were black!  But mom said that was nothing compared to the golden retriever, Sam, that they met at the park.  He was covered from nose to tail in black mud!  Now collies don't like to get dirty, we avoid it whenever possible.  Abby and Holly ran around at the park, but they avoided the large lakes puddles.  But Kori loved Sam so much that she ran with him - RIGHT THROUGH THE MUD PUDDLES! 

"What the Woof, Kori?  You should know better!"

"At least I didn't roll in the mud like Sam!  Give a girl a little credit!"

Even mom and our human sister came home muddy!  I wish I had gone to the park with them, but mom said she is very grateful I wasn't there!  She said with all my fur, I would have needed a bath after a visit to the mud pit park!  I guess I should be happy I didn't go, I'm not too crazy about baths!

Last evening we all took turns snuggling with mom on the couch.  So I think we did a great job filling her day with lots of collie fun!  We are counting the hours until the weekend, so we can begin our next adventure with mom!  What are your plans for the weekend?


 

Love is...sweet.

Why show dogs?

My daughter and I live with our five collies, and we both take care of them.  But my daughter is the one who is responsible for handling them at dog shows.

First dog show

She began learning how to show collies ten years ago, when she was just a little girl.  She started out as a junior handler, and now that she is in college, she wants to become a professional dog handler.

My daughter and Abby, winning the tough Open class at the CCA 2008 National

Dogs respond well to her in the ring, and my daughter is becoming recognized as a great collie handler.  She is good with dogs, and has even been hired to handle other people's collies at dog shows.

It's been a wonderful experience, watching my daughter grow up,  and her time competing at dog shows has been an important part of her life.  It has taught her patience, responsibility and good sportsmanship.  She has had to spend years practicing and training.  She has attended classes and seminars, and has been mentored by many well-known collie handlers over the years.

Westminster 2012

She has learned to set goals, and work hard to achieve them.  She wanted to qualify to compete at Westminster, and she did it, twice. 

My daughter and Holly, Westminster Dog Show 2012

She was ranked amoung the Collie Club of America's Top Twenty Junior Handlers for last five years of her junior handling career.  And while she misses competing in junior handling, she now helps younger junior handlers develop their handling skills.

The 2012 Collie Club of America Top Ten Junior handlers invitational

Competing at dog shows has kept us spending time together as a family.  When most teenagers would rather be off with their friends, my daughter and I were traveling all over the country to compete in dog shows.  She has also developed life-long friendships with other junior handlers by competing in this sport.

(Winner's Bitch competition at the CCA 2008 National)

And the people we have met over the years have made us realize that we are now part of a dog show community.  And they have recognized my daughter's efforts by awarding her a college scholarship!  I know that many people look at dog shows and cannot understand the appeal.  Some may even dislike dog shows, or find them boring.  But I will always be grateful for what dog shows have brought into our lives, and how they helped mold my daughter into the amazing person she has become...

Love is...sometimes found in tiny packages!

(Wordless Wednesdays). Love is...

Found in quiet moments.

Follow-up and Finding a Forever Home Friday!

Today we are doing both a “Follow-up Friday” and a “Finding a Forever Home Friday” post!

First, thank you to those of you who responded to Abby’s post yesterday.  She is working hard on your “Dear Abby” questions, and will be posting her responses soon. 

The collies have been brainstorming, and they have come up with some new ideas for their blog for 2013.  On Wednesdays, most bloggers participate in the “Wordless Wednesday” blog hop, by posting just one picture.  The collies have decided to join, but with a slight twist.  Every Wednesday their Wordless post will be a picture, with the theme “Love is.”  So their first “Love Is” post will appear next week!

It’s been a while since we last did a “Finding a Forever Home Friday” post.  Sadly, many of the collies we posted about previously, are still waiting for homes. 

You may remember Pal, the sweet happy boy.  He is still waiting, and would make such a wonderful companion.  Who needs a best friend?  Pal is in Virginia, and will steal your heart if you give him a chance!

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24020989

Also, Tristate Collie rescue is full, they have no foster home available.  There is a collie in desperate need, and he is still in a shelter!  This shelter only keeps dogs for a limited time, so he needs immediate help.  If anyone is Indiana , and would like to adopt or foster this collie please contact TriState collie rescue as soon as possible!  http://tristatecollierescue.net

 

 http://www.adoptapet.com/pet/8363882-portland-indiana-collie

And last, but not least, Collie Rescue of South Louisiana is also in need of Foster homes.  They are taking in 2 smooth collie pups from a kill shelter, and do not have any available foster homes.  If you can help them foster, please contact Collie Rescue of South Louisiana at louisianacollies@yahoo.com or call #504-251-7879

(all pictures in this post are the property of the rescues, and are being shared with their permission)

Dear Abby...

Abby, our sweet and patient collie with a wise old soul, has decided to start her own posts here on the collie blog.  She feels she has been silent long enough, and wants to share her collie wisdom with others.  She will now be writing her own posts, under the heading of “Dear Abby.”  So anyone wishing to ask her questions, can post them as comments here, or whenever a new “Dear Abby” post shows up.  She will do her best to answer questions with the same grace as the original “Dear Abby,” who passed away this week!

My boys!

Some of you may have noticed we have been chosen to be a featured blog, on Pet Blogs United, this week!  We want to thank PBU for choosing to feature us, it is an honor!  And also thank you to all the new people who have stopped by to visit our blog!  We will be responding to all of your kind comments today and tomorrow!

It's been a rainy week, which means lots of snuggling on the couch with the collies for me!  My daughter spent the weekend at a dog show, and while she was there, she ran into some very familiar faces!  Two of Scarlet's littermates were entered at the show!

Captain - now 8 months old

Stark -

And Thor - 8 months old!

The second picture of Thor was sent to us by his new owners.  They love him, and and he seems very happy!  It was so nice to hear that my boys are doing well in their new homes!  I miss them, but this makes it a little easier!

Pet Blogger Challenge!

1. When did you begin your blog?
May 2012

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?
I originally started the blog to share and record the research I was doing into the history of the collie breed in general, and my own collies in particular.  It evolved from there.

3. Is your current purpose the same?  If not, what’s different?
No, now I share everything from dog health issues, dog recipes, pictures and stories of my life with my collies.

4. How often do you post?
It depends on the week, and what I have to say!  Some weeks I post daily, some weeks it just once a week!

5. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?
Definitely "as the spirit moves me!" 
If you don’t publish on a schedule, why? How do you think your decision affects your audience? How do you know when a topic is “post-worthy?”
I have enough schedules in my life!  This is something I am doing just for my love of dogs.  I think a topic is post-worthy when it is something that interests me, or if it's something I am passionate about...

6. How much time do you spend writing your blog per week?
Completely depends on the topic!
How much time visiting other blogs?
I spend 10 - 12 hours a week reading my friends blogs.

7. How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)?
I think the best way to measure the success of a post, is by how many comments you have and those comments are positive.
Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions?
see above

8. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one issue you’re having with your blog, what would it be?
What can I do to interest more people in following me?

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?
I would to return to researching and writing more posts about the history of the collie breed.

Go Pet Friendly is hosting this event, so if you want to join the hop visit their blog! :)

This is a Blog Hop!

All Dog Foods Are Not Created Equal!

I talk to so many people who share their lives with dogs, and I am always surprised with the answers I receive when I ask what “dog food do you feed?”

I even had one person tell me that he fed his dog a great food, he fed his dog Beneful!  With commercials telling us what a great dog food each company sells, it can be hard to know if we are making the right choice for our best friends.  But with a little bit of research, and some label reading, everyone can make the best choice of dog food for their individual budgets.

This website is a great tool, because the research is already done for you, and each food is given a rating.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php/cat/1

Try to aim for dog foods that are rated 4, 5 or 6 stars.  Avoid feeding your dog any kibble in the 1 - 3 star range.  Click on each star rating, then click on each dog food, to see a detailed analysis of that food.  One thing you really want to watch out for are the carcinogens BHA, BHT & Ethoxquin, which are banned from human foods but are permitted in dog foods!

Holly: "Don't we deserve the very best?"

Sunset collie...

Our friends over at http://romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com/ wrote a post a couple months ago about a photography method.  Our mom has been wanting to try it for awhile, and she recently had the perfect opportunity.  She wasn't sure which of us to try photographing, but decided that I, Ryder, would be her guinea pig subject.  She knows that I am the most patient, and majestic of all the collies, so I was the obvious choice! (just don't tell the other collies I said that!)

For these type of pictures, you need to place your collie in front of a setting or rising sun.  You want to create a halo effect around your subject's head and body.  If you get it just right, rainbow will show up in your pictures, as if your dog as a rainbow aura surrounding him.  Mom tried for a while, but didn't succeed in creating collie rainbows.  She did, however, get some very pretty pictures...

Have you tried any interesting techniques when photographing your dogs?  Or have you had any unexpected results?