We are joining the "Tuesday's TailsBlog Hop," which helps shelter and rescue dogs find their forever homes! Our pick today is a gorgeous black lab. This young man is calm and sweet and likes other dogs!
Meet Shadow, a ~2 year old Black Labrador Retriever. He is very calm and very friendly, as you can see. He loves to play fetch, and REALLY LOVES to be touched (BEWARE he is a leaner). He walk well on a leash and knows a couple basic commands, like sit and down. He also seems very calm around other dogs, big and small. If interested, please contact the East Haven Animal Shelter at 203-468-3249 or email us Tashmoo5454@comcast.net. http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25974171
The next one of our collies I wanted to introduce is
Holly.She is our only tri-color collie,
and like Abby, she is also a smooth coated collie.Holly was born on Christmas Day, in 2005,
which is how she earned her name.Holly
belonged to my sister, but my daughter was her handler.My daughter started showing Holly when she
was six months old, and they quickly bonded.At that first show, a professional handler was showing Holly.But Holly wouldn’t “show” for her, and the
handler turned Holly over to my daughter.She took Holly into the ring, and they ended up winning Winner’s
Bitch!They later went back in for the
Puppy Herding Group, and they won a Puppy Group 3!After that my daughter became Holly’s only
handler and she put all her points on her, and finished her championship.When my daughter’s junior handling collie,
Mariah, was ready to retire, Holly was the logical replacement.Holly loves to compete at dog shows, she is
one of those dogs who thrives on the competition and hates to be left home.
When Holly still lived with my sister, my daughter would go
over their house to give Holly a bath.She would groom her the day before a dog show, and then leave.Holly would sit in my sister’s front window
and wait for my daughter until the next morning.She would maintain this watch until we
returned to pick her up for the dog show.At the shows, Holly would bounce with excitement while waiting for her
ring time.Holly thinks dog shows are
fun, and win or lose, she always dances out of the ring with a wagging
tail.It’s as if she believes she just
won Best In Show.
Holly at Westminster - Feb. 2012
My daughter and Holly qualified to compete at Westminster
twice, and while it is an overwhelming experience for most dogs, Holly seemed
to enjoy all the attention.Holly never
fails to draw smiles from onlookers, as her enthusiasm in the ring is always
evident.Her nickname is “Holly, the
happy collie.”Holly is always focused
on my daughter, and she changes her position in the ring with just the
slightest movement from my daughter.They
are a perfect team, and have been from the start.Holly is now old enough to compete in the
veteran’s class at dog shows, and she is very happy to be back in the ring with
her girl.
On the train, coming home from Westminster, 2012
After competing in Westminster in 2010, Holly came to live
with us full time.She had stayed with
us in the past, and traveled with us to dog shows on weekends, but she
officially joined our family in February 2010.In November of 2010, the week before Thanksgiving, Holly became very
sick.She had emergency surgery and was
in the animal hospital for a week, we almost lost her.I don’t know if it’s because I helped save
her life, but she and I have bonded, and she is now my shadow.She sleeps curled up against my legs every
night, and follows me room to room.My
daughter is still her girl, and her best friend, their relationship has not
changed, but I am “her mom.”At dog
shows, she is still focused 100% on my daughter, and even though she is a
veteran, she flies around the ring as though she were still a puppy.
Christmas 2012
At home, being the oldest collie in the house, she has taken
on the role of disciplinarian.If the
young collies are getting too excited, or too rambunctious in their play, Holly
steps in to calm things down.My
daughter gave her another nickname, “the fun police,” because she is very
serious about keeping Ryder, Kori and Scarlett in line!But she isn’t always disciplining them, she
will still play with them too.Among the
dogs, Holly seems to be closest to Abby, they sleep next to each other, and
have never once quarreled.They have a
quiet, calm, sort of friendship.
Winter 2012
Even though Holly has only lived with us fulltime for a few
years, it feels like she has always been a part of our family.She is a real character, and brings a lot of
joy and laughter into our lives.But one
of her most unique characteristics is that Holly has a sense of humor.When she looks at you, you can see the
laughter in her eyes and in the wagging of her tail.She has claimed her place in our hearts,
after all, who couldn’t love a collie who lives her life with joy and a sense
of humor?She is a special girl!
Yesterday was overcast, with occasional rain showers. I don't like the rain, but I still wanted to visit one more park, before Memorial Day, because soon the parks will be crowded. So I told Mom to grab her camera, and we headed out.
Here I am at the entrance to Wadsworth Falls State Park!
Mom wasn't holding the camera straight, but I looked so cute in this one I had to share!
Here Mom, aren't the Falls prettier now that I am in front of them?
It was a nice trip, even though it took an hour to get to the park. What's the longest you have traveled for a hike?
Our friends at Tales and Tails are writing posts this week about each of their dogs, and what they learned from them. We thought that was a nice idea, to feature one furry, family member each day, so people can get to know them a little better. So we decided to feature one of our collies each week, and share their stories with you.
Abby as a young puppy
Today’s post is going to be about our smooth collie, Abby. She is a 6 year old, sable and white, smooth collie. Abby is the quietest of all our collies, and she is also the sweetest. She does not demand attention and will not compete with the others for it. Abby is very sensitive, and the slightest reprimand will have this girl acting as if her heart has been broken. Her personality is considered “soft,” and only positive training methods will work. (Personally, I think positive training methods should be used for training all dogs.)
Abby becomes upset when she hears raised voices, and quickly leaves the room. One time a broom tipped over while she was walking by it. The handle landed across her back, startling her. She now leaves the room whenever I use the broom to sweep the floor.
Abby and Lad
When Abby was a small puppy, and first came to live with us, we already had a collie named Lad. She became very attached to him, and followed him everywhere. She adored her “big brother,” and she would hold the tip of his tail in her mouth as she followed along behind him. When we lost Lad in 2011, Abby grieved for him just like I did. I think she still misses him, even though we have other collies in our family now. We recently had a large, smooth, sable and white male collie spend the night at our house. The dog, Sam, was staying with us so my daughter could handle him at a dog show the next day. When Abby first saw him coming in the door, she became very excited and happy, and ran up to him with her tail wagging. When she got close to him, and smelled him, she dropped her head and slowly went back to her dog bed. She looked dejected, and I think she believed Sam was our Lad, finally returning home to us.
Abby is special to me for a few reasons. She is my first champion, and her mother was one of the top smooth collies in the country. Abby is also the mother of both of the litters that I bred. Without her, we wouldn’t have Ryder, Kori and Scarlett. And while she loves my daughter, Abby has chosen me as her person. I am the one she runs to when she is in need of comfort or reassurance. If I leave the room, Abby will be right behind me. She will curl up with me on the couch, but if my daughter or anyone else tries to sit next to her, Abby will get up and leave. I don’t know what I did to inspire such devotion, but she will do anything I ask of her. And Abby loved Lad as much as I did.
Abby has a talent for herding sheep, and I was told by people who compete in herding with their collies, that I was “wasting her talent!” Unfortunately, there are no farms or facilities in our area where we could learn how to compete for a herding title. I think Abby is fine with that, as she is prefers the comforts of a couch or bed to running around chasing sheep. She doesn’t like to get dirty. When she was going for her herding instinct test, the person giving the test had a staff. When Abby spotted the staff she immediately stopped herding the sheep. I think it reminded her of a broom, and she didn't want to get too close to that!
Abby on the banks of Sunnybank
When we take the collies to the dog park, they all avoid the muddy areas, while watching the other dogs running, splashing and playing in the mud. I think most collies prefer to stay clean, it’s rare to see a collie without four sparkling white paws! But Abby in particular, avoids all mud and rain puddles, it makes me smile watching her navigate around them. While we are at the park, Abby is the one all the young dogs are drawn to, I think it is her calm, friendly manner. She also seems to enjoy playing with the puppies, and will play with them while the rest of our collies run all over the park with the other big dogs.
Abby was a very good mother, and took excellent care of her puppies. But after two weeks or so, she was once again trying to follow me around and I had to stay by the whelping box with her so she would remain with the puppies. (which is where I spent most of my time anyway! Watching puppies grow and develop is a wonderful experience.)
So what has Abby taught me? She has taught me to slow down, and just enjoy watching the world around me. Through Abby, I learned both the joy and heartache involved in breeding a litter. Joy, when the healthy, strong puppies are born, and sadness when one is stillborn. Joy in watching them grow and discover the world around them, and heartache when it’s time to let them go to their new families. And Abby has reminded me that dogs can be more than just companions to each other, they can also be best friends. She is an absolute sweetheart, and one of the most calm and gentle collies I have ever met.
This month many of the dog blogs are participating in Park
Day challenges, and the get fit Friday blog hop.The hope is that more and more people will
choose to get up, get outside and get active with their dogs.A sedentary lifestyle is not good for humans
or for canines, so by taking a walk or hike, you are helping both yourself and
your best friend.In keeping with this idea,
the collies have put their heads together and created a Fit Dog Challenge.To participate in the challenge, all you have
to do is complete at least 10 of the 15 activities listed below. The challenge starts today, and you have until June 15th to complete the activities.Once you and your dog have finished the
challenge, write a post, including pictures, and let us know what activities
you did.It’s that easy to play, so grab the award, and post it to
your blog once you have completed the Fit Dog Challenge.Happy Trails!
Hike by a Waterfall – enjoy the tranquility!
Get your paws wet! - Show your dog cooling her paws in a
river, lake, pond, ocean etc.
Up High! - Show your
dog climbing on rocks, logs, etc. during a hike.
Intrepid Explorer -Explore a cave or meadow during a hike!
Call of the Wild! - Show your dog doing his best wolf pose in
the woods.
Do your ears hang low?
- Show your dog crawling under something. (logs, tree branches, etc)
You Shall not pass!
- Show your dog crossing a foot bridge, covered bridge, etc.
A Well-traveled dog -
Visit 3 different parks.
Keep hydrated -Show
your dog taking a break during a hike, and having a drink of H2O along the
trail.
The Social Canine – visit 3 other bloggers who have joined this Blog hop, and leave them an encouraging comment.
Who let the Dogs out?Visit a dog park, and make some new friends!
Stop and smell the roses – don’t forget to stop and enjoy the
beautiful flowers!
Hit the Road! – visit a park that is at least 30 minutes
from home, for a change of scenerary.
Entertain your inner puppy! - Visit a playground and show us your dog enjoying the slide, swings, etc.
I see a unicorn! - Don't forget to enjoy the scenery around you. Your dog never forgets to relax and watch the world around him. So stop and watch the clouds, and look for hidden shapes. Or just sit and enjoy a sunset or sunrise with your dog, they will appreciate the company!
Also, if you haven't stopped by SlimDoggy's blog stop over and check out their Fitdog Friday Hop! And be sure to stop by Finn's and Gizmo's ParkDay 2.0 posts! They have created a fun game, that everydog can play!
I have so much to bark about! We have been very busy visiting parks, and enjoying as much sunshine as we can, because the rain is coming! We are suppose to be getting rain for the next 4 - 5 days!
We have been very determined collies, and made sure Mom took us to a variety of parks, so we could win some more Bingo's! We have now earned another 3 Bingo's, which brings our total to 6! Unfortunately, we will have to wait until after the rain to try and earn more of them.
This Bingo card we actually won 2 Bingos!
1st Bingo on the card
Visit a park more 30 minutes from home - done
Scarlett by the waterfalls
Like Gizmo's Terrier Torrent on Facebook - done
Visit your nearest Body of Water - done!
Ryder at the beach near our house.
Find Picnickers - done (see below for the story)
Scarlett thinks picnics are the best!
Hike A Woodsy trail - done
Holly leading the way!
Collie Confessions:
"Mom and I met some picnickers, who had brought
a pizza to the beach. Oh Dog, did it smell good!The family was enjoying
their pizza, and gave some to their cute, older pug. Mom had me, in a stay, so she could take my picture
near the picnickers, and that’s when I spotted the pizza eating pug, and ran
over. I said hello to the pug, and then
lost control of my doggie senses, and I promptly stole his pizza! I couldn't help myself, because pizza is my favorite, it's pawsome! I
immediately dropped it when mom told me to “leave it,” so I did eventually remember my
manners.But when I dropped it, it
accidently landed in the sand, and the pug’s owners had to toss it into the garbage. What's a dog to do? With the pug’s owners laughing, and the pug giving
me some really resentful looks, we quickly left without the picture. Mom and I decided it would be “safer” to take a
picnic picture some other time."
~Ryder
2nd Bingo on the card
Visit a park less than 10 minutes from home - done
This is me, with my two collie sisters and my human sister.
Find Picnickers - see above
Like Deidre's K9 Naturals - done
Find a Sculpture - done!
My collie mom, Abby, and Auntie Holly sure look great in the light of the setting sun!
Follow Gizmo's Blog - done!
Next Card
This one we won one Bingo.
Hike a Woodsy Trail - done!
Follow Gizmo's blog - done!
Visit a park at sunset - done!
Holly and Abby gazing at the sunset!
Find a monument or sculpture - see above - done!
Visit a park more than 30 minutes from home - see above - done!
We have new Bingo's to post, so we decided to add them here, instead of creating another post.
Visit your nearest Body of water (see above) - done
Hike a Woodsy trail (see above) - done
Follow Gizmo's Blog - done
Visit a park at Sunset - done
Find Flowers - done!
Visit a park more than 30 minutes away - done! (see above)
Hike a Woodsy trail - done (see above)
Park Bench - done!
Find a monument or sculpture - done (see above)
Find a Butterfly - done!
It's suppose to start raining tomorrow, and not stop until Monday. Knowing the sunshine was going to be soon disappearing, I took Abby and Holly to Lighthouse Park last night after work. It was their turn to go somewhere, so we went to this park, as it's only 10 minutes from our house.
Holly and Abby, enjoying the sunset
It was a lovely evening, and the water was calm. We even found a statue, for the Parkday 2.0 Bingo game!
On Sunday we visited Fort Hale State Park. This park is about 10 minutes from our house, and is a very small park. This park is rich in American history, and was the site of one of the battles of the American Revolution! The Fort was part of the Battle of New Haven, and 18 soldiers manned the cannons to help fight against the British troops that were invading both East Haven and New Haven. The American soldiers eventually ran out of ammunition and were captured by the British. The Fort, originally called Black Rock Fort, has been rebuilt, because it was destroyed in the Hurricane of 1938, and through years of neglect. But the bunkers, where the soliders lived, are still standing. They were built to hold the entire garrison, and covered with dirt and sod. During the Civil War, the
Bunkers were reinforced, in case of bombing from
Southern troops.
By the time we arrived at the park, in the late afternoon, it was already closed. But we didn't let that stop us, because collies are intrepid explorers! We parked at the nearby beach parking lot, and then hiked along the beach to reach the park.
Up until 15 years ago, visitors were allowed free access to the bunkers, they are now gated shut. This is because of the risk of them collapsing, but also because local teenagers were partying inside the bunkers at night.
Here we are, pretending to be on the lookout for British troops!
"One if by Land, Two if by sea!"
It was an interesting park, and we enjoyed exploring all the Bunkers. They reminded us of caves, and had the same damp, earthy smell. We wanted to stay a while longer, and pretend we were actually wolves, and the bunkers were our homes. But the humans didn't want to play, so we had to end our game. After we were done taking our Mom and Sister on a tour of Fort Hale, we decided it would be a nice evening to have a picnic on the beach. Our humans get hungy when we take them hiking! (Plus, we needed a picture of people on a picnic for Parkday 2.0! So two birds, one stone!)
How did you spend your Sunday? Did you take your dogs hiking? Did you get outside and enjoy some sunshine? And we also wanted to let everyone know that today is our 1 year Blogiversary! Thank you for reading our blog!
