It was a Cold, Dark Night…

The night wind was blustery and cold, and the sky was dark and full of clouds.  I walked down the road, the wind pushing at my back, hurrying me along.  It was getting late, and I had considered asking for a ride, but only had a mile to walk until I reached my home.  The Halloween party had been fun, and it had been a while since I had seen my friends, so I lingered longer than I had planned.  Shivering from the chill in the air, I considered taking a short cut across the cemetery, but hesitated.  "Isn't this the perfect scene for a horror movie?" I asked myself.  Glancing to my right, I studied the gravestones, looking for any sign of movement.  There was nothing there to disturb the silence, only an empty stillness.

I quickly made a decision, hoping over the knee-high fence, I jogged across the cemetery.  While I did not believe in ghosts or monsters, I did have an active imagination, so I moved as quickly as I dared in the low light.  I was about half way across the grounds when I heard a low, pain filled howl.  Pausing, I turned to stare into the shadows, looking for the source of the sound.  Was it just the wind, flowing through the trees that created the mournful sound?  Or was I not as alone as I originally believed?

I took a step, to continue my progress across the graveyard, when I heard it again.  This time it was louder, a wailing lament full of loneliness.  A shiver of fear ran down my spine, while tears filled my eyes at the sadness in the ghostly sound.  No one should be so sorrowful, I knew I couldn't ignore a cry that was so full of despair.  Telling myself I was crazy for lingering in a cemetery late at night, I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket and turned on the flashlight.

Hearing the low moaning again, I made my decision.  Slowly, with equal parts dread and determination, I made my way towards the sounds.  The wind continued to blow, tossing my long, brown hair into my eyes, making it difficult to see.  Passing through the rows of gravesites, I stared into the darkness, looking for the source of the heartbroken cries.  Suddenly, off to the left, I could swear I saw a shadow moving, low to the ground.  I headed in that direction, unsure of what I was about to find.

Passing through another row of graves, I finally discovered who was mourning in a cemetery alone at night!  Gasping, I fell to my knees!

Not sure I could believe what I was seeing, I was frozen in shock.  Lying there on the cold ground, his eyes full of pain and grief, was a rough collie.  He was a beautiful creature, and he looked so out of place curled up next to the old, gray headstone.  As I stared at him, he softly whined, begging for help, for someone to care.  I slowly reached out to him, and ran my fingers through his long fur.

"Are you okay?  Are you lost?" I softly asked him.  He whined in response and stared at me, with a tilt to his head and a gentle acceptance in his eyes.  I glanced around us, and seeing no one, I turned back to the collie.  "I can't leave you here alone, do you want to come home with me?"  He slowly stood up and walked towards me.  Placing my hand on his furry mane, I encouraged him to follow along at my side.

We soon reached my home, and the collie walked inside, as if he had always lived with me.  I brought him into the kitchen and grabbing a bowl from the cupboard, I poured him some water.  He quickly drank his fill, while I searched for something to feed him.  "You must be hungry, let's see what you can have to eat." He just sat down and waited patiently, as if he understood my words.  Looking in the fridge I spotted left over chicken.  Grabbing it, I cut it into small bites and fed them to him.  He took each piece so gently, I could tell he was well trained.

Basic needs met, I decided it was time for bed for both of us.  "Come on big guy, you'll sleep in my room.  I can't have you wandering around my house unsupervised.  In the morning we will try to find your family."  He once again followed me, and watched as I made him a bed of blankets on the floor of my bedroom.  "You can sleep here, you sure are a good dog," I told him as I stroked his beautiful fur.  With uncanny intelligence, he laid down on the blankets with a sigh.  He looked happy and grateful to have a soft, warm place to sleep, and his little pink tongue gave my hand a kiss of thanks.  "Good night handsome collie."  I got ready for bed, and fell asleep listening to the quiet sounds of his breathing.

When I woke up the next morning, it took only a moment to remember my guest.  Looking over to the bed of blankets on the floor, I realized the collie wasn't there!  Looking around my room, I didn't see him anywhere.  My bedroom door was still shut, so he couldn't have left.  Sinking to my knees next to the bed I had made for him, I stared in confusion, wondering if it had all been a dream.  But later when I spotted the bowl of water on the kitchen floor, and the missing chicken from the fridge, I knew he had really been there.

How he disappeared from my room, and where he went, will always be a mystery.  I did return to the cemetery, to the spot where I had found him, but I never encountered the lost collie again.  Was he a lost dog, lonely and looking for companionship?  Or was he something more, perhaps a weary soul wandering through the night?  I can only hope the comfort I gave him allowed him to continue his journey knowing he had a friend.  I still think of him from time to time, and wonder if my ghostly visitor ever found his way home...

(This story was originally published on October 31st, 2018.  I wanted to share our spooky collie story once again, on this spooky night.)

Exercising your Dog

We described how the dog sport of Fast CAT works, and you can read the post here.  One of the great things about Fast CAT is that every dog can participate.  It doesn’t matter how fast they run, if they run slower it may take them longer to earn a title, but they won’t be disqualified for a lack of speed.  In fact, I believe the only way to be disqualified is if the dog attacks another person or dog, or if the dog relieves herself on the course.  Addi learned this the hard way, when after a run she stopped for a potty break.  She was on grass, so I couldn’t fault her, and she still had fun during the run.

If you are looking to rank your dog in Fast CAT, then helping them to get their best score, might be one of your priorities.  One of the key things to achieve this, other than encouraging your dog’s enthusiasm for the sport, is to make sure they are physically fit.  Overweight dogs, or dogs who are not used to running, will not be able to run very fast.  It doesn’t mean they can’t try Fast CAT, I watched an older French bulldog stroll down the course, taking his own sweet time, but also enjoying himself immensely.  

Since our girls are young and fit, and giving their best effort at chasing the lure, I have been watching their AKC ranking.  My employers gave me a scooter for my work anniversary this Summer, so I’ve  been using it to help Addi increase her speed.  I cannot run with her, so I ride the scooter and Addi runs along side, which she loves!  We also do walks and hikes with the collies, which helps keep them healthy and fit, but the scooter really helps build speed and endurance.  I can’t use it with the older collies, as I’m always mindful of their age limitations, so for them it’s strictly walks and easy hikes.  But we are curious, do you exercise your dogs?  How do you get them the exercise they need?

Another fun weekend with the collies!

It was another busy weekend, and the collies had a lot of fun.  On Friday we attended another Fast CAT event.  This one was out of state, but my daughter loved their Halloween themed ribbons, so we packed up Sorsha and Rosie and drove to Pennsylvania.  Both Sorsha and Rosie were one run away from earning their BCAT titles, and actually did their best times at this event.  Sorsha even dropped 2 seconds off her time!  I’m not sure if it was the new location, or maybe it was because it was a more open track, but they loved running at this event.  And both brought home a new title and ribbon!

Halloween is in two days, but since it falls on a Thursday this year, our town held its annual trunk or treat event this past Saturday.  We signed up to participate again, as we had fun last year.  I used the same trunk decoration, and added some cobwebs.  Ryder also joined in with the theme, and wore a spider costume.  Everyone loved him, he was definitely the star.  A few families asked what breed of dog he was, and where they could get a collie.  It’s sad that people no longer recognize a collie, but then I get to introduce the collie to new generations, and  help promote this sweet, beautiful dog breed.

On Thursday and Saturday we attended a dog show, and Addison did some winning! She won Winner’s Bitch both days, which gave her 2 more points towards her championship.  I thought she looked beautiful, and she was trying her very best.  I guess she doesn’t want her sister, Peyton, to get all the attention!

These collies are doing so well, and earning so many titles, I couldn’t be happier or more proud!  Fast CAT is over until the Spring, unless we want to drive out of State again.  But there are quite a few dog shows coming up, and a Barn Hunt, so I think we will wait until Spring to try Fast CAT again.  November is fast approaching, so it’s time to start slowing down on dog events.   It’s almost time to catch up on reading, Christmas movies, and spending time with family…

The Animated Collie

Continuing our series of posts about the collie in art, we have to include the animated collie!  Animation is a form of art that gives life, movement and emotion to hand drawn, or computer generated images.  These images are filmed in sequence, and used to tell a story.  There is an animated version of Lassie, that has charmed and entertained countless fans.  

The New Adventures of Lassie promotional picture from Lassie Fandom

Disney included a collie in its popular movie, 101 Dalmatians.  He appears as a wise, older dog, who comes to the aid of the Dalmatians.  

Image from Disney Fandom

In the movie, All Dogs Go to Heaven, one of the main characters is a lovely collie named Flo.  In the movie, the sweet collie is the loving foster Mom to dozens of homeless puppies.

Picture from Don Bluth Fandom

Growing up as a member of Generation X, one of the highlights of every Christmas season was watching the beloved holiday specials created by Rankin Bass.  One of these special holiday shows was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  In the film was the character Yukon Cornelius, who travelled through the snowy tundra with his sled dog team.  The team was made up of some unlikely sled dogs, like the tiny dachshund.   But if you look closely, you will see one of the dogs was actually a collie!  Yes, there was a collie living at the North Pole, and pulling a sled!  

I couldn’t find a decent picture, but there is also a collie featured in one of my favorite childhood animated films, Scruffy.  You can watch it on YouTube by clicking here.

So have you spotted a collie in other animated films that we may have missed?   Leave us a comment, and let us know!

What a beautiful week!

This week we had some exceptional weather!  It’s been sunny and in the 70’s, so we have been heading outside as much as possible, before the cold weather sets in and I start to hibernate. I’m really hoping this mild, Autumn weather lingers through the end of October.  It’s such a joy to hike with my collies amidst the beautiful Fall foliage with the sunlight setting all the leaves aglow in the trees surrounding us.

This was taken on our hike through Chatfield Hollow

We don’t get to Chatfield Hollow often, but it’s a lovely State park.

This season is providing a never ending display of color and sunshine.

This was at Quinnipiac University, after a therapy visit this week 

And of course, we visited Strawberry Hollow Farm again

What’s your favorite season?  Please let us know in the comments!

Peyton did a thing…

We have some very happy and exciting news to share!  This past weekend our pretty Peyton did some winning!  On Saturday she won Winner’s, which gave her enough points to finish her Championship!  But it didn’t end there.  The collies who win Winner’s Dog and Winner’s Bitch get to go back into the ring to compete against the finished champions, which are called Specials.  And the judge loved Peyton so much he gave her Best of Breed over the Specials!  

By beating the finished champions, Peyton actually earned a 4 point major!  A dog needs need 15 points to become a champion, and of those 15 points they have to win two majors.  A major is a win of 3, 4, or 5 points.  And the points are calculated by how many other dogs they beat at the show.  Peyton already had her two majors, and a total of 14 points, but this exciting win gave her a third major.  I’m so proud of our girl!  

 

And this was actually the second title she earned last week.  On Sunday she earned her BCAT and on Saturday, her Championship!  And what made this new title even more special?  Peyton is our very first Winterberry Champion!  All our previous collies were cobred with my sister, so even though they were our collies, we registered them under her kennel name.  When my sister retired from dog shows and collies, my daughter and I created our own kennel name, Winterberry Collies.  So this is a very special title, and means so much to us.

Collies in digital art

Continuing my series of “collies in art,” I had to include a post about digital art.  This refers to art created on computers or electronic devices.  I am not including images created by AI in this category, only the images created by actual digital artists.  I have commissioned a few images, to use on our social media, and to support these artists who are very talented in this medium.

The following images were created by Sabrina Brinkerhoff Bingham, The first is of my sweet little Addison.  She filled in the background with a Winterberry bush, in honor of our kennel name, Winterberry Collies.  Sabrina has an Etsy shop called ArtzyBrina, where you can commission your own digital images, just click here.  She also created a collie coloring book, and it can be found on Amazon, by clicking here.

The next image is of my Ryder, created to celebrate a little known holiday, Therapy Dog Appreciation Day.  I think this captures the inherent sweetness of therapy dogs in general, and of Ryder in particular.  I told her exactly what I was picturing in my head, and she did a beautiful job capturing the image.

This image is of my Addison and Rosie.  Sabrina worked closely with me to create this digital art, as I wanted my own collies featured on a card, to use when wishing my friends and family a Happy Birthday on social media.  She used pictures of my collies to create the image, let me choose the background color, the banner, and even added the balloons and cake I asked to be included.

The next image was commissioned after I lost my beautiful Kori.  This was based on a picture I had of Kori and her puppy, Ben.  (Now called Gibbs) I just wanted an image of a happy time, to remember her.

This was created by Sabrina, using my pictures of Addison and Rosie once again.  I wanted an image I could use to create my own personalized Christmas cards.  She created this beautiful image, and even had Addi holding the ornament I requested!  I think it came out perfectly!

This last image was recently created by another digital artist, and the artist’s work can be found on Facebook, by searching for “Art by Dezzoi.”

Nature can be beautiful, but also cruel…

This week we are enjoying some truly beautiful Fall weather.  We’ve had lots of sunshine and cooler temperatures, which the collies are enjoying.  I took Addison on a hike after a therapy visit, to one of our favorite hiking spots.  The Fall foliage is always lovely, and reflects on the water to create a stunning display.

Sweet little family

Each Autumn I return at least once, and I’m always greeted by a mated pair of swans and their cygnets.  They always add beauty and grace to the photos I take at this location, and I’ve become very fond of them over the years.

Sadly, this year a new mated pair moved in, and they are bullying and attacking the original pair and their cygnets.  You can see them harassing one of the swans in these videos.  The videos show the beauty of nature, but also the cruelty.  I hope the newcomers don’t harm the original family, or drive them away from their home.

Addison was very curious about the swans, and their displays of aggression.  She kept watching them, and I could tell by the expression on her face that she was very puzzled.  She did stop swan-watching long enough to pose for a couple pictures for me.

The Autumn days are passing so swiftly, and the weather is turning chilly.  It was only 48 degrees last night so I had to pull out the cozy, flannel pjs.  And the collies who sleep on the bed, were snuggled up so closely around me, it felt like I was in a collie cocoon!  With the rapid change in the weather, I’m starting to think of Christmas, and sitting by the fireplace, and baking cookies!  But first Fall and….Halloween!  Leave us a comment, and let us know if your pets are dressing up this Halloween!

Collies in art

Collies, with their beauty and grace, have been the subject of countless paintings.  I love seeing how their image has been portrayed by various artists over the centuries, each hoping to capture the sparkle in their eyes, their lush coats, their lithe bodies and elegant heads.  And artists always hope to capture the most important aspect of the collies’ appearance, their beautiful expressions.  As I do not have the skills or talent to paint or draw collies, I collect collie art instead.

The walls of my home and office are adorned by my personal collection of collie art, both originals and prints, so I thought sharing some of them would make a nice post for the collie blog.  In keeping with that theme, the first painting was done by Barbara Guitas, it’s based on a picture of my Kori.  This painting has always been my favorite, as it is a beautiful example of that sweet collie expression.

The eyes have it…

The next painting is of my Ryder and Kori, based on a picture I took on a hike many years ago.  It was also painted by Barbara Guitas, and she kindly added the Winterberry bushes behind them, to represent our kennel name, Winterberry Collies.

The third painting I wanted to share is a watercolor I commissioned by Debra St Germain.  It’s of my Peyton and Addison, and also includes a little Winterberry in honor of our kennel name.

The next painting was done on a slate, by Barbara Guitas.  It is also based on one of my pictures, taken at a local lighthouse.  It features my Scarlett, Ryder and Kori.

This original image, also on slate, was painted by Barbara Guitas.  I thought the whimsical Halloween scene was  charming, and I proudly display it each October.

The next two beautiful prints were created by Ramonette Dugan.  I just love how she captured the curious nature and playfulness of the collie in these two images.

The Road Home by Rick Aeschliman. This stunning print evokes so much emotion.  It was created to raise money for collie rescue.

Found -  Collie Dog & Lamb Print By Walter Hunt.  This classic image is very popular.

And lastly, we are waiting on another painting by Barbara Guitas.  This is one I commissioned of my Scarlett, also based on one of my pictures.  In the background is an iconic image of the Grass Shack, a local landmark.  And I had her include a typical New England image, a Christmas tree floating in a small boat.  (Our version of the little red truck, hauling a Christmas tree.)  I can’t wait to see it, hopefully soon, and I’ll update this post when the painting is completed.

Have you had an artist paint or draw your best friend?

Peyton has news!

 This weekend we did another Fast CAT event.   And Peyton has finally decided she loves Fast CAT!  She ran twice on Saturday and twice on Sunday, and had her fastest times!  These times weren’t just her fastest, they were almost faster than Addi’s times!  

And with these four runs, Peyton earned her first title!  On Sunday, after her second run, Peyton earned her BCAT.  I’m so proud of her, it took her a little longer, but she has caught the Fast CAT bug!

Rosie, Sorsha and ZuZu were also at the Fast CAT.  Rosie and Sorsha are both one run away from earning their BCAT, and ZuZu is quickly earning points to her next title, DCAT!  They are having so much fun!

Rosie, flying down the Fast CAT track!

Look at her happy expression, ZuZu loves this sport so much!

Wordless Wednesday - Love is…

 Shining in her eyes…

Addi and I took a walk to the creek, to enjoy the sunset.  The sweet look in her eyes just melts my heart.

Addi has news…

 With everything going on, we Al,ost forgot to share Addison’s news.  Addi just earned her new therapy dog title, THDX.  This one is awarded when a therapy dog has completed 200 therapy visits.  Addi has become a favorite at many of the locations we visit, and we hope to continue doing therapy visits in the upcoming years.  My little collie is proving that there isn’t anything she can’t do!  I can’t wait to try Barnhunt with her, and hopefully herding as well.

Good girl Addi, good girl!

Ode to a Therapy dog

Therapy dog, with eyes so kind,

Bringing comfort to heart and mind.

With gentle paws and wagging tail, 

a healing spirit without fail.

You listen without judgement or scorn,

Giving solace as we heal or mourn.

In times of need, 

You are always near,

Dispelling sadness and erasing fear.

You offer a touch of warmth and light,

Guiding us through the darkest night.

Therapy dog, our loyal friend,

Thank you for the love without end.

(I wrote this with some help of AI, so I can’t claim full credit)

Some Fast CAT fun!

 The pictures from last weekend’s Fast CAT finally came!  I think they came out great, so I had to share them!

Rosie

ZuZu

Addi

Sorsha

Peyton

Look at those happy faces!  If you were wondering if you should try Fast CAT with your dog, you absolutely should! I’m not sure the quality of these pictures comes through on the collie blog.  If you want to see a clearer version, stop by our instagram, @Smoothcollies