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 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 

You were warned…

We are still enjoying mild Fall temperatures, so the collies and I are taking advantage of the sunshine before the days grow cold.  This week I did a therapy visit with a friend and her collie, Kelsea.  After the visit we ran over to my favorite picture spot, and I took some pictures of my seniors, Ryder and Scarlett, along with Kelsea.  I did warn everyone that Autumn is my favorite season for photographing the collies! So while the leaves change, and the days grow shorter, we will be sharing some of our favorite pictures each week.  And so it’s not just pictures, I am including some Autumn collie poems, that AI helped me create.  Usually I write my own poems, but wanted to give this new AI feature a try.  

Ryder, 13 years old, and the sweetest boy!

Kelsea, she is a doll

In a field of golden pumpkins,

Stands a loyal Collie dog,

With fur as soft as silk,

And eyes as deep as fog.

He guards the harvest with pride,

A sentry in the night,

Barking at shadows that hide,

In the pale moonlight.

Among the orange gourds,

He frolics and plays,

His joy singing out loud,

In the crisp autumn days.

With every wag of his tail,

He brings warmth to our hearts,

A friend that will never fail,

As the season departs.

So here's to the Collie,

Among the pumpkins so fine,

A loyal companion always,

In this harvest time.

Scarlett and Ryder

In the crisp autumn air, the Collie plays

Amongst the fields of golden maize

With a coat as rich as a pumpkin's glow

He roams freely, with a graceful flow

His eyes reflecting the colors of fall

As the leaves gently cascade, one and all

His loyalty as unwavering as the autumn sun

A faithful companion, always on the run

Through pumpkin patches, he frolics and plays

His spirit brightening the autumn days

With every bark and playful leap

He warms our hearts, our souls he keeps

So let us cherish this Collie dear

In the season of autumn, so clear

For in his presence, we find pure joy

A loyal friend, our hearts employ.

Scarlett 12 1/2 years old, and my perfect girl!

In the autumn's golden light,

The collie runs with all her might.

Through fields of pumpkins ripe and round,

Her joyful spirit can be found.

With fur as soft as fallen leaves,

She romps and plays among the sheaves.

Her eyes aglow with autumn's fire,

A loyal friend that will never tire.

I think the poems aren’t too bad, considering they were written by a computer!  They definitely captured the sentiment of our collies amidst the beautiful Autumn scenery. Going forward though, I think I will stick to my own poor attempts when creating poems about my collies, because the one thing AI can’t do, is write from the heart.  Happy Fall, hope everyone is getting out and enjoying the foliage while it lasts!

It’s National Black Dog Day…

It’s also adopt a shelter/rescue dog month.  So we decided to feature some tri color collies looking for their Forever homes!  We’ve heard it over and over, Dogs with black fur are typically the last to be adopted.  Which I find surprising, as I think they are absolutely beautiful.  One researcher said that it’s true there are more black dogs (and black cats) euthanized, it’s because there are more of them in shelters than any other color.  Whatever the reason, they deserve a home, so we are sharing some collies available to adopt today.

The first two collies, Artemis and Marlowe, are from Collie Rescue of the Carolinas 

The next collie, Suzie, is from the Collie Rescue League of New England

Suzie is a lovely three-year old tricolor lady.  She is affectionate, likes people and other animals and has perfect leash walking manners.  She enjoys exploring new neighborhoods on her walks or sniffing her way along new trails.  She has an average amount of energy.  She plays with toys sometimes, but would rather interact with a person or another dog.  

 Suzie's appetite is good, she likes car rides and is used to being groomed.  She has a heavy, dense coat.  She had a little obedience training as a pup, but would probably enjoy more.  She's comfortable going into strange places and downtown areas.  Suzie benefitted in foster from a routine.  She has a schedule for getting up, her two meals a day and her walks.  She is also suitable for some home offices.  

 Suzie has lots of potential.  She could try anything - obedience, trick training, maybe tracking, etc.  You pick.  She'll give anything a try.  And there's still some puppy inside her.

The next two collies, Astrid and Chester, are from Freedom Collie Rescue, in Texas.

"Astrid is a truly sweet and beautiful 2 year old smooth collie.  Although she hasn’t been exposed to much, she is slowly coming out of her shell and will flourish in a safe, loving and nurturing forever home.  She is definitely a cuddle bug with people, wanting to lay next to you and giving you affectionate licks to show her love.  And she especially enjoys the company of other dogs in the family, wanting to play or being submissive to them to gain their affection.  She would most likely do well in a home with another dog or dogs because she feels more confident with them.  She enjoys going out for walks, meeting other dogs, and letting people/children pet her, sniffing around in the fresh grass, and exploring.  However, loud sounds and busy/new environments cause her to become nervous and anxious.  With more exposure, time, and patience, she can better adjust and be more relaxed.  She also prefers being indoors, near you, or another dog, or finding a nice spot in the house to take her naps.  She’s housebroken, crate-trained, knows how to use the doggy door, and can also jump into the car.  All she really needs is a family to show her love and patience and she will return that love tenfold.  A fenced yard is required. She is being fostered in the San Antonio, Texas area Apply at: freedomcollierescue.org

Happiness is my game.  Hello, I’m Chester! My foster parents call me Chess and I am two years old. I’m a shy, but loving, and give kisses once I get to know you better. I’ve not had much of a social life previously, so my foster parents take me out to experience people, children and pets. Car rides are fun for me. People comment that I am well-mannered and calm. I’m housetrained but right now I’m wearing a belly band to minimize marking in the presence of other male dogs while my hormones calm down from being neutered. I'm up to date on my shots, and on a heart worm preventative. I was diagnosed with heart worms when I first came into rescue, and will be getting my first heart worm treatment injection in early October. I just need to remain calm to get rid of these nasty heart worms! You can foster to adopt me and the rescue covers all expenses and once my heart worm treatment is complete, I can be officially adopted!

Toys- I love them! My favorites are tennis balls and sticks. And who doesn’t like treats? My favorite outings are going for walks and running around outdoors when there is backyard playtime. My foster parents say I’m well-mannered on a leash while walking in the neighborhood, don’t pull and follow along with them. Would love to be in a home with other dogs or I’m happy to hang out with just a human friend.  Did I say I like to snuggle?  Please provide a fenced yard for me to run around, and you may apply for me at freedomcollierescue.org

If you are thinking of getting a dog as a companion, collies make excellent best friends!  There are so many wonderful collies in rescues and shelters across the country right now.  Or if a collie is not what you are looking for, please consider one of the thousands of black dogs searching for a home.  This is actually a very personal cause for me.  My first dog was a little black puppy that I adopted from a shelter.  I named her Mojo, and she was a black lab/shepherd mix.  She was the smartest, most loyal dog I have ever known.  And when the sun hit her black fur, she was just stunning.  I wish I could share a video of her beauty.  Black dogs are just as sweet and loyal as dogs with lighter colored fur, and just as deserving of loving homes.  (Black kitties too!) 

Autumn days are swiftly passing…

 Another busy Autumn weekend has come and gone.  We tried to enjoy every moment, and it was a definite success!

On Saturday I took my Mom to a local fair.  She was very happy, as she just celebrated her 88th birthday and she didn’t think she would get to see another fair.  But I had bought her a transport wheelchair, and convinced her to give it a try.  We had a nice time, and were able to enjoy some delicious fair food while we were there!

On Sunday we were entered at another Fast CAT trial.  This time my daughter also brought Sorsha and Rosie, to let them give it a try.  And it was not really a surprise, they both loved it!  They did very well, and earned lots of points for their first try at Fast CAT.  Peyton earned some additional points, and we finally figured out how to help her succeed.  As long as a stranger releases her, she runs right after the lure, straight to me.  It is only when my daughter or I release her that she turns around, and returns to us.  I wish we had figured it out sooner!  

And we have exciting news, both Addison and ZuZu earned their first Fast CAT titles!   Both girls had great runs, ZuZu even beat her best time.  And they now have the “BCAT” title after their names!

Then on late Sunday afternoon I took Winter and my mother’s collie, Phoebe to Petco.  We had them take the Canine Good Citizen test, and both passed with ease.  So they get to add the CGC title to their names.  This is Phoebe’s first title ever, and I think she was feeling very proud of herself.  I will post pictures when their certificates come from AKC.  That makes six new titles earned by our collies yesterday!  Is the math not mathing?  With their new BCAT titles, Addi and ZuZu also qualify for the Fit dog title, FITB!  What a great weekend!