Spring, COVID, and new puppies

Ryder, Spring 2020

With the arrival of Spring our world changed dramatically.  The COVID virus has stolen so much from our lives, and taught us all what living through a global pandemic would entail.  So many people lost their jobs, and tragically so many others lost their lives. We've been lucky so far, but the Nursing home where we did the majority of our therapy visits was hit particularly hard.  They had a huge outbreak of COVID, and 26 of the 70 residents passed away.  So many of our favorite residents, ones we had formed a close bond with over the years, are now gone.  We haven't been permitted to visit since all of this started and I know the collies miss their weekly visits with their friends.  When we finally do get to go back, it won't be the same.

Ryder, Spring 2020

I will admit that I greatly enjoy working from home, it's the one silver lining in all of this.  Being able to stay home with my collie coworkers has benefitted all of us.  They get to go outside whenever they want, they get my constant companionship, lots of walks and we even earned a few new titles.  Ryder, Scarlett and Sophie all earned their Novice Trick Dog titles.

Maizie, Spring 2020

Since I was going to be home so much, we decided to go ahead and breed our Maizie.  It seemed like the perfect time, as we couldn't go to dog shows, they were all cancelled.  And I was home pretty much all day, every day, so the puppies would never be alone.

More to come... 

The world has certainly changed...

So much has happened in our lives, and the lives of our collies.  It will take multiple posts to catch up!  I'll start with Sorsha, a collie we bought from another breeder.  After losing first Holly, then Abby and then our entire dream litter of seven puppies, my daughter and I were feeling pretty low.  Also during this time her then fiance was deployed, so she was facing a year long separation.  We made the decision to buy a puppy from a well known collie breeder, who we had long admired.

She was a tiny puppy, the runt of her litter, but she had the biggest personality.   She was the one my daughter chose, as she was the only tricolor, and she reminded us of our Holly.  She is now 18 months old, smart as a whip, and my daughter's constant companion.  

Sorsha, Autumn 2019

We missed celebrating our favorite season with all of you!  So here are some of our Autumn 2019 pictures...

Ryder, Autumn 2019

Ryder 2019

Kori and Scarlett, Autumn 2019

Scarlett, 2019

Ryder, Autumn 2019

Thinking back to those months, before we knew about COVID and how else 2020 would mess up our lives, it makes me miss those less tumultuous times!  But the world has changed, now we wear masks, and now fear hugging our loved ones.  The one thing that helps me get through it all is the unwavering love and devotion from my collies.  And the collies are definitely loving that I have to work from home, I think the dogs may stage a protest when we all have to go back to work outside the home. 

Love in the time of COVID

When I was in my early twenties I met the one person who would become the focus of my life, my daughter. Even before she was born, I loved her more than I ever believed was possible. Last week, on Halloween, she got married. It was a beautiful, but cold day. And thanks to the global pandemic, the wedding had to be kept small. We were able to livestream the wedding for our family and friends who were unable to attend due to these travel restrictions. 

 But there are no restrictions on how many dogs can gather together, and since my daughter and I are dedicated dog lovers, the guests were invited to bring their dogs to the wedding. They were also encouraged to wear Halloween costumes, which just made the day more fun. 

 My daughter’s collie, Sorsha, was the ring bearer. She was a very good girl, and did a great job. 

 As exciting as the wedding was, we are all eagerly anticipating what comes next. In May of 2022, my daughter is going to make me a Grandmother! Sorsha got to make the announcement on social media. 

While we are all living through this difficult year, isolated and worried about our families and friends, it’s wonderful to have something positive to focus on…

The Return...

It took a while, but I'm finally blogging again! Look for new posts tonight!

Saying Goodbye...

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I just didn't have the heart to update. We suffered two great losses, and I just couldn't bring myself to write about it. The most recent loss was of my beautiful girl, Abby. I won't go into details, but at 12 1/2 years old, she just couldn't stand or walk. Those of you reading my blog last October know that she wasn't doing well, and we almost lost her then. But she rallied, and the same thing happened the week of Thanksgiving. This time, nothing helped her, she started to refuse to eat and the medications, acupuncture and laser therapy stopped working. So we had to let our sweet, perfect girl go. I knew at her age we could lose her soon, but I still wasn't ready. So I'm sorry for not updating, but I'm sure those who have lost their best friend will understand our heartbreak.

9th Annual Pet Blogger Challenge

Ever year Amy Burkert of the Go Pet Friendly blog hosts the Annual Pet Blogger Challenge.  It's a Blog hop, where all kinds of pet blogs link together, to help people discover more about the blogs they already read, or to discover completely new blogs.  We missed the last couple years, but we are excited to once again join the Annual Pet Blogger Challenge!  So let's get started -


1. For those who may be visiting your blog for the first time, how long have you been blogging and what is your main topic?

We have been blogging for 7 years this coming May.  Our blog is about collies, but also includes product reviews, book reviews and dog treat recipes.  (plus, a little of this and that!)

2. What was your proudest blogging moment of 2018?

I think my proudest moment of 2018 was when I continued our new "Versatile Collies" series.  I'm very excited to showcase this amazing breed, and grateful to our friends who wrote these posts.

3. What was the biggest blogging challenge you faced in 2018, and how did/will you tackle it?

My biggest challenge, which has been a challenge throughout all the years we have been blogging, is carving out time each week to create new posts.  I have been working 60 hour work weeks for years, and competing at dog shows with my collies on weekends, so free time is hard to come by.

4. Which of your 2018 blog posts was your favorite and why? (Please include a link.)

I think one of my favorites was the post that I wrote about one our collies from our 2016 litter, Doing What He Loves.  It shows how collies are more than capable of performing the tasks they were originally bred for, and how much they love it!

5. Which of your 2018 posts was most popular with your audience? Why do you think it does so well?

I shared an older post, that has always been popular, and that was the most viewed post in 2018.  I think people are naturally curious about all the different coat colors the collies come in, so when they search online, my post pops up.  A Coat Of a Different Color  But my next popular post would have to be Herding With Your collie, which was written by Michael Vorkapich, of the Agile Dog Blog.

6. Did you implemented a new series, feature, or practice on your blog in 2018 that you’re enjoying?

I started the Versatile Collie series in June of 2017, and then restarted it in 2018.  I really love this series, and I am in the process of choosing the next post.

7. As the social media landscape changes, how are you promoting your blog posts and connecting with new readers?

I do not promote my blog enough, but I do utilize Twitter and Instagram, and I'm starting to use Pinterest as well.

8. Looking forward to 2019, if you accomplish only one thing through your blog, what do you hope it is?

I want to go back to making my posts a little more personal, so our readers get to know our collies better and learn more about the breed.

9. What steps are you planning to take to ensure you reach your goal?

I'm looking for more guest bloggers, and creating a list of interesting topics to share.  Plus, we hope to have some very exciting news to share in about a week or so!

10. Where I could use some help …

I would love suggestions for topics our readers would like covered.

Simple is Best

Thanks to our new friends at Treat Simple, we have another new dog treat to review!  This company shares my belief that dog food and treats should be only made with quality ingredients.  When I read the product labels for some of the popular dog treats I have to cringe at the ingredient lists.  Treat Simple believes that dogs are family, and they deserve high quality dog treats made with human grade ingredients, and all their products are made right in the USA!

When I look at my collies' sweet faces, I want to spoil them with treats they will love, while keeping them healthy with nutritious snacks.  Which is why I get so happy when I read the ingredient list for Treat Simple's Peanut Butter and Banana treats.   With just 5 simple ingredients, I don't have to worry about what my collies are eating.

Ingredients: Oat flour, peanut butter, banana, honey, organic virgin coconut oil

I also liked how small these treats are, they are perfect for small dogs, and for larger dogs who are trying to stay fit!  And their small size makes them an ideal reward for training.

• Always Baked in the USA
• 100% Natural
• Only 5 Calories Per Treat
• No Added Salt, Sugar, Preservatives
• Corn free, Soy Free, Wheat Free, GMO Free

So if you are looking for a healthy dog treat, with human grade, limited ingredients, then we highly recommend checking out Treat Simple.  You can order the Peanut Butter & Banana treats by clicking right here.

Top 10 reasons why dogs make your life better

My dogs make my life better.  They give me love and happiness, and I can't imagine not sharing my life with them.  So I thought I would share my top 10 reasons why dogs make my life better.

1) Dogs can lift your spirits, even when you are feeling depressed.  Studies have been done that show spending time with your dog increases your brain’s levels of dopamine and serotonin.  Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, and Endorphins are the quartet responsible for your happiness.  Many situations can trigger these neurotransmitters, but spending time with your dog is one of the easiest ways to increase your levels!

2) You never have to be alone when you have a dog, ever.  My dogs follow me everywhere, even into the bathroom.  And on the rare occasions that I leave a room without them noticing, it's not long before they are right behind me.  Dogs are amazing companions, and a great way to keep people from feeling lonely.

3) When you share your life with a dog, you know you are missed every time you leave.  Even if you are gone for 10 minutes, your dog is always happy to see you when you return.  Are there any humans in  your life that miss you that much?

4) On cold, Winter nights, dogs make excellent bed warmers!

5) Having a dog can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.  There are studies that show petting your dog will help to lower blood pressure, which lowers your risk for a myriad of different cardiac illnesses.

6) You never need to sweep up the food or crumbs you drop.  Your dog will always be there for clean up duty!

7) Your dog will never, ever look down on you for wearing old, comfortable sweats or pajamas.  They just want to be by your side, no matter how you look or what you wear!  They will even join you when you spend a rainy day binge watching Netflix!

8) Having a dog encourages us to lead a healthier lifestyle, by getting out and taking them for walks and hikes.  They also help you socialize and explore the world around you.

9) They teach us to enjoy every moment, and to find pleasure in even the simplest of things.

10) Dogs are the best because they love you unconditionally.  Even when you make a mistake, they love you anyway without judgement or resentment.

What would be in your top 10 list of reasons your dog makes your life better?