Night Time Collars

now this is cool

www.dog-e-lites.com

I bought two collars at the Royal Winter Fair this year - one for Hank and one for Brody at night in the county - they are AMAZING

the only time it is at all hard to see the dogs is when they are walking directly towards us ... the blink doesn't bother them at all - and must look just a little odd as both cars that have passed us so far slowed RIGHT down to see what the heck we were...

it's nice to be able to tell where they are without nagging them - they both don't go very far but on a cloudy night both are pretty hard to see on the road.

I'll have to order more if we start walking in the fields at night.

dumont died friday morning

I have posted my tribute to our King of Cats over on my cat blog
but my heart just aches... he is part of 36 years of loving cats - the last tie to Rufus, Rum and Sweetie Pie. He had lived everywhere Tom and I have lived since being married .. and he brought a whole lot of people over to the cats are wonderful camp!

I had a retreat on Friday and attended it all - people could see I was a bit frazzled but a night without sleep does that to you no matter the reason..

what a sad couple of weeks - my dear friend Beth lost her American Eskimo Joy last week as well as all the agility dogs

it always strikes me the way these things - times of great happiness or sadness seem to come in a clump; as always in our life there is lots good and interesting going on but it is hard to see that stuff today ...

note to self: MUST PUT AGILITY EQUIPMENT AWAY
(we have snow- quite a bit of it!)

what sad days

Killian died on Friday - in Pat's arms which is comforting but so tragic anyhow. There is so little you can do for anybody in that situation - having been there before I know it too well. And we'll be there again - which really doesn't help much at all. My heart is with her ...
It took quite awhile to find a picture of the "real" Killian in a format that this blog will take - a little trickier than it should be. Pat just found out someone comissioned this beautiful painting of Killian - it really does capture him - so I hope it is as beautiful!
the artist's website is at http://www.foxbrush.net

sad days

I'm so sad to be writing tonight ...
Wonderful Pat and more wonderful Killian are in crisis - Killian is in the hospital and critically ill ...
Killian is a lovely gentle German Shepard who inspires me to work at agility - He is steady and methodical and gave me a great deal of hope when Brody and I were starting
Pat is one of the most generous and thoughtful people I've met. I see her often - CPE trials, Acton and down at my eastern events too! She has shared snookers courses with me and been the first to say WOW after a nice run ... I am so worried for them

Dear Crystal lost her amazing Kelvin yesterday - he was a really neat soul - an overgrown sheltie who just delighted in the world - when he was good he was FABULOUS when he wasn't good he made us all chuckle. I was watching Crystal one winter running a standard run - and it was a nice run - then at the last moment it fell apart - I went to commiserate with her - and she said "hey it was a great run - it just wasn't meant to be ". Her pleasure in her dear friend was evident to me - and I aspire to let people see my appreciation for my dogs.

Snowflake died today - 12 years ago I drove Snowflake from the Brampton shelter to her foster home - she shook and quivered in the back of my car and I had to carry her to the door of the house. She was PETRIFIED of things around her neck and the whole world was pretty alarming. With a great deal of love and TLC she came a long way out of her shell ... she takes a little piece of my heart with her to the rainbow bridge.

One of the great staff at school lost her dear dog last night too. Only 14 her pooch had been battling a bad cough but had been vetted and was on medication. So sad ...

so tragic ... really brings home how tenuous life can be

on fitness ...

In this far too long agility hiatus I've been on I haven't been WORKING ON fitness the same way I was in the spring - not for me not for the dogs ... however I realized today that having built such a good base of fitness for us all has paid off - we've been hiking at the land lots and Brody is a going concern - he keeps up doesn't get puffed- clambers over under and through brush and fences like the big young dogs.
Our young foster dog Fitz has actually gotten fitter through the hikes; he used to need to be carried for a break mid way - today he kept up with the pack.
Brody keeps working on his back muscles too - he offers his cute stretches and dances when he wants something and every morning he balances carefully on his haunches to get his belly rub. I make sure to tickle different spots so he has to rebalance himself - you can actually see his back working!
I've had a heck of a cough the last few weeks so am moving a little slower than usual but still hauling wood, hiking and turning over the veggie garden beds so I guess my own fitness isn't too bad either.
I'd like to get a balance board for the dogs - Sally could use some specific muscle work and recent articles in Clean Run have had good ideas for that .. I think she'd just enjoy the work too (she's actually looking pretty good at the moment - fit and not too skinny or raw). Now, of course, Sally doesn't walk anywhere she RUNS flat out so her aerobic fitness is not in question.

a nice treat

when I got home tonight a large cardboard envelope was waiting for me - AGILITY PICTURES from andy jones (andyjones.ca). I ordered some collages and individual pictures and they all look great!

can't wait to give the gifts away and frame them all

YAY for a nice fall treat!