The downside to having to use Blogger as a host for the blog is the problems that Blogger sometimes throws at me. I can't upload photos from my computer. I've sent a complaint into cyberspace where it will be soundly ignored. There are other options to upload photos, namely putting them in a Picassa web album and then ushering them into Blogger from there, but the process to upload into Picassa is insane and takes so long I can't be bothered - first I have to resize every photo because if I leave them the original size it takes forever to upload and sometimes Picassa freaks out and can't load them at all. That means, if I want it to work and work quickly, I have to resize every photo I want to upload and do it all individually. If you have ANY idea how many photos I take you'll know this is a huge time suck. Also, if you are uploading to Picassa you have to do it *one*at*a*time. You can't be finding and queuing up the next photo while it's thinking about the one it's working on. You have to wait for the first photo to finish and then carry on to the next. Infuriating.
So, in place of photos you get a story.
When I lived in Pictou we'd walk behind the town where there was an abundance of wildlife the dogs could sniff out. I have no idea what they ate while out there but I'm sure I don't want to know the details. I do know what Leeloo rolled in and the deer poop they'd eat but otherwise the other goodies they ate were often a mystery. One of the things that concerned me was Boy's cyclical illnesses. It would always start with him not wanting to eat, some diarrhea and a couple days later he'd be fine. I dewormed him with various medications and asked the vet about it but there didn't seem to be anything that preceded the illness that I could pinpoint. It just happened every 8 or 10 weeks and then he'd be fine. I put it down to something he was encountering in the woods but since I couldn't stop him from coming into contact with every twig and bush, there was nothing I could do.
Since moving to the property here Raimi has never had a single episode of illness. We've been here almost 6 months now and it didn't occur to me that he hadn't been sick because we were busy and I just never thought about it.
That was until 2 weeks ago. One morning we woke up and I knew that face. The Sad Boy face. He didn't want to eat but did in the end to prevent the girls from stealing his breakfast. I could tell he was not feeling good at all, he hunkered down in his chair and every time I caught his eye his face would wrinkle up in self pity. I was a bit worried about him but when I got home from work he was himself again. I sighed internally, thinking that we were back on this weird cycle and there was still no indication to pinpoint the issue.
About 5 days later he was sick again. Dammit Raimi. What IS it? Again he ate, although reluctantly, and then was fine later in the day. Now, lest you think I'm a terrible dog owner and am just letting him suffer, I had been running through my head all the things he'd been eating in the woods and was going to be talking to the vet about possible bugs in various animal poop. He eats all kinds of things in the woods - bark, branches, dirt, cat pooh ... and I wondered if it was the cat pooh. He'd certainly encountered that behind Pictou - the Feral Cat Capitol of the World - and I thought perhaps it was that delicacy. I don't have deer here, that has as much as been confirmed by the total lack of poop and tracks in the snow and any other animals packed up and moved out once they saw who moved in.
So this morning I woke up and Raimi was not on the bed. Sort of unusual for him and I just knew he was sick again. I got up and there he was, on his chair, looking most sad. I let everyone else out and spent a moment with him, talking him through his clearly upset tummy and asking him what was wrong. I made their breakfast and fed the girls and rather than stress him out by leaving his dish down I set it up on the stove out of the way.
Then I heard it, the start of the dog barf. I shuffled him outside and thought he was just going to throw up the usual bile and left over dog food. Instead he surprised me by vomiting a very sorry looking sock along with bits of a treat he'd been fed yesterday.
I recognized that sock. I'd seen it before. In the back yard. It has already spent some time in someone else's tummy although I'm not sure if it was Cora's or Leeloo's. I was taking the dogs for a walk a few weeks ago and spotted this lumpy mass on the grass of the dog yard, thought it was a dead animal but it turned out to be one of my ankle socks - thoroughly digested. I kicked it out of the way and thought when I next clean up the poop in the yard, I'll scoop that up too. Well, as it happens, it snowed shortly thereafter and I wasn't able to clean up the yard and there the sock stayed.
Until, for whatever reason, Raimi decided to eat it. Perhaps it smelled like dog food (since it had been in a dog tummy and I'm sure it came out the front door instead of the back door) or perhaps while he was sniffing it one of the other dogs came to see what he had and he ate it so they couldn't have it. In any case, that is where the sock ended up and stayed for what estimate is just over 2 weeks. I suspect every now and again his tummy tried to either move the sock through or send it back the way it came, but wasn't having any luck with either. All he needed was to feel ill enough to throw up and thus, this morning, success.
Leeloo has eaten countless socks in her youth. I couldn't believe how many I found in tidy little bundles in the spring after the snow melted. They'd come out one way or the other and been buried with snow. She was a habitual and very sneaky sock eater and I never knew she'd eaten one until it came out. Cora didn't inherit this most annoying gene, mostly because I grew to be very careful where I left socks, but also because she likes to just play with things and has rarely eaten what she shouldn't.
Boy has never eaten a sock in his life. In fact, come to think of it, he was a remarkably good puppy. He didn't often wreck things and his usual downfall was candy, so to see a sock come out of this dog was a big surprise. I am really hoping that this is the reason he was having his Sad Boy moments. I guess we'll see!
I don't often worry when the dogs eat something simple like a sock (or underwear) because mine have a habit of getting things out one way or the other and also because you don't often see them eat something they shouldn't. They are very sneaky about it, particularly if they know it's something they are not supposed to eat! These days the thing I spend most of my time trying to stop them from eating is the branches and bark in the woods - they like to eat partially decomposed wood. Tasty. I still don't know what made Raimi sick before we moved here but since there are no deer here, and therefor no poop to eat ... I suspect that is the culprit. Let's hope so.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Just for the Record
New Year's Day I always like to take the dogs out and photograph them as a sort of record of the day. This January 1st is was gently snowing, there was little to no wind, it wasn't very cold and there was snow on the ground which allowed them to explore and dig and have a great time.
I love big flakes of softly falling snow, it acts as an insulation to sound so the world is muffled and sounds are never so sharp. Anything to give Cora an excuse to pretend she can't hear me. It's strange though because I know the dogs, if they get some distance away from me, can't always tell where I am when I'm calling them. The added benefit of the snow, for me though, is that I can just follow their tracks to see where they've gone! Especially this one ... Cora is always disappearing on her own little adventures which is why I am always calling her name, the neighbours certainly know I have a do named Cora.
Esme wears the suit and it's taking a heck of a beating, let me tell you. I had to put red duct tape on the front between her legs to act as a chest shield because she had torn it up a bit dashing through the woods. The reflective tape on the side is also coming off, she must have caught it on something, and there are little rips in a few spots. She is not easy on her clothes! I'm looking forward to the day I can take her hair off and use a regular suit for her and I'm sure she is looking forward to that day too. She hates the application of the suit, the getting dressed part, but I know she prefers to wear it because twigs don't get caught in her coat.
Leeloo doesn't wear a coat when it's not too cold - partially because she doesn't really need it and partially because I need to get her a new one. The old one has been altered by Cora and needs a little help to stay closed. It's really a matter of me buckling down to repair it ... I'm sure I'll get to that during the long winter nights. As it is, once she gets going, she forgets she doesn't have a coat and spends a lot of time sniffing through the snow and gazing into the woods.
Raimi, on the other hand, wants his coat all the time and almost refuses to go out without it. He can be a bit of a sissy, especially if it's raining. If he thinks it's raining he stands about 10 feet from the door, peers out and then backs away. He knows if he comes any closer I'll just grab him and shove his butt outside. He does the same thing if he thinks it's cold or snowing but usually I can convince him to go out anyway. Just typical that the biggest and toughest looking dog in the house is the softest, sissiest one.
I love big flakes of softly falling snow, it acts as an insulation to sound so the world is muffled and sounds are never so sharp. Anything to give Cora an excuse to pretend she can't hear me. It's strange though because I know the dogs, if they get some distance away from me, can't always tell where I am when I'm calling them. The added benefit of the snow, for me though, is that I can just follow their tracks to see where they've gone! Especially this one ... Cora is always disappearing on her own little adventures which is why I am always calling her name, the neighbours certainly know I have a do named Cora.
Esme wears the suit and it's taking a heck of a beating, let me tell you. I had to put red duct tape on the front between her legs to act as a chest shield because she had torn it up a bit dashing through the woods. The reflective tape on the side is also coming off, she must have caught it on something, and there are little rips in a few spots. She is not easy on her clothes! I'm looking forward to the day I can take her hair off and use a regular suit for her and I'm sure she is looking forward to that day too. She hates the application of the suit, the getting dressed part, but I know she prefers to wear it because twigs don't get caught in her coat.
Leeloo doesn't wear a coat when it's not too cold - partially because she doesn't really need it and partially because I need to get her a new one. The old one has been altered by Cora and needs a little help to stay closed. It's really a matter of me buckling down to repair it ... I'm sure I'll get to that during the long winter nights. As it is, once she gets going, she forgets she doesn't have a coat and spends a lot of time sniffing through the snow and gazing into the woods.
Raimi, on the other hand, wants his coat all the time and almost refuses to go out without it. He can be a bit of a sissy, especially if it's raining. If he thinks it's raining he stands about 10 feet from the door, peers out and then backs away. He knows if he comes any closer I'll just grab him and shove his butt outside. He does the same thing if he thinks it's cold or snowing but usually I can convince him to go out anyway. Just typical that the biggest and toughest looking dog in the house is the softest, sissiest one.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Back to the Future
I just said goodbye to possibly the best year I have ever had and it's hard to believe so much was packed into 366 days. They were eaten by time with alarming speed and the phrase 'blink and you'll miss it' seems wholly inadequate. I started the year with some goals in mind, as I always do, and am happy to report that every single thing I set my mind to was accomplished, conquered, and completed. I have the luxury of the blog to be able to accurately remember what happened in the course of a year as sometimes our memories play tricks on us.
January brought fresh ideas and hopeful plans for the coming year. The first of the year's excitement with the final breeding between Raimi and Leeloo. During the weeks that followed Leeloo demonstrated her disgust at being pregnant (again) and Raimi carried on like any Boy who's just had his way with a girl. Esme obliged by coming into heat just 3 days after Leeloo and so Boy's torture was extended. Cora was a naughty puppy just as she should be.
February saw lots of snow, lots of walks and a simple waiting game for Leeloo to produce, or not, her second and last litter of puppies. I took the time to enjoy a new place to walk the dogs, along a frozen creek bed, little knowing we'd have our own before the year was done.
March was an exciting month, the puppies arrived safe and sound and Leeloo was a most capable mother once again. She was delighted they were not out and not in and I was extraordinarily pleased she had produced no ridgeless or even a flawed ridge in this litter. She had refined her mothering duties with the last litter and treated this brood with the excellence of experience. Cora also came into heat and made her Daddy crazy with longing but fortunately there were no unhappy incidents!
April showers bring growing puppies and did they ever. This group of no-good-nicks spent a lot of time being naughty and adorable, just as they should. Cora was delighted when she realized that these were dogs that she could play with and spent a lot of time nibbling gently and inviting them to play.
May flowers blossom and grow and head to new homes. It was a bitter sweet time for us as everyone left to start their new lives - except for Leeloo, she was delighted they were leaving. Boy also got neutered and barely noticed which sort of follows considering his brain power was reduced by half in having his testicles removed. I also prepared to sell my first house and looked forward to the prospect of being able to get a home that offered a safe area for walking. The house was cleaned top to bottom, listed on the market and then we waited.
June surprised us with a sold house in barely 4 weeks in a market that usually saw homes listed for 6 months or more. The hunt was on to find a new place to live and I was lucky enough to find a home, although no bigger than the previous house, that had almost 4 acres to call our own. It was a done deal, after a lot of sweating through the financing because of lack of follow-through by bankers (you'd think they'd want my money), and we started to pack to leave the home that took care of me and mine for the first three years in Nova Scotia.
July brought us home to Three Brooks. Not big, not impressive but all mine and acres of safe running space for the dogs. All we needed was a fence (then a bigger fence!) and the dogs have never been happier and have rarely left the property. They are thrilled with the many and myriad adventures that await them right outside their own back door.
August was hot, the hottest summer I have experienced in my entire life and it never let up for a moment despite the hours upon hours of work that needed to be done outside in order to set up the property the way I wanted it. I have never worked so hard or sweat so much or been more gratified with my own accomplishments. I like to think the dogs appreciate all my hard work too ...
September started Cora's championship point count and a visit from her brother Luke who was already well on his way to his Championship. We also prepared for a Autumn and Winter in the country. More exploration of the property found interesting new paths, changes in a few plans and I kept making myself more work with more ideas and projects than I knew what to do with. Most of the projects involved making things as safe as possible for the dogs!
October was certainly a month of ups and downs. Leeloo returned to the show ring like an old pro and at 4 years young strutted her stuff at the CFC show in Truro and showed the world that she still has what it takes. Zero also returned to the ring after a hiatus and snapped up yet another Regional Specialty Best of Breed which makes him a Multi-Best in Specialty winner - so much for retirement! Sadly, the same weekend Invictus lost one of our own under the most tragic circumstances and Rifka will always be remembered as a shining star looking down on the puppies she had to leave behind. As for me, I made the long awaited trip to Barbados and had a wonderful time enjoying the sand and sun, seeing my first cockroach, getting a wicked burn and spending some quality time with my parents. In writing this during the cold of December 31, I can assure you I wish I was back there!
November brought us even more great weather, albeit a little wet (but at least we don't have to shovel it) and more yard work for me. I swear, the place will look amazing in Spring. Leeloo started the month off with a bloat scare but fortunately that resolved on its own - still, never underestimate the seriousness of bloat! Zero once again proved his worth and won his second consecutive Award of Merit at the RRCUS National Specialty in Florida - this boy was on fire and he was not even being campaigned! At the end of the month I held a Ridgeback Reunion and several of Raimi and Leeloo's 'kids' came to visit. It was a great time and I am very happy with how well adjusted and well behaved everyone was - they are a credit to their wonderful owners and to Raimi and Leeloo.
December brings everything to a close for the year 2012. At the beginning of the year I set forth my goals, I even mentioned them in my blog way back in January and here we are, all accomplished. For the last several years I have spent the months leading up to the New Year making plans for how the next year would play out if everything went perfectly. I have never been disappointed except by my own procrastination.
My advice to anyone and everyone who looks to a year ahead - don't wish for change, make the change a part of your life plan. Certainly there are things that get thrown in your path that set you off course or cause you to alter direction, but in making decisions and setting goals you can drive toward what you envision in your life. I mentally mark out every month with milestones I want to reach and projects to accomplish - every single month has something to look forward to. I have done this for years and I have rarely been foiled.
This year I plan to work some more on the yard (because it will be amazing, you'll see), add a couple new champions to the Invictus roster, write a lot more, welcome a litter of puppies, go on a couple trips, show my BFF Deena around my adopted province (squeeeee! can't wait!), and finish some major projects on the house. As always the plans for my life include the dogs and most things I do are centered on their comfort, safety and convenience. They are always worth the extra effort and we wouldn't have it any other way. Here's to looking back at a wonderful 2012 and forward to an equally amazing 2013!
January brought fresh ideas and hopeful plans for the coming year. The first of the year's excitement with the final breeding between Raimi and Leeloo. During the weeks that followed Leeloo demonstrated her disgust at being pregnant (again) and Raimi carried on like any Boy who's just had his way with a girl. Esme obliged by coming into heat just 3 days after Leeloo and so Boy's torture was extended. Cora was a naughty puppy just as she should be.
February saw lots of snow, lots of walks and a simple waiting game for Leeloo to produce, or not, her second and last litter of puppies. I took the time to enjoy a new place to walk the dogs, along a frozen creek bed, little knowing we'd have our own before the year was done.
March was an exciting month, the puppies arrived safe and sound and Leeloo was a most capable mother once again. She was delighted they were not out and not in and I was extraordinarily pleased she had produced no ridgeless or even a flawed ridge in this litter. She had refined her mothering duties with the last litter and treated this brood with the excellence of experience. Cora also came into heat and made her Daddy crazy with longing but fortunately there were no unhappy incidents!
April showers bring growing puppies and did they ever. This group of no-good-nicks spent a lot of time being naughty and adorable, just as they should. Cora was delighted when she realized that these were dogs that she could play with and spent a lot of time nibbling gently and inviting them to play.
May flowers blossom and grow and head to new homes. It was a bitter sweet time for us as everyone left to start their new lives - except for Leeloo, she was delighted they were leaving. Boy also got neutered and barely noticed which sort of follows considering his brain power was reduced by half in having his testicles removed. I also prepared to sell my first house and looked forward to the prospect of being able to get a home that offered a safe area for walking. The house was cleaned top to bottom, listed on the market and then we waited.
June surprised us with a sold house in barely 4 weeks in a market that usually saw homes listed for 6 months or more. The hunt was on to find a new place to live and I was lucky enough to find a home, although no bigger than the previous house, that had almost 4 acres to call our own. It was a done deal, after a lot of sweating through the financing because of lack of follow-through by bankers (you'd think they'd want my money), and we started to pack to leave the home that took care of me and mine for the first three years in Nova Scotia.
July brought us home to Three Brooks. Not big, not impressive but all mine and acres of safe running space for the dogs. All we needed was a fence (then a bigger fence!) and the dogs have never been happier and have rarely left the property. They are thrilled with the many and myriad adventures that await them right outside their own back door.
August was hot, the hottest summer I have experienced in my entire life and it never let up for a moment despite the hours upon hours of work that needed to be done outside in order to set up the property the way I wanted it. I have never worked so hard or sweat so much or been more gratified with my own accomplishments. I like to think the dogs appreciate all my hard work too ...
September started Cora's championship point count and a visit from her brother Luke who was already well on his way to his Championship. We also prepared for a Autumn and Winter in the country. More exploration of the property found interesting new paths, changes in a few plans and I kept making myself more work with more ideas and projects than I knew what to do with. Most of the projects involved making things as safe as possible for the dogs!
October was certainly a month of ups and downs. Leeloo returned to the show ring like an old pro and at 4 years young strutted her stuff at the CFC show in Truro and showed the world that she still has what it takes. Zero also returned to the ring after a hiatus and snapped up yet another Regional Specialty Best of Breed which makes him a Multi-Best in Specialty winner - so much for retirement! Sadly, the same weekend Invictus lost one of our own under the most tragic circumstances and Rifka will always be remembered as a shining star looking down on the puppies she had to leave behind. As for me, I made the long awaited trip to Barbados and had a wonderful time enjoying the sand and sun, seeing my first cockroach, getting a wicked burn and spending some quality time with my parents. In writing this during the cold of December 31, I can assure you I wish I was back there!
November brought us even more great weather, albeit a little wet (but at least we don't have to shovel it) and more yard work for me. I swear, the place will look amazing in Spring. Leeloo started the month off with a bloat scare but fortunately that resolved on its own - still, never underestimate the seriousness of bloat! Zero once again proved his worth and won his second consecutive Award of Merit at the RRCUS National Specialty in Florida - this boy was on fire and he was not even being campaigned! At the end of the month I held a Ridgeback Reunion and several of Raimi and Leeloo's 'kids' came to visit. It was a great time and I am very happy with how well adjusted and well behaved everyone was - they are a credit to their wonderful owners and to Raimi and Leeloo.
December brings everything to a close for the year 2012. At the beginning of the year I set forth my goals, I even mentioned them in my blog way back in January and here we are, all accomplished. For the last several years I have spent the months leading up to the New Year making plans for how the next year would play out if everything went perfectly. I have never been disappointed except by my own procrastination.
My advice to anyone and everyone who looks to a year ahead - don't wish for change, make the change a part of your life plan. Certainly there are things that get thrown in your path that set you off course or cause you to alter direction, but in making decisions and setting goals you can drive toward what you envision in your life. I mentally mark out every month with milestones I want to reach and projects to accomplish - every single month has something to look forward to. I have done this for years and I have rarely been foiled.
This year I plan to work some more on the yard (because it will be amazing, you'll see), add a couple new champions to the Invictus roster, write a lot more, welcome a litter of puppies, go on a couple trips, show my BFF Deena around my adopted province (squeeeee! can't wait!), and finish some major projects on the house. As always the plans for my life include the dogs and most things I do are centered on their comfort, safety and convenience. They are always worth the extra effort and we wouldn't have it any other way. Here's to looking back at a wonderful 2012 and forward to an equally amazing 2013!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Dangerous Minds
Lest you think I allow The Boy's adoration to go to my head, I am going to remind you that I also own three bitches who burst my bubble on a regular basis. The girls certainly do love me and want my approval but often times I think the approval is more like "You will approve of me Mommy, or else." The girls also look at me with reverence in their eyes which I read as more of a "How did she get to be in charge?" than straight-up hero worship.
The girls are calculating and in my experience a truer statement was never made. They look at you, into you, through you and although it's often said that dogs do not have a concept of the future, these bitches know how to plan and are often forward thinking enough to keep me guessing.
Halo's breeder Erin once told me that the girls always have an agenda. Never make the mistake of thinking they've forgotten about something just because they're no longer paying direct attention to it. They are always paying attention; to you, to their end game, and they never hesitate to strike when the moment is right. They always know when you are not looking.
They sometimes work in tandem, especially in the field, and I have to really watch their level of excitement when two girls want to bay themselves up a Boy. He is currently sporting some new war wounds from a couple of over-zealous bitches. It's eerie to watch when they 'hook up' almost telepathically and copy each other's actions. That's when you have to be on particular alert. This "Children of the Corn" moment had me especially focused on their next move!
They are also better at communicating intent or desire with me. Leeloo is especially insistent I understand what it is she wants and will go to great lengths to make herself clear. Cora and I have developed a language where I finally understand what she is trying to say when she speaks to me - and she likes to chat! Esme has always been pushy and extremely direct in her motivations and doesn't let any 80 pound Ridgeback stop her from reaching her goals. Boy is, and has always been, passive when it comes to what he wants. If the cat is in his chair he fusses and then gives up whereas yesterday I watched Cora stare at the cat a few moments, then poke her, then nibble her gently on the chest until finally Fat Cat decided to shift her chubby arse. Cora hopped up on the chair and settled in. It's a pretty popular chair in point of fact.
Let it never be said that the bitches don't have a special connection with me - they certainly do as individuals and I simply adore the challenge owning these girls offer. They keep me humble, grounded and constantly guessing what they'll do next. It's just harder to know what's going on in their brains since The Boy is pretty simple. I like the dynamic we have here now, there is a peaceful balance and everyone knows their role. I'll always be in charge but sometimes I let the girls think they are just to keep them guessing too ...
The girls are calculating and in my experience a truer statement was never made. They look at you, into you, through you and although it's often said that dogs do not have a concept of the future, these bitches know how to plan and are often forward thinking enough to keep me guessing.
Halo's breeder Erin once told me that the girls always have an agenda. Never make the mistake of thinking they've forgotten about something just because they're no longer paying direct attention to it. They are always paying attention; to you, to their end game, and they never hesitate to strike when the moment is right. They always know when you are not looking.
They sometimes work in tandem, especially in the field, and I have to really watch their level of excitement when two girls want to bay themselves up a Boy. He is currently sporting some new war wounds from a couple of over-zealous bitches. It's eerie to watch when they 'hook up' almost telepathically and copy each other's actions. That's when you have to be on particular alert. This "Children of the Corn" moment had me especially focused on their next move!
They are also better at communicating intent or desire with me. Leeloo is especially insistent I understand what it is she wants and will go to great lengths to make herself clear. Cora and I have developed a language where I finally understand what she is trying to say when she speaks to me - and she likes to chat! Esme has always been pushy and extremely direct in her motivations and doesn't let any 80 pound Ridgeback stop her from reaching her goals. Boy is, and has always been, passive when it comes to what he wants. If the cat is in his chair he fusses and then gives up whereas yesterday I watched Cora stare at the cat a few moments, then poke her, then nibble her gently on the chest until finally Fat Cat decided to shift her chubby arse. Cora hopped up on the chair and settled in. It's a pretty popular chair in point of fact.
Let it never be said that the bitches don't have a special connection with me - they certainly do as individuals and I simply adore the challenge owning these girls offer. They keep me humble, grounded and constantly guessing what they'll do next. It's just harder to know what's going on in their brains since The Boy is pretty simple. I like the dynamic we have here now, there is a peaceful balance and everyone knows their role. I'll always be in charge but sometimes I let the girls think they are just to keep them guessing too ...
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
The Guardian
I was chatting with Taryn the other day about the way The Boy looks at me when we were discussing the puppy she's chosen ... or that chose her. She said Sequana already looks at her the way The Boy looks at me and so it bodes well for their future together. If you've ever had a dog like The Boy you'll know what I mean. If you haven't I will try to elaborate. I am lucky enough to look into the eyes of a dog that would breathe for me if he could. If he was able to reach into my chest and gently pump my heart to make it beat, he would. If he knew I was in mortal danger he would not hesitate to protect me, with limb or with life; whatever it took. If he knew how to stop pain he'd be my Aspirin. If he isn't near me he wants to know where I am. If he is near me he wants to be touching me. If he wakes from a nap the first thing he wants to see is me. When he sleeps the last thing he wants to see before his eyes close is me. He never questions his love, he never wonders if I love him too, he never hesitates to wag at my voice. I reach down to touch his head, his back, his side and there is always a moment of knowing, of feeling, that he is a rock that will not falter until his dying day. His happy cupping ears, the low wag and dancy feet, the stretch of joy that I know so well, the gentle nibbles when he is overcome with glee. He does all this for me, because of me, and only me. We should all be looked at like this, no matter the age or the breed of dog. I think it makes us appreciate love more, to be looked at like this, because this kind of love is variously impossible to find in people. With Boy there is no, and will never ever be, any question of loyalty, truth or monogamy. He will never leave me on purpose, he will never hurt my feelings by accident or design. He can't see the future and doesn't know anything more than what he loves right now and what he loves, and will always love, is me. He is not my child, my husband or my boyfriend and never gets treated as anything more than what he is: a beloved canine companion. However, beyond those words lies something deeper, something stronger and something, in particular ways, better, than any other relationship I've ever had. One day may you be blessed with eyes like this that look at you with so much love it cannot be adequately described.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
It's been 9 weeks since the tragic loss of Rifka. Her puppies are now ready to head to new homes and it's been quite a journey watching these guys grow up. Raising an orphan litter is no easy task, especially when there's so many mouths to feed, but Taryn managed it with a little help from Lola - the puppy's aunt - and several selfless friends who gave whatever they could to ensure the survival of these little babies.
Taryn has wisely decided not to send some puppies home until after Christmas because it can be a difficult to integrate a new puppy into a home during the mayhem of the holidays. I am very impressed with the puppies in this litter and Rifka and Manny certainly did not let Taryn down with their 'kids'. They show incredible promise and I am delighted at least one, Ellie, will be heading out here to the East Coast to live with her cousin Peggy from Leeloo and Raimi's second litter.
Taryn has made her choices about what puppy she is keeping to attempt to fill the shoes of her beloved Rifka; little Sequana is staying and has already made her mark on Taryn's heart. Taryn let Sequana choose her, instead of the other way around, because it was important to her that the puppy she kept connected to her the way The Boy or Cora connect to me (see the Atonement post). In only looking for show quality you can sometimes choose a dog that isn't meant to spend its life with you - you also have to choose the personality that best fits your lifestyle.
Not many people will be able to understand what Taryn went through during the whelping of this litter or the depth of the loss that she experienced. There are no cut and dry guidelines when it comes to whelping or when you should get to the vet when your dog is in labour. If there was a Magic 8 Ball of Whelping I'd sure love to get one and so would thousands of breeders across the globe. We are all simply guessing, trying to figure out what's in there, what's going on, who's on their way out and when they might arrive. It is not easy to tell what the bitch is feeling, you are constantly second guessing the process and you never ever know when something is going to go wrong.
An experienced and honest breeder would never say there are cut and dry guidelines for when you should get to the vet - or really anything to do with breeding. Reproduction can throw you for a loop and you'll never know when; sometimes with perfection, sometimes with stillbirth, sometimes with puppies missing parts (ears, tail, leg), sometimes with extra parts, sometimes with parts on the outside that should be on the inside (intestines, brains). And sometimes the bitch dies and its no one's fault.
Rifka didn't die because Taryn didn't get her to the vet on time, or because she didn't know what she was doing, or she didn't have the money to pay for that magical and extra special veterinary care that guarantees no loss of life, or because she was irresponsible, or she didn't care about Rifka's life, or that she didn't read the "Cut and Dry Guidelines" book on whelping. Rifka died because sometimes that's just what happens and these are the chances we take when we breed dogs.
It is still unaccountably, inexplicably and vastly unfair that Rifka died, but Taryn tells me that she can feel Rifka visiting her some days, just as sometimes I accidentally call Esme by the name of my little heart Puli Petal who has been gone now almost 5 years. I think it's a way for the dogs we've loved and lost to remind us they are still here touching our lives while they patiently wait for that fateful reunion. Until then Taryn is going to enjoy watching Rifka's legacy grow up and I'm sure will see different shades of her in every puppy. They may have been raised without their dam but with the conscientious care of Taryn, Door, and Frejya (and sometimes Willow) they have developed into shining representatives of their mother and their breed. So many people are heavily invested in this litter and we are all proud to know and be a part of the Elyia family.
Taryn has wisely decided not to send some puppies home until after Christmas because it can be a difficult to integrate a new puppy into a home during the mayhem of the holidays. I am very impressed with the puppies in this litter and Rifka and Manny certainly did not let Taryn down with their 'kids'. They show incredible promise and I am delighted at least one, Ellie, will be heading out here to the East Coast to live with her cousin Peggy from Leeloo and Raimi's second litter.
Taryn has made her choices about what puppy she is keeping to attempt to fill the shoes of her beloved Rifka; little Sequana is staying and has already made her mark on Taryn's heart. Taryn let Sequana choose her, instead of the other way around, because it was important to her that the puppy she kept connected to her the way The Boy or Cora connect to me (see the Atonement post). In only looking for show quality you can sometimes choose a dog that isn't meant to spend its life with you - you also have to choose the personality that best fits your lifestyle.
Not many people will be able to understand what Taryn went through during the whelping of this litter or the depth of the loss that she experienced. There are no cut and dry guidelines when it comes to whelping or when you should get to the vet when your dog is in labour. If there was a Magic 8 Ball of Whelping I'd sure love to get one and so would thousands of breeders across the globe. We are all simply guessing, trying to figure out what's in there, what's going on, who's on their way out and when they might arrive. It is not easy to tell what the bitch is feeling, you are constantly second guessing the process and you never ever know when something is going to go wrong.
(Photo credit Amelia Payne Birch)
An experienced and honest breeder would never say there are cut and dry guidelines for when you should get to the vet - or really anything to do with breeding. Reproduction can throw you for a loop and you'll never know when; sometimes with perfection, sometimes with stillbirth, sometimes with puppies missing parts (ears, tail, leg), sometimes with extra parts, sometimes with parts on the outside that should be on the inside (intestines, brains). And sometimes the bitch dies and its no one's fault.
(Photo credit Amelia Payne Birch)
It is still unaccountably, inexplicably and vastly unfair that Rifka died, but Taryn tells me that she can feel Rifka visiting her some days, just as sometimes I accidentally call Esme by the name of my little heart Puli Petal who has been gone now almost 5 years. I think it's a way for the dogs we've loved and lost to remind us they are still here touching our lives while they patiently wait for that fateful reunion. Until then Taryn is going to enjoy watching Rifka's legacy grow up and I'm sure will see different shades of her in every puppy. They may have been raised without their dam but with the conscientious care of Taryn, Door, and Frejya (and sometimes Willow) they have developed into shining representatives of their mother and their breed. So many people are heavily invested in this litter and we are all proud to know and be a part of the Elyia family.
Rest In Peace - Rifka 2007-2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Atonement
I'm not sure I've mentioned it but I adore Cora. She is certainly a one of a kind Ridgeback in my house. She has inherited some of Leeloo's quirks and I sincerely appreciate the things about her that I can pinpoint as being from each of her parents. Her brown toenails are from her Daddy Boy, her giant ears too, but the shepherd's crook at the end of her tail and the indefinable weirdness is Leeloo all the way. Being goofy is from both parents that's for sure! But when I look at her siblings, and there are 18 of them, she doesn't look a single bit like any of them. I know who she looks like, I know where some of the things she does come from. I look at Cora and although I see her parents, there's something else in there, something that feels like a bit of a second chance, an opportunity to get it right. Something to do with Halo.
If you haven't been here long you might not know about Halo. She is my foundation bitch, Raimi's mom, and she was my first Ridgeback. Prior to getting Halo all my research about the breed told me it was tough, you had to be firm with them, you had to start early, be aware of their independence ... but no book prepared me for how sensitive they are. The breed is a strange combination of steel and marshmallow. With Halo I was firm from the start and I think I put too much pressure on her, in several ways, which prevented us from making a solid connection. I didn't understand until Raimi was born what the connection was supposed to be and didn't realize until then that with Halo it wasn't there. I have spoken to several Ridgeback owners about this and they admit that with their first RR, they too didn't realize the precarious balance that must be struck with this breed and also regret the type of training they used.
.JPG)
So when Halo had finished her litters and we moved to Nova Scotia and I realized in the first few months I didn't know what to do with her. I didn't feel the same way about Halo as I did about The Boy and Leeloo, or even Archer (who was just a puppy at the time). We didn't have the bond that is so important to a dog and that she so richly deserved. At 5 years old, I knew Halo needed a home that was not me. People question placing retired show dogs, some breeders criticized me for it (although not directly to me), but they are not here, they don't know and perhaps have never been in that situation. In short, Halo deserved better than me. Thankfully a wonderful home landed on my doorstep and Halo made her way to Quebec to live with Pia who has described Halo as the best dog she has ever owned (and she's owned other 'retired' Ridgebacks in the past from other breeders). It was the best thing I could do for Halo, she will be 9 in the New Year and I still hope to make it up to Quebec one day, perhaps to see her one last time. She doesn't look her age, that's for sure!
In some ways I feel like Cora is my redemption. And my penance. Because she is, bar none, the naughtiest and most challenging dog I've ever owned. I sometimes wonder, if I hadn't been such a strict trainer with Halo, if she wouldn't have been just like Cora is with me. I look into Cora's eyes and feel her soul.
And I'm sure she reads me like a book which is to my detriment. I won't lie though, I have probably been a bit too lenient with Cora and that has made her more naughty than average. She plays me all the time and I am sad to say I let her. It's hard to say no to this.
She is also very manipulative and strangely direct at times which is a hard thing to balance when you're a dog, but she does it easily.
Cora looks a lot like like Halo and as she matures I am seeing the kindness and shape of her eyes as a combination of Halo and Leeloo rather than just Leeloo. She has Halo's brains for opportunity and is basically an improved version of her. She also has Halo's athleticism which is something I hope to bank on in the New Year. She can leap a 4 foot fence from a stand still, easily clears an 8 foot creek and neither of her parents can touch her cornering skills. I am looking forward to the new adventures of Cora in the coming years and perhaps at last coming to terms with the better job I could have done with Halo.
I wasn't fair to Halo and she knew it. Everyone always told me how well trained she was and what a good job I did with her, but she and I knew the truth. I put too much pressure on her, I expected too much, I didn't understand and I regret my inexperience. In some ways I think she is channelling through her grand-daughter and making me pay for my mistakes - as we all must do. Still, thank you Halo for sending me Cora, she is a delight and a devil and even though you are a thousand miles away, you are still well represented in this house.
If you haven't been here long you might not know about Halo. She is my foundation bitch, Raimi's mom, and she was my first Ridgeback. Prior to getting Halo all my research about the breed told me it was tough, you had to be firm with them, you had to start early, be aware of their independence ... but no book prepared me for how sensitive they are. The breed is a strange combination of steel and marshmallow. With Halo I was firm from the start and I think I put too much pressure on her, in several ways, which prevented us from making a solid connection. I didn't understand until Raimi was born what the connection was supposed to be and didn't realize until then that with Halo it wasn't there. I have spoken to several Ridgeback owners about this and they admit that with their first RR, they too didn't realize the precarious balance that must be struck with this breed and also regret the type of training they used.
.JPG)
So when Halo had finished her litters and we moved to Nova Scotia and I realized in the first few months I didn't know what to do with her. I didn't feel the same way about Halo as I did about The Boy and Leeloo, or even Archer (who was just a puppy at the time). We didn't have the bond that is so important to a dog and that she so richly deserved. At 5 years old, I knew Halo needed a home that was not me. People question placing retired show dogs, some breeders criticized me for it (although not directly to me), but they are not here, they don't know and perhaps have never been in that situation. In short, Halo deserved better than me. Thankfully a wonderful home landed on my doorstep and Halo made her way to Quebec to live with Pia who has described Halo as the best dog she has ever owned (and she's owned other 'retired' Ridgebacks in the past from other breeders). It was the best thing I could do for Halo, she will be 9 in the New Year and I still hope to make it up to Quebec one day, perhaps to see her one last time. She doesn't look her age, that's for sure!
In some ways I feel like Cora is my redemption. And my penance. Because she is, bar none, the naughtiest and most challenging dog I've ever owned. I sometimes wonder, if I hadn't been such a strict trainer with Halo, if she wouldn't have been just like Cora is with me. I look into Cora's eyes and feel her soul.
And I'm sure she reads me like a book which is to my detriment. I won't lie though, I have probably been a bit too lenient with Cora and that has made her more naughty than average. She plays me all the time and I am sad to say I let her. It's hard to say no to this.
She is also very manipulative and strangely direct at times which is a hard thing to balance when you're a dog, but she does it easily.
Cora looks a lot like like Halo and as she matures I am seeing the kindness and shape of her eyes as a combination of Halo and Leeloo rather than just Leeloo. She has Halo's brains for opportunity and is basically an improved version of her. She also has Halo's athleticism which is something I hope to bank on in the New Year. She can leap a 4 foot fence from a stand still, easily clears an 8 foot creek and neither of her parents can touch her cornering skills. I am looking forward to the new adventures of Cora in the coming years and perhaps at last coming to terms with the better job I could have done with Halo.
I wasn't fair to Halo and she knew it. Everyone always told me how well trained she was and what a good job I did with her, but she and I knew the truth. I put too much pressure on her, I expected too much, I didn't understand and I regret my inexperience. In some ways I think she is channelling through her grand-daughter and making me pay for my mistakes - as we all must do. Still, thank you Halo for sending me Cora, she is a delight and a devil and even though you are a thousand miles away, you are still well represented in this house.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)