Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers!!  Celebrate big with family, turkey and pie. :)

I opted to stay home this Thanksgiving as I just didn't feel up to travelling my my parents; you know, with going back to work, germs creep back into my life and I feel a tad flu-ish. So, I celebrated quietly with dogs, a roast chicken rather than turkey but certainly with pumpkin pie! I also went out with a friend for coffee, had breakfast yesterday with my brother and his family and managed to get the dogs out for some play times.

There's been LOADS going on around here... dogs have come and gone. Macy and Dory have both moved out- they were the cute little Newf mixes. Paco, the Jack Russell spent one night here then moved on to another foster. Maggie is here, for an undetermined length of time, but I'll get to her. At one point, I had 6 dogs shoved in and learned that is CRAZY!

I've also started to look for a new vehicle. My trusty Buick is no longer quite so trusty so I am moving onto to a mini-van I suspect. I'm not in a rush, but I certainly felt some sticker shock as I visited Honda on Saturday. Sigh.

I've cleaned the house, cleaned kennels, cleaned cages, worked and done yard work. So, there's reasons for the absence, but I do apologize.... But, we're back!!

Everyone here wants to wish you a happy Thanksgiving should you be celebrating this weekend....

Sophie, napping happily on the loveseat. :)

Maggie. She's a lab. She's 8 and her owner is dying of lung cancer. She's the wrong colour, but other than that, I LOVE her. She technically has an application in on her already and she may well move to Edmonton, but in the meantime, I am trying to figure out if I can let her go. She is a sweetheart of a dog!

Spikey. :)

Murphy. Why do I always manage to cut her ears off? LOL

Even Dru and the crew want to say happy thanksgiving. The girls are thankful for a brand new SPECTACULAR cage, with 5 shelves for their amusement.

Zander, peaking out who is grateful to move into the girls old cage- even if I haven't completely redone all the shelf liner.

Anyway, from my crew to yours... happy Thanksgiving!

Time to lighten and go for a run

It's been pretty heavy around here lately with me working hard on Grad School and Sophie working overtime as a canine hoover. However, she's recovered fully and is back to her normal, bratty self.  In honour of that, I decided to take the dogs for a run at "Gopher Heights", AKA, Rebecca's field at The Poop Guys.

My dogs LIVE to go to Rebecca's. I have NEVER had dogs this excited to go to their boarding kennel before. Let me demonstrate the joy a bit... a snippet of video, filmed on the gravel road, just outside Rebecca's place. (Just so you know, I pointed the camera over my shoulder to film as a I crept down the gravel road... there was no danger in the filming of this clip, even if I was driving at the time.)

And, a second clip to give you even more of a grasp on what I live with.. CRAZY, SCREAMING dogs!  This tends to happen for a good 3-4 KM's before arriving. They know when the car points in the direction of Rebecca's that there is fun to be had.

Now, it's really hot out today. I let out Spike's newest girlfriend Maggie for a play and she really didn't want to move too much. But, isn't she gorgeous?? And, she's a very laid back Sophie, so I was tempted to swap them and see if Mag's owners realized, hehe. Something tells me they would know right away, HA!

Isn't she pretty? 

Then, I let the little dogs out for a run in the big field. This includes Murphers, who I like to let play with the little uns occasionally, just so she doesn't forget she's small, like them.  There were the two cutest little black Shih Tzus. And, Santa of course, along with Izzy and Quinn.

I have no idea if that is Chewy or Truck Truck, but he's sure a cutie!

And, Quinn of course, sunning herself before Murphy came along and jumped on her, leading to a game of chase.

As for Spike, I didn't see much of him once he was out... he was zooming here and there, looking for gophers.

Oh, there he is.... 

And, there he goes...

He doesn't really stop moving, unless he wants to attempt to dig a gopher out of a hole. There was none of that today, just running, running and more running.

Poor little Murphy attempted to run with the big kids, but sadly she was separated by a fence.

That's ok, she sure can fence chase!! Look at that turn... I hope that starts to turn into a lovely swimmer's turn for flyball! :)

And, of course, there is Sophie who insisted on doing lots of fence chasing herself, with Murphy and Santa (who moves to fast, let me tell you to get a decent photo!)

Here she comes...

Here she is... yeah for happy Sophie!

And, after all that running, the black dogs needed to cool down.... so the question is, how many Black Dogs can you fit in a tiny pool?

Well, 2 until Sophie forces Spike out...

Tired, tired Sophie girl!

And, last but not least,  Murph with her RIDICULOUS ears!! Seriously, is she a Jack Russell or a German Shepherd??  

Adventures in lawn cutting

My lawn was bad. There's no question that my lawn was part jungle and had really gotten out of control. With all the rain we've had this summer, my lawn has grown and grown and I should have cut it before I left for my few days away but sadly I didn't. So, I set out to tackle it today and lucky for you, I have pictures of the adventure, complete with my helpers!  I use a reel mower, in an effort to be eco-concious but I have to admit that it doesn't cut the lawn that well at the best of times, but when it's this long it's a horrible amount of effort and the result is spotty at best. I'll likely have to redo it tomorrow or Tuesday, but such is life.

This photo doesn't really do it justice, but in places the lawn was above that jump height, which just for the record is 6".  The lawn is so long, I couldn't even spot the extra jump bars, hiding.

Little Murphy, who is really not that little. Yikes, long enough she has to bounce through the grass, and all you can see in places are those crazy ears.

Yum, yum... sometimes I think Sophie is part cow!

"I think this blade tastes good! Erm, not sure. Get that camera outta my face, woman!"

Such a cute little midget!!

Almost a great doggy shake photo! Ah well, Sophie loves her pool, after grass eating duties are over!

"Really, we're helping, Ma!"  My girls, snacking on the lawn.

Spike does not like to get in the way, so he tends to hide whereever he can, when the lawnmower comes out. This time, he is standing in the doorway of the garage.

Ah, that's better.  A shady spot out of the way. Believe it or not, that lawn was cut already. 

Spike and Murphy. Yup, I think he's finally come to accept the fact that she's staying.

Sophie and Spike. Spike's reaching for a bone here, and Sophie is sitting very akwardly. It's a sign that her hip is hurting a bit today, post trip to Rebecca's. However, she's not limping, just a little "sway backed" when she walks so it's not as bad as it could have been!

And for good measure, Murphy with those truly absurd ears!

Why we love walkies....

I love taking the dogs for walks for lots of reasons... solitude and quiet out there on my walk route out of town, a chance to burn some energy and calories for all of us, fresh air. But, the best reason is simply because I have learned lately that a good Jack Russell is an exhausted Jack Russell, so here she is, post walk....

Normally Murphy can at least manage to look up and glare, but not this morning!  It's hard work keeping up with the big dogs, after all!

And, of course, a shot of my Sophie, looking sweet and charming on my bed.

Tired girl!! :) Yup, we love our walkies. And, yes, for the record I CAN walk all three dogs at once, I just have to watch the leashes is all. 

RMB's for Breakfast.

It's a Raw Meaty Bone day around here... I thought for a treat and because I am not in a rush to get anywhere today since it's Saturday. As well,  I hardly slept a wink thanks to my storm phobic Spike and my early riser Murphy, so I thought they might as well eat a bone today as I am barely moving yet.  The plan for today is to take Spike and Murphy to train some agility at the field, then to take everyone (including Max the foster) for a play at Rebecca's. Tired dogs are much better behaved. Anyway, lucky Murph got a bone AND her usual partial patty as she's a skinny little monkey these days!!

Anyway, sensible places to choose to eat your RMB... Sophie, chooses the yard.

Yum, yum!

Murphy chooses her blanket in the office. Good choice, my girl!

She loves her RMB's!

Look at those bat ears. Sigh.

Where's Spike you ask?? Of course, in the lap of luxury because who wouldn't want to eat a bloody, raw bone on their mama's bed?!?  Yes, it's true... he chose my bed. Sigh.

The worst of it? I left him there, thinking I have to wash bedding today anyway. Ugh.