We are all like Champion, Champion, Champion these days!!!

I have to remember my camera isn't taking indoor photos well. I wish I was I/T savvy enough to figure that out! It makes me crazy! It blurs all indoor photos now. >:/

Anyway, blurry and all here is our newest Champion!! Roscoe APD dog!! That's the title equivalent, sort of, for the USDAA Agility Dog Champion. He finished that title yesterday with Mary and Minnie, lovely older team. We needed that one Pairs leg to finish that title. It's sort of the equivalent to the AKC MACH title, but different. A big accomplishment for a tiny dog. Especially one with such crazy aggression/anxiety issues Roscoe's has. He DONE GOOD!!

Yah for Roscoe!!! He's my little Champion through and through!! Just cuz technically he's an "Accomplished Performance Dog", doesn't make him any less a Champion to ME! See, some day I think they will change that from APD to P-ADCH, which would be Performance-Agility Dog Champion. Whateverrrrrrr............he's my little Champ..............

He wasn't too thrilled with that huge ribbon attached to his collar, but humor me DUDE, wear the ribbon for TWO MINUTES while we get these blurry photos. Thanks, Cin, for taking them and don't worry about the blurry. It's not you! It's this dinosaur camera! Remember I thought Santa might bring me a camera for Christmas? But then remember how Santa only comes to this house for the dogs, horses and cats? I think I am getting some dog treats for Christmas and maybe a pillow.

My MIL noticed me rubbing my neck at Thanksgiving. She gave me a down pillow years ago for Christmas. LOVE that thing, but it is not SO packed down and I have to wad it into this tiny ball, shaping it just so. Made my neck sore the other day. Really sore. I LOVE that pillow and it's now hurting me. I had to go find another in the linen closet and put that pillow aside. Sorry pillow, you were a good friend for many years, but yer old and worn out now. Bye, bye, c-ya, yer outahere!!! Out with the old and in with the new! I think my MIL is giving me a pillow for Christmas.

How did I go from Roscoe, Champion dog, to pillows for Christmas?

Roscoe gets a new exercise machine?

OK, so it is MY treadmill, but as we were setting it up he comes running in and jumps right on it. It was on kind of fast, so I slowed it way down for him and then tried getting on with him. Goodness, he just marched along behind me!! Then he snarked at Spur and Colby who were peeking in the door? Resource guarding his exercise machine! :O I am wondering if I will have to shut him out of the room when I use it?

My MIL just loaned/gave this to us. Please send me lots of good vibes that I WILL use it! I hope I do, I am struggling to keep up my running in the cold and wind and rain and I SURE do feel the benefit of my running for my agility stuff with the dogs. I can walk dogs all day in bad weather, but run? Some sort of mental block keeps me from doing it lately and I have really slacked off, damnit. I am going to give it a good try on the treadmill. I set up a little TV and I am dedicated and hopefully I can keep at it. I am a little worried it isn't tough enough for running, but it seems pretty solid. Mostly metal, kind of heavy, so perhaps it will be good enough. I do need to figure out how to stop a very irritating squeak, but maybe that will be easy?

I am not sure how comfortable I am having Roscoe use it unless I put some safety sides up? I can imagine a tiny paw getting under the belt? Probably not a huge concern, but certainly a concern, especially at a higher speed. I know that the ones made for dogs have sides. Probably not just for the concern of a paw under the belt, but for keeping the dog from jumping off an injuring themselves? I don't know, I saw a bunch of dogs on youtube running on theirs without sides. I guess would also need to have a soft landing behind it for him. He is TOO much! I can't believe he just got on with me!! Colby and Spur didn't even dare get near it once I turned it on. It isn't loud, but it does make a noise. Roscoe, nah, he was happy just doing something with his Mamma! Crazy little buggar!

I promised the delphinium photo, didn't I?

I made a lot of promises. I promised myself I would have everything done, so I could enjoy the holiday without worry. I could just hang out, read my book about Wesley, the Owl, ride my pony, play with my dogs and sip tea by the fire.

I have a list. It's long and tedious and involves things that include the word cleaning. It involves washing and such, words like that. I hate those lists. It also mentions computer time. I LOVE that, computer time. I do sometimes, really, except for the fact that my system is a dinosaur, my screen so small I have to adjust the setting in order to fit everything on it so I can DO that computer work. Then the text is so small, it really irritates me. And because my dinosaur moves SO slow everything takes like forever - FOR - EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

I made promises. To myself and to my list. I think I will go walk dogs at the beach. Maybe light the fire and have some tea and read about how a family of owls might need as many as 26 mice/day. Wow, that's a lot of mice and dad has to catch them all. Busy guy. What list?

Anyone want to help raise money for MinPin rescue?

All Miniature Pinscher Service fund raiser - Raffle!!

Instructions for selling tickets (if you are interested in helping out I can email you this in PDF form to print out email me at camy@maine.rr.com) –

Tickets are $1 each. Drawing will be held January 15th. Please sell as many as you can. Checks are to be made payable to AMPS. Ticket purchases must be mailed to -
Amy Carlson
79 Eastman Rd.
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
*Please be sure to note preferably an email address or snail mail address of each raffle buyer. If cash is accepted you must write a check to AMPS, making sure to note the cash buyer’s contact info. Amy will record and label all tickets and hold the drawing January 15th. All purchases must be mailed to Amy by January 10th. Any ticket purchases arriving after the drawing will be returned.

Item #1 –

$300 Gift Card from Petsmart!!!! Donated by Dorri!! Wow, thanks Dorri!!!

Item #2 –


Pet Photo Convertible Tote -
A bag designed and made by Pam LeBlanc of OldBagzz.com and a AMPS volunteer.
This bag is approx. 12X14 with a ample 4" flat bottom. The bag can be worn over the shoulder, across the body or can be converted to a backpack. The fabric is 100% cotton that is quilted to a soft underbody making the bag soft but very durable. There is a top zip and a back outside zip pocket. The bag is fully lined with pocketed cotton fabric. 100% machine washable.
Pam will put your favorite dog picture on the front of the bag if you are the winner. The bag will be made from the black dog themed fabric shown. Imagine your dog's picture where "Rosie the Riveter" is pictured on the sample bag shown. A $90 value.

Item #3 –

Full-color GPS, 3 1/2-inch touch screen ensures no-hassle menu navigation.* iGo navigation software with 2D and 3D mapping provides an accurate view of streets.* TeleAtlas maps of the US and Puerto Rico let you travel with ease.* Centrality Atlas dual core promises quick responses to your needs.* Route recalculator points you in the right direction if you deviate from your course.* Car and pedestrian navigation modes offer versatility.* SD card slot allows you to expand the device's memory.* Slim, portable design slips conveniently into your pocket for safe transport.* Details: Unit: 3.54"H x 3.11"W x 0.75"D Screen: 3 1/2 in. Includes: USB cable, DC adaptor, dash mount, windshield mount & quick-start guide. Uses 1 rechargeable li-polymer battery (included) Model no. AZ281MA

Retail value $199.99 donated by Phyllis Salerno

Item # 4 Donated by Amy Carlson. Personalized painted plaque. Size 4 x 6 acrylic on wood.

Item #5 -

20.5 X 27.5 Snuggle sack for your wee pups or kitties!!

Machine washable
Fleece lined
Super soft and comfy
A snuggly soft hideaway for your little one. Your dog or cat is going to love burrowing into this bed. It's like having a fleece lined sleeping bag! Never again will your pet have to lie on the hard floor. With a cover made of a cotton-polyester blend and an interior made of Berber fleece, the Snooze Sack is completely machine washable.
Manufacturer: Caddis

Value $35 donated by Phyllis Salerno


Item # 6 donated by Diana Prokocimer

A Moisturizing Bath Soap bar that has a warm delicate fragrance that leaves
your skin lightly scented. Specially formulated with the finest ingredients
to nourish your skin and leave your body feeling refreshed and clean.

The soap has a wonderful mild cinnamon & clove scent and is made in Fall
River, MA.. The smell is good enough to eat!! Box is delicately designed
and is 5 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches. Soap net weight is 11 oz. Value - $19.95

Item # 7 -

AVON GIFT CERTIFICATE donated by Lisa Farley
Valid for $20.00 of AVON Products.

What November looks like around here

The leaves are gone, the grass is browning, the kale is thriving! I still have beets and swiss chard, too.

That's my garden, full of awesome Kale! We will eat that until snow falls, I bet, and maybe even after. It is SO yummy, sauteed with apple slices and butter. YUM!!!! The parsley is also thriving. And just cuz I think he is the cutest thing........ever............ My delphinium is attempting to bloom again. When the sun hits it I will get a photo. Crazy plant!

Darnit, I can't get the Animal Welfare License plate!

I signed up for one when they were trying to promote them, but since we get Combination plates they are not available for us. With Rich's business we need those. If I wanted to put my car magnets on the truck, I have to have Commercial or Combination plates. Most people don't know that, but especially if I were to drive through other states like MA. The laws are misunderstood and can be frustrating, but states are looking for all kinds of ways to generate income and in MA petsitters are being stopped for not having commercial plates and having logos or signage on their vehicles. There are all kinds of silly laws like that, crazy stuff if you are hauling livestock requiring special licensing and stuff. It's really nuts. Most people don't know that technically if you take your animals, including dogs and cats, over state lines you need a health certificate (within thirty days). That goes for all of us travelling for the holidays with our pets. Yep, technically we are required to inform the state we are taking our animals over state lines. I read the law, it's SO vague and crazy. Homeland security at it's best? Don't worry, you won't be stopped this holiday, I don't think. It's just something that those of us in rescue think about, a little.

When we rescued the MinPins from the puppymill bust that occurred shortly after Spur's bust the state told us we had to inform them of where each dog ended up and that they needed to stay in the state. Goodness, I can't imagine all that paperwork. We simply can not keep track of these dogs once they are adopted. We have yearly check-ins with homes, but what they do after they adopt is not in our control. The dogs very well may have left the state. The paperwork we sent with the dogs stated they were to contact the state if they moved or took their dogs across state lines. Yeah, RIGHT!! I bet that happened!! NOT!!

Somehow I seemed to get side tracked. Wasn't I talking about the really cool Animal Welfare license plate??? OK, so if you haven't gotten yours or didn't sign up and get a voucher you can still get one. Just go to your town hall and buy one. They are $20. Most town halls have them. Cape Elizabeth and South Portland do, so go get one!! They are very cool! I want one! And, no, I can't get one for my scooter, either. Double darnit!!!

Facebook?????

Oi, I feel like I am SO old. Or is it "old fashioned". I hear myself saying how we had to walk a mile for the school bus or that we didn't even have a TV when I was growing up. (we didn't - my mom was a 60's left over hippy librarian and we moved back to the earth - to Maine from MA - no TV) Or telling stories about our party line phone. Yep, we had a party line. Shared it with two neighbors. How we didn't have hot running water. My GRANDMOTHER used to say things like that and it drove me nuts!!! Well, la-tee-da, Nana, you lived in the DARK AGES, get over it!! But, here I am telling these stories. Am I that old???? I am .......gasp.......only 46.......that's not old, is it? I have grey hairs, wrinkles, aches and pains, but I am NOT OLD! Damn it!!! I am "aging"? Good GRIEF! How does that happen???? I thought I could prevent old age, aging, getting old. I thought that when I was 20. :D I run, I eat well, I am hardly ever sick, I am in great shape, I walk about 10 miles/day, sometimes I run (yes, I said sometimes!) but I do feel that old fashioned crap creeping in.............old age..........aging............worrying...........saying things like.......... "When I was young........"... ........but...........I am NOT OLD!! Right? I am "mature". Yep, mature, but my dad always said when he grew up he would get a motorcycle. He is 72 and still doesn't have a motorcycle!

So, being that I am SO OLD, should I have a facebook page for my business? ACK! Rich says YES, I say..........O........M...........G!! Rich is so hip, I'm just old.

I guess......................and why would that scare me? Facebook? I'm going to do it, yep, I am. You watch! Soon............

Yay, Mom brought us CHICKEN for dinner!!!

Can you believe it???? Yep, my friends brought their young (baby, she is only 10 months old) parrot, LeBec over for dinner. I mean, to join us for dinner. Oi, the puns could go on and on. They have been told it is good to get their parrot out for new and different experiences as often as possible. They absolutely LOVE this parrot!! Colby is safely in Steve's arms, but she is KIND OF EXCITED!!! Roscoe had to be crated with a kong. LeBec's feather fluffing and cute noises just BLEW HIS MIND! He couldn't understand how they could bring him fresh "chicken" and not let him eat it!!!!! Spur doesn't have a killer bone in his body. Maybe for a bug or an ant, but he wasn't at all interested other than to wonder about her noises. If she took flight, game on, he would have enjoyed the run, but her wings are clipped and I believe her sense of self-preservation was keen, so she stayed where she was, either on Laura's head or her perch which was on the table. We ate at the island and she stayed on her perch until dinner was done, then she joined us and had some left-overs. Good girlie!

That's the first time I have had dinner with a parrot!

CPE trial over the weekend!! Spur's second ever!

Spur was a little nervous the first day, so I avoided the teeter. It is REALLY loud at this place, but he was trained there as a youngster, so I thought it would be a good place for his second trial. We just haven't been there in a year, so I didn't want to get a pattern going by making him do the teeter the first day. I could avoid it the first day since they didn't have Standard until Sunday. And that was our last class on Sunday (we only did two classes), so that was good. He got better and better all weekend about the sound of it when other dogs did it - BANG - he got tons of cookies. It makes a REALLY loud bang and this is a loud room, very crowded and quite a bit of stuff for him to take in. I was very proud of him. He did great! Not super fast crazy man, but GREAT and he showed that he wanted to go out and run! He is just learning to recover from his worries better and better. And I may have a new start line behavior. In this video we are barking at each other before we get started! He thought that was great fun!!! BARK, BARK, BARK!!!!! Great stress release, I think!! Plus, it's cute and he enjoys it. Well, his bark isn't cute, sometimes he barks in my ears at home and YIKES it hurts those ear drums!! :O But, at a trial, at the start line, FUN, FUN!!

I am not sure what I was thinking, planning a back cross before the second tunnel, but he loves his tunnels and back crossing tunnels is good for him, so I wanted to take the opportunity. But, I should have front crossed. I was standing there waiting for him. It worked OK, though and he recovered from the scary teeter. Trotted some on his dog walk, but it looks like he ran the up part, so that's good! Didn't worry about the recoil from the teeter, which is a pretty loud bang and can really bother him. Good little monkey pants was only 2 seconds behind the MinPins, so that's respectable, really! He won his class. There were only 5 other dogs, but he was WAY faster than those dogs, so that was nice. CPE is a good place to start a worried dog and maybe I will do some more with him this winter. The courses are short and easy.

**Now, I am almost over the bitchy lady with the other mini-aussie, puppymill dog. Almost.........I am starting to settle about it and just say that one other reason I was so worked up about it is that I really, REALLY wanted to say Hi to her dog. I mean, he was one of my charges while I was working there all those difficult days I volunteered. Seriously, I invested a lot of time, energy and emotional output with those dogs. I feel a bond with them. A connection and I was SO thrilled to see one so close to Spur's age doing agility and out and about. But, it wasn't to be. She just shuffled him off to his crate, protecting him from whatever it is she thought she was protecting him from. She really wasn't doing him any favors. I know, Spur was like that and I have worked REALLY hard getting him to come out of his shell and learn that life as a real dog is pretty cool and that life outside a puppymill is A-OK. You all know Spur has had/has his issues! Oh well, at least he is well loved and "protected". I'll give her that, she does love him. I just wish she would get him out and let him learn some more about life in general and not coddle and protect him so much. She might find he does a lot better if she stops doing that. Who knows..........

So, maybe if I vent here all will be well with the world.

I saw him, cute as a button, being gently guided into the building at the CPE trial. I thought, OH MY, that dog must be from Spur's kennel. Yep, my friend I am talking with says so. I track the lady down!!! I can't WAIT to share stories and such, about our little adorable mini-aussie-pap-crazy-monkey-pants-cute-stuff that we rescued from the gates of hell. Well, not really, it was just a temporary shelter and crappy puppymill and these dogs were not THAT bad off, but still it was great to see one that MIGHT be Spur's sister! Nope, it's a boy, so it was probably just a cousin.

I chat and chat, all cheery and excited to hear her stories about him and tell mine about Spur. BANG..........shot to the ground, bleeding and gasping. She shot me!

OK, maybe I am being melodramatic, but seriously she pretty much shot me down. The conversation was essentially over. I asked if she wanted the dogs to meet, it would be fun to see if they recognized each other, I thought. She says she would have to wait, she is working the next class. O - K - the next class, well we still have to finish this other class. We have plenty of time. Oh and also she informs me she may not let the dogs greet if mine is too rambunctious. Spur? Hahahaha, he IS rambunctious, but he is a very submissive boy, to which she looks at him and raises an eyebrow. He is, he is submissive and a weenie dog when greeting other dogs. Anyway, I leave her alone, perhaps she thinks I am now stalking her. I run the next class, with Spur, she is ring crew and watched from her chair in the corner. I can't wait to hear what she thinks of Spur's run. We do share similar issues.

Later I go find her in the crate room. She had just run her dog and I had just run Colby. She was talking notes. She has a trial journal. She makes notes about her runs, her Q's, her titles, etc. I peeked. I gleefully blurt out how great her dog looked and what a nice run she had. He looked kind of down, trotted mostly, but he seemed pretty happy. I am sure he has issues, just like Spur. She asked me to step back, her dog was having his cookie. O - K - I was already about 8 feet away!! I chat some more, starting to wonder if she really does feel like I am stalking her. I ask if she does USDAA, because Spur has done some and we love it. She says....."No, USDAA is too competitive for me and I do this just for the fun." .............BANG!!! Shot again!!! Um? I do this because it's torture?????.....again I am starting to bleed......... I squeaked out....."Oh......, well........., I think USDAA is the most fun!", trying to smile and be cheerful when I really want to bitch slap her..........how rude, I thoroughly enjoy USDAA, my dogs have tons of fun, you slimy, arrogant........and lots of other words I shouldn't say came to mind...........and I slink off, wondering why she never said anything about Spur's run that she watched from her ring crew chair in the corner. He looked pretty happy! I thought.

I realise that she was definitely irritated by my presence. I was interrupting her notes. Her dog's cookie. Her little 10 foot bubble she holds around her "space", ready to cattle prod anyone within reach, to protect her dog and keep him from experiencing FUN, for crying out loud. I started to feel bad for her dog. He is never allowed to visit other dogs, he gets shoved in his crate while she sits there taking notes. He isn't rewarded for being ring side and learning to deal with trial stress and social skills. What fun was he having? In his little bubble of 10 feet, with her to laser beam anyone within reach, pushing everyone away so he can have his COOKIE!!!!! The poor dog thinks life outside the puppymill is all about Mama controlling every tiny little burp!! Her notebook had all her titles and scores and notes. But, rememberrrrrrrr...........she is not competitive. She's having "fun".

Should I have a note book? Should I be more protective of Spur? Geez, I already have Roscoe to worry about, that's enough protection for me for one day. Nah, it's all about the fun and Spur doesn't need protecting, he needs to get out and experience things, sometimes even troubling things. Ribbons, notes, whatever. I do have my little video showing Spur looking pretty happy. Not super great, master agility dog, or super fast zooming around the course like he is at home, but we will get there some day, he's learning. He's learning and experiencing.............. experiencing .........FUN!!!

I hope I meet her dog some day. I hope I never see her again. Is all right with the world? No, but what did I expect. Henry Ford said it best.........."Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right". I think I can with Spur.

Taste like chicken, is chicken!! A lesson on chicken sex.

The farm is always evolving. The newest addition are the chickens. There are two hutches. Danny rigged up the coolest movable hutches. My folks have always used this technique. Chicken weeding. A movable pen so the chickens can scratch and eat the weeds. It is moved daily. My folks pens were never this fancy. Danny's is SO cool! It has small bike tires on one end so it rolls along, and the cover is a truck cap. In the cap are roosts for laying their eggs. There is a rooster in each one. Kathy and I were not sure why. I know my folks always had roosters, but why? Chickens don't need him to lay eggs. If I remember right I think my folks said fertilized eggs taste better. OK, sounds good to me.

I gave Kathy some chicken sex education the other day as we walked past. Chickens have sex - hole to hole. I don't know why that fascinated me as a kid. Maybe I wondered what fun that would be? Does that make chickens lesbians? Is the rooster a hermaphrodite? No, he would then be sterile and no he isn't a lesbian, he has sperm. It's a strange visual since the rooster is a male, but that's how they do it, hole to hole. It's called a cloaca. Chicken people call it the "cloacal kiss". Sounds SO romantic!

These photos show the pen in the rhubarb field. Each day he moves the pen. The previous day's ground, which has been "weeded" and scratched up, then gets some compost added. They are now working on the second row.

The little "electric" fence around the field is there to keep dogs and people out, if possible.Danny feared his eggs were being stolen. Probably were, by kids? I think the pen might now have a lock on it, also. They get closed at night and locked. In the morning he gathers the eggs and moves the pen.

November hunting season and a FoFF event this weekend!

Many of you know I take in feral kitties to live in my barn from Friends of Feral Felines. This year I lost my little heart disease gal, she succumbed to her bad heart at only seven. I decided to add two new females this year. Juno has already been acclimated and is adjusting well. She is VERY sweet and just LOVES me and I LOVE her. A quick movement or noise sends her scrambling, but she is venturing out slowly into the lean-to. Nice to have one who doesn't want to go far. The next one is Leta, pictured here. She is very young, 4-8 months? She is PSYCHO kitty!! One minute she lets me rub her head and chin, then the next she FLINGS herself at me, hoping to escape. There have been a few close calls and I have a few scars/scratches. I am finally breathing a little easier as she was spayed on Monday and my vet said a minimum of three days. She is so young and healthy she will heal really quickly, cats do. Amazing, really, she tried to escape the afternoon of her spay when I brought her home. :O She thinks she has gone to hell. Like a hell she has never imagined in her wildest dreams. She is in HELL. I have a large dog crate, with her supplies, a smaller cat crate inside that and her new snuggle bed on top of that. Still, it is HELL.....H....E....L...L.......... HELL!!

This morning I started thinking she has resigned to her fate and is almost depressed. She hardly ate last night. But, today I rubbed her head a lot and sat and talked with her and she ate. She still thinks she is in.......H........E..........L.........L!!! Tomorrow will be five days since her spay, so I may let her out tomorrow night. Saturday will be very quiet around here, so she can explore without too much activity to cause her to bolt. Friends of Feral Felines is doing a fund raising event Saturday. Here is what they sent me -

This Sat., 9-3, FoFF is holding its first Fall Feline Frolic, a fair featuring local artwork & crafts, baked goods, cat-themed items, books, holiday & other miscellaneous items for sale. Cats will also be available for adoption.
Location: 643 Forest Ave., Oddfellows Bldg (corner of Woodsfords St. & Forest Ave.)
There are still lots of kittens coming in & large colonies needing to be neutered so please attend & shop the fair so there will be fewer cats left out in the cold this winter. Thanks!
Jill Cournoyer
Fair Coordinator
tel. 207-878-8896

It's November hunting season around here. Mole hunting, that is................

Colby thinks she is a working dog. I know her form here isn't proper. A proper pointing dog would point with it's front leg, but Colby is a MinPin. Terrier ancestry. Pointing genes in there probably a long way back, but enough, that she points........sort of -

Her skill is listening, using each ear and then both ears............

Then the POUNCE!!!........

Mole got away. They usually often do, unless she can get it upon first spotting it.

Can a dog in a purple coat, one that is 13lbs be called a working dog? Farm dog? Yes, I think so. MACH Colby, my best farm dog. Although, didn't she kill a baby turkey this spring??? Hmmm, my dad might say a turkey killer isn't such a good farm dog. He has a dog - it doesn't hunt. A proper farm dog. His dog actually is only skilled at greeting customers and playing soccer. But, that's the best farm dog for him!!

Did I tell you I hated technology?

I know, I DID say that. And I do, but I don't mean it. I am SO obsessed. Like when I try to look up my stats on the USDAA website because the trial I entered on Sunday after Thanksgiving could be Roscoe's APD. What's an APD? Similar to a MACH only for losers. Well, not really losers. In USDAA they don't call it a MACH. That's AKC terms. In USDAA (United States Dog Agility Association for all you non-agility friends), the MACH equivolent of sorts is the ADCH. Agility Dog Championship. So, what's this APD? Accomplished Performance Dog. Geesus, that sounds so uninteresting and weak. Like the kid in school you remember who needed special tutoring, was "brilliant", but could not take the test the rest of us took. Perhaps, as funny chick in CA says, rode the tiny little school bus wearing the giant name tag. That's Roscoe, he has the giant name tag and rides the tiny little school bus with the other special kids. So, he doesn't get an ADCH, he gets an APD.

What's the difference? Not much, a few inches and a few seconds, really. See, Roscoe measures 12.88 inches at the shoulders. Because of that he needs to jump a 16" jump through all those years and all those classes to get his ADCH. Roscoe is NINE pounds, his rump is high, his knees are straight, his head is not put on well, he's "screwy". He can't handle jumping 16", damnit!! So, he jumps 12" and is quite happy about that. He is allowed a few seconds here and there to manage the same course and gets an APD when he has done all that the "other" dogs do. The "Championship" dogs. Roscoe is a "Performance" dog. So, he gets an Accomplished Performance Dog award. Big friggin' whoop! Listen, the little dog ran all those courses clean, ran fast and furious and happy and good. I keep calling it his P-ADCH. That's really what it should be......a P-ADCH. Some day they will call it that and I will feel good. Right now, when Roscoe gets his APD I will celebrate, but there are many who will think it just isn't the same as an ADCH. Phoey on them!!!

OK, so like Colby's MACH he will only get this if he and his Relay partner can run clean. We have ONE more Relay Q to get and that's that. He has run clean several times where his partners didn't. Let's hope we can both run clean this next trial. If we don't, he won't get dinner...........oh, YES HE WILL! He's my little special boy and I LOFF him and there is no way he would let me forget his dinner, anyway. ;D

Beach party anyone? November 10th, yes - we live in Maine!

They said 60's today. Low tide this morning. Kathy and I decided to take the dogs to the beach before I headed off doing my mid-days. We ran into the cutest shihtzu mix. Duke, Dude, we weren't sure, but he was cute and obsessed with George's ass! Spur, of course, could only think of one thing.........attaching himself to George's neck. Poor George, he puts up with it..........why?? Got me!? That's one tick I would kick it's ass if it tried attaching to MY neck! George just let's him do it time and again, so our walk consists of me yelling ...........SPURRRRRRRRRRR..........actually, it's more like........SPR!..............really fast, sharp, clear. It's said differently than Spur. Or SPURRRRRRRRRRRR. It's just a quick sharp......Spr!, as if the letters run together and there isn't a U in there. Spr!!!! He knows that Spr!, means "Remove yourself from George's neck, please, NOW!" It sounds different.........Spr!! SPR!I am just about to yell.........SPR! (see him hone in on George's neck like a magnet?)Phew, little shihtzu-mix broke it up and Spur looks at me, like..... Whaaaaat? Got a cookie?? George and shihtzu-mix sniff privates........

Finally Spur breaks free of his tick hold.............

Roscoe "Dog Class High"

We did an APDT Rally trail over the weekend. Just one day. We have never done APDT before and it is very different from AKC. AKC has SO many strange rules. Like one time as I was lining up to get the ribbons I had Roscoe's coat on and picked him up. It was a rainy day, cold and damp and he was COLD. I was told he should not come into the ring with his coat on and that I can't pick him up in the ring. HUH??? We were just coming in for the ribbons, what possible difference did that make?? The AKC can be SO stuffy.

APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) is MUCH nicer to the dogs! It's really all about the fun of it. I learned you can even get done with your routine and let your dog jump into your arms!! How COOL is that??? In obedience!!! AKC would have a COW if I ever did that. I bet they would take away a first place ribbon for it. Really! In APDT Rally you are encouraged to speak to your dog. In AKC you are "allowed", but will definitely get penalized for too much chatter. Roscoe was DOG CLASS HIGH at this trial and I am wondering why? I think it was because it is SO much more relaxed, I could really speak and encourage him and it just fueled his fire. YIKES!!! We didn't get the perfect scores we like and have gotten used to, but the crowd thought he was HYSTERICAL!! That also fueled his fire, his fans. Roscoe has a bunch of new fans! People asked me if I could bottle his energy and sell it to them. Damn, wish I could. Trials are not cheap!

It was great fun and I look forward to the next one. Spur did so well he beat Roscoe AND Colby!! I took advantage of the ability to really encourage him and he ROCKED! He LOVED it! There were three other Buxton puppymill dogs there. Two did the trial and did pretty well. One was just there hanging out, she is a bull dog and was quite nervous. Poor thing spent years at that kennel, so she is a mental wreck and has severe epilepsy and won't ever do trials.

APDT Rally is a BLAST!!!

When I ask how your dog is, maybe I don't need to know how your husband's colonoscopy went.

Does that make sense? Not that I don't care about your husband........or do I, care? Um, I have never met your husband. It would be common courtesy to say the words that I care. Or to sound interested. Did I sound interested or say anything? I don't think I said anything or looked interested. I think I nodded, wondering to myself how your dog is? I never got the answer because.........well...........the image of the colonoscopy kept coming up and I walked away hoping to find something in the grass to distract me like so often happens with my dogs. That happens so easily and so often with dogs. I guess in humans it would be considered ADHD? Being so easily distracted by bugs, the wind, the smell of the dryer vent, a worm that just landed in your hair. You know, those oak tree worms that hang down from the tree limps and you just can't avoid them landing in your hair. It never happened to me, there were no hanging worms, or strange irridescent green beetles that Colby likes to catch, at that moment.....nothing.......nothing good enough to distract me from thinking of that ............. thing...........going...........into that place............

My favorite email ever!

First I am going to put one of my favorite photos, ever! This is my good friend, Laura and her good friend, Justice the malinois. This photo was taken at Tree Frog Farm in Yarmouth where we do agility class. They were hanging out watching and enjoying the beautiful day. It looks like someone just told them a good joke!!..........The photos that follow were taken in Portsmouth a couple of weekend's ago at the Iron Dog Challenge put on by the police barracks there. Just the most awesome thing!! You HAVE to read about it!!!

Read about it here -http://www.nhlgc.org/lgcwebsite/wdf/events/iron_dog_challenge.htm

And here is what Laura wrote about it -

"Justi and I competed in The Iron Dog Challenge in Portsmouth, New
Hampshire. Police and their dogs compete and civilians are also allowed to
compete with their dogs.
You run with your dog through trails in the woods, and both of you do low
crawls under barriers, jump hurdles, find shotgun shells, hit a target with
tennis balls (that one I did by myself!), scramble over a fence. At one
point, the human has to stop and do push-ups and sit-ups and carry big
concrete blocks to a certain point. Later in the course, you have to carry
your dog a distance (I am glad Justi is so petite!!!). The hardest thing
for me was getting over the maybe 5 1/2 foot fence because it was absolutely
smooth. Justi had no problem.
After you completed the course for time, your dog does a 60 yard sprint. I
had Justi go after my husband who had on a bite sleeve and was cracking a
whip. Justi was deliriously happy.
We won our age division but the most fun was competing with Justi! She had
such a blast and was so ramped up that she really improved my time!"

Oh---MY----GOD-----Laura and Justi, you ROCK!!!!!

Does Roscoe see ghosts?

Funny chick in CA says her dog does.
http://www.teamsmalldog.com/blog/index.html
Her dog sees dead people in the agility ring at dog shows. He's all crazy, monkey pants high at home and at dog class, but at trials..... he sees dead people. Stops in the middle of a great run, looks off at something..............dead people?..........then worry, worry, worry. He sounds like dogs I know. Dogs I know well. Dogs whose names might be Spur or maybe Roscoe. I know them - well. Not sure Spur sees dead people. I think he hears them in his head............."watch out, little buddy, that tippy thing might bite you!".......or they say......."that bar thing you jump over might fall down and whack you in the head"......but, that doesn't happen much any more. It did yesterday when I tossed his ball and it landed under a jump. Jump bar fell down on his head. But, I don't think he heard voices for long. He quckly grabbed his ball and kept going. He recovers, now. No voices, no dead people? Spur's head is free of unnecessary stimuli?

Roscoe, he sees dead people and hears voices. Maybe not dead people, he maybe just sees images and circus freaks and black dogs coming to get him, but maybe not dead people? He sees a black dog and he thinks about death. His own, it happened once, nearly dead-by-black-dog. I think his meds help him, they quiet his mind, less chatter going on in there, his vets at Tufts call it unnecessary stimuli. That's what we hope to quiet with the clonidine. Unnecessary stimuli. Perhaps keeping him from going into his corner and sharpening his knife or doing his rosary. Or hearing voices from dead people? Hopefully.

Yes, he has vets at Tufts. Not just Dr. Dodman, Dr. Ogata, too. Roscoe has multiple vets looking out for him. He's special.

ARGH!!! I hate technology!

NO I don't!!! I didn't mean that, honest, I don't hate it, really.......... I LOVE it! Technology, don't go gettin' yer feelin's hurt, I LLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE you!!!

I am addicted to the internet and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my digital camera. I feel insecure without my cell phone, LOVE that thing. But..............you knew there was a but? But, but, but, but, but...........sometimes I HATE technology. Really, I HATE it with a capital H! Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate IT!

I thought by switching to Rich's camera, one just like mine only a slight upgrade, would help me. Trouble is, it doesn't work! I mean, it takes blurry photos! OK, well outside I seem to be a pro. Beautiful, lovely photos. You saw the Sand Hill Crane. Lovely! Indoors, not so much. I don't get it! I have tried all the different settings and I just can't get them to come out well. It is making me NUTS!

This post was to be all about how the chilly mornings, before the sun comes out and warms things up my Pin Heads start being lumps. One must always touch the lump this time of year at our house before sitting down on any comfy furniture. Here is the first lump........ And here is my technology challenged photo of the Pin Head under the lump.......So, this lump isn't blurry. YOU explain that to me! What the heck..............He grumbled when I opened his snuggle sack.

Do you think if I complain enough I will get a nice, new, really expensive camera for Christmas? Does complaining ever get you anything? Santa stopped coming to my house a while back. I mean, he would come, but just for some cider and muffins. Then flew off leaving a few crumbs. I think he figures I spend too much money on other things through out the year and besides, Christmas isn't about ME, is it. Really???? But, I want, I want, I want ................

some new technology which........... I hate SO much.