Catching up with random photos, and introducing Blackthorn Big Ben!

I am not sure where the month has gone. Well, yes I am... work has been very busy (I *do work full time, haha) and I've been busy walking the dogs and training because we had such a great warm spell over Christmas. Today it is -22 C and being stuck inside, I thought I should catch up on blogging. I hope everyone else out there has had a pleasant start to 2012!

These are just random pictures and captions of the last few weeks with my gang. You will see some walking shots, portraits, obedience training and tracking training - plus an updated pic of me taken last week as I continue on my weight loss journey.

First of all - may I introduce BLACKTHORN BIG BEN. 

I just love this photo of the little family, Ben, Ted and Jet. This was on Ben's first big offleash walk. His little Picasso face markings are so interesting! He seems to have Ted's nice build and Jet's personality (though more of Ted's eagerness to please) - I am very excited about Ben as you can imagine.

After a great deal of thought, I have registered a different kennel name with the Canadian Border Collie Association. BLACKTHORN was my GSD Thorn's name. It is also very Celtic. *I know that 'Big Ben' is a mouthful for a Border Collie, but I loved that horse, and have dreams of that partnership with my little pup. Sorry, border collie friends. It may be the only pup I ever breed, so I had to go with it :))

Thorn was part of a 'plant theme' litter way back when. I was searching for something masculine and a biologist friend mentioned the Blackthorn Willow. As fate would have it, it is a favoured wood for Shepherd's Crooks. I own Blackthorn Willow crook from Scottish Stickcraft in the UK. It all made sense. For CKC tracking, Ben will be registered as Spiritdance Big Ben as the name Blackthorn is in use (for GSDs, no less).

On Ben's walk, we practiced recalls. He was always in front! He is one fast little guy.

Pa Ted teaches Ben about the value of a good stick. Ted is amazing with his pup.

Ben took the lesson about playing with sticks to heart!

River came along with the Border Collies. I caught this shot of her in the sunset (around 4 PM, sigh). She still walks for up to an hour a day and is in great shape for 11.5 years old.

River trucking along with the Border Collie gang. These walking trails feel like home in Northwestern Ontario with the trees - though the tree species are different from home.

Caden goes for his own special walk with just me - so I get the exercise of two walks! He needs all of my focus when we walk, plus he enjoys the 'me time.' He is going to be 4 years old this month and is a beautiful boy in his prime.

I created a downstairs office space in the old church hall (I live in a renovated church). IKEA closet takes up half of the hall. The other half is now my bookshelves, computers, printer and the pullout couch for family visits, plus my TV and treadmill. And of course, my awesome bathroom with the soaker tub. Now, my upstairs space is computer free and a peaceful place to write.

Caden is always lying at my feet. I love the loyalty of a GSD and how peaceful he is when he's in the house. This dog comes with such great drive but also, such a nice sweet personality. I don't know how to describe him. Every day I am glad I have this dog. He seems to be what a German Shepherd is meant to be - everything just seems right about him - and he is every bit as clever and athletic as the Border Collies making it a great (and challenging for me) combination!

I've been gradually getting Caden and Ben used to being together. Ben has a downstairs expen for cold days and for eating and time outs. In all the months Ben has been in our lives, Caden has never shown anything but curiousity towards him, accepting him as one of the pack.

Here is the big HAM, Ted. What can I say about Ted - he is smart and sweet. Ted never really liked tracking (reminds me of my Thorn dog in so many ways). What he wants to do is either be beside me, or work sheep.

I feel very sad at times I have not found a place closer, or a place to buy yet (land is SO expensive here, and I just can't live in a trailer, sorry)... it is so clearly Ted's life to work sheep - so I am busy hatching a plan for the coming year now that I've met Leanne Huber in Airdrie, who has been awesome about letting us come work at her place, just over an hour away, north of Calgary... thank you Leanne! I have some goals for Jet, Ted and Ben for stockdog trials and mostly improving my own handling, plus learning to whistle (finally).

Ben on the other hand, is showing so much promise as a tracking dog (yay!). He is the first pup I am starting with SchH style footstep tracking. A student took this picture for me, of Ben on Jan 7 during our warm spell, doing a footstep track. I think Ben will be his Mama Jet's boy on this front.

Here is Ben doing his article indication. Good pup!

Ben also did a short zig zag track on Jan 7. I videotaped (it was after I taught a tracking class) and was able to catch some good stills. I had previously done this track with Jet - about an hour earlier, so I wanted to see how he handled it - Jet's scent being a great motivator. He did very, very well! Here he is on the first leg, and as you can see, this is a college field with a ton of footsteps - so he had to stick to the ones with MY scent (and Jet's). Jet was dead on for most of this track, and I never left the track, so it was OK to run it again. If I had wandered around off the track, I would not have used it again. (just by the way...)

Here is Ben trucking it right out there. I love this photo because it clearly shows he disregarded a lot of footsteps crossing my track. What a great shot, and I was really excited following him - his mama's boy for sure - he has a great work ethic for tracking. And he's only 5 months old!

Here he is at his article. On the track, I just sit the jackpot on it - I am not asking for indications until they are solid off the track. I caught this photo with my regular camer after videotaping his little track. I felt quite proud of my puppy. Note he is tracking on a buckle collar like a SchH boy.

Caden did a short demo track for a few students showing how to be creative in urban locations. On this day, snow melted away from the curb so I laid a track walking on the snow/grass edge. Caden did a lovely job, and as usual was very intense. By the end he was just foaming at the mouth from working so hard. This year, Caden will be going for some field titles in tracking.

I am very grateful to one of my students for taking this. This is the track I did with Jet that Ben re-ran later. Jet is the most brilliant tracking dog. I was trying to demonstrate line handling on turns. I deliberately laid some weird, tough corners for her. She took the first one with no issues. The second one was really hard, and she did overshoot it and had to refind her track - that was the demo I wanted to do. I ended Ben's track before that corner - by the way... I went in to the end, and put an article down for him, then looped around and out to re-run it for him an hour later.

This year, Jet and I are aiming for a TDX and a UTDX. Wish us luck! It will mean driving from BC through to Regina and Thunder Bay for three different tests in a month... as there are so few tests out west. But it will be worth it. I will also try River, and Caden in these tests (crossing fingers to get into them all).  

I taught another tracking class on Jan 7. I will blog about that on the Your Tracking Coach blog later today. I am so excited about every single dog and handler. What a great group of committed people. I see some new TD dogs this year. This is Lynn and Quila the Golden. Look at that dog, and Lynn looks so calm - nice handling in behind. I just love to teach tracking - and to see the teams grow this way. It is a really great feeling for me.

Ben is learning his basic obedience commands now. He will be 6 months old on January 21. I am doing SchH puppy obedience with him. He has learned a very good sit/down/stand and recall. I know that this will carry over to his stockdog future. In this photo, his tail is wagging so hard it is a blur. PS don't look at my floor - the previous owner did not stain it properly with a protective coat. I am re-doing the floors in this house this spring. For now I call it 'old church ambience!'

Here are Caden and Ben at training night with Dan Waters (our guru) and another friend named Jim with his GSD Decker. Ben comes every week now to hang out and do obedience. Caden was doing a long down here.

In this iPhone photo (apologizing for the quality), Caden does a long down while Jim tosses a tug for Decker. Dan sits close by, so I can be on the other side of the room from Caden. You can see Ben absorbing this all in his crate. That box on the floor is for doing sit and down out of motion and recalls - to make sure your dog gets used to always aligning their body in a straight line. Dan made it. I love to train with Dan - I learn so much - especially watching him with his dogs Ali, Bronte and Cila. Ali is the SchH Club of Canada 2011 Canadian National Winner.

River watches me leave to go training from the window. Nothing gets past her. She is doing great and I hate to leave her behind. It is hard to explain that when it is cold, she should not just sit in the cold car at night while I train Caden... this tugged at my heart that night for sure! And what is funny is that she is really going deaf - but I see her in the window like this when I come home too. Maybe she watches for car lights - or maybe she just checks every so often. It is interesting though.

And just a little bit about me.. I am still losing weight. It is a lot of work, but as it goes along it gets easier and easier because it is very motivating. I had my hair cropped and took this photo in my mirror last week. The Border Collies of course, thought it was all about them.

Here is the tally - from January 2011 to January 2012 - -

Down another 40 pounds for a total now of 110 pounds lost. I have 30 to go.

Into a size 12-14, down from size 22-24 when I moved here 4 years ago. The last time I wore a size 12 was in high school...

Lost 9 inches on my waist so far and 12 on my hips.

And - most of all - feeling very healthy and happy!