Whale watching. Exactly zero whales watched. We see more walking on our regular beach walk on the way to work. There were sticks and it was spring. Don’t always have to see what you were setting out to look for to have a good day.
There’s our regular beach. There was a tiny bit of rain, for like, one day. We are still in drought. You have exactly one minute for your shower. Hope you’re not too thirsty.
An agility trial during the week. I took a couple days off work right in the middle of the week and we went to Dixon for team. And we picked up that elusive team Q. Even though I may have E’d. Thank you team mates of excellent talent and patience. This means Gustavo is now qualified to run in every event at this year’s nationals-Grand Prix, Steeplechase, Fancy Challenge, and Team.
Who woulda thunk?
We took at walk in our old walk outside the grad building at UCDavis. Where I went to grad school 20 years ago, and where I took Timmy duck chasing almost every morning with a giant plastic mug of coffee. He’d chase the ducks, and I’d chase him. I went to our old warehouse, and knocked in the door. The students there were just like we were. Nothing much has changed. Except they have facebook. I was just some creepy old former artist in sporty pants walking a bunch of dogs. I felt like a ghost from the future. I babbled to them about Kurt Cobain’s death and the forest and manifestos.
One of them wanted to know, did I end up a happy person?
Yeah. I did.
Facebook. We are there a lot now. I am embracing and posting things. Because it is helping me with my new project. Which is I’m looking for a puppy. I have fallen down the puppy hole. All my dogs have always come from the pound or the side of the road or somebody who found them on the side of the road. I’ve been looking in those places and none of them seem right anymore.
So now I am talking with breeders. And puppy relatives. It’s confusing and overwhelming and I have probably talked with you at some point and watched cute videos of your dog. I don’t remember now. Who is related to who?
I’m ready to train a new dog. And I want to start with a puppy. And I want a puppy that has a chance of learning to get good at agility with me. I want to do a good job. Future puppy may be the biggest member of team small dog, but hopefully not too big. And I think it might be a girl. And it might not be black. I don’t know. I’m trying not to expect too much.
I’ve been on first dates with puppies in rescue. I have seen a million videos. I can read a pedigree tree. I may go flying away on a plane. And I might have to wait and wait and wait. Hopefully not too long. But I am pretty sure that in my future, there’s a puppy out there that’s perfect to join our team.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
I know you know this, but just keep firmly remembering that it costs just as much to keep a crazy horse as a non crazy horse.
Dog. I have this feeling you might get a boy even though you are thinking about a girl. I would say a Malinois is too big for your house, so at least that is one breed to non – consider. Even though you were already non-considering. But good for upper body strength from tugging. And can live in an rv. With other medium sized dogs and a cat. But could freak out agilty folk with scary lunging barking sometimes and other times no problem, everything A-OK. Maybe because Ariel bit her really hard at 9 weeks. Maybe just because. Puppy miracle of clean slate. Except for complicated genetic things. You really loved Hobbes, so that's a check in the border collie column. Be sure that the puppy breeder is as obsessive about early childhood education as Derede or Lisa Maze. I miss you.
Mary if you can raise a puppy in an RV with 2 largish dogs and a small cat, I am hoping I can raise a puppy in my tiny house with 3 smallish dogs and a lot of cats at work…
I am sure everyone else has a dog breed for you but after reading your blog for the last 6 years and the things that you do, you might consider an English Shepherd. Medium size, instinct to work on the farm, good and fast at agility, will protect your sidekicks. I could go on and on. Just ask around about English Shepherds. I have 6 of them living in a manufactured home.
Paul Andeson
Gustavo is so cute. (So is everyone else, but he is especially cute.) Puppy dates are lots of fun, so enjoy the journey.
They make small BC's now, you know.
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I was walking on the beach in Oregon a few months ago and I met two "American Indian dogs." Actually, I had no idea they were anything in particular; I figured they were just unusual looking crosses. But they struck me right away because of their unusual ability to mesh instantly with my pack of 3 oddballs, as well as their incredibly athletic builds. I wound up spending quite a while talking with their person. She didn't do agility with them, but she did just about every other dog sport you've ever heard of. Very trainable, very athletic, and temperament to die for. She told me to check out indiandogs.com, and now I know where I will be getting my next dog. You might take a look.
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Hey Laura, I'm an east coast fan who's been reading you blog since the days you were commenting on Susan Garrett's skorts!?! Anyway on the topic of puppies – 18 months ago, my life was changed by two dreams. In them, I was told it's time to "let go" of my beautiful red merle girl who'd died @ 3.5 yrs old. In these dreams, both times, a stranger told me that I was hurting Gemmy by holding so tightly to her memory. In the second dream a friend said, "Go check the website." Through a weird and somewhat confusing journey through sites, I ended up on Stargate aussies and now own the most amazing black tri boy. Elicia Calhoun also has one from that litter, her young boy Skully. Evidently in a dream her deceased aussie told her to look at this litter! Stargate has a litter on the ground now; the babies are just about old enough to go home. My guy has the playful temperament of a trickster, smart as a scientist, and fast as a bc. Shelly Gordon consistently breeds very capable performance dogs. The girls tend to be under 18", the boys a bit bigger. Sometimes the jouney to find the right puppy is about listening to dreams and reading the portents … who knows… good luck, I can't wait to read about pup #4
Hey sister on the other coast!! I am NOT looking for a puppy, but I met the mother of my future puppy at AKC Nationals. Trudy, the mini-aussie or whatever they call them now. I think she is spayed, so that ends that. I asked about her breeder, though. Timeless Minis. Somewhere in your state. I think she would leave tails, Trudy's person said. He spoke so highly of her, but I don't know anything about her and for all I know could be a puppymill, but he did say she flew to NYC to watch Trudy run at Westminster. I just know Trudy is ABSOLUTELY fabu!!!! I have video on my blog. He has only been doing agility for A YEAR!! Qualified Trudy for Nationals and SMOKED it there!! She is simply amazing!
http://amysanimalcare.blogspot.com/
Loads of interesting infos, my friends! All info to consider!
You are braver than I when it comes to the puppy getting. I'm not a fan of the puppy stage or waiting for them to grow up, so I get mine older. My favorite is 6 months to a year.
Like Mary said, it costs the same to feed a good one as it does to feed a bad one, but also remember you can't ride/run the papers. I'm sure you've seen it… most well bred animal on paper, but in person a total puke. So, don't over think it, open your heart and go with your gut because that is the dog that is meant for you 🙂 Blessings!