finding peace and sparkly things.

finding peace :: 12/52, originally uploaded by sarah ....

Via Flickr:
Gyp has a magical knack for helping me feel at peace, and calm. She's been that way since we got her. I think she truly has a gift, which is why she also makes a wonderful Pet Therapy dog.

Hell, she's my OWN Therapy dog, everything is better when she is with me, I'm a lucky girl.

And sparkly things make me happy too. Like our ridiculous Stock Stick AKA the Disco Stick hmmm, or maybe it's my Magic Wand, pink, purple, tie died, glittery butterflies and kitties. Yep that's Gyp. (and remember it's marked with Jane, who is with us, making sure nobody gets out of line.)

I figure hey, at least if we suck, we'll look cute. Everything is better if it sparkles.

pink handle and "Jane are" handcrafted by Scott ;)

the rest of the bling ... by me.

Hi

The mark of greatness and healing

I'm still having days that are sad and I miss Jane, random bursts of crying followed by happy thoughts and memories. All part of the process i guess. Our house is still filled with all the beautiful flowers and a table full of cards. We haven't touched any of her stuff. We decided this weekend we will tackle that together.

I've been getting back to normal things, I trailed agility this weekend with Gyp ... She was beautiful - had the 2nd and third fastest masters times all weekend and brought home 5 qs. (3 standards, challenge and steeplechase).

Kaleb that is another story I will right about when I'm ready, right now I'm not. It's been a rough week with my boy.

Onto greatness ... It's funny how a small gesture can mean so much.

Gyp has been taking herding lessons regularly and we are entered in our first arena trial with ckc this June. Something I NEVER thought would happen. It's a journey.

I am lucky to train with the best trainers around. Jenny, Scott and Louanne are very, very patient with me and my soft little dog that likes to floss her teeth ... and her handler who looks like she is drunk half the time.

I went out this week and I was given my very own stock stick by Jenny handmade by Scott :) he marked it with greatness x2 ... He put the mark of Jane on the side. I got tears, what a nice gesture! I'm such a dork I keep it displayed in my living room. I'm such a city girl. So even when gyp and I are out with the sheep, Jane is there making sure gyp stays in line :)

I have big plans to add my own special touches to the stick ... Stay tuned :)

Jane. Inked.

Figured a good spot for a tattoo would be on my shoulder, since that's where she always layed her head. I came up with the design while thinking about her... So I had to get it done. Still missing her like crazy. Yesterday I almost made it through the day without crying. I just miss all the little things - the things that made me love her the most.

Happy 10th Birthday K-man!

Kaleb turns 10 today. For K-man, age is just a number.

Thank you buddy, for being there and making us laugh when all we want to do is cry. A true comedian, a crazy driven mental man, who deep down has a sensitive soul.

The dog who lives by the mantra "Don't worry, be happy."

Happy 10th Birthday K-man!, originally uploaded by sarah ....

goodbye my friend.

goodbye my friend., originally uploaded by sarah ....

Via Flickr:
Goodbye my best friend, my best teacher, my first dog, the dog that started it all. It's ALL because of you. Jane left us last night in the comfort of home laying on her favourite blanky, we cuddled her, petted her and told her how much she was loved until she fell asleep peacefully in our arms. We love you Jane, you fought a good fight for 1.5 years - you told CHF where to go, you amazed all of us with your will to live, you had True Grit. Thank you to our family, friends and our wonderful team of Vets and Techs for all of your support, she knew she was loved. ATCHC Silver "Rowdy Jane" - May 11, 1999 - March 6, 2012

“It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.” Mark Twain

Because of Jane, I have an obsession with all things dog - I do not like to fail, and it was NOT an option to give up on her. She is the reason I love to teach other people and dogs - if I can do what I've done with Jane - ANYTHING is possible, you just have to want it bad enough. She is the reason I have this blog, she is the reason I have an SUV, she is the reason I have Kaleb and Gyp, she is also the reason I have white sheets on my bed and an obsession with getting rid of those damn little white doghairs.

K #5, grateful

Today I am grateful I still have K at one week shy of his 10th birthday, and for having Jane beat the odds with her disease, she is nothing short of a medical miracle at nearly 13.

For many breeds turning 10 isn't a big deal ...but with owning a flat-coat, the sad reality is it is - especially to have him healthy, active and crazy ... still. The older my dogs get, the more I love them ... if that's possible.

Hug your dogs.



"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really."
~ Agnes Sligh Turnbull

K # 6, in your face

If you haven't figured it out, Kaleb is nuts. I've been collecting funny photos on Flickr for years ... Enjoy ...

In your face on Flickr

K, #7: gun toting vegetarian.

The things we do for our dogs. After K retired from SAR (Pete went back to do his Masters degree and couldn't commit to the hours and be on call), Kaleb needed another job ... because clearly the dog didn't have enough to do .... :)

So we though it would be fun to train him for hunting, and Pete thought it would be fun too. Sure why not. Hey Kaleb, here is a bird. It's like he was bred for it or something. He was super easy to train ... he picked up his first bird at 4.5 years old, and is a wonderful hunting partner for Pete. But I trained him - don't tell that to Pete :)

I held dead birds, carried a fake gun, trampled through ponds ... all for the love of this dog.

Here we are at his WC test ....

While we were in Saskatoon for his tests, we got some extra training in at his Breeders. This is Kaleb with Hans Berin. You can see the mutual love! One of my fav photos.

Proud Flat-coat family after earning their titles ...

Then some REAL hunting .... nothing beats that. I only SHOOT photos ... Pete does the other shooting. Kaleb LOVES to hunt.

Such a good boy. I'm so glad we have been able to let him enjoy the thrill of the hunt, and I've been happy to capture those moments from behind the lens. There is nothing like watching Kaleb work tirelessly in the field.

#8: K, the Search and Rescue Dog

When Jane was a year old we got the opportunity to work with the Search and Rescue group - she needed LOTS of training, and we were lucky enough to work with the group doing obedience on a regular basis. Our trainer LOVED her and said she would make a great Search dog if she was bigger and wouldn't eat other dogs. So that led us to SEARCH for a second dog - we both loved SAR and Pete wanted to pursue it with a second dog. After looking at breeds: Tollers, Goldens, Labs ... we found the connection with the Flat-coat. We both loved the breed and were fortunate enough to get to know some here in Lethbridge.

We found our breeder and the litter we loved would have great working dogs ... so we waited for months .. and he was born. We requested a puppy that never gave up - persistent to no end, huge fetch drive and outgoing. I think our breeder knows what they are doing ... all those things are what we needed for a potential SAR dog.

Kaleb certified as a SAR dog with the RCMP CSDA one month past his 2nd birthday. To this day, he is one of the youngest - if not the youngest to ever certify in the program. Pete worked his butt off with Kaleb - atleast 20 hours of a week training: Scent work, Tracking, Obedience.

Like everything Kaleb does ... he does it with a style of his own ...

To this day ... he always defaults to SAR mode. Lose your Keys? No problem! Last year at the Agility field 2 people lost their sets of keys in 2 foot tall grasses in the adjacent field. They had been searching for them by foot for half an hour - I brought K in and even with the contaminated area of multiple people trampling through the area to find the keys ... he found them!!! He alerted, layed down on them, I asked his to show me, he picked them up and there they were!!!! I have witnesses. True Story. That is only one story of a few (I lost my cell phone once in a HUGE park ... he found it: )

Though super obnoxious and annoying most of the time ... he is a rather useful dog at times :)

Kaleb's top 10: #9

I still remember the day we picked the puppy we had been waiting over a year for .... he showed us how he could fetch his baby bumper and delver to hand ... there he goes ... even at 10 weeks old, he never gave up, and had that trademark tongue!!

Grammy was there when I picked him up ... she was the first one to hold him :)

Bryan my Bro was there too ... Kaleb still has the same waggy tail ...

and to this day, Kaleb still loves his Grammy more than anyone ...

The boy is turning 10.

Kalebs big 1-0 is in 18 days (March 12th to be exact). So every other day leading up to his BIG DAY ... I'll write a little post about K-Man. I still remember the day he was born and I still have the email from his breeder!!!

Hard to believe his double digit birthday is so soon. I feel so lucky to have him at 10 years old. He is healthy, happy and still full of the enthusiasm and obnoxiousness that he always has had.

K is from a litter of 10 pups and in his litter had his breeders first Yellow Flattie. I have a picture of her somewhere. The pups were DNA tested for the yellow gene. K doesn't carry it.

This is K's dad ... from Sweden (K was born through the magic of AI)

WW-98 NordV-99 Int Nord UCH Almanza Something To Talk About AKA "Leo"

This is K's beautiful mom Ramona who lived to be just over 13 years old.

Ch Prairielight Abracadabra CDX JH WCI amWC

Here is Kaleb with Ramona and his two sisters Ylva and Lily :)

Stay tuned for more Kaleb in the next 18 days ... the countdown is on!!

He is also taking requests if anyone would like to ask him any questions like "what the hell goes on in that head of yours, dude??"