Bear and Pila

First photo of the litter - the darker looking pups are still wet from delivery. Clicking on the photo will enlarge it.

Pila started labor last night Wednesday, January 29 at 11:45 pm (their 63rd day) -

Pups were born this afternoon - Thursday, December 30, 2010

3:30 pm - - - - one dark chocolate-brown tricolor male with a full wide collar and blaze, doubles both rear
3:45 pm - - - - one dark chocolate-brown tricolor female, no collar but a "Tinni-spot" on a white shoulder-bandana, blaze, doubles both rear
4:15 pm - - - - one dark chocolate-brown tricolor male, full collar, blaze, one double, one single
4:30 pm - - - - one dark chocolate-brown tricolor male, unusually shaped blaze, doubles both rear

Nathan Cox

David and Carolyn visited Arlington at Christmas to pay respect to Nathan's sacrifice.

Turdus migratorius

One thousand words - - - -
Red Robin in the Redbud tree, which is actually a legume and related to clovers, peas, green and yellow beans, soybeans, etc. ! Poetic, eh? Notice the seed pods, like peapods, on the Redbud.

(Click on photos to enlarge!)

Most people think that all Robins migrate south when autumn arrives but many stay here and forage on berries that persist on trees, especially fruit trees, and some shrubs, like viburnam species, during the winter. They normally don't visit bird feeders because they are not seed eaters.

Our American Robins (Turdus migratorius) are closely related to the European merle (Turdus merula) which is also a thrush. (It looks like an all black Robin.) Our common name, Robin redbreast, actually comes for the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) which it is actually not closely related to.

We're waiting for Pila who is due any day(?) or moment(?) now.

CERFs

We passed our CERF tests this week. It was also the last week of classes at Sportsmen's. I'm going to enjoy the break! Kathy just had a litter last Friday - nine puppies. Congratulations.

Kata, CGC, CD, RN, RA, RE

Last weekend my almost nine year old Kata and my almost 70 year old self entered our first AKC agility shows in East Lansing, Michigan.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday we did Novice A Jumper With Weaves and Novice Standard. We failed to qualify twice, one JWW and one Standard, but got two legs in both JWW and Standard. She came in first twice (JWW and Standard with 100 points each) and second twice (JWW and Standard with 95 points each).

I am totally surprised; she wasn't. It was great fun but we've both been tired all week. It was three hours in the car each day. The other members of the pack stayed home alone from about 6:00 am to 8:00 pm - - with no damage or accidents. That's probably even more amazing. We have at least a month to practice some more before we enter more trials.

Bear (Bersi av Isheim) and Pila (Vinlands Piaf) are definitely expecting around the beginning of the New Year. (Thanks Eileen!!) If you are interested in a puppy, be sure to fill out the puppy application. (See button at the left.)

Trials

Some photos from last week's agility, obedience, rally trials and conformation show. (I apologize for the blurry images.)

Eyes

Bear has more dark pigment in the iris around his pupil than Pila or Totty. (It also looks like there is some darker pigment on the outer edge of the iris in his eye also.) Consequently, there is less amber color in his iris. Most likely that characteristic is genetic and therefore inherited. (The bright spots are reflections of light.)

Click on photos to enlarge them.

Rain Soon

"Halo around the sun or moon, rain or snow soon."

The halo around the moon is a layer of cirrus clouds made of ice crystals which act like tiny prisms, forming a white halo around the moon. This cirro-stratus cloud may indicate an approaching warm front, an area of low pressure. There is a higher probability of rain or snow after a halo is seen; the brighter the circle, the greater the probability. (Click on photos to enlarge them.)

Pregnant?

Bear may become a father for the first time. We should know soon. If so, due date is the end of December. (Clicking on the photos enlarges them.)

Why do I do this?

Euonymous - volunteer

Mori-Bjorn and Magni

Mori (left) and his friend Magni (right).

(Click once or twice to enlarge photos.)

Kata

Here's a four year old photo of when Kata earned her final leg for her AKC Companion Dog title under judge Adele Yunck.

On Friday this week we got Kata's two jump height measurements for competing in AKC agility. Maybe soon we will be joining all our friends in the agility ring! I NEVER thought I would be actually doing that. Well, it hasn't happened yet but - - - -

Tofi av Isheim

Congratulations to Tofi av Isheim and his owner on his new AKC Championship!
(Click on photo once or twice to enlarge it.)

Bear - Bersi av Isheim - BFF, CGC, RN

Here are some professional photos of Bear from last weekend. Click once or twice to enlarge the photos.

Bear - Bersi av Isheim - BFF, CGC, RN

Bear earned his Rally Novice title this weekend - however - we learned that he is afraid of men.

For his first leg a few weeks ago, he had a male judge and a male timekeeper and was very upset and nervous. He even 'forgot' how to do a "Down!". I attributed the nervousness to stage fright at his first North American show.

In his first trial this weekend he had a female judge and he scored very high and behaved like he does in class, i.e. very well.

In his final and third trial we had a male judge who was the timekeeper at his first show, and he would not turn his back on him he was so frightened. I do not blame the timekeeper/judge at all. AT ALL.

We finished his title with a low qualifying score but we have much work to do in order to correct the problem. Of course we will do some de-sensitizing but I think I need some additional ideas.

Naturally we will NOT look for shows that only have female judges. I am sure we will get over this.

Bear - Bersi av Isheim - BFF, CGC, RN

Red Maple

One thousand words plus

Positions

Can you match the photo with the name? Some names are repeated.

The Frog, Begging, Sleeping Beauty, The Fish, The Frog Extended, The Grasshopper, The Dead Opossum, The Wishbone, Twisted, Yoga