I FOUND IT!!!!

It's taken me 43 years, but I finally found the "group" I belong to.

AGILITY.

Tonight was Chloe's 10th week of class (or there-about). She is loving it and so am I. Our first four weeks was a semi-private session. She did okay there. However, our next class (Beginner Pre-Novice) was comprised of all large dogs and little 12 lb. Chloe. Two of the dogs were Standard Poodle pups and one was a big, goofy goldendoodle. She was soooo intimidated. We missed two classes due to an issue at work that involved surveyors, but we made it for the last session and were still ahead as the large goofballs are so easily distracted. Thankfully, Cindy added us to a small dog class that is actually bit ahead of us. Tonight was the first night and Chloe did GREAT! We were sequencing 6 or 7 obstacles that she did very well. By the time we got to 10, she was pretty pooped but overall did great for it being a more advanced class. I had more difficulty than she did! Best of all is the social factor with the group.

Finally, for the first time in probably my whole life (outside of work), I feel like I found a group of people I can relate to. They are dog people and there to have fun. Most are pretty casual and easy going, and most live locally. I've been trying to attend the trials too and those are really fun. For the first time in ages I can hang around people and just enjoy talking and it has nothing to do with what I *DO*, but just who I *AM*. It is sooooo refreshing and soooooo addicting. Considering that I have an addictive personality, this is dangerous! :-) Ed let me buy several pieces of agility equipment and I can't wait!

New truck and country nights

Amazing what turns me on. A very used but new to us Ford F250 v10 4x4 pick up! Yup, we are now able to haul lumber, purchase new plants, transport our recyclables and go to the dump! Oh yes, and i will be able to buy my new freezer for raw dog food too! I am one happy camper! It seemed like at every turn whatever project was stalled by not having a truck. I told Ed I wanted to pick up an older, used truck, but was dismayed at what I was finding for sale. Either way over-priced or else quite the junker, something I wouldn't want to be caught dead in. So I prayed. We spent Saturday looking at trucks at dealerships and didn't find "the one." Then Monday on my way to work I found it, parked in the mud on the side of Winchester Road. 1999, seemed immaculate at first glance, and 220K miles. It will be great for what we need, and we got it for $4400, about $2K under KBB. It's great it's 4WD as we have had a rainy winter, and our road is the worst it's ever been in the 9 years we've lived here.

With all of the rain comes happy frogs. This evening when i got home from work the dogs and I went walking around the property. AFterwards when we went in the main yard you could really them "talking" or whatever it is they do. It is so quiet (no barking) now it is WONDERFUL to be in the big yard. I love it!

A Dog Day Success

WE DID IT! Baby Chloe at only 10 months old sailed through her CGC test, and Daisy, at just a year and only three weeks in our household, also passed. I'm proud of my precious girls! I used to be a boy dog person, but now I think GIRLS RULE! (Just don't tell my little Scooter Bug, upon whom my world revolves!)

Other good news: Chloe is MUCH better in her agility classes and seems to be enjoying herself, no longer asking to be held the entire time. She is a darling, precious little dog.

Poodle FREAK!

One rainy day with two Toys, two Minis, and one awesome Standard Poodle!

I have to admit I am completely and hopelessly enamored and in love with Daisy. She is everything I wanted in a Standard and more. I feel like it was sooooo meant to be. I could not understand why I had this young, beautiful, very adoptable SP that I couldn't place! It's because she was supposed to be MINE! Ed even loves her, and wants to take her on outings. She has that charismatic personality and you just can't help but LOVE her!

I'm really excited - our CEO is interested in a pet therapy program at work, and so I'm working to put that together. Hope to be able to use one or more of my dogs. Will be fun!

Number Nine and WE'RE FINISHED!!

Saturday was a HUGE day for me. January 26th, 2008 marks the end of an era. I adopted out three of the four rescue dogs - the "rats," Emma and Lacey, who were darling little Toy Poodles I'd had for 8 months, and then a bichon named Remy/Scooter. That just left Lola, a now 1 year old Standard I've had for four months (she was only 10 months when she came to me in September). I could NOT leave her to cry and whine in the kennel, so in the house she came. I assured Ed she would NOT be staying. Less than two hours into it I knew I could never trust anyone with her and there was no way I could let her go. Uh-oh.

So, yesterday Ed & I had a talk. I acted like we were definitely keeping Lola (whom we renamed Daisy) and he said, 'you've got to be kidding!' Which was quickly followed up with I'm going to have to think about that. Less then a 1/2 hour later Ed opened the discussion by saying he would let me keep Daisy provided I do not pet sit, foster, or otherwise have other dogs on the property until we are down to three dogs. (Like that will happen - Daisy is No. 9.) So.......I am now the proud Mommy of not just one but TWO Standard Poodles! and I didn't ever think I'd find ONE that would do well with my small dogs! Daisy is so good with them, so submissive and just a wonderful, gentle girl.

I cannot emphasize enough what a relief it is to have the kennels officially closed up. I basically put "we're closed" on the web page and I am DONE, DONE, DONE, DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Wonder of it All

At times I look at my pack of dogs and am simply overfilled with emotions. When I am with them, suddenly problems that looked so enormous are put into perspective. I have peace and a sense that my life is GOOD! I can have a horrible day at work, come home, and all the stress melts away when they wag their tails and jump for joy that I’m home. I’m the center of their universe, and they are mine. It is good when –

• I get out of the shower to find the bathroom crowded with whichever dogs could squeeze their way in, not wanting a wall or a door to separate us from each other.
• Tinkerbelle, the foster who came to stay, is no longer frightened of people, and jumps up five feet to get me to pick her up.
• Tinkerbelle decides other dogs are great fun, dismisses her concern, and races through the house chasing the other Poodles.
• Scooter, the love of my life, nestles against my chest to sleep, and spends night curled up next to me.
• Chelsea, the 4 lb. Toy Poodle, is running with a zest and zeal for life, and typical of Toys, jumps as though she has springs in her back legs. One would never know now that she had two surgeries just a year ago for a fractured hip and foreleg.
• Seamus, our Standard Poodle, is so bonded that he forgets his training by his previous owners, and in his overwhelming joy will grab my hand in his mouth. He runs around with a goofy SP grin, delighted to have a home of his own, plenty of toys and tennis balls.
• Baby Chloe, AKA Chloe Monster or Chloester, does zoomies at 5:30 a.m., racing from the couch to the bedroom, around and around the circular walkway between the kitchen and living room, and then comes up to me with her big black eyes, longing for me to hug her and pick her up.
• Abner & Coral, my precious Goldens, swimming in the pool, no matter the temperature outside or in the water!
• Coral, holding two tennis balls in her mouth, comes and nudge-noses me, just wanting her face petted.
• Abner, rubbing up against me and between my legs when I come home from work. Abner, moaning and groaning in delight as I scratch his ears.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE!

I shouldn’t have done it. I really, REALLY shouldn’t have done it.

But I did. I ordered cute letter stickers, return address labels, with little gif images of all of seven of my dogs. The only problem is….now….it looks like I may have EIGHT.

Yup, 8 dogs. Tinkerbelle, a 7 lb Toy Poodle, was adopted on December 30^th and returned on New Year’s Day. I didn’t have the heart to stick her back in the kennel, and I had another possible home lined up for her. Jeremy was REALLY against putting her back in her run, as she was an absolute nightmare to bathe. I have to say, she was a nightmare to groom too – a three person job. Did I mention that she doesn’t like to be TOUCHED in certain areas? She yelps when you touch parts of her body that she PERCEIVES as painful. Okay, so she’s not much an adoption candidate. I talked to the runner up for her and told this nice lady this is really not the dog for you. She’s not a dog for anyone.

Except none of us can bring ourselves to put her to sleep. Ed was actually the one that suggested she stay with us. Tinks had been acting out towards our other dogs so he wanted to give it a week, but in the last couple of days she’s been tolerating them being near her, and even played with Chloe a couple of times yesterday. She loves to play with people and will roll over on her back just to lounge next to you. The last week she’d been literally glued to Jeremy, and it appeared she literally thought her little would end if he was out of her sight. Well, yesterday Jeremy went with Ed to town, so Tinkerbelle was with me all day. By nighttime when Jeremy returned she decided she’d sit with ME on MY chair instead of with Jer on the couch, lol! I think she will be okay. Tinkerbelle really is a cutie - loves to jump, jump, jump, loves to play with toys, and is HOUSEBROKEN! A big plus!

On other fronts, things appear significantly better at work. C, our new CEO, started today. My stress is significantly reduced with minimized Board contact (I think they've pretty much dismissed me), and I am no longer responsible for Hospice either (another source of conflict eliminated!). So.....we'll see how things go, but it's looking considerably better at this time.