Alta-Pete Farm Tails

Surprise!

2012-01-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

Alot of sheepdog people get cute cuddly pictures of lambs and puppies cavorting together while they are small.
I've never had pups and lambs at the same time until this year.
So I grabbed Alice and caught a lamb and got my camera ready.

Alice didn't want to have anything to do with a lamb.

So I decided to pack it in and put the lamb back with it's mom.
But when I went to pick the lamb up, it ran, and then something I always find magical happened...
Alice turned on!

Now most border collies don't want to start working sheep until they are between 6-12 months old but Alice is only 3 months old today.
Even if a pup does start to follow a lamb around, it's really just chasing.
But Alice was working this lamb.

Really working it.
Every time the lamb tried to run away, Alice got on the other side of it and brought it back to me.

In adult border collies, we call this "finding balance".
It's the point when a dog stops chasing and starts to have a purpose.
The purpose is to always bring the sheep to the handler.

This was no game to Alice.
She was very serious.

If you have a dog to trial in the nursery classes in 2013, you should be afraid when Alice and Scott walk to the post because she's got lots of time to practice.

Wait!
I have a nursery dog in 2013.
Shoot! Ford and I better get training now!

Sunshine Day

2012-01-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

We have had a major change in the weather today.
From a deep dark cold to a warm sunny day.
Most of the lambs had never seen a beautiful day and were soaking it up.

They didn't need to worry about who was keeping watch.
They had protectors on the ground,

And scouts in the sky.

And although some weren't quite ready to quit the safety of the barn,

others took full advantage of opportunities to look for trouble,

or just to pretend to be a grown up.

Aww Shoot!

2012-01-15T09:55:00.000-08:00

I was hoping Old Man Winter was going to take this year off.

No such luck.

Morning Feed

2012-01-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

During lambing, mornings start before the sun comes out.
The first frosty check in the pasture shows sleepy ewes wondering why we woke them up.

So we quietly sneak off to the nursery, otherwise known as the barn, to feed and check on the residents.

We drop hay from the upper loft,

down to the happy residents,

and then I go back to sleep.

Baby Talk

2012-01-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

Yes?
You have something to show us?

Oh, yeah!
We've started lambing!

Alaska is still keeping her eyes averted from the lambs.

She's hoping that will keep the new creatures from attacking her.

A Useful Dog

2012-01-05T19:23:00.000-08:00

My parent's dog, Kane...

Oh, he's not so special!
I'm sure Skid could do that.
If he was bigger.
And we had a paved driveway.
And a morning paper.

Minimal Monday - Gratuitous Puppy Photos

2012-01-02T14:13:00.000-08:00

Alice:

Kids, do not try this at home. Working border collies should never be on the couch.

Scott is a professional trainer and can insure that no one gets hurt.

American Idol Auditions

2011-12-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

At our farm, young Lass is quite the singer.
She's always got a song going to brighten your day.

With all that singing, it's not surprising that she would get it into her head to audition for American Idol.

So she sent in a couple of head shots to showcase her look,

and now she's letting us all watch her audition tape:

What do you think?
Does she have a chance?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2011-12-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

From Alta-Pete Stockdogs

Alaska

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

One year ago this Saturday, I brought home a fuzzy ball of snow in the hope that she would one day protect our home and livestock.

Mission accomplished.

Christmas Present?

2011-12-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

I think, in this picture, my niece is strongly hinting at what she would like for Christmas this year.

photo by Stephanie Hugo

It never worked for me, Katie, but I've never given up hope either!

Minimal Monday - A Very Poe Christmas

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

When The Baby Isn't The Baby Anymore...

2011-12-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

Mikey has been the baby of the family for a little while now, but I have started to explain to him that he's going to get a little sister and he needs to be nice to her.

Mikey's mom, Wendy Schmaltz's Gin, and his dad, Scott's Don, have made us another bundle of joy.
Alice.

Photo by Wendy Schmaltz

My buddies, Louanne and Lisa are also getting puppies.

Wendy will be delivering them at a New Year's Eve puppy party.

Isn't it written somewhere that it's good luck to ring in the New Year with a New Puppy?

A Visit With Santa

2011-12-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

Jed and Ford were very well behaved on their Santa visit.
Santa did have to keep a firm hold on Jed's collar 'cause he was wanting to destroy the toys on the Christmas tree very very VERY badly,

And when the picture was developed, I noticed that Ford had been perhaps a little more excited than decency would allow.
Thanks to photoshop, we maintained our G rating.

Snow Fun

2011-12-09T14:08:00.001-08:00

I've mentioned before that my youngest guardian dog, Alaska, is camera shy.

However, after a recent snowfall, she decided to show off a little.

First she gave us her impression of a polar bear,

And then she made snow angels.

Yes, Alaska, we are all suitably impressed.

Change Of Scene

2011-12-03T14:55:00.001-08:00

Mikey was looking for a different view from his crate.

So I helped him out.

And Fire

2011-11-29T17:26:00.000-08:00

With all the wind we had on Sunday, what happened next was inevitable.
At about 3:30 I smelled smoke.
In what seemed minutes, the sky turned black.

A glance across the lake and we knew this one was close and moving fast.

We turned on the radio to the sound of an emergency buzz and it confirmed what we already knew.
It was no drill.

The winds were over 70 mph and gusting to over 85 mph and there was going to be no stopping this grass fire.
The alert told us that the fire was heading to New Dayton and Tyrell Lake and to be prepared to evacuate those areas.
We live in New Dayton, on the bank of Tyrell Lake.
Scott went out on several recon missions to keep an eye on the fire.

On his way out, he met up with farmers on their tractors rushing out to help stop the spread.
Scott wanted to go help out but we both needed to be near home.
If it came to it, our evacuation was going to include a kennel full of border collies, two guardian dogs, two house cats, a flock of sheep and last but not least, one little-dog.

We had a plan to get everyone out but at about 10PM the farmers and firemen had done the impossible.

They stopped the fire despite the winds.

Yesterday we went out to find where it all started.

So close to a road.
They haven't announced a cause yet but you gotta wonder if an errant cigarette almost caused a tragedy.
No humans or animals were killed or injured but I'm sure these cows thought it was a little too close for their comfort.

Fortunately, the only thing ruined was the view.

Then we went out to where they stopped it.

Their first stand failed.

It jumped the road.

Then we saw the final stand.

A local farmer told us they dug in.

They drew a line in the sand and plowed everything in front of it and wind or no wind the fire wasn't going any farther,

and it didn't.

Wind

2011-11-27T13:47:00.001-08:00

You are probably wondering why I haven't posted this week.
Well, it's been kinda hard to get pictures outside with all the wind we've been having.
I mean real, hard wind.

We haven't had too much damage but we did lose the roof off of an old grain building.

Sure, I could have blogged about the exciting things going on inside the house.

Poe has decided that he likes sleeping on the bathroom sink.

I could have told you about that riveting story but I decided to wait until I could stand outside and take a picture without fear of being blown over.

Don't worry about the animals.

Togo and Alaska are just using it as another reason to play,

and all the stuff being blown around is just more stuff for Alaska to steal.

And the sheep hardly notice.

They're too busy watching out for the young dogs that have started training.

But the little dog has had some trouble staying on the ground.

PUT SOME ROCKS IN YOUR POCKETS, SKID!

Minimal Monday - A Snowy Afternoon

2011-11-21T01:30:00.000-08:00

The neighbor kids

Pleat- an old dog earned his rest

On alert

Crazy Cat

2011-11-17T17:45:00.001-08:00

My chickens have a pet cat.
She keeps the mouse population down and in turn, the chickens share their warm house with her.
I never see her when I first walk in to feed because of her invisibility super power .

Just about the time I remember she's there, she tries to run through me in a frantic escape to the door.

I'll never know why she thinks I'm such a threat.

She would rather run up to the top of the coop than tolerate my presence.

It seems a little like out of the frying pan,

and into the fiery hell of dog free-run time on the other side!

Minimal Monday

2011-11-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

While We're On The Subject...

2011-11-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

Our farm is not exactly known for it's neatness.
However, wool all over the barn yard is a little extreme.

No. Don't worry.
Alaska and Togo are still doing their job well.
Nothing killed a sheep.
Alaska IS part of this problem though.

My friend, Louanne, wrote about her guardian dog, Bear's, stash of stolen goods.
Here is Alaska's stash:

Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt your nap on that shorn wool, Alaska?

Although, she will steal anything you set down, her biggest fetish is stealing wool.

Poor Togo. Not only does he have no control over Alaska, but by being the "good" dog, he has to sleep on the cold, hard ground.

Alaska, you may have turned one year old this week, but you are still a bad dog!

Oh Yeah, Baby!

2011-11-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Donnie is a Poppa again!
And in a big way this time.
Wendy Schmaltz's Gin just had 9 pups!
(for those of you not familiar with border collies, 6 is average)
Cigars for everyone!

I guess we gotta give the mom a little credit too,

photo by Wendy Schmaltz

especially since Gin was about a month pregnant when she ran at the World Trial in England.
These pups are not only World travelers, they already know their way around a trial field!

Oh, Yes I Did!

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Don't feel too bad for him.

He got lots of treats to do this!

Hug A Sheep Day 2011

2011-10-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

The second annual National Hug A Sheep Day is this Saturday.
I've been worrying about how I'm going to participate.
My sheep aren't exactly the hugging kind.
They usually look at me with suspicion,

and then run away.

So I thought I'd figure out some other options.

I tried to see if I could work in another Hug A Skid Day,

But it didn't quite have the same ring to it.

Hug A Poe day?

Umm, no.
He's no easier to hug than a sheep.
Harder in fact.

Hug A Chicken (or two) Day?

That wasn't quite right either.

I thought I was on to something with Hug A Guardian Dog Day.
I really enjoyed that one.

But still. It didn't quite fit.

So back to the basics, I hugged a sheep.

and shocked the whole flock.

OH, My Goodness! What is she doing to Mabel?

As for the young ewe that got hugged,

I think she quite liked it!

A Cat Nap In The Fall Sun

2011-10-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

First Snow

2011-10-25T11:09:00.001-07:00

While Ford was outside playing this morning, it started to snow.He was a little confused since he'd spent his puppyhood in the south last winter and hadn't seen much of it before (if at all).

Jed, who was baby sitting him at the time, knew exactly what it meant.
Winter is here.Salem who was just leaving on his morning hunt, figured it could wait and turned right around to go back in the house, calling out to me the whole way.When he found the door closed behind him, he begged at the window.IT'S WET! I'M MELTING!

Don't worry, Ford, the weatherman said this would only be for a short while today and then it was going to get warm again this week.I sure hope they're right...

The Animal's Court

2011-10-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
The Animal's Court is now in session.
The Honorable Judge Jenny is presiding.

Tell me, Miss Henny Penny, what happened to you on the afternoon of October the 20th, 2011?

Well, your Honor, I was minding my own business, going about the barnyard, picking out some fat juicy bugs for dinner, when I was brutally attacked by a hulking white dog!

Can you show us the damage that occurred to your person?

Yes, your Honor. I lost feathers here, and here. Not to mention my emotional damage when I had to go back to the coop and endure the embarrassing questions from the other hens.

I'd now like to take a look at exhibit A.Mmhmmm. It appears to be red and white feathers torn from a chicken but it doesn't prove who did it.

Where is the defendant?
Alaska?

What?
Did you attack this chicken?

You can't PROVE anything!
What is that feather doing hanging from your mouth?

I throw myself on the mercy of the court!Alaska you are GUILTY and will be here by known as a BAD DOG!

Court adjourned!

Alaska At 11 Months

2011-10-19T10:25:00.001-07:00

She still hates to have her picture taken!

Minimal Monday - Farm Fotos

2011-10-17T09:56:00.001-07:00

Cali

An old ram's skull

Bob-dog

Full House

2011-10-14T21:07:00.000-07:00

In the interest of Affirmative Action, I decided that we needed to get a little diversity into our flock.
So I brought in 3 white hens.
But these aren't just ordinary white hens.
These girls have had a brush with Hollywood.OK - it was only a brush.
They had an audition for Canada's Got Talent and they didn't get picked.
I hear it was the other talent (who shall remain nameless but shall be referred to as "that dog") who blew their chance.
Since I am no stranger to the pitfalls of The Industry, I took them in.
They are now using their leisure time to explore our farm.They are learning that you don't have to be in tinsel town to need to watch out for predators,And although they have missed out on the mansion in The Hills, the accommodations aren't so bad here,But at least one star struck girl still has her eyes on the horizon."Ahh, but what if?"

Simon's Cat

2011-10-14T09:09:00.001-07:00

I'd like to say this reminded me of when Poe was a baby and he used to bug Salem,
but this could have been last night...

Big Doin's At The Hen House

2011-10-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

The chicken house has long been in need of some repairs.The recent rains let us know that there was no putting off fixing the roof any longer.Did you notice the sweatshirt?Sure, Baby. Whatever you say, but only for 2011. Kay?

Anyway, the roof is up and the chicken is happy.
THE chicken?
Yes.
Everyone got old, quit laying, and died.
Except one.
And she's been lonely.
But wait?
What's this?
A new chicken?
Two chickens!
Err, I mean, Three! Three chickens!Ok. Now I'm starting to sound like The Count from Sesame St.
Four! Four chickens!
Actually, there are now five.
One girl is camera shy.

It's been awhile since I've seen this sight,
leading to this welcome sight.Stay tuned, some performing chickens are planning on moving in next week...

The Barn Cats

2011-10-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

are taking over.
and it's driving Skid CRAZY!

Protection Money

2011-09-30T10:13:00.001-07:00

Alaska has recently learned the joy's of Peanut butter
and waits at the gate for her "treat" every morning and night.She has to eat it fast before Togo gets it.She doesn't realize that it hides the antibiotics she needs for a minor infection left over from her spay.All she knows is that it's mmm mmm good!She recently heard that there were peanut butter cookies.
She also heard that some people were coming over for lessons this weekend.
She thought..., if they didn't want their dogs harassed... well, I'm just sayin'...

My Favorite Season

2011-09-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

Is just around the corner!

Starting Again

2011-09-25T03:59:00.000-07:00

I know 2011 isn't over yet but the Alta-Pete year is over.
We are getting ready to start all over again with new customer dogs and our own young dogs.
I decided to do a slide show to remember 2011 at the farm and at our trials.
I hope you enjoy it.

Home Again!

2011-09-23T10:05:00.001-07:00

We are finally back from our last round of trials this year. I'm sorry there were no blogs during that time but we found out that the Rocky Mountains of Colorado just aren't set up for internet service.
This time, while we were gone, we had a wonderful house sitter.
Maybe too wonderful.
The animals are all pouting and want her back.

Hey, Dogs! Did you miss me?No. We want Marie.
Well, she went back to her own home.She told us bedtime stories.
Oh, she did not! You guyz are just milking this!

Surely you chickens missed me?
We're not laying until Marie comes back.
Oh, stop it! You weren't laying before.

I'm going to find her and bring her back.Um, Salem, Chicago is a long walk from here.

Us barn cats miss her too - she fed us.
I feed you too.She fed us more.
You are supposed to be hunting mice, not laying around and eating cat food.

Poe, do you miss Marie?
Who?

Marie.
The house sitter for the last 3 weeks.
Oh, you mean the maid? Uh, yeah. Whatever.
That's my boy.

Pause

2011-09-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

Pardon our pause in blogging.
We are in the middle of a big trial right now. (check us out on the trial blog)I promise to get back at it in a couple of days.

Busy Busy

2011-08-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

To ~~steal~~ borrow a quote from a friend of mine, (who borrowed it from a friend of hers)
"If you are too busy to blog,
post a picture of your cat."Seriously, we are getting ready to travel to another trial for a week, then travel to several trials for 3 weeks.
Togo is not making it easier on our preparations.
Alaska, has turned into a great guardian dog.Really, she has.
But Togo has tried to take his act on the road, one too many times.
Now we have to electrify our perimeter fence.
It's keeping Scott on his toes - except when he forgets he has it on and gets shocked.
Then it keeps him on his butt.
What?
I'm not doing anything.I'm just being a good boy and napping in this cool hay stack yard.

Two Titans Playing

2011-08-15T17:08:00.001-07:00

Yes, the earth does shake when they play.

photos by Donna Mask

Disturbed

2011-08-14T16:55:00.001-07:00

My parents came to visit me this week.
(that's why blogging has been slow)
They brought me a roll-top desk that has been in our family for almost 40 years.I'm sorry, I meant they brought Poe the desk.
Hold all calls please.He wishes not to be disturbed.

Who ARE You?

2011-08-12T09:14:00.001-07:00

Our puppy, Mikey, found this little guy walking in our front yard today.He didn't seem dangerous and was very camera shy.And he doesn't exactly look like a prairie dweller.
Anybody know what he is?

A Big Help

2011-08-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

While Scott shears the sheep...Donnie's got his back.

The Storm From My Front Porch

2011-07-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Big Day

2011-07-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

Since Alaska is 8 months old, it is high time that she get spayed.
We don't want any Alaska Jr.s running around.
Yesterday was the big day.
All went well and she is back home,
But of course, there is... THE HAT!She spent the first hour trying to remove it.Then she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide in her favorite stall.And finally, she settled for giving me pitiful looks from the back of the barn.

The Guardians

2011-07-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, the guardians are back home!
They came home with the sheep and are back at work.
Not much has changed with Togo.He's gotten quite a bit skinnier because he ~~gets into trouble~~ works hard when he's at Louanne's.
The good news is that his appetite is up so I'm sure he'll gain it back soon since he spends most of his time sleeping around here.

The biggest change is with Alaska.Of course I expected that she'd be bigger now that she's 8 months old but I didn't expect her to be such a Marmaduke personality.
Really, she's a big dope with a serious obsession for dominating all flying insects and an aversion to having her picture taken. (imagine how thrilled I am with that since I keep a blog with lots of pictures)
She thinks she's quite the guardian but she still has Togo for back up.All in all, she's settling down now that she's back home and I'm pleased with her.Of course, all that could go out the window this winter when her next big lesson will be getting through lambing!

Boys And Their Toys

2011-07-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

Every year when we get home from our 2 month Spring trip, we expect to have things a little overgrown.
This year the grass rose to a new high.We've been looking for the right tractor for a while and this year, we couldn't put it off any longer.
When I say "new" tractor, I mean new to us.
Our new farm tool is older than I am.Scott's pretty excited about his toy.Aww, a boy and his tractor.

It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

2011-07-15T14:07:00.001-07:00

After looking at some pictures taken of me at the Calgary Stampede, I figured it was time to do something about my rapidly spreading thighs (and butt).So, I thought, I could buy a bike and ride it down our gravel roads with the dogs and we could both work on "legging up" at the same time.(please pardon the messy yard - we've been gone for 2 months and it will take a while to get a handle on it)
It was a success.
If you consider the fact that none of us can walk now a success.
My thighs and I will tell you that our roads are not near as flat as they look and the dogs will tell you they aren't as soft either.
Hemp tore more than a few pads.
Caution - graphic photo:It slowed him down to a trot for the first time in his life.
Fortunately, a good friend, Vickie, prophetically gave me a bottle of her new pad toughening formula just this past weekend.We will be putting it to the test this week.
Never fear though, with some booties on their feet, the boys will be back running again in no time. However, when we got home today, they ran ahead of me and showed me that they'd prefer more traditional method of transport.Me too boys. Me too.

Sweet Dreams

2011-07-04T05:32:00.000-07:00

Lass isn't much for staying in her puppy pen but she never goes far from our camp.
When we went to bed last night she was in the pen.When we woke up this morning, we looked out the window of our camper and saw this.
Obviously, she had other plans for where she wanted to sleep.

As Seen On TV

2011-07-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

VIEWERS!
Do you find that your hair causes you problems when you are guarding your flock in the summer?
Is it too hot? Matted? Full of burrs?
Then try our new, sassy, classy hair cut!Notice, as Harry Rex kindly shows off his new do on our runway, how easily he trots.
He practically floats as the wind blows past him and his mats are magically gone.But wait! If you call now, we will throw in this tail pom-pom at no extra charge!Another happy customer!

Textures

2011-06-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

We are still a couple of weeks from home.
Right now we are at a clinic at Heather Russell's farm in Michigan.
I should be doing some book keeping.
Instead I am fooling around with picture textures.

Continuing Ed

2011-06-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

Ford's education is coming along very well.
He's learning some important future sheepdog skills.Yesterday's lesson?
How to ride shotgun on the mule.

A Little Help From Our Friends

2011-06-18T05:26:00.000-07:00

Our trip is going well.
Everyone has been hospitable all along the road; like when we arrived in Michigan last night, and found a friendly frog who offered to help us put water in our camper.Thanks for the assistance!

The Clinic Trail

2011-06-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

We have been traveling now for 5 weeks and have another 3 1/2 weeks left until we get home. This past week, we have been at the historic Kerales Farm again.
Here's a few images of our time spent at this beautiful homestead.

Innocent!

2011-06-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

Our newest puppy, Mike, was too young to take on this trip with us when we left.
So we asked our friend, Jerry to puppy sit him until we get back.
Let's check in on Mike at his foster home...Gasp!
I blame Dan, the Aussie!
My innocent boy couldn't possibly have thought of such destruction on his own!See!
He's very sorry and promises not to ever do it again.At least until the next time.

Visitors

2011-05-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

I don't have a story to tell you for this entry. All I can say is we were at a trial in North Carolina and this Miniature Horse and her foal were brought out.Wouldn't you just hate me if I didn't show you these pictures?

For Melissa

2011-05-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

I have been to Kentucky several times, but today was the first time I got to visit the Horse Park.
It is an impressive farm dedicated to all aspects of horsemanship.
For me, seeing some retired famous race horses was a highlight.Funny Cide is only 10 years old but won some legendary races when he was a young gelding.He had very good manners.

Cigar, on the other hand, at 21 was still giving his groom fits with his nipping.Perhaps he can be forgiven his attitude when you find out that he won 16 races in a row and although he was unable to produce any foals, he is still intact.My absolute favorite part of the park was the grave of Man O' War.The greatest race horse. Ever.

The Monster Within

2011-05-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know alot about campers.
I didn't realize that they came with their own monster installed.
That's ok.
Skid's got us covered.Apparently, according to Skid, our monster is behind the couch.I guess our monster also comes equipped with it's own invisibility cloak 'cause I've looked behind and under that couch and I can't see it.And it's very quiet, 'cause I can't hear it either.
Thank goodness Skid can.I sleep well at night knowing that Skid has our back.

Toy Story

2011-05-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

My dog Jed loves toys. Unfortunately, he also has the jaws of a pit bull and the toys never stay in one piece.
Then he eats the pieces and has to have very expensive surgeries.

A few years ago a friend brought me an "indestructible" toy.
It came with a note that said, "Green means go. Red means stop."It took Jed 15 minutes (yes I timed him) to get to the red.

Obviously, the toy is not for Jed.
However, I keep it in the truck for our puppies to play with when we are traveling.
Jed has figured this out and keeps finding my hiding places.

No, Jed.I SAID NO, JED!JED! THAT'LL DO!Caught you!Good try, Jed.

Transport

2011-05-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

The sheep limo (aka Louanne's truck and trailer) came to pick up the sheep yesterday.We send the sheep and guardian dogs to Phantom Ridge when we travel so the house sitters only have to deal with the cats and chickens.
Poe is a full time job.

This year, instead of loading the sheep the way Scott did last year, we did it my way (and Louanne's)and took them right through the barn and they loaded much easier! Shhh - don't tell him I said that.It was a tight fit but we finally got them all in.Then we loaded the guardian dogs.
Alaska is not happy about any of this and has reportedly been causing trouble at Louanne's.Fortunately for me, this is not Louanne's first time dealing with a belligerent Akbash.

Togo thinks it's all a grand adventure and rode the 2 hour trip to Louanne's on his hind legs so he could see out the trailer windows and let his jowls wave in the wind.
Many thanks to the sheep crew - Lisa, Louanne, and Jerry!

Missing Lambing

2011-04-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

Since we didn't have any lambs this year, I was feeling left out. So I visited my friend, Louanne the other day, and had a good look at her lambs.They are very tiny right now but they are either half Dorper or full Dorper so you know they will be growing big any time.There was someone else I was happy to see again.
Remember Bear from Grazerie Farms?He's all grown up and moved over to Louanne's Phantom Ridge Farm now with his very own flock.

Five Star Treatment

2011-04-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

I guess it's all about who you know. I happen to know Sarah who is training to be a certified canine massage therapist.
She asked for some volunteers to practice on.
Do I have volunteers?!!!!
Unfortunately, she limited me to two.
I picked Bob and Hemp.Yesterday Sarah came out to give them their second massage.
Bob remembered the last one and as soon as he saw the mat, he laid down in the middle of it to tell her he was ready.Bob is 12 now and Sarah works on his old dog muscles.
Hard to tell if he likes it or not. Hemp gets a massage to help him relax since he is the most tense dog I have ever met.Yes. We decided it worked.Trust me. He's relaxed on the inside.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

Everyone around Alta-Pete Farm loves Easter!
The chickens are glad that everyone quits nagging them about laying more eggs.It's the stupid bunny's problem today.

The sheep are happy to have a day offHEY! Leave that bow on there!
and Togo,he's happy to get to EAT the eggs!HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE!

Hubba Hubba

2011-04-16T19:26:00.000-07:00

Our sheep have been without a ram for a year now.
Apparently they have decided it's time for a new one and have taken things into their own hands.
I found this picture and ad out by the barn:

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Back Outside

2011-04-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

So much for the green grass!Don't worry about us too much though, it was 41F when I took this so it won't stick around long.

I trudged through the snow to check on the guardian dogs.
Well!
Look who's staying behind the fence!Togo was never much for wandering off the property so we didn't do any fence training with him but when Alaska came along, Togo took his new pack on the road.
SO we put them in a small pasture this week and... (cue the dramatic music) electrified the fence!

Alaska is sad.
She liked wandering.OK.
Not that sad.I think she'll recover.So the team is now guarding our property and only our property,And everything is as it should be.

Good Signs

2011-04-11T16:40:00.001-07:00

Finally, the lake ice is melting,and the sheep are grazing (yes THEY are! There's green grass there. You just can't see it.
ok - you'll just have to trust me).

Spring must finally be here!

Forgive Us

2011-04-07T11:07:00.001-07:00

Skid and I ask you to please forgive our writer's block this week.
We will return to our regularly scheduled programing soon.P.S. Do you like our new computer?
I got it for my birthday!
No - You cannot ask my age.

Corralled

2011-03-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

At night, Alaska, who is now 5 months old, roams the farm helping Togo bark at real and imaginary predators.
During the day, she is stuck in the barn and the adjoining corral. It's time for her to learn some boundaries and she's not in there by herself.
I have a sheep with an abscessed hoof who is also in there.
Not everyone is happy about the situation but that's just too bad.It also allows Togo to catch up on some neglected tasks that he couldn't do with the White Princess tagging along.Alaska wants to know the number for the local Humane Society.She wants to report some abuse.

Noooooooooo!

2011-03-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

It's supposed to be spring. The Easter bunny is all but hippity hoppitying down the bunny trail.
We had no snow and things were thinking about turning green, and then this...Fortunately, it should all be gone again by Friday.

In the mean time, the chickens are getting mad.They hate snow and think this is all my fault.

Help! I'm melting!Whew! Made it just in time.

The Wearin' Of The Green

2011-03-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Of all the dogs at our kennel right now, only Cullen's mommy loves him.She was the only one with the foresight to send him in for training with a green shamrock collar. He won't get pinched on St. Patrick's day.

Better start running, Skid.

Certified!

2011-03-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

My parents rough collie, Kane, has had a busy life, and he's only 2.At 6 months old he had a neurological episode that the doctors were not able to diagnose. They just hoped he'd live and would have a pain free life.
Kane not only lived, he completely recovered.
He and my mother took obedience classes for some discipline and then started competing in agility. Just for kicks he took his Canine Good Citizen Test and a herding instinct test (to make me proud!) and passed both.
Now, Kane has decided to take on a new challenge. Therapy dog.
It's not a surprise to anyone who knows him that he would excel in this area. He has long been my niece, Katie's play toy and he has enjoyed every minute of it.He impressed his instructor from the very beginning and she asked my dad to bring him along on visits to retirement homes while he was still training for his certification.
Yesterday, Kane took his Therapy Dog test and passed it with no mistakes. Now he is official. My father has plans to visit the library with him to have kids "read to him" and he'll also start visiting a lock down facility for people with deep emotional problems. After his certification this week, my father and Tag visited with some mentally disabled children and he had this to say:
" I took Kane to meet a young girl who was not more than maybe thirteen, who was sitting on the grass. She was attended by two young girl volunteers who sat on each side of her. She was bent over, hiding her face with her hand while one of the attendants held her other hand, helping her stroke a dog's fur. The dog had short hair. When Kane lay down in front of her, she was apparently surprised at his long fur. I had her stroke his mane to feel how soft it is, and by bending over, I could see that she was smiling. Kane touched her hand with his nose and she began giggling and they no longer had to hold her hand as she continued to stroke his fur. "I don't suppose I need to say it but, "Good boy, Kane".

Minimal Monday - Still Winter

2011-03-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Career Changes

2011-03-03T21:29:00.000-08:00

As I'm sure you have noticed by now, not all of the border collie pups that are raised here at Alta-Pete Stockdogs become great herding dogs. However, being border collies, alot of them find different careers in their new homes.

For a herding washout, (relatively) Gyp is an over achiever. She does a little bit of everything. She still herds some and she excels in agility with many titles behind her name, but her most valuable talent must be as a therapy dog. Now that's a very good girl.

Bet doesn't believe she was supposed to be a border collie. She scorns herding but found a different job training Siberian husky puppies for the Iditarod.She started out as just a way to lure the pups back to their kennel after walks in the woods but she has ended up helping evaluate the future sled dogs. She teaches them to run out ahead of the training quad and shows them which direction "gee" and "haw" are. (see, if she was supposed to be a border collie, her directions would be "come bye" and "away to me")I don't think she was supposed to be a husky either. She is much too partial to living in the house, dining on waffles, and sleeping on big fluffy dog beds. If you ask her, she is a one of a kind and there's no need to get any more specific than that.

Gael is a super cute bundle of energy.I really loved her and when she didn't work out as a herding dog, I knew that agility would be her specialty. She spent too much time around here showing us how she could climb things - very fast.I didn't think her speed was going to be for beginners though and I was overjoyed when an agility instructor saw her potential and brought her into her home (and on to her bed!) - her new name is Pixie and I think it fits her perfectly.

Davey is our most recent career change dog. He wanted to please me. He really did, but he told me there was too much pressure in learning how to be a herding dog. I was really attached to him so I asked my friend Amanda who had helped me place Gyp, if she could find me another perfect home for Davey. She took him to her house for a while and taught him how to be a well mannered house dog. Then she found his new, perfect, home.
Davey has only been with his new owner for a few weeks and hasn't found his career yet. For right now, in addition to the important task of bone chewer, he has the job of being an "in-house therapy dog" and helping his loving owner get over the loss of her old dog. I hear he's very good at it.

Pup, Thy Name Is "Ford"

2011-02-24T09:17:00.000-08:00

Photo by Christine Koval

Details coming soon!

In The Mind Of Poe

2011-02-19T12:06:00.000-08:00

Poe is not a normal cat. I think we've established that.
Sometimes the voices in his head tell him to do odd things.
More than once I have seen him staring at nothing on the wall in my hallway.There is nothing on that wall, Poe.THERE IS NOTHING ON THAT WALL, POE!"I see dead people."

Alaska's Report Card

2011-02-12T17:26:00.000-08:00

Alaska has been here about a month and a half now so I figured it was time to tally up her report card so we all know just where her grades stand.

1. HELPING TOGO: B-I suppose this depends on how you define "helping". Togo gave her this grade so don't complain to me.

2. IGNORING CHICKENS : B+As long as the chickens aren't doing anything too exciting, she's got this one aced.

3. LEASH WALKING: D+I thought we had this under control but apparently not.

4. VIGILANCE: B+Not much happens around the farm that she doesn't know about.

5. IGNORING CATS: BMost of the time she's ok with them.

6. RESPECTING FENCES: FHmmm. We're working on it.

So, you ask, is there anything she excels at?

7. GROWING BIG: AI guess we'll keep her.

Scenes From A Snowy Day

2011-02-05T15:10:00.000-08:00

Minimal Monday - Buddies

2011-01-31T09:43:00.000-08:00

Cat Watching

2011-01-28T14:53:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, I actually put Laddie in his crate.
Gasp!
Yes, once in a while he gets treated like a..., dare I say it?... D...D....DDDOG!

It doesn't stop him from watching the cats when they get up on my desk.
Sometimes I look over and he looks like this:He'll hold that pose for as long as the cats are sitting there.
Today I looked over and he was holding this pose:Really, Laddie.
I think you need a new hobby.

Coffee With A Canine

2011-01-26T09:08:00.000-08:00

The dogs and I wandered out today to have Please come over and join us!

Double Take?

2011-01-24T19:08:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Salem and Skid are soliciting new homes in Georgia under false names...

(click on picture to enlarge)

Thanks to Debbie Bailey for spotting this ad and alerting me to their plans.

Shhhh

2011-01-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Don't tell anyone...we let our little dog (and his friends) on the kitchen table!

It's All In The Eyes

2011-01-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

I love my dog Hemp but I just can't take a good picture of him.They say the eyes are the window to the soul and in Hemp's case I believe it.
His activity level is very high and when you look into his eyes it reflects it.
His pictures almost always come out badly because of this.
I tried to take a nice picture of him and Lad in front of a stone wall and his energy even made Lad look a little crazy.If you can't see his eyes very well, then maybe...But most of the time it comes out looking like this.Kinda makes you want to sleep with one eye open when you know this is what shares a house with you!

The Visit

2011-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Monday we had a visit from some different kinds of working dogs.
The North Wapiti pretty sled dogs! They (and head musher, Karen, and the newest musher, Richard and Helen their handler) were passing through on their way back from a race.
We were excited to have them stop over for the night.
Their "truck-dog" is a border collie who used to belong to us so they are family now anyway.
They were the best behaved guests and since Scott and I travel our dogs in much the same way, we spent alot of time observing their chores and quizzing the mushers to learn how to make our travels easier.
Unfortunately we didn't have enough snow in the right places to get a sled ride but the company more than made up for that. Come back anytime, guyz!

Bragging Rights

2011-01-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Sure, there are lots of dogs that watch the tv when a sheepherding show is on.
I've got one of those too (Jed).
But how many of you also have cats that watch sheepherding on tv?
Somehow I think Poe is one of a kind.

Cat Tails

2011-01-04T21:16:00.000-08:00

All the dogs around here are busy working and training and don't have any interesting stories to tell right now so lets check in with the cats.

Poe is disappointed that his bid to ruin Christmas didn't come through.
The packages he peed on under the Christmas tree were enclosed in plastic.Curses! Foiled again!

The barn cats are taking the high road,and keeping an eye on things.They aren't taking any chances.What's got them so up in the air?I have no idea.

The Name Game Again

2010-12-31T19:49:00.000-08:00

I was asked the other day how Togo got his name.
I had no idea that people didn't realize who he was named after. Togo (pronounced Toe-go) was named after a very brave sled dog.
In 1925 Nome, Alaska was in the deep of winter when a deadly diphtheria epidemic broke out. The town was out of life saving serum and children were dying. The only way in or out of Nome was by dog sled.
So a relay of 674 miles was organized with 20 mushers and dog teams passing off the serum. Many times the temperatures plunged to 50F below zero but every musher did his part, at peril to themselves and their dogs, to save lives.

The hero of this run was the diminutive Togo.

Togo at 12 years old (Reuel Griffin Collection)

He was a Siberian husky with a splash of Malamute thrown in.
At the time of the serum run he was 12 years old but led his team and his owner Leonhard Seppala, through the most dangerous part of the trail and raced the longest distance.
To meet the serum he had to go 170 miles and then turned around and ran his leg of the relay for 91 more miles. On one day he covered 84 miles!

Leonhard Seppala and Togo say good bye on the day he was put to sleep at 16 years old (Ralph Morril, Peabody Museum, Yale)

Togo brought the serum and his musher in safely and I thought, that my guardian dog should be named after such a great dog with so much heart.

Young Alaska's name carries a little less weight with it but it is still in the mushing spirit.

The Apprentice

2010-12-26T09:04:00.000-08:00

I promised Togo that if he was a good boy, I would get him a back up guardian dog and a playmate.
He worked hard this summer and fall to get his name off the naughty list so we rewarded him with his very own puppy for Christmas!Alaska is an Akbash which is a guardian breed from Turkey. In fact, her grandfather was imported from Turkey.
It is rare for an Akbash to have grey on their face but once in a while it happens and usually fades before they are adults.Alaska is much more active than Togo was at this age.
He resembled a fluffy slug at 8 weeks but she's game to experience everything she can on the farm.
She prepared for her meeting with the sheep by tasting some wool for the full ovine experience.
Then it was time for the real thing.Hmmm. Maybe we'll just stick to the wool for now.

Most importantly,
does Togo like her?You could say that.

So coyotes,
be wary of Alaska and Togo!Well, at least for now, be wary of Togo and keep your eye on his side kick.

2010-12-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

From All Creatures Great and Small
at Alta Pete Stockdogs,

Merry Christmas!

Togo's Christmas Present

2010-12-22T15:12:00.000-08:00

Thursday I am going for a drive up to the Calgary area to pick up Togo's Christmas present.
I'm not going to say what it is right now because I don't want someone to tell Togo.But I'll give you these hints:
It's white, fluffy and also a present for me.
But really, it's mostly for the sheep.
Discuss.Oh, yeah, and they won't appreciate it for a couple of years.

Minimal Monday - Snow Daze

2010-12-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

Togo's Nemesis

2010-12-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

Grrrrr

Minimal Monday - Ghosts Of Christmas Past

2010-12-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Some people take their kids to visit Santa...

Most of these pictures were taken circa 2000 -

First up, we have Emerson who was getting old when this picture was taken.
Emmy was a guide dog puppy that I raised that didn't make it because he had dysplasia.Best dog ever.

Then we have Nessie at about 4 years old.Not the best dog ever but she enjoyed life.

Ahh, Chippy.
He's about 2yrs old here.If I could only have him back.

Bob,
when he was just a kid.
At one year old we were just starting our herding together.
Little did I know it would lead to a husband and a house on the Canadian prairies.

THEN I'm sure you are all familiar with The Great Disaster of '07,when Skid tried to bite Santa's helper and Laddie had to save the day.
We haven't tried that again.

Christmas Time Is Here Again

2010-12-10T16:26:00.000-08:00

We have started our Christmas decorating at Alta-Pete Stockdogs

The stockings are hung

and the tree has been set up.
What is that ugly box doing there next to the tree, you ask?
Is it an early Christmas present?
No.It's just a desperate attempt to distract Poe from harassing the tree.

Well, it was worth a try.

Minimal Monday - Fat Cat Rolling

2010-12-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

Knock, Knock

2010-12-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

Um, excuse me.
It's a nice day outside,can Mom come out and play?

Minimal Monday - Snow Shots

2010-11-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

(you'll shoot your eye out!)

Snowy Outruns

2010-11-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

When I lived in California, my friend and I used to think about how it would be neat to send a dog on an outrun to pick up sheep in a pristine, snowy field.
You could look at the tracks and see if your dog did it exactly right.
So, this one's for you, Janna...
Good boy, Hemp!

Teddy Bears

2010-11-21T14:35:00.000-08:00

This picture of Skid was taken a couple of days after we picked him up.
After his first bath.He was only about 8 months old.
Remember his story?
People always ask why in the world we would keep a little dog.
Don't we have enough dogs?
The reason has to do with this boy and this dog. This was Scott and Teddy.
Teddy was Scott's best friend when he was a kid.
Kinda resembles someone doesn't he? Teddy was Scott's constant companion when he was growing up.When Skid came along, I think Scott figured he'd get his Teddy back.
But Skid picked me.Turned out, I needed a Teddy Bear more than Scott did.