You Know It's Time To Cut The Lawn When...

Marco...?
POLO!

All Good Things Must End

The second half of my vacation was strictly for the dogs. Hemp enjoyed his herding time but was unable to dodge that dangerous California weed, the foxtail. Fortunately, it's travel into his foot was brief and it worked itself out without much damage. Next, we spent two days visiting Lake Isabella which was being used as a water pick up to help fight the fires.None of that bothered the dogs tho and Lad spent his time either fetching toys out of the water or waiting for someone to throw a toy in the water.

Hemp still wasn't comfortable swimming and was grateful for help wherever he could get it.

Skid continued to indulge in his obsessive compulsive disorder and kept himself busy. His plan consisted of searching underwater for the perfect stick and then taking it to shore.

We think he was building a dam.

All too soon the fun was over and I packed up my exhausted dogs, said goodbye to the California windmills, and prepared to return to the Alberta windmills.

A Whole Different Ball Game

Meet Rookie or as some may call her, Upland Hills First Round Pick. She has some extra letters behind her name from a title or two but that's not important in the grand scheme of things.

Rookie is obviously a different kind of working dog and she showed me her skills while I was visiting her owners in California. Since I had the luxury of not having Bob and his noise phobia along, I went out hunting with Rookie and her owners.

In a similar way as our border collies, Rookie was born with her skills and just needed some guidance. Having a trained dog really makes for easy hunting. She's a real step-saver and you hardly have to work at all.

She finds the bird and points them out to you

You shoot the bird (or have a friend do it for you if you are gun impaired)

and wait for her to bring it back.I barely had to get off the couch.

Pool Party

The dogs and I went swimming today in my parents pool -whether they wanted to or not. (yes Dad, that's why there was all that hair in the filter!)

Lad took to it right away

But Hemp preferred to use the chaise lounge and work on his tan

And Skid chased his shadow on the front steps. (can you say obsessive compulsive?)Just in case they were having too much fun, I thought perhaps they might start training for cliff diving (you never know when that might come in handy).Sure it's all fun and games until it's your turn!

No dogs were harmed in the making of this blog. (If you can believe it they all actually ran back up to try it again)

I Did It My Way

Skid and I went on a little excursion today to root Nirvana's Taggus McTaggert (aka "Tag" -or as he calls himself, "King of the World") and my mother on in an agility trial. For you agility enthusiasts, Tag tried out his first time in jumpers excellent

and continued in standard open.

I'm afraid he didn't get a qualifying leg in either. Sometimes a dog has to do it his own way. Tag's way did not involve jumping on a table today. In fact, he's pretty sure he didn't see a table anywhere on the course. That big flat thing in front of him was certainly NOT a table and there was no way he was going to jump on it. He'd never seen anything like it. Never. It was best just to look the other way.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, er, suburbia, Skid was having his own problems. He didn't like the grass in my parents backyard. No way. Absolutely not. He would not walk on that weird green stuff for love, leash nor money. This created a little problem. Where was he to poop? I decided to wait him out. He couldn't hold it forever. Could he? We'll never know 'cause after 48 hours I gave in and drove him to the local park where he felt much better about letting go, so to speak. This dog has pooped all across North America but for some reason, he had his issues.

Tomorrow is our last day here in suburbia before we head over to visit a friend in the high desert above Los Angeles. This is where we will do the dog portion of the vacation which involves a little herding and swimming in the lake. We plan to spend our last day here exposing my parents pool filter to a little border collie and mutt hair.

California Here I Come

The trip to California was uneventful. We stopped off in Montana for a photo oppbut other than that and a few potty breaks we just kept heading south. Two long days of driving and one night in a hotel. I am happy to report that both Skid AND Hemp kept the hotel in an un-urinated state. Laddie has already had the no peeing in the hotel lecture so I knew he'd be ok.We are now at Mom and Dad's house in Orange County. The bad news is that tomorrow will be very boring for the dogs. The good news is that I am going to DISNEYLAND!
I tried to make it up to the dogs by letting them spend some quality time with me in my parents back yard.

LADDIE.... DON'T -YOU -DARE... Too Late!

There's No Place Like Home

We're home. For now.

Apparently the sheep have forgotten who we are and what we do for a living since they looked quite happy to see us when they greeted us at the gate.

Poe the Destroyer decorated for our homecoming. He was so small when we left and I didn't think about the fact that as he grew, so would his ability to tear things up. He and Salem must have been working on it for days because they were quite exhausted when they were finished.

The bad news is that I have to leave again in a couple of days. The good news is that I'm going to California to visit family and friends. Scott will stay behind and hold down the fort until I get back and clean it up again. However, I will not be alone for my adventure. Hemp and Skid will be making their debut in So. Cal and Laddie will be paying a return visit.

Oh, boy! Wait until Mom and Dad get a load of Skid!