Project Puppy

I should know better.  If anyone says, "Hey want to go look at a litter of puppies?"  I should just RUN! 

So last Tuesday one of my friend's said, "Hey, I heard about these free Border Collie puppies on a farm.  What to go check it out?"  It's well known that I'm the crazy dog person in my group of friends.  We didn't have anything to do that afternoon and there is a good ice cream place in a town near the farm, so we went to see the puppies.  Did I mention that it was an hour drive?

I'm making this story shorter:  We got there and the puppies were in bad shape.  On Thurs. I brought them some puppy food, because they didn't have any.  The mama dog was trying to feed all 8.  I contacted the Border Collie Rescue of MN and they said they could help out.  Today I went and told the guy that I could take the puppies and find them homes.  I think he heard that and now thinks they are worth something, so he said he would let me know in 2 weeks - after his daughter, who is on vacation, comes back and picks out her puppy.

Ok whatever.  At least they have the puppy food that I brought them to eat.

I'll let the pictures do the talking now....

Mama dog and her sister - They are BC/Old English Sheep dog.  They kind of look like PWD too.  The dad of the puppies is unknown.  Maybe a brown wrinkly dog???? Not sure what kind of dog that would be

Mama dog

Video of puppies nursing.  They are so sweet :)  There is my favorite one that always comes over and wants to be picked up.  She comes over to me near the end of the video.

Puppies' aunt

Can you see the puppies?

Nursing.

This is my favorite one.

Puppies eating.

Hopefully things turn out OK for these little pups.  We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

All Ready To Go!

Tibby's all ready to hit the road!

She actually likes this crate.  Silly puppy!  I've never tried her in this one, because we had such a hard time training with the wire ones.  I thought she wouldn't like to be all enclosed!

"You're wrong again, Mom."

You've come a long way Tibby!  Good girl!

"I crate trained now!"

I Be Rollin'

Tibby's got a brand new ride!  Yup, it's a dog stroller.  I want to take her with me this summer - to farmer's markets and the weekly street market.

She liked to visit them last year, but I didn't like walking with her through the crowds.  People are rude.  I don't want them to touch her and she doesn't want to be touched.  Sorry, but that's the truth.

She likes to watch people though.

So far she thinks the stroller is great.  Lots of treats in that stroller.  I even wheeled her around the living room this afternoon and she didn't mind it at all.  This could be fun :)

Just Right

Tibby found a new favorite napping spot!  The couch wasn't quite soft enough, but this added pillow makes it just right. 

Spoiled puppy alert!  :P

Things That Go Squish

When she goes out to potty at night, these are the things that make Tibby jump.  I always used to laugh at her, but YUCK!!  She is right to jump!  I would jump too, if I stepped on one of these with my bare feet.

They are also creepy fast.  They can pull back into their burrows with lightening speed.  Ewwwww!

Oh yeah, they're mating earthworms - if you can't tell from my awesome picture :P

Dog Agility Blog Action Day - Attitude

Well, this is an appropriate theme for me.  I have a bad attitude (right now) about agility.  I want to do it - Tibby does not.  And I'm not going to make her, or lure her, or trick her, or BEG her to play with me.  I'm done with trying all the tricks.  She has told me in every way that she doesn't like agility.  She likes to : sit in the backyard, play with the cat, play with me, chew bully sticks, snuggle, get belly rubs, do tricks and go for walks.  These are the things that make her happy. 

Tibby makes me happy, so if these are the things that make Tibby happy....then I shouldn't have my bad attitude.

But I do.

I love training agility.

I love watching agility.

I love thinking about agility.

So I have been working on my attitude.  Happy with what I have and not dissatisfied with what I don't have.  It's not easy. 

I would like to play (tug, chase, fetch, wrestling) with Tibby all the time.  She would like to sleep. 

I think the hardest thing, is to be rejected by your dog when you want to play with them.  They say, "No thank you." and then go chase the cat.  Big ego blow.

Ego.  Yup, that would cause a bad attitude. 

I have been told by many people (many times) that the most difficult dogs teach us the most.  I believe this, but it doesn't make my attitude any better.  I believe this because in the last couple of weeks I have been able to train Zoe (the terrified terrier) to do agility better than Tibby.  Weeks, people, not years.  Very bad for my attitude. 

Would I want to live with Zoe?  No.  Would I want to trade Tibby for Zoe?  NEVER EVER EVER!!  Am I jealous that  Zoe's Mom has a drivey dog that asks for more and wants to play with her?  maybe.

In the last few months (maybe year) I've experienced something like the stages of grief -

Denial:  "This can't be happening, not to me.  I can fix this.  I can work harder."

Anger: "Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; '"Who's to blame?  Everyone else has an easy dog!  Not fair!"

Bargaining: "I'll do anything, travel any where, try everything. Any class, any seminar, any treats or toys."

Depression: "I'm so sad, why bother?  Nothing will work, what's the point?"

Acceptance: "It's going to be okay."; "I can't fight it, I may as well get use to it."

I'm not saying I've reached the acceptance stage, but I might be getting closer.  That would help my attitude.

Right now I have a little fluffy dog snuggled up in my lap with her head on my chest.  She's asleep and gently breathing onto my neck.  I love her.  I would never trade her for a million drivey dogs and right now I have an excellent attitude.

I will keep working on my attitude and Tibby will keep being the sweet little dog she has ALWAYS been.  I will try to appreciate what an amazing dog I have and not try to make her into something she doesn't want to be.

She's a companion dog.  She's my companion and she does it better than any dog in the world.

Am I done with agility?

I'll work on my attitude and get back to you on that someday.

June Groom

Tibby went to the groomer's on Friday.

Pretty!  Right?

Hat-itude

I forgot to post these pictures.  I took the picture above of Tibby in my Mom's hat (that she won at a race) and I thought it was pretty good.  But noooo.....Mom wanted the name on the hat to show in the picture.  Uh, it's kind of hard enough to get a picture with the hat on Tibby's head....let alone have it poofed up in all the right places, so the name will show up.  She said it would be easy, so I let her show me how to take a 'good' picture of Tibby.  he he he

Hat on the rear with a ponytail?

"Why are my fluffy buns wearing a hat?!?!"

"Ha ha it's sliding down my back!"

Gangsta Tibby - tough enough?

Fishing Tibby

And.....My Mom gave up.  Harder than it looks?

Bonfire Night

We went to a bonfire on Thursday.  I like this picture, because it has Tibby, the bonfire and the moon!

This is Tibby with her 'boyfriend' Benji.  Benji would like Tibby to be his girlfriend (if you know what I mean), but she just likes to flirt.  She gets all happy and waggy when Benji comes out to play.

Zoe and Tibby

"Benji!  This is a girls only picture!"

Tibby kisses!

Sparklers

Tibby's good at giving snuggles.