Poor little Frosty Flake
Miss Frost is an easy keeper, in other words she is PJ’s daughter and likes food a lot. She spent the summer harvesting figs and eating mesquite beans and turned into fat Frost so she was forced onto the Green Bean diet to get her waist back for the upcoming shows. Apparently she thinks she is starving and is taking matters into her own paws. This is Sienna’s empty bag of dog food, there just might be some food dust in there.
The Daily Corgi
We made the Daily Corgi! Check us out http://thedailycorgi.blogspot.com/2010/09/cardi-convention-day-one.html
Thinking about the Fall
I’m looking forward to the fall, not just because of the perfect Southwest weather, fall dog show season, football but also PUPPIES!
The stage has been set for puppies. Those of you who follow Solstice might remember last September, Harry and I attempted a breeding of Lindy (Ch Arylan Flying Start) and his lovely Arylan bred Oscar (Arylan Tribute to Liberty). Oscar’s lovely pedigree and type offset his fluffiness and both Harry and I bred a girl to him. Lindy unfortunately didn’t take (timing on my part I’m very sure) but Harry got a lovely litter from Chickie (Eklectic Arylan Chiquita Banana) and Oscar one of which is my pretty Banner girl. Oscar is a beloved pet and once he did these breedings he was neutered.
Now part of the reason I wanted to use Oscar was his lovely pedigree and I had plans in my head that the Lindy x Oscar breeding could produce something to take to PJ in the future. When that didn’t happen I hoped Banner might be a good match for PJ in the future. Then I found out that PJ carries the Fluff gene and of course Oscar, Banner’s Daddy Dog is a fluff. What to do, what to do?
Lindy
I really didn’t want to lose my chance at my pedigree plans (what a tangled web) so it has been decided that Lindy will be bred to one of Banner’s brothers. Young as they are, Harry has prelim hips done and they both look good. I loved this litter; it was so consistent so I’m getting excited about what could happen. Lindy is Fluff free so hopefully all the genes will fall into place for me and I get a pretty fluff free girl.
Oz at 8 months
We haven’t chosen between the two boys for sure yet. I’m leaning towards Oz (Arylan Mint Proof) but I also really like Orem (Arylan Gold Standard) too. Lindy didn’t seem to have a favorite when we visited a couple of weekends ago; she thought they were both punks. Since Lindy also isn’t saying when she will come in season (could be anytime from now until November) we still have some time to evaluate them as they mature a bit more.
Orem at 8 months
And if that isn’t enough in speaking with my Southwest Cardi peers there are a bunch of planned litters for this fall and winter so next Summer we ought to have a lovely new crop of Cardi youngsters out and about at shows in the region. That is always exciting to see all the young hopefuls.
I’ll be happy to answer puppy inquiries; I’ve started a puppy waiting list now that time is getting close. This breeding will most likely be a black/white litter. You can go to my website for my kennel philosophies and practices and also both Lindy’s and Banner’s (and her brothers) pedigrees are listed at www.solsticekennels.com. And check out www.arylan.com for information on the upcoming black/blue litter and additional information on the potential stud muffins.
Jacked again
It seems the last melon snatch and grab was just a recon mission to test security of the melon patch.
Bailey and her Melon Jackin Crew (Banner, Mandy and Sienna) made a complete sweep of the melon patch yesterday while our guard was down enjoying our visit with my brother.
This is all that is left of the great watermelon patch.
There are few small melons left but they took out anything else that looked edible. Next year we will be moving the melons to maximum security.
The Tri kids
Solstice Flying Ace aka Charlie
Arylan Flying the Colors at Solstice aka Banner
Dragonfly dance
One of the joys of living with dogs is you never know what they will do next.
I mowed the yard this morning and after a few moments a swarm of dragonflies descended upon the yard. Wicca the GSP has always been one to chase anything that flies and she moves at Mach 1 and she began to rocket around the yard chasing them. Her actions caught the attention of Cardis and soon they were watching the dragonflies too.
Wicca soon was distracted by something else but Bailey and Mandy had begun to follow them around the yard. It was almost like the dragonflies were dancing and playing with them, swoops and turns, leaps and pirouettes. A lovely, funny dance around the yard. It went on for about 10 minutes until either the dogs or the dragonflies got tired of the game. Bailey and Mandy then flopped on the newly mown grass with happy tongue hanging smiles. I wished for the camera but I was also glad I didn’t have anything else to do but watch and smile.
It’s always something, life with dogs. Shelly Camm I thought of you too.
The great garden caper or Jacking the Melon!
Exhibit A
Watermelon Patch
Exhibit B
The suspect
The Snitch
The Evidence
So Monday I’m working in the garden and I’ve been admiring the fist size watermelon that is growing in the watermelon patch. Bailey and Sienna were hanging out. I went in the house and when I came out the melon was laying out in the yard. Who do you think did it? Now granted I planted the watermelon for the dogs but the key is dogs with an “s”. Not Bailey. Is she guilty?
The garden is now in lock down.
Happy Birthday Lindy Hop!
Going home day
Lindy is 5 today. It is hard to believe it has been 5 years!
It has been an interesting ride with Lindy, she contracted Pravo at 9 months and then went thru a period where she was afraid of men on the table (I attributed it to all the poking and treatment at the vets from our male Doc and Techs) and that blew her chances at some early majors. But like a long time breeder said “if she has a good temperament she will come back” and she did. Then a year off for her 1st litter (who are 17 months old today).
Lindy’s next adventure will be back to the whelping box later this fall if she cooperates.
Happy Birthday Hop! No you are not my favorite!
Mid Year Results Goals
OK, I missed the actual mid year but just checking in on what I set as 2010 goals back in January. Here is what I listed:
1. Continue down the good health path – Mid year, haven’t done as much as a wanted to but haven’t gotten too far off the path.
2. Be excited about my job and the opportunities that present themselves.- Mid year, Job is going well. I’ve learned a lot since I took an opportunity in March. September sends me back to my regular assignment so we will see if I can take the good attitude back with me.
3. Train some dogs, that’s right train them. I’ve been lucky that the Cardis are such a bidable crew that they like to work with you but it will be nice if we do some formal team work. Poor PJ got his RN title with very little instruction and practice, but he is a good egg and did what I asked him to do. Frost is so smart that she needs some type of job and Bailey is a rebellion teenager and she wants to do what she wants to do right now so she needs some instructions. Mid year – Frost is in Rally class and I’ve put together my training yard and am sort of using it. Once I get back in the groove I’ll introduce some of the other dogs.
4. Re work our kennel and kennel yard so that I can house 8 – 10 dogs with out a lot of worry. I don’t have 8 – 10 at the moment but I’d like to be able to house that many if needed. (the granddogs come over and it will be nice not to have to swap dogs around when they visit. – OK, now there are 8 and we really haven’t done anything about this but the year isn’t over so there is still hope.
5. Plant a garden (sort of goes with #1) – Did this one, it is a container garden but growing well and we have gotten some produce already. Got the garden plot dug out and now planning next year’s garden.
6. Evaluate my current dogs and see where I want to go next with my breeding program. I have some ideas/plans and with young dogs I also have time but now is the time to start making those plans. – Still moving forward. Lindy finished in May which takes care of worrying about getting her into shows. She will be bred when she come in next. Still not sure which boy will be her mate but feeling excited about the future.
7. Spent more time with the people I love and less time with the people I don’t. That includes worrying about the people I don’t love.- Really working on this one. I’ve gotten away from the nasty dog club people and just not bothering with people I don’t like. I wish I could spend more time with those I love most of them are a distance away but I do what I can.
So not a total wash on the goals, still moving forward. We will see what the next few month bring.
Our new training yard
After selling the travel trailer it left a lot of yard available. We can train in the front yard without the company of the other dogs. Here is the beginning our our training area. You like my figure 8 people? Also there are lots of distraction in the front yard, walkers, cars, dogs and just things of general interest to dogs. Frost and I did a bit of training this morning. I’m going to figure out some lighting too so we can do some training after dark when it is cooler.
Solstice Kennels 