Monday Not a Good Day

It has taken me awhile to put this news to print.  Monday we lost a very good friend our large black and white cat.  Poncho came to us many years ago from a client who was having his own health problems and wanted to make sure should something happen to him his cat would be taken care of.. And with that we acquired Poncho who quickly became keeper of the desk and official greeter for the kennel.  He always made sure he was available to be petted should a client so desire to do so and if they didn't he would just push his way in by either sitting on their check book or making it impossible to pay without some how touching him. To him a pet was anything that involved him getting touched.  He also loved dogs, loved to swat them on the nose, loved to hiss at them and loved to back them down.  He never did meet his match as with those dogs he would be conveniently unavailable for greeting.
He was truly a people cat and ready to warm any lap.  I will miss him greatly as I now have the desk to myself.  Funny how you suddenly miss that pain in the next that always seems to be in the way.
To Poncho I thank you for letting us be a part of your life, we enjoyed every minute you gave us.  You gave us many laughs and sadly you will never be replaced. Our big fat cat has passed.
And I thank you for putting up with us for so long......

PONCHO



5 Little Ones

At 8:30 am after a shower and a long night Maureen and I were at the Kennel checking Mom 1 last time before we went to breakfast... Dalilah was in the nest box digging, pulling hair and getting things set for the big event... I kept saying I think I hear something, not wanting to disturb  or interrupt something Maureen gently probed around Delilah butt.. Surprise there was 1 no 2 maybe 3.. excitement took over and we picked her up to expose the 5 newly born bunnies...  All seem healthy and ready to go... Mom is fine and looking for her kids.. we put them in another nest box as they will be fed tomorrow...here is the first photo Buns right out of the oven!!!





Bunny Watch Continues

It is now 9:50 pm and I just left the Kennel.. I abandoned Maureen as she is camping out with Dalilah and the cats as they wait for the babies to come.... Dalilah started pulling hair about 2 pm this afternoon and generally that is the first sign things are going to get started.. So by 2:30 pm the intense watch program was on and Maureen started her camp out rabbit side.. At 7pm there was a slight break for dinner, Ms Maureen no fast food only healthy stuff opted for McDonalds (first time this year for us).... McDonalds got the nod so we could  get back quick... Once back Maureen set up her camp Air mattress on the floor lots of quilts and Poncho the cat... Add her kindle and laptop a pillow or two and she was set.. It is now 10 pm I am at the house putting the dogs to bed... Ms Dalilah has pull a bunch of hair and her rear legs are just about bald she has been eating parsley (which is suppose to help push things along) panting then resting then in the box to rearrange and then out to rest again... I will now wait for a call that it is all going down at which time I will go to the kennel to assist with the new ones...

Dalilah Pulling Hair

The Nest Box She Put Everything In It

wash cloth/ripped up paper/hay/angora fiber fresh off Mom

So I Left Maureen At The Kennel



Bunny Watch Alert

The bunny watch is on as Delilah has started nesting her nest box... She has been preparing for the big event for the last week but now she is getting serious.  The nest box was placed in her cage yesterday and this morning we found her busy at work digging and rearranging things...  So Maureen and I are now on bunny watch.. Which means late night checks, middle of the night checks and way before dawn checks... Then naturally we will do the all day checks..  No good sleep time till they arrive... Our hope is she will have them Sunday and preferably Monday.. Time will tell..

                                                The anxious mom getting things ready

Agility Classes

The agility classes are going well as everyone seems to be picking up right where they left off before the holidays.  In spite of the nasty weather everyone has shown up for the first 2 rounds of classes and working off the holiday cobwebs.

Miley getting ready to run 

301 Class getting last minute instructions

401 dogs waiting their turn

Next event Cicle G the 27/28/29 of January

Going Home

Today our big hairy dogs went home. Lillie and her two kids have been with us for an extended stay due to some medical needs within their 2 legged family.  All is better now and they are going home.  We have been boarding and training these 3 since Lillie was a puppy.  Jill B is their human leader and has maintain a strict training regiment from basic obedience right through agility.  Yes they all do agility, they all climb the A-Frame, the dog walk and the teeter.  Lillie the mom was a handful as a youngster as she was always showing her true Komondor roots by being on guard at all times and a little leery of everything and everybody.  It took me almost 2 years before I gained her trust as an outsider of her immediate family.  But her and I have maintained a wonderful relationship over the years and now at 11 she is even glad to see me.  Her 3 kids are Reign a continual top 5 in the show ring, Clover "Miss I don't want to be in the show ring" and Blue who lives with Jill's daughter and doesn't visit us much.  Reign and Clover make the big splash in the kennel with their long dreads and outgoing personalities.  Their large size and deep barks set most people back.  We are all looking forward to Jill and her Komondors returning to classes soon. 

Lillie (mom) heading out the door

Clover not wanting to pose

Reign showing his show dog side



Classes Start

Obedience classes started this Monday with a bang as all classes filled and everyone was excited about starting. 
Manners 101 is always a fun class as you never know what is going to happen, fortunately no surprises this week.

Our small classes makes it easy to give individual attention

and sometimes some dogs just pose for attention

Classes Beginning January 9th

Wesson has been monitoring the classes and wants everyone to know that the all classes are almost full, we have some opening in Monday Manners Classes at 6:30 and 8 and Tuesday Manners 101 at 8.  We opened a second Manners 201 CGC/Pre Therapy on Tuesday at 6:30.  Pre Agility and Beginning agility classes have a few spots as well.  Call the office (937-885-3427) should you have any questions.  Only a few opening left and we keep it on a first come first serve basis. 

Wesson and I will be looking for you.

The National Agility Invitational

I have been procrastinating publishing the actual event and results as I had no video or stills to post with the update.  In today's mail I received the first of the videos from the event so I can put it off no longer.  For those who know me and Laura personally the following will make alot of sense..

"LAURA WAS LAURA"

What that translates to is she did the weaves when she felt like it and didn't do the jumps she didn't want to.  But to me getting selected to represent the breed was an honor and competing at this level is a thrill and a great learning experience.  The courses were tough and very challenging.  The biggest problem was they were tight which made it especially tough for the big dogs who like to run, which Laura is.  when a course is tight it is very demotivating for her and she loses interest and drive.  There was nothing presented in the challenges that we had not practiced or she was incapable of doing... The only question I had was, did she want to?? So here is her best run of the event. The result was a 95 score and was her second of 4 runs and at this point we were in the hunt.





She did not really get into her rhythm in the weaves till halfway thru them. As you can see she dropped a bar early but was running well.  She just hates tight turns and having to put on the brakes. After the double she really wanted to do the weaves again and it was tough getting her thru the 270, the wrap went better and the ending was wonderful.  The end result of the weekend was we finished number 3 Bouvier.  By not doing the weaves the first time in 3 of the 4 runs we dropped out of the top dog race.  But she did not embarrass me and she looked good running.  She made me proud not only on the course, but going thru the crowd where people would stop us and ask questions about the breed.  She was and excellent ambassador and travelled like a pro.