Snowshoeing

Considering the current weather situation in the Northwest (rain... rain... rain.... rain.... ....) I decided to get out and enjoy our vacation and the sun we are having here in Nevada.
So I took Logan out snowshoeing near Lake Tahoe.

"Let's go mom!!!" Logan was anxious to get started!
Here we are starting... and he doesn't agree with the trail sign.

ZOOOOOooooooooom!!!
"Don't I haz a lovely head... lemme show you how lovely it is, I will pretend to hear something of that way... you take pictures."
So we trudged up a never ending ridge and got to the top and found stunning views of the lake... and some nice folks how took some pictures of Logan and I together. It was a fun day. My legs hurt... and Logan is curled up with his head in my lap as I type this. Nik didn't get to go, as it was too cold, she stayed with her grandma and grandpa who took her for walkies on a lake with geese. It turns out she hates geese... apparently she pinned her ears back and wanted to kill geese. I don't think she realizes they are bigger!!

From My Family To Yours

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY IT BE A WONDERFUL, PROSPEROUS 2009!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

We had a very Merry Christmas in Reno, with our family this year.

Logan got Sam, the Sucky Stuffy (he sucks on Sam and cuddles up with him when he wants to mellow out), he also got some new stuffy toys, some bones, etc.

Nikki got a pacage of her mini-tennis balls (peanut butter flavored), new stuffies, some chew bones. She likes to open her gifts herself... preferably in front of the fire place! :)

She also likes to kick gray butt.

Here are some pictures of them Christmas day with the fam and the next day out romping in the snow.

It's FREEZING out here mom, i have frozen whiskers!! (about 15*f)

I go this way, you go that way!


They still can't agree where to go.

Look Ma! Horns! I'm a reindeer!

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!

... well, apparently if you say it three times, it's like "Candyman" and it appears. Holy mackeral. DID IT SNOW... and continue to.

Crazy PNW weather, a cold snap and several days of snow off and on. When they say "it's gonna snow" it rains. When they say "It's gonna rain." it snows. We have about 4" and it's still coming down.

Logan loves it. He bounds through it and face plants often... he gets up and doesn't seem to notice or care (unless you laugh. He doesn't like it when you laugh about it!) and Nikki bounds and zooms through it... and then wants to be picked up and snuggled.

I usually slide her into my coat with me with her head peaking out where she can snuggle up warm and watch her brother zoom around. He likes to come over and check on her occasionally, though (stands up on his hind legs to her level and smooches her quick, then keeps on runnin'!)

Here are some pictures from the last snow. I didn't get any from this one yet. Should the break in the weather come they are expecting MANY pictures from a good romp in the snow tomorrow should be coming

!

The Sound

A few days ago I had a friend I haven't seen since I left Hawaii visit! It was great to see him and catch up :) The weather didn't necessarily cooperate, but welcome to the PNW. So, even in dense fog we took the dogs to the Sound for a good run.

R. spent most of his time playing chuckit with Nikki while Logan went and investigated two boys wake boarding at the end of the beach (tide was out) he would chase them, and the moment they'd try to pet him, he'd dodge their hands as if they were monsters (I guess they were about 13 yrs old boys....) and RUN for his life. This became a fun game for all involved... the boys thought it was funny and Logan thought it was great fun. Nik said "THROW THE BALL"

Here are some pictures:

Tracking... part 2.

http://www.fordogtrainers.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2553

So, I ordered a tracking harness for Logan as a birthday gift to myself. It arrived and Logan and I are putting it to work! So, I sent an email to the people I bought it from... asking for leather care tips and added some photos. Next thing I know, they have a custom "weimaraner tracking harness"... Hmm! Logan is FAMOUS! :) It's a wonderful harness and if you need one, I highly recommend it.

Anyway.

Today, Logan's tracking really floored me.

I wanted to lay a quick track to get him on some variable surfaces. So, I go to our normal tracking haunt. I lay a track (in about the same spot Stephanie laid a track for him about 5-6 days ago). I go forward about 70 paces, open turn to the left towards some trees about 90 paces, turn a sharp right go through a bunch of fallen leafs for about 110 paces then a sharp left over a gravel path about 30 paces to more leafs, plant the glove.

I go get Logan, put him at the start, have him scent the article and FIND! Off we go. Beautiful. I forgot flags to remind myself so I'm going off memory as I'm dragged behind this 80lbs weimaraner.... when he suddenly veers to the right about 15 feet. I'm thinking he's casting around verifying the turn to the left (which I figure we are nearing) ... there he finds something in the grass and marks it by picking it up and tossing it around. So I go over not sure what to expect, and I find a glove either Stephanie or I must have dropped 5 - 6 days ago! I realize he's gone off on an aged cross track (although Stephanie is who usually lays his tracks, so I couldn't blame him!) and then MARKED the glove *WOW*!!! I was very, very impressed by this. I give him a cookie, and the original glove (the one he's following, my scent) and FIND again. Off we go, makes the turn beautifully. ... makes the next turn beautifully, casts about in the leaves a bit, makes it out perfectly. Turns on cue... and crosses the gravel without batting a lash and marks the glove on the other side. WHEEE!!! Boy was I gleaming with pride!!!

Such a good, good boy! I am so pleased by his tracking progress it's a wonderful incentive to keep up on it.

Nik is still her normal ball crazy, snuggly self. She's my pocket dog... and wants me to say Hi on her behalf. She says she could out track that big gray dog any day of the week. And I believe her :)

Gone huntin'...

Thanksgiving of 2008 will live in my memory as an unorthodox and wonderful day.

Stephanie and Byron kindly invited Logan and I out for a day of hunting! I couldn't resist such an opportunity. A day with great friends... trudging through nature with dogs... and getting my dog on some live birds! What could be better?

So South we headed and arrived at the release site greeted by about a million other hunters... most of which had been there for a couple of hours already. Needless to say we didn't have an opportunity to actually flush a bird. But, Logan did find a pheasant wing... and he was VERY proud of that!

The dogs went for a good 4.5 hrs in the cold, drizzly weather doing their best to round of a living creature. However it was not for naught, Logan got used to gun fire (he was obsessed with the gun) and working away from me. He followed the lead of the senior dogs and did smashingly well!

The next day Stephanie decided to go for a hike followed by our longest tracks yet. 400+ yards on unfamiliar terrain. He took about 10 minutes to finish his line, it had been aged about 20 min. by the point we got on it. Olivia did hers in about 7 min, she's a fast little girl! We have great dogs!

Pictures will follow!

Settling in

Logan and Nik are settling in quite well. When I took them for a walk around our area last night (which i don't usually do. We usually go to the park.) When we got close they both started pulling to get home and ran in the house happily. It makes me happy that they are feeling more at home here.

He also had his first weekend out as a Special. Sadly we didn't do as well as I had hoped. But he was 2nd both days to two different dogs. So, at least he's consistently in the running. The first day a lovely puppy took BOB after the judge pulled him up next to Logan. Going back and forth for nail biting excitement. I thought my heart would beat out of my chest.

After the show was done Saturday we went for a long hike with Dev, his visiting Aunty and Olivia, Stella and Nina. Oh, and of course Nikki our best buddy. Much fun was had by all.

Sunday the judge also went back and forth giving Logan Best of Opposite Sex. After the show we took Logan and Dev for a swim and some play time. They were both pooped after their long day.

Tracking

Logan and Olivia (Logan's best friend, also a weimaraner) started tracking training! Off with a bang these two are VERY smart. Stephanie is well versed in this, lucky for me! We started adding turns on their second day and on their 4th lines (EVER! we did 3 lines a day over 2 days). They took the turns very well, casting to verify and then back on the turns. On Logan's 6th line he 'got it', following the turn, putting his nose to the ground and following the line steadily, picking up the hotdogs along the way.

Here are a few pictures of our adventure (photos courtesy of Stephanie Horner, Eden Weimaraners):

Settling In

So we've been here a full two weeks tomorrow night (monday Oct 6th). It's hard to believe, both in the sense it feels like it flew by and in the sense that I feel like it's been much longer.

Dogs seems to be settling in. Logan's making friends with every 4-legged buddy he can meet, he looooves other dogs. Nikki is up to her normal, sleeping-in and rolling in poop (of various wild animals) so she's been getting a fair amount of baths, too.

ABOVE: Logan and I, photo courtesy Stephanie Horner. Here are some pictures from our latest adventures:

Hiking in Auburn with Stephanie and her gang and metting Ingrid and Satchel (Olivia's brother) who were so nice (satchel and logan):



And Satchel, Logan, Nina and Olivia (Stella found something more interesting to do:







When we went to the wetlands a few days later, Stephanie brought her camera and we got these pictures of Olivia and swamp thing (aka Logan) He found muddy silt and enjoyed it thoroughly. Nikki enjoyed swinging off of Logan and Olivia's cheeks and posing for pictures. Photos courtesy Stephanie Horner.

The big move!

Well we did it. We made the big move.

We (family and I) spent all weekend packing up boxes and moving them into the giant trailer thing dad built to help me move. It's enormous. I should get a picture of it before he tears it down. Anyway, it moved everything beautifully!

It took us 14.5 hrs to get from Reno to Tacoma. Which is exactly 1/2 hr too long according to Logan. At hour 14 he said "THAT'S TOO MUCH! LET ME OUT NOW!" Threw a proper temper tantrum and freaked out in general. We got here, much to both our relief shortly thereafter. Stephanie was awesome and left much needed alcohol and a shower curtain so we could clean up. Nik traveled well, but she slept the whole time. So they were all wide awake when we got here about 9pm. So the next morning I was up early running the dogs. Thankfully Stephanie was able to go with me and Olivia and Logan had a good romp. I also got to meet our new extended family, Mama Dog (Stella) and Creature (Nina). Nik thought that was too many weims, but she thinks one is too many.

Other wise we are settling in. Mom and dad have helped a ton. I've got an appointment with my office to go sign paperwork. I need to study some more and plan to take my exam either late next week or early the following.

We are getting there. The house is great, the dogs are doing well, other than Nik being a bit cold and needing her sweatshirts (which she has plenty of. She has an entire wardrobe! :)

So here are some photos of Logan and Nik playing at one of our new haunts, the wetlands about 5 min. from our house.

You can stop looking... I've found it.

(written for friends Jan 11, 2008 the day after it happened.)

The absolutely grossest thing EVER. Truly. Ever.

I was feeling quite proud of myself, I've been feeding raw since Logan has arrived. And today I felt like a true raw feeder, as for the first time I fed tripe.

So, dinner came around, I dolled out some delicious (GAG) tripe. I was amazed, as I've heard it smells horrible and I was thinking it wasn't as bad as everyone complained it was. ... that is, until it makes it's second appearance.

There are no words to describe this. But the story goes like this, Logan suddenly jumped up and whined, lept off the bed, before i could untangle myself from the covers I hear an "erp" and a the sound of something solid hitting the floor .... 12oz of tripe, almost completely undigested, appear on my carpet. I pause for about 3 seconds thinking "Great, how do I deal with that?" and then the smell arrives.

The smell would make anyone sick to their stomach, the smell is indescribable. These noxious fumes has made my short haired dogs fur curl and peeled the varnish off my furniture. I'm fairly certain it's singed a hole in the carpet, from where it would not surprise me if Lucifer himself appeared, because only he and hell would be able to contain something this evil.

I cleaned it up (gagging fairly constantly) and hosed down the spot with natures miracle... followed by about a gallon of febreeze, I'm not sure what else to do, the smell... it lingers (shocking I know, I'm telling you I may need an excorcism to rid the house of this!)

Anyway, I had to come and tell you guys because only dog lovers would understand why I'm laughing hysterically about this. I laugh, because it's shocking and horrible ... and it came OUT OF MY DOG! ACK

Aug 15th Winnie Pooh DOA

(Email I sent out day of the accident)

Sad news on our front today.

Logan's long time sucky-stuffy, Winnie The Pooh passed last night after a vicious attack. The destruction was wide spread and horrific. Winnie was beheaded, destuffed and his styrofoam balls spread out, as if it were a tense struggle. The perpetrator had stuffing stuck in his teeth and stuck on his nose... and spent time spitting out styrofoam balls. Caught red handed... a 13 month old, male weimaraner.... Logan himself. Winnie probably didn't see it coming.

Services are TBA.

The images are graphic. (except for the shot of Nikki who came over to pay her respects) Notice the perp cuddled with the remains and seemed most unconcerned by the mayhem.