On The Road Again

After a few days work last week in Nanton, the weekend arrived - and I packed up the minipac (Yola the Jack Russell, Piper and Mitch, the Border Collies) into Dora the Explorer and started our short adventure weekend. We ended up (minus Piper, who is currently is being tried at a new place - be good Piper, be very good) at Eagle Creek Livery. A quaint place, nice people and good hospitality - and a great place to start the young dogs. There was an afternoon of working dogs (and me working on getting vaccines into the dogs) and socializing - quite a hard feat. Almost had to break out the Jager to give us that afternoon boost. An old Scotsman was in the group as well, and being recently Robby Burns day, gave us the rendition of "The Ode To The Haggis" - of which I am currently looking for a translator to find out what was said about this fine delicacy (try it Mikey, you'll like it!). I saw Dan (who is a Gin x Don pup I had raised and I recently had a weak moment and let a certain Bowdian get his hands on him), and wished I could have turned back time so I could have said no to this fellow when he asked for Dan. The livery owner showed his Gin pup as well - balancing and such - almost as good as Glen's Alice (I have this urge to throw young lambs out for lil' Becca now and get training done-guess she will settle for cats for now). The newbie couple brought their dogs out as well - and I figure I should leave my young dogs with them to get started. I brought Mitch out - maybe he will grace the field this year - and did some drills - you know, throwing a cane or two and whispering sweet nothings in his ear. The livery owner and his wife let me stay overnight, work Mitch again, and then I made it back to Nanton to work. Before I got to Nanton though, I went to the newbies and worked (or worried) their sheep with Mitch. Man, I wish it was light out longer at night - I would be there after work every night if I could. They are probably thankful it is dark early, so I don't show up on their doorstep! I do know when I get back to sunny Mankota, there will be regular workouts with the dogs - the trial season is not that far away, and there are dogs to be trained. In the meantime, I will watch the 2011 USBCHA Finals DVD that the newbies let me borrow, and I will study very hard so that hopefully a trip to Klamath Falls, Utah will occur in September for the 2012 USBCHA finals.
I just have to find the canes in the snow - if Mitch would only play fetch.

Cast of Players

Livery Owner and Wife - Randy and Val Dye

Scotsman - Abe Marshall

Bowdian - Don Grant

The Newbies - Naomi and Bill Shields

Mitch - as himself