Spring is almost here.....

      We are having our normal weather around here, a day or two dry followed by rain.  Of course this is the reason we are the Evergreen State.  I did manage to get out and get some cleanup done while it was dry, including the backyard.  That is the dog yard, and I will be filling in some holes soon.  It must be a great time for Foxy and Dash to dig for mice this time of year.  Doesn't hurt a bit that the ground is nice and soft, either.  I always know when they have been digging, because not just their feet are dirty, but always the nose, too, from poking it down the hole.  If they ever catch anything I must be at work and miss it, but they are able to catch mice when they are hunting in the big field where we run.
         My work schedule, or lack of it, keeps me from doing dog events for now.  When needed I still have to work weekends.  Maybe after June I will be able to make some plans.  I am hoping to at least visit dog friends at some shows this year, it is nice to keep track of some on FB, but not the same as seeing them, and their dogs, in person.
            I must be getting ready for work now, enjoy the spring weather wherever you are!

Rain, rain go away...........

           Wow the rain has been coming down here!  We have had inches, now have puddles and small lakes in places that don't normally have water.  It is a little challenging to do outside chores, but the dogs are not too bothered by it at all.  Foxy is always wet when she comes in, she spends her free time on the run, Dash loves to follow (read chase) the horses when they go out of the barn, and Wiley always goes into the barn to rub on the hay.  He comes in with a pleasant fragrance reminding me of summer.  I have to fight to keep my hood up with the wind today, too.  Here's hoping we don't flood so much that the local creek comes over the bridge.....we have been trapped by that before.  It would be too bad to HAVE to stay home from work, right? 

Forced to stay inside........

           We are forced to stay inside as the weather is very windy and rainy.  We would rather have snow!!  This is much harder to endure, feels MUCH colder than it is, glad we took good pictures in the snow.  There never seem to be enough hours in the day to keep up with all I have to do.  Lots of work these days, but it varies and goes from leaving home at noon, to leaving at 4 am the next day.  So that is sure my excuse for just trying to keep up with life and ignoring this blog. I do enjoy writing it and especially sharing the pictures of my dogs, so I will not give it up yet.
            

Pictures soon

            Had some trouble uploading some pictures, so I will get back to it this weekend.  Doesn't help at all when the power flicks off for 10 seconds or so, and all goes dark.  And this with just a little rain??????  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

         Hello all, life has been VERY busy for a while, and since this is one of the things I don't HAVE to do, it sometimes gets postponed.  We are all doing well here, the holidays were nice this year with a lot of visiting of friends and family.  Of course I have been working a lot, too.
           I do have a couple of new pictures to post of Nubs, his owners have a lot of fun with this dog, and keep me updated on his progress.  I am posting the cute one of him with Santa, too even though its a little late, its really cute.  The red boy that ended up in Arizona, named Scotch, sure is handsome, too.  My dogs at home are in the same rut as I am, just going about our daily activities.  Foxy especially likes to chase birds, and she is very fast.  She would be excellent in a speed sport like lure coursing- maybe we will be able to do some more fun stuff this year if my work schedule permits.
          There are more German Pinschers than ever in the Pacific Northwest, and on the West Coast.  Lots of activities they are involved in, too.  I know of a couple of litters that are on the way or planned, so some new local owners maybe this new year, too.
            Wishing everyone a bright and Happy New Year!

Snow days are here

             We have a lovely dusting of snow here this morning.  It is better than the just plain cold weather we have been having, it felt as if there should be snow, and now its here.  Luckily there is not enough to really halt activities, school wasn't delayed, and I still have to go to work later.  I will be taking the dogs out to the barn with me, it won't slow them down much, though they may spend a little extra time on the hay stack with their feet off the cold concrete floor.  The old yellow Lab, Honey, has already been out rolling in the snow.  With her heavy fur she enjoys the cold a lot, she is made of sturdy stuff!
               I may have to get out to do some Christmas shopping this weekend, like it or not, that holiday is almost here.  Sure came around fast after Thanksgiving this year.  I will post pictures of dogs in snow if I can get any good ones.  Hard to get those good pictures of fast moving critters.   

Frozen morning

            We are having a very cold morning here, with the temperature dipping below 30 degrees.  BRrrrrr.......  The good news is that it will be a bright and sunny day, the sun is on its way up now.  There was a beautiful sunset last night, too.  Do you know the old saying......'red sky at morning, sailor take warning, red sky at night, sailors' delight?  Well, it proved true today.  So typical of fall weather here to have had rain with enough sun mixed in to give us rainbows a few days ago, now sunny but cold.  It will be a good day to get out for a run with the dogs!

Life is Good

            Life has been very good lately.  It has been so nice to have a run with the dogs, we all feel so much better when we have had some really fast exercise.  I'm glad no one is there to take a picture of me, or you might see me panting with my tongue hanging out of my mouth, like the dogs!  With our pretty northwest weather we can really enjoy getting out.  Even when it rains its mostly mild enough to enjoy.
           It can be tough to get pictures of animals that move so fast, I finally got a good one of Foxy flying through the air.  I may have to get that one printed and hung on the wall, it is such a typical shot of her that I get to see everyday. It would look good next to one of her show wins, such a nice contrast.  If any of my puppy owners want to send me good pics of their dogs I will post them here.  I think that is one of the best things about using Facebook, I get to see so many other German Pinschers all over the world.  There is even a group called 'flying dogs' for pictures of any dog flying through the air.  I also see this breed doing Cainicross, Bikejoring, Dock Diving, Lure Coursing, and Barn Hunting.  Those are the atypical events, of course lots of Agility, Rally and Tracking, too.  Dogs love jobs, and these guys can do a lot of them.
            I must get a move on this morning, so I can do another fun run with the trio, and then off to work again.  Until next time, enjoy life!

Fall has arrived

             Well Fall is certainly here now..........rain and more rain!  We just had a lovely weekend of sun and mild weather, too bad I work almost 20 hours on the weekend.  Now we are back to some rain, but the nice thing is all of the grass has turned very bright green again.  Washington is a very green state already, with our evergreen trees always in view, they create a beautiful contrast to the maples and other trees that provide such beautiful fall color.
               Does the fall weather and rain slow down a german pinscher? I don't think so!  They may run a little faster BACK to the house when it is time to go in, but the 'let's go for a run' attitude is just the same.  I find it amusing to watch the dogs look at the sky sometimes when a really large flock of geese go overhead.  The honking is nearly constant, impossible to ignore, but just a distraction from the good smells on the ground.  The mice must be digging in a little deeper these days, too.  The dogs can't seem to catch one, but there must be some pretty hot scents, you can see their bodies vibrate with excitement at times, and more than once I have had to convince them to leave a hole that was being dug.  It is nice to see them using their natural talents, but quite another thing to bring home mud.
                   October is apple month here, too.  The perfect time to pick up those apples, find a spot, and lay down to eat it at leisure---sometimes Wiley brings one back to the house.  I don't mind that, if he makes a mess, the other dogs clean up the rest.  One day I may name a GP 'Hoover' as they are one of the best vacuum cleaners, and if its edible, one of the dogs eats it right up!

Weather the weather??????

          We have had such a nice summer in the Pacific Northwest this year.  Lots of summer sunshine, but is too much of a good thing finally over?  We had one heck of a thunder and lightning storm last week--it lasted for hours!  If we have any thunder storms they normally last maybe three hours, but this one overstayed its welcome by a lot.  I am lucky to have German Pinschers that seem to ignore the booms and flashes for the most part, though we were all a little worried when the storm was right on top of us.  Our biggest dog, our old Lab named Honey is truly afraid of the thunder and lightning, and stays in the whole time those storms are here.  The best thing was that I was home, and the power stayed on the whole time, a lot of the area was dark at least overnight.   Yesterday we had a near 100 degree day, but the dogs have their cool dog room, and lots of cool water and shade in their yard-- after their morning run all they had to do was lounge around all the rest of the day.
           I am hoping to get back to some performance work with the dogs this fall.  I am on a regular schedule with my job, but it includes weekends.  That means Saturday classes are out, and even going to dog shows on weekends, too.  Maybe I will find a class that is during the week on one of my days off,  otherwise I will just have to continue to train at home for now.
           

Some new pictures

       I have posted a couple of pictures of the B/T puppy from our litter.  He was named "Nubs" by his new family. I am pleased to hear updates about my puppies, and post pictures.  They report that he is a very loving dog, loves to be social with whoever he meets.  He has been in classes and done some agility, and can run really fast!  They are so pleased to have this dog, and as always I am glad to hear what a happy home he has with them.  He looks so handsome, much like his daddy.
       There is a picture here of one of the many deer we see around here.  This is a doe and fawn that come around and pass through our front field, after visiting the apple tree.  If there are no apples on the ground, the doe reaches up or stands on her hind legs to get some.  Then if they are not disturbed by dogs, horses, or people taking pictures, they browse through the field for an hour or so before disappearing into the woods again.
        I work quite early on weekends now, and Wiley and I were surprised to see an owl flying low over us in the driveway at dawn one morning.  It may have been a youngster, as it seemed curious as much as anything.  It was really quiet, with very little light, and it flew over us, then landed on a fence post.  The dog and I looked at each other, then back at the owl, and I said, "What are you doing around here?"  The owl just sat there, so I went in to get the camera, but it was gone when I returned. I may have to start carrying the camera when I step outside, you never know what might appear!  
          We have been having some lovely summer showers today, but just rain without any thunder or other drama, and temps. still in the 70's.  We had a really long stretch of hot dry weather, so glad for the soaking.  Soon enough summer will be over!

Deer Me!

              High excitement in the back yard today!  When I heard Foxy barking, I could tell it was something different.  There is a higher pitch and rapid barking that signals high excitement. This time instead of a mouse, snake or bee, it was a deer.  When I looked out to see what was up, I saw a doe emerge from the woods, hardly an uncommon sight around here.  But the great part was seeing her two spotted fawns!  A garbage truck had gone by a few minutes before, so that doe was waiting for the all clear to cross the road into the deeper woods.  I was too far away to have gotten a good picture, even if the camera had been in my hand, but I will be watching this summer for another glimpse of our local twins. 
       I was able to briefly attend a dog show last week, my first in about a year.  I am now working almost always on weekends, but this one was not only on Friday, but in Chehalis, where I work!  So after I got done, I went over to the farigrounds in time to sit ringside and watch the GPCA supported entry at the Mt Rainier Working Dog Show.  This is the first time in 4 years that I was not entered in this show, taking home some ribbons.  Dash won her first major there, and Wiley and Foxy both won there, too.  It was a really beautiful sunny day, and a nice entry of dogs, too.  So it was really nice to be able to be there, although I didn't get much chance to visit the other owners. 

          Happy Spring!  It is pretty nice these days to not have such frigid temperatures at night, lots of flowers either blooming or coming up nicely.  The last of the trees to get their leaves here are the maples, and they are now blooming and showing green.  As I get to spend more time outside, so do my dogs.  We went on a walk yesterday, and Foxy was so excited when her hunting was rewarded.  She found a snake, but didn't really know what to do at first except bark.  Then she did what must be the way dogs have treated snakes for centuries, bit it, shook it, and flung it away.  Of course there is no danger as we have the garter snakes, no bite, no anything, just usually slither away.  The worst thing is to find one run over on the road and have the dogs roll on it........then they smell horrid!
            I have posted a couple of new pictures of the girls hunting yesterday.  The grass is still mostly dead and dry, it will be so nice when the green returns.  It won't be long now.

        April will be gone before we know it at this rate!  It is a cold and windy day here, will have to try to pick a sunny time this afternoon, if one appears, to take the dogs out.  Not much new around here, still working too much to do extra stuff.  I have looked online and seen some excellent plans for building your own agility equipment.  It is now on my 'to do' list, though not very close to the top I must confess. 
         There are several new holes dug in the back yard, so I think the moles, voles, or any other creature that is underground has been moving.  At least that is what I think motivates a German Pinscher to dig! As much as they have fun with that,  I do know they still have a favorite spot on my bed, and one chooses the couch when there is not a person there.  That is what happens when the 'kids' play outside, they get rid of lots of energy, and have to come in for a nap.   Some day I will have such great soft comfy dog beds that there will never be a dog on the furniture again.  If you believe that........  until next time.

           I have been neglecting this blog for various reasons........new job, company visiting, teaching our daughter to drive, family dinners, just to mention a few things!  It is now officially spring here as swallows and hummingbirds have returned.  The dogs and I have only been doing the usual, daily trips to the barn, and a run down the road-----I ride a bicycle, they get to run as fast as possible.  The trip ends in an open field where they get to run and jump and sniff and hunt mice for a while.  Then a race back home, and naps on the couch-----and yes sometimes I join them!
          We have had a few days of really great weather here, I did take a few pictures, so I will post some new ones now.  If you know of anyone wanting to adopt a German Pinscher, there are some available as a breeder that has serious health issues has to let all of her dogs go-----check it out at the GPCA Rescue page. 
        Happy Springtime, remember April showers bring May flowers!

Great quote here

         I found this on the internet, don't know what breed it was originally intended for, but it sure fits the German Pinscher! 


"Your German Pinscher is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotions." (Anonymous)

How Time Flies!!

          Hoping all who read this are doing well in the new year.  We are as busy as usual around here.  Starting to see and hear signs of spring......frogs singing in the pond, geese starting north.  My new job is keeping me busy some days, others idle now that I am finished training.  The dogs are pretty lazy this time of year, spending more time than normal sleeping inside because of the cold.  Their play time in the yard is followed by long naps in their heated 'dog room'.  Maybe they are a little spoiled!  I don't have any real plans to share at this time, I can't sign up for training classes or shows because I have no schedule, so maybe later this spring or summer.  I know both the dogs and I would really enjoy competing in agility.  So take care all, I will do my best to keep this a little more current from now on. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

       Wishing happy holidays to all, however you celebrate!  We have a very busy life around here, always changes around every corner.  Here in our little corner of western Washington, it is a white Christmas!  Just a little snow frosting everything, looks very pretty.  If I don't see you Happy New Year, too!

Champion Foxy

         I have a few moments to update,  finally recieved the win pictures from the great weekend of shows of Foxy --aka Dashings A Mischief Maker----from the German Pinscher Club of Americas' Nationals Weekend.  Foxy really finished her AKC Championship in style!  She had a Major and one Best of Breed win before she arrived in Pleasanton, CA, then recieved three 5 point majors there.  She was at the biggest shows of the year, with the Nationals on Saturday----there were a reported 88 German Pinschers entered in all the different categories at this show!  Her Grandsire Lukas won the Regional AND National Specialty, two BISS show wins that weekend!   He has since won his 4th Group 1 placement------he has an unequaled win record, my Foxy comes from a royal line!! 
          Here are her wins to date;
     
       Major win----- Timberland Valley Dog Show
       Best of Breed win------Nisqually Kennel Club
       Major win---GPCA Supported Entry @Skyline Dog Fanciers --this was a 5 point major, WB/BOW
       2nd Place --12-18month puppy class, GPCA National
       Major win---GPCA Supported Entry @ Del Valle Dog Club Sunday, 5 point major, WB/BOW
       Major win--NEW CHAMPION  ---- @Del Valle Dog Club Show Monday, 5 point major,
       WB/BOW

       Both her sire and dam have also won at GPCA Supported Entries--Wiley Best of Breed, Jan 2010
       Dash Winners Bitch August 2010, and Jan 2011. 
              I am very proud of my dogs!
       

Nationals Weekend------WOW!!!!!! New Champion!

              I sent Foxy, registered name Dashings A Mischief Maker, to the Nationals.  I had to stay home and work, and decided to send her with the pro's.  She had a great time, and came home with all kinds of beautiful ribbons, a blanket, a coat, a tote bag, and most importantly, a new title.............CHAMPION!!!
Foxy is now an AKC Champion, and won a total of three 5 point majors during nationals weekend.  She showed very well for Rowan, and thanks to others there I have a few candid photos, and will post the show win pics when they come in-----quite a big show for a sweet girl that is just barely a year old!  I am proud to say that she is as nice a dog as you can wish for, with beauty, brains, and personality-----what more could a breeder ask for??