4TheDogz

4 The Dogz has Moved!

2010-12-03T14:41:00.000-08:00

4 The Dogz is now on WordPress

Find us at our new location
http://forpaws.wordpress.com/

**Be sure to update our URL link on your blog list
so you can visit us frequently!

Blog Transfer - Is the Energizer Bunny in Charge?

2010-12-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

Last night I started the process of importing my Blogger Blog into my WordPress Blog. (Mysteriously Blogger will now allow me to upload photos again - fickle Blogger, I'm on to your games! The moment I trust you, I'll get perpetual error messages again!)

As of now, about 20 hours later, the import process is STILL going. According to the little flashing update, it is now working on transferring over 43,400 items...Yikes! This morning it was working on 29,000 items.

Seriously...should it be taking this long? Last time I did a transfer like this it was done in a few minutes?

The other interesting thing is that even if I wanted to stop the process, there is no obvious way to do so. And so...the Beat Goes On. Hopefully at some point I can Kiss Blogger Goodbye!

Photobucket Test - New home for Photos

2010-12-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

Test - Importing from Photobucket, a free space in which to save a ton of pictures.

In principle, I just can't see paying Blogger an annual fee to store photos when there are other free options. I also can't see paying Blogger when their upload interface continually has so many bugs! Yes, it is time to say Goodbye to Blogger. Stay tuned for "move" details. I'm working on figuring that out next!

Denali - Nov. 2009

Blogger needs to go!

2010-11-30T21:45:00.000-08:00

Blogger will no longer allow me to post pictures. Although my Picassa space is only 73% full, it evidently won't allow any more photos unless I pay an annual fee for more space.

How incredibly annoying - but that's Blogger!

I Ate the Whole Thing!

2010-11-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

In memory of Bart's Favorite Holiday,

Denali will do her best to eat as much turkey as possible!

Pie (and Puppy) is Done!

2010-11-24T20:59:00.000-08:00

For the last ## hours, I've been in the kitchen making multiple pumpkin pies. Denali and Elbee slept through the process, but Sage hung with me most of the time. As our official "Fruit (and vegetable) Dog," he was most excited when the canned pumpkin popped open - Yum!

Now the pies are done.

And so is Sage!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Moosh Puppy!

2010-11-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

Certainly our two previous Cardigan females were affectionate, but until we got Sage we'd never had a certified Moosh Puppy. You know, the sweet, happy, bouncy, exuberant little dog that wants to give hugs and kisses and cuddle with you at every opportunity.

One of Sage's favorite activities is hanging out with the family to watch TV. We're not big TV watchers, but usually we will sit down on Friday nights to decompress. Sage is usually herding us toward the TV room, bouncing and smiling in anticipation.

Once there he knows it's time to cuddle - and as a special treat, he gets the be on the couch. You can do absolutely anything with this dog, as Moe demonstrates.

But you do have to be careful...

Or you'll end up getting upside-down kisses on your glasses.

Like our other corgis, Sage watches TV- intently. Naturally he is especially alert to the presence of an animal of any kind. Seeing dogs make him scamper up to the screen, frantically trying to locate them inside the "box."

Because he inherited the Grandma Phoebe gene, causing him to be particularly suspicious of anything that looks new and unusual (like moving a potted plant to a new location), Sage also responds to unusual stimuli on the TV. The other night there were some people transporting bricks in baskets balanced on their heads. Admittedly, it looked peculiar and Sage rushed up to the TV trying to figure out why. Sigh...life is never dull with a Moosh Puppy around!

Home for the Holidays means even more time to cuddle with our boy - and a continual stream of entertainment!

Denali in the News

2010-11-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

Each month our obedience club posts brags from the members. This month Denali not only had some things to Brag about, but she got her picture featured. Just in time the photographer sent me the original so the final article will not have the photographer's stamp on the picture. (This was a preliminary version sent by the editor.)

(click to get a full-sized corgi)
Denali is the only active performance corgi in the club.

Big Week in Rescue!

2010-11-17T20:43:00.000-08:00

Not only did we get the great mail from Scooter's new owners, (below) we also had the pleasure of meeting this gorgeous little BHT boy at the San Francisco airport and introducing him to his new parents.

It didn't take Oscar long to figure out that life had just changed for the better! Starting out as a stray in the mid-west, passing through the hands of two rescuers, he's now found the Real Deal here in San Francisco! He is an extremely handsome dog, with a temperament to match!

We had a great time meeting Oscar's new parents and his new canine sister, Cookie! Congratulations to Oscar on his new and wonderful home. And deep thanks to his new owners for adopting this nice dog!

Forpaws Got Mail!

2010-11-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

Today this wonderful card came in the mail. This is a picture of Scooter, a great little guy who came from a situation in which his owners just didn't connect with him at all. When they surrendered him to a shelter in north/central California, he was in bad shape. He was terribly overweight and had an awful bacterial infection in his intestinal tract. Truthfully, it is good that I never met his former owners. Their ears would still be ringing with the sounds of my voice chiding them for treating this nice dog in this way.

But, this isn't about that. This is about the 180-degree turn that Scooter's life took when he came to ForPaws Corgi Rescue. He stayed with us till we were absolutely certain that he was cured and had lost a good deal of his excess weight. He still has some to lose, but his new owners are loving and conscientious and he will be a streamlined version of his former self in no time.

When they came from southern California to get Scooter recently, we were just delighted to meet them. SUCH nice people and exactly the home that Scooter had been looking to find. Today, this wonderful card appeared in my mailbox. It is so wonderful that I just had to share it!

This is the front of the card. A picture of Scooter on his way home.

Scooter is a dog that likes people much more than he likes other dogs. He was in foster care for awhile and became very attached to his foster mom. We always know when they've found their people when they do what Scooter did: The car door opened, he hopped in and never looked back. Instead he was looking anxiously at his new owners, asking when we were going to "go home." How do they know? I don't know, but I've seen it happen over and over with the rescues. Once their "people" show up, they know!

This is what the card said. The signature has been obscured to protect privacy. I don't really need to comment. The card says it all. Do you think Scooter found his home, or what?

Enclosed was a generous donation to ForPaws Corgi Rescue. Certainly we didn't expect this and I was overwhelmed when I opened the card. I called Scooter's foster person and shared it with her. We were both incredibly touched.

These are the moments that remind us why we spend the hours, why we persevere when things aren't going well - because when the dog finds a home, there is nothing like the rewarding feeling that goes with it. It is almost as good as the day when each my own dogs joined our home.

And I am reminded of the day when Bart walked up to me in 1997. The voice in my head was saying, "Oh, he isn't what I'm looking for at all." Then he sat at my feet, threw back his head and showed me the biggest smile imaginable. The voice in my head said, "This is Your Dog!" (Or was it really Bart talking?)

Over and over again, that voice tells me when a foster dog has found its rightful home. Scooter, you're just as lucky as Bart! Congratulations on a wonderful home and a wonderful life!

HUGE Thanks to S. and C. for giving Scooter the home he was meant to enjoy, and for your generousity. You've just given another wonderful dog a brand new start!

Warm wishes to you, and a big belly rub for the Scoot-man!

It's from the AKC!

2010-11-12T16:39:00.000-08:00

Denali's RAE Certificate came today! Whaahoo!

She is now officially

C-Myste Denali RAE, CGC

Click to enlarge

AND...

Today we also discovered that the professional photos taken of Denali's RAE Excellent class run-through were posted. These are great photos and I am delighted to have pictures of the RAE event! (Thanks to Barbara for letting me know of the posting. Nice shots of Charlie too!) The photos are free for personal use, so I'll be getting some full-sized originals soon!

The money shot! Love this one - especially since you seldom see the broad jump in use!

Beautiful job Denali!

Truly, I never saw this day coming when you came home with us in 2003 and were just big enough to fit in my two hands! You continue to amuse, amaze and astound us!

It's on the Books!

2010-11-10T21:23:00.000-08:00

Last night I got an e-mail from Denali's Rally instructor congratulating us on her RAE. Turns out he'd looked up the results of some recent shows and saw Denali's title posted in the results of the show in which we got the first RAE2 leg.

Looks like the AKC agrees with my record-keeping! Now I can't wait to see the certificate!

Duck Dog Does Good!

2010-11-08T22:01:00.000-08:00

Yup, it rained - just as predicted. And a high wind advisory was out for the Bay Area bridges. I was so glad we had the SUV, not my Beetle, when we went over the Benecia bridge! During the 1.5 hour drive to Vallejo, I kept hearing the flood warnings pile up on the radio.

By the time we got to Vallejo at 8AM, it had been raining steadily for close to three hours and there was a little stream flowing in the street in front of the building. Thankfully, they let us drive into the fairgrounds and park right in front of the building on a paved surface, versus the usual dirt parking lots and mile-long trek to the buildings. I was so glad that I'd brought my knee-high rain boots. I had our setup all packaged in plastic garbage bags so I went in first and set up a nice dry spot for us.

Then I went to get Denali. My little Oregonian Duck Dog (new breed?) wasn't phased by the rain, or the puddles. She walked up to the little stream, carefully calculated the distance, and hopped right over. Prancing along as if nothing was happening she walked right in and played the "towel game" with me.

Those chamois towels are awesome! Denali is a fluffy and she managed to suck up a lot of water on her way from the car. One rub down with the chamois towel and she was dry again. And the towel dried out in no time so I could use it again after her breaks. This item is a must-have at shows!

In the morning Denali was definitely "on" and she did very well, racking up RAE2, leg 3. I hung her ribbons on her crate to give her inspiration for the afternoon show.

She always gets nice cozy padding, in her crate, but she tends to push it all to the front and lay behind it. All you can see is her muzzle peeking out. Silly dog.

The inspirational ribbons paid off, as she repeated her performance at the afternoon show.

As a short dog, Denali was first-in for all of our classes. As things progressed it looked like our 95-point score was the one to beat in the Advanced Class. But ultimately there was a 3-way tie for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th spots, with the winning dog scoring a perfect 100 points! The other two dogs were full-sized Aussies. No way those 5" corgi legs can beat the time against that competition.

But when we finished our run, and I was attaching Denali's leash, the judge stopped on her way to the table with a little smile and quietly said,"Nice job!" It's not often that a judge gives compliments while you're still in the ring. Duck Dog done good! (I think this judge likes Cardis. She complimented Denali again when she gave us our ribbon for the last show of the day, "Very nice little dog you've got there.")

Both shows were sponsored by the Vallejo Dog Training Club. They did something really clever that I hadn't seen before: Any one who got a placement received a little card which was redeemable for a little prize. You took your card to the front table and got your choice of items. In the morning they had a number of cute home-made laminated book marks and in the afternoon the 4th place finishers had their choice of little signs, each with a different dog-related phrase on it. The signs came with an itty bitty suction cup so they can be mounted in your car, or on any window of your choice.

At the end of the day it had stopped raining briefly. Denali hopped the little stream again, approached the car and gave me the "I'm ready to go home smile." I arranged her kennel padding for her, lifted her in, and she was so tired that she actually slept on it all the way home!

I got the last "Best Friend on Board" sign. I can't imagine a better description for Denali!

Great Day for a Dog Show

2010-11-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Denali and I will leave the house around 6:30AM to head for Vallejo. It will be raining when we leave the house, having started around 4:00AM. We will arrive at the fairgrounds (where the parking is in dirt lots that are not paved) around 8:00AM. (Rain boots and towels in tow.)

Fortunately the Rally trials are indoors, so we will swim to McCormick Hall. Good thing I have a dog from Oregon who thinks she is a duck and that I am a confident swimmer. I'll need to be while I'm hauling our setup through the puddles.

Based on the forecast it will rain ALL DAY! Not even a question - note the probability!

This is an double trial, an AM and a PM performance, which makes for a very long day. When we leave around 4:00PM, it will still be raining (check the forecast below). By the time we get home around 5:30PM, it might be just drizzling, and by midnight, it will stop. Monday will be dry - today it is dry!

(Click to get larger raindrops)

The good news - we're not showing in conformation. It's outside!

Why is Molly Smiling?

2010-11-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

OH YEA...she's smiling all right!

It's because she finally found her people! That's right, Molly has been waiting in foster care for awhile for these folks to come along. And now they have! Christmas is coming early for this sweet girl this year!

This one tugs rather violently at the heart strings for me. Molly looks a LOT like my first rescue dog, and my heart dog, Bart. And it turns out that in many ways she shares the same temperament. While she certainly does have some corgi in her, her personality is more heavily influenced by the Australian Shepherd piece. She is more sensitive than the corgi and needs a more intuitive owner. With the wrong person, she could develop some very bad habits. Bart was the same way.

But the reward if you are a person who finds the "connection" to a dog like this is far greater than one can imagine. Had I thought that I absolutely had to have a purebred corgi when I was looking for Bart, I would have missed out on the single most powerful relationship that I will most likely ever have with an animal companion. Molly has just as much to give - and now she has the chance!

Congratulations pretty girl. Thanks to your wonderful new parents, you're about to discover the life you were meant to live. You will take a piece of my heart with you when you go!

Pupper Update #19 - Checking in on Morgan & Pups

2010-11-02T14:13:00.000-07:00

The puppies are now 14 weeks old. Dodge and Viola went home together and are they ever a happy pair! Normally we wouldn't place littermates together, but in this case Dodge derives a lot of confidence by having a confident, but benevolent female companion like Viola, so it works out well for them. They got an awesome home and their new parents are thrilled with them.

Logan continues to thrive in his new home too. He was the first to leave the group. Since he lives nearby, he gets to visit his foster mom often! And Abilene (Abi) went home the day before Dodge and Viola. She found her perfect match - we were so happy for her!

Viola and Dodge's parents have taken a lot of photos of their new babies and have generously shared them.

Viola isn't exactly thrilled with her wellness visit,

but the vet sure thinks she's cute!

Dodge was equally nonplussed - nice ears!

OK, so we were good for the vet visit. Can we go now?

Viola is much happier now that she's home with dad!

This is the sweetest puppy!

And there's always housekeeping to be done!

Meanwhile Lucas and Kismet are still looking for that just-right home. Lucas was SO close, but things didn't work out at the 11th hour. And Kismet absolutely must have someone with experience raising a spunky, strong-willed corgi!

Kismet is maturing into an absolutely gorgeous girl.

She is one of the two girls that got to keep her full tail!

As expected, Lucas is a very handsome little guy. Definitely the flashy one in the litter. Now that he's getting older he is also getting bolder.

No longer the quiet slightly shy fellow, he's now in full-tilt puppy mode examining his world with gusto!

As mom watches, Kissie and Lucas are working on their own version of pumpkin carving.

Fingers crossed that Kismet, Lucas and Momma Morgan all find the right homes for the holidays!

Ghoulish Welcome!

2010-10-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

In 2007 Moe couldn't resist bringing home the Ghoul. It is pretty scary and there are always a few little kids who aren't sure about coming up on the porch when they see it. The pre-teeners all think it is very cool of course! I guess that makes us pre-teeners at heart!

Homemade candy korn!

Since his birthday is mid-October, Moe always gets something cool for Halloween. This year it was this big, hairy spider. It is about 3 feet in diameter, has purple lights on its legs and the front and rear legs move sideways while the body moves up and down. (Sage hasn't met it yet...that's another story.) Spidee is sure to be a big hit tonight! But for now he's out in the yard entertaining Moe...or vice versa?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Queen of the Water Bowls (RAE2, leg 2)

2010-10-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

Starting last Thursday there was a show cluster in Pleasanton, CA. We were entered in Rally on Thursday, Friday and Monday. There was no rally on Saturday and Sunday ended up being a day when it poured rain and was very windy. Was I ever glad we missed that! They had to make an emergency move of the rally ring from outdoors to an inside venue. As Trenton mentioned on his blog, when he was there on Sunday with Cappy in conformation, it was pretty bad!

Interestingly, the Monday show was the Del Valle Kennel Club Show. In 1999 we met Carolyn at this show to pick up our first Cardigan, Kenai. I will always remember that day in great detail. Never did I imagine that I would one day be showing a cardigan relative at that same show! Interesting the turns life takes.

Denali was far more interested in what a pair of schnauzers were doing than in posing for her picture at the end of the show today. As usual, we had the requisite admirers tell me how pretty she is - well yes! (Not that I am at all biased!)

All of the sponsoring clubs were giving portable water bowls as prizes to those who placed. Our RAE entries meant we had the potential to win six water bowls! I hadn't really thought of it that way when I was hoping for a placement.

In the end, we brought home four folding water bowls - at least they were a different color today! Here's the shot of Denali's haul over these few days. Four seems to have been our number this weekend with three 4th place finishes and one second-place finish. Truthfully, after a month off due to her injury, I wasn't expecting placements - or water bowls. I guess we're definitely ready for a road trip now!

YOU DID A GREAT JOB DENALI!

Denali does it Again! (Note to Sage)

2010-10-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

This morning my newly-crowned RAE Dog took to the Rally Ring again to take her first RAE-2 leg. Today she brought home the red ribbon in EX-B instead of the white one. Not bad for a rusty team that hasn't been training for a month due to her toe injury.

(Side note: We got to see Cappy's dad, Trenton, and Sage's sister, Greta, this morning too! Greta looks a LOT like Sage, in a different colored suit! She's VERY cute! It was cool to see them both and we look forward to the opportunity again in a couple weeks at the Vallejo shows!)

Sage has been training in obedience and informally working on some Rally moves since he was just teeny. He hasn't seen any ring action yet due to his uber-excitability around other dogs. But he's definitely growing up and building confidence in his Advanced obedience class right now. At some point he'll be ready to Rally.

Just so he knows what to look forward to, I let Sage examine Denali's ribbons from this morning's show.

First the sniff - "Hmmm...it's not fruit!"

"And it doesn't bounce or try to run away."

Awards? Really?

"Well yea...I can sit, down, call front...Oh, you want it all in a row and I have to pay attention the whole time! Are you sure there's nothing that bounces or rolls in it for me?"

An RAE for Me!

2010-10-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

Check it out...smells good!

Looks pretty too!

Ha...I'm pretty cool, ya know!

Those ribbons are the ones I won today at the rally trial in Pleasanton. I got my 10th leg and my RAE Title!

(Yes, my toe is much better. I'm walking normally and having no trouble with running and jumping - though I've been told to dial that back for now! But Rally doesn't require anything more than I'm doing around the house, so I'm OK to compete!)

So now you'll know me as C-Myste Denali, RAE, CGC

(My little brother Sage is impressed. And it was really cool to do this today because it's Sage's 2nd Birthday - see below for more on that!)

Sage - Year 2 in Pictures (Happy Birthday!)

2010-10-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Sage - and all members of

the Oct. 21, 2008 Tree Litter!

Got fruit?

One of the things we learned about Sage during his second year with us was just HOW much he loves fruit! He will take it over anything else - even fresh meat! Accordingly, this year's "cake" will be a fruit plate (photos to come).

Looking at the year in pictures:

Starting with last years birthday celebration and a giant meat cake shared with two of his littermates, Cappy and Fig, and their guests!

Some of the party guests

Sage finally got his coat!

He shares Denali's toy fixation

In fact he shares a lot of things with Denali.

They've become very strongly bonded.

Enjoying a morning sunbath has become routine.

Still very much the goofy puppy,

Sage will make a toy out of anything.

Or anyone!

Or any slipper...as long as it is Moe's!

This is the SWEETEST little boy!

Everyone enjoyed posing for the Valentine's Day shot (NOT!).

Sage is allowed on our bed and one sofa.

Most mornings he's here, waiting while I take a shower.

Like any good dog, he loves his chew bones.

I am happy that he likes them more than my furniture now!

Did I say sweet?

Partners

in crime?

("She's never gonna feed us again Denali!"

"Watch and learn Sage. Just keep staring like this. It always works!")

Goofy puppy!

The best toys bounce and

Roll!

Walking on the beach to benefit the

Multiple Myeloma Foundation.

And just because!

Certainly not a show dog - but so handsome!

Sage as product model as the weather turns warmer.

Paws it Forward - a box for us!

Just what I wanted! (How did Janet know?)

Postal inspector sends his brother, Fig, a box

and Paws it Forward continues.

It was Sage's idea to make this cup for Fig's mom, Alden.

It shows a photo of her puppy, Watson, along with his dad,

Chase, and brother Holmes.

Unfortunately, we also thought it was Sage's idea to eat the other half of this button.

So he got some bread to, uhh...help the process.

(Never did find the button.)

From the beginning, Sage has been our most oral dog.

As a puppy he ate everything: our sofa,

various plastic items, woven baskets,

and a huge favorite, giant dirt clods.

A common sight, post FRAP.

Everything is a toy!

Yep, Fruit Dog!

One of my many favorite things about Sage,

his always-happy smiling face.

Now he's two, but he'll always be our sweet puppy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAGE

(We love you to pieces!)

Happy Birthday Moe!

2010-10-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Have a Great Birthday!

Denali - Toe Injury - Chapter 3

2010-10-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday Denali was supposed to return to the vet to have the bandage on her dislocated toe removed, and an x-ray taken to see if we'd made any progress in relocating it. It was a great plan.

However, being Denali, she managed to remove her bandage (while wearing her E-collar) on Monday at 5:55PM, right after Traci left from a really nice visit with us. Of course she did this because this is the evening when I take Sage to his weekly obedience class. We leave at 6:00PM.

So, instead of putting Sage in the car, suddenly I was frantically driving Denali to the vet, hoping to get in without an appointment before they closed at 6:30PM. We did get in and here's what we found.

Just for comparison we will start with this as a data point:

This is a normal front paw, attached to a fluffy Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

This is the other paw, attached to the same fluffy Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

Notice any difference in the spacing and orientation of the two middle toes?

How about now? See the difference? Ouch!

OK, how about now...! Ahhhhh!

Unfortunately, it appears that Denali is destined to go through life with one funky-looking foot from now on. No it won't always be pinkish (stain from her licking at the bandage), but her toes will never be the same. Why...?

Not only did she dislocate the toe, but she torn all of the ligaments. There is nothing holding the toe in place and bandaging it really isn't doing anything to help. If we put a pin in it she would have to wear a bandage, and leave it alone for about 12 weeks. That's just not going to happen with Houdini dog.

So the verdict is that we just let it heal as it will. Right now she is walking reasonably well on it. It isn't causing her pain (oddly enough she has never evidenced much pain and never made a sound when we've manipulated it). She favors it slightly when she walks quickly, but she walks at a normal speed, and runs as if there is nothing at all wrong with her.

Because ligaments take twice as long to heal as bone, we're now officially scratched from the next three Rally Trials (all located conveniently near us, so no long drives...sigh) in which we were already entered through the end of October! She might be able to go to the trial on November 7. We will have to review when the time comes.

The projected healing period is 10-12 weeks! That means she will have to be on a leash whenever she goes outside to prevent her from her usual squirrel hunting running and jumping antics.

In the long run, it will heal, it shouldn't prove to be a problem for her - it will just look funny. But then, she is a Cardigan Welsh Corgi...and they already look a little funny, don't they?

Elbee's Walk to Fight Canine Cancer

2010-10-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day for Elbee! Being our couch potato, and our "little dog," (a 15-pound Pembroke), she often gets overlooked when it comes to outings that require exercise, but the K9 Walk to benefit canine cancer research was a nice chance to show off our most well-mannered dog. Given that there would be hundreds of dogs and Elbee gets along with everyone effortlessly, she was a perfect candidate!

Here's what the T-Shirt looked like! And Elbee got a matching bandana, which she was wearing during the walk, and still is!

We also told some of our dog friends about the event. All three corgis in this photo are ForPaws Rescue dogs! My own, Elbee, plus Guinness, (black tri) and Scooter, (red tri). And of course, my long-time friend, Jennifer, with her sweet yellow lab, Molly! In this first picture, Elbee has just come from visiting the Pet Food Express booth. They hand fed her a selection of treats and she is still smacking her lips!

Here's the "nice picture," in which all of the people and all of the dogs are smiling!

This was the first K-9 Walk to Cure Cancer in our area. We walked through Vasona Park, which is one of the most beautiful, and largest, parks in our area. I've run here many times and it was a beautiful morning.

I liked this special moment between Dave and Scooter. Scooter has just found his new furever home, but Dave and his wife, Linda have been taking Scooter out for regular exercise while he's been in foster care. It has been a great help to the foster person and Scooter has definitely bonded with Dave and Linda. But then, Scooter will bond for a belly rub - a very cheap date. He's definitely one of the sweetest corgis we've had in rescue. Next weekend he meets his new people!

Jennifer, modeling her "Woof" hat. These hats were giveaways at one of the vendor booths! There were tons of great free items for dogs and people who love them!

Virtually everyone there was connected to a dog...or two. This little boy was more interested in the souvenier balloons, while his dog watched.

I told you there were tons of give-aways! We ended up with three bandanas, including the one Elbee is wearing, plus three tennis balls, which made Sage really happy, and lots more!

Dave and Linda brought friends too. This team of six people was the third highest fund raising team! Great job!

When we got home, someone was very curious as to why Elbee and I smelled like a gazillion other dogs!

Sage knew we had some cool stuff in that big Home Depot beach bag! And he also knew that some of it just had to be for him!

Now we're talkin'...hand over that tennis ball - my favorite!

MINE!

Someone else was tuckered out - but still fashionable in her pretty bandana.

Elbee, you're the BEST little dog ever! Even if I did have to carry The Princess for part of the walk! Elbee will be 12 years old in January. She has definitely reached the point where she'd rather survey her subjects than scramble about among them!

Denali's Toe - Chapter 2

2010-10-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

Denali and I got to go to the vet again today!

After five days of wearing an uncomfortable bandage on her foot the swelling of her dislocated toe had gone down quite a bit. That was the good news.

The bad news is that now that the vet is able to more effectively palpate the toe, he determined that Denali has seriously torn ligaments. This will take awhile to heal and the toe will never be as strong as it once was - unless we put a pin in it...oh geez! Here's the story in pictures!

First x-ray, taken last Friday.

Second x-ray on Friday. Taken after the foot was bandaged and we attempted to relocate the toe. This was the best the vet could do, due to the swelling.

Today's x-ray...ugg.

As soon as the bandage was off and the vet could wiggle the toe, he realized that all the ligaments are torn and there's nothing holding it in position. He said that it will heal, but unless we put a pin in it, it will never be as durable as it once was. He said that if it was his dog he wouldn't pin it. It will heal and be perfectly serviceable as long as she doesn't stress it beyond normal use. The idea of putting her through surgery to have a pin inserted isn't my idea of a good time for her, so I'd rather not go there if we don't have to.

He said, "Well, if this was a performance dog..." Well, my actual thought was to explore agility for her as soon as she was done with her RAE. I guess we won't be going there. Rally isn't an issue, as there are minimal low jumps, so she can continue to do that.

But then, there is the squirrel chasing. I'm not sure how we're going to convince Denali that she isn't supposed to take a flying leap off the deck in pursuit of a squirrel?

Next Tuesday we go back to have this bandage removed. That is unless she manages to get out of it sooner, as she did on Monday. Obviously she won't be doing the 2-mile walk to support the Canine Cancer Charity on Sunday. I guess it's Elbee's lucky day instead!

To be continued...

Pupper Update #18 - Ears Up!

2010-10-05T21:19:00.000-07:00

At ten weeks of age most of our ForPaws puppies now have real "corgi" ears! They look a lot more like little corgis now...cute!

Logan - has been adopted

Kismet - still looking for that just-right home with that person who loves a spunky Princess!

Lucas - We expect to finalize his adoption very soon.

Viola - has been adopted! She's definitely a "pick" puppy from a temperament standpoint. Her new people are getting a wonderful girl!

Abi - Well, one ear is up and she's working on the other - which will be taped if it doesn't happen soon. This lovely lady has found a wonderful new home!

Dodge - We think we have the perfect home for him!
And he is working on those ears!

Adoption information can be found on the ForPaws Corgi Rescue website

The $350 Squirrel (No Rally for You!)

2010-10-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

Denali is our official Squirrel Chaser Extraordinaire. And she is VERY effective. Unfortunately, on Wednesday night she put a little too much enthusiasm into the chase. I looked out the window, saw her streak out to the back corner of the yard in pursuit, then emerge from the bushes...limping!

I rushed out, picked her up, brought her in and examined her. She had a cut in one of her pads, and some abrasions on the same toe. Home remedies took care of the cut, but by this morning her toe was very swollen.

The vet was puzzled by the swelling, so an x-ray was in order. We went back in the exam room to wait for the x-ray to develop. Even before the doctor returned, the vet tech brought in the pictures. She put one up on the screen, flipped on the light, turned to me and said, "Well, I bet you can see the problem!"

Looking at the slide made me wince. Denali had severely dislocated one of the middle toes on her front, left foot. It looked really painful! Due to the swelling, the vet was only able to partially relocate the toe. She had to use the other two toes as splints to hold it in place and pack the whole thing in a ton of bandages. Toss in some antibiotics and some anti-inflammatories, give it about five days and hopefully the swelling will go down and we can fully relocate it next week some time. At least, that is the plan.

Denali is very upset about having to wear all this stuff. She has strong negative opinions about wearing bandages and is better than Houdini at getting out of them, thus the need for the Cone of Shame. My poor girl!

So, take a good look! This is what we got for $350 and two-hours at the vet while they fit us in between other appointments.

Oh, and did I mention that THIS Sunday was to be leg #10 of her RAE level Rally competition in Hayward. That's right, we were on track to get our RAE title this Sunday! Sigh...not this time! Disappointed, yes - but Healthy Dog trumps obedience competition any time!

And, just because he always wants to help, and doesn't really understand why his interactive toy and best friend isn't able to play with him, Sage took his stuffed squirrel out to the yard this evening. Evidently he was showing the real squirrels what might happen to them if he got ahold of them. Here he is, scanning the terrain for rodent invaders.

Thanks for the help Sage. We can use it about now!

Pupper Update #17 - Ready for Adoption!

2010-09-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Pembroke Puppies - READY TO GO HOME! As of now, we have four of the original six available. Logan and, hopefully Dodge, already have great new homes! We are also looking for just the right home for their mother, Morgan.

Their story: When a small private breeder fell victim to the recession, lost his job and could no longer keep his seven nice Pembrokes, they were surrendered to rescue. We took a pregnant female, Morgan, whose puppies were born while she was in foster care. Morgan, and the sire both both have lovely temperaments. Their offspring appear to be chips off the ol' block in that department!

Here are the puppies (and their mom) looking for just the right place! Ideally, we are looking for corgi-experienced homes in which children are minimally age 16, no more than two existing dogs, and no cats. To be considered, please apply through ForPaws Corgi Rescue.

(Litter birthdate: July 25, 2010)

Kismet - a.k.a. Spunkiest one in the litter!

This little girl needs an experienced owner who can keep up - and definitely a job to do! She's the smallest puppy with the biggest personality! Smart, happy and ready to to rock, Kissie would be

a great candidate for a performance home. She would love to be an obedience, rally or agility dog!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucas - the sweetest little boy ever!

A Classic Pembroke Teddy Bear, Lucas is confident, happy, active and affectionate - the textbook male Pem!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Viola - the "softer" female.

Sweet, sweet sweet! This is the "easiest" female, but she is definitely still a Pembroke Princess. She's got enough spunk to boss a lab around and would love to have a buddy and plenty of activities to occupy her active mind! A really nice, well-grounded girl, Viola will make a great companion!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abilene (Abi) - the other alpha female (HAS BEEN ADOPTED!)

Not quite as much spunk as Kismet, this confident, sweet girl would also be happy with a nice male companion who was content to be her "pack." Also a dog for a corgi-experienced owner, this smart, busy girl and needs to be stimulated mentally and physically. Another good candidate for a performance home!

-------------------------------------------------

Morgan - adult female (mom to puppies)

Morgan has a temperament similar to Abi's. She is not as much of an alpha female as Kismet, but she does like to call the shots in the pack. Morgan gets along well with other dogs, but should not be paired with another dominant dog, nor with cats.

She is smart, confident and affectionate - a really nice companion for someone who understands that classic female Pembroke temperament.

Compare and Contrast

2010-09-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Carolyn's post, asking whether Hiro looks more like his brother, Captain (Cappy), or his dad, Wally, made me curious. So I stacked them up side-by-side to take a look. Just based on these photos, I am going to say that Hiro is well on his way to being a Cappy look-alike, but Wally's influence is certainly clear in both of them. But then...

L. to R. - Wally, Hiro, Captain

(click on images to enlarge)

I added Mom to the mix! And guess what, Hiro's white markings certainly show Hannah's influence! All this made me even more interested to see how my own Hannah-Wally puppy, Sage, compared to his handsome parents, so...

L. to R. - Wally, Hiro, Captain, Hannah

Here's the lineup, complete with a picture of the other "pink" puppy in the litter, Sage's sister, Iris. Although it isn't as evident in these photos, due to the different angles, I have always thought that Sage and Iris bore much more of a resemblance than Sage does to his two local brothers, Cappy and Fig. I also thought that Sage's facial structure came from Hannah, not Wally. At the same time, I certainly see Wally's influence! After all, they are a mix of both parents.

L. to. R.- Hannah, Sage, Iris, Sage, Wally

Having a boy with a mostly-white face makes you really look at structure, more than color. Sage is his mother's son. But if you look closely at the coloring to the left of Sage's left eye, you'll see that the shape of his markings echos Wally's markings. Just interesting to see how the parents each influence their young.

Pupper Update #16 - Good Housekeeping

2010-09-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

Oh yea...they're eight weeks old, and ready to rock the world -

puppy style!

In this case, that means a little help around the house!

We'll just tidy up these newspapers for our foster mom.

She didn't really want them in that bin did she Dodge?

Nope, don't think so. Good work getting the last of 'em Lucas.

Yumm...these are actually quite tasty Logan!

And I like that crunchy noise they make when I chew on 'em.

And if you don't want to work on the newspapers, can we interest you in a nice box?

She called it "dog earred" Abi. It doesn't look anything like our ears!

If you need help around your house, one of these puppies might be just the thing! We're now officially looking for just the right corgi-experienced home for each one of these nice puppies! If you have experience in raising, training and properly socializing a young corgi, and are interested in adopting, submit your application to ForPaws Corgi Rescue. (Experienced corgi owners only, please.)

Pupper Update #15 - Six Weeks Old!

2010-09-07T22:35:00.000-07:00

Dodge & Viola

Dodge chewing on Logan

Abi & Aunt Molly. Molly is looking for her forever home too. In the meantime, she is proving to be a wonderful babysitter!

Lucas

Abi

Morgan and the kids

Viola

Dodge

Logan

Lucas

Viola

Boys and their Toys

2010-09-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

The best toys are "found," not made!

Two GREAT Photos!

2010-09-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

Remember that cool professionally-taken photo of Denali going over the jump in a Rally trial at the beginning of August? Yea, well...I had to have it. And when I looked back, I saw that there was actually a second one which turned out to be Moe's favorite. So we took both. Here are the digital versions.

She could be a calendar girl!

Photo credit: Steve Southard Photography

http://www.southardphoto.net/

(These photos are from the Monterey Bay Show,

August 8, 2010, Rally Ex-B)

On the Brink of an RAE!

2010-08-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend we traveled to Santa Rosa for a two-day Rally event (indoors - nice!). Denali came home with four more green ribbons, having given some wonderful performances. This earns us RAE legs 8 and 9. Our title attempt will be on October 3. The September shows in Petaluma were so gruesomely hot last year that I opted to skip them this year.

Seriously, the field was incredible. When a score of 99 isn't enough to earn you a placement, you know you've got competition! That's what happened on Saturday! It put us in the 5th place position by virtue of a tie score for time...sigh!

Nontheless, I know how well she did. We came SO close to a 100%. Had I stepped out a second sooner after a right finish (no sit at the end) we would have had it!

Denali was just awesome - both in the ring and out. She was a model citizen, letting people "pet the corgi," and showing just how engaging this breed can be!

Pupper Update #14 - Featuring Logan

2010-08-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

Our two little black-headed tri-colored boys, Lucas and Logan, are turning into VERY handsome fellas! Here's a look at Logan out and about! Yep, they're mobile - just try keeping track of all six of them when they're headed in all directions! Don't worry, pictures of the others are coming soon!

Riff and Raff

2010-08-23T22:33:00.000-07:00

This evening Sage and I attended his weekly obedience class. After an hour of working with all of those other big dogs, he's generally pretty quiet on the way home. But the minute he's out of the car he's looking for Denali!

His interactive toy is only too happy to oblige and they wrestle and FRAP till both tongues are hanging out. As I started upstairs, there they were, both looking pretty pleased with themselves!

Thank goodness they have each other for entertainment!

Pupper Update #13 - Eat, Play, Sleep

2010-08-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

Weighing in: All are doing well. Even the little girls, Abi and Kismet, are thriving and have passed the one pound mark!

This allows you to see their relative size, and the roly-poly tummies.

EAT

Morgan's Milk Bar - Still the "in" place to be!

But the "drive-in" isn't bad either!

PLAY

Recreation time. Let's play, "I chew on your ear."

Get it Lucas, get that green monster!

SLEEP

Ahh...nothing like a nice, plush sibling pillow.

The food on my face...I'm saving that for later!

Stay tuned for more individual puppy photos.

Next up: "Going Mobile!"

Paw it Forward - Our gift made it to Napa!

2010-08-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

Alden received her box and the furry Cardi kids, Fig, Watson and Duncan, are having a great time with the contents. See photos on her blog, be one of two to indicate your desire to be next in line in the comment section, and you're next to play Paw it Forward!

Pupper Update #12 - First Big Dog Meal!

2010-08-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Our foster mom says:

"They were hilarious at the first meal. They weren't very efficient eaters at first, stepping in the bowl and the trying to eat the food off of each other, sucking on the edge of the bowl, and then face planting into the food. Pretty comical and all needing a little bath after dinner. By the second feeding they had it figured out. They headed straight for the bowls and lapped it up. It is amazing to me how much the piglets can eat!"

Hilarious she said...see for yourself!

Pupper Update #11 - The Big World Unveiled

2010-08-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

Growing puppies - here's their weight progress of the past week. Kismet remains our tiny girl, but she is gaining gradually. She and Abi are still being given the VIP treatment at Morgan's Milk Bar, plus supplemental feedings. They are just starting on goat's milk and ground turkey.

One of my favorite photos: Abi and Mama Morgan

Abi

Abi - as upside down puppy

Dodge

Kismet

Lucas

Viola

First time out in the Big World!

It's a real jungle out here! How tall do you suppose this grass is?

Oh, at least three inches! (What's grass?)

Photos from Last Week's Rally Trial

2010-08-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend there was a professional photographer at our Rally Trial. He took photos of the Rally contestants and has posted them on his website. Some of them are really good. Here are just a few of Denali doing her Rally thing. This is the first time we've ever had professional photos of us and it was fun to see them!

It was actually raining lightly when we arrived and stopped just before we went into the ring. If we look a little damp, we were! It was also cold. I had on about four shirt layers! Great temps for a fluffy! Denali loved it!

See all of our photos in the Excellent-B class.

See all of our photos in the Advanced-B class.

I think I'll have to buy this last one!

Off it Goes - Box #2 (Paw it Forward!)

2010-08-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

Our Cardigan Postal Inspector, Sage, is at it again. He's checking my work to make sure that all is in order for our Paw it Forward Box #2 to make its way to Napa, CA, where it will arrive on his brother Fig's doorstep, to be enjoyed by Watson and Duncan too!

He made sure it was plainly marked.

And that all the seams were securely taped.

Then the Cardigan Postmistress gave it her final approval. Thanks Denali.

OK, off it goes!

Official notice to Fig, Watson and Duncan: Look for your box to arrive on Monday!

And make sure Alden posts on her blog so the next lucky Paw it Forward canine can check things out and be the first or second to place a comment on her posting and keep things moving!

Pupper Update #10 - The Upside Down Puppy

2010-08-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

Logan - Upside down - just like a real corgi!

The line up - with the incredible shrinking hot dog stuffie.

Someone needs a bath...awww Mom!

Let's go for a walk. Lemme outta here!

Pupper Update #9 - Dodge & Logan

2010-08-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

FOSTER MOM'S REPORT:

"Well, I moved the little explorers to a baby pool. They were climbing out of their bed and were all over the place. They all went to the place where the door was on the bed and fussed when they couldn't escape. I am hoping this will contain them for a little while (yes, maybe a few days). We are learning and puppy proofing as we go."

Dodge

FOSTER MOM'S REPORT - continued:

"Logan is the little wanderer. He takes off on his wobbly little legs with a determined look and blindly explores the kitchen. If you take him back to the bed he gets out and marches off again. He's been doing circles in the pool... They are changing so much each day."

Logan

Pupper Update #8 - Viola

2010-08-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

Miss Viola - in typical frog dog pose. Yup...that's a corgi!

Oh, she's up!

OK, so she still looks a more like a guinea pig than she should, but you can see the potential for a very pretty face!

Mother & Daughter - just sweet!

We're in the Ribbons!

2010-08-08T19:01:00.000-07:00

Rally Time Again for Denali!

Today it was RAE, leg #7 in Prunedale, CA. A good day for us, in spite of the rainy, cool weather that started things off this morning. But, like magic, it stopped raining just about the time we were ready for the first walk-through. Then it stayed cool and overcast - which is SO nice for a show. No worries about the sun and heat.

Denali did a great job. She now knows the drill and just goes right to work. When we get to a show, she needs about three minutes of warm up and she's ready to rock! And she's so excited that she, hops right up in the wee hours of the morning to get ready to go. She knows what's happening when she sees me pack the car the night before. What an awesome little dog she is!

We took the third place in the Excellent-B class and fourth place in the Advanced-B class with scores of 93 and 96 respectively. In both cases at least three of those points were handler fumbles - not the dog! I was particularly proud of the fact that we were tied for fourth, but bettered the other team (a sheltie) with our faster time, to snag the placement. That is the first time we've been faster in a situation like that!

Given that the course was completely water-logged and peppered with huge gopher holes/mud piles, I was very happy with her performance. Truthfully, I thought Denali might take off to chase a gopher if she smelled them. She has caught squirrels and is our resident expert vermin hunter. Fortunately the gophers were smart enough to know where they were not wanted and she had no interest in the areas where they'd been digging.

In both classes friends from my dog obedience club also placed (first and second). But for one spot, our Club swept the ribbons! Pretty cool for us!

And... a trainer that we work with, from one of the other local clubs, entered his new Golden Retriever puppy in Rally Novice. This weekend was the dog's debut in the ring. Yesterday he took first place with a score of 99! Today he got third place, with a 97! He is a happy, bouncy puppy - reminds me a lot of Sage in that way - but in a MUCH bigger body! He thought that yellow ribbon had real "toy" potential!

Chalk this one up as a very fun day - in the rain!

Pupper Update #7 - Awww!

2010-08-06T10:08:00.001-07:00

Off to Florida! (Paws it Forward)

2010-08-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

Off it goes!

One of our two Paws it Forward boxes went out this morning. The resident Cardigan Postal Inspector took a last look and pronounced it ready before I mailed it. Thank you Sage.

This one goes to pretty Pembroke, "Whiskey," (and her mom, Katie) in Florida. Keep an eye on Katie's blog, All that Jazz, to see when her box arrives and you may be the next recipient in Paws it Forward!

Our second box is experiencing a slight delay. One of the items I wanted to send required online ordering so it will probably go out to Duncan, Fig and Watson next week. Sage will update the mailing status when it's ready to go.

Pupper Update #6 - The Stuffie Toy is Getting Smaller

2010-08-03T22:54:00.000-07:00

Lucas has big news to report today - he is the first one to break a pound in weight! Everyone else continues to gain and we have a bunch of fat, happy little Pembroke piglets!

Stacked?

Yes Morgan, they ARE beautiful!

Abilene (Abi)

Dodge

Kismet - reportedly the most active! Don't let size fool you.

Logan

Lucas

Viola

Pupper Update #5 - Bedtime Snack for the Girls

2010-08-01T21:48:00.000-07:00

Late night photos - these just in from Denise!

The little girls, Abi and Kismet, are getting a bedtime snack, without competition from their larger siblings. And they definitely think it's a great idea!

A private milk bar, that stays open late! Awesome, we'll be coming here after hours more often!

Pupper Update #4 - All Doing Well!

2010-08-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

Morgan & Family - taken July 31, 2010

Update: The two little girls, Abi #2 and Kismet #6, appear to have turned the corner. They are gaining weight and looking like roly poly newborns ought to look...whew! We're so happy about that!

Morgan appears very proud of her little family.

Awww...mom keeping them company.

Here's a weight chart so you can see their progress. As you see, #2, #4 and #6 were pretty small in the beginning and weren't gaining the way they should have for those first few days after they were born on July 25. We were concerned about all three.

Fortunately, Denise (foster mom) is a veterinary assistant, her neighbor, Shannon, an experienced midwife and veterinary technician. They whelped the puppies and took special care of the little ones. And the vet that Denise works for took a look at them too. We put the little ones on tube feedings and subQ fluids. Happily the two little girls, Abi and Kismet responded and continue to thrive. Unfortunately, Atticus, #4, just didn't have the strength to continue.

We made sure we had a good support system when we accepted a pregnant female into rescue, did a lot of research so we were as prepared as possible for complications. While we're certainly disappointed over the loss of Atticus, we are thankful that the others responded and we have six healthy puppies, all of whom are doing well at this point. They still look like little guinea pigs, but are definitely getting bigger. Take a look!

#1 - Lucas, male

#2 - Abilene (Abi), small female

#3 - Dodge, male

#5 - Viola, female

#6 - Kismet, small female

#7 - Logan, male

Birthday Electronics!

2010-07-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday. A Fed-Ex sticker on the front door indicated that someone had tried to make a delivery. Today they were successful! Thank you Moe...this is SO exciting!

Naturally, the curious Cardigans were on hand to inspect the box. Enter Sage, just as I took the picture. And someone else peeking from behind.

There's Denali. Never one to miss out on happenings around the house.

And another great gift, the new HTC Droid Incredible cell phone. It is high time I upgraded (been over 5 years) and my mom's generous birthday present made it possible! (Thanks loads, Mom!)

Between these two it will take me till next year to figure out all the cool new features! But I am sure that Sage and Denali will help! Elbee - she'd rather talk in person!

Pupper Update #3 - He's Gone! (Sniff!)

2010-07-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

With heavy heart and tearful eyes, I must report that Atticus is gone.

I know he was only five days old, but we're terribly brokenhearted. We wish him a better life on the other side of Rainbow Bridge.

In response to a prior comment, he was also being tube fed and had been given subQ fluids. He was being cared for by an experienced breeder, and had been since day #2 when we saw that he wasn't thriving. Sadly, it wasn't enough. Evidently it was not his time.

Farewell Atticus.
Be well on the other side.
We miss you.
We love you.

Pupper Update #2 - We have Names!

2010-07-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

In the beginning, when a stuffie toy is bigger than you are!

I just talked to the foster person, Denise, who whelped these puppies and is raising them, with help from her experienced friend, Shannon (Huge thanks to you both!).

We are very concerned about the little male, puppy #4. He's really struggling and the next 24 hours will probably tell us if he'll make it or not. Please keep sending those good wishes!

Regardless of the outcome for our little guy, we felt it was high time that all of them had names. We've given our valiant little puppy #4 a strong, heroic name, which he so deserves. He will be Atticus (from To Kill a Mockingbird).

Here are the names for the "Kansas Litter."

Puppy #1 - male, "Lucas"

Puppy #2 - female, "Abilene" (Abi for short)

Puppy #3 - male, "Dodge"

Puppy #4 - male, "Atticus"

Puppy #5 - female, "Viola" (Vi for short)

Puppy #6 - female, "Kismet"

Puppy #7 - male, "Logan"

Pupper Update #1 - Morgan Litter

2010-07-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

Pile o' Puppies - Day #4

Morgan is doing well and proving to be a great mother.

The Puppy Pile

As you can see, there is some real disparity in size between some of these puppies. We have three that are decidedly smaller than the other four. The two little girls and one little boy have been on supplemental feedings to help them keep up their strength and gain weight. They seem to be coming along, but these first days are critical - they're just so helpless at this point.

What about those tails? OK, we know that the U.S. breed standard says that this is a breed in which the tails are docked, although this is no longer done in the U.K. But these are never going to be show dogs and the three little ones were weak enough that we just couldn't take the chance of stressing them with unnecessary surgery on day #3 when tail docking is done.

Therefore, we will have a mixed bag with this litter. Four had their tails docked, three will keep their full tails. Based on our previous experience in placing Pembrokes with full tails, there will be adopters out there who will be absolutely thrilled to have a dog with a full tail. Believe me, we will have no trouble finding homes for them - and their tails!

Here's the smallest male, Puppy #4, getting some extra nourishment.

Please send good wishes, prayers...any and all. He can really use the help!

Even the "big" ones are still pretty teeny.

Here is one of the biggest males, Puppy #1.

Puppy #2. One of the two small girls with a tail.

And this other "big guy" is puppy #3.

Puppy #5 - a nice big girl!

Puppy #6 - the other small girl.

Puppy #7 - a robust male.

Next to do: Figure out some names for these pups. Stay tuned to see what their puppy names will be. Our theme: Cities and Towns in Kansas.

A Box for Us! (Paws it Forward)

2010-07-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

Sage: Hmm...what's this?

Elbee: I know there's food in there!

Denali: Hey look, it's addressed to us!

Spencer and Scout sent it all the way from Tennessee!

What are we waiting for? Why don't we open it?

A rubber what? Lemme see!

Rubber chicken she said. What do you think Sage?

I like the squeaky noise it makes!

Now we're talking...my personal favorite - tennis balls!

Elbee: When do we eat? What a cool box of goodies!

(Thanks Janet, this is wonderful! I've wanted a cardi sticker for awhile and just didn't get around to getting one. Wonderful treats! And Henrietta in her polka-dot bikini is just a hoot!)

Huge thanks to Spencer and Scout for picking out so many great goodies!

Who's next?

Be one of the first two to comment on this posting, include your e-mail address, and Denali, Sage and Elbee will Paws it Forward to your house!

Congratulations Morgan - Seven Lovely Puppies!

2010-07-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning, July 25, 2010, Morgan gave us seven lovely, healthy puppies. Four boys, three girls. Preliminarily we're thinking two black-headed tricolored boys, and the rest a mixture of sables and fawns. It is possible that they will lighten some as they develop and not carry quite as much black. This is pretty common so we'll have to see what happens.

The puppies are all nice sizes, ranging between 7.3 to 11.8 ounces at birth. All healthy and hungry! They do not yet have puppy names, but we will be fixing that very shortly. For now, it's by the numbers.

Puppy #1

Puppy #2

Puppy #3

Puppy #4

Puppy #5

Puppy #6

Puppy #7

Between now and about six weeks of age, we will be observing and evaluating the puppies. As we learn more about their temperaments, we will post updates. They will be posted on the ForPaws website and made available for adoption around six to seven weeks of age. Applications will not be accepted until that time. Our complete adoption process is outlined here.

RAE-Leg#6 - Factors of One

2010-07-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

Another successful Rally weekend for Denali.

Chalk up RAE, Leg #6.

We had a great time in Carmel - beautiful weather, good friends, great vendors, even good coffee!

In a field of eighteen dogs, we placed 5th in both the Excellent and the Advanced classes. So close to the ribbons, but not close enough!

In Excellent, we lost out on a ribbon by ONE point! In the Advanced Class it was a really unusual finish: Two perfect scores of 100 tied for first and second place. Three scores of 96 tied for third and fourth places. We were one of the 96 scores. We lost out on the 4th place ribbon by ONE second! Ahhhh!! That's right - that little Bichon Frise was one blinkin' second faster. Fortunately we know the Bichon's owner and we like her, so we're okay with her getting the ribbon!

The judge was hysterical, a kindly British lady. She reminded me a lot of Mrs. Doubtfire. When I brought Denali into the ring for her first showing she took one look and exclaimed, "Oh, a Beautiful Cardi...a Fluffy Cardi!" (Turns out she has a Cardi too.)

At the end she gave us our qualifying ribbon and told us that we were one second off the time. I told her that was OK because I got to take the Best Prize home, and pointed to Denali. She said, "Oh indeed you do!"

A really nice day all the way around!

Waiting for Puppies...as Morgan gets Bigger...and Bigger...!

2010-07-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

Still no puppies, but one big mama dog! Sorry Morgan, but this is definitely the LAST time you'll be going through this!

When the puppies are born we will be posting information about the them on the ForPaws Corgi Rescue website, as well as on this blog.

Complete information regarding our adoption procedures can be found on our website. Anyone seriously interested must submit an application as a first step in the process. However we will not even begin to review applications until the puppies are born and we see how many we have.

We will be evaluating the puppies as they develop during their first 8-10 weeks of life and matching each to a home that represents the best possible circumstance for the individual dog. All puppies will be adopted on a spay/neuter deposit contract and are likely to be available to their new homes around 10 weeks of age.

Previous successful experience in raising/training a corgi puppy is certainly a plus, but each application will be carefully reviewed against the personality and temperament of each individual dog. Finding the absolute best situation that we possibly can for each puppy is the number one priority.

These dogs live to be 12-15 years old very easily and taking a puppy is a big commitment. We're hoping to find wonderful "forever homes" for all of these dogs and will be screening very carefully. That process will take some time. History has shown that we typically get about 10-12 applications for every puppy available.

And, don't forget that Mama Morgan will need a good home too. She's a very nice dog and someone will be extremely lucky to get her!

More soon!

Paws it Forward - Coming our Way!

2010-07-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

Whoo hoo...Janet (Simple Things) sent us e-mail last night and it looks like Denali, Sage and Elbee will soon be recipients of the latest Paws it Forward goodies. They'll come all the way from Tennessee to California.

The fur kids can't wait and will provide a full report upon receipt.
Anyone else who wants to play - stay tuned! Be one of the first two to "comment," after the box arrives, and the next box is yours! (Custom-made to suit your pack!)

We'll let you know just as soon as we see it!
Then it will be your turn to Paws it Forward!

Summertime Tip

2010-07-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

If anyone is looking for a good summertime tip on how to keep your dog cool, here's one for you: The Kool Collar. For more information see the Kool Collar website

Sage, modeling his Kool Collar. They come in a number of different colors.

In a previous post I mentioned the Kool Collar and how well it worked for Denali recently at a dog show when it got to be 90 degrees. It is a great product and really works to cool off a hot dog quickly. (No, I don't get any incentives, nor am I in any way associated with the sale of this item.)

The Kool Collars Store has sizes Small, Medium, Large at the cheapest price $15.95 (same as PetCo). I also recommend getting a set of the three gel refills. That way you can keep recycling them through your freezer or ice chest so you always have a frozen one to put in the collar.

This is the only source I've found that also has the Extra Small size for dogs smaller than Denali and Sage. I was pleased to find this because I wasn't able to find a Kool Collar to fit my smaller Pembroke Welsh Corgi, who needs the XS size.
In the Company of Dogs

I'm SO Cool!

Any Time Now...Puppies!

2010-07-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Any time now we're expecting Rescue Puppies! This doesn't happen often, but ForPaws is about to have puppies! And in this case we KNOW that they're going to be purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgis. That happens even less often in rescue!

This pretty sable girl, Morgan, just keeps expanding. We were hoping for a relatively small litter...um...keep hoping!

Morgan will raise her puppies in Wichita, KS. When the time comes we will screen for new homes for the puppies and for Morgan. With puppies we can be choosy and will be looking specifically for corgi people with prior experience in raising, training and socializing a young corgi. Puppy experience is a real plus!

But for now, we are just hoping for a smooth delivery for Morgan and healthy pups.

Sage Views Virtual Puppies

2010-07-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

Why does Sage look a little agitated?

Find the answer by clicking here!

(Hint: If you haven't seen Carolyn's puppy video, check that first!)

Sage loves to watch TV, but this was more than he bargained for.

Big Weekend for Ginger!

2010-07-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

This pretty little rescue girl went to her forever home yesterday. It's a weekend to celebrate for Ginger!

A true Pembroke Princess, we joked that Ginger should wear her new bling-bling nametag as a tiara. She seemed to like it! And one last shot before she got in the car for her trip home. Look at her smile...she knows where she's going!

Congratulations Ginger.
We know you're going to love your new home!

RAE-Leg 5 (Half Way There!)

2010-06-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

Our obedience club hosted its annual trial on Sunday. Originally I wasn't going to enter, as Denali shows poorly in heat, but at the last minute we decided to support the Club and take a chance. Naturally our lovely 70-degree days gave way to a sudden heat spike into the 90's on Sunday, so I wasn't sure about the mid-morning Advanced class showing! Denali turns into a slow lemur in a dog suit when it gets warm.

The location was Cal State University, Hayward. It is an established campus with a lot of huge shade trees. Since we were the first dog scheduled in the EX-B ring at 8:00AM we got a prime camping spot under a giant fir tree. I also got a tip from another corgi owner about the Kool Collar, which I highly endorse! I got the last "small" at Petco on Saturday and it seemed to work well for Denali when temps hit the 80's.

Denali did really well, scoring 95 in Excellent-B and 97 in Advanced-B. We took fourth place in Advanced (tie for 3rd and 4th separated by three seconds) and were just out of the ribbons with a 5th place spot in Excellent. But it was Denali's best outdoor showing yet in terms of her ability to hold up when it got warm and keep up her energy and enthusiasm in the ring. I was delighted with her performance! This is leg five, half-way to the RAE title.

This was a new judge, Theresa Temple, from Oregon. She was REALLY nice and took a moment to pose for pictures with several of us. Since I had my camera, I figured, why not!

As usual, people were curious about Denali. There are so few Cardigan Welsh Corgis in our area, and due to her fluffy coat, many think she's a border collie mix. As we were walking into the ring for awards one of the other qualifiers leaned over to the woman next to her and said "fluffy corgi," by way of explanation. I turned and saw them both looking intently at Denali.

Several others approached us as we waited for awards, asking about Denali and if they could pet her. She always seems to know that people find her adorable and hams it up with her best smile. As we were leaving the show we walked past a woman holding a Golden Retriever. She looked at Denali, her face filled with a smile as she exclaimed, "Oh...cute!"

Cute and talented...and doesn't she know it! Good work Denali!

A Perfect June Wedding!!

2010-06-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were guests at what was probably the nicest wedding we've ever attended. Held at a beautiful ranch/winery in Malibu Canyon, CA, the setting was spectacular and the event was perfect! Below are some select photos from the day.

Congratulations Erica and Dennis - We wish you nothing but good health, good fortune and oodles of happiness as you go forward in your lives together.

BTW...you definitely know how to throw one Kick Ass Party!

Dinner among the trees...ahhh!

The gorgeous bride and handsome groom.

The maid of honor, watching her "little sister" to walk down the aisle.

The bride, groom and maid of honor.

The bride and her surprised father (sorry, couldn't resist posting this).

A candid shot of two happy sisters.

The bride's family.

Here's Lookin' at Ya!

2010-06-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ginger is Looking for a Home

2010-06-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here's Ginger!

Ginger is a classic spunky Pembroke Princess. She's not overly pushy, but needs someone who understands how to work with Royalty! She's a happy, playful little thing (only 16 pounds) who adores cuddling and being in charge of other adoring corgis.

She's looking for her forever home and will be posted on the ForPaws Corgi Rescue website shortly. Currently she's in foster care in northwestern Minnesota, but will be happy to fly to her new home if necessary. If you know anyone who'd love a 4-y/o mini Princess, Ginger's your girl!

A Rough Life for a Rescue Dog

2010-06-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is Cooper!

(Resting on the back of the sofa.)

When Cooper came into rescue he was an out-of-control teenager with no manners and no training. Time in foster care changed his outlook considerably!

Now he's in his new home - and it seems to be agreeing with him! As you can see, life is rough here on top of the sofa! After all, a guy has to rest after keeping the horse and chickens in check.

Congratulations Cooper - you're one cool little dude!

The Best Toys Always Roll!

2010-06-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Sage has a HUGE toy collection at his disposal. But give him a ball and everything else is forgotten! He will entertain himself with a big rubber ball ad infinitum.

Hey Hey! It's my Birthday!

2010-06-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Ya!

Denali here!

Did you know that this is a REALLY BIG day?

Yea, it's my 7th Birthday! Whoo hoo!

Happy Birthday to my sister, Terra, and my four brothers too!

We're all named for trucks and SUVs. But my name has multiple meanings. Besides being an awesome big SUV, my name is in honor of my Aunt Kenai too. She was born in Alaska and her name pays tribute to the Kenai Peninsula. My name is a tribute to her and comes from Denali National Park.

Thanks to my mom, Baha, and my dad, Trooper, I am a very spunky girl. If you doubt it just ask my little brother, Sage! He's my favorite playmate!

Kathy says there will be Big Meat for dinner. I asked for beef with a side of chicken wing! She and Moe think I am pretty special. They call me the Fluffy-tailed Goof and say that I am a lot like a Dr. Seuss character sometimes. I think that's a compliment. Anyway, you can read my Birthday Poem below!

A canine spoof,

This fluffy-tailed Goof,

Here one moment,

Then gone.. pouf!

They call her a corgi,

And that’s no yorkie,

Long and low,

A lot like a dorgie.

But jump you’ll see,

On those short legs that be,

Knock-kneed and so funny,

Not at all storky.

They said she was “busy,”

Her pants in a tizzy,

She moves so fast,

It’s positively fizzy!

An adorable puppy,

Already quite uppy,

First under the deck,

But on time for her suppy.

As a teen she would preen,

A fluffy coat so supreme,

But come time to play,

She's first on the team.

Commandeering the toys,

Is one of her joys,

Though Sage tries his hardest,

Denali rules all the boys.

Fluffy and stunning,

So often caught running,

Graceful is she,

And oh sooo cunning!

Smart as a whip,

Rally-o staunch in her grip,

In just five months an RE,

RAE next on her trip!

And now she is seven,

With experience she can leaven,

Queen of the Pack,

Now that Bart’s in Heaven.

Oh that Fluffy-Tailed Goof,

Not at all aloof,

The canine in charge,

Her personality’s proof.

So on her big day,

She’ll have her way,

Like anyone else,

Would have a say.

You’re the best, little pearl,

You’ve given us a whirl,

Here’s to you spunky Princess,

Happy Birthday sweet Girl!

I Really Love this Puppy!

2010-05-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

At 19 months he is technically no longer a puppy - but tell him that! I am thinking he may stay a funny innocent puppy for quite awhile...we can always hope.

Sweet Sage!

RAE Leg-4

2010-05-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

The California State University, Hayward campus was the scene of some stiff Rally competition this past weekend with a field of 23 dogs in Rally Excellent and 24 in Rally Advanced.

While Denali did well, scoring 95 in Excellent and 97 in Advanced, it wasn't enough against the 98 to 100 point scores required for placement. But a Q is a Q!

There were a lot of well-trained dogs and skilled handlers - really nice to see! Denali is my first performance dog. As a relatively new handler, I always learn a lot at every show and it is great when there are so many professional trainers in the competition for me to observe.

While this was only her second time showing outdoors on grass, Denali overcame a lot of issues that previously posed as distractions for her in this setting. She wasn't very sniffy, even though the grass was wet and aromatic. She didn't spook when the wind buffeted the colored tape that marked the ring perimeter - this was huge! We've worked on this and I was happy to see that she's getting it. All in all I was VERY pleased with my girl!

We were both also a lot happier to have the cool morning with some shade in the ring, than the almost-80-degree heat that we encountered last month in Martinez for our RAE-3 leg. What a difference it made in Denali's energy level and willingness to work! Unless we find cool venues, no more shows till the weather cools, or we go indoors. Sounds like a good excuse to head for the shows at the beach in Carmel in July.

Miss Molly, By Golly!

2010-05-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

One look at Molly and it's all about the eyebrows! They sometimes make her look a little daunting, first impressions can be misleading! In fact, this cute little Corgi/Aussie mix is very sweet, very playful, happy and just full of corgish mischief.

Molly started out on the timid side. Time in foster care, with a knowledgeable foster mom who knew how to encourage her, give her space, and build her confidence has made all the difference. Molly has come out of her shell and is well on the way to being the girl she was meant to be.

She is extremely sweet, possessing a lot of the Australian Shepherd personality. She bonds with her person, is extremely bright and loves attention. She's a dog for someone who knows the Aussie temperament and is ready to continue the good work done in foster care. With that person Molly will flourish! She's a very cool little dog!

Molly is still a very young dog, no more than age 2. She still has a lot of puppy in her. She gets along well with others and loves to play.

She also loves toys and can find a way to amuse herself with just about anything...not always the best idea to leave her alone with your slippers!

She's made friends with everyone, tall and short, in her foster home.

She is slightly larger than the standard corgi, but a very nice-sized little dog. A good game of tug goes a long way for Molly and her friends.

Ok, so she may be a little funny looking with those eyebrows, but her smile goes straight to your heart! We know that the perfect person is out there for Molly and we won't stop looking till we find them.

Sage Goes to the Beach!

2010-05-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

Last week Moe attended a company sales conference in Monterey - a beautiful resort beach town about 1.5 hours away from us. The conference took place at a really nice hotel and ran through Saturday. He had a great time. That is until it was time to drive home on Saturday night at 10:30PM and he locked his keys in the trunk of his car!

On Sunday morning Sage and I drove down to rescue him with the spare key and Sage got a nice walk on Monterey State Beach! He loved it! I forgot my camera...doh! These were taken with Moe's I-Phone.

Sage is not trustworthy off leash, and this isn't an off-leash beach anyway. But he did get to run around on his bright red 25-foot leash. For the most part, he kept checking on us and really didn't want to go any further away...unless another dog came along.

Scooter is Rescued!

2010-05-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

Sigh...some people!

This really nice boy was owner-surrendered when his owners found him to be "too stubborn" and were "just tired of him." After having him for five years! For this past year it appears they've let him sit in the backyard on his own...and EAT!

The first thing we did was give him a better name. His former name was ill-suited, and frankly, insulting. It was immediately apparent that he was a happy, fun, playful fellow. We thought he needed a name that would express his personality. Now he's "Scooter." From the minute we started using it, he was MUCH more responsive. He's been waiting to be rescued for awhile!

Weighing in at 42+ pounds when I picked him up, he is a good 14-15 pounds overweight. His coat was filthy, skin irritated, nails way too long...a lot of physical neglect going on here. In spite of it he was all smiles, greeting everyone like a long-lost friend.

The up-side is that this is just the nicest fellow imaginable. His owners said he was too stubborn...? To the contrary, we're actually finding him to be one of the most compliant, willing-to-please corgis we've had in rescue. It was pretty obvious that he recognized us as "corgi people," with whom he could communicate from the get-go. He couldn't wait to get in the car with me.

Happy, happy, happy to be rid of all the dead undercoat, unbelievably good about having his long nails trimmed, and simply thrilled by human attention, Scooter is going to clean up nicely. He wasn't so sure about the new diet, including veggies for nutrition and weight loss purposes, but within 24 hours he's with the program.

Start with an absolutely beautiful face, plus some downsizing and exercise and we will have a gorgeous dog in no time! Welcome to your new life Scooter. We think you're going to love it! And when we find you just the right new owner, we know they'll be thrilled to have found you!

Animal Rescue Site - Free Ways to Help

2010-05-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

There are lots of FREE ways to help save animals. Check out the Animal Rescue site to see!

Click here!

Warning! - Spokeo.com has your Personal Information!

2010-05-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

There's a new site called Spokeo.com

Beware!

This is NOT a hoax! Look yourself up and see!

Spokeo is a new online directory containing all kinds of personal information: Everything from pics you've posted on FB or web, your approximate credit score, home value, income, age, etc. It picks up data from any social network such as Facebook, Linked In, etc. and from websites, blogs, and from sites containing public records. It even has listings for people who've never been on a computer, or had an e-mail address because it also accesses public records.

WHY SPOKEO IS SCARY:

When Spokeo accesses an account, such as a Facebook account, it grabs not only your personal information, but the personal information for ALL of your contacts as well! Spokeo can share this information with anyone, including third party advertisers - so your spam may grow substantially!

HOW TO GET YOUR INFORMATION OFF THIS SITE:

You can remove yourself by first searching for yourself on their site to find the URL of your Spokeo Page, then going to the small, gray "Privacy" button on the bottom of your page to remove yourself.

Note: You can remove yourself, and you can remove others following this same method. However, there is a limit to how many listings you can remove per day. I was able to remove myself and a few friends and relatives who requested that I do so, about six people total, before I got the message indicating I'd have to "try again tomorrow."

Another note: The validity of some data on Spokeo is questionable, but TOO much of it was correct. I definitely don't want my information on this list and suspect that many of you will feel the same!

The emergence of this site could be coincidental with the recent Facebook changes which now allow sites like Spokeo to access your "private" information, even though you've listed it as "friends only" access. In keeping with this, you may want to revisit your Facebook account, delete a lot of your personal information and potentially limit access to just your friends. Based on what I've read about this recently I am seriously considering deleting my Facebook account entirely, as I am not able to guarantee the privacy of my personal information.

Sage's First 5K for Charity!

2010-04-28T16:36:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday we got up early and headed up to San Francisco for the annual MMRF (Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation) 5K walk/run event (3.1 miles).

The race starts on Marina Green and takes us along the bayfront in Chrissy Field - a lovely venue. Generally I do the run and Moe the walk. This year Sage got to be our official canine entry.

From the time he was a very young puppy Sage been very other-dog reactive; easily over-stimulated by others. Consistent attendance in obedience/rally classes has really helped him learn how to behave around other dogs. This event was a real test, as there were quite a few. He did better than we expected and was a great little corgi ambassador. Growing up has helped too. Can't believe he's already 1.5 years old!

At one point a little girl, age six or so, gave him all kinds of attention. He smiled, gave kisses, rolled on his back and solicited tons of belly rubs. Once again, I was reminded of how wonderful it is to have a dog that spent his first ten weeks with a toddler! He had absolutely no fear or hesitation and she was able to pet him to her heart's content.

Sage did the 5k easily, acting like it was a walk around the block. But when he got home, it was time for a serious nap. Moe felt the same way so they curled up together.

RAE Leg-2 (And a Family Visit)

2010-04-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

Denali and I went to Vallejo today. This was our attempt at RAE, leg -2. This was also Denali's first time showing outdoors on grass. When we got there for the 8:30AM start, we found the grass hadn't been mowed and was really wet! I wasn't sure Denali would do a "down" in the wet grass, but no problem!

My goal was just to keep her from sniffing and to qualify. I was pleasantly surprised when we got a 4th-place finish in the Excellent and the Advanced classes, with a score of 91 and 94, respectively.

This club gave medallions to those who placed, so we got a matched set,

to compliment our matched set of ribbons.

The great part about shows in Vallejo is that we get to see Sage's brothers, Cappy and Fig, as well as their respective canine and human families. Denise, Cappy's mom, was kind enough to take pictures of Denali and me in the ring for our Excellent round. I had no idea she was there!

Ready to start, getting Denali's attention. Naturally the "family tongue" is right in place, so I guess she's ready to go!

Because she was on grass Denali thought that our heeling passes were great times to bound so as not to get her belly tickled. When she started to do this she got the idea that it was time to play. The result: we ticked up those "out-of-position" points and I found myself using my hands more to indicate where I wanted her to go. Once or twice I saw her glance outside of the ring and I didn't want her getting any ideas about bolting.

As usual, she needed no additional help in flying over the jumps and Denise caught this one perfectly!

Waiting for the next dog to enter so we can start the Honor exercise.

It was so nice that we were in the shade for this exercise. It got pretty warm as the sun spread over the course.

Here's where Denali realizes she's being photographed. "Oh look, Cappy's mom is here!"

Waiting to enter the ring for awards. Yes, I am definitely prejudiced. She's a beautiful dog! Gotta love that coat!

In the ring, we had time for an ear scratch before the judge came in to present awards.

Stiff competition today. Three dogs, including the gray poodle behind me, and the border collie, just out of the shot, were clearly trained in formal obedience and were absolutely flawless. All were competing for RAE legs. Accordingly, they scored 100%. I believe that one of the handlers is a professional trainer. With competition like this we were surprised and pleased to nab the 4th place ribbons!

Afterward we got to visit with Cappy, and his people, Trenton and Denise, as well as Alden, Ian and the trio, Fig, Watson and Duncan. Duncan has lost some weight is is looking much more perky as a result! And as the only-female-in-residence, Denali garnered attention from all the boys!

Alden convinced Trenton to "stack" Watson for photos so we'll get to see what he looks like as an official dog-on-a-table. Trenton put Watson on a show lead and took him for a little walk too. Alden couldn't believe it was her dog - he behaved so nicely on the leash!

A nice day for all!

One Click Feeds a Dog!

2010-04-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

Please do this for the SPCA

Literally, it takes one second of your time and costs you nothing!

The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily so they can meet their quota of getting FREE FOOD donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute (about 15 seconds) to go to their site and click on the purple box 'fund food for animals for free'. This doesn't cost you a thing.

Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site! Click on the purple box to feed an animal in need. (It's FREE!)

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

PLEASE TELL 10 FRIENDS!

(Add the link to your desktop, so you'll remember to click every day!)

Stacking Watson - Oh Dear!

2010-04-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

Alden wrote yesterday asking if I could help her "stack" Watson for pictures this weekend, in response to request for a "stacked photo" from Mama Penni. My response: LOL!

I am a serious dog person, but I am not a "confirmation person." The closet thing to stacking a dog that I've ever done is to set Elbee on a counter so I can put drops in her dry eye each day. Trust me, it's not all that pretty!

Here's how Watson would probably look if I tried to make the "stack" happen. This is actually how he did look the last time Watson and I saw one another and Alden posed him for a picture - not attempting a stack here, no worries!

Of course, I will have Denali with me this weekend. And Trenton will be there with Captain. As you see, they were both attempting to give Watson a focal point during our last photo shoot. The result: Definitely not much of a stack! I guess this counts them out as photo assistants, sorry Penni.

The good news is that now that Cappy is actually a Champion, he's got Trenton well trained. Thankfully ONE of the silly people in the bunch should be able to position Watson appropriately! (Hear Penni's sigh of relief.)

Alden, looks like you and I are about to get a stacking lesson! See you Saturday!

C-Myste Denali, RE, CGC (It's official)

2010-04-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Hardest Part - Farewell Carbon Blue

2010-04-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

As we all know, the hardest part of having a dog is knowing that one day we'll have to say goodbye. Sadly, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi World has lost one of its most amazing creatures, the oh-so-famous Coedwig's Carbon Blue, age almost-15 years.

For many of us he lives on through his progeny who possess his sweet temperament. Denali is a Carbon granddaughter and Sage a grandson. How fortunate I feel to have them both.

See Traci's Tribute to Carbon

Great photo of Carbon with three of his sons, one being Sage's father, Wally!

Some beautiful photos of Carbon from Emily.

Carbon's website

(For those not familiar, you'll be amazed at the contributions this dog has made.)

Thank you Carbon - peace be with you always.

You are sorely missed and deeply loved.