Elk Herding

So, my exotic dog breed of the month I just highlighted was a reindeer herder. Well, did you also know that Border Collies have history herding reindeer and elk too??

I discovered recently a website for a ranch in Alberta, Canada whose top dog was a border collie named Whip. Whip is actually an uncle of my Scott. Small world huh? Whip apparently worked all stock you can imagine up in Canada, from your standard sheep, cows and ducks to horses, ostriches, elk and reindeer! http://www.bergenranch.com/Dogs.htm

Whip and Scott do look similar; they have super thick long hair and similar builds. They appear to have the same "pushiness" as well, being able to work just about anything you ask them to. I seriously think this elk-herding thing runs in the family.

We have an elk herd that comes through our neighborhood all the time. While I know better than to "work them," I do utilize Scott to push them off my property every once in a while. They eat my bird seed, rip off branches from young trees, decimated my veggie garden last year, and create holes in our yard (they can weigh 800lbs or so!). There is one elk, in particular, I've named Gertie. She is collared and she is the least weary of people and dogs. I am certain it was Gertie who walked up onto our front porch this Spring and ate my potted plants!

So, here is Scott. This is the look I get when he knows there is something up that he wants to be a part of. It's his "poker face" if you will - I can totally see right through it. Alright Scotty, you wanna go out and see the elk?? I already know the answer to that question.

The elk. All cows and some calves. They're slightly ticked off that I'm out there with Scott. Two are nervous in this photo, one is not. Can you tell which one hasn't figured it out yet?

I will not let my dog herd the elk, especially in someone else's yard. So, Scott was told to "lie down" in the street while I took photos of him with the herd. Some of the cows are quite bothered with Scott's presence, so they headed back into the woods right away. Others, stuck around, including Gertie and her buddies who were on the other side of the neighbor's driveway.

"Scott, they're almost all gone now." The very first time Scott saw the elk last year he barked and growled at them. Then he realized, "hey, these things are like wild cows. I think I like that." Again, just want to state that I don't herd the elk with Scott. I will, if in my yard, have Scott walk up on the elk to move them back into the woods. You never know if the cows, or sometimes the young bulls we also have come around, will charge your dog or you!

And there's Gertie and her "clique." While her two girlfriends took off, Gertie stuck around until the end. She should be our neighborhood mascot I guess.

Here is Scott walking back to the house after his day of elk herding. A job well done Scotty!

Mattie thinks Scott is da bomb when it comes to herding. However, she isn't so thrilled about getting sniffed on camera...

Exotic Dog Breed of the Month

Did you know there are reindeer herding dogs that come from Scandinavia and Russia? This month, I want to highlight the Lapland Herder, a dog from Finland. Note: this is not the same breed as the somewhat more popular Finnish Lapphund or Swedish Lapphund.

I think this is a pretty good looking dog! More information can also be found here: http://koti.mbnet.fi/tuulen/poro21.htm

Here is the information...

Also called the Lapinporokoira, the Lapland Reindeer Dog, the Lapland Sheepdog, the Lapponian Herder, the Lapponian Shepherd, the Lapponian Vallhund or the Lapsk Vallhund, this breed is known colloquially as the Lappy.

This is an "improved" reindeer-herder, created in southern Finland by deliberate crossings to combine the hardiness of the northern, cold-country spitz breeds with the highly developed herding abilities of European sheepdog breeds. This was achieved by arranging matings between the Finnish Lapphund, the German Shepherd Dog and working Collies, creating a "Nordic herder" capable of working in freezing conditions, but with the advanced manoeuvring skills of the typical sheepdog. It is said to be capable of covering 60 miles in a day, and it is often claimed that 'one of these dogs is worth five men'.

This carefully planned breed has the erect, pricked ears of its spitz ancestor, but the less stocky body, the longer legs and head, and the uncurled tail of its sheepdog ancestor. Its low-hanging tail, in particular, sets it apart from the other northen dogs.

The introduction of the motorized snowmobile in the 20th century resulted in a sudden modernatization of reindeer-herding techniques and rendered the Lapland Herder almost obsolete. Its numbers fell rapidly and there was a serious risk of it becoming extinct, but in the 1960's the chairan of the Finnish Kennel Club began a salvage operation and in 1966 it was given an official breed standard. By the end of the 1960's, the population of these dogs had risen to five times the figure for the start of that decade.

An interesting breeding system was devised for the working dogs. In the north the stockworkers kept only males. In the south, the breeders kept females. Each year the best males would be brought south to mate and the best male puppies would then be taken north again for future reindeer duties. Surplus puppies would be sold off as pets.

Color forms include white with dark shading; black body with tan extremities, and black.

This is not a bath towel!

This is NOT a Bath Towel!

Don't step on it!

RIP George

George "Cartman" Thorpe

199? - 2009

May your grass grow lush and green
and your string be plentiful.

My beloved cat George passed away on October 2, 2009. He was between 15 and 18 years old. I adopted George as an adult cat from the Seattle Animal Shelter in 2002. George was everything I was looking for in my first cat - orange, fluffy, male, neutered, adult, and litter box trained. I saw George on the shelter's online listing of available pets and called the shelter right away to see if he was still available as I figured he was a very desirable type of cat. I was told that yes he was there but he was only available for foster as he had a severe URI (upper respiratory infection) and that he was crashing and they would likely euthanize him the next day. I rushed into Seattle and without even seeing him, was handed a kitty crate with him inside by a staff member and given his paperwork for fostering. I would not be able to formally adopt George until he was healthy. I got home, opened up the crate George cautiously crept out into the living room.

George was my first cat, so not only was I going into new territory with a species I didn't know much about, it was a new species that was terribly, terribly sick. I quickly learned how to medicate a cat and feed a sick cat back to health.

George became healthy and he became mine. After he was fully recovered from the URI, I took him to a cat clinic for a full teeth cleaning as his teeth were very messed up. He had to have 3 extractions and it was found he also had some broken teeth too. I was beginning to wonder if George was older than the 8 years the shelter had listed him as.

I began to learn more about cats in general and what made George the cat so special. I found that he had an addiction to string - obsessing over to eat it like spaghetti. He wasn't a catnip type of cat but found Friskies Treats and Whisker Lickin's to be the best things on the planet. He would meow heartily for his treats in a "feed me now" demanding tone. I loved it.

George's shelter paperwork indicated that he shouldn't go to a home that had kids, dogs or other cats. This was all fine back in 2002 - I had no other animals and George was king of the castle. In 2003 I got married and George got a new last name. George knew Jerill but when Jerill didn't leave the house anymore, George would just stare as me with that look of "Who is this guy?"

And then in November 2003, Lucky the Maltese Shih Tzu puppy came home. George was pissed, without a doubt he was pissed off at me, Jerill and the new puppy. But it wasn't like he was trying to kill the puppy, nor did he act out by being a bad cat. He just continued to have a pissed off look on his face. I learned quickly that while George could tolerate other animals in the house, he truly hated all living creatures except for me. George and I had a special bond and would have conversations regularly in the morning as I got ready for work.

After Lucky came GiGi the kitten. We had tried fostering a boy kitten prior to GiGi but George was not fond of him at all (I got that boy kitten adopted to a coworker and he ended up being called Spike and now weighs 15lbs or so - Maine Coon!). George took to GiGi instantly. They would sit on the stairs and clean each other and cuddle. I credit George for making GiGi such a wonderful cat today- she never claws or scratches us, she does not scratch furniture and she has very good house manners.

After GiGi came a few foster dogs over the winters - one of those fosters in particular we ended up keeping (that would be Mattie). We now had four animals in one small, yardless condo. George was king of the upstairs and the dogs were relegated to the downstairs. In 2006, we moved to larger home and I could tell George loved his new home - lots of windows and sunlight to lie in.

George had a few close calls in his life, one being the String Incident of 2004. George had eaten a yard length of 1/4 inch velvet material. Of course we didn't know this until he became violently ill and x-rays confirmed he had a blockage. We elected to have the vet go ahead with surgery to remove the super-string. He recovered quickly from the surgery and our house then became a "string free zone."

Since the string incident, George led a peaceful life, spending his days curled up in the laundry basket, on my computer chair or on our bed.

In the last couple months of George's life, he began to lose interest in eating Friskies Treats, then began to lose interest in eating kibble. He stopped cleaning himself up. He started losing weight. He began sleeping in different places in the house - not hiding but just sleeping in different places. He would always greet me on the stairs when I'd come home from work and would appear fine but I realize now he was just acting because he didn't want to leave the house and go to the vet. In the last weeks he no longer wanted to eat wheat grass. I knew then something was terribly wrong. On September 30, 2009, a trip to the vet and a blood and urine test revealed that George's kidneys were failing him, among other smaller problems he also had like tumors and lung problems. Jerill and I realized that George was no longer enjoying his life and we did not want him to be in pain or feel "hung over" anymore from the toxins his kidneys and liver were not able to process and elminate. George was humanely euthanized in Snoqualmie, WA in the morning hours of October 2, 2009.

I always thought my kitty would live forever. I think everyone thinks this about their favorite cat or dog. Although George's memory will live forever, and I'm sure his orange buff colored hair will forever be on our fleece coats, I am deeply saddened that he will no longer be in my life in the physical sense. George lived a rich, full, life and his first 8-10 years of life will always remain a mystery to us. I do feel that George's time with me and my family - 7+ years - was exactly what he wanted in life. George was a full time indoor kitty who was free to do as he pleased as long as he was okay with getting squeezed every once in awhile.

We elected to have a personal cremation for George, meaning we will receive an urn with his ashes therein. George will rest upon a windowsill forever in the sunshine, away from the dogs, just as he lived his life with us.

I miss you George.

Exotic Dog Breed of the Month

This month, I chose to present an exotic dog breed that is not a herding dog. I give to you, the Mi-Ki (pronounced mee-kee)...

I know: how adorable, right? They look just like Gizmo from the movie the Gremlins. I want one but I think my Maltese-Shih Tzu Lucky would kill me. The breed characteristics of these little spuds includes:

The Mi-Ki is being developed in the United States exclusively as a lapdog and a show dog.

This is one of several new American toy dog breeds being created to satisfied the needs of urban apartment dwellers. [So, they're saying Border Collies don't make good apartment dogs?] In this role, one of the Mi-Ki's advantages is that is seldom barks, a major consideration in areas of high-density housing.

In personality, this little dog is said to be sociable, alert, friendly, good-natured, non-aggressive and intelligent. Unlike many small dogs, it is not wary of strangers. It's breeders recommend it as a companion for the elderly or the disabled and state that, for apartment owners, it can be trained to use a litter box like a cat [but, this ain't a cat!]. In height it is 28cm or less. Its weight is 5-8 lbs.

The Mi-Ki is a dog of rather vague origins. It probably began as an accidental cross between two well-established toy dog breeds, such as the Maltese and the Japanese Chin. In appearance it looks remarkably like an intermediate between these two There is no official word on its precise background, other than that the dog 'is thought to be Asian' and can perhaps be traced back to Penang and shares 'common ancestry with the Papillon, the Maltese and the Japanese Chin. Confirmation of the fact that its beginnings are obscure comes from the report that Donna Hall, VP of the Mi-Ki Club of America, has submitted DNA samples fro three of the foundation dogs for lab analysis at universities in Switzerland and New Zealand.

The breed has an apple domed head and a spitz-like tail curled up over its back. The muzzle varies from 1/2 inch to 1.5 inc. Ears may be erect or dropped [like papillons and phalenes]. The coat may be either long, fine, silky and straight, or smooth and lying close to the body. A beard and moustache may be present with the long coat. Dewclaws must be removed for show purposes, the feet must be shaved and in the case of the long-coated variety, the head must also be shaved. All colors are accepted.

This developing breed first appeared in the US in the 1980's and the Mi-Ki club of America was founded in Wisconsin in 1996. It has to be said that some authorities are highly critical of this breed - one going as far as saying it's not a breed at all. In AKC publications [who cares though] there has never been any mention of a breed called Mi-Ki. It remains to be seen whether it will manage to establish itself in the future.

So there you have it; my next lap dog. Holy smokes these are C U T E little spuds.

Mattie and Tam

Take one Mattie...

Add one Tam...

And you get totally adorable doggie friends!

Tam is Diane Pagel's (my herding teacher) newest addition. He comes from the mid-west. He's about 7 months old and he's totally adorable. He's staying with me for a week to learn some house manners and some basic obedience. Plus, I LOVE having a friend for Mattie that she can play with. It just so happens that Scott and Lucky are grumpy old farts and do not appreciate getting gnawed on or tackled, but Tam LOVES it! See video below of one of the many sessions Mattie and Tam have had in the family room...

Tam has gained a few nicknames since staying with us, including: Tam Tam, Tambourine, Tamarind Tree, and Tammee. Jerill of course has his names as well but those aren't really appropriate to share at this time! Perhaps Diane will let me run Tam next year in Novice and Ranch??? We will see!

Chickens and Sheep and Goat, oh my!

Last Thursday Jerill and I went to the Evergreen State Fair. It's in Monroe, WA and although it is not as grand as the Puyallup Fair, it meets our needs - it has animals, bratwurst dogs and elephant ears.

Next Spring, after the fence around the back-acre is complete, I have been promised chickens. Although I will be building a chicken coop myself, to my specifications, I am planning on getting chickens more for show and cuteness than for eggs, although the eggs are a bonus. Not that I intend to actually do chicken-showing or use their fancy feather for tying fishing flies, I just like having them around and I think Scott will enjoy it. Scott will actually have to enjoy them as it's very unlikely we'll get ducks since they require so much more work (but, I'm easily convinced too so we'll see how the chickens go and then consider ducks later on). At the fair, they had plenty of fancy chickens on display. We photographed our favorite breeds.

Ameraucanas Blue Wheaten

Black Cochin. Beautiful bird here actually won the Best English Breed ribbon

Cochins Mottled

Leghorn Single Comb White. Okay, if I am allowed to get a rooster, it will be a traditional, Kellogg's Corn Flakes rooster like this one. I LOVE him.

Pymouth Rocks Barred Cockerel

My ultmate favorite, the Silkies Beard White. They also come in tan and black and B&W too I think.

Sussex Speckled

Wyandottes Golden Laced. These also come as a Silver Laced variety, in grey.

We fell in love with this friendly Angora Goat. Such a cutie pie. Jerill was smitten by its persistence to be petted on the nose (and that crazy head of hair it has!)

Okay, various people have told me to not get a bunny because the predators will eat it eventually and I'll be sad. HOWEVER: if I were getting a bunny, it would be an English Angora Rabbit like this. I mean, seriously, those ears and that face?!? It's like a bunny-version of mattie. Grey, fuzzy wuzzy that I just want to squeeze and dote on.


If you think skiing or golf are expensive hobbies, have you ever thought how much dough must go into horse and buggy showing? Sheesh! Gorgeous horses and tack though.

After the fair, Jerill and I stopped by Diane's farm in Carnation. I had left Scotty in her barn while were at the fair. We had a herding-date with Scott and Roo that evening. Diane is preparing Roo for the Nationals coming up in a few weeks and I was trying to work on Scotty's outwork more. So, what we do is stand at opposite ends of a huge pasture field - about 600 yards apart, and then send our dogs and watch them lift the sheep from each other . We have walkie-talkies and can tell each other what is going on with our respective pooches. This particular session went extremely well for both our dogs.

To prepare for these sessions, we have to sort out 5 sheep to use, from a flock of 20 or so sheep. The sheep know why we're there so they are more than eager to run away. This is when a dog comes in handy!

Open the gate slowly. Call dog to 'walk up' so that sheep start to move through the gate.

Here they come! Close the gate! Close the gate! Scottie "LIE DOWN!"

Darn; got more than 5. You can see Scott coming through the gate. He then was asked to bring those 7 sheep back to me so I could push the ram and ewe #1 (Callie the Sheep) back through since we don't want to work those two.