Wordless Wednesday: Playing Show Dog

Teach & Babies

Yesterday I read over on All Things Collie about Scarlett coming to the rescue of a baby bird.  It really showed the gentle nature of our breed.  On Tuesday Teach got to spend time with Madalynn again (he's been around here several times) and we did a short little photo session.

I knew that without a doubt that Teach wouldn't hurt her.  Sure he licks her a lot!  But he just has a gentle way about him.  The last time they were together he really wanted her lamb that holds her pacifier so took a toy of his own and dropped it in her lap and tried to take her lamb ... at least he was giving her something for it!

You can see Lamb-y in this picture.

This morning I saw him really wagging his tail at something at the bottom of the yard.  Now this could be any number of things, a stick, a bug, an animal.  So I walked down there and he found a little baby bird who must have left the nest before they were really ready and was cold (we got down in the 30's here last night).  He would nose it and it would fly some but not high or far so that's why I think it left the nest a little early.

I went back inside to get the camera to get some pictures.  Teach only sniffed at it and then did try to paw at it trying to get the bird to play with him.  I would just tell him to be easy.  And all this happened while he was wagging his tail as fast as he could.  He had found a friend!!

Its little head was tucked under its wing ... it was cold.  He did finally get into the sun.

As we were walking back up the hill two birds came down with it ... looked like the same kind so maybe the parents.  I just hope the neighbor's cat doesn't catch wind of him being down there.

Hiking with Friends - Two Collies and a German Shepherd

On Monday I decided to take the day off and enjoy this beautiful weather we've been having.  I called my friend Laura to see if she would want go hike out on the Long Point Trail in the New River Gorge.  She had never been on that trail and I knew she would love it with the views it had to offer.

She brought Pirate and Rasky along for the fun (because what fun is it to go hiking with out our furry friends).  Teach enjoyed having his buddies along to share in the adventure.  (Although Teach didn't appreciate Pirate stepping all over him in the car.  He would growl and grumble at Pirate like an old man ... it was hilarious!)

We got really lucky and didn't have anyone at the Point while we were there so were able to get some great pictures of the dogs.  

The dogs made me a nervous wreck with how close to the edge they would get!!  I don't like heights and always a bit rubber-legged out there.  But it did give us a chance to get some gorgeous shots.

Waterfall way down at the bottom of the Gorge

I love pictures of Pirate and Teach together showing the two coat types in Collies

Some waterfalls across the Gorge.  I zoomed up to get them.

Our State Flower is in full bloom.

And these pictures are from Laura's camera.  Her dogs really pushed the limit on the getting close to that ledge.

Silent Collie

It is a well known fact that Collies are a noisy breed.  They (normally) LOVE to bark at everything.  To the point of being annoying to some.  As a matter of fact most Herding breeds are noisy.  I know Roxy (and every other Corgi we've owned) have loved to voice their opinions.

Well ... we have a silent Collie.  His breeder took the older dogs away about the time the puppies were finding their voices so they didn't learn to be that vocal, normal Collie breed trait.  I have to admit that I was rather excited about learning this.  It was one aspect I kind of dreaded was their shrill high pitched bark.

When Teach is in the house or out in public (at the park, store, dog show, etc) he is silent.  Doesn't make a peep.  Even chasing things in our yard he doesn't bark.  He also doesn't make a sound when someone knocks on our door, rings the door bell or walks in.  And because of that I'm going back and thinking how I would like to have a dog that barked ... LOL!  (never happy are we?).

If, however, he is on our porch and someone walks down the street or drives a 4-wheelers/loud vehicle down the street he will sound like he is going to EAT you up.  To the point that I wonder if he really would.  You walk in our yard, though, and he is silent again ... you're a friend and he will love you.  Strange, strange Collie!!

One story is we had a couple come up to our door soliciting something and he never barked.  We opened the door, talked to them and they asked if they could leave their vehicle in our yard.  Still ... no bark.  As soon as these same people he just met stepped foot on the street in front of our house he went OFF!  So funny!

The other time he will make his voice heard is when he is trying to get Roxy to play with him.  And let me tell you he does have that shrill Collie bark that we dreaded ... LOL!!  He is so loud and will bark right in Roxy's ear.  Sometimes I wonder if he will make her deaf.  This video is when he was 6 months old.

Our breeder told us that he would find his voice if he was around dogs that were barking.  And is around Roxy enough when she is barking that you would have thought he would have picked up on barking when someone comes in. But that hasn't been the case.

So we have a weird, silent Collie.  We'll take it ... because for the most part its pretty nice.  When I'm by myself though it would be nice that my big bad dog would have a voice to let people know he is in here and beware.  

Are you're dogs let their voices heard or are they silent watchers?

Wordless Wednesday: I've Been a Very Good Puppy This Year!!

A Ride With Beautiful Views

On Thursday I was able to take the day off work and enjoy a nice horseback ride.  We headed out the road to a farm not far that had some awesome views across the New River Gorge over into Fayette County.

To keep the peace in the neighborhood we leashed our dogs out the road past the neighbor's houses.  This was quite a feat for Laura and her pack of 3.  I only had Teach, who wasn't to thrilled with the idea, but did well.  Below is a video of this:

Before we headed out on the ride we let the whole pack of dogs play for a little bit to get their energy out.  Knowing we had to lead dogs the number we took with us was limited.  Here are some pictures of them having fun (and posing) and a video of them playing.

Teach, Xander and Mercy (their new buddy)

Two Tris - a Smooth and a Rough (Pirate)

Pirate, Frisco (Belgian Malinois), and Argos (German Shepherd) killing the road cone

Xander didn't want Pirate to participate in the photos.

Now for the pictures of our ride.  We head to ride straight up the side of a mountain to get to the really pretty views.  One of the pictures is of me on the side of the mountain ... you can kinda tell how steep it was in it.  The horses did great coming up it and didn't get very winded.  The dogs were ready for a rest when we got to the top.  It was worth it for the views.  There is also a video of a portion of our mountain riding.

Laura riding Dakota, Rasky and Xander in background

Rasky, Drummer, Xander, Dakota and Laura

Xander taking in the views too

Kahlua

This is the picture you can kinda tell how steep it was. 

Teach ready for a rest

That evening it made for a very well behaved tired Collie!

Start of Fall

This past weekend we said good-bye to summer (a summer I don't think we really had) and welcomed Fall.  I love Fall and I think Teach does as well.  Temperatures cool down and leaves begin to drop.

Friday we started to do a hike when a rain storm started really dumping so we shortened up our hike and headed back to the car with plans to do the trail some other time this weekend.  It was perfect hiking weather after Friday and Saturdays rain storms moved through.  Brought cooler temps and clearer air (if that is such a thing).

Teach and I spent Saturday at the Begley Manor so his Uncle Dale could start on his Halloween Costume.  I won't share any pictures of that just yet (its not time) but I think it turned out really good.  Teach was an awesome model trying stuff on and off and taking time out to "check out" the kitties that reside there.  One spotted Bengal was really interested in him and he was interested in her.  One minute she was batting his face and the next minute she was rubbing against him.  Wish I could have snapped some pictures of it.

As I mentioned earlier Sunday was a great day for hiking so after getting all our chores done we took to the woods!  There was a trail at Little Beaver I had done a few times before but Randy had never done.  It takes you along the edge of the park and sits against Glade Springs Resort.  Below is a picture of the trail my App on my phone logged.

The trail was close to 4 miles.  There is a gap in it that you'll see that I didn't realize the app wasn't working until we had walked a little ways (the gap you see).  The red marker is where we started and stopped but didn't start picking up until the green.

Teach did wear his orange vest since it was close to dusk.  He was very visible.

 

All the times I've hiked at Little Beaver we hardly see anyone, let alone people with dogs.  This trip we saw 3 different people with dogs ... all of them off-leash.  Which I do let Teach off leash as well because we don't normally see anyone and when I do I immediately call him to me and grab his collar or attach the leash.  2 of the 3 we saw stuck with their owners and didn't have many issues.  There was one, however, Gypsy the Lab, that stuck with us for a little while and played with Teach.  After we met Gypsy's owner I realized we took an obedience class last spring with her and she was just a 1.5 years old and full of herself!  Needless to say her and Teach enjoyed racing around and playing.

The Stand-Off

The chase is on!

Where ya going we still need to play!

Hey guys you coming???

As I mentioned earlier this trail goes along the property of Glade Springs on the far side of the park.  Its a really nice housing development (gated).  I had to take pictures of Teach with it in the background.

Glade Spring in the background

You can see leaves changing in this one

A few years ago Laura and I came across this by accident and had to take pictures as well.  At the time I had my Lab, Katie and she had her Collie Oliver.  The house we saw this past weekend was just being constructed and the lake was fairly new looking.  Here are a few pictures from that trip.

This lake is in the background of Teach's picture ... hard to see. 

This house is across the lake that is probably completely obscured today with the trees.

This is the house in the background of Teach's picture above that is through the trees.  Its hard to see now. You can even see that the road around it was dirt/gravel.  

Hope you enjoyed the trip back in time like I did with these pictures ... LOL!!!