A No Dog Post. Well, Maybe One Dog

Last weekend I actually left the house to do something with without the dogs.

I know!

And it wasn’t even grocery shopping or something boring like that.

Hiking without dogs is weird. Kind of nice, also. I wanted to shoot some birds and try out the trails at the park that don’t allow dogs.

I still had poop bags in my pocket, though. You never know, right? Maybe come across random abandoned poop? Even though park rangers don’t give out raffle tickets for turning in random poops like the agility folks do, still, good dog-owning citizen even without dogs.

Birds do less flying away without dogs in tow

They don’t even un-nap

Just pose, like they were waiting for your pokey ass to get up the hill and photograph them

Christmas card-y posing

This is a horrible pic of a Coot, but their feet just kill me! Ginormous! And, green! Way too big for a bird that is duck-sized but not a actually a duck. Please do yourself a favor and do NOT refer to a coot as a duck around bird folks. Don’t go there. Won’t be pleasant. Right up there with farting in church.

And, in case you were wondering… “V”’s are so last year. “I” is in. All the cool kids are doing it.

And now the dog portion of the post. A color genetics question…

This dog:

 

Is up for adoption. Cute yes? His name is Rex and you can see him at the Nor Cal BC Rescue site >HERE<.

How do you get a red dog with black nose leather? Does that happen in other breeds? Kinda weird, no?

Does She Get Tired Of Her Shadow?

Sorry - crappy webcam captures from daycare.

The collies - always in formation

I wonder if Bella ever gets tired of Kate on her ass?

 Like a big sister-little sister thing?  Like...OMG, would you just go away?  Maybe it's a game for Kate?  Playing fighter pilots?  Geese?  Bowling pins?

Apparently, 2 o'clock is I've Had Enough time for Bella.  Needs her nap.  A little Me Time.

Everyone else going to the other room?  Nah, I'll stay here.  I'm good, thanks.

That is, until sweatered Basset decides to sit RIGHT THERE to clean her hoo ha

Funny thing is, I know exactly what Bella's face looked like at that moment.  It was a mixture of shock and disgust.  Subtle, but there.

I'd put money on it.  :)

Lovely Weekend

I can’t believe the weather we are having. No rain yet. Still sunny and 60-ish.

  I’ll take it.

Went strolling at the Palo Alto Baylands on Saturday. I love that place. There are so many places like that here. Those sort of spots that make you feel like you are not smack in the middle of urban sprawl. You can have some peace and some outdoorsy and little wildlife…and still…never more than 5 minutes from Starbucks. :)

Most of the birds were busy, busy, busy

Bella was completely fascinated by the noise they were making. Surprisingly loud. All that mud slurping and pat pat pat of duck feets in the mud.

The dogs don’t care much for birding

Too much stopping. Too much...”would you just stand still and stop jerking on my arm?!”

There is some entertainment for them, too, though.

The source of much of the pulling.

Their camo is quite impressive. The dogs wouldn’t even know they were there is it wasn’t for the constant alarm calls. They should probably re-think all that screaming.

Kate’s opinion on birding is pretty clear.

We had some dog time, too. Working on Brace Agility

Of course we would practice skills for something that doesn’t exist

We did do a little of the norm, too. Bella prefers 3o1o. Always a titch defiant, that one.

Kate? Not so big on being a Bad Dog

Would much rather this..

Or this, though…

Although, she kinda sucks at that, too.

Haha.

The Morning Crew

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

Since it’s a no work day, we all hung around long enough for the light to arrive this morning.

There are the familiar faces

And the not so…

Thunder

And brother Ryder

The red-heads, Rusty and Kalman

Who prefer to be photographed sans Husky, thankyouverymuch :-)

Kosmo

And sister Maddie

Who’s favorite hobby is passing judgment

“Seriously, Vizsla? Ruining my shot?”

“Oh, and now you, too?!”

“Sheesh”

Are you noticing the trend here? Everyone has to have matching dogs.

  I think it’s the law or something.

Little Brutus didn’t have a match

Until a few weeks ago

Baby monkey dog Cali!

“Take her back!”

Sorry, Brutus.  You know, dog law and all.

Enjoy your holiday American-type folks!

She's So Cute When She Tries To Act Like A Border Collie

Right?

Look at her.

All serious and full of thought and hunchy

Well, I guess we all know better, yes?

Still, I enjoy those 1/1000 of a second wherein the scarecrow meets the wizard

Lure Screaming

We went to a fun match a few weeks back.  We're all Agility Serious like that.  I went under the guise of working on Bella's weaves and getting Kate some indoor practice.

All lies.

We went because they did lure coursing in the afternoon. 

Lure coursing with the addition of my favorite dog photog: Dave Mills

Can't pass that up.

Have I mentioned that Kate likes to scream while lure coursing?

That she doesn't tend to pay much attention and just runs like the wind and later realizes that Bella has actually turned?

At least someone is paying attention

Even if it is in a slightly creepy, crazy person kinda way

Too much speed and not enough processing power

Good thing her breaks work

That is our dear Kate

And we get to course again this weekend!

If you are in Northern California and you hear

WoooOOOOwwwoooOOWooooiiiiiiiiiiiii

on Sunday morning, that would be us.

Sorry.

Some Things Don't Change...Except The Clocks...You Did Change Your Clock, Yes?

I like routines. Totally dig sameness. It’s nice that even though we are all getting older and lumpier, some things just keep on rolling.

Like…

Kate’s crappy timing

My crappy timing

Bella’s lack of crappy anything (with the obvious exception of the weaving of the poles)

Except, perhaps, her attitude

Kate’s inability to stand still for more than 1.5 seconds

Bella’s inability to move

The Kateness, it is alive and well!

In all its ball missing glory

And why is it when I order new cam equip it is nice and warm and sunny but when it actually arrives it’s crappy and rainy and cold…? No fair!

We do have a teeny bit of sun this morning. Guess I should get my daylight change loving lazy heiny out before the clouds come back.

Maybe I can get some of these today that are actually in focus!

Happy Sleeping In Day, Y’all!