flien

Hi Renee, Right, it was a bit misleading of me to start off by saying "hot weather," as it's primarily a stress issue, but it is greatly magnified by warm weather and high humidity. I was thinking the same thing about Nutri-cal -- keeping it around the same way I always have a bottle of Nutri-drench around for the sheep. Your experience with Rae and Vic's with Gage give me more hope that time and steady work will probably do the trick -- in the meantime, a bit more fat in her diet, perhaps pedialyte on really hot days, and Nutri-cal as a hedge may help (shotgun!). Tess is really a spiffy little dog. Besides not wanting to ever see her have a major "crash," I'd love to see just how far she could go. Thanks for the specific training tip, too!

Laura wins! That was great. Oooh, Rebecca! That's not weird, that's awesome! I was right, BTW, my mother was almost teary-eyed when she saw us roll in with her pile of "black gold." We "grown-ups" (The Boss, my 76 yr. old mother, 81 yr. old father, and I) spent the next part of the day unloading the heap and piling it by the garden, while my kids made dinner for us. It was universally declared "the best Mother's Day ever!" (Okay, so we don't set our sights real high around here )

Thanks for the insights, everyone, and thanks for letting me mooch off your research! I'll have to see what works and report back. I can certainly see bumping up her fat intake -- sage advice, thanks!

Okay, my Mum's been an avid organic gardener since the sixties, so fifteen years ago, when the Boss and I finally got our first critters, she said, "Oh, critters? Will you have any er, uh, ahem?" Anyhow, when contemplating the annual what-to-get-for-Mother's-Day dilemma the other day, I realized that the answer was right here. I've got a utility trailer load of partially composted, spoiled hay ready to head out in a few minutes-- she'll be ecstatic! (She's also a native plant enthusiast, so I'll also be toting along some freshly potted Solomon's Seal -- for good measure ). So what's the oddest thing you ever gave your Mom?

Go, Megan go! Had to be the good grooming -- makes 'em work smoother, right? (My poor mud puppies wouldn't know ! )

Debbie, And I'd love to see Simon work! (I love the "under the bed" part -- Tess prefers our closet .) I got to see Barry run John a few times, including his first open run at Sam's old place -- John was definitely a far better fit for Barry than James ever was! I hated to see them have to stop trialing, but we all have to put our families first, and I'll always admire Barry. It's great to hear that Barry has time to judge, now -- I'll look forward to seeing him one day soon! We should try to work our dogs together some day, when schedules and gas prices permit!

Noticed an earlier thread with some pedigree postings y'all might enjoy: http://www.bordercollie.org/cgi-bin/ultima...t=010620#000005

Oh, fun! My two Roy boys are everybody's cousins -- Roy was one busy fellow! Ozzie's dam's sire is Barry Moyer's John, who also goes back to Buttersett Tweed, so Oz and Dice are cousins on both sides (probably even more links, since he has three Ettrick dogs -- Scot, Bob, and Jet -- back there too, heh!). Our Tess may be related to Dice back there somewhere -- she has several Judith Allen Kelly/Judith Kelly dogs behind her (Image, ABC 110826; Trace AIBC 6515; and Tweed, AIBC 95957). "They're cousins, identical cousins all the way, one pair of matching bookends -- different as night and day!"

If you can say, "It's a braw bricht moonlicht nicht", Then yer a'richt, ye ken. And it is such a night indeed. I've enjoyed my frequent bouts of task avoidance this evening -- never mind what it was I was supposed to be doing! Now it's time for "last walkies" under an incredible moon. Thanks and blessings to all.

Dang, Smileyzookie! I wish I could pass some of my Mother's Day blessings your way. I know it's not the same, but if you noticed, my two are six years apart -- no. 2 was three years in the making. She made her entrance after we'd given up and moved to a new farm with a slightly dilapidated barn I'd planned to rennovate myself -- so much for planning! Also for what it's worth, you've probably heard this before, but do you all know any adoptive couples? My husband felt the same way as yours until some folks we know adopted a super-cutie -- if our Emily hadn't arrived, who knows? Anyhow, you've helped me appreciate my blessings that much more. I really hope next Mother's Day is a sweeter one for you.

Ooh! I see Jeffers has Nutri-cal for ferrets -- should work for the Wee Weasel, eh? No, but seriously, I saw the sheep spotter at Sam's last year -- another Julie, a kiwi, I think? -- giving her beasts some supplement from a tube between classes. I think it may well have been Nutri-cal (for dogs -- the weasel thing's a joke, Frank Zappa related -- sorry all). It's protein and vit's, so not redundant -- may try a shotgun approach (hmmmm, shotgun, now that's a thought -- kidding! I'm kidding!). P.S. Did you shear with Tom?????

Thanks, Julie! Yes, "less frantic about working" will be the ultimate cure, I believe. The Pedia-lyte on kibble sounds logical to me -- any ABAB within subjects data to go with that ? Also, did the Nutri-cal seem to work for Gage? I do need to do something (or I think I do ) while we try to get her over the frantic stage.

Debbie, More cousins! Out of Jill and now D.H.'s Beryl -- nice! (My years of clerking have helped dispel some of my ignorance at least -- whew!) So your Toss son is cool-headed? That's another data point to back up my suspicion that the buzzy side of our Tess comes from her dam. She's quiet and sweet in the house -- you'd never guess what a handful she can be. I'm hoping that more sheep time will help. Sounds like I'm knocking her, but I actually love this little beast. I asked Karen to let Annie pick from a litter of likely novice dogs based on parents -- what the last few years have taught me was a pretty tall order! If Karen was guessing, she sure guessed well -- Tess has done a super job for Annie, and now Emily, too! You knew Roscoe? Lucky! Wish you could have seen Oz debut on cattle -- he loved every minute, even though I was decidedly clueless (went on to clerk for the remainder, however -- some really pretty runs, too -- so even though we managed to pen, I definitely won't be standing still and hanging on to ropes next time out ). Though I never got to see Roscoe, and I know Ozzie's only a pale shadow of his ancestor, I couldn't help being pretty pleased with my boy. You're right -- we are very fortunate to have these dogs!

Happy Mother's Day to all of us -- even if you aren't a Mom, you had/have one! My kiddos are 18 and 12, both girls, both homeschooled. Actually I can't call the big one homeschooled any more; she's been taking classes at the community college for a while, and now she's off to William and Mary in the fall. You'd think after 18+ years of near 24/7 parenting, I'd be glad to see her go -- sure! I thought I would be, but when the realization hit that she's finally on her way? I sat and blubbered like a baby . Top-spotted my three BC's today -- die, ticks, die!!! Need to scoot -- gotta go call my Mom!

Besides the obvious tub, what methods are you all using to help your dogs handle the heat? Electrolytes? Energy supplements? Before/during/after work? Tess tends to wind herself up so much before she even works that I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn't go wobbly in the back end on me. Her coat's not heavy, and she's very fit, built like a hummingbird, but unfortunately has a temperament to match!

Back to the original thread, I know what's up with most of Oz and Will's sibs, but have wondered from time to time about Tessy's. She's a Lacy bred dog: McKenzie x Toss, 2001. She does favor her grandmama, David Henry's Holly, in some ways. Work-wise: she's smart as a whip; has plenty of power, enough eye, very snappy responses, great outwork, great balance; is eager to please, but HOT, HOT, HOT! She's been a fun -- if a little fast -- novice dog for my teenager (Thanks, Karen!!!) and a good little back-up for the sheep work here. Now that the teen is off to college, my almost-teen is working Tess a little, and they get along great. I'd love to see them get all the way to open, but I don't know if Tess will have the stamina to get past pro-nov unless we can get her to chill out! 'Nuff o' that!

Sorry, Julie! Upon further reflection -- once I managed to get a little oxygen back to the old brain-box -- I realized that the "Henry" you're referring to must be Henry Kuykendall, in which case I'd have to agree. They are a pretty darned distinctive line. Even for a greenie like me, a lot of the Bomber dogs are easy to spot, too, looks-wise; though I'm not expert enough to say whether they have consistently similar working styles. Throwing talent is a whole lot trickier than throwing looks -- hence the registry split, eh?

Lol, Julie! We'll have to see if Tess, a.k.a "The Tess-mania-n-devil," and "The Weasel Beastie," can overcome the loose screws she got from her dam and show off those Henry lines! Aheh, aheh, aheh . . . Okay . . . I can breathe now, ahehe.

Heh! Rebecca and Julie are spot on -- the lines converge all over the place! My Ozzie is a Wilson's Roy grandson and Johnson's Rosco great-great grandson on his sire's side -- goes back to some Knox Ettrick dogs on the dam's. The wee Tess's sire is out of Henry's Holly x Kuykendall's Coon, so goes back to Rosco "just off the edge;" whereas Will is out of Verna Krammes's Willow x Wilson's Moss, so he goes back to Wilson's Roy again -- great-great grandson. We're all cousins here! As far as working true to their lines? From the first trial we entered (when he was what, Julie, 2?) Oz has had moments when people would swear* he works "just like Rosco," even though old Rosco was waaaaaay back there. Willie, on the other hand, who looks the best on paper (of my sample size of three) is blooming late (I hope ); at the age of three, he has yet to excite any comments about lines. So for me, anyway, the pedigree stuff is chiefly for its entertainment value -- and it is fun, isn't it! *as opposed to the moments when I swear -- definitely not Rosco moments!

Awesome everybody, but especially Renee! Kills me I had to miss it from only thirty minutes away -- oy! Hope to get my sorry self down to Roy's on Sun., so I can help y'all accrue some more points .

You do your share, Renee -- I've seen you down there plenty of times! I really don't mind it -- just like to complain for the attention, don't you know ! Anyhow, getting to see nice teams making pretty work is the best part (that and having something useful to do to justify my being there )!

She was brilliant -- made the weekend in my dark, damp bit down in the corner well worth the effort. Sure, she thought all those extra sheepies would be nice to have, but when you showed her which ones were hers? Such an outrun -- pure joy!

Might be able to sneak over to Stu's for a little spectating, but no chance of running there. Trialing is taking a back seat to Emily's riding schedule again this year -- probably only making it to Sunday at Roy's this time -- sigh! I finally got Emily to work with Tess the other day, though, so there may be hope for next year -- Mommy-avelli! Forgot you only had BIG dogs now, Hot Shot! Hope you can spare us "little hats" a few minutes -- sure would love to see you at Verna's! F. P.S. Saw Lark in the gallery -- adorable! Like a baby Beastie!

Julie -- Sorry to hear that the last breeding didn't take -- Bummer! I'm sure you've already realized, though, that the hardest part about placing Pete's next litter will be resisting the urge to keep them all! My goofballs and I will be pushing out at Verna's again this weekend -- will we see you there or have to wait until Roy's? Ozzie had the pleasure of coming second to Pete the last time we ran there -- have to move Oz up to Open, now, just so Tom and Pete can beat us again!

Had to break a two-year lurking silence for this -- Tom and Pete, my heroes!!! And how about Roy and the boys at 8th and 10th in Open -- cool! Hey, Julie, we wouldn't know anyone with any Pete pups, would we?