Gerry and I took Wenzi and Abram to the Carolina Canines Volunteer Appreciation annual picnic today and were totally surprised and pleased to learn that Wenzi and I are their Volunteers of the Year for our Animal Assisted Therapy work at local nursing homes and schools! I didn't realize that 60-70% of their volunteers are NOT retired or working from home and don't have the luxury of visiting two or three different facilities a week for a couple of hours each, as we do.
And pretty soon, Pearl will join us as a Pet Partner so that she too can spread a little joy among the elderly and children! What is so extra special about our relationship with Carolina Canines is that Rick Hairston, the founder, was willing to give Abram a shot at being a Service Dog after he saw what a great temperament his grandma Wenzi had. All the rest of their service dogs are either golden or black labs or labradoodles, so we are truly unique.
Most everyone we meet is amazed because they thought ridgebacks were more aggressive than my babies and are pleasantly surprised to find that isn't the case...
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Couch 'taters
This pic is a few months old, but sooo shows the ridgeback in his favorite surroundings!!! Here are Aidan, Sissy, Pearl and Reba.
Zulu
We have a prodigal pup in our midst for a little while so that I can get him in the show ring...
Zulu aka Maroon is back from Fayetteville and is ALL boy puppy! Given that Sissy is still in season and he is intact (show boy), he's been putting up quite a fuss that we won't leave the two of them together for any longer than 5 seconds. But that should be remedied in the next week or so as her cycle wraps up... for all those of you who have intact Hope Ridge females, just a reminder that their cycles are typically longer than normal dogs, i.e. 6-8 months if a Kelly pup, otherwise more like 10-11 months.
He has a very nice head and is darker than either Reba or Abram, certainly gettting that from Max. He is slightly lighter boned than Abram but is carrying about the same weight at six months and should be very solidly in the standard (85-90#) when full-grown.
And he LOVES to play, in particular with grandma Wenzi. I'll add some other pics this weekend when I get a chance to work with him a little...
Zulu aka Maroon is back from Fayetteville and is ALL boy puppy! Given that Sissy is still in season and he is intact (show boy), he's been putting up quite a fuss that we won't leave the two of them together for any longer than 5 seconds. But that should be remedied in the next week or so as her cycle wraps up... for all those of you who have intact Hope Ridge females, just a reminder that their cycles are typically longer than normal dogs, i.e. 6-8 months if a Kelly pup, otherwise more like 10-11 months.
He has a very nice head and is darker than either Reba or Abram, certainly gettting that from Max. He is slightly lighter boned than Abram but is carrying about the same weight at six months and should be very solidly in the standard (85-90#) when full-grown.
And he LOVES to play, in particular with grandma Wenzi. I'll add some other pics this weekend when I get a chance to work with him a little...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
This and That
Friends Marilyn and Cynthia that we met during Pearl's March litter just stopped by for a puppy fix. Marilyn had all 40# or so of Reba on her lap for awhile...that is when she wasn't loving on Abram, who just endears himself to EVERYONE.
I picked Zulu up this weekend while at RDO day in Raleigh - while his bone is a little lighter than Abram's, he's only a pound or two less. He is also a lover boy and quickly remembered his dam, grand-dam and littermates. Sissy is in season right now so we have to keep them separated because he is also VERY interested in her! Six months is NOT too young for him to be fertile, or to figure out how to mate, so be very careful with your intact males no matter the age. It's my understanding that neutered dogs may even be potent for a month or two after surgery, depending on the circumstances, so BE CAREFUL with your intact girls!
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we learned Sissy has a mild heart murmur so we have pulled her from our breeding program and have found a wonderful local home for her to go to in November. We also found a great spay/neuter clinic here who will spay her for under $100 - I'll do that a few weeks before she goes to her new home to allow her to recover in a familar place. In the meantime, Pearl isn't real happy with her being in season (or Sissy has PMS!) and they have taking to squabbling regularly. Poor Sissy is spending lots of time in the house with me and Wenzi these days...
RDO Day in Raleigh was very interesting and worthwhile...We got to do education on both ridgebacks and rescue, along with meeting some great folks who are very passionate about their RRs. I wonder what the attendance was? The sun stayed out and it was about 15° hotter and 80% more RH than today (high 78), so it was nice to have the RV to take a break and have lunch in.
I entered Pearl, Reba and Zulu in the Wilmington shows in mid-October, so I may need some help with handlers who would be willing to step in if we get that far :o) need be. That is, if I can't talk Gerry into helping! Please, honey?
Well, off to fix dinner for the kids...
I picked Zulu up this weekend while at RDO day in Raleigh - while his bone is a little lighter than Abram's, he's only a pound or two less. He is also a lover boy and quickly remembered his dam, grand-dam and littermates. Sissy is in season right now so we have to keep them separated because he is also VERY interested in her! Six months is NOT too young for him to be fertile, or to figure out how to mate, so be very careful with your intact males no matter the age. It's my understanding that neutered dogs may even be potent for a month or two after surgery, depending on the circumstances, so BE CAREFUL with your intact girls!
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we learned Sissy has a mild heart murmur so we have pulled her from our breeding program and have found a wonderful local home for her to go to in November. We also found a great spay/neuter clinic here who will spay her for under $100 - I'll do that a few weeks before she goes to her new home to allow her to recover in a familar place. In the meantime, Pearl isn't real happy with her being in season (or Sissy has PMS!) and they have taking to squabbling regularly. Poor Sissy is spending lots of time in the house with me and Wenzi these days...
RDO Day in Raleigh was very interesting and worthwhile...We got to do education on both ridgebacks and rescue, along with meeting some great folks who are very passionate about their RRs. I wonder what the attendance was? The sun stayed out and it was about 15° hotter and 80% more RH than today (high 78), so it was nice to have the RV to take a break and have lunch in.
I entered Pearl, Reba and Zulu in the Wilmington shows in mid-October, so I may need some help with handlers who would be willing to step in if we get that far :o) need be. That is, if I can't talk Gerry into helping! Please, honey?
Well, off to fix dinner for the kids...
Dutch at 6 months - the Winged One
Ok I'm Six months Old and am I aways hungry. My Pal Bill Say's that I have wings and can run at speeds that can launch me into flight....Ok, just feed me less kibble and more chicken. 
I love to run with Bill; he rides the 4wheeler and I run with him. We go for 4 to 5 miles a couple times a week. Bill says I can run in excess of 25 miles per hour - cause thats as fast as he will go. Some times we play Frisbee. It is lots of fun but I never get to keep the Frisbee long enough to properly chwe it to shreads.
I love to run with Bill; he rides the 4wheeler and I run with him. We go for 4 to 5 miles a couple times a week. Bill says I can run in excess of 25 miles per hour - cause thats as fast as he will go. Some times we play Frisbee. It is lots of fun but I never get to keep the Frisbee long enough to properly chwe it to shreads.
Bill says I've reached doggy pubery cause I lift my back leg when the urge comes to me. Why does he laugh at me? I love my toy Mr. Cheetah. After I tear the stuffing out of Mr. Cheetah (I already removed that squeeker thing) , I'm taking a nap. Tell Bill I need a bigger bed.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Where Is Everyone?
Hey folks, I'm feeling a little lonely here... seriously, how is everyone doing? pups are 6 months on Tuesday the 18th and I haven't seen any photos in awhile!
How is training going? any issues? Reba is jumping on people, then Abram follows and sometimes even Sissy. Reba also PULLS when on lead - I got her a Gentle Leader http://animalbehaviorproducts.net/gl_choose.shtml, then part of the clasp cracked last week. Gentle Leaders are GREAT for pullers! She will Sit and Down but is clueless on Stay, etc. I will probably hold off on putting her in shows for awhile while I work with Zulu (littermate from Fayetteville) and Pearl.
Abram is still doing well, but I work with him a lot more than I do with Reba because of the service dog program. I also started him in classes at 7 weeks.
My point is that at six months, your puppy will still be a puppy. When you can't watch them, they need to be safe and, if inside, confined to a crate or other place where they won't get into trouble. If outside, they need to be monitored inside a 5+ foot high fenced area. So far, Abram and Reba have demolished a 50# bag of potting soil, 40# bag of softener salt, a whole watermelon, my hydrangeas, several rolls of paper towels, Gerry's cell phone charger cord and have pulled most of the apples off the lower section of my dwarf. And I consider myself pretty watchful, checking every half hour or so.
They think it's a lot of fun to shred things into itsy bitsy pieces. I still haven't cleaned up the garage where they decimated the paper towels when we forgot to close the door to it. This weekend... after the Responsible Dog Owner day in Raleigh on 9/14. Just a note: event runs from 10-2 at the fairgrounds.
I know everyone has pictures of the kids, so, even if you don't want to blog, please send me one or two so I can set up a kid's page on website. I think you can put up to 1.5 meg pics in blog, though. PLEASE SEND/POST PICS!!
How is training going? any issues? Reba is jumping on people, then Abram follows and sometimes even Sissy. Reba also PULLS when on lead - I got her a Gentle Leader http://animalbehaviorproducts.net/gl_choose.shtml, then part of the clasp cracked last week. Gentle Leaders are GREAT for pullers! She will Sit and Down but is clueless on Stay, etc. I will probably hold off on putting her in shows for awhile while I work with Zulu (littermate from Fayetteville) and Pearl.
Abram is still doing well, but I work with him a lot more than I do with Reba because of the service dog program. I also started him in classes at 7 weeks.
My point is that at six months, your puppy will still be a puppy. When you can't watch them, they need to be safe and, if inside, confined to a crate or other place where they won't get into trouble. If outside, they need to be monitored inside a 5+ foot high fenced area. So far, Abram and Reba have demolished a 50# bag of potting soil, 40# bag of softener salt, a whole watermelon, my hydrangeas, several rolls of paper towels, Gerry's cell phone charger cord and have pulled most of the apples off the lower section of my dwarf. And I consider myself pretty watchful, checking every half hour or so.
They think it's a lot of fun to shred things into itsy bitsy pieces. I still haven't cleaned up the garage where they decimated the paper towels when we forgot to close the door to it. This weekend... after the Responsible Dog Owner day in Raleigh on 9/14. Just a note: event runs from 10-2 at the fairgrounds.
I know everyone has pictures of the kids, so, even if you don't want to blog, please send me one or two so I can set up a kid's page on website. I think you can put up to 1.5 meg pics in blog, though. PLEASE SEND/POST PICS!!
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