WOOT!

Ellie's in heat, and I'm SO excited. We did change a couple of things, though. Ellie will be bred to BISS Ch Icon Drops of Jupiter "Jove" owned by Sharon Sampson of Icon Shelties. I have already updated the litters page, and hope to give regular updates on the project.

Explanation

I have been waiting on Ellie to come in to heat for about 6 months. I'm thinking she is only coming in once a year. I felt I needed to explain why I keep changing the dates on my litters page. Regardless, we have been working more agility, so we hope to start trialing by the end of the year with Ellie and back into the game with Shaine. I think I'll be putting more effort in training in performance and putting conformation on the back burner for a bit. We aren't doing well in the venue, so I feel it's time for a break. My camera has gone ka-put, so there will be no new pictures for a while, but I have a camera attached to the phone, so we'll see what we can do.
I now have a new computer, so I'll have a better chance to update more regularly. Time just comes and goes so quickly.

OFA. Update and. Litter Plans

As told on the Puppies page on my website, Ellie is going to be bred to Ch Belmark Lo and Behold. The litter is expected in December, and I have some high hopes, but I am pretty easy go please, so maybe that doesn't say much. ;-)
Ellie was taken to the vet today, and x-rays were taken of her her hips and elbows and sent to OFA. Dr said they look good, so I am excited. I don't know how long it takes to get the official results, but maybe it won't take longer than a week or two. Excited to the MAX!

Hello Again

I can't believe it has been six months since our last update! Don't worry, you haven't missed much. There hasn't been anything outside the family happen. Luke is doing well with potty training, he actually pooped in the potty today. Terra is on the verge of knowing she can follow the dogs around. She hasn't quite gotten there yet, but she's working on it. I have decided that conformation will be put on the back burner to agility for a while. I really want to get back to showing in agility, I miss it so. My heart lies with with agility, so it seems justified to do so. I'M JONESING FOR AGILITY!!!! I am excited to get Ellie in agility. I think she will be my MACH, if anyone I train will do it, she will. She has the need for speed kind of mentality about her. UGH! I love it. :)

Merry Christmas to All!

Karma turned six months old on December 9, 2010. Her six month evaluation took place on December 10, 2010. The verdict is in, and Karma sentenced to a life of a show dog. She has very nice head planes, a tight lip line, has all front teeth (top and bottom), a BEAUTIFUL outline to die for with gorgeous angulation. I am still working on those ears to tip, so if you see tape wrapped around the ears themselves, it's to hold the glue in place.

We have received news that we will try our darnedest to get Shaine and Ellie into agility at the nationals. I'm not sure if Ellie will have enough training to do anything with it. If I can get both of them eligible, we should try and work on herding. If that works out, you may see both Ellie and Shaine competing in best all around sheltie. If not, well... It just wasn't meant to be. We'll sure try though. :) I'm so excited!

I have many more friends with many different breeds (showing) all over the world thanks to the emphamous FaceBook. Those breeds include Pharaoh, Ibizans, Gordon Setters, and even MORE shelties. I have such a wonderful array of friends, and many have such great advice when I need it. Thank goodness for FaceBook. :) To all of my friends and everyone else, have a wonderful, merry Christmas and we'll see you next year!

Karma's 6 Month Eval

So Karma doesn't turn 6 months until Friday, but I went ahead and took some photos today. She is turning out very nicely, and I am very pleased with her all around attitude and structure. She has a beautiful outline. This weekend, before her real six month evaluation is completed, I will have her groomed up. After the evaluation, I will take her somewhere where there is nice scenery and take pictures. I'm not sure where that will be yet, but I'll find somewhere. :) Until then, I am holding a few outline pictures to tide the fans over. ;)

Just for cuteness

Show side outline

Off side outline

Off side teeth

Show side teeth

New Song!

I finally got a new song on Karma's page. I'm confident she is going to turn out show quality so I'm thinking about moving her to the permanent girls page rather than just a hopeful. Then again, I will probably wait until she is 6 months old. Her training is coming along well (for what I can do with what little time I have). Sits are becoming automatic, and I have been thinking about taking her, Ellie, and Shaine to Tyler to get some agility training. I doubt I will be able to do much "training" on Karma, but she can get used to the environment. I just need to drop Terra off at Luke's babysitter's one day of the week and travel. I need to get new tires on my car first, though. At any rate, Karma has been registered and is permanently known as Lacewood Bi Fate. YAY! :) Anyway, about the song. Her theme song is "Karma Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club. I sing it to her all the time, and she just comes bouncing up to say "hey." Yup, she knows it's about her. Anywho, also enjoy the new pictures that are up.

Karma @ 20 Weeks Old

This evening, I decided to take some pictures of Karma. I'm sorry they are so dark, but my house wasn't built with great lighting....

Hot Springs Show Results

We left Saturday morning to get to the show. We got there about a quarter til 10 and we showed a little after 11. We got set-up and I got dressed for show. My nerves were starting to kick in because I just knew we weren't going to do great. Ellie really pulled us together, took a 94 and 4th place. We got done showing (I'm ecstatic!), and I bought more ear tape and speed sew from a vendor at the show. Let's say since the speed sew, the score stands at Karma's ears 4: me 1! :) We checked in at the Econo Lodge, and it is NOT some where I recommend going to. FIRST, the door wouldn't shut. It would lock, but not actually close. You could push it open without touching the nob. Yeah... Bad...

Once that was fixed, we went to eat at Colton's Steakhouse and Grill. This was truly the best experienced I have ever had at a steakhouse. Tracie (the friend I borrowed for the weekend) ordered some kind of pasta. It looked good, but I was too interested in steak for celebrating Ellie's achievement, so I ordered the 12 oz sirloin (with a salad and steamed veggies). The ranch dressing tastes house made. If it's not, I will really be surprised. The rolls were so nice and hot when they were brought to the table with the best honey butter. YUM!

Went to the hotel and slept. No... I didn't sleep well. The bed was too hard, there was a cigarette burn in my blanket, and the A/C didn't work well. Let's put it this way... I had the unit on all night (started the afternoon before) full blast on it's coldest setting. I had to go out about 5:00 in the morning to potty Ellie and Karma. It was at MOST 55 degrees F. It was nice and WARM in the room. The A/C was still on... It was on because during the day, it was pretty warm. Probably in the 80s.

Woke up the next morning at 7:30 with back pains, I even mentioned my issues to some one in the lobby of how low the standards are for such a community that survives on tourism in front of the receptionist. They allowed an obviously low standard man walk in the lobby BAREFOOT with swimming trunks and horrible hygene. The man actually had the audacity to stare at me when I mentioned the word "bitch" to some one who was also a member of the dog show world speaking of the point scale system. REALLY? ::shivers::

We had the same judge as we did yesterday, and she put up a little bit harder of a course for us. Ellie surprised me again with a score of 93 and 4th place. I'm so proud of her! :) On our way home we stopped at Lake De Gray to get a few scenic pictures with the blues. It was hard work, but we took a few I'm proud of. :) Thanks, Tracie, for your help. I couldn't have had such a smooth weekend without you! <3

Hot Springs

So our next show is going to be Hot Springs. I will only have Ellie entered in Rally Novice. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to get the first two legs of Ellie's RN. I wish I thought about it before and had been working to get Shaine ready to get his first two legs of his RA. Live and learn. Hopefully, next time I update, we'll have a brag or two.