And...we're out of here!

Border Collies: Check    Barbecue: Check

We are good to go.

The dogs and I are off the The Big One and Slash J trials down in North Dakota. We'll be travelling with our usual Partner in Crime - Louanne Twa and her crew.  Should be lots of fun. This year I'll be taking some nifty geek toys with me so hopefully I'll actually be able to blog from the middle of nowhere...and I'll remember to pack batteries...and put the memory card in my camera. 

Ok what I've learned so far...

I need to work on the picture part of things.

Testing 123

Testing my new phone to see if I can blog from it easily

All work and no play

Makes Sam a dull boy.

Sam would have you think that the life of a guardian dog is all work and no play. It's guard, guard, guard - 24/7.

However, if you're REALLY stealthy...

and use your zoom

you can catch this

and this

and this. But if he catches on to  you...

you get this.

The sheep have checked out the object of his affection.

but so far

just don't get it.

My Lisa,

Jake and Jack are so calm and well behaved...how is that?

I've got no idea why - really.

It must just be the way they're bred.

Hic... 

Come down off your ledge Suzie!

You're heading back to Gramma tomorrow!

If I had wanted this

I'd have moved to Lethbridge!

The jug for the previously mentioned "teenage mothers". Thankfully no one was in it at the time. 


I was going to blog about the shelter's new coat of paint but apparently I've been preempted. 

I started a new stock dog today,

And then quickly picked her up before the ewes finished her. 

Lambing - round two.

Remember Patch? 

She's the girl that missed. I moved her out with the training sheep a couple of weeks ago.  The unpregnant sheep. 


This morning when I got up, I thought it odd that there was one sheep out front who wasn't heading out to graze with the others...

Well that would certainly explain why she wasn't heading out with the others. 

Many thanks to midwife Sam who spent the night boiling water etc., while I slept soundly.

I took a closer look at the rest of the "training" sheep and now see that I'll have a number teenage moms as well.

Immaculate conception? I think not. Let's just say that I know that I am WAY better and banding ram lambs this year. When I checked the calendar this morning everything matches up to very day I put these two withers in with these girls. Seems the boys had a fun winter. 


Looks like it's going to be an interesting spring...

Jack...Dragon Slayer

Hey. Dragon slayer...not basket weaver!

Well what do you know? It actually works!

Back this winter, while I was buying lambing supplies, I spotted this interesting device on the Premier 1 site. 

Given that I don't have the best back to say the least, and most importantly that the "Gambrel" was less than $20, I figured I'd give on a shot. At the very least, it would be a great conversation piece. 


Today I had to go check a bag on one of my ewes, and given that my "stronger, better backed half" is out of town I figured now was as good a time as any to try it out. 


Now, the Gambrel won't help you catch a ewe - but Kate was more than willing in that department. The Gambrel won't help you flip a ewe - but I've gotten better at this over the last few years.  What the Gambrel will let you do is let go of the ewe with both hands - to the point of being able to take a picture of her - amazing!

I don't know if would go as far as package info which states "keeps them so calm they will even feed", but she certainly figured out lickety split that there was no point in struggling.  So i would say that the Gambrel is a "WIN". 


Oh, and the ewe's bag is just fine too, so it's win's all around today. 

"Just grab your credit card and the dogs and start driving."

This excellent bit of advice from Louanne, led to a spur of the moment "weekend away", loads of fun and the opportunity to work dogs on four fields over four days. 

Day one we worked dogs at Louanne's. Day two we drove up to Beiseker and spent a fun day with Wendy Schmaltz. Day three we drove down to Scott and Jenny's, worked dogs and loaded up their sheep and guardian dogs for their spring break visit to Louanne's. Day 4 after a delicious breakfast prepared by Jerry, we drove over to the 2010 Canadian Finals field and day worked dogs with Doug and Judy Finseth.  

As usual, you'll note the lack of pictures. Thankfully, I did remember to drag the camera out yesterday.  This is the rough view we had to look at on this beautiful sunny, plus 20 degree day. 

After 4 days of solid work I'm happy to report that everyone - dogs and human - had a great time and the prospect of trial season starting in less than 3 weeks is far less daunting.  

Thanks for the great advice Louanne!