Some dogs...

Are just hams.

Kennels finally!

Well I finally got my new kennels. I had a couple I bought from Lowes a couple years ago but they rusted out on the frames and the door fell off of one. We had to jury rig it so I could continue using that kennel. The frames are rusted through all over the bottoms though so I needed to get new kennels for my house. I ordered from TSC and finally picked them up yesterday. What a fiasco. I know the manager there, as he is a sheep person and he's invited me out to work his sheep. Of course he wasn't there yesterday and I did not have my receipt for the kennels. I had ordered them over 3 weeks ago and never thought about the receipt. After we got over the receipt thing, then they had to see if they even had the 3 kennels still. Well they did, and then we had to figure out how to get them on my trailer. I had brought our little 4' x8' lawn mower trailer. They wanted to just use the forklift and put them on metal shipping frame and all. I wouldn't have minded keeping the shipping frame, but I did not want them upright on the little trailer. Finally I decided to just remove them from the shipping frame and just lay them flat on the trailer. They fit fine that way. I had to buy 4 tie downs and they never moved an inch. After they were all loaded the guy that was helping all of a sudden remembered me from when I bought some stock panels a few months ago. That also was a fiasco. He says he never remembers names but said he'd defiinitely remember me now..LOL  He thought I should give him one of the kennels. Nothing like having a reputation at TSC. Anyway, here are my new kennels. Not where they are going to stay permanently, but we set one up to keep the dogs in while we're there working on the house.

While we were taking the panels off the trailer and setting up the kennel, I had let the chickens out to peck around. Jenna noticed they were missing and I found them over on the golf course behind my house. They had gone through the part I hadn't fenced that only had barbwire.  I looked around and realized I only had the poodle and Ford the puppy. I HAD NO DOG  with me to help! I had to find a way back on the golf course without tramping through the poison ivy (which loves me to death) and then try and get those stupid birds to go back through the fence. I'll never go out without a dog to handle those things again.

Seth is in the dog house!

You didn't think I was actually mad at my Seth did you?

$20 on Craigslist and it matches my other Igloos, teeth marks and all!

working lambs

Seth is such a good boy. Yesterday we worked the new lambs. This was their second time being worked ever as they'd never been worked by a dog before. Seth again separated them from the goats and chickens that they are penned with. Ignoring all the barking dogs behind the fence.

This time I took them out of this pen and worked them in the open.

They are very nice to work as they stay together and move off the dog very nicely. I'm sure that will change as they get more dogwise, but for now they are really fun.

Later in the day we went to tractor supply. The manager there raises registered Katahdins and wants me to come show him how to work them with a dog. They're undogged sheep also. I took my camera and showed him some pics of Seth working. I took Seth with me too.

Seth really wanted to see the baby chicks in the tubs and was really stubborn about staying away. Seth loves to work chickens and he can and will try working baby chicks. These were my chickens a year ago when they were chicks in my shop.

So I picked up some feed at TSC to feed my guineas, which I took home yesterday. We partitioned off a small pen to keep them in till they get bigger and feel this is home so they won't fly away. Guineas are notorious for packing up and leaving home.

After we went to TSC we went back to my friend's house and let the sheep and goats out to graze around. Seth of course kept everyone in line and was great and holding the boundary so the sheep didn't take off while we were talking and not paying attention to them. The goats pretty much stay with us, but the sheep get a bug up their butts and will take off, but Seth was always there watching. Poor old man must have been hot and tired, but he never stopped working all day. He'd go cool off in the seasonal spring that runs through the property, then he'd be back on duty. It's going to be hard when I lose Seth, he and I are such a team. He really makes up for all my shortcomings.

lambs and kids

Finally have some sheep! I also have 2 kid goats, a doe and a wether. They are at a friend's house right now till I get my fencing up. The sheep are 4 hair sheep ewe lambs about 5 mos old.  The kids are La Mancha (wether)  and La Mancha/Saanen X (doe). I bought the doe for milking and the wether came with her to keep her company. Right now they have lots of buddies.

Incidentals and not so incidentals

Incidental.

Same ol' at work. Getting too many dogs and have to turn some away. Wish I had another groomer to take some of the load off. We're not even into the busy season yet with it being a bit cold again. Lots of work though and that's good for the bills.

Not so incidental.

House (inside at least) is nearly complete. Bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen are all basically usuable, just need those finishing touches. My disgusting shack of a house went from grungy to gutted, then from construction zone to almost home. I am so very happy! I may be able to actually move in a week or two. Good thing as I am picking up to goat kids tomorrow. They will be staying at a friend's house till I get my pen built. That same friend has been raising and keeping 10 guinea keets for me as well. It will be nice to get into my house and be able to have all my animals with me. So much work to be done, so little time to do it in!
Next will come the clean up of the property, then fixing the outside of the house. All in due time..I keep telling myself that.

Unfinished kitchen. The counters are now all tiles and grouted and ready for the sink to go in today. The bedrooms are all finished and just need paint touchups. The bathroom needs to be finished painted and the shower to be finished grouted and sealed. All will be done this weekend. Then the outside clean up of the rest of the insides of the old house and once that is all hauled off to the dump I will begin fixing up the garden area and fencing. 

And a dog picture just because my blog isn't complete without one.

Ford is wondering what's wrong with Reign.