Cinder Discovers the Internet

Cinder has discovered the intrawebby!

And pesters my daughter to stop creating and show her pictures!

She especially likes LOL Dogs

And roared with laughter (I think) at the LOL cats.

I wonder if she'll get her own Facebook Page?

Return to the River

Now that the water level has receded, we can safely go to the river and enjoy the small beach.

Climber does not like water, but is willing to watch her girl and her sister frolic.

And frequently goes hunting for mice in the foliage along the dike.

After fun in the sun and sand, and once the sunset turns the sky orange, we say goodnight to the beach and head home.

We are so fortunate to live amongst such wild and ever changing beauty.

Running Through The Sprinkler!

I'm sure I've mentioned that Cinder the Wonder Dog is obsessed with water. With the exception of the dreaded "doggie shower" and the toilet, Cinder can't seem to stay away from any source of water. Sprinklers are her prime source of joy. The kind that blast jets of water across the lawn in a circular trajectory provide hours of hunting and nearly catching joy. Cinder will hide behind the sprinkler head and follow it until, at just the right moment in her mind, she leaps forward and attempts the water.

Often while we are hand watering the planters and smaller flower beds Cinder will attempt to intercept the water by positioning herself between the nozzle at the end of the hose and the plants. We have to tell her to wait. So, she follows us around the yard as we take care of the flowers, sitting mere inches away from the end of the hose. So close and yet so very far away. Then, once we've nourished the plants and flowers, with a simple nod of our head Cinder is playing in the stream of water trying to catch the droplets.

I think she just likes getting wet. Just look at how happy she looks after playing in the sprinkler!

Even Dogs Go Grey!

As you can see by the date, these are photos from a while ago. That's Cinder on the edge of the pool. When we're in the water she gets anxious and runs around the rim. Every so often she accidentally/on purpose falls in. My daughter has trained her to swim to the ladder and climb out.

Every once in a while Climber allows us to take a photo of her. In this one, I realized how old she was getting by the greying of her muzzle and eyes. She'll be 12 in September.

Cinder loves to pose for the camera. My daughter can get her to do anything. Here, she took a snap of Cinder on the pile of snow at the edge of the driveway!

There's a mountain across the highway from our community that, in winter, is prime for sledding. We take Cinder with us and she accompanies my daughter up the mountain, then runs beside her as she slides down. Sometimes she lets my daughter win!

Garden Guard Dog

My father has been working the garden plot in the back yard. Each year he sows his garden then lovingly tends it through the summer and takes great pride in the harvest. We eat potatoes from the garden at least until December. The beans we can and freeze. The peas don't last.

When I was about three years old my Great Auntie Jenny told me that I had a wonderous gift that, in the future, would give me moments of such joy that I would share it with others, just to spread the joy. She then proceeded to teach me how to raid the pea patch.

To this day I only eat peas out of the pod, fresh and uncooked. I'm not sure if it was a gift, but it certainly gives me much joy to raid the pea patch. So much so that when my daughter was three, I taught her how to sneak in and steal the peas and eat them. Oddly enough, she only likes to eat fresh peas as well. I guess the frozen and canned ones just pale in comparrison.


The dogs have the run of our entire yard. They can go anywhere they want. They can, and often do, accompany us as we putter about the yard. Even into the pool area, which for safety reasons we have fenced off from the rest of the yard, is open to them when we are in the pool.

The only area of the yard that is off limits to the dogs is the garden. They know it, and, though often tempted by the neighbours cat, do not jump the small fence that is the garden's perimeter. Whenever my father works the garden the dogs lay at the gate, guarding either the garden or him.

Hey Missy Green Paws!

I mowed the lawn today. Cinder climbed onto the back of the ride on mower as I was trying to start it and barked. This is a new thing for her. Usually she keeps her distance from the mower even when it's parked and turned off.

She chased after the mower until I was done the back yard. Her feet are green from running through the fresh cut grass. She looks so funny.

Next time I cut the grass, I'll take a picture of her feet.

What a Novel Idea!

Last year I bought a beginner agility set so that my daughter could train Cinder to weave through poles, run through a tunnel, etc. Cinder likes to keep busy. It's deep in her genes. We like to make sure that she is kept stimulated, because we know that is how she is happy. She must be happy with us. She has yet to attempt to jump the pathetic excuse we have for a backyard fence. While all our neighbours are either chasing down their "Houdini" hounds or building six foot height fences, we repaint our 3 1/2 foot fence each year.

But what's obvious to anyone that owns a Border Collie is that they are bred to herd and they are happiest when doing so. I'm glad we took the time to teach the bunnies that Cinder means them no harm when she pushes them back onto the straight and narrow. They play so happily together in the bunny exercise run that it's cute.

Yesterday, Tayler, my daughter, had a blazingly brilliant idea that she was going to teach Frisco, our dwarf bunny, to hop a mini agility course! She trundled him into a mini harness and took him outside to get him accustomed to being on a leash. And did he ever take to that nice big yard! He hopped every where, pulling the expendable leash to its limit.

Cinder, of course, was in attendance to ensure Frisco didn't get too far away, never taking her eyes off him for a second. That's intense!

She Can Tell Time.....I Think

It seems as if Cinder The Wonder Dog can tell time. Every day after dinner, around 6 pm. Cinder sits at my feet and looks expectantly, her eyes darting from me to the place I keep the leashes. It's somewhat disconcerting because our other dog, Climber (who can climb a vertical river bank quicker than Spiderman) has begun to emulate her younger sister. The only difference is that Climber sits at the front door and "tells" me that it is time to go for our daily constitutional.

We use a splitter on the lead with one side a touch longer than the other. Climber, the smaller and eldest of the two, is the alpha and must be in the lead. She's really quite tolerant with Cinder, but when it's necessary, the smack down is swift and effective. However there are times when Cinder, having had enough of Climber's bossy ways, puts her foot down. No, really, she literally puts her foot on Climber's back and flattens her, holding her down just long enough that Climber gets the message. When they are walking they frequently "push" each other back and forth across the road or path. It's quite funny to watch and often my daughter and I pretend that they're calling out to mom.

"Mom, Climber's touching me!"

"Mom, Cinder's in my personal bubble!"

And so we carry on, laughing almost uncontrollably. I'm sure our neighbours think we're slightly twisted.

Zoom Zoom Zoom

ZOOM

This is Zoom. She's an overweight, but loving Mini Rex and is as soft a crushed velvet.

She loves Cinder because Cinder loves her.

She's also quite upset with me for clipping her nails. We had to put her in a half-nelson hold.

She also loves to snuggle with my father and, in appreciation, she usually leaves a pile of bunny poop and a puddle on his lap. She loves to hop around the yard, but hates having the harness put on in order to do so.

Rabbit Stew

FRISCO

Meet Frisco. He's a Dwarf bunny that I adopted when a friend moved into a house that refused to allow pets.

He's sweet natured and loves to cuddle with my daughter.

He also loves to torment Cinder by hopping on top of her while he's in the exercise run.

Today we clipped his nails and my daughter thought it would be funny to put him into a pot.

I really don't think he was very impressed with us.

So close....and yet so far

Oh so close to

Catching the rope

And then

Gravity

Takes

Effect!

Down By The River

Remember you can click on the picture and see it full size.

Every day we take the dogs for a walk down to the park beside the North Thompson river where we can let the girls run and keep an eye on the water levels.

Right now it's way low after the long winter, but that will soon change drastically as the snow pack has begun to melt. This also means that the water in our taps is about to grow silty and brown. Spring is the time of year when we're never quite sure if we were cleaner getting into the shower than we are getting out!

Cinder desperately wants to swing.

She seems to be able to get the air time without the help of the rope.

Obsession, It's a Cinder Thing

She has an intense personality. Though she's also one of the smartest dogs I've ever known, she is consumed by her obsession. Every fibre of her being is hardwired for herding. As you can see, it's working.

Faithfully she stands, or sits guard over my great nephew. Just in case he should move or something.

Near or far, Cinder is feeding her obsession.

She's Done It Again!

Cinder did it again. You can tell by her eyes that she's found a lovely fresh pile of unmentionables. I think they're even watering.

She even tried to pretend to be sleeping on her bed. But she knew what was coming.

Her eyes begged for clemency, but....

there was none to be had.

She is so not impressed with us.

But she smells so much better!

Cinder did it again.

Roll. Roll. Roll.

It's Time to Go Walking Again

Now that spring is finally here and temperatures are creeping up into the teens (Celsius that is) we've begun taking the dogs for their daily walks again. By that I mean that we actually go farther than the back yard.
Yesterday was our first foray into the community, and I planned an ambitious journey from the house to the store some 2.5 km away, then to the school park to let the girls off the lead for a run. It was at the school that I realized just how old Climber was getting when she trotted, not galloped across the field and I quickly did the math.
Climber was born on September 10th, 1998. In human years that makes her eleven years old. In canine years, if I've done it correctly, she is 71 years old. The first year of a dog's life equals 1 human year, and then each human year is counted as seven dog years.....I think. That makes her almost as old a my father(he's 78)! No wonder she doesn't run like she used to and prefers not so crunchy foods.
Cinder was born in 2003. Oddly enough she was born on September 10th as well. How convenient, right? No we didn't know her date of birth when we went to adopt her. Again, if I've done the math correctly, this makes her six in human years and 41 in canine years. The one difference between the two dogs is vitality.
Cinder loves to move. Any sort of movement is acceptable, be it running an agility course in the back yard, running along the dyke at the river, herding the bunnies in their pen, or riding in the jeep. As long as she's moving, she's happy.
Climber loves to curl up in a corner and sleep. Except when she is going for a walk.
All dogs love walks. It's quality time with their people.

Cinder Doesn't like Hail

The spring season brings with it the welcome melting of snow, warmer temperatures, showers, tulips poking out of the ground and, sometimes, the occasional hailstorm.

I have been fighting a migraine for three days and, when nothing seems to help, I can only await a weather system to blow through town and clear the air. At last it happened. I feel quite a bit better.

The sky turned ominously dark in about twenty minutes and I could see something falling on the mountain tops to the North of us. As it travelled closer I could feel the air pressure in my head rapidly drop and then, with painful burst, the sky opened and it began to hail.

Cinder was outside at the time. Over the drone of the pounding hail I could hear her feet hit the earth with each step.

So, out came my trusty Canon Rebel and clickity click I have some great pictures of the hail storm.....and one of Cinder sitting on the top of the stairs looking at me as if I were the next cadidate for Canada's Biggest Nutcase!

Good thing there wasn't any thunder with that hail.

She's Half The Dog She Was Yesterday!

Over the years I have spent good money after bad on grooming tools for the dogs. I've tried everything from an attachment for the vacuum cleaner that sucks off the loose hair to the glove that grabs loose hair while you run it over the dog's back. None of them really work as well as the package says it will and I am forever left frustrated by all the dog hair I must constantly sweep up. I realized that, essentially, I was approaching the task of grooming the dogs with sheer laziness.

The other day I splurged and bought a basic de-shedding comb. If only I had done that in the first place.....In my defence, I have never owned a dog with long thick hair before and didn't realize the simplest is the easiest.

I've spent a few days carefully combing Cider. Bless her heart, she's the most tolerant dog I've ever had. She just sits and lets me gently comb her, taking away the thick heavy hair that is probably a burden for her.

This morning I took a good long look at her and I swear she's half the dog she used to be. Cinder looks thinner!

Careful combing beats putting her on the diet I had planned when I thought she was getting winter fat.

Now, if only I can catch our other dog, Climber, and comb her.

Cinder The Wonder Dog is also a Babysitter!

My niece had her baby a few weeks ago and came to visit.

As evidenced by the pictures, Cinder is fascinated with the baby.

Cinder Gets a Seatbelt of Her Own

Since Cinder really loves to go for a ride in the Jeep, and she can't seem to understand the concept of NOT jumping all over the place, I went out and purchased a Doggie Seat belt.

She is not impressed.

And is even more upset with me because I also bought a shedding comb at the same time. So, after being buckled up for the ride home from the pet store, she had to submit to 45 minutes of "de-shedding" and is now half the dog she used to be.

She is not impressed and is sitting with her back toward me and glaring daggers at my person.

Treats are not winning her over.

Cinder Opens the Moon Roof

Since it has turned cold again, and I'm not working right now, I have been giving my daughter a ride to school in the mornings. Before my hours of work changed, and before the new owner took over, I used to drop my daughter off and, after checking in with her teacher, carry on to work. Poor Cinder wasn't allowed to accompany us then.



Cinder, I must explain, absolutely loves going for a ride in the car. When I had the Neon, she would hop into the back seat, squeeze herself onto that shelf by the back window, and happily block my view as I tried to back out of the driveway. Once I began to drive forward, she would plant herself between the front seats and watch intently where we were going. After I bought the Jeep, she excitedly leaps into the cargo area, sits down and, once again, blocks my view as I attempt to back out of the driveway then plants herself between the front seats and stares out the front window. But there is something different. Unlike the Neon, the Jeep enjoys a moon roof, which can be opened either full slide back or pop-up style. Cinder, it seems, likes it when the moon roof is is slid all the way open.



The first time she hit the button to open the moon roof I considered it an accident and laughed as the freezing cold air rushed into the Jeep. That was two days ago and I didn't give the occurrence another thought...until she jumped into the Jeep this morning and immediately pushed the button with her nose. The "see-what-I-know-how-to-do" look in her eyes as she grinned at me spoke volumes.



Apparently Cinder is willing to try anything twice.

I Was Hoping To Need a New Sofa

Last night my extremely pregnant niece spent the night. For lack of a spare bed, we put her on the couch. The couch is older than the hills. If you dig deep enough, you may find dinosaur bones in there. My folks happened across the living room suite in a shop in Yellowknife, NT in 1976, bought it and put it into storage until we had completed building our house on the corner of Woolgar and Byrne Road. Back then it had cost over $1,800.00, but my mom had desperately wanted it and, even today, it is a well built piece of furniture. Over sized and over stuffed, the upholstery is luxurious crushed velvet. As kids we were not allowed to even glance at it, let alone sit on it. And heaven help the dog if he dared to walk past it.

Over the years, and after leaving the arctic for warmer climes, my mother relaxed her vigil and the suite is now used as our everyday furniture. It shows too. I replaced the foam cushions a few years ago and had to sew new covers for the seats. Unfortunately the material doesn't match and poor Mom was so aghast that she went out and bought those evil slip cover things. Those don't match either, so our living room suite is a hodgepodge of like colours.

Despite its age, it is still the most comfortable couch to sleep on. We call it the "Man Eater" it basically swallows you whole, much the way a Python might, as you sleep. Upon awakening you have to climb out of the back of the couch and scale the cushions to escape. Both my sister and I enjoyed many a night on it whilst pregnant with our children. Now, one of those children is expecting her own bundle of joy. It's almost a right of passage to be the size of a duplex, about to pop that puppy out, and sleep on the Man Eater. If you can get out without going into labour, you got it made.

We put a thick towel under the sheet, just to be safe.

My twelve year old daughter was horrified that her cousin's water would break (I explained that it was like losing control of one's bladder) and ruin the couch. To be honest, I was a bit queered out at the thought as well.

I was kind of hoping it would happen. I saw a really nice chaise - sofa on special and realized it was made just for my living room, specifically for that corner. I think I'm the only one who actually prayed for her water to break.

I don't think the dogs care either way.

Muddy Paw Prints on Leather

Since I'm not working right now, I usually give my daughter a ride to school. It's still quite cold outside and the trek is about 2.5 km. When the wind starts up the valley, it can feel like -20C and take your breath away.
Cinder, our Border Collie, just loves to go for a ride in the Jeep. Specifically she likes to hop over the rear seat into the cargo area, press her nose against the back window when I'm in reverse and wag her long fuzzy tail as she watches where we are going. I just wish she could tell me right or left or if someone has left anything in the driveway that I should be aware of. Then, once I've changed gear to move forward she will plant herself between the two front seats to look intently out the front window. She's searching for other dogs.
Even though it was -10C this morning there are puddles of water here and there. Cinder, being the water loving beast that she is, happily danced in a puddle just prior to leaping into the Jeep and splattered mud here and there. Just for clarification, there's mud on the inside of the windshield! Oh, and I found some on the moon roof.
Armour All makes an excellent pre-moistened leather cleaning wipe and it retails at Canadian Tire for $8.99 that conditions too!
The really funny part is that it's guaranteed not to dry out for a year. Something tells me that they won't last that long.

How Do They Know?

My niece is about to have her baby.

Today or tomorrow.

She's not due for two weeks, but her water has broken and the contractions have begun.

Can you believe the hospital just sent her home to wait it out?



However, the dogs have been sitting vigil beside the cordless phone since 11 am., and jump up whenever it rings, looking at it expectantly. And it doesn't sound a bit like the doorbell, which, lately, drives them into a boisterous noisy frenzy. They used to be such quiet dogs and I'm wondering what happened to make them so noisy.

They've never bothered when the phone rang before now.

Do they know?

Mom, Cinder rolled in poop again!

We're not sure why our Border Collie goes outside and rolls in her poop. She has to hunt for it, but usually waits until just before we are about to go out to clean up the yard every weekend. I almost imagine her poking around the back yard like a kid looking for easter eggs.

I think she likes jumping into the bathtub and being subjected to a warm bath. I know she loves water. She has made that abundantly clear by the way she accidentally-on purpose falls into the pool in the summer and how she always manages to get between the flowers and the watering hose. I wish she would just ask for a bath.

My daughter has trained her to hop into the bathtub and stay put while being shampooed and rinsed. Then we "shamwow" her (yes, those things really do work!) and, once she's completely dry, she gets groomed and all that extra hair is removed.

Then, usually a week or so later, we get to do it all over again!