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.

So close....and yet so far

Oh so close to

Catching the rope

And then

Gravity

Takes

Effect!

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.

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.

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.