Here’s a blast from the past! I taught Luke and Pippy to jump over a sign with a sign in their mouths. My favorite Christmas card ever.
They loved to play tug together, and one day I began to say “Good Dogs!” the brief moments when they ran together with a toy in their mouth, going in the same direction. Then I switched it to a pole. Other times I taught each one on their own to jump over something with toy in their mouth, then asked them to do it together.
After making the signs, I took about 103 photographs of the dogs jumping (of course, back then, each one had to be printed out) and managed to get one good one out of the batch. I wonder if I can find some of the outtakes? I hope I didn’t throw them away. . .
I’m starting to do the same with Willie and Maggie, praising them the rare times they stop tugging and run together. Maybe next year they’ll be at the top of the holiday post? What about you? What’s your favorite Christmas card?
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: The sunny days continue. It’s just heavenly, and warm too. We were at a sheepdog trial on Saturday and it got so warm that I had to take off my coat. The ProNovice field at the “Wentz Snow Bowl Sheepdog Trials” is not far away from one of the lifts at Cascade Mountain. (As someone from the west, it’s impossible to say “mountain” without doing a spit take. But it’s a nice hill.) We undoubtedly entertained some skiers, and the movement of the lift makes it hard to push the sheep through the gates on the first leg of the drive. Love the challenge!
Maggie did beautifully our first run, but I couldn’t figure out the geometry of getting the sheep into the pen so we ended up 4th or so. We got 73 pts, 3 others got 75. But she did a lovely outrun (19/20), lift (10/1o) and fetch (20/20). I was very happy with her drive, but we lost 6 points cuz my depth perception is lousy and we missed the 2nd set of gates by a few feet.
Our second run wasn’t so good. This batch of sheep was “heavy”, as in “We will move like molasses on a cold day, thank you”. Maggie hates working sheep that need pushing, and when she gets them, she does what I call her Rope-a-Dope and becomes less responsive. And I still couldn’t pen (grrr), all on me. Back to the drawing boards.
The best part of the trial was Willie driving about 80 sheep 1/4 mile or so through the woods for the Open runs. Once we got there he had to gather them back up in a huge field, and then push them into tiny pens. It took two dogs and dog people to get the sheep penned, and then Willie worked his 12.5 year old tail off getting five sheep away from the pen for each run. Hard work, and I was so proud of him I could barely keep my heart in my chest. I wish I had photographs, but I didn’t think to bring my new iPhone. We stopped after awhile because both he and I were getting over tired. Glad we did, cuz both of us were a tad groan-y that night.
Here are some photos I did take of some cows at the farm. You just gotta love cows. Best eyes ever.
I’ll be taking next week off, so no post on Christmas Eve. I wish you all the best that the holidays can be.
May the end of your year be full of love and light.
Warmest,
Trisha
LisaW says
I love the shared space — a ski lift and sheep dog trials. It’s such a funny juxtaposition.
Those cows are beautiful, and the blue sky is what I dream of in the cloudy darkness of November/December.
My favorite card from a few years ago:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Q6VVVv1QvotJWoUz8
Olive always looks worried even though she’s fairly relaxed here. Phoebe just does whatever and waits for the next thing to happen.
Sending out XOXO’s to you, Trisha, and all the blog village. Happy Holidays.
Vicki in Michigan says
Thank you for all you do to make life better for animals (especially dogs) and people.
Wishing you the best of holidays and a very happy new year.
lak says
Thank you for the warm wishes for the holidays and the rest of the year. Same to you and all of your family, both animal and human. Looking forward to when you will be speaking in Michigan next year, please post those dates again. Really enjoy your blog, and your lates book, and I have learned a lot that has helped me be a better pet parent. Your pictures are great. Again, all the best to you and yours over the holidays!
Lane says
My favorite Christmas card: my three German shepherds, wearing red bandanas and sitting in our green canoe, as my husband and I paddled away from shore. We didn’t paddle very far–that canoe was really heavy and the gunwale all too close to the November-chilled waters of our lake–but the photo lived on refrigerators across the country for years! Thank you for making me smile as I remember good dogs of blessed memory.
Patrick says
Congratulations! Looks so fun. Next time we will work on penning!
Chris Wells says
Oh what a wonderful Christmas card! That takes a lot of patience and work!! I was thrilled to get my dog to sit still wearing a Christmas bow in front of a decorated gate!
Hahahaha
Merry Christmas to all!
Tina says
Feliz Navidog!
Happy Holidays from Spain 🌲🌲🌲
Chris Johnson says
I love absolutely everything about this post and could feel my eyes welling up as I pictured Will doing such an amazing job at 12 1/2 years old. Happy Howlidays!!!!
Kathy Rost says
Thanks for the nice stories. I always learn something in each. Have a nice holiday b
Karen says
Fun to see ol Luke and Pippy-tay! I loved them!
Merry Christmas!
Kay East says
Wonderful pictures and skill with that trick! Thanking God for all you have done to increase the bond between the world’s furry companions and their humans! Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year, Patricia!
Here’s my favorite Christmas card shot of our pups. Hopefully, you can access it thru the link. Can’t do justice to the sweetness with words.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2PtUgGfNuXYh86RLA
Jann Becker says
Happy Holidays! When my guys grab opposite ends of a toy it’s adorable, but yours doing the jump are way better. We’re (again) using decoration above the reach of a curious goldendoodle: wreaths, lights above windows, but no tree. I bet your skiers were quite entertained at that sheepdog trial!
Barb Stanek says
Best holiday wishes to you and yours.
Barb
LunaGrace says
Really beautiful Christmas card! and like the way that you pulled the Evergreens in from the sides to cover things up too. My goodness I’m proud of Willy as well for bringing that many sheep through the woods and then regrouping them afterwards. What a guy!
My favorite Christmas card was one I took 3 years ago of my Karelian Bear Dog, Yogi, and I from behind (on a delayed timer) looking out over a lake we used to hike near. The inside verse was about “friends and family” gathering for the holidays. Dog People know that he is “family” …… and others were not offended. Merry Christmas to all!
LunaGrace says
A friend of mine stationed in Great Britain years ago took a holiday greeting card picture of her three dogs in and grouped around an old fashioned red Phone Booth with the greeting of “three calling birds”. She said it was quite a bit and much remarked upon.
Margo says
That card is brilliant, Trisha!
Happy holidays to all!
Caroline says
“What’s your favorite Christmas card?”
Scrolled down thinking to post photo of card but does not seem possible??
Judi McLachlan says
Best wishes from sunny New Zealand. Love catching up with your beautiful BCs every week. Your ‘co-operative’ Christmas card is beautiful. Our bossy girl would never have allowed our younger boy to be part of the act. She was such a diva…
Carolyn H. says
Hope your holidays are wonderful! Enjoy them. Your posts are always educational! I have never heard the term “spit take” before LOL. Thank you. Always learning 🙂
Monika & Sam says
That’s the most clever card I’ve ever seen! Well done. Wishing you and yours a pawsome “Fleas Navidog!”
lin says
Always love that holiday picture of Luke & Pippy. Thanks for re-posting!
I work in a library system with 26 branches, and the clerks send me their plastic newspaper bags, which I take to the dog park and our local shelter. So around Christmas, I put antlers or holiday collars on the morning dog park dogs, take their pictures, and make a collage that I e-mail to the clerks to thank them for the bags. It’s not very pretty, but everybody loves seeing the doggy faces.
Rachael says
I love seeing pictures of Pippy, Luke, Lassie and Tulip whenever they crop up! I found “For the Love of a Dog” in my local library’s “New Arrivals” when I was thirteen and had adopted a dog that was officially “just mine” for the first time. Your books were pivotal in the development of my ability as a dog owner and trainer. Although I know better, even now I think of you in mind-pictures with a pack of black & white Border Collies and a giant white floofer alongside (using my middle school era language there). I’ve been a science teacher for three years now, frequently take one or another of my dogs to visit class (I have 3) and my students often want to discuss their own pets with me. I always try to channel your empathetic, genuine, and personable style when I discuss their misunderstandings/knowledge gaps regarding dog behaviors. When The Education of Will came out I found a whole new side of your writing to identify with (while I don’t suffer from PTSD I have fought to overcome severe social anxiety my entire life) Without sounding like a creeper, you’ve been a role model to me in many aspects of my professional life. I just wanted to take a moment this Christmas to say thank you!!
Chloe says
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
Thank you for the pictures I always enjoy them so much.
Trisha says
Awww, nothing creepy about such a lovely compliment! I’m so glad that the book helped you.