Talisman & Totem SportDogs

This has been a tough winter already, lots of ice, snow hit early...blah!!! Power went out and a line down across the driveway a couple days ago, trapped until fixed and plow guy could get in...counting the days until Spring.  Really going through "sheep" withdrawal, not been able to work in so long. But, now that Teg is confirmed "with puppy" totally something to look forward to, in the midst of bleak mid-winter!! Really looking forward to these pups! And more agility and other training during the off season, and online agility classes! Another round starting soon. BUT PUPPIES!!!!! ❀✪✬✭✮❃♪♫ I think they will be smart beauties! Teg was such a cute pup. Look at her strong-minded little face.

It's winter in NH, perfect time for indoor projects! My Dad taught me to rewire a lamp and change a tire when I was 10.  Scots & Irish New England Yankees at our best, I learned early on-don't needlessly throw money at things, we can do ourselves.  Spending a small fortune to start to redo the flooring on first floor of my house. One of the things I have always wanted to try, was to "refinish" old linoleum, to see first if it was possible? And, second because the Kitchen was one space I wasn't sure if I wanted to extend the other flooring into yet.  The idea of unique and free-form design also harks back to my Textile Design & Fine Arts degree...I love textures and variety.  So, I read a bunch of blog posts, watched YT videos to figure out the techniques and materials I would need. Prep is the most important thing!!!  I bought all of my supplies for painting at Home Depot, my go-to place for DIY! Stencils can be found online, I found a large pais

I love the ocean, so do my dogs! When there is ice and snow or hunters in the woods, we hit the beach. The sky was just amazing yesterday, so much energy flowing off those snow squall clouds. I love to see my dogs really open up and run, their bodies and brains need that. I am always happy to wander alone, but it is also nice when friends come along.   SoBright just turned 7 months, an open beach is a fantastic place to work recalls. To be respectful of others walking, I call my dogs back to me, as we pass by usually. Brighty-pants is also learning not to boink people in the eye with exuberant LoVe! She is also doing just great meeting new dogs!!  After an early bad experience with being trounced and aggressed towards, as much as I told myself not to fret...internally of course I was fretting upon new canine meetings. My little social, loving girl seems to have worked it out! Like her mama, the natural therapy dog, Bright is very intuitive and a great barometer of people and o

Teg is hopefully "with puppy", to be confirmed in the next couple days with "old school methods". I think I have always been old school and hoping Nature takes its course, naturally...no progesterone testing, no ultrasounds, no xrays, no c-sections (knock on wood). I want my dogs to whelp naturally and let them decide when to wean...naturally. Yup *Natural*.... it's a theme.  So waiting and actually I am super patient, but the weather is crappy and being stuck inside a bit more than my free spirit likes....time for obsessing a little bit if she is or isn't "with puppy", so feeling a little impatient.  I LOVE raising puppies. It is hard to explain the miracle of those little beings, as you hold them on their first breath. So much promise for the future, stuff to look forward to as they learn and mature, setting them up for their future lives. I'm sure a midwife feels the same, helping a woman give birth. Life really is an amazing thi