Hail storm

I havent had much time to update lately, the weather has been odd, I thought summer had settled but we have had some cool weather and an amazing hail storm over the weekend, last year we had a hail storm around this time too.










The dogs are all doing well, poor huskies lost their coats when the weather turned warm and now its cold again!







Smudge has grown again! Im so thrilled with how he is turning out and cant wait to have more Koolies join us in the future, he has surpassed any expectation of what this breed is all about, he is such a happy dog, always willing to please and much more of a people dog than huskies are, he loves to be near us and a part of what we do - as you can see by the photos - but is also happy off doing his own thing. He is also turning out to be a great guard/alert dog too, he is very brave!!!!







I am looking forward to dedicating more time on Smudge developing his sheepdog skills, I know he is an amazing sleddog hehe but he hasnt seen sheep for many months now and I would like to get him working at what he is actually bred for, I think it will help keep him fit over summer too!

Winter windup

The race season is over and Im so proud of my dogs, their training paid off and I'm happy with how they went this season, especially as Smudge isn't a traditional sleddog and its his first year running in harness.

Zephyr and Smudge placed 2nd overall in the 2008 Australian Sleddog Sports Association State Championship for the 2 dog class. Thanks again Jo for racing them for me.



While the days are warming up, a few over 20oc but still some days as low as 15-16oc, as soon as the sun starts to go down the temps drop and nights are still getting down to 1-3oc. I hope we can run in to late December like last year.

I think I am going to have to create a Koolie team, he is just so strong and fast and I dont think Zephyr will be able to keep up with him next season!




Smudge recently turned 1, I think he still has some growing to do as he has had two small growth spurts recently and his back end seems up in the air again indicating he is about to grow taller YAY !! I also think his chest is starting to broaden too, he doesnt look like much of a pup any more!









I am thrilled at how he is turning out, he is one smart cookie and just loves to please and will do anything to play fetch! I am amazed at how quick he picks up new tricks, I need to learn more things to teach him I think and I cant wait to take him to practice his sheepdog skills again soon.






Waiting for the ball to be thrown!




He always knows when I have pretended to throw it but havent!





Smudge's ears still havent decided what they are doing, often one will stay up all day until he is tired and it flops back over.








Some video of Smudge practicing 'backing up' and also fetching.

June update, race results

The last two months have been lovely and cold, the dogs have grown thicker coats this season, its the first full winter down here and it has been odd waiting for warmer temps (10-13oc) to run them so they are ok with running when its that warm as the next two race locations can get warmer temps than what they have been training in.


These two pics are from early June training







The pics below are from training this last week.

Smudge has taken to mushing like he was born to do it, it just goes to show how adaptable Koolies are!




June 14th and 15th was our first race for the season in Margaret River, I am thrilled to share that Smudge (Koolie) and Zephyr (Siberian Husky) placed 3rd in the 2 dog class. Not bad considering it was the fourth time Jo had run them and Smudges first race! I would have been happy if they had just completed the race with no troubles and had fun, but on top of this they placed third.

They were meant to be second in the start line up, but they ended up first out in the first heat, I would have preferred if they had someone to chase after as before the class started the person that was in front of us requested to go last as she was also running a young dog that hadn't raced before.

The start of the second heat was perfect! They had come in third in the first heat (Sat night) so were third in the start line up for the second heat (Sun morning).

Smudge was going NUTS at the start with the two teams in front of us (30 second intervals) and as they took off he went mental wanting to run! They did better in the second heat after watching teams leave before them, I am working on teaching Smudge not to bark while he is waiting (although he doesn't do this in training).






This was possibly the hardest race of the season for my team, the first heat was run at night and they missed one of the turns slightly, the stop and change direction - then untangle of the line, cost them time and the second heat the next morning was in the pouring rain - Smudge loved it, he remembered the track from the night before (he has never run this before) and wanted to go the same way (ie the wrong way) he jumped the cones that were there to stop teams going the wrong way. I am just so happy their race went well on both days and the pups were happy after each run, we had only been home about an hour when they were doing mad laps around the yard so they were not that tired!

Sadly I don't have pics from the race as the first heat was at night and the second heat it was pouring!

May update

I cant believe how much Smudge has grown! It doesn't seem so long ago he was this little





and now he looks like this







He is almost bigger than Zephyr now.





Smudge is super agile and I am amazed at how high he can leap from a standing position!

Smudge

Smudge at 6 months, he still has a decent amount of knuckle so expect he has a fair amount of growing to do still!

Easter mushing

Smudge has grown so much in the last month, he is only a tiny bit smaller than Zephyr now and very very strong.


Zephyr leaping to go






Just after take off







Flying pups







Practicing 'line out'




Resting - Zephyr watching birds in a tree






Resting, Smudge is almost as big as Zephyr












Back at the car, Smudge spots lambs over the fence






Some photos from when we visited my sister and Smudge's cousins Taj and Trinity - apparently Trinity and Smudge are very similar in nature - something about being country pups hehe these pics were all taken by my sister

http://dogsites.com.au/

Amazing artwork here http://www.pencilportraits.com.au/

and Tajs' blog is here http://turbotaj.blogspot.com/


Smudge and Taj watching the ball, Trinity in the background getting read to herd the boys!





Smudge, nice shot of his eyes, my camera doesnt do them justice but my sisters camera is wonderful!!





YUM dirt




One of my favourite pics of Smudge





His ears have flopped up here, they are slowy going up!




His ears are slowly going up



It was too cold for swimming but Smudge didnt mind!






Taj and Smudge checking something out!