I've been wondering why the dogs have been digging holes, sometimes frantically, out in the middle of nowhere seemingly in trails or paths. Today my suspicion of them tracking moles was confirmed. Majestic carried one in ever so quietly that I didn't notice. Next trip in the kitchen I looked, wondering what the heck was on the just mopped floor. A closer inspection revealed a wet, still intact but very dead mole. Jess and Galtero had been out together so at the time of discovery I didn't know who was the catcher but Jess told on herself. When I went to get a sweeper to remove the carcass I came back to, you guessed it, no carcass. One look at Jess holding it gently in her mouth pretty much told me. Some things we just don't photograph though. Still live armadillos in the mouth of a dog is one thing (thanks for that one Serious). Respect for the deceased another. Hopefully the pests will have a pow wow and move on to neighboring properties. For reasons not needing mention.
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I am over the moon excited to report my half doors have been installed! A project I've had on the not so back burner for a while now. Quite a while. In fact way too long!!! But they're finally up and the staining process is in progress. Urethane next! Then comes interior paint to finish things up. So anxious to be rid of the obnoxious orange that surrounds me! Anxious too to post some photos of the finished project. Majestic is doing great- due to deliver what will be her final litter in a little over a week. Wanting to get the doors done before new arrivals are here- then, within earshot of them, I'll concentrate on paint. Something to do while I'm basically tied to the house for a week or so with Jess and the youngins. There's always something to do around here but for the most part I end up doing what needs to be done outside. Feels good to be working toward sprucing things up inside for a change. Still so much to be done here! One project at a time.  Every once in a while if we're really lucky we're treated to a nice surprise. I was the lucky recipient of one such surprise when some of my pup pals designed, created, hand delivered and installed my very own personalized, one-of-a-kind kennel sign! Such a special gift! The thought alone- priceless! And the sign- absolutely gorgeous!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart Bill and Pauline, caretakers of Echo! I absolutely love it!!!  Well, I had some fun this weekend! Many of you I've spoken with are aware I really take no interest in show. While I appreciate a good quality dog from healthy lines I'm just not competitive by nature. I also don't like the politics involved in showing. AKC was really the only avenue of show I was aware of. Hiring a professional handler is customary so to show as owner handler the odds of winning are difficult at best. Often dogs travel around the country with handlers and that's another aspect of show I wasn't able to appreciate. My dogs are my dogs and I want them home with me. But... in talking with friends as well as a couple of my pup pals (owners of my pups) I've come to realize AKC isn't the only animal out there. IABCA is another- described as much more fun, low key and lacking the politics. Rarely are professional handlers ever enlisted. It's just you and your dog. Judges are both AKC and international and all recognized breeds are welcome. A fun time they said. And a good way to spend some quality time with your dogs. Sounded like it was right up my alley. I'm happy to announce that which I was told was told in truth. Ritz and I participated in two long days of showing and came home with her International Championship. I received 2nd place in three of five shows and the highest ranking score afforded in their shows four of five times. Oddly enough that was enough as they judge each dog individually and then comparatively. The championship is awarded based on score which is based on standard for the breed. Then best of breed male and female are chosen from each show. Winners of those classes show in Group according to type and finally Best In Show is awarded. Turns out I won big all the way around. A Majestic x Serious pup, Petra- now two years old, was the dog who consitently beat me! She won best female three of four shows. I found it hard to feel bad about not taking best female under those circumstances. In fact I was quite proud to see her win! I also had a chance to see Echo as Pauline came out to watch our debut. Pauline is actually one of the first people who mentioned IBACA to me. Thanks Pauline- I had a good time. And thanks Julie and Jake for the video if you happen to see it here. I must work to reverse our obedience work of "sit on a stop" and aim for "stand for exam" before the next show!   Time flies! But I've held true to my commitment and resolution to keep up with my blog. So far for the year the bulk of my blogging began in February with Getka expecting her first litter. As we prepared I devoted much time, energy and attention to her and then the pups. Their progress, as usual, has been logged under the "current litter" tab which will soon join the ranks of past litters. With crops scheduled next week my Valentine Litter will soon be joining their new families. Having had a chance to finally meet their people following, in most cases, several conversations via phone I'm left with good feelings and once again prepared to release my babes. I know in my heart of hearts each is headed to a caring and loving home to be cared for by some top notch people. My lifelong work it seems, working with the public in various settings, has provided me with the ability to be a good judge of character. Rarely, am I caught by surprise.
A recap of events unrelated to pups though has come to catch me by surprise. Unfortunately harmony within my own pack, for unknown reasons, has suffered. I assume it's age related and to a degree hormonal with heat cycles fluctuating. But the girls... well, they've had some issues. And those issues have escalated in severity with each occurrence. I've done quite a bit of research on the subject which led me to many posts and articles related to same sex aggression within the breed. I've always been aware that unaltered males of pretty much any breed are likely to be problematic but wasn't aware until I was forced to deal with it first hand that the problem is also prevalent among a pack or even two unaltered females. Things go swimmingly for a while... until they don't. As a result I'm in a position of having to rethink my home life and kennel set ups. Within the house I've always made use of kid gates with pups and to a degree for separation of the pack to avoid excessive rambunctiousness and use of crates. As the gates have aged I decided rather than replace I'd like to add something that looks like it was done by design and more permanent in nature. A week or two back, after viewing a slew of examples on Pinterest I purchased the materials needed to build and install some half doors or Dutch doors. Their creation remains on my "soon to do" list. As far as my kennels are concerned, for the most part they've been reserved for times I had to be away from home for work and for some rotational management allowing groups of dogs to run the property freely keeping others safe and secure within the runs. Originally this was done to prevent the chaos that comes with a large group of dogs running full speed together. My greatest fear being that they'd run or get bumped head first at full speed into a tree or some other non moveable object. Now unfortunately, it's to avoid fights that can pop up out of nowhere. Each of my kennels or runs are large and easily able to accommodate a few dogs with communal type housing for protection from the elements. Now though, I'm in need of smaller runs and individual quarters for each. Housing has been the issue. I've been trying to find time to build some dog houses for the purpose of separation in the event I had to leave home for an extended time during any given day. I've got and have had for some time now the supplies needed... just needed the time to build which, based on my standards of building, is considerable. A recent quarrel however had me looking on craigslist and marketplace for some "ready now" houses. It's time to take the bull by the horns so to speak, before something tragic happens. I'll perfect things at a later date. For now, we'll have smaller individual runs designed for safety and craigslist houses designed for the purpose of shelter from an unanticipated storm. It seems nothing comes easy though... First I had to fight with Tractor Supply to convince them to sell me an overpriced gate panel. The panels are advertised as available by individual piece rather than part of a set. They had some in stock but I was told they were only available as part of a full kennel package. Interestingly enough though, they also had individual panels without gates advertised but those too were unavailable as individual pieces. I successfully convinced them that by having both panels within a set available but unwilling to sell separately they were advertising falsely and finally they were able to see my point of view. With that behind me, I ventured off to go claim my win and transport it home in a short-box mid size pickup. A bit precarious to say the least. But I got it done. Then yesterday a trip to Jacksonville took me to retrieve my craigslist find pictured above. Today, between bands of weather and pup care I worked on separating the large runs into individual spaces. Tomorrow the houses, which remain loaded in the back of my truck will be placed appropriately within their runs. Then it's on to deciding which dogs will be best suited to the available runs. The boys will remain in the largest spaces and share those spaces with alternating girls depending to a large degree on heat cycles. Next up... the process of training each dog to use their newly acquired houses will begin. Wish me luck on that one. I'm anticipating having to enter them myself but I remain hopeful treats will do the trick and I'll be spared being cramped in a dog house sized for a Doberman with a Doberman. Next on the agenda is some scheduled fun. I hope! I've signed up to enter my very first dog show with Ritz next weekend. I've always had somewhat of an aversion to shows as I'm not and never have been competitive by nature. I also don't care much for politics which AKC shows are known to be thick with. But recently another avenue of showing has been brought to my attention. Much more low key, non-political and rather than competing solely against other dogs, your dog is judged according to the standard for the breed. And rarely rather than being the norm as it is in AKC shows, are professional handlers enlisted. In any event, I'm looking forward to the experience and to seeing some friends with their dogs. One of my pups from a litter a couple years back will be attending as well. Kind of odd to think I'll be competing against one of my own but on the other hand if either of us win it will be a win for me! I'll also get a chance to see KatieScarlett's owner as she tries her hand at owner handler ringside with her boy Andre. He's already got his AKC Champion but to date has always been shown by a handler. None of us have much first hand knowledge in the show ring and I have none. Sharon has knowledge of the AKC rules and regulations and has quite a bit of experience competing in Rally but this show is an entirely different animal. Should be interesting. Other news on the home-front will likely bring a smile to a few faces... Jess, right on schedule, is showing a baby bump. More on that later. Time to move on over to the blog associated with the current litter. Come join us and watch them grow!
Just when I got my blog pretty well caught up, it seems it's time to switch over and devote my energy to the blog associated with Getka's upcoming litter. I finished setting up her whelping box about a week ago so once again my bedroom becomes multipurpose- prepared for whelping in addition to sleeping. I like having my mom and pups close at night and don't think that will ever change. It just works for me. It also provides a quiet and safe place for them, separate from the shenanigans of the rest of the pack. The only glitch, the rest of the pack have to be accommodating. Kind of like a dog version of musical chairs.
Galtero, who's been my main sleeping partner since my irma litter vacated the premises has officially been banished from the room with the exception of nap time if we can sneak one of those in. I try and rotate the dogs through the space so as not to give preferential treatment to any of them. Even so, some behave better than others so depending on what's going on, some end up king or queen of the bed more often than others. Galtero, is very quick to settle. He actually spends much of his day, if in the house, on the bed accompanied or not. I got lucky with him. Rarely does he, or has he, really gotten into anything or gone into destroy mode. I enjoy my nights with Majestic, Skye and Remedy too. They're all quick to settle and for the most part, after a quick cuddle respect my personal space. Serious doesn't seem to care much for the waterbed so rarely does he overnight with me. He's one of my only dogs that really loves his crate. Enough so that he'll go in to rest if the door's left open. I actually think he's happiest to sleep there and to know he's not going to be bothered or disturbed. That leaves Ritz and Getka... Ritz tends to chew holes in my sheets and blankets so unless I've got really old linens on the bed she remains in a crate at night. And Getka, although she doesn't tend to get into anything, she's somewhat slow to settle and when she does finally settle it's nearly on top of me. A pushy sleeper. As a result she hasn't had as much time with me which is kind of a double edged sword. The past week though, I've seen much improvement from her in all regards. She's getting used to the routine. A litter of pups will most likely solidify night time etiquette for her. So now I'm in wait mode. Getting things around the old homestead caught up and the house stocked with anything I might need for a few days. Tomorrow I'll make sure I've got myself covered with some tasty snack foods to hold me over during the generally long whelping process. I've also got somebody coming to give me an estimate on installing some half doors to replace a couple kid gates I use to separate the dogs within the house when necessary which is "usually" and "always" when dogs are coming in and out of heat. Once in full heat of course crates or outdoor time become the norm for the boys. Recently, I've seen some challenging behavior between Serious and Galtero, which I knew would come. It was just a matter of time. Unfortunate but goes hand in hand with two male Dobermans of breeding age and abilities. With that comes a need for something a little stronger... a little more secure than a flimsy kid gate. I'm looking forward to the install and hoping for a reasonable estimate. At least they'll look like they belong and give the house a more "finished" look. A perk on top of being functional. Hopefully some pics of the finished product soon. Then on to paint...   Happy New Year!!! Better Late Than Never As They Say 2018-The Year Of The Dog! A Look Back @ 2017! Each year for Christmas, at least for the past several, my sister gifts me a personalized calendar. Most often they're created from my own photos -those which she selects as her favorites. This year Drita, aka Miss Orange from my most recent litter, made the cut and appears as Miss January. On the eve of a brand New Year I find myself reflecting on the last. 2017 was a good year for the most part. As with all years, of course, there were highlights and low. It's most easy it seems to recall the lows -probably because they are most stress producing. Good times unless they are exceptionally great find their way to the back of the memory bank to be called upon when something happens that triggers a resurface. I find myself reviewing my blog from time to time and realize so many things have gone unmentioned. Time it seems is always an issue. But blogging is something I think about and miss. It's something that starts to kind of nag at me when too many things go unmentioned. I guess if I were to make a resolution it would be to make a point of getting on here for more frequent updates. If only for myself. My posts are somewhat of a journal of life, even if for the most part centered around my dogs. I enjoy looking back on them. That aside from their main purpose of allowing those who have interest in a pup to know something about me as a breeder and where and how I raise my pups. With that said, as a review 2017 I'm disappointed in the limited number of entries I see. So, I guess to start the year out right a good place to start would be to acknowledge some of the events of the past year. February brought the addition of Galtero, a pup I imported from Oreto Mia Kennel in Russia. Based on a desire to concentrate on a particular type of Doberman and settling on European, I figured it made sense to add a European male to the line up. Galtero is everything I hoped he'd be. He's fairly good sized but not oversized or bulky. He's beautiful and moves with grace and like the others exhibits a sweet disposition. Like all Dobermans he's intelligent and eager to please. And I think he'll allow for some really nice breeding options down the road. Plans for him include matings with both Getka and Ritz. And more than likely Skye. I very much look forward to seeing his progeny. In an attempt to recall the year I find myself taking advantage of photos uploaded to Mac. I love it's ability to save photos to the month in which they were added. In review April and May were fun months! April brought my first litter of the year- a repeat breeding between Majestic and Serious. Again, I met and have become well acquainted with some fabulous people who are now pawrents. Among them, one decided it would be fun to create their own "litter specific" Facebook page which of course is a group I'm member of and follow. While I've always gotten periodic updates on most of my pups, the Facebook page mentioned has given me a much greater view and understanding of how the pups incorporate with their families. Turned out it was a great idea. Parents of the litter are active posters and the page has been both fun and a source of support for them as they face the challenges of puppy rearing. And it seems good news travels fast. There are now 3 litter specific pages I follow. One on each side of the original. To some degree, I think the creation of the individual groups however correlate to less activity her on my blog and website in general. One thing's for sure though. I've accumulated a ton of photos! Getting them uploaded to the individual pup pages of past is my next project. In May when the pups of the litter were about 5 weeks old, my cousin Mary Ann came for a visit from Idaho! Being a previous Doberman owner, she looked forward to and enjoyed the time spent with the pups in addition to the vacation itself. I appreciated her company and the additional socialization was good for the pups. I'd like to say it was two weeks of nothing but fun but I'm afraid I have to admit to putting her to work. Seems there's always work to do around here and sometimes two hands are better than one. On top of helping me with the pups, she was kind enough to help me rebuild and replace the chain link fencing of the small dog run that extends from the back of the house. Not only was the project done more easily with the addition of an extra person, it was much more fun to do with two too. No Florida vacation is complete without a trip to the beach though and a lunch or two out. We ventured off, with Getka and Galtero in tow for a trip to St Augustine one day and on our own for lunch @ Eatons Beach in Weirsdale another. We also enjoyed a short day trip to Cedar Key and more locally a quick stop to check out the happenings in Micanopy.. The day at Eatons, as I recall happened to be my mom's birthday. I looked across the table at Mary Ann and noticed, maybe for the first time, the striking resemblance she has to my mom. For a moment there it was almost like she, my mom, was there. And maybe in spirit she was. My cousin, in my opinion looks much more like my mom than either my sister or I. It was great to see Mary Ann... it doesn't happen often enough. But this year, April will bring a repeat visit. One which my sis plans to partake in as well. A year later- roughly the same time , maybe a few different places and again the inclusion of a litter of pups to the mix. This time, Getka's first! May Spring Break And Growing Pups  Sometimes... I amaze myself. Where I find the time. Between work, dogs and pups, general home maintenance and a little fun, every once in a while I manage to get in a little something extra. This years project was an attempt to create a garden space that actually produced something. And it did. I think the addition of some raised beds and the purchase of some bagged soil ended up being the game changer. My previous attempts at gardening in Florida have been for the most part unsuccessful. But this year towards the end of May the fruits of my labor were beginning to show. Beans, peppers, tomatoes, cukes and watermelon... and a pup who during his photo shoot managed to find his way in but experienced great difficulty finding a way out. I let him struggle for just a few minutes... just log enough to snap a few photos of his predicament before delivering him an out.  June!  By June, the pups were ready for their new homes. It's always a bittersweet time. My dogs are generally ready to get back to business as they knew it pre-litter and I'm generally ready to re-devote my time and attention to them. But I get attached to the pups and miss them when the go. It's an adjustment. But it's also very rewarding to see the joy they bring to those who assume their care. This litter was no exception. I've met some truly awesome people through breeding and raising pups. And I've gained many friendships along the way. The litter did have a few pitfalls though. One of the pups developed a fungal infection on his snout that was evident right about the time pup selection began. Although it was harmless and easily treated it was unsightly. Especially so being on his face. Then their was the cropping fiasco. With pups loaded in the back of my Xterra, I experienced a breakdown mid way to the Vet. I was able to arrange transport fairly quickly but even so, two of the pups who were scheduled for crops didn't receive them. That in itself was bad enough but with the breakdown I was left with no means to retrieve them from their appointment or to deliver the 2nd group for their appointment two days later. In the end, as things generally do everything worked out. But it was a crazy busy time. Fortunately, a friends husband had a shop and was able to get me in and place a bandaid on my Xterra. He thought it would suffice to get me through the week but his recommendation was to begin my search for a new vehicle. And that's what I did. With back up in place, I made my way back down to Wildwood, fortunately without incident, and retrieved the pups. Two days later, again with back up in place, I delivered the 2nd group for their crops. In the time it took for the pups to undergo their session of breed specific beautification, I was able to locate a great little used, but new to me Nissan Frontier. Normally, I would probably take a bit more time with such a purchase and do a lot more looking around but time was of the essence and another breakdown in the boondocks was definitely not desired. All in all I think I was in the right place at the right time. I really liked the 2nd salesman I dealt with and love my little truck! It fits my life and my lifestyle perfectly. And I like it's look too!  Pups and New Parents! By July I was ready for a little R&R and found some lazily paddling my way down Silver River. I was lucky I guess. My first visit to Silver and the often elusive monkeys graced us with their presence. A pleasant day spent with a great group of ladies! But as they say... "you play- you gotta pay". Work came next when just a few days after my trip down the river, down came a branch destroying the gate to the small dog run. Ugh! Always something! Was no time at all before I found good use for my newly acquired vehicle! And the finished product was so much better than the original. Even when it was new. Near perfection. In the end I was proud of myself and happy my mom taught me some construction basics!  August was a quiet month but boy did we make up for it when September came! September brought us Hurricane Irma!!! And what a storm she was... Watching day after day we'd hear a different report as she kept changing course. Originally forecast to skirt the entire east coast causing wide spread and catastrophic damage the entire length, I was actually glad to hear she changed course even if it meant it brought her closer to us! I think she had the entire state on alert at one point or another. And she was a monster of a storm when she came ashore blasting Cudjoe Key as a strong cat 4. Ironically, I have acquaintances, parents to Ritz's brother, that reside in Cudjoe after purchasing a home directly on the water there earlier this year. Fortunately, although the Key's were hit hard, their home sustained no structural damage. I've had the opportunity to watch the rebuild and re-beautification of the Keys via Debra's Facebook posts since. They had quite a job in front of them but they tackled it full on and things are once again looking fabulous. Looking back, I don't recall Irma's exact path but know she zig zagged a little making landfall not once but twice south of us. From there she was predicted to come straight up the center of the state which she did. Working in a hospital we are assigned teams during times of anticipated disaster and I was notified of my assignment via phone prior to the time Irma's effects reached us. Problem was, there was no way I was going to leave my animals with no clear picture of when I might be able to return. I informed the boss of my predicament and was met with resistance along with what I would consider a threat of consequences of the worst kind if I failed to report per my assignment. I understand their need to staff a hospital but after working for the company for just short of twenty years their threats didn't sit well. There are exceptions, after all to every rule. Everyone in the state was experiencing the stress that comes from the unknown. I think it's about as bad as it can get when animals are involved. They are after all our responsibility and we can't just up and leave them to fend on their own in times of disaster. And I wasn't alone in my predicament. As it turned out, I have two breeder friends that were in potentially worse predicaments than myself. One lives much further down south and very close to the shores of the Myakka River. The other a little further north but in a manufactured home surrounded by large Oaks. Not knowing what to expect myself from the storm, I offered a safe haven to both families, or maybe I should say "potentially safer haven" based on structure, location and path of the storm. While none of us knew for sure, I figured a two story block house would provide a pretty good buffer even if a tree, of which there are many, decided to topple on top of it as long as during the worst of things we remained on the ground floor. As it turned out, with little time to spare and availability of gas questionable both families along with an out of town guest and a slew of animals made their way here. The dogs, mainly Dobermans along with a few smaller ankle biters were settled in crates throughout the house. All 26 of them including my own. Goats too, 5 total made the trip north and were settled into one of the dog runs adjoing a storage building with a covered porch. Once all settled, despite the stress of the entire situation, we were all able to stop moving and finally relax a little while we waited. Admittedly it was actually nice to have some company to weather the storm with. Not unexpectedly we lost power late in the evening of the 11th but that I can honestly say was the worst of it. Power was not regained here for 4 days but it was manageable as I'm well equip for camping, it was expected and therefore prepared for. Small sections of Hawthorne were powered up within about 24 hours and a short drive allowed the use of WiFi and cell service. I lost the entirety of contents within my fridge and freezer but found that to be somewhat cleansing in the end. I lost one big tree by the barn and several large branches but fortunately no structures were damaged. In the end... we all survived Irma. Including the goats and my chickens who were locked in their coop surrounded by ancient Oaks. My horses, two of them, who were allowed free range of their pasture with access to the run in seemed no worse for the wear when we went out the morning following the storm to assess damage. We were lucky. There was a lot of clean up in store for everyone but all had structurally sound homes to return to. Wow September! You Turned Out to Be Eventul!  Well, I survived the threats surrounding my attendance or potential lack of attendance related to Hurricane Irma and in the end was able to fulfill my obligation to the hospital along with fulfilling my obligation to my co-workers. The latter more important to me than the former. But something had changed. As mentioned, I didn't appreciated managements response to my needs and predicament during the storm. And obviously they didn't appreciate my response to their demands of attendance regardless of cost. In any event, after a 20 year history with the company and my ever increasing dissatisfaction with the "politics" of the job and likely nursing in general, I decided to hang up my hat. Maybe it had something to do with lingering stress related to the storm, a massive amount of work to do at home as a result of the storm, a general sense of dissatisfaction or a combination of all of it. What ever it was, it didn't take much to push me over the edge. One more comment that I perceived as somewhat of a threat and I was out. I provided my resignation and officially traded in one set of Blues for another. Out with the old and in with the new... the original Blues. Regarding Blues.. forced Blues, I think that was the beginning of my dissatisfaction with the company. Over the course of time I started to feel more like a robot than a person. They were systematically trying to strip us of our individuality. First came our attire. No longer would we be able to wear our own chosen and well stocked sets of scrubs. We were to conform to the company mandated Smurf Blue- as we not so affectionately called it. Next came "scripting". We were educated on how to speak and instructed to use "key phrases" is our day to day interactions with our patients. The change in clothing turned out to be pretty easy to adjust to... laundry day was a breeze if nothing else. But the scripting... well it just wasn't me. It felt fake and totally went against my grain. Just couldn't bring myself to conform with that one. Next I figured they'd be giving us tips on how to walk properly. I guess what it boils down to was, it was just time. Time to change course. Time to go. I left without regret or a glance back and promised myself a year to determine my next best course of action. As I write this 5 months after the fact, that course of action remains to be determined. For now, I've learned to live a little more frugally than I have in the past... which is pretty darn frugal. My fingers are crossed in hopes the stock market continues ticking upwards. I'm hoping for the best and plan to enjoy some "me" time. Fortunately real estate has been somewhat kind to me over the years and I began investing at a young age. The recent sale of my first purchase likely subconsciously gave me the courage to do that which I had wanted to do for a considerably long time! I've always been productive and assume that won't change. I've got an abundance of things to do here to keep me busy. Some enjoyable... some not so much but things that need doing. It's an adjustment but I think I can grow accustomed to a new way of life. One that actually involves some enjoyment mixed in with all the work. Maybe before the next hurricane hits I can actually complete a project or two. There are fences to mend, a dog house to build, dogs in need of training, horses to ride, kayaks to board, rooms to paint and a gazebo that still needs shingles among other things. And gardening! It's that time again. And some fresh veggies with be nice.... along side my rice and beans! Thankful For The Rivers and Friends By The End Of September I Was In Serious Need Of A Break and A Good Time! The Rainbow Was Calling My Name And Lunch @ Just A Cupcake  October Was All About Clean Up! Hurricane Irma definitely left me with plenty do during my first few days or weeks of my newly acquired status of "freshly unemployed" Things were finally starting to dry out and I did what I could... I knew my little chainsaw wasn't going to handle the bulk of the burden but in order to save some money I figured I'd get a start on things before bringing in the professionals. The small stuff I could deal with. The larger could wait. Days were spent stripping the main branches from the tree that fell near the barn and in the end a I had a couple large bon fires. Those I enjoyed. At some point I'd bring in my tree guy with his heavy equipment for all that remained. Some day. I assumed he'd be busy with downed trees of his own and with others who had things much worse than myself. The stump and bulk of the tree near my barn wasn't causing me any trouble... just an eyesore. Keeping Things In Balance! Turns out one of my good buddies at work left the job shortly after I did. The one in the slide show with the biggest smile! we joined some others for a day in October @ The Ocklawaha :-) Sweet November!  November came in like a breath of fresh air as we welcomed new life. A litter coined "The Hurricane Irma Litter", conceived the day before she hit. Skye's first litter and my first Reds. Skye's litter was well documented and can be viewed on her litter page similar to those past. Suffice it to say, Skye proved to be an awesome mom. We had fun and of course plenty of work. But work of a different kind. For the most part the kind I find enjoyable. Raising pups... my passion. December   December was dedicated to growing pups, trying to staying warm and of course celebrating Christmas... with pups and dogs.
I had a little Christmas party for the pups with gifts their parents in waiting had brought for them when they came to select. It was a celebration delayed a couple days but I don't think they noticed. I thought it fair to dedicate the bulk of the day to my own dogs. Each had some mom time, a game of fetch and a photo shoot. I managed to get all their photos uploaded to Facebook but getting some of the better ones loaded here remains on the to do list. It was a fun day and they looked handsome and gorgeous in their big red bows and fancy collars. And that's my year in review... quite the year as I myself review it! Looking ahead, I've got some projects lined up for 2018... Some already mentioned. I discovered through recent photos, the orange paint on the walls is not at all conducive to Christmas photos. Or any photos as far as that goes. Time for a change. I'm desperately in need of updating the pup pages with photos I've gained via Facebook posts as well as many that have been emailed. And I need to fit in some time for training of the crew here. Galtero is doing well but has yet to enter any kind of organized training sessions. Purchased some classes... just haven't found the time to go yet. Soon though. He's high on my list of priorities for early 2018. Something I'm looking forward to actually The others simply need some time and refreshers. Hoping to set up a type of beginners agility course in the back forty... more for fun and a break from basic obedience than anything else.  Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays!
Outside of feeding and general care of the little ones, Skye's first litter and my most recent additions, I dedicated my day to my own pack. Each enjoyed a little undivided attention from mom as well as their own photo shoot! Christmas was a treat this year all around. Working in hospitals has naturally placed me at the bedside of those in need on Christmas as well as many other holidays for many, many years! But this year was different. And it was enjoyed. I even went all out and put up a tree! Haven't taken the time or felt the need to do that in a long time. Without kids in the house or big family get togethers the idea of a tree and the chore of taking it down seemed more work than joy. And honestly I didn't miss one. But this year, I've gotta say, I'm really enjoying it's presence. It's got me in the mode of wanting to make the addition of the 'ole Christmas Tree a priority each and every year going forward. They do have a way of warming the atmosphere. I guess leaving a stagnant job held for 20 years, which I did back in September, somehow helped to rekindle the holiday spirit too. And that's a good thing. It was time and it's nice to have some time to call my own. That, like placement of the tree, was well over due. Katie Scarlett Lexi Navigator Pup of March 2014!    In the News! November 15th By Andy Fillmore / Correspondent
Posted Nov 15, 2017 at 12:10 PMUpdated Nov 15, 2017 at 9:13 PM The Seminole Dog Fanciers will host rally obedience and confirmation competitions Thursday and Friday and the Greater Ocala Dog Club will host them on Saturday and Sunday, all at the Greater Ocala Dog Club grounds. After Sharon Hohenberg had a heart attack four years ago and underwent a four-way bypass, she got a Doberman pinscher as a medical alert dog. Soon, she and her husband, Jared Hohenberg, longtime horse trainers and competitors, turned their focus to training Dobermans. The medical alert Doberman is named Katie Scarlett Betelges Alexus. She was bred by Debi Cruz of Got My Back Dobermans in Hawthorne. With the addition of dock diving to her repertoire, Katie Scarlett is beginning her third career. The canine first was trained to alert should Sharon experience heart irregularities. Then, last year the couple entered her in national level rally competitions. The American Kennel Club describes “rally” as a sport where a dog and handler move through a course of 10 to 20 stations as a team in a brisk pace. Katie Scarlett now holds a national second place in Rally Novice. More recently, Jared Hohenberg has been training Katie Scarlett to chase a soft baton-like lure as she launches into the Ocala Dock Diving pool at the Dogpatch Downs Training and Boarding Center in north Marion County. The North American Diving Dog Association website calls the sport of canine diving “one of the fastest growing” and lists titles including Dock Distance Diving, with an Elite Division; Air Retrieve, with multiple grabs of a suspended target; and Vertical, based on “highest grab.” The association distance dive records in the Elite class include a Whippet with a dive at 30 feet 2 inches and a Doberman Pinscher diving at 25 feet 6 inches. A sanctioned pool used in diving events is 21 feet wide by 45 feet long and includes a 40 foot long by 8 foot wide “non-skid” approach dock, the site indicates. Richard Starks of Dogpatch Downs said he set up the pool as a “thank you” for his customers. He said he intends to hold a variety of events at the pool and therefore has not gotten association sanctioning at the facility. If you go What: Seminole Dog Fanciers events Thursday and Friday; Greater Ocala Dog Club events Saturday and Sunday; beginning at 8 a.m. each day Where: Greater Ocala Dog Club, 10205 NW Gainesville Road, north of Ocala Spectator cost: $5 per carload per day Info: www.greaterocaladogclub.com Katie Scarlett will compete in December in the Eukanuba North America Diving Dogs National Championship in Orlando. Sharon Hohenberg said the canine regularly runs down a 40-foot-long dock and sails more than a car length into a pool, with some favorite tunes as background music. “She loves to dive listening to Bon Jovi music,” she said. Sharon, a former paralegal and judicial assistant in Marion County, and Jared, a certified process server for the 5th Judicial Circuit, own and operate a process serving company. They met in Miami in 1986 while she was riding a jumper horse and he was a trainer. He also competed as a hunter/jumper rider until a hunting accident in 1975 and injuries to his leg led him to pursue training. The two wed in 1989 and moved to Ocala the same year. The couple also own A’Monde’s Andre Courreges, or Andre for short, bred by Ada Levine, with A’Monde Dobermans of Miami. Andre, who is 18 months old, was named “Best Puppy” in a 2016 Royal Canine event in the working puppy division. Andre will compete with handler Linda Whitney of Zephyrhills in a Seminole Dog Fanciers event on Thursday and Friday and in a Greater Ocala Dog Club event on Saturday and Sunday, all being held at the Greater Ocala Dog Club grounds at 10205 NW Gainesville Road, Ocala. Club president Phil Briasco said up to 1,800 dogs will be entered each day during the event. Rally obedience and confirmation competitions will be held daily and will give the public a chance to see “how dogs should be handled,” he said. Carol and Robert Malec, friends of the Hohenbergs from Miami, were visiting the area Friday and said they also plan to participate in the Greater Ocala Dog Club event this week. They show competitive Papillons, Val, 4, and Jack, 11. The Malecs retired from law-enforcement careers. Carol also turned to dog training and showing following a horse riding injury. They said they travel nationwide with their award-winning dogs. “This is Val’s first time in the water,” Carol Malec said as she worked with the small dog in the pool. Briasco said the cost for spectators to attend the event is $5 per carload per day, and that events start at 8 a.m. each of the four days. “It’s a fun thing for families,” he added. |
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