2008 In Review

It’s flattering that my regular readership has grown from 15 a year ago to over 55 today. And even more satisfying, you guys actually leave comments now. Perhaps it won’t be long until some sheeple and showple will speak up and actually debate what I have to say. I like to be challenged, I like to debate. This doesn’t seem to be the norm. The sheeple and showple have left some links from their own forums, but they seem a bit scared to bring the debate on to my turf. Weenies.

Outside the blog it’s been a great year in dogdom. I’ve bred and found excellent homes for a litter of puppies, I’ve expanded my brood from two dogs to four, and I’ve even studded out Dublin to another breeder. Becoming a breeder has been a very rewarding experience and I feel much more invested in the breed now that my theories aren’t just academic. The experience has also allowed me to talk with numerous other Border Collie breeders and trace my dogs’ lines all the way back to the beginning of the ISDS registry.

In the coming year I hope to enter Dublin and Celeste in Agility tournaments and make gains toward their Agility championships. The only thing holding us back is the Weave Polls. We’ll continue our Frisbee and perhaps work up a Freestyle routine. I’d like to find some time to get back to training on stock, although the best weekends for training on stock are usually taken up with tournaments.

When the pups are 18-months-old midyear, I’d also like to get them started with agility work and I’ve neglected their trick training so I want to make up for lost time and get them clicker savvy in the mean time. The biggest challenge is giving them individual time and separating them from the pack. Mercury has the makings of an amazing Frisbee dog as he loves the disc and he has an amazing jump. Gemma is still figuring out what she likes to do, although she’s finally asserting herself when I toss the tennis ball. She enjoys getting the ball so much that she usually runs off and gloats with it before she’ll bring it back.

Time seems to flow faster and faster each year and despite all that has happened in 2008, it doesn’t really feel like it’s been a whole year. As so many things seem to be falling apart and descending into chaos, I’m really fortunate to have so much to be thankful for in my dogs.

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