How does the saying go.....April showers bring May flowers! In this instance, it was April flowers bring May showers.....at least in Idaho where they need it! And so, after receiving confirmation app 5:30 p.m. on Saturday from Dave at RotoRooter that my failed septic system would be fixed without me, on the last Sunday morning of May, Scottie, Molly, Robbie and I, along with my freshly cleaned and oiled (only with olive oil) saddle and other gear, headed off for a week at cousin Jan’s So What & Chesany Kennel Ranch in New Plymouth, Idaho, with plans of dog training, ground working my new unbroke horse, riding – yes, on already broke horses -- and just kicking back. We managed all of it despite the rain and thunder storms that rumbled through for the first 4 days, and we had a wonderful time! We were only able to go horseback riding one afternoon though ! And the septic system got fixed but not as easily as it sounded. Thank you Marcie for your help as well!



Jan and I went out field training a couple of days with Della (Ben x Dee), Molly and Robbie, and overall we were able to stretch Robbie and Molly out on their marks way beyond what I’ve been able to throw for them. Della’s been with a pro for the last couple of months and is really looking good! Molly is awesome on her marking and the longer marks didn’t phase her at all whether it was on land or water. Robbie is not nearly as far along as Molly since I came down with Shingles in the prime of his training, but he did very well for his level and can swim better than Molly. Dina Perugini came over from Boise with Jamie (Ben x Yakity) and her Music to train with us too. As you can see below we had a huge audience to oversee our work! We topped off that afternoon with success in the field with our dogs, a delicious lunch and good company.



Overall I was more than pleased with the work and the good behavior from Robbie and Molly so long as you don’t count the evening I let them out to air before bed and while I was calling Molly, Robbie came out of the darkening shadows and literally threw all 75 pounds of himself at me in his joy to respond to Molly’s call! He sent me flying backwards probably 10 feet and was on top of me when I landed almost flat on my back – you’da thunk he hadn’t seen me in days! And he was even more thrilled that he had also captured me! That was the day that Jan and I went out riding and a number of friends had commented on how sore I would be from the ride. Told them I walk a lot which uses many of the same muscles you ride with, so wasn’t sore from the ride at all but did have some aches and pains from Robbie’s overly enthusiastic uncalled recall!!



I took some great photographs (IMO)....a lot of stormy skies and eerie light, and scenic views of Jan’s ranch and the animals on it. Jan’s neighbor, Susan, had to take two of their cows to a livestock sale and Jan and I went with her so I could see what a livestock sale is like. Still don’t know how the auctioneer’s can talk so fast, moreover how the bidders can understand them!! They don’t talk that fast on Storage Wars.







Then there were kittens, kittens and more kittens!! We just kept finding kittens, but Jan did send one back with me for her friend who met me in Sonoma on my return to pick up her kitten...an adorable little calico. Turns out there are three mother cats. After Jan took the first 4 kittens thinking they were the only ones, that mama cat went to help out her two daughters with their 5 kittens – kittens that we found the next day -- by bringing them all mice! It was actually kind of cute! And, no, I didn’t bring one back for us....I don’t do kittens....only rescued cats!



On Friday, our photographer friends, Sharon Eide and Elizabeth, arrived from California with their Rottweiler friend who just lives down the road from Jan, and took us out to lunch in New Plymouth...geez you have to drive 660 miles through 4 states just to get together with friends who don’t live far from you in California!! Then they came out to the ranch to visit for awhile before moving on. Had dinner with Linda Harger and friends at her place later that evening. We had a great time and wonderful food! Thank you Linda !

Jan, thank you for the awesome purple crate ! Jan had this crate especially powder-coated for me because I love purple and it is almost impossible to find colored 400 crates! It was on my bed awaiting my arrival as you can see. It will get lots of use and will be the envy of many!!



And another bigger thank you Jan for your wonderful hospitality and company and my beautiful horse! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and look forward to my next visit. I’m thinking my car just may add Idaho to it’s repertoire of auto pilot destinations for the future!





On the way home, I stopped to check out the Pink Palace in McDermott, OregonNevada after Sharon posted pics of it to her facebook page and we talked about over lunch on Friday. Half of the building is in one state and half in the other. The same people also own the old saloon next door.





Then about 90 miles north of Winnemucca, I think Julie Cole passed me heading North into Idaho on her way to Linda Harger’s and on to the Amateur National field trial! A huge good luck to Julie and AFC Ruddy who is the only Chesapeake running the Amateur National this year . Litter sister, Dual & AFC Comet, qualified but is laid up due to an injury! Go Ruddy and Julie! They are both half sisters to Della and Molly so kind of like family too. But whats’it with all of us California people and Idaho! Is this some kind of message that we are living in the wrong state ?

Okay, Jan just posted a picture to Facebook of her big gray cat Bunny-Butt still guarding the door to his sacred food room from my Scottie! Scottie has no problem with cats and lived in the house during our visit but he also is a garbage gut and never misses a food opp when no one is watching, so Bunny-Butt took to guarding their lair - and guard he did! But Scottie has been gone for a week now! Yo, Bunny, what’s up bud ???????



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And, now for doings with my fur guys since that’s really what this website is all about! Not much going on since the Golden Gate shows at the Cow Palace until April when we had Robbie and Molly entered both days at the Chief Solano shows. Saturday was nothing to write home about but on Sunday, judged by Mr. Tomas Gomez, I showed Molly to win the Bred-By-Exhibitor Class, then on to Reserve Winners Bitch and Best Bred By Exhibitor. Robbie, beautifully handled by co-owner, Catherine Collins, won his puppy 9-12 class, then on to Winners Dog for a 3 point major and his first points ! Thank you Catherine!!



I didn’t enter anyone at the Coyote Hills shows or Woofstock as both Chessies started blowing coat and now they are bald, so good thing they weren’t entered! Looking forward to the Mensona shows in August and Redwood Empire and Sir Francis Drake shows in September. Will be doing Rally obedience demos at the County-Wide booth for AKC’s Responsible Dog Ownership Day at the Mutt Strut event in Rohnert Park at the end of September with Scottie & Molly. This is Scottie n’me doing a demo at last year’s event.



Dedee came in heat last month and we gave it our best shot at a repeat breeding to Ben but due to other time commitments for all involved, unfortunately we were not successful. So despite what my banner says, it will be another 5 months before we hope to have puppies. Jan wants a male puppy from Ben and Dee so we will try again next time and if we have conflicts will do a frozen semen breeding instead. Things just didn’t come together this time!

Meanwhile, Marcie, my roommate, has a new Papillon puppy that is just absolutely adorable. Marcie is already encouraging her to retrieve and to herd and her antics are better than TV now! She seems to have as much energy as her counterpart Disco, so the Chesapeakes and Scottie don’t stand a chance for a respite any time soon from tiny controlling creatures with big ears!



In closing, just a few important reminders: please don’t leave your dog locked in your vehicle unattended, or let them hang out an open window of a moving vehicle. Temps in a vehicle can kill and dogs hanging out of windows of moving cars can experience a myriad of dangers some of which may also be fatal! If you are out hiking with or working your dogs please be mindful of how easy it is for a dog to go into heat stroke!! Carry water and make frequent stops.

Enjoy the summer with your dogs, and friends, and high expections of things to come, and be happy and be safe! Until next time............