I'm Coming!

Wow. Did I have a fun weekend. What great weather - it snowed! And even though we didn't have electricity or running water for an entire day, I still had a whopping good time! Why, you ask? Well, I'll tell you: I now live on 40 acres (yep, you read that right: f-o-r-t-y), and that means I get to go on long walks off leash! 

It seems hikes around the property are a regular thing around here in late fall, winter and early spring - before the crops go in and after the sand burrs are done for the season. My Forever Mom likes to "walk the property", and she takes the herding dogs with her. Yes, that's right. Herding dogs only; all others: too bad, so sad. I guess that's because we need more exercise than the toy spaniels and I know we stick around better than they do. Yowser. Color me lucky that I'm a sheltie, a herding dog extraordinaire, and count me in!

Over the weekend, when it was snowing so hard that I could barely see the end of my pointy little nose, my Forever Mom slipped on her boots and strapped on her snowshoes and away we went. We got to run in the woods and jump through the tall grass and bury our faces in the snow, and we had a ball. The snow made it so that we didn't get dirty and the best part is there were no burrs poking up from the ground to stick in my feet. Yeeee Ha!

Last week, before it snowed, we were out for a romp and we came upon a deer in the woods. Yep, you guessed it. We started chasing that sucker. Boy was it fast! We went full throttle after it to the very edge of the property before I heard my Forever Mom S-C-R-E-A-M for us to come back. Then guess what? We did! And she was right there, waiting for us, ready to dish out most excellent treats for our good behavior! I LOVE that!

Okay, full disclosure here. Remember how I'm still learning stuff? Well, I have to admit the reason I came back when my Forever Mom called is because I love to follow Donzi, the GSD, who really IS well trained. When my Forever Mom tells her to come, Donzi high tails it back lickety split. And I'm always right beside her so I came too. I suppose it helped that the deer disappeared through some pretty tall grass and eventually I couldn't see it any more. But, the point is I came when I was called, no matter the reason, and I got some tasty treats for my good behavior! 

Now some of you may be thinking this whole forty acres of freedom thing is a recipe for disaster. After all, Shelties are known to be “flight risks”, and reports of a runaway Shelties are all too common. But my Forever Mom wasn't at all worried that I would run off, deer or no deer; she knew I would be a good boy because I'm starting to get it that good things happen when I come, when I obey. And she knows I love me new Forever home and that I'm going to do everything I can to stay in it, including coming for delicious treats, even when I'd rather chase a deer. 

So sign me up for a stellar recall some day! I want to prove to my Forever Mom that I can be as good as Donzi, my German Shepherd role model! 

Here we are, walking the property last week before the snow. Busa, Donzi, Bounce, and me. 

Herding dogs only. Can life get any better?

Party Down Party Dog!

Hi again. Yep. It's me, Dixon. Here I am with more to say. So, here goes.

Boy, did I have a great week! I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome it is to be someone's dog - even despite those annoying rules that I am trying to learn about and follow. Take the barking for example. Who would have thought that I'm totally okay not doing it sometimes, especially when the pay off is that I get to chase Donzi, the GSD, when she races after her ball. Seriously. Who knew that quiet play still could be so much blasted fun? See? I'm learning!

On Sunday, I had more fun because I got to do one of my favorite things: attend play group at Cloud Nine Training School for Dogs, my new home away from home. And, while all us dogs romped and stomped around, many of us took turns having our pictures taken at the Halloween photo shoot that was set up to raise money for MN Sheltie Rescue. I won't bore you with the details except to say that mostly it felt like we had one big day-long party, and I got to hang out with a bunch of dog friends, old and new. It was so cool. I got to meet Kepler, Dustin, and Parker, three "alumni" from MN Sheltie Rescue who were lucky enough to get adopted like me; I got to play with some of my "homies" like Bunny, Nephew, Lucy, Bella; and I got to meet a young, well-mannered Sheltie named Vigo. Woo Hoo! Let the good times roll!

Sarah, one of my specie buddies, bought a Halloween costume for me so I could dress up like a "gentleman", with a hat and tie and all. If I'm not mistaken, I believe the outfit even helped me behave in a rather gentlemanly fashion. I say this because Kepler's Forever Mom commented on my good manners and couldn't believe that I’m the little guy who has "issues". Ha!Hmmm. I wonder if that means I truly am making progress? I hope so. It will make my Forever Mom ever so happy and proud when I can be around unfamiliar dogs and not go ballistic. 

For now I'm jumping for joy that I get to be my Forever Mom's  "work in progress", and that I get to enjoy days like Sunday where I can run and play and have the time of my life. Did I mention that Sarah's husband, Brad, photographer, re-toucher, sheltie fancier extraordinaire, took some amazing pictures? Well, he did (see mine as an example). My favorites are the ones of the dogs wearing costumes! You go Princess Dottie and Lady GaGa Ruthie! Rock on!

Man, I hope we get to do this party/photo shoot thing again next Halloween, especially since I KNOW that I will be able to attend now that I am someone's dog with a Forever Home!

Thanks to Brad’s excellent photography skills, you can’t really tell that my front feet never stopped “pitter pattering” while he took my picture. Don’t I look like the perfect gentleman?