As 2014 ends we look forward to 2015

It's no secret to my friends and family that I love New Years. The planning for the coming year, the goal setting, the fresh start, it's so inspiring. And while you can do all these things at any time of the year there's something different about doing it collectively when everyone is looking ahead to the future as one, there's a different vibe.

A New Year for Braebrook means a reassessment of past goals to see what we've met and what may have changed, a planning of the show season to come, deciding what performance avenues we want to pursue, planning breedings, a continual study of pedigrees and dogs, continuing education for myself in the form of seminars and books, and reflecting on 2014.

It's always good to start the year organized, and I'm working on that with a new white board for the dog room, file folder for all of my (many) dog receipts, a new day planner and a few other odds and ends...I'm good to go!

 I have several dogs I'd like to put CGN (Canine Good Neighbour) titles on this year, and I'd like to get back into tracking again. I have loved doing field work with the Vancouver Island Pointing Dog Club and would like to get Vinnie's FDJ (Field Dog Junior) and continue to work with Libby towards her FD (Field Dog) title. I am also looking forward to getting involved in Earth Dog trials with the terriers this year, it really looks like fun, and then of course there's obedience trails and lots of conformation shows. So much to do, 2015 will be a busy year!

Breedings will be posted as they come to fruition but we have some very exciting things planned in that area too. 

As always, thank you so very much to everyone who is involved with Braebrook in any way, from providing wonderful homes for the puppies, to training partners and handling friends, those who help with watching dogs so we can get the very rare trip away as a family, stud dog owners and friends and everyone else in between. We love and appreciate you all.

Here's to 2015, may it be the best one yet!!

Harrison - 13 month picture update

I love this dog, not only is he coming coming along nicely structure wise but he's just a cool dog. He has so much personality, he's confident, very trainable and just plain fun. The future is looking bright!

Here's a link to his pedigree.

Brody x Phoebe puppy update

It's been awhile since I've posted as I've just been so darn busy with life and all that entails, my apologies. :)

The Brody and Phoebe puppies are five and a half months now, and I swear all I did was blink and that happened. Soon they'll be old enough to show which I can hardly believe. For now I am concentrating on Christmas and family but once the New Year hits we'll be back at the dog shows and trials and I'm looking forward to it.

This is Friday (Braebrook's Eight Days A Week) who was the pink collar puppy. She is going to be a really fun puppy to show, she uses her ears beautifully, has great focus, is easy to train and has just the right amount of brattiness to make things fun.

And this is Lennon (Braebrook's We All Shine On) who was the black collar puppy. He is so sweet and obedient, has great bone and a handsome head and is very pretty in the neck through shoulder area. He is a bit long in the body but has so many virtues I don't mind that so much. Lennon is available to a local co owned show home, or pet home that will let me show him.

Considering this is one of the worst ages to be looking at a puppy's structure (they are just growing in weird, gangly spurts right now) I am very happy to see how they are coming along.

Ok, back to work...more updates soon!

The Sister Jane Foxhunting Series

I accidentally stumbled across someone on Facebook talking about the Sister Jane Foxhunting series by Rita Mae Brown about four or five years ago now and I'm so glad I did. It's become one of my favourites. The reading is easy, fun and has a bit of mystery to it. The stories will make you long to be out of doors all the time, and I love the close connection the heroine has with her hounds. 

I was thrilled to see a couple of months ago that there is a new book in the series being released on November 4th (yes, I've preordered) which will make for perfect rainy day fireside reading. The book is called Let Sleeping Dogs Lie......can't wait!

Have you read any of the series or any other books by Rita Mae Brown? What do you think?

Brody and Phoebe litter - Picture update

These guys were born on June 8th which makes them four and a half months old now...time flies. They are growing like little weeds!

This is Braebrook's Eight Days a Week "Friday". She was originally pink collar and will be staying here.

This is Braebrook's We All Shine On "Lennon". He was originally black collar and is available to the perfect local show home on a co ownership. The home wouldn't actually have to show him themselves, I would be happy to do that. If you are interested feel free to email for more information: braebrookdobes@yahoo.ca

And this is Braebrook's Love Me Do "Khaleesi". She was formally yellow collar and has a wonderful home with Errol and Toni. She was included in picture taking day as she is boarding here while her owners are out of town (hope you are having a wonderful time you two!).

Puppies day out

Yesterday was a mixed bag of weather. It started out with thunder and lighting just before 6am and lots of rain for the rest of the morning. It finally cleared up a bit after lunch so I quickly loaded up some dogs and headed out to our favourite running spot. We get halfway there and the rain starts to pour down so we parked and waited it out. We finally just decided to run dogs in the rain. The first half of the walk was a little damp...

  And then the wind arrived and Ella Dupuy turned into Ella Poppins. 

Once the dogs are out and running of course they don't care about the weather. 

 Today was the first time the puppies went on a big dog run and they loved it ( I loved it too because they were exhausted when they arrived home which means they slept soundly for a long period of time).

The puppies growing up here from the Brody x Phoebe litter are Friday (pink collar) and Lennon (black collar), and London came along for the run too.

 Soon the sun came out...love these pictures of Marshall and Friday.

Cutie..

Not afraid of an umbrella, that's one thing checked off of the WAE list. 

 Lennon

London trying to teach Friday the stalking game.

Friday

And then it was time to fly home!

Running the red heads and a wee Smoothie

I try to get a group of dogs out everyday for a good heart pounding, muscle building, brain clearing run in the fresh air. The kiddies run hard too, and I get in a good walk as well...everyone benefits. Yesterday I brought the camera along with me. Once of my goals for the upcoming year is to learn how to properly use my camera....you know, out of the manual mode. I am also going to install and learn how to use Photoshop. I have great subjects and I really should learn to present them properly.

Yesterday's group included Phoebe, Pelly, Hadley and Fiona.

I do have to drive to this area to run dogs, but it's not too far which is nice and I never run into anyone. Oh how I wish this was my own backyard....a girl can dream. 

I love this little group of photos...Marshall's skip in the middle is just so cute, and so him.

The fall colours right now are so beautiful...

Puddles cannot be resisted (nor should they be!)..

Fiona LOVES water...races around in the puddles, biting, leaping and playing..so funny.

Pelly and Phoebe, daughter and mother. 

Ella running like a wild thing...fills my heart with joy.

  

Back to the field..

Boys will be boys....there were a lot of laughs at this photo when we got home.

Ella playing with Pelly.

How cute is this very hairy little stinker?? That neck beard is most impressive right now, I think she needs a haircut. ;)

 Go Phoebe go!

Pelly

Marshall and Phoebe

Marshall and Hadley. They had a little game going where he would run backwards as she trotted towards him, a lot of giggling.

Marshall loves his Hadley.

Ella and Fiona, I do so love my girls.

The last couple of weeks has definitely presented a challenge to try to get outside in-between rainfalls but if we can't we don't let that stop us either. We wouldn't be very good west coasters if we did!