Good CPE Sunday

Have you heard of CPE (Canine Performance Events)? It's another organization that holds agility trials throughout the US and parts of Canada, and I've got to say, I love it!

I highly recommend it for those first getting into the sport. I find the atmosphere more laid back than AAC, the courses are usually more forgiving for those getting started and there are lots of different games to play.

Brandy and I attended the Acton Agility CPE trial this Sunday, coming away with two new titles in Level Three. The little dog was fast, happy, and though not always spot on, she was listening well, and ran great over all.

Check out the CPE website for more details, or visit the Acton Agility website to see when the next trial date is.

Personalities and the Dogs We Love

After reading the post "The Right Dog" on "The Other End of the Leash" (Patricia McConnell), about how well our personalities coincide with the dogs we choose to share our lives with, it got me thinking about my own dogs, and how they've fit in our family.
*If you are interested in dogs and their behaviour, I highly recommend that you read Patricia McConnell's blog (above) or any of her books for that matter. She is an excellent writer and a wealth of knowledge on the subject.

Brandy? Yes, well, she is "the one". The similarities between our personalities are uncanny. The stubborn, back-talking, independent little brat with an extremely intelligent mind of her own, who is well read, some-what clean and hates following others can describe Brandy, or, if you like, it can describe me rather well. We just mesh and fit well together. We love our own space, are not clingy or needy, love to be active, physically and mentally, we get antsy when we don't get our daily exercise (but I don't chew my feet...wait, that's not true!), and we want things our own way, though we will defer to others on occasion...grudgingly.

After contemplating the above paragraph, I find it amazing how alike we really are. It seems almost impossible to be that similar to a creature who is not of our own species. But there it is, and when you think about it, dogs really are not that unlike us in many ways (besides the rear-end olfactory romps).

That is not to say that she wasn't a pain in the a$$ when we first got her. Heck, she was our first dog, and we hadn't a clue. The sassy little brat was a handful when she was tiny, and took to humping my calf as a favorite passed time until we took matters from her paws, and into our own hands - ah, puppy class. As soon as structure and training ensued, we had the "perfect" dog, in my eyes. Granted, she's quirky at times, again, not unlike myself, but I'm an artist, that's my excuse, and she's a Jack Russell, so I guess that's hers.

Mack, on the other hand, oh Mack. I will fully admit, he just doesn't fit in as well. He's dense, goopey, not well read, is anxious, needy, clingy, bossy but unsure, and basically unstable to put it nicely. His personality completely clashes with my own and Brandy's. I know for a fact, because she's confided in me, that Brandy barely tolerates him. I think it might be the smell, but I'm not sure. I won't claim him to be my dog, as he really falls under my hubby's jurisdiction, and I am truly ok with that as our relationship is rocky at best (not with my hubby, with the dog).  (Mack and my other half do get along, it could be the gas, or even the messiness that draws them together, I'll never know for sure.)

Delving into the personalities of my own dogs allows me to see why and how our relationships are the way they are. The closer in personality to your canine companion seems to point to better relationships, understanding and bonding. The further you are, personality wise, the further you will be relationship wise. This leads me to draw the conclusion that not all dogs will fit well into all house-holds. Sometimes it's in everyone's best interest to allow that dog to move on to a family that fits better in regards to personality, so that the dog, and yourself, will have a happier, more fulfilling life. At times that's just the way things need to be, and though it may be tough, in the end, it's well worth it for both sides. If you have that dog who fits you like a glove, consider yourself lucky, as the assets that you gain from that relationship are amazing to say the least.

The idea of personality matching, such as the one noted in Patricia's blog (Main Line Mutt Match), is a good one, and something that all prospective dog owners should consider when they are thinking of adding a new member to the house-hold (speak to breeders or shelters about temperament tests and personality indicators). The better the personality match, the better you will all get along, and isn't that the point?

Dogs at Odds

A Monday Off

After spending 45 minutes in a line-up at Best Buy for a price match on Monday, I decided I needed some time in the woods. I will mention that the 45 minutes was well worth it, $62 returned, a $22 gift card, and $5 back that they short changed me on Saturday. Hey, I'll give it to Best Buy, they dun good by me. And, smart me for being early, by the time I got to the customer service desk the wait in the line up was over two hours! I'm patient, but not that patient to wait 2 hours in a line, especially when I'm being herded through a make-shift chute, like a cow going to the slaughter house, with lots of other cows hanging around, waiting to embark upon the same fate. Slaughter house ... customer service, sometimes could be the same thing, worked out well for me though (and believe me, I don't envy those that have to work in the customer service industry over the holidays - no thanks, not for me).

So anyway, back to the woods. Makes me feel somewhat sane again after spending too much time in a crowded area, with lots of people just standing around waiting. So off to Lowville Park I went, with dogs in tow. I had debated a more remote area, but then stupidly, before I left, I read about an overabundance of bold coyotes this year, so decided upon a bit more of a civilized area. Be they coyotes or wild chickens, as has happened previously in my wooded adventures, I wasn't in the mood to run into either, so Lowville seemed like the safest bet.

Perhaps not the brightest choice though, as I can't even count the number of times I almost killed myself on the slick paths. A wee bit icy on the hills, inclines and even just the flat paths (it's a real challenge to walk up a steep hill when the path is covered in random, large ice patches under a thin, but disguising layer of snow). The wind and blowing ice/snow pellets really didn't add to the appeal either, but the fresh air was good and the dogs enjoyed it (they told me so). Hands down, it beats standing in a line-up for 45 minutes at a Best Buy out of town.

Done and Done

Ah, the Christmas portraits are complete, shipped and delivered, what a wonderful feeling. These two were a blast to create, with loads of personality in the fuzzy faces, and great reference photos from the clients.

I hope that these two pieces do justice to the beloved animals in them. I will say, I am quite pleased with how they turned out, and am looking forward to getting started on the next one.

 Note: there isn't a line through the original, I had to scan Tequila's portrait in two separate pieces

I will be officially announcing the contest for a complimentary 5"x7" pencil portrait after the holidays are over, so stay tuned!

In the mean time, I hope everyone has a safe, happy and healthy holiday season. Here's to a white Christmas, with snow melting the next day and temperatures in the low 20's for the rest of the winter. Is that too positive? Is there such thing as being too positive? Well, one can only hope.

All the best!!

Vacation will make you do that...

Yes, I have been rather lax on my posting these past couple of weeks. But I was on vacation for one of them, which I think is a good excuse, and well, it takes a while for me to get out of vacation mode during the first week back.

We spent the week on Eels Lake, just North of Apsley and South of Bancroft. I'm certain that we picked the only good week that summer has had to offer so far. So we had hot weather, lots of swimming and surprisingly little bugs. Though, the fishing left something to be desired.


We even missed a tornado that ravaged part of Milton's downtown core. The storm moved quickly across Southern Ontario, with tornado's active in certain areas, and warnings in others. We prepared ourselves, somewhat hard to do when your living in a wooden box for the week - where do you go when there's no basement and you're in the middle of the woods, but luckily we only got a nasty storm. Check out some of the images from the Weather Network:

Tornado
Damage
Trees Down
More Damage

Jumping from the swim raft

The dogs, and us, got to enjoy the water on an almost daily basis, and Brandy, my Jack Labrador Retriever, is loath to leave the water for any reason, preferring to spend hours fetching objects from the lake for us to toss back in again. Even objects that we haven't tossed, such as a random leaf meandering on the lakes surface, was enough to make her insane about getting it out of the water. And if you haven't heard a dog scream, go swimming without my little one and you'll be surprised at the noises that can come out of this little creature.

The Dig

It was also fantastic to see the dogs actually being dogs, living in the great outdoors for the week. You could tell that they enjoyed themselves, especially Brandy, who got to utilize her instincts by digging us a rather large hole. On the hunt for something unknown, which we had to kibosh since it wasn't our property. She was intent on finding what ever it was in the ground, and I was surprised at how quickly the hole expanded. The little dog excavated earth very well, going as far as pulling roots out of the way and any other object that was in her path. It was great to see her do something very instinctual like that, and after the stoppage, she seemed very proud of her handy-work. Not too worry, I filled the whole back in nicely, so we'll never know what she was after, but I think the fun was in the dig itself.

The hole

Unfortunately, now that I am back, I have to return to work mode (and I'm not talking about the portraits or my business - I enjoy those). Fortunately, I have come up with some new ideas for the business which I will reveal in a later post. As well, I have been working on a landscape of Burns Creek Conservation Area, which will also be revealed in a later post. For now, some more photos from our vacation take top priority on this blog so enjoy!

Eels Lake Sunset off the dock

My Jack Labrador Retriever enjoying the water

Little Retriever with good form

The double stick retrieve

Lot of large wild mushrooms on the property

ZERO!

It was a zero day for me and the little dog. I can't place blame, and I'm not sure what went horribly amiss, but the day just wasn't meant for qualifying runs. I'm sure everything boils down to my fault, but the little dog was crazy. Perhaps it was the fresh air, or the feel of young, green grass, with fresh morning dew under her feet. What ever it was, it gave her extra horse power and reduced cognitive skills.

We had equipment avoidance, lack of listening, and even a teeter fly-off, which hasn't happened for years. We also had an abundance of electricity in the air, and a few thunderstorms roll through the area, which could have greatly contributed to the oddity of the day (part of the day was spent huddling in the car, waiting for them to pass). It was actually the most lightening and thunder that I've been around for quite some time. The Niagara Escarpment seems to protect us from any major storms around where I live. This place, however, was not in the "protection zone".

The agility field just before a big one let go

Amazing watching the ominous looking clouds making their way towards us, listening to the thunder threaten the next runs, and watching the lightening in the distance, signalling everyone to take cover. At least the day wasn't a total bust, and I got some shots of the storms that joined us for our outdoor trial. Did I mention we don't normally do outdoor trials? I think we've been spoiled with all our indoor events - but I'm hazarding a guess that I should probably stick to trials with a roof over my head...perhaps it will be better luck (it normally is).

Waiting out the storm in her crate

Here comes another one

And another

Watching the storm through the windshield

JRTRO Trial Parade of Rescues June 6th

Some great little dogs were present for the Parade of Rescues at the JRTRO trial June 6th. Great dogs, and wonderful people who've opened their homes and adopted these little guys from the Jack Russell Rescue of Ontario. My sister and I were lucky to capture some great pictures from this event. (the images marked J.Deans were taken by myself and the ones marked G.Deans were taken by my sister)

All who attended the parade were awarded ribbons for their participation. As well, they got to tell the judge all about their little guys. What a great way to get people to learn more about the rescue, and the fantastic dogs that come through its doors.

How could you resist this face? Or any of the others for that matter. Thanks to the JRTRO for putting on a great trial!!

For more information about adopting a JRT or donating to the Russell Rescue please visit:

www.russellrescue.org

Queen of Multi-tasking

I suppose that you could call me that. I have a hard time just working or concentrating on one thing ... I like to keep busy, so I end up having 20 things going on at once, though sometimes I would prefer to be the laid back, one at a time type person. Alas, I doubt that will ever happen.

So, here is yet another sneak peak of a piece that I am working on. This one is for myself and my hubby - a wedding creation in coloured pencil. So far so good, my only complaint, or perhaps I should say critique (just to be more professional) is the faces. Not sure how I'm going to go about finishing them off yet. This is my first human coloured pencil piece ... and therein lies the challenge.

The "Dogs of Moron" are coming along and are very close to the completion stage (whew). I am also working on some jobs for clients, so all these side drawings may be taking a back seat for a while.

Just a Taste

I was inspired by some of the pictures that I took down in Cayo Coco, Cuba. So I have decided to do a 4x6 graphite pencil trilogy, a 5x7 graphite pencil piece, and blow up some of the really good photos for possible sale as prints. Will this all get done? - I ask myself...yes, in time, for sure, I'm definitely motivated for this project.

I've started on the 4x6 trilogy, entitled none other than "The Dogs of Moron". I will post bits and pieces as I progress through the work, and I will announce anything that will be available for sale as prints. Once the trilogy and the lone 5x7 are complete, I may also offer a small amount of prints for these as well.

I will also be embarking on a butterfly 4x6 trilogy in coloured pencil, though this has nothing to do with my trip to Cuba. Reference photos for this series were taken at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory, and I will post bits and pieces on these as well.

A first glimpse at the initial drawing in the "Dogs of Moron" series. This guys lounges quietly on the tiled sidewalk, an air of dignity surrounds him as he rests in the shade beside a man who may or may not be "his" man.

Dogs of Moron amoung other things...

A week long stay at the Melia Cayo Coco in Cuba is just what is needed if you're looking for relaxation, a nice resort, good food, and if you're planning a wedding. I was looking for all four, and was pleasantly surprised when all four exceeded my expectations.
Throughout our stay, of course, I had my camera with me, and was able to capture some images of the island, as well as animals on our tour of the city of Moron on the main island of Cuba.

It was amazing for me to see the dogs of this city, and most likely it is similar throughout Cuba. I suppose that they could be classified as pariah-type dogs however, they don't seem to be feral, and quite a few that I saw seemed to belong to a person standing with them. They are all similar in size, shape and random breeding, resembling how our own dogs would look in North America if left to breed and live on their own.

This little guy was, unfortunately, mangy and didn't look to be in the greatest of health, but he strolled down the street, as did the other dogs, with no fear. I did not hear a single bark or whine while in the vicinity of any of the dogs. All of them seemed to carry an air of calmness, which a lot of our North American canines lack.

Hard to see here, this one was taken from the bus in the country-side, but a dog strolls up to his people on this homestead (highlighted). Looked to be black and tan, again, similar in size and shape to all the others.

This guy inhabited the crocodile farm that we visited on our trip, again, taken from the bus, this dog sported a brindle coat and had a slightly different head shape from the other dogs that I saw.

 This girl also inhabited the croc farm, dozing in front of a chicken pen just down from the workers who were taking a break in the shade. The temperament of these dogs surely has something to do with the fact that they are probably never bored, they are allowed to roam at will, and are constantly physically and mentally stimulated by their environment. All things that many of our pets lack throughout their pampered lives. Not saying it's bad that we pamper, my dogs are very spoiled...

This guy was neat, a Brahma I believe, also a resident of the croc farm.

And who could forget the main attraction of the farm. I was able to hold a baby. Never felt skin like that before, such amazing creatures!


My hubby and I were upgraded to one of the "cottages" built over a salt water lagoon in the resort. Mornings were fish feeding time, with some bread saved specifically for them the night before. Though the lagoon looked fresh, it was definitely salt, with jelly-fish, needle fish, small barracuda, and a whole assortment of other fish that I couldn't begin to name.

These fish were very bass-like in shape and structure, and the boldest when it came to eating the bread we threw in for them. This photo was enhanced to make the fish more visible.

Dragonfly, same as everywhere, on our cottage porch.

The ocean as seen from our resorts beach. Gorgeous water, very clear, and apparently perfect for snorkeling (of which I only partook in once, and made me even more sea-sick on a catamaran tour). 
Common tern I believe. These guys would fly low over the surf on the beach, watching for little molecules of any fish-like product in the shallow water for their breakfast.

This brown pelican was a ham. A young guy, posed on the beach for all the photographers and the ladies. Never thought they were that big until I stood right beside one.

And this guy, ah, he didn't fare so well, was merely a shell when we found him. A very stinky shell.

Overall, a great trip, with decent pictures, good weather, tasty food and a great wedding!!