Thursday, August 11, 2011

Tell Me Thursday #4

Crooks and Crazies


Yay! It's Friday Eve. I'm not entirely sure how I got here this week without imploding or exploding, but I made it. Hope the rest of you did too.

Before I pop the questions, I've got a couple of little things to tell you. On the week that we hit 20 people linking up, I'm going to make and give that person either a beaded lanyard or knitted scarf (their choice, and choice of color). I'm also going to give variations to some of the questions so that people without working dogs can play too.

Ok?



Ginger, you're such a good model. :)

Questions for today:

1. In sheepdog training (or lets call it *any* type of training), how do you keep from taking yourself, your dog, your lack of progress too seriously? posed by Ann
2. How many crates do you have? For reals.
3. How do you keep your dogs in shape?
4. Who is your favorite movie/tv star eye candy at the moment?
5. What is your livestock situation? Have your own? Borrow? Herd the cats? (You can subsitute other equipment for livestock if you don't work stock with your dogs).

1. In sheepdog training (or lets call it *any* type of training), how do you keep from taking yourself, your dog, your lack of progress too seriously? posed by Ann

Uh... well... I can't say that I've figured this out yet really. I've learned to relax just a little, but quite frankly I hold my dogs and myself to a very high standard. I'm dealing with some lack of progress as we have very limited access to stock at the moment. I'm pretty sure I would have Linc in open by now if I got him to sheep more than once every few weeks. But I've accepted that this is my situation for now. And... lets be honest... I can't afford to trial at the moment either, so our lack of progress isn't smacking me in the face. When I was trialing them more often I was frustrated with some things that popped up (like Nick crossing at my feet at Rural Hill grrr).

I'm pretty emotionally invested in how my dogs work sometimes. I've actually had to work hard to become somewhat more circumspect. I've had to learn to work Linc as if I were someone else, and it has made a difference. When I work to separate my dogs and my value from how they're working it helps me to be more objective. I'm not always able to do this, but I'm able to more and more, and they benefit from it. It takes some undue pressure off.

2. How many crates do you have? For reals.

I'm down to 20 now. WOOT! I actually MADE myself throw away a partially broken crate a few weeks ago. I actually went down to the trash and brought it back up twice before I finally convinced myself to leave it. I think this is probably some sort of sign of illness, but whatever. 6 dogs, 20 crates... not an awful ratio if you ask me. Relatively speaking.

Hi. My name is Laura. I have a crate problem.

3. How do you keep your dogs in shape?

Right now? Hah! When I can I take the working dogs out for a trail run, and some swimming. It's been so ridiculously hot this summer that mostly we all just try not to suffocate. I long for the day when I have enough property to be able to get them out and *really* run them.

4. Who is your favorite movie/tv star eye candy at the moment?



Kenny Johnson - plays Ham in Saving Grace. Yum. Yum yum yum.

5. What is your livestock situation? Have your own? Borrow? Herd the cats? (You can subsitute other equipment for livestock if you don't work stock with your dogs).

At one time I kept some sheep out at Julie P's. After my divorce I had to sell them, so since then I've been mostly bumming sheep time off of friends. But I'm a good worker, and try to earn my keep as much as I can. I'll say, though, with friends further away, gas expensive, and no sheep of my own I find myself in regular sheep withdrawal. Farm withdrawal. Friend withdrawal (though I do have other non-farm owning friends). On the other hand, it makes me even more motivated to get my own farm. Not that I wasn't already motivated.

To my friends who share so generously with me, thank you. I always hope they know it, but it doesn't hurt to be told every now and then that you're appreciated. They are.

Don't tell them this, but I'd go out there and help with sheep and chores even if I couldn't ever work my dogs again... even if I didn't have a dog at all. I enjoy the sheep that much. They're even better than horses cuz you can eat them. If you ride them (which I wouldn't recommend) then you don't even have as far to fall.

Kidding. Kidding about riding. Not kidding about how much I appreciate my friends, and not kidding about eating them. Sheep, not friends.

So, link up, and tell me!

Here's your code:






20 comments:

Unknown said...

Gosh, I amaze myself at how timely I am....

Laura Carson said...

Go, Julio, GO! I'm impressed. :) And you're forgiven lack of pictures. I'm picture sloppy today myself. Like you... I just don't really have the time.

Kristi said...

There ya go! And I added pictures because I gotz nothing but time. :-)

Anonymous said...

After reading everyone's posts the past few weeks, I finally decided to join in...Can't wait to read everyone's responses!

Doniene said...

Good morning ya'll. Glad to see new people joining in! As always, Laura, this is fun.

Blessings

Steffi said...

This is such a great idea! I just finished my post - sorry I couldn't figure out how to do the little code - I'll try to figure it out later :) Love your blog and glad I'm not the only one with a crate problem.

- Steffi

Steffi said...

Ohhhh - figured it out! Now my post has your awesome picture link in it!

- Steffi

Anonymous said...

I do only have three dogs, lol. One crate is my "puppy" crate and I have a gigantic crate that fits my friend's great dane mix...the other three are just the right size for my dogs...but one isn't a Furarri style so I want to get rid of it...and hopefully replace it with one I found near Portland while I'm in the area for the Lacamas SDT...I could very easily become a crate hoarder...

Anonymous said...

Oh and if you buy a new Furarri, they only come in one color...blue...so I am constantly looking on Craigslist...and they are much cheaper!

Laura Carson said...

Good advice Jaenne (I loves me some Craigslist)! I'm pretty sure I *am* a crate hoarder. Seriously. But shoot... crates in the house, crates in the van... crates everywhere. Plus if friends dogs come to visit it's not like they have to leave crates. That's my story, anyway. :)

Kristi - my eyeballs thank you.

Doniene and Steffi - so glad you guys joined us!

Katy said...

Thanks for some more great questions. This is fun!

Pippin, the Gentle Pup said...

We're in--I didn't post them as my eye candy, but I think Nick and Linc are handsome, handsome

Laura Carson said...

Why thank you, Pippin! I think they're pretty handsome too! I didn't really like black faced dogs much until Linc came along, but now I find them to be very hunk-ish!

Mara said...

I've been having lots fun reading these and wanted to play along this week!

Two Dogs, One Camera said...

Woohoo! Second Thursday in a row for me! I really like some of these questions, as they really make me think about myself.

Like you, I hold high standards for myself and I have to remember it's fun. Something for me and my dogs to do together :)

livin life said...

I am holding out for the 20 spot...silly girl! Yes, the cougar dancing boy is off to college. I'm still thinking of some witty replys to your questions.....but so far...all of them required a bit of editting. One never knows who reads them! :)

Ann said...

What? Pictures? Got it!

Laura Carson said...

Lora, lol! I understand. I have to self-edit quite a bit. :) My natural inclination is... well... lets say I try to keep it all a little under control.

Laura Carson said...

And by the way - I sort of distracted myself when I was typing up my post yesterday. I'd walked away for a moment and came back and forgot to edit. On the lanyard thing, what I meant to say is this:

"On the week that we hit 20 people linking up, I'm going to put names in a hat and draw. I'll give that person either a beaded lanyard or knitted scarf (their choice, and choice of color)."

Sorry for my own confusion.

Ellie said...

I'm excited to start playing along next week!