Back On Track Pt. 1: The Story of Cas

So apparently "over the next few days" meant "take two months off to think about blogging again before taking any action." Oops.

Anyways, here I am. And this time, I have a plan.  See, I have these four dogs (yes, I said four. wait for it....). And these four dogs all require different things from me. They each have their own purpose in my life, personally, and in some cases, professionally.  Over the next week, each of them will get a blog post explaining what I mean.

First up is the big, fluffy, black and white, testosterone-laden Elephant in the room, Castiel, since he is new to my life since I stopped blogging last year.

His favorite trick that he in no way uses to manipulate people

Cas is one of those amazing dogs that comes into your life when you least expect or want them.  I was not looking for a new dog last fall, let alone a boy, let alone a SHOW DOG, but one of my Facebook friends posted his pictures on her page saying he was available, and I just couldn't stop thinking about him. His beautiful structure and adorable face stole my heart. Cliche, I know. Now, I probably would have been able to resist him if not for a few rather, erm, "pushy" friends of mine who knew, more than I did, just how much I needed this puppy.

First pic I ever saw of him. I wondered why no one had snapped him up yet!

See, I grew up showing dogs primarily in conformation. Although I have since drifted into doing other things with dogs competitively, primarily agility, I've always missed it. Unfortunately, neither of my girls are particularly meant for that purpose ;). Last fall and winter, I was experiencing some pretty terrible depression. I struggled with even getting out of bed to go to work in the morning. I had no motivation. It was hard to look forward and see anything worthwhile. Getting Cas helped me to have the courage to change all that. He gave me something new and exciting, but familiar, to look forward to. He's one of those dogs that really reads human emotions well, and can be what you need them to be in times that you cant tell them. What a good boy he is. The first night I met him, after driving a long ways to meet his breeder in Klamath Falls, I asked him if he was supposed to be my dog. He looked me right in the eye and licked my face before settling down on my lap with a sigh. He has been my buddy ever since... and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish together.

BAM!

Cas, now 11 months old and 40 lbs of flash and fluff, is absolutely full of personality, sass, and joie de vivre. Not only is he absolutely gorgeous, with awesome structure and movement, but he is also wicked smart and athletic, and shows a lot of aptitude for agility. I would love to make him into an obedience and canine freestyle dog, too.  Right now, our focus is on foundation agility skills and relationship-building exercises. But that boy needs to learn how to do a formal heel... so that is coming soon :)

Plans for Cas... because why not be ambitious?: 

1. Conformation
1. CH, GCh, ultimate goal of a Group Placement and national ranking. Would like to show him at Westminster. Dream goal of winning a specialty and/or something at the BCSA national specialty (BOB, BOS, Select, AOM) that would qualify us to show at Crufts in England.  
2. Agility
1. Excellent/Elite titles in AKC and NADAC. MACH and/or NATCH. Qualify and compete in AKC or NADAC nationals/champs.
3. Freestyle
1. Become my main "Freestyle Fridays" dog (more info to come later). Possibly compete, but mostly do it for fun. 
4. Obedience/Rally
1. CD/CDX in obedience because I really just want to prove that I can do it and that obedience isn't scary. At least an RA in rally. 
5. Herding
1. At least intermediate titles in AKC/ASCA/AHBA. I'd like to see if he can drive and how much natural ability he as, as a show-bred dog. 
6. Tracking and Nosework
1. I'd like to earn a TD and a level-one Nosework title. 
7. Disc Dog
1. I am just learning about this sport, but my dogs go CRAZY for it and I would love to learn more and maybe compete on a local/regional level. 

...but not necessarily in that order ;). Basically, I just want to play around and enjoy life with him. Experience different sports and find something we both love to do together. I am a big proponent of cross-training with our dogs, even if you have one main sport you focus on. I think it makes them happier, more engaged, and better able to deal with a variety of situations. 

Regardless of how many of these goals we actually achieve, I'm sure we will have a blast trying. I will be using this blog as a training journal part of the time to help document our progress. Of course, lots of videos, pictures, and introspection will be found.  

Next up.... my right hand man, my sun and stars.... Ember. Stay tuned. 

Knocking Off the Cobwebs

So, I'm back, I think.

A few weeks ago, I got a notice from Google that my custom domain name was about to expire. The obvious thing would have been to let the domain go, and let Cedes of Change continue its quiet, steady fade into internet irrelevance. But for some reason, I just couldn't let it go.

The truth is, I miss blogging.  I miss having the space to share photos and recipes... to puzzle through issues I'm having in life and in my dogs' training...to have a record of our triumphs and struggles. I miss the community of dog bloggers that are so wonderfully welcoming and helpful and fun.

So yeah, I want to give it another shot.

Over the next few days or so, the blog will get an overhaul, and I will start posting regularly again. I am excited. A lot has happened since the blog gave up the ghost last year.

Like this:

But more on that later.... :D

Long Time, No Talk

Hi! Just wanted to write you all (well, anyone that is still following this blog, anyways :P) a quick note to let you know that after a long hiatus and some soul searching, I will now be blogging over at The Prairie Wolf Files. Hopefully I will see you there! xoxo

Product Review AND GIVEAWAY: Printcopia Canvas Prints

Awhile back (okay, an embarrassingly long time ago), the lovely people at Printcopia contacted me asking if I'd be willing to do a review of one of their products: canvas prints made from your own photos! Printcopia is a really cool company that allows customers to create a wide variety of prints (including canvas, acrylic, decals, etc) based on the customer's own photographs and art. Pretty awesome, eh? Never the type to turn down blog swag, of course I agreed to do this review!  I chose one of my favorite photos of Ember:

The online ordering process at Printcopia is SUPER easy and user-friendly. Their step-by-step process allowed me to choose from all sorts of options, from the size, type, and color of the canvas, to how I wanted the photo positioned. My canvas print arrived in just a few days and it is BEAUTIFUL!  Seriously, I love it. It's hanging on my wall.

Ready for her close-up

I definitely would order from Printcopia in the future. I'm thinking a 4' x 6' giant portrait of me and the girls dressed in wild west costumes would look nice on the wall in my living room, wouldn't you agree?

I kid.

Or do I?

Anyways...

In addition to the services Printcopia provides, their sister site, BuildASign.com offers a wide variety of custom products including bumper stickers, signs, magnets, banners, etc. If you're in the market for something along those lines, I'd definitely recommend this company. They are great to work with and designing what you want/need is super easy.

And now, what you're all probably really here for! :P

As a part of this review, Printcopia has offered to provide a free 8x10 canvas portrait to one of my readers. Hopefully I haven't bored you all away with my lack of blogging as of late, because this is a great deal! Unfortunately, they only ship within the continental US, so I'm going to have to restrict entries for this contest.

To enter, all you have to do is:

1) If you haven't already, "like" Cedes of Change on Facebook. 
2) Leave a comment on this post.
3)  For an additional entry, tell me the funniest knock knock joke you know.
4) For another chance to stack the odds in your favor, "share" the link to this post on Facebook. Just make sure to let me know you've shared it.

I'll announce the winner two weeks from today, May 15th. 

Hiatus

Well, I've done it again it seems. Gone another few months without blogging :P

I promise to start posting more again soon!

I do have a few more reviews to post, and another giveaway to do soon, so stay tuned. It'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming post haste.

GIVEAWAY Winner Announced!

This morning, thanks to a highly complex mathematical equation, I have determined the winner of the Taste of the Wild giveaway!

(Okay, truth is, I had a few friends pick a number between 1-11, and then averaged those numbers to get the winner. That's about the extent of my math skills. And I used a calculator.)

Anyways, the winner is....

Wyatt!  

Congratulations! Please contact me at ElementBCs (at) gmail.com within seven days to claim your prize! If the winner does not email me within that time frame, I'll choose a new winner.

Lists

I don't know what it is about this winter, but I've really been dragging my feet, at least when it comes to training the Border Collie women to do anything productive.

What we have been doing:

1) A lot of snuggling.

2) Lots of walking, and even a bit of hiking, now that the weather has warmed up a bit. 

3) Disc dog!

4) A little bit of agility.

5. Twitter. Yes, Twitter, as in tweeting, hashtags, and all that shizz. Turns out it's pretty fun! Follow Ember @EmberBCracken here! 

A few "official" things before I bring this rambling to an end:

1) The Taste of the Wild Giveaway ends Saturday. If you haven't entered yet, check out this post for details on how to win some free stuff! Winner will be announced Monday, 2/25.

2) Speaking of free stuff, I have a couple more reviews, and yet another giveaway coming soon, so stay tuned!

Review (AND GIVEAWAY!): Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon Dog Food

Last week, I received an email from one of my favorite dog food brands, Taste of the Wild, asking if I would be willing to review their newest dog food, Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon. The Southwest Canyon formula uses red meat (beef, lamb, wild boar) as its main protein source.  It also uses chickpeas and peas instead of potatoes as the main sources of starch/carbohydrates, creating a food lower on the glycemic index. This helps to stabilize blood glucose levels in dogs. From  the ToTW website:

Southwest Canyon was made specifically for those dogs that thrive on a red meat diet. This new Taste of the Wild formula was developed to provide a food that featured a unique protein source, wild boar. This red meat alternative was chosen to help satisfy your dog’s instinctual cravings.

Because I love and have fed ToTW (and, okay, I'm a sucker for free stuff LOL),  I wrote back immediately expressing my interest in doing the review. Within a few days, the samples arrived.... just in time for dinner!

Of course, Ember had to come check out the new stuff when I was taking pictures outside. She assumes that everything that comes in the mail is for her.... and really, most of the time she's right ;)

The dogs went absolutely nuts when I opened the sample bags, jumping up and sniffing.  The kibble is lighter in color, and has a pleasant (well, for dog food) smell. 

All three dogs absolutely loved the food and inhaled it even quicker than usual!  Cedar, my pickiest eater, liked it, too. And, a few days later, I can tell you that the food was good to their systems as well...if you catch my drift ;)

I would definitely recommend giving ToTW Southwest Canyon a try if you're on the market for a new, high quality kibble to feed your dog. Thank you so much, Tara, for the opportunity to do this review!

If you aren't sure where to find Taste of the Wild close to you, visit their dealer locator here.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS!!!!!!

And now.... the reason y'all are probably here in the first place, the giveaway!

In exchange for my review of Southwest Canyon, Taste of the Wild has offered to sponsor a prize pack for my readers. That's you!  Well, one of you anyways ;)

This prize pack includes samples of Southwest Canyon, a $25 gift card to PetFoodDirect.com for your dog, and a $25 gift card to Omaha Steaks for you  (a little red meat for everyone!).

To enter, all you have to do is:

1) If you haven't already, "like" Cedes of Change on Facebook.
2) Leave a comment on this post!  
3) If you "share" the link to this post on Facebook, you'll receive an additional entry.

Winner will be chosen by random draw on February 23rd (two weeks from now!)

Wintertime Blues

Womp wommmmmpppp. It's still winter.

Dark.

Cold.

Dreary.

Needless to say, winter has never really been my favorite season. I don't particularly enjoy winter sports... my one experience with snowboarding was a hilariously epic fail.

Here in the Tri Cities, this winter has been pretty mild in comparison to much of the country.  We've only had a few days of snow, and even then, it hasn't been too bad. I don't know about y'all, but what really gets me during the winter is the darkness. Up here, at its darkest, it wasn't light out til after eight, and then got dark again around four. Thankfully, there's a bit more daylight these days, and along with the extra hour or so of sun, my motivation for dog training and exercise has grown.

Please, Mama... train us!

Ember and I are currently enrolled in a Novice Rally class, and that has been a lot of fun. She is great, of course. Still very much a puppy, but great. I am hoping to have her ready to compete in the spring or summer.

I've been teaching classes for the local dog club up here for almost a year. The current session is five weeks in. I am teaching a CGC class and an agility class, and also assisting a friend with her STAR puppy class. So far, classes are going pretty well. I am enjoying teaching agility the most, obviously. This is the second time I've ever taught an agility class, and the first time teaching this particular class (Beginning Directional Handling). It's been really interesting transitioning from being an agility student to teacher. The hardest thing has been dealing with my insecurities. Part of me still can't believe that I have anything of value to say! Ah well, it'll come :)

In other news, we have a couple of really awesome reviews and giveaways coming up on the blog!!!!!  Trust me, y'all will definitely want to put in for these!  More details coming soon :)

I leave you with the song that's been stuck in my head since the Super Bowl:

Oh yeah, and Go Ravens! In my defense, I'm normally a Patriots fan. I just had a good feeling about the Ravens this year.

And that's my daily dose of random!

This is what happens...

...when I don't pay attention to Cedar for five minutes ;)

In case you were wondering, yes she did collect all these toys and sticks and put them at my feet in the hopes of playing a little fetch.

Border Collies....

Ermagherd Snerw! A photo series.

Wut iz this white stuffs fallin from the sky? Must investigate dis. Tastes funny. 

It feelz funny on my face. 

I don't trust it. Seemz kinda shifty.

I might need more time to investigate this snerw stuffs.

Wordless Wednesday: Lazybones

Footwear for Agility

Let's talk about feet. 

As someone with extremely sensitive, injury-prone feet and ankles, I have to think a lot about my footwear a lot. Whether for walking, running/exercise, or agility, I have to choose my shoes carefully. I have extremely weak ankles, so for my running and agility shoes, I need something that will support them without decreasing my range of motion.

When I began my agility journey, I didn't put much thought into footwear (or sports bras, but that's a whole 'nother blog post, LOL). But I found out pretty quickly that my crappy sneakers just wouldn't cut it on wet grass. The spring after I started competing, I invested in a pair of Merrells... snagged on sale at REI for over $50 off.  I love them so much, but after almost two years (I know you aren't supposed to wear sneakers for that long, but I just love them so!), they are falling apart.

I have been thinking about what shoes to get next for agility, but there are so many options that I don't know where to start, LOL.

The obvious choice would be another pair of Merrells, but I'm not necessarily stuck on that brand. 

I know Vibrams are trendy, but I worry they wouldn't be supportive enough for my feet and that a shoe like that would make it easier to re-injure my ankle. Those of you that wear them, do you find your feet hurt more (or less?) at the end of the day? Can you wear an ankle brace with them? 

My current Merrells. Lovely, but on their last leg. 

For running (not dog related), these are my favorites:  

 Asics GEL-Nimbus 14 Shoes (Blk/Digital/Neon Pnk) - Women's Shoes - 6.5 M 

I LOVE these shoes. It's like wearing little clouds on my feet. My feet don't get tired, and they support my arches and ankles without going up too high on the backs of my heels. I ran a 5k in them without any problems back in November. I pretty much only wear them for running, because they were expensive and I don't want to wear them out! 

I'm not sure if I want to invest the money in another pair of these for agility. I trial primarily on dirt, and the thought of getting a $100+ pair of shoes covered in arena sand makes me upset. LOL. 

I guess I should go to REI and try on some shoes. I am looking for something low profile, with lots of tread and built for narrower feet. I also have big, oddly sized feet (I'm either, or in between a 10 and an 11, depending on the shoe). 

Any suggestions? What brands, or models (is that the right word?) have worked best for you when it comes to shoes for agility? I would love to hear your input. 

Wordless Wednesday: My Little Writing Buddy :)

Saturday Blog Hop!

I'm so glad I remembered to do this again this week. It's always fun discovering new pet blogs that I'd otherwise not be introduced to..... so here goes!! :)

For those of you new to my blog, hello and welcome! My name is Ellie, and I blog about my adventures with  my two spunky Border Collies, Cedar and Ember. Sometimes Scully, my hubby's curmudgeonly Boston Terrier, makes an appearance as well. We have a lot of fun around here!

Cabin Fever

Seeing as it's winter, and generally cold and miserable outside, we haven't been doing a whole lot of training or agility lately. At least not the type that leaves both me and the dogs physically as well as mentally tired. As a result, both the dogs (okay, the collies) and I have been feeling rather stir crazy lately. Thankfully, I am lucky to live within walking distance of a huge park. On Christmas eve, we decided to harness up the ladies and take them to the park for a game of fetch. What do you get when you mix three ball driven, cabin fever-crazy dogs, a Chuck-it, and a big open space? Lots of fun... and some pretty awesome pictures, LOL. Here are a few of my favorites: 

Those of you who live in areas where winter puts a damper on your outside activities.... what do you do to keep your dogs mentally and physically exercised?

2013 Goals

I just love the promise that an impending new year brings, don't you?  In that spirit, here are my goals for 2013: 

First, what I learned in 2012: I learned that I am both stronger and weaker than I thought. I learned that I am a better dog trainer than I ever thought I could be, but that I need to work more on my mental game. I learned that Cedar is capable of being a team player, and that it can be fun and not stressful to run her. I learned that it is possible to have TWO heart dogs, and I've never felt so lucky. I learned how to be flexible and innovative in my dog training.  I learned that letting go of something you love a whole lot can be both heart-wrenchingly painful and a total relief... simultaneously. 

Most importantly, I learned that I need to make myself a priority. That was my biggest, most difficult revelation of the year. 

Now.... what I want to accomplish in 2013: 

Me:

• Notice that I put me at the top of the list. This in itself is a goal. My biggest goal for 2013 is to focus more on myself.
• Lose enough weight to feel better about myself
• Continue to work on my speed and endurance
• Complete at least two more 5k races, beating my personal best each time.
• Complete a 10k
• Finish my romance novel
• Get a solid, easy, but polished hair/makeup routine together
• Super awesome “dream” goals: Lose 65 lbs and get to my far-off “holy shit” goal weight.  Run a half marathon. Get published :P

Cedar:

• Continue proofing weave poles
• Get her into a regular schedule for chiropractic care
• Finish her Excellent titles in AKC
• Finish her Masters (Excellent B) titles in AKC
• Finish Elite titles in all NADAC classes
• Finish her Rally Advanced title, and maybe Rally Excellent
• Super awesome “dream” goals: Finish her NATCH, and/or qualify for AKC Agility Nationals.

Ember:

• Train, proof, and become proficient at doing *independent* 12 weave poles in a variety of locations, at different speeds, points of entry, and with me in many different positions in relation to the poles.
• Train, proof, and become proficient with all contact equipment, in a variety of locations, at different speeds, points of entry, and with me in many different positions in relation to the obstacles.
• Start competing in AKC and NADAC agility trials
• Finish RN (Rally Novice) title
• Super awesome “dream” goals: finish an Excellent/Elite title in either AKC or NADAC. Finish a CD title.

Overall goal for the next year: continue to get healthy, and focus on relaxing and having lots of stress-free fun with my two best collie dogs!

I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be amazing. 

Happy Holidays from Cedes of Change!

Well, it looks like we survived the end of the world. Yay! LOL

Scully looks so thrilled, doesn't she? 

Anyways, I hope y'all have a fantastic holiday and an even more fabulous New Year!

Here are a few more shots from our Christmas photo session a few weeks ago. What can I say, I love dressing my dogs up in clothes. Someday, I will have a tiny dog and he will have so many outfits that people will probably start to talk. Until then..... yeah....... stuff like this happens.

Oh yeah, today is the Life With Dogs Saturday Blog Hop!  Haven't signed up in awhile, but thought I'd do it today. Fun times!