DEALING WITH A HEAT WAVE

Our average daytime temp this week has been 95 degrees and Heddy is not a very heat tolerant dog so I have been busy trying to find ways to keep her cool.

I saw what I thought would be a great new toy for her a toy that was supposed to float  “ The FLOATING FLAPPY” I figured it would be safe to throw out in the boat slip for her to retrieve and keep her swimming. So I ordered her one. It arrived yesterday and after work we headed down into the boat slip.

On the very first toss I realized we had a problem. The “Flottie” SANK …. BUT….. SO DID HEDDY…. She trotted into the water and just dove right in after it as if she had been doing it all her life.

SO I may not be able to toss the FLOATING FLAPPY out into the boat slip for her to retrieve but she sure is having fun with it in clear water.  I wonder how deep she would go if we had a swimming pool?

Crabbing

One of the befits of living in Delaware and on the water is Crabbing. Now I am not to sure how that is going to work out with Border Terrier help. Last week-end we had our Grandsons for the day and we did some Crabbing from the bulkhead not to keep for  eating just for fun. We would catch and then release them into the boat slip to watch them scurry back into the water.

Well in Heddy’s mind this was a GREAT NEW GAME. I am not sure if we should let the crab teach her not to touch or keep telling her NO! LEAVE IT! Because at some point she will meet a crab on her own. 

Heddy has a Reptile Day

We have had a run on Turtle rescues around here and as always Heddy has to be right in the middle of it all.  Our first short term guest was a newly hatched Painted Slider that luckily was discovered right before a large bunch of leaves was headed for the shredder. We were raking and noticed this small green disk. At first I was not even sure if it was alive but after a few hours rest in some water we released him into the boat slip all under the watchful eye of Miss Heddy.

   

As soon as I thought we were done with our turtles my son Wayne came home from work with a  Box Turtle that he Rescued from the middle of the road. Now PLEASE understand I do not approve of removing Box Turtles form their environment BUT this guy was in the middle of the Highway and needed to be removed we will take care of him for a while then release him into a Sate Park where he works. Again as usual Heddy was into helping while we built his cage. Notice that the Turtle does not appear as excited to meet Heddy as she was to meet him.

Raising a Border Terrier Puppy has been

DAYS FILLED WITH FUN

NO DUCKS ALLOWED

Heddy has decided that there are NO Fine Feathered Friends allowed anywhere near our property. That is all well and good except for the fact that I now have to take her out to pee on a leash in the mornings and at night otherwise at 6 AM in the morning she hits the ground running to make a quick check of our property and see that we have not been invaded in her short absence.
OK I could even live with that AND the fact that she takes a swim to check and make sure that no one is hiding in the boat slip. BUT what is a problem is the fact that she does this while BARKING at  full voice to tell those Critters GET OUT OF MY YARD!
Well I can except this she is a Terrier and she is allowed an opinion. AND I really do not want the Ducks and Canada Geese in the Yard, they make a terrible mess, BUT at 6 AM or at 11 PM I do not want the neighbors to want to strangle a Little Brown Dog.
Guess it has something to do with the fact that I complain about the neighbors NEVER ENDING BARKING MOPS! (Shitzus)
But when it is afternoon. Well no one ever told Heddy she was not a water dog. She swims as well as our sons Lab. I have the wet soggy cloths to prove it. How come when ever a dog is wet they just have to come and jump into your lap. And we are talking MUDDY Salt Marsh Water. Doesn't ever get better than that.

GOTTA LOVE A BORDER TERRIER!

THING TO NEVER DO ON A RAINY DAY

DO NOT GO RUNNING AFTER A SMALL BROWN DOG DOWN SLIPPERY GRASS AND DIRT BANKS AND THROUGH WOODS AND BRAMBLES!  IT IS NOT FUN!  AND YOU GET REALL SCARED!

OK I am back from a nice long run through the woods that I had NOT planed on.  BUT we are both safe and Heddy survived her escape and being caught.  I resisted all thoughts to strangle her and instead hugged and kissed her and told her what a good dog she was for letting mommy pick her up.
Now the story as to WHY we went for a run through the woods.
I took Heddy out for her usual after lunch time Potty. It is a NASTY day here in Delaware, Cold rain, guess just perfect weather for a Border Terrier. Heddy was having a grand time enjoying the smells I was miserable and really not paying total attention to her waiting for her to GO already. Suddenly she must have seen something I did not see and TOOK OFF. She hit the end of her 6 foot lead and her nylon collar did what all safety collars do it broke open and she was OFF. And so was I as soon as I recovered my senses enough to realize what had just happened. I was amazed at how fast that little Brown dog can run!  I am just very glad she was running to something and not after something. She took me through the neighbors yard down a hill and into the woods behind our office. BARKING ALL THE WAY. No problems following her.  I think the stream might have stopped her not sure any way when I got to her she was very busy DIGGIN for I do not know what but she wanted it NOW. She was so very busy that she did not even try to get away but let me grab her right up. 

Telling her what a good dog she was might have been the hardest thing I have done yet in dog training.  I know what my Dad would have done to one of his GSP’s if it had run off like that. Lets just say times they have changed. A LOT!

I was so glad she went into the woods and not into the street. Our office is right on Rt 26 and while not a busy street by city standards it is steady and I can not bear to imagine the what ifs.

Lesson learned NEVER NEVER again take her outside with out a chain collar on! 

Not even for a very QUICK POTTY Break in the RAIN!
I am just very glad to have her safely back tearing up her bed under my desk.

 Where do they get all this energy from?

Am I A BIRD DOG

Today Heddy managed to get close to those feathered tormenters.  I really believe the Birds at the feeder thought she was part of the snow mound.  She stood Frozen ( in more ways than one) watching the birds at the feeder.  When she could take it no longer she finally broke her pose. Unfortunately or fortunately, depends on if you are the bird or the DOG, she found out that birds can FLY.

 

A Visit to the Beach

After spending TOO much time cooped up indoors we decided to try and find somewhere ANYWHERE that Heddy could run around and play!  So Friday afternoon when office hours ended we headed for Rehoboth and an afternoon at the Beach. I figured the sand would be one place not covered with SNOW!

Well I was almost right. most of the Beach was Snow free and Heddy got to chase a few Seagulls. But getting there was an adventure.  Most of the sidewalks were not cleared and the Boardwalk was covered with ICE and Snow three feet deep in some places.