Tell Me Thursday #5

Here it is again TMT with Laura. Always a good time for me - makes me think about things I might not otherwise think about!

1. Who is your newest dog? Where is he/she from, and why did you choose this particular dog/breeding? This question posted by Jodi.

My newest dog is Bess.  She is 4 months old today!!! She was raised by a young man who rides for a cutting horse trainer in Weatherford, Texas. She is out of his dog May (Orrin Barnes bred) and by Kyle Dillard's Boss who is a Steve Sturtz bred dog. I got her because we have her older sister, Liesl, and really, really like her. 

 Liesl has been a slow dog to train on goats and sheep because she is very aggressive and has a lot of bite, but she is such a strong confident female I knew she would be a good one. Our kids gave her to me for my birthday about a year and half ago, so Liesl is not quite 2. I wanted a female that would work cattle (the dogs I currently had, were not strong enough on cattle) not to trial but to work on the ranch. I admit, I would get pretty frustrated with her at times, but knew it was more me than her. She really likes my husband, so I "gave" her to him so he could take her horse back and do something different with her. I was also starting 2 other young dogs that I wanted to sell plus working my one trial dog, Tate.  I had a practice work in May for some of my fellow trialers, and some friends helped Mike with Liesl, and she has really started to work well. I've worked her some, and my goal is to start trialing her maybe this fall or next spring. We still plan to use her on the ranch for cattle. In the midst of this, the young man called who raised Liesl and said that he had another litter and one female that he thought I might like. So, we did a trade deal - my two yearling dogs for a 6 week old pup, Bess. It was the best deal I've ever made!! She is not a full sister, but their sires are half brothers, so they are pretty close. I didn't really choose this line specifically for their breeding, but I am very excited about their futures and our fit.

2. What traits drew you to this dog or breeding? (also by Jodi)

I think I answered most of this in the answer to the first question. But like Laura, I love a natural working dog, one that thinks for themselves and "helps" me. I've lived on a ranch all my life and have worked stock with horses and we have raised and trained horses for ranching and cutting. A natural is always easier to train and such a joy to work. I too want a dog that has a lot of style, but since I'm so new to the trialing, I'm just excited to get one through the course!! Also, I desire for me and my dog to be "partners" in the deal, so one that is willing to work with my faults is a no brainer. Tate is that way and Bess sure seems to be that way too!

3. What's on your feet right now?

Nothing!!!!! 

 No comments about the pink polish, tan lines or bad veins!!!!

4. What are you reading right now?

I'm reading A Clearing in the Wild by Jane Kirkpatrick. It is about the settling of the Pacific Northwest in the 1850's  in particular by a group of people known as the Bethelites from Missouri. Though it is fiction, it is based on actual events and people. It is pretty interesting. Not my favorite book, by any means, but I find historical novels to be of interest because it helps me to visualize actual events by relating to the characters that the author develops. Jane Kirkpatrick's novels focus on women and their influences in the eras that she writes about.

5. What upcoming trials are you looking forward to? If you don't trial dogs I'll take whatever activity that you're looking forward to.

I am especially excited about our association's fall trial series, and state finals. I had a good spring series, and an leading for an award called "The Triple Crown". Three trials are designated by the board for this award, and I got a 2nd in the first trial and a 1st in the second. The third trial is the first one this fall, so I'm trying not to "think" about winning, just making a good run with my dog. Emil told me the other day that he expected me to get "Novice Dog of the Year", but I'm sitting in third place for that. Several of the handlers do the arena trials, and I had to choose between arena or field because I couldn't do them all (finances - a factor for most of us!!) and I chose to do the field trials. It has been so hot here in Texas this summer, that practicing has been a problem. It will be 90 degrees by 8:30, but I try to get a couple of daylight practices in 3 or 4 days a week. I've met some awesome people that trial, and enjoy going and "doing" dogs all day long!!! Can't seem to take it all in.

Well, that's about it for this week. See ya'll next time!!!

Happy Trails to You!!!