Favorite photos from our summer 2007 Vacation
Most recent pictures first (trip photos are in reverse order)
Old Shipyard Beach, Spencer's Island, NS
Our camp site. After the Nationals, Norah went home on the CAT Ferry with her Grandparents, and Mark, Sarah, and I, and our 8 Shibas, spent a few days unwinding in this beautiful place. There are very few places where I will let my dogs run free, but this was one of them. The wide deserted beaches, bordered by cliffs and the sea, were a playground for the dogs who ran for miles and miles.
A nice side effect of running on the beach - tired out puppy dogs!
Here's some tips for letting Shibas run off-lead: 1) find a SAFE location. 2) don't try it unless you have a really reliable RECALL! To train a really reliable recall, we teach our dogs two very basic concepts: "Come"=Cookie and Freedom=Priviledge.
Left: Buttercup. Right: Buttercup's grand-daughter, Zen (four months old and all legs and ears).
James and Moxie.
These are my favorite two photos from the trip. Above: Sarah with her "old man", Indy, and her "baby girl", Zen (Indy's great-grandaughter).
Below: Mark and the pack, homeward bound.
The 2007 CPE Nationals, Bridgewater, NS
While at the nationals, we were too busy running dogs to take any pictures. I plan to purchase some action shots from the official photographer, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. However, if you want to see some awesome action agility pics go to the CL Photography webpage, and scroll down to the "Highlight Photos" (beneith the poster) and click on the links labelled "Day 1 - Page 1", "Day 1 - page 2", etc. These are a couple hundred really spectacular shots (the best of the 8000+ photos the photographer took over the course of this 3 day event), including about a dozen of our Shibas!
Belle and Indy, our "Special" Shibas (they run in the Specialist division). This photo is thanks to our friend, Steve O'Brien.
Miss Belle loves the spotlight, and loves to surprise me, so I think she was pretty happy with herself! Thanks again to Steve for these pictures.
Fundy National Park, NB
Jamie on the Dickson Falls Trail.
Indy and Jamie wading in Dickson Brook.
The Caribou Plain Trail. Left: Taking a short rest - Sarah with Indy and Zen, Mom with the camera, and Elle with Seti. Right: Indy and Jamie wait patiently (note that they are not leaping off the boardwalk into the flark, which consists of smelly deep black mud) while the humans pile up at the interpretive sign.
Buttercup, Mark, and Norah, overlooking the flark on the Caribou Plain Trail.
Mom and Seti on the Caribou Plain Trail.
James on the Caribou Plain Trail. You can imagine the thought bubble: "Hurry up Mom. Let's go! Put the camera away. Places to go, bushes to sniff..."
Indy and Zen at the Caribou Plain Trailhead.
Westley, Mark and Norah on the The Forks trail, descending to the Salmon River.
Jamie on The Forks Trail, descending to the Salmon River. I think these woods are one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Westley, Mark, and Norah emerge from the woods.
The first ford on the Salmon River Trail. Mark and Sarah help Norah across. The Shibas crossed here in a similar fashion. At the 2 fords farther downstream, where the water was deeper but less turbulent, the dogs swam. Jamie and Westley were strong confident swimmers, but Moxie and Bota were reluctant and unhappy about it.
Moxie and Jamie, waiting their turn to cross the Salmon river.
A moose. Yes, we have moose at home, but they don't pose for photos the way this one did.
EMAC Agility Match in Maine - 7 month old Jamie's first run
We both had a good time. The good...
... the bad... and the just plain ugly! (hint - this is future blackmail material)