March 22, 2006 written 10:36 AM

Many people have written asking why I haven’t updated NRN in such a long time. I guess the primary reason is time, okay, I've been a bit lazy. Will make an effort to write more often.

All of the cats are doing well, they are eating me out of house and home, but they are doing well. Several of the youngsters have become proficient hunters. Just last night Monkey (who is Maud’Dib x Oleander) came into the house with a rodent in his mouth, which Gel (Border Collie) promptly stole from him. Mo Blue (Maud’Dib x Charya) took it from Gel and promptly ate it. Good boy! One less rodent body for me to have to pick up. There is so much carnage in my front yard that it looks like a rodent war took place.

I continue to stupidly take in unwanted dogs thinking I can rehab them into nice working dogs as I'd really like to have two dogs in training. It never happens. I know this is a reflection of me as trainer, but the most recent one had hips so bad that even if I were able to rehab her enough so that she could do performance events, her body wouldn’t have stood up to it. She was the product of a backyard breeder who thought he liked Border Collies, bred them (he actually used some pretty nice lines), sold them to whomever had the cash, never once training one to do what they are bred to do: work; be it herding, tracking, obedience, agility or whatever. Nope, they just sat in kennels, consuming the cheapest food he could find, as this dog did until she was about three and a half years old. How can a dog be expected to mature into a sound (mind and body) individual raised in this manner? They can’t. I look at Gel whom I got at six and a half months old. He’s been fed raw since I got him, exercised (mind and body) religiously and I expect his hips will end up fine.

No, I will not be breeding Border Collies. I do not want that responsibility.

Gel is doing great in his training. I had to re-do my dog walk because the one I built last summer was way-less-than regulation size and given his long stride, it was starting to cause problems when he got on regulation size equipment. I am happy with how the new one came out. I’ve learned a few things (really, just a few things) about building. Same deal with my A-frame. That was a bit more difficult to construct, but I think what I’ve done will be okay, at least until next year when I may try again. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. I don’t have the patience to be a builder or painter.

Until later