More Birthday!

I was driving home from Missoula yesterday afternoon when I remembered that I forgot to post another Wildflower birthday update — oops! In my defense, it was a BUSY few days —more on that after the birthday celebrating concludes.

Today we have this update about Wildflower Lupine 🩷

“We’re in denial about Lupine being SIX YEARS OLD!!!

Life is never boring with this girl.  She’s always off on her own adventures, running here, there and everywhere and hardly ever with the other dogs. 

Lupine and housemates, including Tommy Topaz

If dogs can have one, Lupine has a great sense of humor and the joke is always on us.

If she were a person, she would be one of the wittiest, most independent, smart, sweetest ones we know. 

Lupine likes an occasional visit to the woods with her people and dog pals, as long as no one she doesn’t know shows up:)  but she’s quickly welcoming to people who regularly spend time at our house and she prefers her adventures to be confined to our few acres. 

Lupine is a master shoe thief, a skilled gardener, a very sneaky chicken herder, a roller in everything stinky and sticky and a very loving snuggly girl.  Life would be much worse without her!

Lupine and Baby Tommy Topaz 🩷💙

Thank you, Jennifer and Family, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUPINE! 🎂

Wildflower Birthday: Kitsap

Today we have an update from our Midwest Wildflower, Kitsap. Bridget shares:

“Kitsap continues to be one big super well loved handful of a Bernese Mountain Dog.  He still amazes folks for how quickly he can turn on a dime and be full steam ahead in another direction as if there was no human on the end of the leash.  If I see the distraction first and get his attention you can tell he is trained and has some impulse control, however, if he focuses first, let's just say he keeps me in shape.  When he is unsure of a situation or excited, bark loudly and reverberate your voice off the rafters he considers the number one strategy.  For some that is pretty darn intimidating but dog folks who know to ignore him until he gets over himself soon find him being all berner love.  Every now and then he surprises us all and warms to someone instantly, I wish I was better at predicting who will fall into that special pool.

Shortly after last year's update, we certified for a TD tracking test but there hasn't been an option that matched our schedules and my willingness to consider the field given ticks and lyme disease around here.  After one round of that we don't need to repeat. Unfortunately our agility instructor moved away and I haven't gotten things set up with someone else.  We are getting more comfortable with our cart, although we love to crowd our Mom and bump the shafts into her so we still have work to do.

I feel bad, four trips to the Pacific Northwest to support my elderly mother since January and Kitsap's training has gotten the short end of things.  Still he leads a good life, spending the month of July every year with me in Colorado and traveling to Delaware for the Christmas holidays to be with family.  Our granddaughter giggles wildy as long as she gets to give the treats from the safety of grandpa's lap. With my husband being retired, Kitsap has lots of great company even when I am away.

Winter and particularly snow are his favorite seasons.  We didn't get much snow this winter so the snow pictures are few and far between but I found one worth sharing. Recently he has decided to stress during thunderstorms or other torrential downpours despite having slept through them in the past.  That means whoever is home has a Berner in their lap.  Did I mention at 110 lbs of muscle and bone, that's a lot of dog in one's lap.  I know that sounds like he might be heavy but given his bone structure, when you get him wet, you think where did he go, he's really quite skinny with a very well defined waist.  

There is no dog treat or meal he doesn't enjoy with gusto.  He eats three meals a day, kibble at breakfast, a cooked meal with BalanceIT for lunch and raw Darwins for dinner.  He can be upstairs asleep and if someone opens the fridge and gets into the cheese drawer he is present in seconds sliding into a proud sitting position expecting to be served.

Those of you who remember our drama with sarcoptic mites should admire the beautiful coat in the attached pictures.  Looking at him now you would never know we walked that path.  

Wishing all the wonderful Wildflowers a happy sixth birthday and looking forward to your stories of another lap around the son with your dogs.  I hope you each love your Wildflower as much as I love mine.  I wouldn't trade Kitsap for anything.”

Thank you, Bridget and HAPPY BIRTHDAY KITSAP! 🥳

Wildflower Birthday: Kjempe

As I look at these beautiful six-year-old dogs this week, I am so struck by their maturity on this birthday. Kjempe at six looks quite different than he did at seven weeks!

Marija sends us this report update:“6 already!  I can't say that there is a whole lot to report other than the fact that Kjempe remains my trusty hiking, walking and home office companion and LOVES going along anywhere we go.  We plan to get some more hiking in this year.  The yard now has 49 trees since we moved in...offering some much needed shade for Colorado summer heat!  

He has slowed down a little, in that he's not always attention seeking (though still very social), enjoys naps and sleeping on his back on the chair in the office during conference calls, and isn't as rambunctious needed to play fetch or do tricks.  

Sometimes he'll get the ball 2-3 times and then he decides he's done and I'm left standing there without a playmate ha ha! 

He a good movie-time companion on Sunday evenings, and always stands guard outside when we're in the hot tub.

He did get sprayed by a skunk this spring ~ he spooked it when we let him out early AM while it was still dark and then got caught by surprise when he chased after it.  Honestly, that's the fist time we've seen a skunk by the house, and maybe the last time!

He always enjoys going to see my nieces, sister and brother-in-law and took several 11 hour trips with me to see my dad before he passed.  He's a good travel partner.

We're grateful to get some moisture in Colorado this spring, so we've been spending time out in the yard.  Not nearly enough snow this year for this dog!  We didn't even get to go skijoring this year!  Next year for sure - if El Nino has anything to say about it!”

Not enough snow out west for sure —let’s all think good thoughts for wildfire season 🙏

Thank you, Mariya, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY KJEMPE! 🎉