A Moonshadow and a Bright Star and Two Good Humans and a Third Time

Mary-Ann Sontag February 28, 2023

I am pleased to report that Moonshadow Kash is doing well…

Like a couple of others, his human is busy with life right now but she sent that fun photo and let me know Kash is just fine ❤️

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KASH!

Also doing just fine are these two…

Bright Star Atlas wants a shirt that says, “I survived my mom and dad being gone for months — but barely.”

And Grandma Cindy — who took care of Kira and Jay’s family during that time — DEFINITELY needs a shirt, a medal, and a long vacation.

Our draft team of Claire and Sundance is also part of the heart transplant story.

We were entered in the Helena test last September when Jay and Kira got word the heart was available — so Cindy left for Utah to be with Kira and Jay, and I went to Boise to take over with the kids and dogs. No Helena draft test for Sundance and Claire.

Suzanne and I knew that was a possibility and so we had entered the Minnesota draft test in October as our back-up plan.

We were all set for our Big Adventure (think Thelma and Louise — with dogs instead of Brad Pitt).

And then Suzanne got Covid. No Minnesota draft test for us.

Third time is a charm, right?! Our Sundance/Claire team is entered at the Specialty — which is in 33 days!

SO excited.

And a very Happy Tuesday to you!

Bright Star Fauci!

Mary-Ann Sontag February 27, 2023

Yippee! We have another Bright Star Birthday update and I have it on good authority the last one will be here soon ⭐️❤️

Today we have this fun update about the puppy formerly known as Orion…

…who jetted off to the east to live life as Fauci with Jack and Maria.

Jack sends us this update:

At two, Fauci is still happily engaged in perfecting his skills at agility, obedience and drafting. He is getting the idea of close teamwork with me. This spring he will start competing in Draft Tests and Agility trials, since he is doing well in training sessions.

He is a moderate male, weighing in at 89 lbs and 25 1/2 Inches high, perfectly built for active sports. Fauci is fully crate trained and has impeccable house manners, except he still won't put away his toys at night.

Fauci's greatest thrill is sprinting about our woods and trails with me, perfecting his jumping techniques. He loves to ride in the car and RV, and has developed an uncanny ability to anticipate where we are on car trips to visit friends and relatives, like he has a built-in GPS. His most joyful anticipation is reserved for my 13 year old granddaughter, and of course his Berner girl friend Daisy. Barking is reserved for strangers at the door or coming up our driveway or for deer in the yard. He seems amused by little yappers, ignoring their frantic barking, but he still is clueless about proper behavior when he sees a dog he wants to play with. He is best behaved pulling his cart on long walks through our neighborhood, town parks or woods.

Fauci is a great companion dog for me, and this man's best friend.”

Thank you so much, Jack (and Maria), for the update and Fauci’s terrific life ❤️ HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAUCI!

Back and Forward

Mary-Ann Sontag February 26, 2023

I really am back to birthdays!

I have sent gentle reminders so that we can hopefully honor every single Bright Star and Moonshadow on the occasion of completing two amazing years of life ❤️ I will post as I get them.

Two years is also when we get the official OFA x-rays for hips and elbows — this is a contractual agreement made with every puppy owner. These will be getting done over the next month or two — I need to update the Litter Summary page, I know. I am working through such things ✔️

That reminds me: Three Cheers to the Wildflowers families for getting those films done 🎆 Another 100% litter — we are 100% on 100% Litters. THANK YOU!

I recently made a quick trip to Boise for the following: 1) Get hugs from these two…

2) Visit Kira and Jay (doing GREAT!). Capella was particularly happy to see her brother, Atlas…

3) Have Capella’s hips and elbows done and we already have results — Capella was rated with Good Hips and Normal Elbows. 🙏🏽

I am happy to report that training for the warm California Specialty is going well…

That is Claire with her occasional BFF, Sundance. They are entered as a Brace and will also each be entered in Open Draft as well. As you can see, winter is being persistent this year. I literally cannot walk down my driveway…

It is like an ice moat! Very inconvenient.

Luckily, our nearby dog walking road is clear…

…and so that is where obedience practice happens…

And speaking of obedience — Claire is the BMDCA’s Top Novice B Dog for 2022, and her littermate, Kiri, is the BMDCA’s Top Open B Dog for 2022. Congratulations Alison and Kiri — and WOO HOO.

And speaking of training, check out the progress I have made with my feral kittens…

They are still skittish but I can pet both of them and they are integrated into the family now. It turns out that string cheese works with training cats as well — who knew?!

Finally, how perfectly lucky for the Specialty are these socks that my sister knitted?!