Chance: Getting My Shots

It was time for my shots.  Especially the Rabies amd Lymes as we live in the woods.  We got up just past daylight. I did my outside duties and we headed to town to the Rabies Clinic at our Vets office.  Healthy dogs can get low cost shots one day only in the spring.

We waited in line for about 55 minutes before I got shot three times, twice in the butt and once in the shoulder.  The girls there knew my name and everything.

Here was some of my scenery.

A sweet girl dog named Roxie.

A boy dog named Ruger.

Big dogs…we still had a little snow.

We all survived, I was a bit tired from all the excitement.

Far Side says get your pets spayed and neutered! 

Chance : Herding

Hiya it is me Chance!  Yesterday I got some herding practice.

Far Side and I were in the old parking lot.  I am pointing to the critter about to be herded.

I have my eye on it.

I tried to turn it around.

It made it to the leaves, I herded it around in the leaves for awhile, it was airborn several times and then it played dead…so I brought it out for Far Side.  She was thrilled and said “Good Boy Good Boy!”

Chance : The Hunt

Hiya!  My turn!  Finally! Didja miss me?  Sometimes I have to beg to get a turn.

We have one of those Chippys that hides in the bottom part of the grill.  I can smell the little bugger.  Sometimes I hunt him for hours…and bark.

Far Side took some photos of me hunting.

I can smell him but I cannot see him.  Can you?

Where is that tasty morsel little rascal?

My nose is going 40 mph.

Hide and seek…I am seeking…he is hiding.

He lives to see another day.

Sometimes it is all about the chase and not the capture.

Chance: Rabies Clinic

Hiya it is me Chance.  This is how it went down.  Far Side says we are leaving at 1PM to go to the Rabies Clinic. I don’t have rabies but I had to go anyways.

I didn’t need a Rabies shot but I needed a Lymes shot…you know so I don’t get Lymes from the ticks. As we were coming Odda and Putz were going…they were all done….we should have gotten there earlier.

We waited in line a long time…and hour and ten minutes.  Far Side said “They don’t have their shit stuff together.” They didn’t… there was a real line up at the desk where you pay.  Some dogs had never been there before.  When it was my turn Patty said “Hiya Chance” and got my record and agreed with Far Side that I just needed a Lymes shot.

Here was my view most of the time.

There was cowering, there was barking, there was peeing and there was even pooping. One dog  peed so much it ran down the sidewalk.  I was told to leave it..I did.  Several other dogs were so scared they pooped…and it was really stinky and their masters didn’t have doggie bags either…what were they thinking?

Anyways I am good for another year.  Far Side says “Cross something off the list!”

Chance: My View

Hiya!  It’s me Chance the blogging Border Collie!  Finally my turn.  I have been out and about.  Come on along!

I climbed a tree at the park.

I went for a walk with my bestest friend across the rusty bridge.

We stopped for a rest at the old red bridge.  Here is a raspberry!

 

One day we went to the lake.  Some of the ice is gone.  I almost got my feet wet.  The ice was singing, the shards of ice were rubbing together making the most beautiful music.  Far Side kept saying “Stay away from the Poison Ivy Berries.”  I tried.  Finally she said “Chance get in the freaking car.”

Everyday I go for a walk down the driveway.  I am a good old boy, at least that is what they say.

They are slowing switching my food to a “light” diet.  They mixed my new food and my old food half and half…but I still had some tummy troubles.  Far Side says she hopes that is in the past because it was no present. ( I threw up outside three times.)

I still have some “ouchy” joints some days…but I still run after the ball.  I am 10 years and 5 months old now.

Far Side says clean teeth are the key to a long life in dogs. She cleans my teeth, she has a friend who is a retired Dentist and he gave her some proper teeth cleaning tools for people but they work on dogs just fine.  I don’t like it very much but Far Side says I need to “Get over it!”  So I do!

Chance: A Dog’s World

The snow stick is up!

Far Side says cross something else off the freaking list!

Now it can snow.

One day everyone had cake and I had to stay in the car…on a counta this little dog.

This is Annie and she weighs about three pounds…I met her once before…everyone thought I might grab her and that would be IT.  Annie belongs to Far Side’s sister.  Far Side put her fingers in the little girls mouth…and Annie growled and then barked and gave Far Side the what for.

Miney and Little Elvis visited this week, we took them to my groomer.   Dean (the guy in charge) said he waited all week to say “Elvis is in the building.” Miney looked so beautiful when she was finished…and Little Elvis was almost as handsome as me!

Yesterday we visited Jade.  She is a Black Lab and belongs to Savannah.  Jade had one of those ren de vous and now has 12 babies…she had 13 but the runt died.  Jade was happy to see us.  She let me peek at the babies and then she escorted me to the door.  Far Side was in there a long time oohing and aahing…inspecting all the pups. I am sure many photos will be taken after the puppies are a bit older.

We went shopping.  Far Guy needed some new duds.  Far Side said he was patient and didn’t just run into the store and grab the first thing he saw. He actually tried “stuff” on. ( It might have been a miracle.)  He is all set now. AND that is a big relief to Far Side.  She was having her share of shopping nightmares.

That was my week in a nutshell. Until next time…may all the balls you throw for a much loved pet come back free of slobber.

Chance: Height of Land Lake

Hiya it’s me the blogging Border Collie!  It is my turn!  Border Collies rule!!

One fine day Far Side and I deserted Far Guy (he had company) and we met a gal that bought a bunch of special order carvings.   We met up at Height of Land…at the public access … Far Side can never remember the names of buildings but she knew you had to turn between the yellow house and the old deserted beer joint on the north side of the road.

Minnesota has many of these Public Access areas on lakes, you can launch a boat here and there is plenty of room adjacent to park a boat trailer whilst you are off on the lake.

Far Side had to check it out…and declare it safe.

I love the water…but only up to my belly!

This year some lakes have a yucky snotty looking blue green algae bloom.  If a dog laps up that water…they can die.  There was a news story not very long ago about a Golden Retriever that died right after playing ball in the water and drinking the water.  The algae carries a toxin that can affect dogs, livestock and other animals.

So dog owners beware!  Carry water in a dish for your four legged friends and if the water looks questionable…do not allow your pet in the water.

We do live in the Land of Sky Blue Waters…but you have to use common sense.

Height of Land Lake has White Water Lilies ( Nymphaea tuberosa)

I thought Far Side might swim out to get a better photo…but she used her zoom lens instead.

Chance: Missouri Lake

Hiya!  It’s me the blogging Border Collie!  It is finally spring here, my hairy feet have been trimmed but I still carry in a fair amount of sand.  Far Side says she can tell where ever I lay because it is a beach.

One day I was upset with them…they left me at home all alone…and the beach appeared on the bed.

We have been going for more rides.  I love rides.

This is Missouri Lake, there is a CCC marker there that is important to Far Guy’s Family History.  I heard them say that we get to go back and explore one of the Forest Trails after the snow melts in the woods and before the Skeeters and Deer Flies show up.

I can’t play ball as long now, they say I am getting older.  My oldest sister’s husband said the F word…FAT.  Far Side said I shoulda peed on his leg…but we were inside.

Every day I play ball just a few more times a day or for a longer time and I go for my long walk every morning. It couldn’t be those wonderful pumpkin flavored treats that Far Guy bakes for me all healthy with the rice flour.  It might be that I am a real champion at getting double treats…you know first one gives me a treat and then the other…cause they both love me. 

Chance: The Mississippi

While everyone else in the world was having a party before some foot game we went on an adventure.

Ready to come along?

 

We headed across a bridge…to a place called The Headwaters of the Mississippi. 

We had the whole place to ourselves.  We did share a bit with a couple of cross country skiers.  I greeted them.

There is a foot bridge across the Mississippi…actually a flat log across the water.

I almost went across by myself.  It had some good smells.

There is safety in numbers.  Certainly if we all go across everything will be okay?  Far Guy why don’t you go first?  Wait…what if…what if…

What if you fall in and get wet?  You will freeze solid as a board while Far Side captures it all on camera.  I suppose once you are frozen we can put my leash around your neck and drag you back to the car.

Far Side are you coming?  Nope..she ain’t and  if she ain’t trekking over that log neither am I.

Later we all walked over this bridge together, with me in the lead.  It was getting cold.  It was just a few degrees above zero…but at least it was above zero and we all got out of the house.

Chance : The Halloween Hat

A few years ago Far Side bought a witches hat and a Halloween scarf.   Fine I will wear the stupid scarf…she is supposed to wear the hat since she is more witchy than me.

Not yesterday, she wanted me to wear the hat AND the scarf.  Fine but hurry up…I don’t have all day…I have squirrels to chase and balls to herd.

Good enough…what do you mean you didn’t get the whole hat?  How can you blame your photographic ineptitude on me?  I am just a dog. 

Far Guy is a traitor.

Wadda ya mean put my nose down?

Off with the ****hat.

I should rip it to shreds.

Are you happy now you got the whole **** hat?

Such ends the saga of the hat.  I wore it, she got her picture. She won…again.

We have loads of chocolate all bagged up for the kids that will come by later.  I am not allowed to have chocolate.  But I am allowed to have my picture taken with all the kids.  I love company and my wagger will be working overtime.  Stay tuned for pictures tomorrow!

Oh ya…Happy Halloween have some chocolate for me:) 

Chance: Self Serve Dog Spa

Yes, you heard that right.  Far Side found a place you can take a dog for a bath and not make a huge mess at home.  Far Side said I wasn’t quite as handsome as I could be, and she thought my fur felt grungy.  I had to curtail the big chipmunk hunt.  She made Far Guy come along to the “spa.”

I have been to that place before. The last time I was left there for the afternoon.  This time I walked right into THAT room and up the ramp into the shower..I astounded them all.  Well I am a Border Collie and we are pretty smart as dogs go.

Well…they double teamed me…what Far Guy wasn’t washing Far Side was rinsing.  The “Spa” provides the hypoallergenic shampoo that I needed and towels ...lots of towels.  Then I was blown dry.  Far Side finally said “Gosh you feel good to pet again.” She looked funny covered in hair.   I guess I am “blowing my coat”..otherwise known as shedding a lot…most likely from the hot spell we had a few weeks back.

 

We came home and they brushed and brushed..until I was deemed the most handsome Border Collie in all of the Midwest Minnesota.

I went right back to chipmunk patrol duty.