The Return of Luke

Luke, formerly "smokestack", is now settling in nicely back here with the SSpirit gang. He really enjoys dashin' around the kennel with his siblings, altough his Grandmother Satin tries her very best to keep him in line ;)

I was very shocked to find out just how strong this boy really is. It's amazing! When I placed him, he was a laid back boy with more of a personality fit to be a spoiled pet, but geeze, looking at him now I think he would be one of the better of the pups in pulling power. I couldn't walk him down to the dogyard from the van when we got to there, because he literally about pulled me off my feet and considering the slope down there is steep, no thnx... I ain't really into the idea of falling flat on my face just yet.

I really hated to separate him from his family, but they would not have as much time to spend with him due to some job changes in their household. They loved him VERY much, and bragged about him all the time when we would chat before Church in the mornings. I hope soon someone will come along and give him another great home.. he is such a wonderful boy, just wish I could keep all of them!

Luke

Saturday I managed to get two new stakeouts up.. a big load lifted off my shoulders now that there is more room for the dogs and I really prefer the stakeouts over a kennel any day. We stopped by Lowes and I bought a 10' pole this time (about 50$), rather than buying two 6'ers.. managed to save myself about 10 bucks that way. had them cut it in half, snagged some quicklinks and a swedish snap for 69 cents a peice at my favorite hardware stop and I was set :)

Since the poles were a little shorter, I only put them a foot and half under ground, I didn't want them too short where the chain would be draggin' if the dogs were moving slow on them. I only had one rebar swivel made (a long one, getting shorter ones made soon) so I just had to wrap the chain around the second pole, and put Zorro on that one since he is very relaxed and almost never moves around much. Had to bust up Gus' old doghouse that was cracked and a huge eyesore to make room for the last back stakeout, then raked up some of the gazillion acorns around the kennel again.

I decided to put most of the pups on chains, to help them get used to them plus to give them more exercise. Luke did not go on one, mostly because he was used to being in a kennel at his old home, and he seems to like it in there better (for now anyways). Kajunn is now on the middle stakeout, and Tuesday on Gloria's old stakeout. Tuesday has yet to really love her stakeout, but I'm pretty sure she will eventually ;)  Shooter is still on one of the back ones with the short broke pole, but he is very content on his and has no problem with it being short, so I will repair that when I get time and money for another pole.

Zorro chillaxin'

Kajunn on her new digs

The dogyard looks real good, though I realize now I have reached my space maximum. I have no more room for an extra kennel or another chain. Pretty good to fit one wood puppy kennel (10 x 10), 7 stakeouts and two connected 10x10 kennels in the corner all in a 50x65 dogyard. I guess I just feel guilty because I realized they now have to run around the areas, and not bound around in open space. Next summer, if things go as planned, I hope to move it further in the woods, make it bigger and have it graded perfectly where it isn't all on a hill like it's always been everywhere I've had them. I dunno, reckon that all depends on which way we ride the wind untill then.

I can't explain how much I miss training my crew.. It's that time of the year, the opening of the season and I can't get out to train them because of my damn busted leg. I really want to get out with one or two dogs on the rig or bike and test it out to see if I can handle it, but in reality I'm still really nervous about hooking up and whether I can stand on my leg for that long. This time last year, I was working and didnt train as much because I couldn't find time... and now I have the time and can't train because of every thing else.. IT'S DRIVIN' ME NUTS! and this year I have the ultimate team.. one I have been building towards. I just wanna get out with them so bad and sit by the campfire with a 12 pack and let the pups listen to some of their namesake :)

Will update soon, going to feed dogs by (drumroll, please) myself today and might grab my camera and take some new pics if I can.