Cold Holidays

We had a cold and damp holiday this year.  We had hoped to take a motorcycle trip, as you can usually ride motorcycles here at least 1 or 2 days a week in the winter.  But, it was just too cold and wet this year, which was good, as we got caught up on some movies, reading, rest, and spent time being home with family and dogs.  All good.  We had houseguests from Minnesota for a few days, and that was fun.  We went to see the movie, Jack Reacher, and really liked it.  I plan to read the books about Jack Reacher.  Tonight when I went out to feed the horses, it was really chilly, damp, and windy, so I decided to put the new coats I bought, on Vegas and Wishbone.  Vegas does not like cold weather, and Wishbone is getting up there in age, about 14 years old, and has problems with his hips, and I don't want him getting too chilled.  Victory is a tough guy and the cold weather doesn't bother him, so no coat for him.  Rog thought the two dogs with coats on looked like "pussies" but they didn't care.  They've worn their coats several times this past week, and now know that they help tremendously in this weather, and don't mind wearing them.  The horses and goats just go nuts when they see the dogs in coats; it seems like they think they are aliens or something!  Here are pictures of Vegas and Wishbone in their coats, and Victory, with no coat and no shivering from him!  Happy New Year and many blessings are wished for everyone in 2013!

Dog show coming up, and hoping Victory finishes his GCH.  He has 22 GCH points.

Wishbone

New champion, Dalmino's Victory Vegas

Wishbone

Atlantis Wildcat Victory.  Victory says the cold doesn't bother him!  Who needs a coat when you're a strong dog?!

Christmas for the Dogs

Our dogs have their own Christmas stockings and get presents in their stockings every year consisting of toys and treats.  Victory is so smart that when you even mention Christmas stocking, he runs over to the fireplace and gazes at his own stocking, just like a little kid that can't wait to unwrap his presents.  This year the dogs got a chicken flavored nylabone, chicken jerky treats made by Tyson in Iowa, and toys that consisted of red and green fleece tug toy dogs with squeakers in each end and a Martha Stewart toy that is a Panda bear with velcro in one end where you can put an empty water bottle in and out.  That was Vic's toy, and he loves it.  He delights in opening the very touch velcro and pulling out the empty crackly water bottle and playing with it.  Vegas stole all the toys and the nylabone and carried them over to her bed to play with.  Wishbone was just happy to eat his treat and look at the toys.  At nearly 14 years old, he is still pretty tough, but is just happy to be here and keep an eye on things.  The dogs had a very merry Christmas and wish all of you the same!

Wishbone and Vegas cuddling on the couch

Luke giving Victory his stocking

Courtney and Luke giving Vegas her stocking

Wishbone and Rog and Wishy's new toy

Vegas stole all the toys and carried them to her bed!

Merry Christmas 2012

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and many blessings in 2013!  Here are more Christmas pictures of our family taken by Dalmatian Rescue.  Also, pictures of Vegas modeling her new coat from Dog.com and her ribbons won at the Dallas show, where she finished her championship.  I'll post her win photo later, after I get it from the photographer.

Vegas, Wishbone, and Victory with Santa

Luke and Courtney, Wishbone, Vegas, and Victory

Luke and Vic, Rog and Vegas, Becky and Wish

Vegas modeling her new coat from Dog.com by Petrageous/Attitash.  And the ribbons she won in finishing her championship this month.

Vegas doesn't like cold weather.  She would not come out to feed the horses with me this morning, when it was 28 degrees.  Both boys came with me, they are much tougher!  We do obedience training outside at a park with a local dog training group, and she got really hunchy and cold one night when we were training in 45 degree weather, so we had to get her a coat.  She doesn't think the coat is too great, just yet, but she might decide she likes it when she understands it helps in the cold.

My Favorite Santa Paws Photo of 2012

Here is my favorite photo of all of those that were taken at Dalmatian Rescue of North Texas last weekend.  I cannot say enough about the wonderful volunteers who do this every year.  Santa is fantastic, John, the photographer is so good, and goes above and beyond to take the best possible pictures.  Ann is always there for the Dals, helping here, there, and everywhere, and the schedulers, the computer gurus, and all of the people who do their utmost for the Dals, are just so wonderful.  DRNT found 25 homes for Dals this year.  I think they are the best!  Thank God for all of the rescue organizations, who work so hard for the animals!

Here is Vegas (Dalmino's Victory Vegas) kissing our son, Luke, and his friend Courtney.  I love this picture!

Christmas Beauty

I bought a Christmas cacti from Dalmatian Rescue 3 years ago.  I usually set it outside all summer long, and bring it in when there is danger of frost.  This year, my cacti is so loaded with blooms, it just droops.  Attached is a picture of it, and a second plant that I just got from DRNT on Saturday.  I also want to share another picture from our Santa Paws photo session with DRNT, and some of my outdoor Christmas lights.  I love the beauty of this season.

Vegas, happy to see Rog after he got back from a motorcycle ride.  

New Christmas lights 

Old lighted Christmas horse

Christmas cacti

Victory being silly, trying to hug and kiss everyone during our Santa Paws photo session at DRNT

Busy Weekend

We went to a fund raiser for Dalmatian Rescue of North Texas yesterday.  They had Santa Paws photos with Santa.  DRNT has wonderful volunteers who do this every year, and it is so much fun and a great deal for Christmas photos of your family and dogs.  I will share some of the photos DRNT took of us between now and Christmas.  We then went shopping for outdoor Christmas lights and picked up a really pretty lighted wreath and a lighted sign that says Merry Christmas Ya'll.  I never thought I would say ya'll, since it wasn't something we say in the midwest, but I really find that word pretty handy to use!  Then we had to go buy horse feed and goat feed, Purina of course, then home for awhile, cleaned horse barns, fed animals, and then went and did a little Christmas shopping.  Today, went to church, cleaned and vacuumed the pickup and the Traverse, decorated the house for Christmas, picked up 10 huge trashcans full of leaves, and did laundry.  We have 24 large old oak trees around our house, and they are so messy.  Lovely in the summer, when it's hot, because they really keep the house cool, but no fun in spring and fall, they are so dirty.  It was 83 degrees here today, way too hot for December, and really dry, too.  Praying for rain!  The dogs always give me dirty looks when I scoop up the leaf piles, because they love laying in the leaves outside.  Wishbone found himself a large pile of leaves, and watched me work.  I don't like the leaves on the ground because we have found copperhead snakes in them, when we pick them up.  The copperheads blend right in with the oak leaves.  Here are some pictures of the dogs in the yard today during leaf cleanup, and one of the photos we got yesterday at DRNT.  Merry Christmas Ya'll!

Vegas and Wishbone

Victory watching the ponies, waiting for his chance to run along the fence with them!

Wishbone on his leaf pile

Vegas and Santa, soo cute!

Alvarado, TX Show Results

Only Victory showed in Alvarado, TX this past weekend, as there was no major, and Vegas only needs a three point major to finish.  Victory did not place on Saturday under judge Maxine Beam, but he was Select dog on Sunday under judge Roger Hartinger.  He always has a wagging tail the whole time he's in the ring, but he was pretty whiny on Sunday.  The only thing I can figure out for his whining is that he just wants to have fun and play with the other dogs and people.  He wouldn't be furiously wagging his tail, if he was stressed.  All of the judges just love it that he wags his tail as he watches them walk up to him.  We didn't get any pictures of the Alvarado show, but I'm attaching his win photo from the Heartland specialty show, where he was select dog, for a major toward his GCH.

We are so blessed to have such wonderful Dalmatians.  Tonight we were looking at some old videos of when Luke was a baby, and the Dalmatians we had then.  Our very first Dalmatian, Pepper, from 31 years ago was still alive for awhile after Luke was born 18 years ago.  She was playing with her squeaky burger in one of the videos, and our Tattersall Dalmatian, Alex, was in the video, too.  He was such a pretty liver boy, and he absolutely adored kids.  He was never far from Luke, and is in practically every baby picture we took of Luke. I'm attaching one of my favorites of Luke's first Christmas and Alex sitting right next to him.  What memories!  I am so grateful for a wonderful son and the time with these wonderful dogs!