Greenstone Sharp Dressed Man

Hello Folks

Ok, time for the doggy updates, First the dogs are good, lots of runs and starting to shed more, so lots of grooming and a few baths given in the past week, plus lots of show grooming on the two that are getting prep work done.

On the agilty front, we have Freyja at Dream Fields Puppy building blocks, which has very nice instructors and really sweet class mates but Freyja was bored, and I can't say I blame her, she is used to doing full contacts and two on and two offs, and we are working on the T-totter at low height, and Aframe a 3/4 height at home, as well as ten foot outruns and auto downs on the table, and we spend last night doing clicker intro, touch our hands, and clicks for putting feet on the foot high straight board.. There was challanges for me, like trying to make Frejya understand that the instuctor wants her to pause on each step though the ladder, when normally I am working though the same type of pole set up for show training and she is always to move at a trot and never touch the poles..

Great place dream fields, lovely looking set up but its is a hour and 3/4 with good traffic, and with even a simple slow down it will be a two hour drive each way, so all I have to say is this!! thank goodness that Best Friends starts these outside training classes in May!! where its only a 45 min drive each way, and that I have my own private field to work on as well.. soon it will be dry enough that we can get a few things outside.

Zander is in Agiltiy on Sunday nights, and we are still picking up privates for different dogs twice a month at this time, ranging from an hour to hour and half depending on what we are working and how many dogs.

Zander starts his obedance/Rally training on April 3rd, I want him ready for trials in Aug in Calgary, and a whole host of dogs will be starting outside agiltiy training, also have one tracking class coming up in the next month..

So got some lovely new photos of Greenstone Sharp Dressed Man last night and just had to share, this lovely intact young man just finished his level one obedance and is starting in his agility training in med april, can't wait to see him rock the ring in the near future! A big Thank you goes out to his family for all their hard work and thanks for sending photos and updates!

Otherwise, we have confirmed puppies, and movement is felt daily!! Momma dog is getting big! and I am very excited about having new puppies the first part of April, due April 11th, photo updates as soon as they are here!

Well had better run,

Barks

In Honor of Piper and Kim Cooper

Hello Folks,

Most of you know that I do most of my Dog training at Best Friends School of Dogs and while I like and train under most of the trainers there, I love training under Kim Cooper, she is fair, and funny and can give you a hard time in the nicest way but still let you know that you messed up..

For a tie in to all Greenstone Puppy Owners, Kim Cooper is who gives all my temperment tests to all Greenstone Litters and helps me go over each waiting family to make sure that I am thinking clearly on how should get what temperment on what pup etc..

Well, Kim's amazing girl Piper passed away and this is her memory page from the current Dogs in Canada.. I just wanted to share it with everyone. Piper touched the lives of everyone who knew her, she was such! a special dog.

Barks

Farm Critter Update

Hello Folks

Sorry that I have not written in a few days, but spring has sprung and I am so busy at this point that there is not enough hours in the days! but the warmer weather and sunshine is lovely, and we had out first thunder storm of the season this week and I watch Freyja to see what she would do, and just as I hoped, she didn't care at all.

So we are finished Lambing and kidding at this time, been a lot of work, one mother refused her one kid, another mother had milking issues but knock on wood, I think that we have everything finally back under control, the sheep rocked, they just lambed and everyone was great! The goats could take notes LOL

The rest of the critters are feeling spring, have three broody hens sitting, so hope to have new chicks to round up and raise in another month or so, last year I had seven hens successfully hatch out chicks, and this year we built the ducks new nesting boxes, and when I say we, I mean Jason built the new nesting boxes, and hopefully we will have a successful hatch in ducklings this year. The ducks are loving the water ponds we have right now..

Forest of seedlings that are waiting to be moved outside and the next batch to start, plus a ton of yard things to clean up..

Such is spring.. I am dividing information so that folks don't have to read area's they don't want to hear about.

Barks

Greenstone Icelandic Sheepdog Show Dates

Hello Folks





Coming Shows for the year 2007 ( I will update to confirm show date as they get closer) See myself, V. Sharp in Group with Ch Greenstone AJay.


March 10/11th- Greenstone Black Pearl- Best Puppy in Breed both days

1. April 13-14-15th Petawawa- Greenstone Alexander the Great and Greenstone Black Pearl are entered, show updates to follow.


2. May 11-12-13 Arnprior


3. May 25,26,26 Ottawa


4. June 15, 16, 17 Kingston


5. June 23, 24 -Four FCI Show, Kingston


6. July 26, 27, 28, 29 Kingston


7. Aug 3, 4, 5, 6th Calgary


8. Nov 16, 17, 18th Ottawa

We will add and or confirm dates as we know more.

Barks

Pet Food Recall- Greenstone Kennel Not Effected by Recalls

Hello Folks

Well, have been busy already this morning and its not even nine.. big yawn.. Wow is my world busy right now, had one mother goat half way reject this one daughter (loves the other one) so still needing to go down X amount of times per day and put the momma in a milking stand to baby's can nurse, and my more recent mother is having some milking issues of her own and needs warm composts put on her six times a day and because she is not milking as much as I would expect, I am also putting her kids for extra on my one old very heavy milking doe..

That old gal produces close to a gallon a day and she only has one kid, so she feeds her own, plus gives extra to the twins that need it, and I am still able to finish her off and get about four cups of milk for the house, and she has the sweetest milk, I don't know what it is about her milk but its the best darn Goats milk I have personally ever had, love it.. Am planning on keeping back her daughter this year and seeing if she gives the same qaulity as her mother..

So needless to say, I have been doing the set the alarm and go to the barn at night, and again at 5 am in the morning etc.. and then running with the dogs, out again with them today in training, but its coming along well.. I am getting tired and I am still fighting whatever flu or cold I had.

Ok, I felt that I should post a link on what is happening with the dog food recalls, I found a link and write up that appears to be about the facts instead of about personal feelings on the issue.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17754681

I highly recommend that you check your dog foods and read your labels very carefully and make sure you are not feeding any of these foods.

As for Greenstone Kennel, we do feed a dry dog food base, but it is not one of the effected dog foods, (Please note that almost all effected Dog foods, are wet food) but if this changes I will update on it.

I have never been so happy as right now, that I make all wet foods for my own dogs, I knew when we moved to the farm, that I really wanted to raise my own meat, eggs and have my own farm fresh milk as well as garden, so that I could help control what we were eating.

When I started my small flock of chickens it was intended for eggs for us, but I quickly saw just how great the extra eggs went over with the dogs and cats, and so I added in more hens for that purpose, and now the dogs get their farm fresh free range Eggs on a regular basis in their diet..

I also make an freeze the Barf Diet, Veggie/Meat Paddies, and I try hard to use all my own naturally reared meat for the patties etc, and locally grown veggies if at all possable.

I had a letter last night about the recall from a puppy owner, and the best advice I can give is, instead of buying wet food, consider making your own, and make a large batch and freeze it into the portion sizes you want in Freezer bags and just pull the bags as needed, If you make a big batch and you only have one dog, and you are feeding a good dry dog food base, then the odds are good that you would have either a week or two weeks extra food per batch you made.

I had to smile a bit at one of the seminar's I went to once, the very well known and respected judge was talking about dog food, and that you needed to buy only certain kinds so that you got "the best ingredients" now the reason that I had to smile (after she slammed my dry dog food choice, left, right and sideways) is because I used to live in Innisfail Alberta, and they have one of the largest Purina Dog Food plants, and my older brother worked there in high school, and while the formula's do change depending on what dog food they are making, the basic stuff (as this recall is showing, the wheat) does not, and so therefor, 30 dollars a bag or 60 dollars a bag, the overall basics are the same, its normally the protein and the advertizing that makes the price.

So if you want total control of your dogs food, buying a higher prices bag of food is really not the answer, the answer is to make it yourself, BUT if you are considering doing this, you need to go and buy a few good dog Menu books and follow them, so that your dogs are getting balanced diets.

Or in the case of Greenstone, we buy a good quality dry dog food and then we raise the quality of the dogs diet though fresh eggs, fresh goats milk, Fresh Veggie patties etc.

Ok, I had better get on with my day.. Have a good one folks

Barks

Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club-Four Day event and Icelandic Sheepdog Dog Show Booster!

On behalf of the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club I am happy to bring you information about the coming National Four Day Gathering of Icelandics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in Aug 2007.

Booster Update,

The CISC is very pleased to annouce that its been confirmed that the Swedish Judge at the four day events, "Annika Ulltveit-Moe" has been to Iceland as a judge, and Monika K says that any Dog/Owner/Breeder who places in her Breed Class as BB, BOS, or BP should consider these wins to be high praise indeed.

Booster updates to continue to follow in the coming days/months leading up to it.. We are looking forward to this amazing four day Iceland Sheepdog Event, and please feel free to contact the club for more information or if you would like to help in some way.

For those of you that can't make it up, consider supporting a win, and get your Kennel name out there.Also anyone out there with puppies that want to bring them up to help build the puppy class, bring them on up!

For full details on the event, see below.

Hello Folks,

Well it looks like we have the basic plan in place for our first National Canadian CISC Icelandic Booster and Weekend Event. At this time, things can change, and if so, we will let you know, but for right now this appears to be what will be offered, if you are coming by Motor home, the club highly recommends that you reserve your spot as soon as possible, its my understanding that the Alberta Kennel Club will have their official premium list online in May, I will announce as soon possible.


It would appear that we will have folks coming from Eastern Canada, Eastern United States, Western Canada, and Folks from all down the Western Coast of the United States to the show and CISC Icelandic Booster.


We look forward to seeing you all in the future, for those in the states, I highly recommend that you start working on getting your dogs CKC registered if you are interested in coming up.

Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club - National Gathering/Booster

Overview Aug 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. - Held at Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Alberta Kennel club is hosting Four CKC Conformation Shows

The Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club is working with the AKC to host a Icelandic Booster-Aug 4th

The booster Judge will be Dick Beauchamp-USA

Judges are (conformation to be announced)
Carlos Fernandez-Renau - Spain.
Dick Beauchamp - USA. -Icelandic BoosterJudge-Saturday
arie Merchant - Australia.
Annika Ulltveit-Moe - Sweden
Darle Heck - Canada

Also being held at this Four Day event will be
Four CKC Agility Trials
Four NADAC Agility Trials
Four CKC Obedience Trials
1 CKC Rally Obedience
3 ARPT Rally Obedience Trials

Standard Classes offered for Conformation at the CKC Show

Junior Puppy-A dog between 6 to 9 months of age on the day of show
Senior Puppy- A dog between 9 months & 12 months on the day of the show
12 to 18 months- A dog between 12 & 18 months on the day of the show
Canadian Bred - A dog which is born in Canada
Bred by Exhibitor- The Handler of the dog is also the owner and breeder
Open Class- For all dogs
Specials Only - Dogs who are Canadian Champions only


Non-Standard Class (held by CISC) These are fun events, they do NOT count for offical points, but will be given club awards! Non-Standard Fun Classes Judge to be announced.

Award of Merit
Brace
Stud Dog and two or three Get
Brood Bitch and two or three Get
Parade of Veterans
Parade of Obedience and Working Title Holders
Best Med Coated Stud and Bitch in Class
Best Long Coated Stud and Bitch in Class

The CISC will be offering Prizes for all winners of the Non-Standard Classes and BB, BOS, BP in the regular classes for the Icelandic Booster. Prizes to be announced.

We will also be giving out our first Breeder Award.

The Alberta Kennel Club will be offering Cash an prizes for the Icelandic Sheepdog Booster as follows

The Alberta Kennel Club will provide beautiful rosettes for the following classes the day of your Booster. BB, BOS, BW, WM, WF, RWM, RWF, BP and HQS for an Iceland Sheepdog in Obedience the day of your booster.

In addition to the prizes the CISC will offer, the Alberta Kennel Club will offer the following prizes for your Booster. BB $25.00; BOS $15.00; BP $10.00; and Highest scoring Iceland Sheepdog in Trial $15.00.

Overview of the Four days gathering at this time (adjustments to be made in future if required)

Friday-Conformation Show, Agility, Rally or Obedience Trials available
Friday CISC -After hours, Meet and Greet, with wine and Cheese.

Saturday- Icelandic Sheepdog Booster, Agility, Rally or Obedience Trails available.
Saturday CISC Extra’s- Non-Standard Classes to be hosted by CISCRing of Fire-After Hours, AKC CGC test being hosted by RF, this will be an official AKC CGC Test with Title earned if you pass. Contact information for registration to be announced.

Sunday- Conformation Show, Agility, Rally, or Obedience Trials Available
Sunday CISC-Hosting a CGN test -Sharon S is in charge of registering, tester is Lori Rogers. This is a official CKC CGN test with title earned if you pass

Monday- Conformation Show, Agility, Rally or Obedience Trails Available
Monday CISC- After last show/trails, we will be hosting a Awards Gathering and hope to encourage everyone to stay and get their photos taken for "History of the breed"

Ring of Fire Icelandic Sheepdog Club in the United States members will be coming up to support the CISC booster and also are looking at supporting some of the prizes, details to be annouced in future.

We look forward to seeing the booster become an internatinal event., We invite any Icelandic Sheepdog Breeders or Owners from the United States that has a CKC registerable Icelandic Sheepdog to come up to the event!

If everyone is able to get to the four day shows that are planning on coming now, we will have a 5 point major in Males, and a 5 Point major in Females, so let us hope that these Majors will hold.

Hope to see you there, but if you can't make it consider sponsering a prize and start thinking about next year for the coming shows the East!

Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club Website

Hello Folks

The Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog has a new website, please feel free to check it out.

http://canadianicelandicsheepdogclub.blogspot.com

As always the club is growing by leaps and bounds, the last two years we have seen a great deal of new members!

Barks

Icelandic Sheepdogs- Dock Dogs

Hey Folks

Just a very quick update today, Dock Dogs is in full swing, and so am busy in training.

The barn critters are keeping me hopping, three new sets of twins in the past week, plus a few issues with getting the one momma to nurse her one youngin, so that is also keeping me busy. not to meantion that I have started Milking again..

The rain is making everything mucky, which means muddy feet and wet doggy coats everywhere.. ahhh, good thing is that the windows can be open full time now to help with the wet doggy smell, but the yard is covered in winter "stuff" how does it all hide under the snow, so lots of both barn, dog and yard work planned for this weekend.

On the plus side, the dogs can find every single pool of water to play in within 30 seconds of being let outside to have a good run.

Soon the snow will be gone enough for some duck training with the dogs, Freyja needs the training, she is crazy about those ducks, and needs to learn some mannors in regards to the birds, typical teenager behaviour right now.

Agility training in full swing right now, and have tried seeing how some of it works with two dogs, and strangely during some of the training, having a older better trained dog with a younger dog works well..

I know I have photos to take, Sorry guys, no new photos yet of the lambs/kids, no new photos right now of the dogs, and no photos or updates of the dogs. I will see what I can do this weekend in trying to find a little time to answer some emails (yes, I have gotten them, and I will get back to you soon!) just running a little bit much trying to get caught up from not feeling well for a number of days.

Barks

Ahhh Fresh snow rubs!! Got to love them

Hello Folks

The dogs are all well, loved this Oppa grunty rubs in the snow so much I just had to snap a photo of it to share.. its to darn funny..

Doggy snow angels LOL

Lovely bright and sunny day, happy dogs sleeping in the sun, and I will catch you all later.

Barks

Toys, Toys, Toys.. Iceland Sheepdog Love their toys!

Hello Folks,

Well, its bright and Sunny today, and once again the dogs have tracked in mud and pawprints all over my floors, I swear I am washing floors almost as much right now, as when I have puppies.. well ok, maybe not that much LOL

The dogs were playing Foot and mouth yesterday and the toy of the moment was a red spiked ball with rope on end, I swear they must have played for a good solid two hours between themselves, taking turns on who was in on the game, and finally after they have were all played out, they laid down to for a few min rest, and I snapped this photo.. I loved it personally, the shadows between the two dogs, the matching intent of "that ball is mine buddy", and I think within about ten seconds after this was took, they both went for it.. Very cute indeed.

So had a new set of twins lambs in the barn yesterday, another set of girls, so that is three out of my four ewes successfull birthed out, just one more to go.. and only one Doe Goat left to birth and my barn babies will all be here, Ok, so its not the biggest little farm, but it still keeps me busy and I can't wait to starting my herding when with the new "light" sheep to go with their "heavy, well dog broke mothers"

Otherwise, I am working on daily show grooming for the coming shows in April, Freyja starts her new Puppy Agility building blocks tomorrow night at Dream Fields, and I hope with all the work we have already done that she will be raring to go.

Starting to get excited about my coming litter, I was laying in bed this morning and giving my mom to be a little extra snuggle time, and had one hand on her belly, she still does not seem to big for me, but clearly a little expecting belly and good mammory glands development.. I will look forward to introducing them to warm fresh farm free range scrambled eggs and fresh goats milk when the time comes, and they are coming at the perfect time of the year to get to spend time outside in the warmth of spring and so many interesting things to play and do with sticks and grass etc outside..

I have been watching my breeder friends have their litters and are greatly looking forward to my own coming litter, not that they will be doing much besides eating an sleeping the first few weeks but lots of cuddles at that stage, and then comes the fun parts.

Anyway everyone have a great day, I am off to do some inside and outside work.

Barks

Ps, dogs love the turkey treats, so will post the recipe soon for you to try.

Monday mornings.....ahh

Hello Folks

Well its monday morning, and I am still not feeling 100 hundred present, but appear to have it turning into more of a cold..ahhh Maybe a bit to much time outside in the wind yesterday, despite being careful.. O well, the dogs really needed the run, as we had a very quiet day on Saturday. The only extra doggy related thing, I got done was bathed and groomed out two of the dogs, as spring is coming, they are starting to shed, and its easier to groom, bath and blow out the coats, then have the hair shed out in the house.

Sunday not as quiet, was out in the barn a fair bit, have a new set of twins born yesterday, Kids this time, Mimi has a lovely set of babies, one black/white/tan and one light brown with white.. both appear to be doing well at this time.

Took some meds and dragged myself to agility class last night and it was sure worth it, Zander did great, and the class was fun and up beat.. I will admit to sitting in the back row and maybe not being as outgoing as normal but when I was on the mats, made sure I was in the now so to speak, went to bed early last night and got up and did chores this morning and then snuck down for an extra couple hours of sleep, just not quite ready to be up at 5 today, eight seemed so much more in tune.

Anyway, today is a regular monday, normal house chores, and then its going to be a baking day, need to make bread for the week, muffins and loafs for Jason's work lunchs, and I am out of dog cookies, so that last thing I make will be a new batch of training treats. Roasted a Turkey this past weekend, so lots of meat left over, so most likely will make turkey treats for the dogs and turkey pot pie for us. If the treats turn out great, I will post the recipe for you all.

Have a great day, and enjoy the photo of the two Greenstone Pups learning to tunnel as babies.

Barks

Greenstone Alaxander The Great-more photos

Hello Folks

Ok, I took the cameria with me on the dogs run/walks this morning, and tried to get a few new ones of Zander, now these are plain jane, causal photos taken in deepish snow and I promise that within half a second of me taking the photo he was on the move again.. I had to put the very cute, leaping right at me, snow nose photo in..

While I might have found it cold, the dogs loved it, anyway, as most of you know, Zander is expecting his first litter of puppies in April! I am very excited , and I know that a number of folks on the waiting lists have asked to see new photos of this lovely med coated black tri boy.

For the show folks, you will have to wait for a proper show stack photo coming in the future no doubt as I will be working to finish him in the next few shows. Zander was shown twice and took Best of Breed once and Best of Opposite Sex once, so he is already got a two point major on him.

Barks

Greenstone Alexander the Great

Hello Folks,

Had some requests to get a new updated photo of Greenstone Alexander the Great up, its an ok photo, and shows that he is starting to mature out at this time.. Better photos soon.. Keep the questions and comments coming and I will always do my best to try and answer them.

Barks

Greenstone Icelandics Trip to Norway to meet ISD's

Hello Folks

Just a few puppy photos of some of the ISD's that I meet on my trip to Norway to pick up Tofra Tobba, and I was lucky enough to have been invited to a number of folks house to meet lots of different Icelandics in Norway.

It was a great trip, I spent a week with Monika and it was filled with Visitings, looking though photos and Video's of Iceland Sheepdog Shows in both Europe and Iceland, and getting to see some of Norway.

Sorry folks, not feeling well so this will have to do.

Barks

Greenstone Puppy Herding Test-Ducks

Hello Folks

One of the puppy tests that I have started giving, my last three litters were "Puppy Herding Tested" on ducks, and it was really wonderful to see who naturally had it, and who did not, The puppies are tested on the ducks twice with a few days apart to give them the best fair shake at it, and some of them were so into it right from the begin it was amazing..

See some of the photos posted, Greenstone Boogie Man is the mostly solid Tan pup that is working the ducks well, even starting to go behind him etc. I understand at his new home that he has a great deal of interest and is now starting on his sheep herding training.

The second pup is Greenstone Mystic Moon, she was also very interested in the ducks, but was a bit more wild about it, had them moving, she did, she is a lovely little lady that is in a great home, and in Agility training. This is a little red/white female.

Last but certainly not least! is Greenstone Black Pearl, she was and still is a firecracker in regards to herding, she will be worked with the ducks this year, but not the sheep, as I am showing her in Conformation, and I learned the hard way, with a few knocked out teeth in one of my best Show dogs last year, that she is working ducks only! thank you very much. Pearl aka Freyja is actively being trained in Conformation, and Agility. She has started her Showing season already and is in puppy agility training at this time. I had to get a photo of her in J's arms so you could see just how tiny she was, but she was sure boss of those ducks!

I will look forward to continuing to collect data from my litters and to being able to compare the puppy test results to the adult dogs in the future.

Barks

Greenstone Icelandics-Always on a learning Curve

Hello Folks

As a Dog owner/Breeder we are always learning, and on a wide number of subjects, a good breeder is always working on learning about Dogs in general, how they think, how they react, how to breed and or train for for and with their natural temperment.

We need to spend hours learning about Canine health, Canine Structure, and as a breeder, we need to learn how to whelp and raise puppies, breed to improve Temperments, Health and maintain/improve breed Type.

Then if you add in doggy sports (which we do) in Conformation, there is conditioning in all ways, a good show dog needs to be good in so many ways, and you as the owners need to help work toward it as a team, you need to learn grooming (and there is much more to it, then bathing and brushing the dog once a week) on average, my show dogs are groomed daily, and my regular grooming is once a week.

As you can see on the blog last year, I was able to attend two Pat Hastings Seminars, one in the spring, no Icelandics there, just able to sit back and learn, and one in the fall, where I was a fair amount busier as I had a litter of Icelandics at the seminar as guest puppies for evaulation.

While I will be attending a number of training seminars and camps this year, the first of the year will be a Myra Harris Two day seminar, Myra is famous for Canine Reproduction & Whelping and Puppy Intensive Care.

She has two books on the subject and I am looking forward to learning more, I have been so far, knock on wood, very lucky in how few issues and problems I have had with my litters, my mothers have been wonderful, mostly easy births with very healthy puppies, but better to learn when you get the chance, then to wish you did later.

If you would like to learn more, her website is listed below..

Barks

http://www.myrasavantharris.com/

Icelandics Sheepdogs and when Come means! COME

Hello folks

We are trying to still unpack boxes from our move and get settled in, as some of you know, it took a year to get our house from Iqaluit, Nunavut after we moved down, and by that time, in truth we were used to living with the min look..

Anyway, Last night we found a box of photos, and among the treasures where these two photos, I had this up on the old website, and just had to share them all with you, I figure there are lots of new folks that have never seen them.

So this is the story, we always took the dogs out for their runs on the tundra behind our house, we were right at the edge of town, and so you just crossed the road and you had a couple thousand km of open goverment owned land to camp on, hike on, and at the local sandpit, do Agility at (it was the only place that we could find that was safe for the dogs to jump and land on), so in the tundra, its all valley's and hills, and one of the games that J and I have always planned is fine mom or dad, and or to call the dogs back and forth with their names and come.. its great for teaching a good recall right from puppyhood.

Ok, so we are out hiking, with Lily of the Tundra (our lovely purebred yellow lab), Bella (our Yellowknife all canadian northern Rescue pound puppy) Pineridge Vaskur (Black Tri) and Tofra Tobba (who I had flown to Norway to get the year before), and I am on one side of the valley, hiking the top and Jason had been hiking the bottom, and then came up the trail on the side of the valley, and he realized that he had lily with him but not the other three, so called their names and come.. I was taking pictures of the local area, and just happened to have the camera in my hand, and was able to snap these two photos,

The first one is Vaskur, leaping straight up the side of the valley to go to Jason, and of course this did not work so well, as it was a fairly stiff large cliff, and so, he comes down at a run, does a big circle, and head straight back up, I was so surprised but was able to get one more photo of him 3/4 of the way to the top, and yes, he pulled and scrabbled himself all the way to the top for his pat and cookie from Dad. Bella and Oppa, went to the trail and followed it up to the top..

I am going to put these up at the largest photos setting so that hopefully you can see him in some detail. I have always thought, that surely he used his double dewclaws that day, and showed just how agile the Icelandic would be in Iceland, as the landscape is very much the same between Iceland and Nunvut, Canada.

Barks

Pineridge Vaskur of Greenstone Kennel

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Hello Folks

I am pleased to bring you Pineridge Vaskur of Greenstone, Vaskur is a Long Hair Black Tri, Double Dewclaws in Back, Singles in Front. Vaskur is a Chincilla carrier, and carries a full black mask. Pattern wise, he carries both of the higher levels of the spotting factor. Vaskur has had his Hips Certified HD Free, by Pennhip and by OFA prelims, Vaskur has Five CERF Normals, and has had his heart checked by a Board Certified Cardo vet.

Vaskur has proven his weight in Gold within the Greenstone Kennel Breeding program, he has not only helped improve Hip rates in his offspring, but he is the father to the first CKC Champion Iceland Sheepdog in Canada, and the Father to the first Multi -Group placing CKC Icelandic Sheepdog. He has four more CKC pointed Offspring at this time and we will update as more finish. He has not just one Therapy Dog offspring but in fact has three offspring that either work as therapy dogs or a combo of a service/Therapy dog. He is the father to the first Icelandic Sheepdog in the United States to earn herding titles, and point in fact has three offspring in N.A. with herding titles. Vaskur has both offspring and grandpuppies active in Agility, and we look forward to see how they continue to do in the future.

Now, I know what you are thinking, you are thinking, but he has most likely had lots of litters, well think again, he has only had four litters and out of them, he is father to seventeen puppies at this time, out of three different females.

And if that is not enough, Vaskur himself is a exploration dog, he has traveled the artic of Canada with his favorite Geologist, you will get to see him meeting some local inuit, and hanging out on his twice daily helicopter trips to go out into the tundra, he has ridden in all kinds of boats, helicopters, float planes, Quads and Skidoo's, and then when he comes home, he has been bathed and fluffed and taken to dog shows by his favorite mom :) and done the breed proud, he has been used at breed booths and in schools to introduce a bit of Iceland to the children in the north.

This is well rounded boy, and he is much loved by everyone that meets him.. If you are looking for a stud that comes from two directly imported from Iceland Parents, A stud that has passed all his health checks, and has produced some of the top winning Icelandics in Canada, and has proven himself in temperment time and time again then Vaskur is a Icelandic to look at!!

I will consider using him at stud for approved females at this time. If interested in Vaskur for stud or to get on the waiting list for his next litter, contact me at isdpuppies@hotmail.com

Barks

Iceland Sheepdogs-Table Dogs or Floor Dogs

Hello Folks,

Just a few more photos of the show, it is worth noting that at the Purina Show once again we were encouraged to Table our dogs, given their size, and I will admit that they really do look much better on the table then on the floor.

I am thinking that perhaps we need to see if we can get it as a choice within our breed, when it comes to puppies, an females, they need to be on the table, its when you get to the males, that I go hmmmmm.. So I can't help but wonder if they would make a much better table breed then floor. I wish that when we were asked by the CKC what we wanted, that we had been able to be in the shows for a couple months or a year but of course that is not the way it works.

I love the first photo on the table ask it shows Freyja's outline very well, and the second one, she may not be in the most perfect stack, but look at that eye contact, and expression despite being a group ring.. she is so happy in the ring, and Iam sure that alot of that is how she has been raised and trained with the clicker and postive training methods.

Barks

Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club Breed Booth

Hello Folks

So a few thank you's need to go out, first thank-you to my hubby, who took friday and monday off work to hold down the farm, and make sure that I feel that I can go off to the show with my dogs! A huge thank-you to Scott/Laura for their hard work with regards to booth bunny duty and help thoughtout the weekend in many ways, plus it was lovely to get to have a good visit and for our nice dinner out together on Sunday evening.

A big thanks to my handler Linda Thompson, who got to meet Freyja or Fray-Fray for the first time, and who was very surprised to find out that she was a black tri, was expecting that it was a chincilla, but fell in love with her.. and was very pleased with in the show rings. Can't wait to see what she thinks of Zander now that he has another year to mature, she loved his brother last year but felt that Zander needed at least another year to mature, so he comes out this year, and I think that the black tri pair, one med and one long should just be stunning together.

So it was a long drive down, taking just over ten hours on Friday, but I took the express route home(paid toll road) and was it worth it, getting home in just over eight hours.. The show itself was lovely, the flowers were stunning and the plush red carpet in the rings just added to the show. It was so nice to see the ladies and gents all dressed up in their suits and dressed on Saturday evening but it sure was a long day, I was up at 6 am and at the show by 8 am and we did even get into group saturday night till after 9 pm, so a very long day for a young pup, and then there was a nice wine an cheese gathering after the best in show, then back to bed and the rings started again at 8am the next day, thankfully the Icelandics were not in that early, and so I was able to get to the show by 10am to start running the breed booth. Scott and Laura were driving back and forth, so they got in closer to noon on sunday an after that late of night and drive, who could blame them for getting a bit more sleep in the morning, plus I was only ten min away, so it made alot more sense for me to get there early and give them a bit more sleep time.

There were many folks that remembered us from last year, and came to say hello, and there for even more that had read about the breed but never meet them in person before that were interested in learning more.

The color photos were a hit, and it was great that we were also able to show colored photos of the breed faults for everyone to be able to learn them right from the start.

Everyone have a great day, just doing some laundry catchup from the weekend, and will start training and prep work for the next show in April.

Barks

Greenstone Black Pearl -A six month old Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy, Black Tri Long Hair, and Belglen Roskva a 16 month old female Long Hair Red/White Icelandic Sheepdog.

Greenstone Black Pearl took Best Puppy in Breed both Saturday and Sunday at the Purina CKC Show

Hello Folks

Greenstone Black Pearl AKA Freyja went to her very first show this weekend, and did wonderful, it was a nice big show, The CISC hosted a Breed Booth in the Breeder Village to promote the breed (more on that in it's own write up) Belglen Roskva AKA Soley with her Folks, Laura and Scott where at the show as well.

The Iceland Sheepdog girls did very well, Soley took Best of Breed both days and went on to show well in group, and to earn her first two CKC Championship points this past weekend.. A huge congrats to UKC Ch Beglen Roskva.

This was Greenstone Black Pearls first show being just over six months of age, and she rocked! In the photo above, Fejya in Puppy Group Seven, with Linda Thompson, my pro handler.

She needs to continue to grow into herself, but her training and love of life shone though in everything she did. To take in a nine plus hour drive each way, two full days of shows. Friday night booth set up, Saturday booth duty, two times in the ring, and we were there saturday from eight in the morning till after 11pm that night, and back again for another full day on Sunday, with two more times in the ring, once in breed and one in puppy group.

I am so proud of Freyja, she was grace under pressure and I can't wait to watch and see her grow up, if you would like to meet her in person, contact me at isdpuppies@hotmail.com and I will let you know what shows Greenstone Icelandics will be at next.

I will be bringing out Greenstone Alaxander the Great with Greenstone Black Pearl in April, two black tri's one med coated full mature male, and one long hair black tri female puppy, should be a knock out in just how attactive they will be in the ring!

Barks

Greenstone Iceland Sheepdog Painting

Hello Folks

Wow, what a great four day weekend and Dog show event, I will get to much more detail but decided to break down the event into parts, so this is one of the thing I had done, was order, a painting done of the the Iceland Sheepdog to be used for promotional items for Greenstone Kennel. It was done in mind to be placed on a Iceland Dark Blue or Black T-Shirt.

I think it turned out great, and can't wait to get it put on a few mugs, T-shirts, bags etc.. for my puppy owners, please let me know if you would like something. The imagine is being shared here but it is copyrighted to Greenstone, so please don't use without permission, thanks.

Barks.

Icelandic Sheepdogs in Finland -Icelandic Trips for Greenstone Kennel

Hello Folks

I am packing to head off to the show for the weekend plus working the CISC breed booths at the breeders village, it will be wonderful that all the CKC directors from across Canada will be at this show, so it will be a wonderful PR event for the breed.

When I was in Finland at the ISIC meetings on behalf of the CISC club, I was lucky enough to be asked to judge a Icelandic Sheepdog Fun match, there was around 30 ISD at the show, and it was worth its weight in Gold to see that many dogs together..

Here are few photos of the dogs at the show.. I will do a write up and put photos up in the future on my trip to Holland to meet some dear friends of mine and many holland dogs, as well as my trip to Norway and photos of some of the dogs I meet while there..

Barks

Dock Dogs Seminar coming-Can't wait to see an Icelandic do this!

Hello Folks

For those of you who know me, it will come as no surprise that I am up to trying something new with the Icelandics, there is a huge Dock Dog gathering coming up in Ottawa, there will be four days of events, including two days of seminars and training times available, and then you can choose to try out if you would like..

http://www.dockdogs.com/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,53/extmode,view/extid,186/

I am quite excited, and looking forward greatly to giving it a try, I have a couple choices on who I want to take, but I am leaning towards Vaskur, he will chase a throw kong into a lake in a flash, but the only ISD that has learned to jump off a dock so far is Zander, and that was because he broke his stay, and was point in fact trained to go back to the dock and stay there..

Otherwise, it will be a dog that loves water but has never seen a dock before..we will see what we can do.. should be fun in any regards..

Barks

brrrrrr its cold outside!!! windchill of min 42 this morning!

Hello Folks

Wow, is it cold outside, last night doing chores (no dogs got to come with us) and we were bundled to the nines, and the walks to the barn was nasty, but I was thrilled to see that all of our hard work in our barn had paid off, it may be a old barn in need of work and from the outside it still really looks it, but all the new walls, and draft fixing inside makes the inside very nice, It was a pleasant surprise to be able to unbutton in the barn while working and to take off gloves and check for drafts, and to see my lambs just running around playing, not even aware other then the metal banging from the wind that the world outside was nasty..

It is bright and sunny this morning so that is nice but would not want to be anyone out working in it, and will be looking forward to when it warms up again, guess March is coming in like a lion, so lets hope it goes out like a lamb :)

A winter Pineridge Vaskur with wind blowing on him.

Barks

CGN Test for Aug Show hosted by the Club?

Hello Folks

Question for you all, if you were given the choice or chance would you like to have a CGN test hosted by the Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club at the AKC dog show in Calgary in Aug?

I am looking for feedback on if this is a good idea. I know that with the number of folks thinking of coming up to Calgary for the Canadian National Icelandic Sheepdog Gathering, and four days of CKC Shows, that the CISC is looking to make this a very special long weekend.

We are already looking at one evening being a socal for a meet and greet, one evening would be awards and club meeting, and now we are looking at adding in a CGN test for the dogs, this would greatly increase the number of Icelandic Sheepdog that could go home with a new CKC title.

Please write and let me know what you think or what you would like to see considered to be added?

isdpuppies@hotmail.com

Barks

Icelandic Sheepdogs Agility and herding update.

Hello Folks

Well, It would be fair to say I am busy at this time :) I am backed up about a week on email so if you have wrote me, I will be working my way thought it today and tomorrow, As you know we have been lambing and kidding, so alot more time out in the barn lately. We have also been getting ready for the coming dog show, so daily grooming session and I am thrilled with how good my little girls coat looks!, plus 3 short times a day training sessions, one on the grooming table, One free stacks on the ground and one hand stacking on the ground.. Plus three dogs getting three agility mini trains per day..

Although they said it was going to be nasty and stormy this weekend, it was in fact fairly mild with some snow, so lots of dog runs, and barn work as well as indoor house work, it was mild enough to throw the windows open and do some spring cleaning, (lots more of that needed as always LOL) but it was a good start anyway.. many wheel barrols of compost from the stalls of the barn later, the time as always just flew by.. snuck in time on Saturday for a new hair cut and color for the coming dog show :)

Ok, so on to dog related things, well we had Frejya have her first regular Agility training class, she has a eight other dogs in class, all bigger then her but one.. Very nice group of folks, and nice dogs, it was very good, normally Freyja does most of her training in my privates and so getting her into a formal class is good, she starts Puppy agility at Dream Fields, check it out on the link if you would like. The rest of my classes are at my normal training school, Best Friends

http://www.bfdogtraining.ca/

http://www.dreamfields.com/

Anyway, it was a very good class, and I was able to practise for show training with stacks and holds etc, while waiting my turn, always a good thing. Freyja did well, she did every tasks asked and while she does slow down while learning something new, she will pick up her speed again after she understands what you are asking for.

So the lambs are so cute, I will admit to being guilty of maybe spending a few resting min just watching the lambs play.. amazing to me how they bunch together already, and I had Freyja out with me in the barn, as I always say to Jason, the dogs can't learn manners around the barn and critters if they don't get to come with us and learn what is considered proper or not.. Freyja lately has wanted to really chase the chickens and turkeys, so we have been working on that..

Needless to say, I did wonder if the adult sheep would be more on edge with the little wee ones, and until they are older, no working the sheep but I did introduce Freyja to some very interested lambs, it was very calm and controlled but of course she could move them with the slightest movement.. I can see that I will have a great deal of fun with the lambs when bigger working them with the dogs.. my older girls are so dog broke, that it will be a pleasure to work with some new fresh blood so to speak..

Barks