Snow and Icelandic Sheepdog puppy Duchess

Let it snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...and then let me go play in it...Throw the ball will you, please!!!!!

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy.... buttwiggle of delight..

Greenstone Maria Update

Hello Folks

Got a wonderful Update on Maria Aka Rowan, she is settling into her new home well, and starts puppy class next week, I love it when folks send in photos of their puppies as they grow up and I am always so thrilled to get any updates on my Greenstone Pups..

So without further waiting, here is Sweet Maria with her new furry housemate..

Keep the updates and photos coming..

Barks

New Blog- Show Information on our Dogs

Hello Folks

I have had a number of folks tell me that they are looking for certain information and find it difficult to find on the blog as its very chatty. So I have been working on a few new blogs for different areas of the kennel so that folks can easily find what they are looking for.

So here is the Icelandic Sheepdog Top Show Dog Blog.. enjoy

www.icelandicsheepdogtopshowdogs.blogspot.com

Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy Available

Hello Folks

Well this update is going to be mismash of info, so first, a art type photo of a Greenstone Pup on the run in the fields and the camera got the pup no quite blurry but blurred the background.. I love it personally, so wanted to share..

Training news: Zander is in Rally-O training, doing ok at it, but mom can't figure out where her feet are to go.. I can see that it will be me that has more problems then him.. was that a turn left or a turn right.. o ya, read the sign again.

I have a handling class once a week, and I will be moving who is going around, but mainly Freyja and Duchess will be going..

Puppy Classes: Well at this time, Duke and Duchess are going.. with puppy Privates for Olof and Cleo.. everyone is coming along very well in term of housebreaking and training time.

New Call Name annoucement- So Greenstone DuchessofYork new call name is Aron, and so from now on, when writing about her in a non-formal way, I will refer to her as Aron.

Maria went to her new home on the weekend, and what a lovely couple and their other dog is very beautiful and well trained, I think that Maria is a very lucky young lady, Maria's new call name is Rowen.

Show Updates and Info

Well, As most of you have seen from the blog, I have been out of touch for awhile, Man, what a busy late summer/Fall.. between the first National CISC Booster in Calgary, my Family reunion in Aug, then getting the moterhome ready and driving it out late Aug/First of Sept, then Mother-in-law visits, Mother visits, and then late fall work (garden/canning/preserves) hit hard.. and on top of that, two litter of puppies that require and demand a great deal of time, so shows kind of went to the side.. but don't worry, we have plans to get out and about in 2008.

We are planning on starting our Showing again in Feb of next year, our year goals are:

Finish Ada to her CKC Championship - Needs four points

Finish Freyja to her CKC Championship - Needs one points

Finish Aron to her CKC Championship - Needs all ten points :)

and work towards having Top ISD in Canada with either Freyja or Aron.

As far as I know, Greenstone Black Pearl Aka Freyja is Canada's # 1 Top Icelandic Sheepdog for 2007. I believe she is also Top Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy for 2007. I could not be more proud of her.

Aron's father Ch Belglen Riddari, who I believe is Canada's #2 Top Icelandic Sheepdog for 2007, and her mother is Tofra Dalla, Mother to Ch. Greenstone AJay, #1 Top Icelandic Sheepdog for 2006.. I am expecting great things from Greenstone DuchessofYork akc Aron in the show rings for 2008.

Show information and updates to follow as it gets closer.

Hip Information:

Greenstone DuchessofYork has had her Puppy X-ray Prelims on her Hips, and they look wonderful! She is starting of life with very clean hips, now we just keep on looking forward and it will be interesting to see what her adult HD rates turn out like.

This year will be the first year that we will have adult two year old results to go up against Greenstone Puppy Prelims, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing how well they match up, but am fully aware that it will take many more years of tests (at puppy and adult) to confirm and create a databank of information.

Chocolate Gene: Exciting news, I love a good proper chocolate Tri, my goodess they are good looking Icelandic Sheepdogs, Now I will admit that I don't like Dilute Chocolate tri's or Brown pigmented dogs or even cream dogs with brown pigments..

But I do believe that the "real" Chocolate Tri in our breed is important and worth preserving, so in keeping with that, I am taking the proactive step of having all my orginal import dogs tested by VetGen for the chocolate gene, (this is a recessive gene, and now can be tested with a simple genetic test) and if any of my orginal import/Foundation stock dogs come back postive, I will then start testing their offspring that are in kennel or co-owned with me.

So stay tune in the future to see all the dogs results posted, and if we have a boy and girl pop back postive, you can expect to see a breeding in the future, and maybe a full pigmented, stunning dark Chocolate Tri Greenstone Icelandic in a show ring near you!

Well in other news, Hnuks Putti aka Ulli is going to committee on Dec 5th and so we will be able to get Greenstone Born in A storm done after that, and then his litter and offspring soon afterwards.. so that is good news, but still going to take some time to get that last grandfather's paperwork done.

Planned Coming Litters- Always a good idea to get on the reservation list if you are interested in a Greenstone Puppy, most of the time when it comes to pet puppies, most of them are reserved before being born, or very shortly afterwards.

If you are looking for a Possable Show/Breeder Qaulity Icelandic Sheepdog, then Greenstone Kennel is one of the best to look at, we stand by our show record. We would be happy to send you a complete list of our Canadian Success.

Runa is due to come into heat at the end of Dec/07, and we are planning a breeding between her and Vaskur, for chincilla (cream) and Black Silver Tri, med and long coated puppies.

Folda is Due to come into heat in March/08, and we are planning a breeding with her as well. Stud to be annouced.

Then much to my amazement, Freyja is old enough and will be ready to be breed, it will depend on how she is doing in the show rings, but if she is to be breed, we are hoping to breed her to Greenstone Josey Wales.

Then comes Dalla again in late 2008/2009, and we are hoping to take her to Greenstone Voodoo Child, and for Greenstone Ada, we have our eyes on Greenstone Sharp Dressed Man.

Its going to be a couple very exciting and busy years ahead of us.. My older girls are on their last litters, and my younger girls are just starting to have their firsts.. I guess its just going to be a few years of crossovers.

Available Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies.

One Red Pied Long coated Male Puppy available for co-own, I would really like to see this guy grown out and maybe shown in the future. Please contact me if you would like more informaton.

isdpuppies@hotmail.com

Barks

Structure Evaluations- Icelandic Sheepdogs

Hello Folks

Well, went to have a outside view on the three "possable" keep backs, because in truth, I only want to keep back and grow out and hopefully show one puppy from the 2007 litters..

I was stumped on how to value different strengths and weakness on Greenstone Cool Hand Luke, Greenstone Cleopatra Jones, and Greenstone Duchess of York. How do you ever pick between three such hot bodied and sweet tempermented puppies.

But it has to be done... LOL

So the little pup that is staying with Greenstone Icelandic Sheepdog Kennel and I can't wait to get her out in the show ring in 2008, is Greenstone Duchess of York..

It looks like I have a wonderful home for Greenstone Cleopatra Jones, so she is spoken for, and I will let you know if for any reason she becomes available again.

So Greenstone is pleased to let you know that Greenstone Cool Hand Luke is available as a pet male, I would love to find a home that would consider keeping him intact but he can go to a home that would like to alter him.

Cool Hand Luke - Nickname is Olof, is a big boned, long coated med-darker Red Sable Pied, and what a handsome, an striking male he is, the only reason that he is pet quality is because, he has single dewclaws on all four legs, and I would like to keep only Double dewclawed puppies, having said that, you can show him if you want, the standard does allow single dewclawed dogs to be shown but doubles are to be given preference. Luke is so sweet, a typical male ISD, a total love bug, and he loves all peaple, this is one pup that is comfortable in his own skin.. would do well in any type of home.

Greenstone Duke of York, just had his health check up today and he is doing great, wonderful little pup, so pretty and what a striking face, and great temperment.. Duke is available as a pet puppy, and would do well in any home, loves children and is a major snuggle bunny.

Scroll down to see photos of each of these males. If you would like more photos, or more informaton about their temperment tests, their CERF tests, their health tests or any other kinds of questions about the breed or their pedigree, please just let me know.

If you are interest in more informaton or in either of these male puppies, please let me know at

isdpuppies@hotmail.com

Barks

Greenstone Empress India

Good Morning Folks

Here is new photos of India for you to enjoy, what a pretty pup she is.. and I love the photo of her with her kitty friend, I can just see that kitty foot coming out to take that little chew toy away..

Love her Ying/Yang Face markings and she has just such a cute face..

Barks

Two Show/Breeding Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies Available

Planned Icelandic Sheepdog Litter for 2008 - Ch Belglen Runa of Greenstone/PineridgeIcelandic Vaskur - Reservations Recommended.

This just touched my heart and I had to share..

Jason's Aunt sent this my way, and it is wonderful, she also sent along the snopes address to prove that it was real :)

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/abbey.asp

This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced.
I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul
working in the dead letter office of the US Postal Service.


Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month.
The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was
crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.
She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when
Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that
I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday
and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy
that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and
to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her
you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith.


We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredithand addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it.
Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope
because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the
way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at
the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter
yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front
porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand.
Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called,
'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we
had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was
the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays
in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our
bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in,
so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and
have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for
helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother
you have. I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I am wherever there is love.
Love, God

Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy Updates

Hello Folks,

Well it looks like Greenstone Maria has found her new home, and she is going to be one lucky little dog, she even has a playmate of the woof kind.. The great news is that she is going to a home in Ontario, so I hope that at some point, I might get to see her again as an adult.

Well, I have had some interest in what my coming planned litters are, and the one that is for sure will be between Ch Belglen Runa of Greenstone and PineridgeIcelandics Vaskur. Mom is a med coated Chin carrying Black Tri and dad to be is a Black Silver Tri, Long Coated, so that means that all puppies should be Med or Long coated Chins or Black Silver Tri's.. Excellent clean health info on both parent dogs, and great show prospects are hoped for.

Reservations recommended.. to give you a idea of what I am expecting in terms of what a long coated Black Silver Tri looks like.. here is Greenstone Black Moon.. Now I would expect more refinement in the offspring, I will include photos of Black Pearl, I would expect the puppies to be more in type to her, but for what a Black Silver Tri looks like.. her brother Black Moon is the better example..

Now you maybe wondering what "Chin" or Black Silver Tri vs Black Tri means.. So a Chin Icelandic Sheepdog is a Yellow Gene ISD, that has the Dilute Chin Gene, which means that all "red" hairs on the body are lightened by this gene till the dog is a darkish cream color.. The Chin gene does not work on Black hairs, so if the dog is a Black tri, the tan tri markings can also be effected by the Chin Gene, (see below, Black Moon's tan markings are cream colored, as he is a Black Silver Tri, and Black Pearl's are a deep dark Tan color as she is full pigemented.)

Greenstone Cool Hand Luke

Hello Folks

I am so excited, The Canadian Association of Dog Trainers is finally holding its yearly three day semiars close enough that I can get to it.. I will be booked in as soon as possable to get to this seminar.

http://www.cappdt.ca/public/jpage/1/p/2008Conference/content.do

The wonderful long hair puppy above is Greenstone Cool Hand Luke aka Olof, and he is showing off his lovely long coat and show qaulity marked Pied markings, in the second photo, he is show off one of his trick commands, which is of course, Kiss, you can't see the clicker in my hand but its there.. Its such a sweet photo that I had to include it, I rarely put photos of myself up, I know this, I don't really take great photos of me, but this one was just so sweet and cute, I had to share.

The second reason I love this photo, is that Olof is showing off the wonderful breed trait of the ear fold, Icelandic Sheepdogs don't just put their ears back on their heads, they have the abiltiy to fold the ear in half in the middle, this is a very old and rare breed trait that I work hard to keep in my breeding dogs.. now I am sure you are asking.. why would you want to breed a prick eared dog with enough movement in their ears to be able to not only move around and lay down but to fold in the middle.. well in Iceland, the wind blows ALL the time, as it did in Northern Canada when we lived in Nunavut, and the dogs will fold over and close their ears off from really bad winds, now think about how great that would be.. its like having built in ear muffs for blocking wind!! to the best of my knowledge, the Icelandic Sheepdogs are the only ones that do this.. if other breeds do it, I have never found anyone yet that knows about it.

So enjoy the cute kiss photo but also see the old much wanted trait of the Icelandic ear Fold..

Barks

Greenstone Duke of York

Hello Folks

Here is a wonderful new photo of Duke of York, aka Dukums.. A wonderful dark red/white, with black Mask male Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy.

Dukums is looking for a pet home at this time, he is a very small, med coated puppy, I would not expect this little guy to be a big male at all.

Wonderful curling tail, very cute foxy face, so expressive in his face, a total peaple ISD, but he loves his play time with the dogs.

Nice Double dewclaws on this tike, and of course a great temperment test and a CERF normal, but he does appear to have a grade 3 heart murmur, it has appeared to get better between his first and second puppy check up, but if you are looking at him, he would make a wonderful family dog, but given his heart, I would not recommend him for a performance dog and he must be altered and never! used for breeding.

If you are normally the person that gets their dog from Rescue or the pound but are madly in love with Icelandic Sheepdogs, then this might be the guy for you.. He has a VERY small adoption fee, mainly in place to weed out someone who would want a free puppy only, I need to know that you are committed to giving him the best home!

I think he would do well with another dog, with cats, or children or in a older folks home, and he is smart!! this is one cute and smart little by and he loves to snuggle and be a lap dog..

If you think you could offer this little guy a wonderful home, please contact isdpuppies@hotmail.com with Duke in the contact line, and tell us all about yourself..

Barks

Chris Zink Seminar - Education for Greenstone Kennel

Hello Folks

Well, Greenstone Kennel firmly believes that you always! need to keep learning, and about all area's of Dogs, Dog health, Birthing, Raising, Training, you name it and the amount of new information coming out in regards to dogs is wonderful.

Greenstone tries to attend at min two different seminars per year, and has been quite successful at this for over eight years now, I will try and sit down and write out all the different dog related areas of Education or Training Seminars I have attended.

But yesterdays was by Chris Zink and it was wonderful, if you ever get the chance to attend her seminars, I highly recommend that you try and get to one. She is the Auther of a number of different books/Video's and she gives one or two day seminars around North America.

Yesterdays Seminar was broken down into different area's, some lecture and a equal amount hands on.. always a good thing to get to put what you are learning into hands on time..

Importance of structure to performance

Introduction to the musculoskeletal system
How to evaluate your dog’s structure
How conformation showing fits into a performance career
Understanding your dog’s physical advantages and disadvantages for performance

Body size (gigantism vs. dwarfism) and shape
How to evaluate a dog's front and rear angulation
Dewclaws and tails – their use in performance
How you can use your dog’s structure to maximize performance
Locomotion and lameness

Gaits (walk, trot, canter) – what they look like and how they are used in performance
Pacing, crabbing – why they are not ideal gaits and what to do if your paces or crabs
How to train your dog to gait on cue

Videos demonstrating dog gaits and gait transitions
The use of ground poles in conditioning and gait modification
How to determine which leg your dog is lame on and how to help your veterinarian make an accurate diagnosis

Conditioning the performance dog
Organizing a fitness program
Strength and endurance exercises
Intensity, frequency, duration of training
Conditioning for specific muscle groups
Appropriate ages to begin strength and conditioning exercises

As you can imagine it was alot of info, and tons of notes got taken but also what I came away with that were huge for me, I have already been recommending that anyone that wants a performance dog wait to spay/nueter till 14 months, but after this seminar, I want everyone to wait if possable till after 14 months, pets or not.. the amount of new studies that show overall health risks and behavioural issues with spay/nuetered dogs is amazing.. and all the studies have been done in the past six years.. there were 11 new ones, and good ones at that..

Now, I am NOT saying breed your pet dog, I am saying keep it intact long enough to have all its normal growth plates close with full hormones in its body..

The second one that I found wonderful was in regards the Body Mass index for what requirements are the best for the overall natural performance dog, and a well breed ISD to the FCI/CKC standard with the typical breed bone and weight to height, we are ideal!

This is wonderful news, and it does not really surprise me :) after all how many peaple have said over and over again, this breed is still working in the fields and show rings at 13, 14, 15 or even 16 years of age.

In a nut shell, you want a Mesomorphic build, with a Body mass index of under 2, my very sweet and very good performance females range right about 1.5 to 1.6 and my stunning performance males sit just under 2 at 1.9 But my European breed bitch being so heavy for the same height frame as my Iceland breed females, comes in at over 2, and to be fair, we have had to limit her on her choices, that is why she does not do agiltiy, she does tracking, a low impact spot..

(I want to be very clear on this, if you breed to the new AKC Breed Standard, with its change in Leg length rato, the dogs become Endomporphic in build and the fact that many of the US dogs are being breed very heavy for their heights, that when you add the two together, they no long have the same body mass index and builds that the FCI/CKC Dogs do and therefor, they get much poorer results in the scores, so if you are looking for a Performance ISD in the US, ask the breeder what standard they are breeding towards, there are a ton of great US breeders that are breeding for the FCI/CKC standard)

The third thing I learned and I am totally lumping them together is how to use the poles to train trots, and a ton of new conditioning information on how to get and keep your dogs in peek health! That alone took up two hours worth of note taking.. and I can't wait to try it out with my dogs in the very near future.

Barks

One Pet Icealndic SheepdogPuppy is available for Adoption across Canada at this time, Two Show/Breeding Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies are looking for somewhat local homes in Ontario, Quebec..

My Dogs Live Here -Poem

MY DOGS LIVE HERE


My dogs live here,
they're here to stay.
you don't like pets,
be on your way.


They share my home, my food, my space
this is their home, this is their place.


You will find dog hair on the floor,
they will alert you're at the door.
they may request a little pat,
a simple "no" will settle that.


It gripes me when I hear you say
"just how is it you live this way?
they smell, they shed, they're in the way..
"WHO ASKED YOU? is all I can say..


They love me more than anyone,
my voice is like the rising sun,
they merely have to hear me say
"C'mon girls, time to go and play"
then tails wag and faces grin,
they bounce and hop and make a din.
They never say "no time for you",
they're always there, to GO and DO.


and if I'm sad? They're by my side
and if I'm mad? they circle wide
and if I laugh, they laugh with me
they understand, they always see.


so once again, I say to you
come visit me, but know this too..
My dogs live here, they're here to stay.
you don't like pets, be on your way.
they share my home, my food, my space
this is their home, this is their place..------------


Author Unknown

New Greenstone Ada Photo

Hello Folks

Here is a lovely head shot of Greenstone Ada, out of coat, but love the expression and one of her daughter in a self-stack, A little overstressed I know but I was just pleased that she is self-show stacking so well at such a young age, love her front, and she has great bone.. This would be her non-show side, her show side as seen in photos below has much more color on it.

Two Show/Breeding Quality Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies for sale in Ontario, Canada

One Pet Qaulity Icelandic Sheepdog Puppy for Sale in Ontario, Canada

Barks

Greenstone Duchess of York

What a stunning little pup this is.. Clean coat- No Black hairs in her coat, and she is at least to me, the spitting image of Grandma Tofra Frigg.

Love this little gal, what a sweet temperment and so quiet and calm but bright!

Greenstone Icelandic Sheepdogs has Available Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies for Sale at this time, both Show/Breeder prospects and Pet Puppies.

Greenstone "Cleo"

New photos of Cleo, and lots of puppy updates, the pups still at home and looking for Show/Breeding local homes are starting puppy class next week, and zander is doing well in his new Rally Class, and Freyja is rocking in her Show training Class.

Two Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies Available for adoption at this time, we are looking for Show/Breeder homes within the local general area of Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal..

One Pet puppy that is available for adoption across Canada or the US.