Spottie and Weekend Update

I've mentioned a couple of times that i have Spottie back at home now. I'd placed her over the winter in a retirement/light working home, in hopes she'd get some attention and train her new novice owner in sheepwork but it didn't work out and she's been back with me for about a month. Since she and Gael have a slightly brittle relationship (get along okay but no love lost there), i'd like to try again to place her. She has a couple more issues this time around - first being she's on a very strict diet to get some weight off of her. She weighed about 38 pounds her entire working life and came back to me at 53 pounds, yikes! Anyway, i'd like to find a good pet home or light working home, possibly with a novice looking to learn the ropes of sheep trialing or someone looking for a well trained pet. Spottie would be fine as a spoiled rotten companion, doesn't need sheepwork to be happy. A few chewies and some toys and she's fine. If you're interested or know someone who might be, contact me. After the last home not working out, i'll warn you i will be very picky!

The weekend was good, no big events to report but a lot of work done around the farm. Mowing is finally all done and i'm making a dent in the thistles and other weeds that seem determined to rule the world, or at least my pasture. The back fenceline is finally cleared of the brush and trees that were laying on it. Garden is tilled and weeded and starting to produce squash and cucumbers. The farm looks so nice right now, like a park! I got inspired to work my dogs yesterday and they all did pretty well. In my mind, Bill seems like a trained dog but i do need to get out there with him and finish him out. His top end when sent left needs some work - he'll take any excuse to be tight as he goes around to that side. So i did a little corner work to open that up, and will need to do a lot more. His shedding is coming along well and he's starting to really get it. His eyes light up now when he sees me setting up and that hole appears. He's going to love it, you can just tell. I worked Spottie just a little bit (her fat self can only take a little!) and she was great, taking every little whistle. Sheep sure like her. Zac was a little wild but worked with great precision when i asked him to. Jet still seems a little off her game, a little uncertain. I set up the maltese cross and played around with it, that was fun with the lambs that have never seen it. Billy and Zac were stellar at it with those clean flanks and speed. It felt good to train them all, even if it was just a little for each.