Any More Relatives?

Are there any other relatives out there?

We've had this blog for two months and know of five relatives in Cyber-Paw-Space. So we decided to put our pedigree’s out there just in case some more relatives are sniffing around for us. Holmhaven Collies must be well respected and loved.

That's me Essex on the right. I am the head turning female tricolor collie. I’ve been with Dog Dad for over three years. He swears I kept him sane after Hurricane Wilma. I've been through a lot with him and I look out for him. The handsome sable collie is my nephew Deacon, who keeps calling me Auntie Essex. My brother Buddy is his sire. Dad can’t understand how we are related because I’m reserved with people and Deacon wants to meet everybody he sees.

On our recent visit to the vet, I weighed a svelte 48 lbs, while Deacon was 77 lbs. We both get a lot of exercise at the dog park and walks. I keep Deacon in line and act as Dad's right paw dog. If Deacon does something wrong, I bounce him. By the Great Dane, sometimes I bounce him just so he remembers who is in charge.

We hope everyone enjoys our tails. We love e-barking with humans, dogs, cats and other critters. We especially enjoy finding relatives in cyber-paw-space, so our pedigrees are below.

Essex's Pedigree Above - Double Click to view
Deacon's Pedigree Below

Dog Speed

Essex & Deacon

Relatives in Cyber Paw Space

Cyber-paw-space is great. First we meet our shirt tail cousin the perfect Tosca living in New York. Tosca convinces us to start a blog site and is right now in the first hour of her perfect blogathon. Five collies have signed our guest book within two months. Best of all, Great Uncle Bobby (Deacon’s Great-Great Uncle) e-barks us from Kansas. Then we find two close cousins living in Colorado and Wisconsin. We think the Great Dane had a paw in this.

Great Uncle Bobby with his new wheels

Bobby with best friend Mac, June 2006

Great Uncle Bobby lives in Wichita but has lived in Louisiana and Phoenix, Arizona. Great Uncle Bobby is Grand Paw Jason's (Holmhaven King’s Gold) litter mate. They celebrated their 13th birthday on 18 April. Great Uncle Bobby picked a pawtastic couple that collies adore. First a pair of collies Honey and Sam from Houston, Texas picked them. Honey convinced the Great Dane they were worthy to adopt two boys to keep her company shortly after Sam passed away. Honey loved and mothered Great Uncle Bobby and his good friend Mac for two years before she was called over the rainbow bridge. Great Uncle Bobby and Mac really loved Kansas and roaming their six acre yard. When Mac passed away on 27 December 2006, Great Uncle Bobby decided to see if there was any family in cyber-paw-space. He found our blog and e-barked us. I asked Great Uncle Bobby if he chased a lot of golf carts and bicycles, he said “No, I had rabbits and deer to chase here." When Great Uncle Bobby started having problems getting around his loving Dog Mom and Dad went to Doggon’ Wheels (http://www.doggon.com/) and now has his own wheels.

Bobby testing his new wheels

Eating out in the back yard.

Then in a second astonishing event we found our cousin Kyrie, who has told us about cousin Mackie. Kyrie was born on 06 July 2006 and Mackie on 13 February 2005. Those two and Deacon are really close cousins. All four of us have Great Grand Paw Jason in our pedigree. Kyrie is a sweet, smart wonderful collie and lives with a collie puppy named Kerby. She loves belly rubs, licking Dog Mom's and Dad’s ears, and lives near Denver, Colorado. Kyrie human Mom’s parents live in Wisconsin and have had the honor of being chosen by a large number of collies over the years. Currently, Mackie is being taught the ropes by twelve year old Monty. When Kyrie found out that Mackie was her first cousins, she almost bit her foot off. When they found out about us they barked for joy.

Cousins Mackie (left) and Kyrie (right)

Gee our cousins sure look like Essex

By the Great Dane this is exciting. Our blog is not even two months old and we’ve met ten collies in cyber paw space and four of them are our relatives. Life is pawtastic.

Dog Speed,

Essex and Deacon.

The Power of Cheese

Asleep by the doggie door

I had been with my Dad about a month when he decided I needed to learn to use the doggie door. First Dad pushed me through the door about ten times, but when he let me go and called me I just stared at the door. It looked like a solid object after all. Next Dad held the door open, lowering it a bit each time with a bit of cheddar cheese waiting for me after I went through it. That worked until the door closed, then I pushed the door about a sixteenth of an inch but I wouldn’t push it open. Dad went Argggg, just like Charlie Brown does in the comic strip Peanuts.

Dad is stubborn and was determined to teach me to use that doggie door. So he put me in my crate, had exit to the crate next to the door. He called my name, waved the treat by the door. Again I just nudged that door. It looked like a solid wall to me. Dad kept me in that crate for twenty minutes. I couldn’t figure out what he wanted me to do, and that door looked solid. I could tell Dad was getting really frustrated, but I couldn’t figure the doggie door out. Dad was at his wits end, but decided to try one more idea and it worked.

Dad rubbed a small piece of cheese on both sides of the door and put a small piece at the other end. As I excitedly licked the doggie door, I noticed the door lid moved, next thing I knew there was a small piece waiting for me at the other end. Dad ran me through this drill about eight times with a treat at each end. I now knew how to use the doggie door.

Dad went shopping to the grocery store later. When he got back, he heard the door swing and saw me proudly swaggering around the corner, up to the fence by the drive way. I was showing Dad, I knew how to do this. Several times over the next couple weeks, I’d forget and just stand and whimper by the back screen door on the porch. Dad would look at me and say “Essex, you know how to get in.” and just walk away. After a minute or two I’d remember the door and then I’d check up on Dad. That is why my cyber paw friends, you should never doubt the power of cheese.

When Deacon came to live with us three years later, I taught him all about the doggie door. That way Deacon learned faster and I got to split the cheese with him. BOL.

Dog Speed,




Essex & Deacon

Guardian Dog Angel - Foxy

Foxy at Home in the Keys

Foxy was a wise fourteen year old collie when I was just a pup. In case you don’t remember, Foxy was the Great Dane’s envoy to see if Dad was ready for a dog. Deacon found Foxy’s report in the howled archives stating Dad was pawtastic collie material.

Foxy watched over Dad during October 2003. Her Mom and Dad had to be gone and wanted someone they could trust to watch her. They knew Dad was considering a dog, so they asked him to dog sit. Dad snapped that up quicker than I do a chunk of extra sharp cheddar cheese. While, Foxy taught Dad the way of the collie, I was whelped at Holmhaven Collies. Dad was happy he dog sat, and the Great Dane liked what he saw.

Foxy herds a young friend

Essex ponders Foxy's sage advice

Unfortunately, Foxy was called to cross the rainbow bridge on April 2004. My mentor was gone. Foxy was a sweet gentle soul; that loved everyone. Her tail was quick to wag and a cat named Trouble was her friend. She loved car rides, playing tag, ice cubes and cheese. She barked at people when they were leaving.

I howled at the moon for two days when Foxy crossed the rainbow bridge. There were so many questions about Dad and humans I wanted to ask. I know Foxy is watching over us as our guardian dog angel. Well, it is time to sign off because I hear Dad coming.

Dog speed,

Essex

Foxy hears something in the woods

Foxy, I miss you

Thanks for your advice

Foxy getting a bath.

I think she hated bath too.

Deacon's First Birthday

I wake up this morning and I'm thinking Dad and Auntie Essex have gone loopy on me. Dad is calling me the birthday dog and singing happy birthday to me. I'm like totally confused, but hey I'm a dog.

We go for our morning walk and I get to stay longer to sniff. Believe it or not, I get some extra sharp cheddar cheese without doing any tricks. I'm thinking this rocks. I get on the computer and see the Perfect One, Tosca is wishing me Happy Birthday. Aroooooooo.

Yea, Dad made me and Essex wear Scooby Doo hats and sit in front of a Clifford Big Red Birthday balloon, but I would do far more for some cheeeeseee. All of a sudden Dad gives me a new toy, it has a green thing at the end and is on a rope. Then there are Greenies, a couple dinosaur nylabone treats, a large container of Al's Grill Hamburger treats and a huge bone. I'm barking to myself, Deacon you are da dog. After that we spent two hours at the dog park. Then my dog Mom and Dad say hi and sign my guestbook. What a Pawtastic day.

Do you think I can convince Dad that a dog has seven birthdays every year? Below are some pictures of me and Essex.

My Birthday Really?????

Deacon & Essex paws for a moment


Oh yea, I am the da dog

Wahooo, a bone. Wahooo.

Deacon Turns One on Thursday

I just wanted to alert our friends in cyber paw land that Deacon (photo at right) turns one on Thursday, 12 July. When my nephew came to live with us he was just a couple pounds lighter than me, now he is 27 pounds heavier. However, Auntie Essex is still the boss.

I know my nephew will appreciate your birthday wishes. I think Deacon just finished eating. Time to sign off as I don't want to alert him other dogs will know Thursday is his birthday.

Dog Speed

Essex

Legend of Holly the Collie

I hope all of you have a happy 4th of July. Today, I want to share a tail from the dog park. Angel Paws Dog Park has proven to be a place full of kindred souls and a wealth of dog stories. On Monday, 19 March 2007 an older gentleman parked his car and stopped to see and talk to me. Naturally, Dad came on over. The man explained that he and his wife had a soft spot for tricolor collies. Dogs can feel kindness and warmth of a person and that quality surged like a tidal wave. He paused and next told us the tail of Holly.

A young female tricolor chose their family when his children were very young. They named her Holly. He softly chuckled, recalling she was frequently referred to as "Holly the Collie." The day he and the wife went to the breeder mom, their hearts were set on a sable and white collie like Lassie or my nephew Deacon. They didn't know collies came in other colors. When he saw Holly, he asked what type of dog the strange colored puppy was. He was amazed to find out the puppy was a collie. Well, Holly recognized her forever family. The little tricolor female came right over and stole their hearts. At the tender age of two months, Holly left her litter mates and went home with them.

As Holly grew, she played with the kids, kept a watchful collie eye on them, and proved a loyal and loving companion. Holly’s love and devotion resulted in their daughter becoming a vet and a male tricolor adopting his sons family. He relayed one time when Holly was with him in town a small child tugged on his mother's sleeve, pointed and shouting excitedly "Look Mommy, its Lassie from the old Black and White TV shows."

Holly spread love, joy and happiness for 15 long years. His voice grew quiet and strained as he recalled the time when Holly's health had severely deteriorated and she was in pain. It was hard but after much discussion it was decided to let her go. It was with much sorrow they did this and their daughter was the vet that assisted her with the trip over the Rainbow Bridge.

Sensing Holly had meant so very much to him, I uncharacteristically nudged Dad to pick me up so the man could pet me. I normally put up a fuss but was quiet while the strange man stroked me. Every stroke and touch told me he was thinking of his little tricolor girl that had passed away so long ago and had meant so very much to his family.

Deacon and I must have been reminiscing a little too loud because I can hear Dad coming. If the man reads this story, we want him to know his story touched our hearts and will now touch many more. When the time comes for us to cross the Rainbow Bridge, we hope Holly the Collie will be among those that greet us with wagging tails.

Dog Speed,

Essex