AKC Obedience Trial Champion Tonic!

  We are so pleased to announce that Judie Howard and "Tonic" have earned their AKC Obedience Trial Championship (OTCH). They did this in the incredibly competitive Northern California region, where I have actually seen 4th place in Open B with a score of 198 ++.    Yes - it's that tough!      Anyways - Tonic is now: OTCH Ebbtide Effervescent Elixir UDX2 OM2. Here is Team Tonic with another AKC High In Trial Award.  That's Judie Howard and her husband, Gary Howard, who I coerced into the photo to hold a rosette.  Many thanks to Gary for all his support of Team Tonic!  "Tonic" is from the "E" Litter out of our remarkable Ebbtide Madam President CD.

"FERN" ADDS ANOTHER CHAMPION TITLE TO HER NAME

We are so pleased that AKC Champion Ebbtide Fern can now add ASCA Champion to her name. Here's the photo from her 5-point  major win on January 14, 2012 at the NorCal ASC show, Dixon, CA with me handling and judge Linda Churchill.

 

Fern finished her ASCA Championship with three 5-point majors, all in California competition.

Next up for her: Finally, get going with Rally titles, and depending on my anxiety, Obedience.

Fern is from the "F" Litter, her dam is our very special  Ebbtide Madam President CD "Maddie", and her sire is HOF CH McMatt's EZ Going NA NAJ "Cruiser".

Trying Out The New Camera

"Fern" CH Ebbtide Fern


"Maddie" Ebbtide Madam President CD


"JJ" Ebbtide Careful What You Wish


Three Generations: L to R Maddie, her daughter Fern, grandson JJ


Meyer Lemons - faithfully wrapped in blankets at night to stay warm




Coldest morning yet...


Euphorbia 'Blackbird'


Cold rose


The dogs don't care if it's cold..

Paperwhites yesterday

Foster - the old kitty - 19.5 years

Congratulations to Altered Champion Gotcha!

This just in: GOTCHA completed her Altered Champion title today at the NorCal ASC show in Dixon, CA. Thanks to Senior Breeder Judge Dorothy Montano for the Winners nod and 3 point major to make her A-CH EBBTIDE GONNA GETCHA CD RA GSN JSN RSN!!!!
Thanks to owners Susan Gore & Trish Maddan for their efforts. And thanks to Raine Lutz for handling. Gotcha is from the infamous G Litter, out of "Maddie", Ebbtide Madam President CD and by "Baron", CH Rainedance Written In Stone OA AXJ.

Congratulations! What next from the biggest Ebbtide overachiever?!?! I love this dog and her owners!

The un-official win photo

Zayvee, Warren and their new CD!

Not THAT kind of CD! In the dog show world I sometimes visit, "CD" has long stood for "Companion Dog" degree. It is the first title you can earn in obedience competitions. I always compared it to earning your high school diploma, because, as a younger woman, I felt EVERY dog should have a CD title. Actually, I still do. But, now, in my older, wiser years, I realize that was in my Perfect World.

So, thanks very much to Warren Teitelman and his lovely dog, "Zayvee", EBBTIDE GOOGLE'S GAMBOL CD, for keeping my little dream alive. AND they did it with style! Last weekend at Del Monte KC (very stylish place, by the way) Zayvee and Warren competed in Novice A Obedience and won a FIRST PLACE on Saturday, TIED FOR FIRST on Sunday, but, boohoo, lost the runoff , so came home with a respectable SECOND PLACE. A wonderful accomplishment for first time obedience competitors!! Zayvee had two consistent scores of 193 1/2. Well done, guys!





And Warren was brilliant enough to have this beautiful win photo taken with Saturday's judge, Ken Blanchard. That's Warren on the left and Zayvee in the middle ;-) Here's another dog show tip: The judge holds the prizes and the handler holds the dog leash. And the Breeder takes all the credit...
wait, WHAT?!!?! I'm joking! I will tip my hat to Zayvee's incredible little obedience machine mother, "Maddie" EBBTIDE MADAM PRESIDENT CD. She has produced some outstanding performers for Ebbtide. Of course, she had some help with the "G" Litter - our thanks to their handsome sire, CH RaineDance Written In Stone OA AXJ (THOSE are agility titles).

Where Warren and Zayvee Have Big Fun In The Obedience Ring

We are very proud, excited and happy for Warren Teitelman and "Zayvee" EBBTIDE GOOGLE'S GAMBOL and their stellar performances in Novice A Obedience at the Woofstock 2009 AKC shows in Vallejo, CA this past weekend.

Here's what happened:

Thursday: Qualifying score of 193.5 and
FIRST PLACE NOVICE A OBEDIENCE!

Friday: Qualifying score of 195 and
FIRST PLACE NOVICE A OBEDIENCE!!


"Zayvee" Ebbtide Google's Gambol

WOW!! This is Warren's first dog he's trained for competition obedience. Nice work.

I was unable to be there to see his work, but reports say it was darn near perfect and awe-inspiring. I'm never in the right place at the right time...

Zayvee chose to liven things up on Saturday and Sunday when Warren found out the hard way how frustrating obedience can be when smart little dogs chose to "change things up" (Zayvee took a little spin on the long sits..). Hmmm, doesn't the breed standard say the aussie "goes about his work with great style and enthusiasm"?!? Zayvee, that doesn't count in obedience..

I know Zayvee will be back on track in a jiffy, and earning more class placements and high scores! Stay tuned...

Susan (The Official "G" Litter Scorekeeper, owned by Gotcha) informs me that when Zayvee earns his one more leg in Novice Obedience, that will bring the total to 4 of the littermates from the "G" Litter to have earned their CD! And all of them did it with similar scores and placements! (Susan - do you you have those stats?) Anyway - Wow, wow, wow! Thanks to owner/handlers Warren, Judie, Susan and Ariela for putting in such great training! Mom "Maddie" (EBBTIDE MADAM PRESIDENT CD) is on her way to ROM thanks to Zayvee, Howdy, Naya & Gotcha. And let's not forget dad, "Baron", CH Rainedance Written In Stone OA AXJ, for his contribution. Without him, none of this would've been possible ;-)

I'm Smiling...it's Spring!

As promised: More photos from the garden! The labels are ABOVE each photo.

The wisteria outside my kitchen window - turn on your smell-a-vision...ahhhhh


A tall bearded iris - blue, light blue combo - name is in a file I'm too lazy to find:



Poppies! I love poppies... orange California and one purple Poppy of Troy (Papaver setigerum)



California poppy with borage buds - I love those borage buds! I will plant many more borage seeds - will I regret this???!! They re-seed shamelessly. Stay tuned...


Below: Inside the fenced garden: The yellow area - border iris, abutilon and 'Bronze baby' sedge (Carex comans)...uhh, that cool looking "variegated " leaf in the upper left of photo - most likely chlorosis, a nutrient deficiency. I recently added compost for a long-term solution. But, I kinda like that deficient look ...

Another view of the yellow garden

OMG - this frilly tangerine iris is stupendous and, snifff, ahhhhhhhh , smells so sweet...Must find name of this one, too. I want to be this flower...

A view in the fenced garden:

Baby Blue Eyes! I love this wildflower, too! That's Verbena 'Homestead Purple' and white alyssum over-planted with a wildflower mix.

Closeup of that Poppy of Troy (Papaver setigerum) - another reseeder! I love this guy, too. Crazy stamens.

Below: Back inside the fenced garden: A new rose introduction everyone must have: Ebb Tide - we prefer you spell it EBBTIDE, of course. Too bad those Cupani sweet peas are out of focus - neat combo with the Euphorbia (green, spotty little bell blooms to right of rose). The Cupanis re-seeded, too!

Every year I take a photo like this - Tough, hardy, drought tolerant rockrose (Cistus purpureus) - I can't get enough of these blooms:

Here they are with their just-as-durable buddies: silver 'Powis Castle" Artemisia, purple wallflower (Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve'), pink flowering rockrose (Cistus pupureus):

I'm not being arrogant when I use scientific (Latin/Greek) names for plants: There is a reason. And a story behind this (I knew you were waiting for a story... ). About 20 years ago, when I started this garden in Cloverdale, I brought home a lovely silver, fuzzy plant from the local Ace Hardware, that was labeled DUSTY MILLER. In my search (no internet then!!! Had to read lots of books!) to find out if it would withstand hot hot full sun and rocky dry soil (a large part of my 1 acre garden), I came across no less than 6 plants named "Dusty Miller". The problem? Some wanted shade. Some wanted moist soil. Some wanted full sun, poor soil, and heat. Bingo. But WHO was it??? Many weeks later and with the help of the wonderful garden lady at Ace Is The Place, I found out, it was Helichrysum petiolare: full sun, heat tolerant, drought tolerant. How's that plant doing, you ask? I killed it. I will share a secret with you: When you see a plant that says "Drought Tolerant" (here in California) - you MUST water it regularly through the first 2 or 3 summers before it can withstand some drought conditions (maybe water a few times in the summer - depending on your soil, conditions, etc). That doesn't mean: Put it in the ground and don't water it! There. I just saved you alot of money.

You're welcome.

I'm going back outside now. Let's go, dogs....

2008 Year End USASA RANKINGS - We've got plenty!

Upper left: Gotcha. Upper right: Spencer.
Lower left: Naya. Lower right: Tonic

Four incredibly talented Ebbtide dogs and their equally talented and dedicated owners/trainers/handlers have made it into the top end of the United States Australian Shepherd Association 2008 Year End Standings in Obedience and Rally! Besides all of them having Ebbtide for a first name, they all share the same dam, Ebbtide Madam President CD "Maddie"! Maddie had three litters in her breeding lifetime (she's now 10.5 yrs old and spayed): One offspring from her first litter (the "E" litter) & second litter (the "F" litter) qualified and two from the last litter (the "G" litter). Maddie, you rock! Here they are:

Ebbtide Effervescent Elixir UDX "Tonic"
Judie Howard, Moraga, CA

3rd Open B Obedience

6th Utility B Obedience

3rd Blue & Gold Award (High Combined Open B & Utility B)

CH. Ebbtide Fine Fellow CD "Spencer" Judie Scherrer & Ann Atkinson, Sebastopol, CA

4th Novice B Obedience

Ebbtide Glamour Girl CD RA "Naya" Ariela Karasov & Ann Atkinson, Madison, WI

Currently in 3rd Place Rally Advanced A Results for Rally are to 10/31/08

Ebbtide Gonna Getcha CD RA "Gotcha" Susan Gore, Trish Maddan & Ann Atkinson, Concord, CA

1st Novice A Obedience

I am so proud of these four dogs and their handlers! Congratulations to Susan, Trish & Gotcha; Judie & Tonic; Ariela & Naya; and Judi & Spencer! I'd also like to thank 3 wonderful men who rightfully deserve a share of the spotlight with their spouses: Gary Howard, Fred Scherrer and Daniel Torres-Rangel.

What Dogs Like To Do

Today was another warm day - 78 degrees! Since we are currently out of the market lamb business, I decided to transform a summer lamb pen into a nice winter dog pen/activity area:


I added some clean straw to cover the potentially muddy spots (when/if it rains). My dogs have always thought that new straw beds are better than people beds! Plus, you don't get kicked out of them. The beauty of this pen (besides the obvious snacking potential...) is that the dog's can't ruin anything. No rare plant casualties, no Bad Dog digging, no inadvertant trampling of a seedling as they race around a corner. No Ann yelling : "GET OUT OF MY FLOWERS!".
Life is good. Dogs can be dogs.

It also is a natural observing spot: it allows the dogs to watch me in the kitchen, see who comes out of the front door, back door or office, see who comes through the front gate, keep an eye on the pasture and a quick glance covers the entire yard (Where are those cats?). Watchdog heaven. Surprisingly - no barking. While I was here, anyway. Soft, black pungent earth full of all kinds of smells and tastes. Just asking to be excavated. And so they did. With no reprimand. Even encouraged.
Life is good on the hill. Unless your Maddie - who jumps out and hangs with mom "Finally, just you and I - alone."

So here's the view I get when I look out while washing dishes - yeah, you're right - while I'm daydreaming at the kitchen sink:

If you look very carefully, you can see JJ & Fern at the top center of the photo. Trust me. It was better full size. Actually, I was impressed at how clean my windows look ! All is not lost faithful reader: You can click on the photo and see the very large size photo: clearly showing Fern & JJ on lookout. I'm such a techno-wizard...scary, isn't it?