Taj's First Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone and everypup!

I've been super good this year and it didn't take me long to figure out that Christmas day = TOYS!!! My stocking was stuffed with doggy treats, a new squeaky ball, a turkey leg and a stuffed lobster that both squeak as well (I LOVE squeaky toys!). Mum made me a special bandana with bells on it so I jingled every time I moved! Tia only got doggy treats because she dosn't like toys (weird isn't she?).

This is my lobster.

And this is my new squeaky ball ( I have one in every colour now!)

And this photo is here just because Mum thought I looked cute:)

We had a party with lots of people (but no pups though), and it was so hot that I went swimming in the pool. Everyone kept saying what a clever puppy I am!

Sometimes I can jump in very elegantly, othertimes mum says I am a Klutz, whatever that means, but it must be funny because everyone laughs. I don't care, as long as I get my tennis ball.

I had a special dinner which was really yummy, but by the end of the night I was ready for bed.

I hope everypup had as much fun for Christmas as I did!

First Close-up look at Sheep!

Taj_sheep_0351, originally uploaded by Art By Michelle.


Taj's first up close and personal experience with sheep at 4.5 months of age.


Taj: "What the HECK are those things?"



The "things" (sheep) in question - a Dorper ram and Damara ewes.



Taj: "And you want me to do WHAT with them?"



Taj: "Mum I'm really not so sure this is a good idea".



Taj: "Those things are bigger than me".



Taj: "Nah, not today thanks"


"I still don't get what I am meant to do, can't I just eat some more poo?"




"Maybe I should sniff their butts?"




"Yeah, well, now what?"




While this looks like a very well trained 4.5 month old puppy doing a down stay in front of sheep, I'll be honest and say I was standing beside him, I just crudely cloned myself out of the photo! I was pleased with his control, although it was more a case of lack of interest because they wern't moving.




Taj: "Whoa, wait a minute now, these things actually MOVE?"




"Well that makes ALL the difference!"



"So I can make 'em move, right mum?"




"WOO HOO!!! I Love SHEEP!"



"Don't mess with me sheep, I'm a BORDER COLLIE!"

What a wonderful experience (for both me and Taj!). The sheep belong to my parents (although my kids have claimed three of them, Patches, Shadow and Horny so I guess I can technically claim to be a sheep owner;).

To start with he was not interested in the sheep in the slightest - he was much more interested in eating their poop, eating the bread and chasing fly's, but when the sheep moved his instincts kicked in and boy did he get excited.

He was very disappointed when we let the sheep back out into their paddock, but I have no idea what I was doing and didn't want to injur him or the sheep. I have found a lady that does herding training and we will be starting that soon after Christmas (just for FUN!).

TM
(Michelle, Taj's Mum)

First Beach Trip

Taj_beach_0017, originally uploaded by Art By Michelle.

Photos From Taj's first trip to the beach 21 December 2007 with little "cousin" Smudge.

Brave puppy facing the big waves

Hurry up and throw the ball, I'm getting cold standing here!

Tennis ball Fishing in the surf

Blech!!! Beach water tastes like CRAP!!!!

A pensive moment with Taj gazing out to sea with the wind blowing his ears up.




I quite like the monotone look of this last image, which happened in camera without any editing.




Taj and Smudge: Taj "Gimme it - That ones better than my one!"



Taj: "Damn how did you get there first?"




Taj: "You can have that one"



Run, Smudgie Run!

Smudge is a purebred Koolie (aka German Koolie/Coolie) and is three and a half months old. Koolies are another working breed favoured by many Australian farmers.

Taj outback

Taj_9850, originally uploaded by Art By Michelle.

Poised and alert in the backyard.

Taj - very clever Border Collie puppy

Taj_9848, originally uploaded by Art By Michelle.

Taj has just learnt how to move away from me (5-6metres), turn around and do a down stay when instructed to, so we are practicing this new trick all the time.

He learnt this trick very quickly, using his tennis ball as the lure and also as the reward. He already knows that he cannot retrieve the ball unless he has been released - I use the release work "ok" for most things, but he understands the meaning of a huge number of words, something that I am really amazed about seeing as he is only 4.5 months old. He even understands different commands can mean the same thing (especially from other people).

Some of the words/tricks he understands are: sit, stay, com, wait, ok, down, shake hands/other paw, get the mail, ball, dinner, lunch, breakfast, kids, cat, each family members name, nan and pop (both sides of the family), drink, go to bed, get lambie (toy), wheres your ball, behind you, not that way, this way, no, yes, wrong, heel, high five, wave, spin, Tia, gentle, drop it, leave it, wanna tug?, bedtime, do wees (on command), do business (poop on command), in your crate, that'll do, that's enough, who's there?, speak and quiet.

There are probably more words, but I can't remember them all! He also knows that on the count of "three" he is released to get the ball, even if you count out of order like, 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 27, 3 and that "ready, set, catch" is his cue to catch the ball before it lands on the ground.

Yup, I'm a proud mum, but he IS a very clever puppy!

TM
(Michelle - Taj's mum)