Frozen Paws

Success at Palmer

2006-08-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

I'd like to start out this post with a HUGE "thank you" to Jennifer at Canine Design Pet Spa. If you're in Anchorage, AK and would like some grooming or pampering for your pet (dogs and cats, both!), you NEED to look her up. Absolutely phenomenal groomer. If you don't believe me, check out these "before and after" pictures of some of the miracles she's worked.

First off, she was the one who helped us so much in Kenai. During the palmer show, not only did she house and feed us, she helped us with grooming Ryder. I'm not talking about just washing and trimming him up, she opened up her shop to us, and taught us as much as she could cram in before bedtime (2:00 am the morning of the show...).

Here is our base camp at the Palmer Fair grounds. Nice weather meant no need for tents. Thank God:

The show went very good for us. We are pleased to say that Ryder was on VERY, VERY good behavior. His "talking" was at a very minimum, and he is learning that when he is in the ring, playtime is over. In fact, during the 2nd and 3rd day's group, he had other dogs trying to play with him. He just stared lovingly up at Erin and ignored them. Pretty darn good for a young pup. Erin was approached by a professional handler showing a Pom, and asked her, "Is that the same puppy you were showing in Kenai?" When she replied, "Yes," he said, "I can't believe it. He is a totally different dog. He's amazing!!" Pretty good complement, if I do say so myself...

Erin also did very well in the ring. She's really getting Ryder's speed down, and learning more of the tricks to showing dogs. As you can see in this photo, she's able to keep Ryder's attention, even on a loose lead. They make a great team, don't you think.

Another plus was that the lady that was so awful to Erin was not at this show. This left only nice people. Very, very cool. Everyone was great. One standard was finished there, but the best moments was on the 3rd day when Jennifer and her blue standard "Tripoli (Trip)" won Best of Breed and showed in group with Erin and Ryder. On that same day, we were informed that Dandy, a black standard, was to be shaved down after the show. Her owner was not sure if Dandy was show quality and decided that this would be the last show for that dog. Dandy won a major that day. It was the very first major for Dandy (previously known as "The Reserve Queen"). After that Dandy's owner could only look and say, "Sorry honey, I guess you gotta keep your hair..." A very good day. Here's Trip and Dandy posing in the Best of Breed competition.

Tripoli

Dandy

All in all a great experience. I think the funniest moment of the trip happened when Jennifer's 3 "lap dogs" (Trip, Spirit, and Fancy) were playing with Ryder (very gently, I might add). Jennifer told the three of them to "get your kitty!" which was a stuffed toy cat. Trip turned, faced Ryder, and started to growl. At the same time, the two girls rounded on Ryder. Jennifer yelled, "Not a kitty, NOT A KITTY!!!!" Ryder didn't back down, though (I think he was oblivious). Those three dogs played so well with Ryder and were very well mannered. I think that at the show, Ryder looked up to Trip as a "protector" from the Chow that always growls at him. When they weren't playing, Jennifer was supplying them with treats which they all thoroughly enjoyed.

All this time, Bob got a luxury vacation with his buddy Rosie. From my in-laws reports, they ran pretty consistently all four days. He's pretty tired now. Real big on naps. Tonight, I bathed him and practiced my scissoring on him, using my new "skills". Grooming is kind of addictive. As I sat there clipping I kept thinking "Ooh, I can make this look better. And this. And this. And this....." Better stop now while I'm ahead.

Last thing. New feature here on Frozen Paws. I want to start a gallery of dog portraits (doesn't have to be a poodle) from people who read this site, or are just passing through. I thought it would be a fun way to show off those we call our "best friend." We love our dogs and I know that Erin and I love to check out your pictures, so why not compile some of them together for the passers by. If you want your pups picture up, leave a comment (or an email) with the link to your site, your pet's name and call name (if applicable). I'll try to get them up as best I can.

Show Pictures and a Broken Laptop

2006-08-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

Ryder on lead
Originally uploaded by Pupsickle.

Our laptop, which Ian generally uses to blog with, is broken. Thus, posts have been few and far between here lately. We're sorry for the inconvenience. I'm working on fixing the laptop, and in the meantime maybe I can convince Ian to blog from my computer about the exploits of the poodles.

We have uploaded a few of our pictures from last weekend's dog show in Palmer onto our Flickr page. You can visit them by clicking on the picture in this post, if you want.

Rub a Dub Dub, Ryder's in the Tub

2006-07-24T22:37:00.000-08:00

Well, to start things off, I've got some bad news. Sounds like Ryder scared off all the other mini competition in the state. We're the only mini in the show. So, if we're going to score any points, it'll have to be in group... oh well. Life's lonely on the top....

In other news, we washed Ryder tonight. We tried the sink method this time, seeing as how we put a deep sink in for washing the dogs. It worked really, really well. The one oversight we had though, was the infamous, post bath "shake"...

Yup, water, water everywhere (I was encouraging him a little, though). We did better this time, cutting our total wash time from two and a half hours down to an hour and fifteen minutes. Man, that little guy has LOADS of hair. He did pretty well standing on the table this time. I think he's getting it down (cookies didn't hurt his mood, either).

Tomorrow, we're going to wet him, dry him straight, again, and then work on getting his puppy clip tuned up a bit for the show next week. Lots of table attention for this boy (Belinda, be ready for our pleas for help...)

Tags: poodle, poodles, Alaska, Alaskan, dog baths, wet dog, shake

New Cuts and New Adventures

2006-07-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally gave in. Bob CANNOT be corded. We hated how it made him feel. He didn't like it, we didn't like it, so we cut it all off. We cut him by ourselves (and a little help from Shirlee Kalstone) after extensive brushing to remove his mats. We roughed him in last night (until about 2:30 am) and finished scissoring him today. Needless to say, we're pretty proud with the job we've done. It was my first attempt at scissoring (Erin was a little roughed up which you can read about here). You could call it my version of the lamb clip. We think Bobby looks great and wanted to show him off...

In other news, we're heading off to Palmer with Ryder on the 4th of August (which is also our 5th wedding anniversary) for the Cook Inlet Kennel Club's dog show. It's an outdoor show, so hopefully the weather will be great. We've been practicing down at the local park every evening, and he seems to be doing pretty well on the lead.

We received an invite to stay with the poodle groomer from Anchorage (about 40 minutes away) while we're there. She has her shop underneath her apartment, and has offered to help with Erin with Ryder. Ryder LOVES this person very much, as she helped us at the Kenai Show.

Another reason we're excited is that she has silver/blue standards, which Ryder loves to play with. He made a good friend of Tripoli (Trip for short), her blue dog. Trip kept Ryder company at Kenai and played with him (very gently) after the shows. They would lay in their kennels side by side and watch the people, share water, and sing to all passer's by. Well Ryder would sing, but I think Trip would hum along...

We don't know how many mini's will be at the show, but it's rumored that one handler from California is bringing some bitches (enough for his own major), and a breeder in Anchorage may have one entered. Keep your fingers crossed...

I DO however know the judges, and they are as follows:

Friday: Mr. Norman Patton
Saturday: Mrs. Honey Glendinning
Sunday: Mr. Jamieson (Rick) Glendinning

I hope they love mini poodle pups....

Tags: poodle, poodles, Cook Inlet Dog Show, Alaska, Alaskan, lamb clip

Hooray for My Dogs

2006-07-19T20:42:00.000-08:00

Well, today we were voted BlogMad's Blog of the Day. Break out the good steak for the puppies!!

We're so proud of them...

Thanks for all the votes!

Tags: poodles, poodle, Alaska, Alaskan, Blog of the Day

Hot Diggity Dogs

2006-07-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

When I arrived home from work today Erin looked at me and said, "Look what YOUR dog did today." In guy terms, that means one of the two is in a little bit of poodley trouble, and that makes me the responsible party.

Turns out, I left a paper towel roll on an end table as I left for work this morning. Ryder thought that I was the best guy ever for leaving such a wonderful toy where he could get it. You know the normal puppy thing to do, would be to unroll the paper towel by pushing the roll around with his nose and then shred it to pieces. Not Ryder. He's a super special dog. He brought the paper towel roll to Erin, shaking it vigorously, and presenting it to her, saying, "Look Mom!!! I got it! I got it!!" Yeah, all my fault.

Next thing MY dog did:

Erin points out to the yard and there is a hole that Ryder and Bob decided to excavate. My reply of course was, "What's the problem? You only have to shore the sides if it's OVER four feet deep." Probably not the right thing to say, so of course, I said it. Not that the digging was bad, she has been watching them and stopping it quickly, it's just that after they open a hole, Bob, who we are trying to cord, likes to roll around in the dirt (NOTE: He sleeps in bed with us therefore dusty sheets if we don't catch him). Oh yeah, the only reason they could get to a place they like to dig, was because I forgot to close the gate to the garden after I watered the plants this morning.

All in all, the boys are enjoying the nicer weather up here. It's been pretty rainy the last week or so, so not much outside time. They're making the most of it...

Dog Show Success

2006-07-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

Well, we're back. And the Kenai Dog show was great. Ryder took Best of Breed all 3 days (being the only miniature poodle, it was sort of a given. But hey, "HE DESERVED IT!!!!") and did great in the group competition as well (more on this later).

Erin and I left Fairbanks at about 7:00 pm on Thursday and arrived at the show at about 4:45 am on Friday morning. We probably would have arrived earlier, but I took a wrong turn towards Seward and realized it about 20 miles into the drive. Whoopsie. I've only driven to Kenai once before and seemed to be a little confused at that particular hour.... We made it safe and sound. And tired, and cranky, and grumpy.

We took a 2 hour nap in the car and then proceeded to figure out what the heck we were supposed to be doing. We started to mosey around until the holy grail of vehicles drove up with a plate that said POODLZ. Our kind of rig. This handler was a local (from Soldotna) handler/breeder who Erin and I had email contact with but had never met. She saw us with Ryder and knew who we were. She was an awesome lady, showing a white standard bitch. She had grooming tent space already set up for us, and made us feel at home. She even had us over for dinner. He dogs are beautiful, too. She let Erin play with some 5 week old standard puppies, which was a bad idea. It was almost tempting to make plans to return for this one gorgeous little standard puppy, but we're sticking with just two for right now.... Ryder still needs a LOT of attention.

Erin and I set up in the tent with another handler from Phoenix, who helped us get Ryder's topknot up. It was a hurried attempt, but it was the best we could do, having never done a poodle's show hair before. Erin and I did some scissoring, and lots of brushing until our friend/groomer from Anchorage arrived. She is showing a gorgeous blue standard dog. The groomer helped us after our class competition with some final scissoring and some tips on handling.

Group on Friday was kind of "interesting," to put it kindly. Ryder, who was probably as tired and cranky as we were, was also EXTREMELY excited. He was in the ring right behind a bulldog, and wanted to play more than anything. He did alright, considering he was a puppy without sleep or playtime. Also with two nervous parents running around.... He LOVES to talk to the other dogs and wanted to pick a play fight with others. Kind of distracting, but also kind of cute. Very poodley, very attention-demanding, also rather rude and out of control. *sigh* Puppies.

Saturday was a much better day. After the three of us got some sleep, having decided to fork out the $150 a night for a hotel room before we left Fairbanks on Thursday. We were all feeling significantly better. Our groomer friend showed us how to put in a topknot (correctly, this time), and then she ripped (very carefully, mind you) it out, so we would have to do it. She's making us learn, darn it. So we did him up. We got to the ring at the said time, which was about one hour too early. Ryder did much better this time and he won Best of Breed, again!! On to group...

Erin and I were quite nervous about Friday's performance, but Ryder proved us wrong by being one heck of a performer. He minded his manners and was a great boy for Erin. It came down to the end, and he didn't place again, but we were so proud of him. He really tried, and strutted his stuff out there. What a boy.

Sunday, Erin and I had the timing down much better for grooming, arriving ringside, etc. We discovered that I, in fact, can do a lot of his grooming and topknotting (it takes two for that, currently). So with brushes, hairspray, combs, and camera in hand, we watched Ryder earn his way into the group ring once again.

Ryder was on his game for Sunday's group. He was free stacking, posing, and gaiting perfectly (or, at least, as perfectly as you can get from a 6.5 month old pup). In the end the judge stopped and really had to decide between Ryder and a Shiba Inu for Group 4. It seriously upset the crowd when the Shiba took the last group placement. Ryder had become the spectators' favorite at the show.

It was a GREAT weekend. I would say the only bad spot on the weekend was the persistence of one handler who tried to convince Erin that Ryder was terrified of the show (he wasn't at all), and that for the sake of the dog, she should remove him and not show him, maybe ever. Especially in group, and certainly not if she and her dog were entered in group, as well. After the handler saw Ryder in group the second day, she went on to criticize Erin's handling techniques and went as far as to call her 'stupid'. That had the poodle handlers ready to riot. Erin calmly dismissed the nay-sayer and didn't fall for the intimidation techniques. Good thing she didn't 'cause she and Ryder were AWESOME on Sunday.

On the way home we rewarded ourselves with a fun little hike in Girdwood and we camped in Anchorage last night to split up the drive. Now that we're home, we're truly exhausted. We spent the evening IM-ing Ryder's breeders, sharing the good news that he's a natural in the show ring. It was a great trip, and we can't wait until the next show (August 4th, Palmer). We're counting down...

You can see more of Ryder, Erin, and the show on FLICKR.

If you're wondering why Bob is on the slide show and not Ryder, you can scroll through it by pushing the little + button to find some pictures of him. I have to download each picture individually, and so it takes some time. I'ts also alphabetical, so Bob came first. When I get them all uploaded, I'll mix them up so there will be a better balance. Sorry it's taking so long...

Gone to the dogs

2006-07-06T14:05:00.000-08:00

We're off, to Ryder's very first dog show in Kenai this weekend. Since we're the only miniature poodle entry, we aren't really expecting this show to be anything but fun practice and a bit of a vacation for us. I'm looking forward to everything except the drive - it's right at 500 miles one way. Wish us luck!

Getting in the Spirit...

2006-07-01T13:33:00.000-08:00

Well, with Independence Day coming up, we decided to celebrate a little early. Ryder chose to be banded in the most patriotic of ways:

We're getting excited about going to Kenai. We've contacted the groomer from Anchorage who said she'd help us get Ryder clipped and all prettied up. We received our entry confirmation today, and that's about all we'll need to get set up ahead of time. All that's left is the packing (a major undertaking in and of itself), driving down (10-12 hours depending on road conditions and construction), and getting through the show. We're so excited we can barely contain ourselves. Bob is going to stay with Rosie (Erin's folks' mini poodle), so we won't have to worry about leaving him alone for long periods of time. He loves staying with them, so that will all work out. Now if we can just remeber to pack everything we'll be all set.

Getting all pretty...

2006-06-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

Well, Saturday around our house was grooming day. Feet, face tails, and bellies, all trimmed up. We clipped both of the boys, out in the sun in the backyard, and they did great. Bob is learning from Ryder that the table isn't such a bad place after all. We started with Ryder, hoping to be fresh, attentive and careful about the details. When we were done clipping, he got a quick brushout and a topknot:

(I'm getting better, but I still am awful at it....) and this is what you get...

What a great looking dog... He should do his breeders (and us) very, very proud in Kenai next week. We're getting some grooming help from some people in Anchorage who'll be at the show, so we'll make sure we get pictures of him in "Top Form" as soon as we can. But look at that face, you've got to love him!

Getting Ready for Kenai...

2006-06-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

Today we entered Ryder into his first dog show, which is taking place in Kenai. We both very excited to go, but also nervous at the same time. We're trying to make sure we have everything we need, grooming supplies, a place to stay while we're their, etc. It should be a great time.

I tried putting up his hair into a topknot tonight, without much luck. Erin is usually in charge of such things, but seeing as how she was busy at work, I thought I'd do my best. Ryder has been a real trooper, letting me try to put his hair up, take it out and then try again. I was careful not to lose any hairs, seeing as if Erin ever found out, she'd make me sleep outside in the doghouse... This is our boy after I got done (and a little play/nap time with his brother...)

What a dog, huh?

Shortly after I took this picture, Bob decided that he wanted to join in the fun. He and Ryder love to chase after their toys and play a perpetual game of "keep away". Erin joined in, and the boys thought they could steal her heart by performing a little dance duet...

She was greatly impressed.

We were worried about how Bob was coping, being the "old man" and all, with having a new younger brother to play with. I think it can be said quite simply. He's pooped...

New Discoveries...

2006-06-18T23:38:00.000-08:00

Today, we took Ryder and Bob out for a walk on some trails outside of town. Erin had Bob on his leash and took him down by the river. We saw Bob do something today that we never imagined. Bob leapt into the river to play. Yup, you heard it here first folks. Our apricot poodle pup likes to swim in the river. This is from the dog whose idea of the world ending is bathtime. Every time we give him a bath, he gives us a look that says, "What did I do wrong? Why do you hate me so?" Its a heartbreaking look. But today, he took the plunge. He was on his leash, so he didn't make it very far out. Check out them wet little legs...

So Bob ended up with a wet ride home in his crate. I'm sure he thought it was worth it.

Ryder has been teething like mad. He lost all but one of his canines (the last one is super loose and getting ready to go). He has invented a new game that he likes to play with Erin. It's called Hide the Sandal. Here's how it works. Ryder goes and takes one of her Chaco sandals and starts to chew on it. This happens to be her pink Chacos and the left one only. She finds him with it, takes it and puts it some place "hidden". Ryder then finds out where it is and how to get it down. He manages to get it, brings it to her, and starts to work on the webbing again. We've tried putting down all sorts of teething toys, but the sandals are his FAVORITE. Erin has decided that he's helping her break them in. What a sport.

We ended the day wit a nice bar-b-que dinner with the boys. Nothing like a nice grilled dinner to celebrate summer. Top it off with a pair of poodle pups and a piece of watermelon and you've got yourself a party.

Have a great solstice!!

Lazy Saturdays...

2006-06-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a nice lazy Saturday for the boys. Ryder had a bath yesterday and has been prancing around showing everyone how good he smells and looks ever since. It is fun trying to get his coat completely wet and rinsed during the washing process. But he's really good in the tub. I also discovered that a poodle with long hair takes a much, much longer amount of time to dry then our short haired dog. And Ryder, he has more hair now than Bobby has ever had.

Ryder likes to play with the flowers - he's certain that since they're so brightly colored, they have to be toys. We caught a picture of him running through the Columbine on the side of the house the other day.

We have discovered that Ryder's favorite time of day is the first thing in the morning morning, right when we let him out of his kennel. He loves to climb into bed with us and give kisses to everyone. He starts with Erin, moves to me, then to Bobby. After awhile he calms down and gets settled in for a nap. Just about that time, we get up, and he realizes that it's "time to PLAY". Then he and Bob are off to the races.

Bob has been doing very well with Ryder. When we used to leave Bob at home while we ran errands or while we were at work, he would cry and jump up and down at the door to his room (we put in a pony door on our little utility room, because it gives him enough room to play and is still a safe, doggie-proofed area). Now, when Ryder's there with him, they just play quietly while we leave. It seems having a little brother is doing wonders for Bob.

Other than that today has been filled with lots of playing and doggy naps. After dinner (and when the streets around our house clear up from the crazy garage saler's cars) they'll probably get an escorted tour of the neighborhood (a walk). Ryder does so well on his lead, and Bob is learning from him. It's amazing. Bob used to almost choke himself on walks due to sheer excitement, even when we put him in a Halti, but now he's hanging back, not pulling and being generally mellow and sweet, like he is at home. We'll see what adventures lie ahead...

Ryder's Movement

2006-06-06T20:25:00.000-08:00

We went down to the park in our neighborhood this evening and shot some video of Ryder on his show lead, moving. The quality is fairly poor, since it is from our little Sony point and shoot camera, but I think it captures his movement. The video is hosted on YouTube here:

Erin and Ryder

Ian and Ryder

Ryder gets ready for the Big Time...

2006-06-03T00:50:00.000-08:00

Well, today, Ryder started in with some of his grooming preparations. Erin put a few bands in his hair. One band on each of his ears and two bands on his head (one just doesn't quite work yet fot the topknot). The bands fell out a couple of times, mostly because he's an active little guy.Tomorrow is grooming day here. We're going to give the boys a relaxing day at the "spaw". This is USUALLY a weekly event at our house, but Bob's been known to get into trouble every now and then that necessitates a little "emergency work". Bob HATES getting bathed and dried:

It's even worse when we have to clip him. Ryder just stands on the table and just about falls asleep waiting for you to finish. Bob is getting more comfortable on the grooming table and we're hoping that Ryder will be a good influence on him. I'm sure tomorrow's biggest challenge will be seeing how hard it will be to soak through all of Ryder's coat. Could take quite a few dousing...

Initiation into showing poodles

2006-05-30T00:33:00.000-08:00

The dog shows this weekend were exciting, and everyone loved our new puppy, Ryder. His carriage (regal), his coat (beautifully thick), his face (very refined) - the general consensus was that he is a lovely dog with which to begin showing. Which was nice to hear, although we'd figured that out for ourselves already. Still, it never hurts to have someone tell you how beautiful something you love is, right?

The two professional poodle handlers who'd brought a string of dogs up spent quite a bit of time teaching Ian and I and another poodle couple how to brush, how to wash hair, how to dry poodle hair, how to put in bands, how to put up a topknot, how to take out a topknot... the list goes on and on and on. We have so much to learn! It was great that they had the time to spend with us and were so generous with their knowledge, though. Everyone made us feel very welcome.

We also picked up some grooming equipment from the vendors, since quality dog supplies are nearly impossible to get here without ordering them online. Yikes! They were sure expensive, but definitely worth it, as the pin brush alone probably saved me 10 minutes and didn't pull out any of Ryder's precious hair at all.

I even showed two toys for the handler, one on Saturday, and one today. They hadn't brought enough assistants with them, and I figured that the practice (with someone else's dog) would be good for me. The toy that I showed on Saturday is being prepared for a specials career, and he practically showed himself. He was a gorgeous, prancing little thing. Today Ian shot a few pictures of me in the ring showing the other toy, this one much more recalcitrant on the lead and generally just much harder to show, especially for a rank amateur like me. It was WAY less fun, but the judge was very kind and even moved around the ring to watch this dog's movement, since I had a heck of a time getting him to go down and back. On the way out of the ring I apologized, and he said "that's alright, we all have to start somewhere." It made me feel loads better, and at least now I know what I should have done, as everyone and their uncle gave me constructive criticism afterwards. Yay, I'm learning!

All around, the shows were a very pleasant experience, and I can't wait to start practicing stacking Ryder and gaiting him on a show lead. I ran into an old family friend who just happens to also be a professional handler here in Fairbanks, and she's going to give me a few one-on-one handling lessons before Ryder's first show. If nothing else, knowing what to do and having practiced it ahead of time should reduce the jitters. And hey, it can't go a whole lot worse than it did this afternoon with that little white toy poodle, so I'm hoping it'll only go up from here.

A long day at the shows...

2006-05-30T00:26:00.000-08:00

Ryder's third day at the dog shows was fun. We spent the better part of the day back at the grooming area with the poodle groomers/handlers. Everyone worked together to try to get all the dogs looking as good a possible. Here is a picture of a handler from California:

He put in the topknot on Dandy (this black standard) three times so we could watch. He was really, REALLY amazing. He is basically an artist with a poodle for a canvas. He is a very nice person, too. He helped everyone there, including a couple who had a problem with their Maltese. He and his assistant (who was also very talented) spent a lot of time showing Erin and I what we should do with Ryder and how to get ready to show him.

Bob has been a very good boy all day. He has decided the welfare of the house is in his capable paws. He has been keeping a constant vigil over the house and yard. I'm not sure if it has to do with his age, of if he feels that now he has to "take care" of Ryder, but if there are any potential bad guys in the neighborhood, Bob is more than happy to announce their presence.

Today, however, he thought he'd try and show Ryder the ropes of being a good watchdog. As I was doing some homework, I hear Bob let out his typical warning, "Ar-rooo-rooo-rooo". Then Ryder would follow up with some whines, grunts and couple of barks, and a yip. Bob would then give him a look, and try to show him how it was really done. This went on for quit some time, back and forth, until Bob finally gave up hope and left. Ryder, not being one to be outshined, decided he'd practice some more, and sure enough, he got it. He let out a great "Ar-rooo-rooo-rooo". I could just see the tears swelling up in Bob's eyes... Isn't that what brothers are for?

It just gets better and better...

2006-05-28T22:20:00.000-08:00

Well, the last couple days have been great for our two boys. They have been getting along just great. Lots of playing, cuddling, hanging out, and minimal fighting. Life is good:

On Saturday, we took Ryder to the local dog show and let all the people there OOH and AAH over him. Several poodle handlers and breeders were very impressed. One even said, "You'll have no problems with him up here. He'll be LOTS of fun." We found out later that he's a fairly famous professional poodle handler, so that was wonderful.

Saturday night brought even more excitement as Bob and Ryder started playing with one of their favorite toys, Awful Mad Kitty:

As Ryder started thrashing around we heard a little clicking on the floor looked down and saw this laying of the floor:

Yup, you guessed it. Lower K-9 popped out. So, I picked it up, took its picture, and thought I share it with you.

Bob has learned that kennels aren't bad places since Ryder moved in. In fact, Ryder's kennel turns out to be one of Bob's new "sanctuaries". He climbs in, heads to the back and can have some peace and quiet pup naps:

He seems to be having a lot more fun now that Ryder is here. They have been playing in the yard and enjoying each other's company. They even worry about each other. Last night, Bob woke us up in at 3:30 in the morning to let us know that our Ninja Poodle had gone on a midnight reconnaissance mission to eliminate the ever threatening dustbunnies that were looming underneath our bed. Just serving and protecting the family... just doing his job. We awoke with this "AR-rooo-rooo-rooo" from somewhere. Being woken up like that from a deep sleep usually means that Bob wants to tell us that something is dreadfully wrong. Then some OTHER noise came from underneath the bed. It was Ryder and it sounded as if he was stuck. I reached down to pull him out and Erin quickly reminded me to "Watch his hair and topknot" Yup, I'd have screwed that up. So as I pulled my hand back up, two lightning quick furry paws of fury grabbed hold of me and I ended up dragging him out. Didn't lose any hair thank goodness. Ryder was happy, Bob was happy, they snuggled, Erin and I stayed awake wondering what was next...

And on the 2nd day He created Friendships.....

2006-05-26T19:38:00.000-08:00

Well, day 2 was a very good day for Ryder and Bob. It seemed that a good night's sleep did wonders for them both. Ryder spent the morning "sleeping in" (it was 6:00 in the morning when I left them) with Erin. They both had long trips to get him here. Bob and Rosie (my in-laws miniature poodle who we're watching) got up and spent the morning outside playing while I did some studying for my classes. Ryder came out to join in the fun not long after. He made it the entire night without an accident, I might add. A real trouper. Erin left shortly after, to work on her thesis. She left me with a couple of tired pups. Bob and Ryder put aside yesterdays differences and spent some quality snuggle time on the couch:

Cute pair, huh? After a good long afternoon nap, Ryder and Bob went out for another session of play time:

It seems that they are getting better and better and being together. We're learning how to deal with the needs of each. It was funny to watch Ryder "need" to be the only poodle sitting next to you yesterday, and then today, he was perfectly content to lie on the opposite end of the couch allowing Bob to have some good ol' belly rubs. They are finding their places in the pack, so to speak. As Martha would say, "It's a good thing."

Tomorrow will be a big day for Ryder. The first dog show of the year is starting, and Erin and I are planning on attending. We're hoping to make some contacts, get some points, and intimidating the heck out of the competition... I mean, I'm planning on watching my mouth, right Belinda?... ;-) It should be a great time. This will be Erin's second dog show, and my first one. Unless you count watching the movie "Best in Show", but Erin insists that watching it doesn't. She says they portray the poodles as frou-frou dogs, which we all know they aren't.

Any pointers on what we should do/look for while we're there? If you've got any ideas let me know. Obviously, we will need lots of help learning the showing ropes. If you've seen Ryder, you can tell he doesn't need any help AT ALL. As Mary Poppins says, "He's practically perfect in every way."

And in this corner......

2006-05-26T00:22:00.000-08:00

Well, Erin made in safe today with the newest addition of our family (for the 1st half of the trip click here, for the 2nd half of the trip click here). The initial meeting went well, but after the first few rounds, it seemed the Ryder, the Ninja Poodle took the dominant position over Bobby Lee, the Yankee Poodle Dandy......

Actually, I just think that Ryder has had a long trip, not much sleep, and some drastic life changes. Arkansas and Alaska may start with the same weird letter and have a K in it, but they're quite different. I didn't help that Mr. Bob Dog wasn't on his best of behavior. After a couple of nips at each other, play sessions would continue until an afternoon long nap took over. The flopped over each other and slept all cuddled up like it was -40 below. A good nights rest should bring very positive results. He and Bob have had many, many exciting and fun things happen today and are looking forward to many more tomorrow.

Here are some really cool things that we/I saw or experienced with our first day with our brand new Ninja Poodle:

1) The famous "self-stack". Treats were immediately administered. (Alex warned me it would happen. I'm just glad I wasn't carrying anything valuable)
2) Ninja Poodles can talk. Ryder and I had a conversation today about whether or not Taylor Hicks, aka Soul Patrol, should really be the next American Idol.
3) Del Dahl does not do a very good job describing how a poodle should move. Just watch a Ninja Poodle, you'll figure it out.
4) I didn't brush the Ninja Poodle. Erin wouldn't let me. She said she was having WAY to much fun brushing him. It was way, Way, WAY too easy. It was bonding AND positive (Hear that Bob!?!)
5) Ninja Poodles have the best hair. Straight out nice and full (and looks professionally scissored, I might add....). I'm trying to grow my hair out to match Ryder's..........

Here are a few things that Erin and I would LOVE to share with you about Bob:

1) Bob knows two "unique" commands that weren't found in your average obedience book. "SCOOT" which means "Bob you're in my way, go somewhere else" and "SNUGGLE" which is pretty self explanatory....
2) Bobby has almost a 6th sense for what he can do to make you happy. If your sad, he'll bring you his toys, put them in your lap, and then snuggle up against you. The toy's yours to play with.... If you're frustrated he tries to get you to play with him, cause face it folks.....you can't stay pissed around a poodle. They are too darn cool.
3) Bob is a tidy eater. If you give him a cookie, he'll take it to the same small rug and eat it there. None of this chomping down right here and now stuff.
4) He can "trick" you into giving him a belly rub. You'll be petting his back and he'll roll over for you. You'll reach for your drink, and he'll slip in and get that belly up there. Reaching up to that top shelf for that last can of tomato paste for dinner, yup, you guessed it, Bob Dog.
5) Bob acts as our "pushless" doorbell. He rarely ever barks (I've actually never heard him bark when there hasn't been someone outside the house, or when he hasn't been playing with Rosie). But he'll wake up at 3:30 am from a dead sleep to let you know that there is a moose in your backyard. I'm sure he's kept Erin safe a time or two by scaring off drunk guys trying to head into the wrong place (back when we were renting across town). He's a great little alert dog.

These two boys not only bring a lot of joy and happiness into our lives, they make our home feel full, happy and complete. It's funny to try to think of the 4 years without Bob, and now to think about the times without Ryder seem strange, as well......

In the beginning....

2006-05-25T00:49:00.000-08:00

Please meet our wonderful dog. He is a one year old apricot toy poodle named Bobby Lee:

He is a wonderful pup who came from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He loves to snuggle, dig in the yard, dance for treats, have his ears rubbed, fetch, and play in the snow (you can get more great stuff about Bob at Pupsickle).

He's in for a big surprise today. He's getting the one thing that he's always wanted. A live in play partner and little brother......

Meet Ryder, a pure bred Ninja Poodle, bred at Impulse Farms. (You can read about the start of Ryder's adventure north by clicking here). He's a 5 month old black miniature poodle, who just arrived today from Little Rock, Arkansas:

This is their story.......