At last!  I figured it out!  Yes, now there will be photos of Walker.  This picture was taken while he was still at the kennel where I bought him.  He was only 4 weeks old.

I keep taking photos of him.  It is like when I had my first son, but now it is with a digital camera and so instant.  I even think about getting a better camera and doing  more and then I have to stop!  No more hobbies to get into.  Concentrate on training this adorable puppy so he will be a good dog and one that I want to take everywhere and that he will obey me.  Sort of like a kid.  Back in the day when I would go to the store with my boys wanting them to behave.

Ice Cubes

What I thought was such a cute thing has turned into something that has created a nuisance, that is for sure, but one that I sort of enjoy providing I am in a happy good mood.  With a puppy under foot that is not always the case.

How it all started was when I went to the frig to get some ice for my water  and I dropped a couple of cubes on the floor.  Walker was so happy and playful and he scooted them around the kitchen floor with joy and much noise, which he seems to love is lots of noise.  Now whenever I go near the ice maker his ears perk up and he looks eagerly up and wants some, not just one but it goes on and on as long as I will give them to him.  He has also discovered when I pick up a certain mug from the counter that means ICE.  It is cute to watch him play with the ice.  He doesn't leave them long before he eats them.

When I was working as a dental assistant that was one of the things that brought folks into the dentist was a broken tooth from someone crunching on ice cubes.  Then most times that meant they needed a crown put on their tooth, which was always quite an expense.  Now does that mean I will have to take Walker to get a crown on his tooth.  That would be the day!!!

This week Walker is experiencing quite an irritation to him.  Story will follow on that one.

Mistaken

More than once I have referred to my new puppy, Walker, as Braxton.  Not so unlike when I had 3 small boys running around the house making horrific noise I would call out one name but really meant the other.  Not sure why that happens.
 Years ago there was an old saying "If you say a name of someone that isn't here that means they are thinking about you"  does that mean my dear old Braxton , now in doggy heaven is thinking about me?  So silly I know but now that I am"old" I can get away or I am allowed to be silly.  I have earned that right.
 Last weekend one of the little grandsons and I walked over the hill trying to have Walker get out some of his energy and as we talked and walked I showed him where Braxton's grave is. In his sweet little voice Roger said"I liked that big dog, he was so nice."  Not sure where that all came from but it was sweet the way he said it.

Frustrated

It has been days since I have tried to post anything because I was trying to post some pictures.  As you can see there are no pics.  A friend even came all the way out here and spent time showing me . I was sure I had it all figured out.  Lots of fun  pictures of the snow and Walker and now nothing.

Well anyway Walker loves the snow.  What fun.  It is way easier than BACK IN THE DAY when I had 3 little boys to put hats,mittens, boots and snow suits on only to play outside for about 15 to 20 minutes and want to come back into the house.  That was yet another huge job.  Off with all the  wet clothes to hangup to dry, as that was before I had a clothes dryer, to use.  It is a good thing I was way younger because there is no way I would have the patience for all that now.

Walker is a piece of cake.  IF I can get him to hold still long enough I can wrap him up in a towel and rub him all over and he is dry and ready for the house.

As snow flakes come down he runs and jumps high trying to catch them.  That is when I wish I had a really good camera to catch those moments.  I make snow balls and he loves to bite them and of course they are gone but right now there is plenty of snow to make more.

I will continue to work on the pics and hopefully I will get a handle on how to do the posting of the pics.

Searching and Planning

When I realized that I truly wanted to have a new puppy after Braxton died I started talking to friends that had dogs and did the Agility trials with their dogs and thought that they would have some insight on breeders of Australian Shepherds .  I got some info and then did searching on the web and after several weeks I found a breeder in Silverton Oregon.  Now Silverton is not that far from where I live so I checked out her web site and sent her an e mail.  After several e mails we set up a time for me to go visit her and her dogs. 
As we drove up her driveway I was very impressed with her farm.  When we met I felt like she is the one I want to get a puppy from right from the get go.  Her dogs were beautiful and I fell hook line and sinker with her love of dogs and  how she liked to raise and care for them.  I wanted to impress her that I would be a good person for her to sell one of her puppies so I was on my best behaviour.

Braxton was with us of course. He had just had a summer hair cut  because I thought that would help him during the hot weather .  His panting was continuous so I wanted to help him be as comfortable as possible.  I didn't let him out of the truck because he was having difficulty getting up and down . 

She was about to breed her female and so I was put on her list.  Now this worried me when she told me how many people were on THE LIST.  Before she even had her female bred the list was made.  Yiks,  I am way down the list.  That was like coming in last in a race.  I was so let down, but she assured me that there usually were people that dropped off of the list for a number of reasons.  That was encouraging.  Off we go and my hopes are sky high.

She kept updating her web site and one day the bad news came.  Her female didn't get bred when she expected her too so it was going to be a long wait before another heat cycle and then maybe she wouldn't even try again.  I was devastated.  Braxton was not getting any better. I was so sad. So I felt like I was getting some sort of a warning.  DO NOT get another puppy but------- I didn't listen to my gut on that

One connection I had made on line was a puppy that was missing her toes on one foot and the price would be really good.  The sucker that I was we drove all the way there but there were some things that I knew I wanted and she wasn't it.  As we drove a way I felt sad and let down.  One more try.  Got a phone call that there were some pups over in Boring .  That was real close but when we got there there were only 2 left and they were Red pups, I had my heart set on a Blue Merle and a male.  I was so desperate by then I said yes--------.  My night was awful and I didn't sleep good and when I got up the next morning I had my husband call and tell them I had changed my mind.  It just didn't feel right, now I am really bummed.

Memories

Starting this blog about my new puppy is healing with the loss of my beloved dog Braxton.  I was going through photos that I have of Braxton and they brought me both laughter and sadness.  I had been brain washed for years not to get that attached to a pet, let a lone a dog.  I lived that until I was alone and starting a new life as a divorced woman after a 30 year marriage.  there were difficult times from the divorce but those are mostly forgotten and the fun with Braxton lives on.  He loved the snow but not the water.  I do love x country skiing so Braxton went with me most every time.  He was hilarious as he ran, jumped about, tried biting at the tips of the skis and the poles.  Never did he accomplish making me fall but there were times I was on edge about him so close and running about.  Now as the challenge of training  a new puppy is before me I deal with frustrations and lots of laughs.  So the journey begins with Walker.

What Was I Thinking?

Braxton had been my Australian shepherd  for almost 12 years and I was thinking I best start thinking about a new puppy.  Get one before Braxton dies.
It  would be an easier transition for me and the puppy.  Not sure why I thought that.
I had become aware that Braxton was slowing down, not as able to jump into the back of the Jeep when we were going someplace so I thought his joints are getting stiff just like mine so I would help him up.  When he stopped jumping up on the bed at night I knew there was a problem rearing its angry head. He would pant continuesly and it didn't matter what time of day or the weather.  So out came my big book that answered or should have answered all of my questions concerning Aussies.  What I found I didn't like.  Heart worm.  Off to the vet to be checked but the vet said he couldn't find anything.  So I started giving him some stuff for joints.  The panting didn't stop.  He still ate good and would follow me almost everywhere.
With that going on I watched him more carefully.  Then he would just go outside and lay in the shade and pant.  How was I going to make the decision ?  When was I going to make that dreaded decision?
When I bought Braxton as a 9 week old puppy I had said I wouldn't do any Heroics in health care for him when he got old.  Now it was my time to really stick to my guns.  He was just a dog!!!