Shelties

Our shelties were rescues from non-abusive homes, none of which understood what totally awesome dogs they are.

Mimsy Springwater

 Mimsy was originally owned by a sailor on the USS Abraham Lincoln who kept getting deployed.  She was farmed out to a (clueless) neighbor who had no idea that the dog knew tricks. Mimsy immediately attached herself to Jim, and started to show off a new trick each week.  She has been his dog ever since--she only prefers me when I have a bagel and nobody else does.

Mimsy is a clever, problem-solving dog.  She knows all kinds of tricks and agility manuvers.  If something in the house has been disabled or dismantled or moved into an unusual location, you can usually find incriminating evidence stuck in Mimsy's fur.  She doesn't like to play with toys, and she is afraid of chickens, due to a close encounter with some rough-clucks when we lived in the city.

Luna FishandNoodles

Luna came to us when an endurance rider in Oregon called to say that a friend of hers was going to put his sheltie on Craigslist, and wondered if we wanted to take the dog.   At that point, we'd been living with just one dog for more than six months...just one dog to feed, to walk, to clean up after....we didn't need another dog.   Then they sent a photo.   I went to Oregon two days later. 

Luna was hugely overweight at first, because the (now-former) owners didn't bother to teach her not to pull on the leash when they went walking, so they stopped walking with her.  Teaching that skill took about 5 minutes, and she's been perfectly polite about it ever since.

Luna is a very sweet and simple dog.  If you ask her if she is a "good dog", she will smile blankly back at you.  If you ask her if she is a "pretty dog", she will bark agreement.  That pretty much sums up Luna's whole life.  She is (still) fat, very friendly, and the sweetest dog I've ever known.

Mimsy, Jim and Luna at the Milwaukee Road endurance ridecamp

Shelties aren't very practical farm dogs, but they surely are fun.  And pretty.

UPDATE:

In August 2011, a friend who volunteers at the PAWS shelter told me, "There's a sheltie at PAWS, and you need to go get her."  I didn't think we needed another dog, but I have a tough time saying "no" to a sheltie in need...so I called Jim, hoping that he'd talk sense into me.

Yeah, right.

Jim and Pickles, PAWS animal shelter

Pickles Marie moved into our house the next afternoon.

Pickles Marie, August 2011

At the time of her adoption Pickles was about 7 years old, recently spayed, and recently treated for heavy flea and worm infestation. She had a horrible case of kennel cough, which took more than a month to resolve.  She was skinny, and her hair was sparse as a result of the parasites and a poor diet.  That's okay.  I know how to grow floof and fat on a sheltie.

Pickles Marie Tinydog

In her time with us, Pickles went to ridecamps, she went hiking, she visited the park, and she went on random trips with me as company on the road.  Her favorite thing, however, was living on the farm with her family, doing her "chores": chasing the goats, barking at the chickens, and hanging out with her family as we stacked hay, split firewood, or hung out together in the living room.  She was a cheerful little dog every day of her short life.

Mimsy, Luna, and Pickles

Update, March 2012: Pickles didn't give us a lot of clues when she got sick.  She seemed "not quite right", so we did some blood tests:  lymphoma.  She lived just a week longer.  We will always love her.

Pickles Marie Tinydog, much-loved little friend.

UPDATE:  February 2013

Jim and I had decided that we didn't need a third dog, and wouldn't seek a third dog...but if another sheltie needed us, we would try not to say "no."

Roo Outtathekitchen

Roo's former owners are recent retirees who needed to find a new home for this active 3-year-old sheltie, and Haiku Farm came up in conversation.  She fit into the floof-crowd here almost immediately.  She's a quiet dog (for a sheltie) and loves to play with toys and balls.  

She had to learn how to sleep on the bed with everyone else, but since moving here, she's learned how to behave properly in ridecamp, to share her toys with the cat, and to walk on-leash with two other dogs.

Mimsy, Roo, and Luna

UPDATE: August, 2013

Cancer moves quickly in dogs, and leaves us grieving every time.

You'd think with two shelties in the house, we wouldn't miss the third, but we do.  The apple tree at the very top of the orchard marks Mimsy's grave; the lantern next to it guides us home at night.

Mimsy and her favorite person ever: Santa Jim

Update:  July, 2015

As Luna's warranty began to run out, we started looking for another dog to learn her special skills and start taking over some of her responsibilities. 

Foxie Loxie Pants on Fire mac Feagle

It takes a special dog to keep the kitty entertained, to keep the foot of the bed well-anchored, and to keep a path worn down between the house and the barn.  Though he is not big, Foxie Loxie appears to be up to the tasks he has undertaken.

He does not lack self esteem.  His attention span, however, could definitely be lon...

Fascinated by poultry.

He has a lot to learn.  Luna has a lot to teach.  Those things definitely go together.

Update:  February 2018

Luna outlived everyone's expectations.  Extraordinary vet care kept her happy and healthy despite thyroid disorder, arthritis, and more than a little senility.  

Luna the beauty queen

We know how lucky we were to have her in our lives this long.

She made every lap a royal throne

Update: June 2023

It seems impossible that the dog with the biggest gentle heart could ever leave us.

Roo, the best dog.

Stealer of bacon.  Stealer of gingerbread cookies.  Stealer of turnips and asparagus and apples.  Bollaxer of the robot vacuum.  Friend to Foxie Loxie and me, she loved Jim best.  

We planted an apple tree in her honor, because bacon and turnips don't grow on trees.

Update: January 2024

At age 10+, Foxie was looking for an apprentice farm dog, and this fine fellow applied for the position.

HRH Winnie the Pooh of the House of Floof

Pooh Bear came with a huge bag of medications and a weight problem.  Our goal is to get rid of both.  He is a quiet, happy little fellow, and started his employee training with enthusiasm.

With a whole house full of sleeping options,  we choose "together."