Cursed Abe

As I wrote yesterday’s post “Honest Abe, clever Abe,” I did it gleefully, knowing it would cause husband Jim to curse when he read it on the blog. His view of Abe is different than mine, thus the cursing. You see, Abe belongs to our son Cass, and he loves Cass dearly. But when it …

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Honest Abe, Clever Abe

While the nation is focused on our new president, and since there are so many references being made to Abe Lincoln, it’s a good day to tell you about his namesake who lives in our household. Abe is a bearded collie, our family’s livestock herding dog. He was my son’s first dog, and is about …

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Livestock guardian play

Once the New Fork River freezes, we have to move our sheep herd from the south side of a highway to the north side, into a pasture with an artesian well. On Saturday morning, we walked the herd underneath a highway bridge on a narrow trail along the frozen river, and they ended up out …

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Taigans vs Wolves

Here and here are two rather ugly photos of Kyrgiz taigans attacking a tethered wolf. They have caused controversy in both European AR groups and, most recently, in one of our tazi lists. The general consensus appears to be that the Kyrgiz are reprehensible and that they should be stopped (also, everyone apparently thinks that …

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Hunting with Rio

From a bird who “snarled” at all dogs (you have to hear a Harris to believe the noise they make), Rio has progressed to a hunting partnership with Ataika. He is sitting on top of the cholla cactus above the bank beside Taik– apologies for photo quality. He usually rides on a T- perch walking …

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Dog News– Good

No links, but AB 1634, the California Mandatory Spay- Neuter Bill, has been roundly defeated, at least for now. Also just breaking: the AKC will allow basenji breeders to bring in new unregistered stock from its native regions–Northern Congo, Southern Benin, Southwestern Cameroon, and Central Congo, from 2009 to 2013. This is a GOOD precedent …

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Exposed

John Burchard, Sir Terence Clark, some coursing salukis, and a falcon were filmed in a chase by the BBC for the show “Pedigree Dogs Exposed”, showing healthy alternatives to most purebred dogs. Most of their footage (all but a half minute I’m told) ended up cut, but what is left is more than valuable. Patrick …

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In Memoriam: Bear and Bidaari

Bear, one of the last survivors of John Burchard’s Tepe Gawra salukis, died last week. He was 13. Int. Ch. Tepe Gawra Baariz, CC, CM, FCh (“Bear”)(October 9, 1995 – August 13, 2008)photo by Else Karin Rossebø, 10/28/2006 He was a great hunter and always a gentleman. Here he is at Casa Q in his …

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