New title professional pics

Here are the professional photos I had taken of Miska & Tyro for their new titles earned in Scottsdale, AZ in early March. The photographer is Bill Koler & Assoc. It was so bright and sunny that it was difficult not to squint.

Miska (above) earning her AKC Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) title in March 2012 with a 1st place. Judge is Gail Carrol from Manitoba. 

Tyro (above) earning his AKC Rally-Obedience Advance-Excellent (RAE) title.  Of his 20 Q's most were placements (1st to 4th place finishes). 

Local wildlife

Arizona is the only state in the United States where parts of the only four deserts in North America can be found: the Great Basin, Mojave, Chihuahuan, and the Sonoran deserts. The Sonoran desert is the largest in AZ and is very rich in plant and wild life.  This means walks with the dogs can be very, very interesting.  Here is a sample of the wildlife my dogs and I have encountered (not always close up, TG) on our walks throughout Anthem AZ & environs.

The ubiquitous cottontail rabbit; they are everywhere & I mean, everywhere! Anytime my dogs spot or smell one, it means coming to a dead stop while they point it.  The thing is, most of the rabbits just stay put! Even if I yell at them to move along, they don't.  Sometimes it means my arms get yanked off as dogs try to go in different directions when they encounter these critters.

The ubiquitous Gambrel's Quail.

These quail are very plentiful - like house sparrows back in Ontario. We have them rousting in a tree at the front of our house. Their melodic call can be heard early in the morning and throughout the day. They are forever dodging traffic to run across roads.They are much prettier than Bobwhite quail.

Bobcat (pic source: http://louisfranklinjonas.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html)

March 25th was the first time I spotted a Bobcat - in the country club - where sightings have been seen before.  The coloring confused me because the one I saw was quite a dark rust color but I understand their hues can vary. I wondered at first if it was a coyote or a fox but the lack of tail, the small ears and the saunter were clues to me that this was something different, i.e., not a coyote or fox. And it certainly was NOT a mountain lion. It smelled and saw us and decided to move away and wandered across the street and into a wash.

Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)

Wild burros

Javalina - a collared peccary (source:http://www.gatewaytosedona.com/article/id/379/page/1)

And then there are rattlesnakes.  The dogs & I haven't actually seen one on our walks but when I was on a house tour yesterday with Hubs, we did see one (sans dogs, TG).  It's pictured below and it's a Western Diamondback rattlesnake.  Hubs took this photo and was far too close to it for my comfort.

Wintery weather

After enjoying temperatures in the mid-80's last week, a winter storm from California blew into Arizona last night with some badly needed rain.  Today it also brought something we rarely see in the Phoenix area - hail.  It didn't snow in our locale but higher elevations throughout AZ  are getting snow - LOTS of it.

Diva checks out the frozen pellets

The putting green covered in hail

Diva checking things outside the yard

Chillin' out

Just chillin' out in AZ after a long walk or after a meal - or BOTH!  And they are all on their Bowser Beds, of course!

Diva

Diva's bliss

Miska resting on her 'Gumby' toy

Tyro is so freakin' relaxed!

Bath time!

Dust, rather than mud, is the culprit here in Arizona. After all, the state is virtually one big desert. I made a resolution to bathe my dogs once per month. It's only 3 months into the new year and I already missed February.  Well, it was a short month and we had lots of house guests and visitors so I have a good excuse.

Bathing my dogs in our AZ house is a bit of a challenge since the showers don't have hand-held wands. So I bought a cheap rubber attachment for the bathtub.  Lifting them in and out is and reaching to bathe them is a little hard on my back.  For now I'm coping but I understand now why mobile grooming is so popular in our community.

Tyro's turn

Tyro getting wet

Tyro's done!

Miska's turn

Get me outta here!

Thank goodness this happens only once / month!

These dog grooming products cost more than my hair products!!!

This makes their coats nice and silky and shiny!

Cool travel bowl

While at the Fiesta Cluster shows in Scottsdale, AZ, I bought a collapsible travel cup made by Dexas. 


It's very cool and fits easily into my fanny pack while I walk the dogs.  Carrying water for my poochies is mandatory when I exercise them.  I've tried 2 Outward Hound cloth bowls but each of them sprang leaks after varying amounts of time, one within about 4 weeks of purchase!  Then I went really cheap & just used a plastic container from a hummus spread. However this container is bulky and awkward to squeeze into the fanny pack along with a large bottle of water for the dogs.  Now I have a very nifty solution with this Dexas collapsible bowl.  It's only drawback?  The large size isn't that big & can't fit 3 Vizsla snouts in at the same time.  Dexas, you need to produce an extra large size!