Happy Holidays from Everyone at Acadia

Photo of "Lauren" from the Lockard's- Thank you.

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GrandGables Acadia Accolade

"Allie" as she is known to friends, was purchased from Guy Jeavons and Mark McMillan (GrandGables shelties) when she was about 4 months old. Allie is co-owned with Guy and Mark and went to visit them and be shown in Canada. She has done exceptionally well, winning 5 pts. under breeder /judge Leslie Rogers and then 2 pts. the next day giving her a total of 7 pts. (out of the required 10 points needed in Canada) her first weekend in the ring! This weekend she won another 2 pts. leaving her just 1 pt. away from her Canadian Championship.

Allie is a Ch. Apple Acres Expedition, ROM, ROMC (call name "Trek") daughter out of Can. Ch. GrandGables Whos That Girl. Her litter sister is Can. Ch. GrandGables Schoolgirl Crush- owned by Guy and Mark.

I am so thrilled that Guy and Mark were willing to share this lovely girl with me. As you can see, Allie has many good qualities- what you can not see is that Allie has a wonderful, correct, harsh coat, and movement you could watch all day. THANK YOU Guy and Mark for this valuable addition.

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New CDX* U-Ch. Linden Acadia Stacked Deck, CDX, HSds, HTAD1s, HRD1s

Show Low completed the necessary 3 legs under 3 different judges to gain the CDX title. In Obedience, the dog and handler has to preform a series of exercises and is scored during the performance of each exercise. To earn an obedience leg a dog can not lose more than 50% of the points allotted for each exercise and when the total score for all of the exercises is tallied, the total must be greater than 170 points. Each dog walks into the ring with a full 200 possible points, and deductions are made for each "mistake" the dog and handler team makes. This is true regardless of what title the dog is competing for in obedience.

To achieve the Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) title, the dog must heal off leash- including a figure 8 pattern; handler calls the dog to them, then commands lie-down while the dog is about 10 feet from the handler, then calls the dog again to come back all the way to the handler; retrieve an object that the handler has thrown; retrieve this object (again) while jumping a jump to get it, and jumping the jump again on the way back to the handler; jumping another jump on command; then finally sitting for 3 minutes while the handler is not in view of the dog, and then lie down for 5 minutes while the handler is not in view of the dog. These last two exercises are called "group exercises" and are preformed by all of the dogs competing in this class at the same time- the dogs in a line- the handlers out of sight.

Congratulations to Penny and Show Low for 3 consecutive successful attempts. That demonstrates consistency and full understanding on Show Low's part, and very through training and clarity on Penny's part.

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MACH 4 Acadia Color of Passion, HSsd & Pam Hetrick

I knew it was close- Friday I post that "is so close to a MACH4 that I am really tempted just to write her name that way already" and Saturday- I CAN. YEAH MOLLY!

Pam Hetrick, Molly's owner, had an even MORE exciting weekend than I originally reported. Pam completed the MACH title on another sheltie that same weekend. MACH Penelanes Little Princess Maya (Maya) is handled by Pam, but owned by Inga Skinner. Pam only gets Maya on agility weekends, and this may be the first MACH who was never owner, trainer, handled. Congratulations Pam- you are obviously a very talented handler.

The pictures are of the dogs, owners, and judges, and then Inga and Maya and Pam and Molly- showing off those Lovely, Big ribbons and traditional "MACH bars"

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MACH3 Acadia Color of Passion, HSsd- a valuable contribution to a breeding program

Linden Brita HSA's, RN -(pictured left) is currently working towards her CD. Brita is the littermate to U-Ch. Linden Acadia Stacked Deck, HSds, HTAD1s, HRD1s, CD (almost CDX- pictured right). Their mom, MACH3 Acadia Color of Passion, HSsd, was leased to Sherry Lee (Linden shelties) to have a litter of puppies while Mike and I moved from Arizona to Pennsylvania. I am so pleased that Sherry thought enough of Molly to lease her. Molly produced 3 puppies for Sherry- Show Low, Brita, and a male that was sold to a pet home. Once Mike and I were somewhat settled, Molly came home and produced a second litter of only 2 puppies sired by Payson (Ch. Acadia's Bright Idea, RA, NA, NAJ) which included MACH, NATCH, ADCH Acadia's Candidate, HSs and a lovely girl, Sadie, who was sold to a pet home.

As you can see, Molly herself did enough herding to acquire a herding Started title on both sheep and ducks, and each of her children that went to competition homes also competed in herding enough to acquire the herding started title- and more in Show Low's case. While the father of Show Low and Brita is Sherry Lee's Duel Champion (being both a herding champion and a conformation champion), DC. Linden Danbie The Blacksmith, NA, VCX, Kaibab (Acadia's Candidate) was sired by my Payson.

Following Molly's litter at Acadia, she went to her new permanent home with Pam and Jessica Hetrick. There she was given the opportunity to compete in agility and continue her herding. Under the guidance of Pam, Molly has earned the MACH title 3 times over, and is so close to a MACH4 that I am really tempted just to write her name that way already.

Molly had a lot to offer, and although she only produced a total of 5 puppies, 3 of them have had very successful careers and 1 of them (Show Low) continues to contribute to the success of Acadia. Show Low is the father of Belle (Acadia's Sweet Necessity, HT, RN) who is the mother of Rincon (Acadia's Sweet Home Arizona)- the young male I am currently training in herding. This past summer Belle was leased to Peggy Crawford (Peggin Shelties) and produced a nice litter for her, thus increasing Molly's contribution to other kennels across the country.

Linden Brita, HSAs, RN- currently owned, loved and trained by Matthew Twitty in FL

U-Ch. Linden Acadia Stacked Deck, HSsd, HTAD1s, HRD1s, CD- currently loved, trained, and co-owned with Penny Brcich in IL

MACH, NATCH, ADCH Acadia's Candidate, HSs- loved, trained, and owned by Morene Brown in AZ

MACH3 Acadia Color of Passion, HSsd- currently loved, trained and owned by Pam Hetrick in CA

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Show Low earns 2nd (out of 3) CDX leg

U-Ch. Linden Acadia Stacked Deck, HSds, CD earned his second CDX leg with a score of 190 and a 4th place. His heeling was ALMOST PERFECT and he got 39 out of 40 points during the heeling exercise. This dog has always had amazing attention. We are very proud of Show Low and Penny Brcich who loves, owns, and trains him.

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Jane has found her new family

Jane has moved to NJ where she will have 3 energetic grandchildren to play with in her fully fenced yard. She will also get to go to the beach for vacation and play with other dogs owned by various children in the family. Jane is looking forward to her new adventure.

Jane's new mom tells me that Jane will now be eating lamb, as that is what she has feed her past 2 dogs with much success. Jane says, "Good. I never did get to eat enough lamb while living on a sheep farm." Her new mom did buy lamb from us for Jane. I know she will enjoy her new home.

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Jimmy Russell March 26, 1942- October 17, 2007

http://www.sheltiesonline.com/ad_archive_2007/dublin_hill_102707.html

My heart goes out to you Ellen.

When I came "back east", I knew many of the show people, but didn't find that "special person" whom I looked forward to seeing at every show until I met Ellen Russell. Ellen is such a positive person that I found myself seeking her out as soon as I got to a show site. Over the years we have become good friends. I am so sorry for her loss- a poem seems so small, but I really appreciate the fact it meant something to her. I love you Ellen and I look forward to seeing you at the next show, where I am sure, that despite the hole in your heart, you will have some positive spin on a gloomy outcome.

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Adult female is ready for her own home

Whenever people talk to me about puppies, they always ask, "don't you find it hard to give them up?" I always say, "No. I love sharing my puppies with new families. I find it fun to add joy and excitement to a family, and when I do, I become part of that family too."

Puppies are easy- it is the adults that are hard. I think the hardest realization a breeder must come to is that eventually you arrive at a place where you have as many dogs as you can love and care for as individuals. If you go over that number, they become "dogs" and at that point it is all care and work, and not enough love and attention. It is there that you have to make a decision. I always attempt to do what is best for the individual dog. I always ask myself, will this dog be happier with some other family, or happier in my family? The time to ask that question has come for one of our adult females. She is a sable & white, 6 year old. She has WONDERFUL house manners and LOVES attention. She needs a home that will walk her as she loves to eat and sleep on the couch. I would like a home that will actually take her for walks on leash so that she doesn't gain too much weight. Please email me if you think you would be interested.

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The farm in fall

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"Normal"- Valerie's results for Multi-Drug Sensitivity

A new DNA test is on the market for a mutant gene that causes some breeds of dogs to have sensitivity to certain drugs. For years Vets have known that Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, and other breeds had some level of sensitivity to the following drugs:
Ivermectin (Antiparasitic agent)
Loperamide (Imodium(r); over-the-counter antidiarrheal agent)
Doxorubicin (Anticancer agent)
Vincristine (Anticancer agent)
Vinblastine (Anticancer agent)
Veterinary Genetics Laboratory University of California at Davis has found the gene and Acadia Sweet Emotion (aka Valerie) was tested while out visiting Auntie Pam in Calf. (actually- it sounds like Valerie may have been part of the study.) Her results were:

Normal/Normal- These dogs do not carry the mutation, and will not passon the mutation to their offspring. These dogs would not be expected to experience unexpected adverse drug reactions to normal doses ofivermectin, loperamide (Imodium(r)), and some anticancer drugs.

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Cameron

This adorable boy is sired by Jana Barwood Winning Silks, AX, AXJ (major pointed) x Acadia Peace of Mind. It is a pleasure to share him with Gloria and Ken Hansen of Belaire shelties. His mother, Dove, and grandmother, Ch. Genna are also pictured on this blog in posts from January 2007.
Thank you Ken Hansen for these photos.
* update- Cameron grew too big to be a show dog and now lives in a wonderful pet home.

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"Getty" hopes to be in the 32%

Acadia is not known for Blue merles, BUT we had a lovely litter of blues and tri's. This puppy is VERY happy to have his "girl". Caroline came looking for a dog of her own (she has 2 brothers and the family has a Brittany). Caroline would like to learn agility and I just know that Getty will be happy to learn it with her.

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I have the BEST puppy buyers

I was having some fun looking at numbers this morning and I found out that I have the BEST puppy buyers!!! Thank you!

I was looking at "statistics" for Acadia Shelties and I found that 32% of people that purchase a puppy from me train, compete and title their dogs. I am SO PROUD- not only of my dogs (OF COURSE I am proud of them), but I am proud of my buyers too.

Good breeders are always attempting to breed better dogs. The best are kept by the breeder to continue improving the gene pool, and the rest are sold to loving homes where they will be valued members of the family. Most of my pet puppies go to just that- loving homes where they are valued family members, but a few of them (32% to be exact!) get to do more! That's great because part of improvement (in my opinion) is the ability to be trained, to be socially adept enough to accept the stress of travel, competition, and repetitive training, and to come out of it successfully! The success of these dogs is what validates the manner in which I raise puppies, and my breeding program in general.

THANK YOU.

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Herding Clinic was a Success!

Thank you Chris Davies for a wonderful, educational herding clinic. Everyone who attended had a good time and learned a lot. The weather could not have been better. The dogs were all very good and I was amazed at the tallent! Chris and I are working on getting another date together to do it again. I will post pictures soon.

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Belle is getting ready for her big day!

This is directly from Peggy Crawford, Peggin Shelties.

"Photo of Belle taken in the front yard on Sunday Aug 26 She had her pre puppy bath and belly trim on Friday and the day was really pretty so we did some snap shots in the yard. She was enjoying the front yard and the sunshine.

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Lyme Disease: The Unknown Epidemic

Ch. Tucket, CDX, PT, VCX contracted Lyme disease after moving from AZ to PA. We did not diagnose it for almost a year. Since then, I have met people who have been misdiagnosed and have really SUFFERED as a result. Your dog won't be as persistant in telling you the troubles they are experiencing- always be observant of your pet and you be persistant for them.

Lyme Disease: The Unknown Epidemic
by D. J. Fletcher and Tom Klaber
Millions of people who are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer's, chronic fatigue syndrome and other degenerative diseases could have Lyme Disease causing or contributing to their condition.
Forget just about everything you think you know about Lyme disease. It is not a rare disease, it is epidemic. It is not just tick-borne; it can also be transmitted by other insects, including fleas, mosquitoes and mites--and by human-to-human contact. Neither is Lyme usually indicated by a bull's-eye rash; this is found in only a minority of cases. And, except when it is diagnosed at a very early stage, Lyme is rarely cured by a simple course of antibiotics. Finally, Lyme is not just a disease that makes you "tired and achy"--it can utterly destroy a person's life and ultimately be fatal.
Lyme disease, in fact, might be the most insidious--and least understood-infectious disease of our day. "If it weren't for AIDS," says Nick Harris, Ph.D., President of Igene X, Inc., a research and testing laboratory in Palo Alto, California, "Lyme would be the number one infectious disease in the United States and Western Europe."
Lyme disease was first recognized in the United States in 1975, after a mysterious outbreak of arthritis near Lyme, Connecticut. It wasn't until 1982 that the spirochete that causes Lyme was identified. It was subsequently named Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), in honor of Willy Burgdorfer, Ph.D., a pioneer researcher.
Many now see the disease, also called Lyme borreliosis, as more than a simple infection, but rather as a complex illness that can consist of other co-infections, especially of the parasitic pathogens Babesia and Ehrlichia.
Animal studies have shown that in less than a week after being infected, the Lyme spirochete can be deeply embedded inside tendons, muscles, tissue, the heart and the brain. "Of the more than 5,000 children I've treated, 240 have been born with the disease," says Dr. Jones, who specializes in Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. "Twelve children who've been breast-fed have subsequently developed Lyme. Bb can be transmitted transplacentally, even with in vitro fertilization; I've seen eight children infected in this way. People from Asia who come to me with the classic Lyme rash have been infected by fleas and gnats." Gregory Bach, D.O., presented a study on transmission via semen at the American Psychiatric Association meeting in November, 2000. He confirmed Bb DNA in semen using the PCR test (Polymerase Chain Reaction). Dr. Bach calls Bb "a brother" to the syphilis spirochete because of their genetic similarities. For that reason, when he treats a Lyme patient in a relationship, he often treats the spouse; otherwise, he says, they can just pass the Bb back and forth, reinfecting each other.
Dr. Tang adds other avenues of infection: "Transmission may also occur via blood transfusion and through the bite of mosquitoes or other insects." Dr. Cowden contends that unpasteurized goat or cow milk can infect a person with Bb.

Unreliable Testing
What is the reason for the discrepancy between the government's statistics and the experience of front-line physicians? Says Dr. Jones, "The CDC criteria was developed only for surveillance; it was never meant for diagnosis. Lyme is a clinical diagnosis. The test evidence may be used to support a clinical diagnosis, but it doesn't prove one has Lyme. About 50% of patients I've seen have been seronegative [blood test negative] for Lyme but meet all the clinical criteria." Most of the standard tests used to detect Lyme are notoriously unreliable. Explains Dr. Harris, "The initial thing patients usually get is a Western Blot antibody test. This test is not positive immediately after Bb exposure, and only 60% or 70% of people ever show antibodies to Bb."
Dr. Cowden favors two tests developed respectively by Dr. Whitaker and by Lida Mattman, Ph.D., Director of the Nelson Medical Research Institute in Warren, Michigan. However, both of these tests have yet to win FDA approval for diagnostic use. Explains Dr. Whitaker, "We have developed the Rapid Identification of Bb (RIBb) test. A highly purified fluorescent antibody stain specific for Bb is used to detect the organism. This test provides results in 20 to 30 minutes, a key to getting the right treatment started quickly." Dr. Mattman's culture test also uses a fluorescent antibody staining technique which allows her to study live cultures under a fluorescent microscope. "When a person is sick," says Dr. Mattman, "antibodies get tied up in the tissues, in what is called an immune complex, and are not detected in the patient's blood plasma. So it's not that the antibody isn't there or hasn't been produced; it just isn't detectable. Thus, the tests which are based on detecting antibodies give false negatives." The tests of Drs. Whitaker and Mattman do not look for antibodies but look for the organism, in the same way that tuberculosis is diagnosed.
There are several reasons why Lyme is so difficult to test for--and difficult to treat. Take, for instance, the bull's-eye rash--called Erythma migrans--that is supposed to appear after being bitten by a tick carrying the Lyme spirochete. Every doctor with whom the authors spoke said that this rash appears in only 30% to 40% of infected people. Dr. Jones said that fewer than 10% of the infected children he sees exhibit the rash.

A Master Of Elusiveness
More importantly, Lyme can disseminate throughout the body remarkably rapidly. In its classic spirochete form, the bacteria can contract like a large muscle and twist to propel itself forward: because of this spring-like action it can actually swim better in tissue than in blood. It can travel through blood vessel walls and through connective tissue. Animal studies have shown that in less than a week after being infected, the Lyme spirochete can be deeply embedded inside tendons, muscle, the heart and the brain. It invades tissue, replicates and destroys its host cell as it emerges. Sometimes the cell wall collapses around the bacterium, forming a cloaking device, allowing it to evade detection by many tests and by the body's immune system.
The Lyme spirochete (Bb) is pleomorphic, meaning that it can radically change form. The photo on the left shows a colony of Bb both in spirochete and round cell wall deficient (CWD) forms. In the CWD form, the Lyme organism can lack the membrane information necessary for the immune system and antibiotics to recognize and attack it. Dr. Lida Mattman states that cell wall deficient organisms are more properly called cell wall divergent. The Lyme spirochete can not only change from the classic spiral into a round form, but can change back again into a spiral. Explains Dr. Whitaker, "We have examined blood samples from over 800 patients with clinically diagnosed Lyme disease with the RiBb test and have rarely seen Bb in anything but a cell wall deficient (CWD) form. The problem is that a CWD organism doesn't have a fixed exterior membrane presenting information--a target--that would allow our immune systems or drugs to attack it, or allow most current tests to detect it." As a CWD organism, says Dr. Mattman, Bb is extremely diverse in its appearance, its activity and its vulnerability. Adds Dr. Cowden, "Because Bb is very pleomorphic, you can't expect any one antibiotic to be effective. Also, bacteria share genetic material with one another, so the offspring of the next bug can have a new genetic sequence that can resist the antibiotic."

Clinical Diagnosis
The doctors the authors interviewed all had their own testing preferences, but each insisted that Lyme was a clinical diagnosis, only supported by testing and retesting. "We look at the patient's history and symptoms, genetic tendencies, metabolism, past immune function problems or infection," explains Dr. Bock, "as well as history and duration of antibiotic treatment, co-infection, nutritional and micronutritional status and also psychospiritual factors." Dr. Tang uses all of the above, but also analyzes the blood using darkfield microscopy_although she cautions that not spotting the spirochete doesn't mean that the patient does not have Lyme disease. Dr. Cowden also employs muscle testing and electrodermal screening.
Dr. Burrascano has developed a weighted list of diagnostic criteria and an exhaustive symptom checklist. "In pediatric screening especially," says Dr. Jones, "we ask about sudden, sometimes subtle, changes in behavior or cognitive function such as losing skills or losing the ability to learn new material; not wanting to play or go outside; running a fever; being sensitive to light or noise. If one has joint phenomena, we know that an inflammatory or infectious process is present. A hallmark of Lyme is fatigue unrelieved by rest."
For women, Dr. Barkley has found that testing around the time of menses increases the probability of discovering the presence of Bb. "Women with Lyme have an exacerbation of their symptoms around menses," she explains. "The decline of both estrogen and progesterone at the end of the menstrual cycle is associated with the worsening of the patient's Lyme symptoms."

Government Persecution Of Lyme Disease Doctors
Physicians who treat Lyme disease in ways other than the established standard of care which means a course of antibiotics lasting no more than 30 days--risk invasive, exhausting, time-consuming investigation by state licensing agencies, leading to possible loss of their right to practice medicine. Activists report that 50 physicians in Texas, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and Michigan have been investigated, disciplined and/or stripped of their licenses over the past three years because of their approach to healing Lyme disease.
This past November 9th, 500 patients who got well after their doctors used alternative or complementary methods joined in a protest rally in New York City. They rose to defend Dr. Joseph Burrascano, who has treated an estimated 7,000 cases. As this story was heading for publication, New York's Office of Professional Medical Misconduct was engaged in what activists call an unjustified fishing expedition that will probably last for months and will allow state bureaucrats to hunt for any irregularity that could be used to damage Dr. Burrascano. But at the rally, patients angrily rejected the medical board's suggestion that their cases demonstrated anything negative about their physician. In fact, they all insisted, it was Dr. Burrascano whose knowledge, patience and care finally freed them from the pain and debilitation that had been ruining the quality of their lives.
State medical boards seem to be trying to protect the medical insurance industry rather than patients. In most cases, effective alternative/ complementary treatments require much more doctor time per patient and often include a broad range of medicines and supplements consumed over a much longer period of time, costing much more money than the current standard of care accepted by medical insurers.

Antibiotic Treatment
Every authority the authors spoke with considered antibiotics the primary treatment for Lyme, but that the accepted "standard" antibiotic therapies (of a duration and type acceptable to insurance carriers, HMOs, mainstream physicians, etc.) are insufficient. Lyme is sometimes classified as having different stages “ early vs. chronic, or localized vs. disseminated. "The biggest distinction is between early-stage and chronic," says Dr. Whitaker. "In the beginning, many organ systems are invaded while the patient may experience no symptoms. As time goes on we see multiple system symptoms involving the whole body, especially the central and peripheral nervous systems, and the musculoskeletal, skin and circulatory systems. Many Lyme cases are diagnosed by psychiatrists. Dr. Brian Fallon is studying cognitive and other neuropsychiatric manifestations.
"The problem, says Dr. Barkley, is that "There isn't an adequate treatment model. So if the physician says you have Lyme, and gives you the standard antibiotic therapy, and you aren't better, the thinking is that you must have something else wrong, such as an autoimmune problem, or else you didn't have Lyme disease in the first place. Short-term oral antibiotics are effective in treating localized Lyme, but with disseminated Lyme, the requirement for either intravenously administered antibiotics or long-term oral antibiotics becomes common." In his regular practice, Dr. Bock has always tried to avoid antibiotics. But, he says, "If you go back to syphilis, the history of spirochetes is one of being able to hide out and then reappear, causing severe, devastating neurological illness. This isn't a risk I would recommend taking with Bb.
"Most of the physicians recommended an immediate short course of antibiotics for anyone bitten by a deer tick, or who exhibits certain symptoms. "It takes a while for the immune system to produce antibodies," says Dr. Barkley. "So Lyme testing other than by a skin biopsy from an active rash within 14 days following the bite may yield inconclusive results.
Symptoms of Lyme include fever, night sweats, fatigue or a flu-like illness that does not improve within three to five days." Other symptoms reported by physicians include stiff neck, prolonged joint and muscle pain, heart palpitations, brain fog or severe headaches. "I tally all the initial symptoms and signs, and try to weed them out one by one," says Dr. Jones. However, he cautions, "Treatment duration varies with each individual. If one stops antibiotics prematurely, a more resilient Bb infection will develop that will cause more brain and body injury."

Adjunct Therapies
None of these physicians relied solely on antibiotics; they used immune system-strengthening protocols as well. "The immune system may be less able to respond if the person is having a hard time clearing toxins," says Dr. Bock. "You're going to add to this overload by taking antibiotics. For general immune support, we've used maitake and reishi mushrooms, ginseng and astragalus. "Natural medicine approaches include anti-inflammatory eicosanoids such as fish oil and borage seed oil; high-potency multivitamin and mineral formulas; CoQ10 and other mitochondrial nutrients; cognitive enhancement substances such as carnitine and certain herbal extracts.
Acupuncture combined with physical therapy can often reduce pain. Dr. Cowden recited a litany of natural immunotherapy agents. His recommendations include the following: "Transfer factor “ ImmuneFactor 2 and CellResponse are good products; Thymic Protein A; medicinal mushroom combinations such as ImmPower AHCC; glyconutrients like Ambrotose; arabinogalactan (Larix), an immune-enhancing polysaccharide; and Astragalus Supreme." Dr. Cowden also notes that "if you use a pharmaceutical antibiotic, you need to use an herbal antifungal to reduce stress on the liver and kidneys."

Lifestyle Changes
"Avoid sugars because they feed these bugs," advises Dr. Cowden. "It is most important to balance saliva pH between 6.7 and 7.0. Sufficient dietary minerals bring pH up if low. Reducing stress will raise pH; so will identifying and removing food, nutrient and inhalant allergies. You should identify your metabolic type and then follow the appropriate diet.
Dr. Bock reminds us that, "It's also important to support the endocrine system. In some cases, cognitive abilities improved when subclinical hypothyroid problems were treated. Chronic stress can cause suppression of the immune system. Manage the effects of stress on the body. Use relaxation techniques and biofeedback. Find a group for emotional support.
"In his practice, Dr. Jones has found that, "Taking acidophilus and other probiotics is always important. [Antibiotics kill the intestinal flora necessary for digestion and immune functions; probiotics like lactobacillus re-inoculate the intestines]. Stay away from or severely limit alcohol intake. Develop a healthier standard of living. Rest is needed. We've found that a parent who has a child with Lyme is often feeling guilty. One has to work with these difficult feelings. I emphasize that it's not a parent's fault; you can't protect your child from Lyme exposure."

Present Limitations
None of the experts the authors consulted claimed to completely understand Lyme or to be able to completely cure it in every case. Some people infected with Bb may never manifest the symptoms of Lyme. Others become seriously ill soon after they are infected. Treatment must be customized from patient to patient and can vary widely. "Certain people may clear Lyme without antibiotic therapy," says Dr. Barkley. "However, the other extreme is that even with antibiotics, some people with Lyme have died from this disease."
Says Dr. Jones, "We have seen children from one day old to 18 years of age who have required from three months to six years of antibiotic therapy. We have had some patients on antibiotic therapy for very long periods, and we've done follow-ups for as long as 15 years post-treatment. The criterion for stopping therapy is that one must be totally Lyme disease-symptom free for two months, with no Lyme flare induced by another infection or menses and no 'Herx' [Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction of the body manifesting symptoms in response to dying Bb]."
"There are very few symptoms where you shouldn't consider Lyme," says Dr. Cowden. "more than 50% of chronically ill people may have Lyme contributing to their condition." The situation is quite difficult now. "It's sad where we are with this disease," says Dr. Cowden. "You're supposed to go through the 'standard' treatment first before turning to alternative treatments. We need to turn this around, into a logical, integrated approach." The impetus for this change must come not only from the patients who have been classically infected by a tick bite, but by those who suffer from "unexplained" muscle and joint pain, unrelieved fatigue and cognitive impairment – and by those who are afflicted with degenerative diseases that can be caused or aggravated by Lyme. Presently, such patients will find few doctors experienced in Lyme, because of the newness of the disease and lack of understanding about it and because those doctors who take a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating Lyme are commonly harassed by state medical boards, insurance companies and HMOs.
It is up to patients to actually educate their doctors about the inadequacy of standard testing and the necessity for using techniques such as electrodermal screening and darkfield microscopy. And it is up to patients to become politically involved with Lyme advocacy groups, such as those listed here, to fight for their right to proper medical care. The earlier Lyme is diagnosed, the easier it is to cure.For people with chronic Lyme symptoms, the road to recovery can be long. With comprehensive integrative treatment, however a combination of the best of conventional and alternative medicine protocols – their health can be continually and dramatically improved

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Herding Clinic with Chris Davies September 1 & 2

Ewe Win Farm (and Acadia Shelties) is hosting a herding clinic with Chris Davies on September 1 & 2, 2007. All levels are welcome to attend. Chris has been competeing and training Aussies for a number of years and is very good. She has also come up to Ewe Win twice to give private lessons. All of the dogs showed real improvement under her guidance.

If you are interested in participating or auditing, contact me! We would love to have you!

The picture is of Chris and her dog Fossil at Ewe Win Farm.

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2nd Major for Belaire's Town N' Country

This past weekend "Lainey" won her second major under breeder/judge Donna Garten-Kiser at the Penn Ridge Kennel Club. This brings her total to 12pts, both majors. Lainey is so much fun to show because she really loves the show ring. Thank you Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties) for allowing me to show her.

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Major win for Belaire's Town N' Country

"Lainey" was Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and BEST OF BREED over two TOP specials at the Perkiomen Kennel Club show on August 4 under judge Joseph Gregory. It was a VERY exciting win and Mr. Gregory was very complimentary about Lainey's lovely expression, wonderful side movement, and her feminine qualities. Of course winning a major is always a relief, but to win the breed was icing on the cake! Thank you Mr. Gregory and Thank you Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties), Lainey's breeders and owners for allowing me to show her.

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ShowSights Magazine- Tell Us About The Herding Group

The July 2007 issue of Show Sights Magazine features "Tell Us About The Herding Group" which features a set of questions asked to judges and breeders about their breed. Show Sights asked me about Shelties and included my answers in the magazine. I am VERY EXCITED to have been asked and to be a part of this issue! Thank you Show Sights!

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More herding

The tri sheltie is Rincon. He is Show Low's grandson and what a wonderful herding dog he is going to be. Rincon is only 13 months old, but already displays so much talent.

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U-Ch. Linden Acadia's Stacked Deck, CD, HS, HRD1, HTAD1

As reported directly from Penny.
Couldn’t get much better than this - we finished two AHBA herding titles last weekend!
Most exciting was the HRD1 - Ranch Dog title. I've always dreamed of being successful at this type of course, and Show Low is definitely the dog to do it with. The 23 minute course involved taking sheep in and out of multiple gates, panels, a foot bath, a gate sort, a number of different types of gathers. He was absolutely awesome, calming holding up "his end of the bargain" with very little direction from me. He looked so - well, so - TRAINED!!
Also finished the HTAD1 title, which involved a free standing pen and a hold. The tricky part here was the pen and the hold area were just a few feet from the exhaust/barn gate! We actually got all five sheep in the pen!!!!!
A lot of people at these events are "real" farm/livestock owners, so I am extra excited to report that me and my suburbanite sheltie were so successful

So Penny, where is the video? (OK- pictures will do)

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Cute Babies!

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Herding

Acadia Shelties live on Ewe Win Farm. Ewe Win is a 66 acre sheep farm where we raise Reg. Katahdin Hair Sheep as breeding stock and we sell lamb meat directly to the customer (yes- it is all processed at a USDA inspected butcher where it is individually wrapped. We sell it by the cut or the pound depending).

A goal was to offer herding lessons and a facility for trials. This year we have actually begun the classes! Our first class consists of 3 Aussies, 1 English Shepherd, 1 Sheltie, and 1 Samoyed. All of the dogs are doing very well and all of the handlers are really enjoying the experience.

Yesterday Chris Davies from Fly Away Farm came up to give us lessons. The pictures are from those classes with Chris. Pictured is Chris with Karen's Aussie, Helen with her Samoyed and me with the sheltie. Yesterday the temperature was almost 90 degrees so we chose to work in a smaller space, undercover so we could be out of the sun.

It looks like we are FINALLY on our way towards meeting our herding goals.

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Ch. Acadia It's My Treat wins Best of Breed

Ch. Acadia It's My Treat, "Genna" was Best of Breed on July 15 at the Shawnee Kennel Club under judge Mr. Charles Olvis. She is so much fun to show!

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Lucky 7-7-07!! New Champion- Belaire What You Leave Behind

7 sure was a lucky number for "Breckon". On Saturday, 7-7-07, he was Winners Dog, Best of Winners at the Huntingdon Kennel Club under judge Mrs. Paula Hartinger for the final 2 points. The best part was that his owners Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties and corgies) were on hand to see him finish. Breckon was bred by Gloria Hansen and Yvonne Ansick. We had a nice celebration with cake and champage for the occasion.

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Acadia Sweet Emotion Breaks 30 seconds and still scores 100

Pam Fugitt guided "Valerie" to a perfect clean, fast run in Excellent Jumpers with a time of 29.84 seconds. The Standard course time for the 141 yard course was 43 seconds. Way to Go Girls!
They also added a new title to her list of accomplishments- the Novice Fast title (did we mention Valerie is FAST?) She is now Acadia Sweet Emotion, PT, NA, OAJ, NF

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New Superior Elite Agility titles for Acadia Rally 'Round The Flag

Phyllis Sanders reports that "Rally" has completed the following NADAC agility titles this summer:
Superior Elite Jumpers
Elite Agility
Superior Elite Tunnelers
Superior Elite TouchNGo and
Novice Hoopers

Phyllis also has a half brother to Rally named Rumor. Rumor is still too young to compete, but he really loves to train and can't understand why big brother gets to compete without him!
Thanks for the Update Phyllis and CONGRATULATIONS on all of those wonderful titles.

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New HT - Acadia Sweet Necessity, RN, HT

Peggy Crawford, Peggin shelties, has "Belle" for the summer. "Belle" has been having a wonderful time and earned a Herding Tested (HT) title this past weekend. Peggy reports that the judges were VERY IMPRESSED by her attitude, stock sense, and willingness to please. Peggy says that she wished she had entered "Belle" in PT, but they had not gone to do ANY stock work prior to entering the trial. This makes me smile to hear that without any training, "Belle" has instinct enough to work the stock in a sensible and controlled manner.

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Sunburst Bright Sunny Day wins a Major!

Sunburst Bright Sunny Day "Sunni" was Best of Winners and wins a 4pt. major at the Alaska Herding Group Club on 6/2/07 under breeder/judge Dr. Al Bianci

"Sunni" was winners bitch at the Alaska Kennel Club Show on 6/24/07 under judge Roger Hartinger for 2pts. She now has 7pts with a major.

She is sired by Ch. Acadia's Bright Idea, NA, NAJ, RA "Payson" out of Ch. Sunburst Acadia Here I Come "Carrie". Her litter sister is Ch. Sunbrust Bright Lights. I am thrilled at the quality of this litter and very thankful to Sharon Crawford for making sure they finish their championships.

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Show Prospect Puppy for sale- SOLD

This boy is VERY nice. He is in the middle of the growth chart. I am keeping his sister, and since I just bought a male, I do not need him. This is a good opportunity for someone. I want him to go to a home where he will be a house dog and gets lots of attention and socialization.

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New OAJ title- Acadia Aquilegia, OAJ, NA

"Quill" completed the Open Jumpers with Weaves title in fine form this past weekend. Amy was even complemented by Kathy Legett on her lovely run. Congratulations Amy and Quill! Amy reports that she will not be attending anymore agility trials until October.

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Ad Preview-

This advertisment will be listed on www.sheltiesonline.com starting Saturday. Visit Shelties on Line this week to see Canyon's father, Ch. Daval Nevermind, featured as the lead ad.

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New Name? Heart Lake Acadia Le Roi de Coeur

"Charlie" as he will be known to most people. Le Roi de Coeur means "King of Hearts" in French. It is believed that Charlemagne (Charles the Great in Latin) was depicted on the King of Hearts card. So, Charlie it is, and he shares his father's name. Let's hope that his reign at Acadia is equally as successful.

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Help! Need a Name for our New Addition

Acadia Shelties is very excited to aquire this lovely male from Heart Lake Shelties. I have long admired Am/Can. Ch. Gairloch's King Of Hearts and this year I have had the good fortune of incorporating him into my lines. BUT..................... I need help naming this lovely boy. His mother is Heart Lake Deja Vu. His name will be Heart Lake Acadia__?____ . AKC only allows names to be 30 spaces long and we have used 18- leaving 12 to work with. I like themes and all names need to be positive. Please put your suggestions in the comment section. Thank you.
Update:  he is Heart Lake Acadia Le Roi de Coeur  - call name Charlie

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MACH3 Acadia Color of Passion, HSAs- earns Reserve High in Trial (herding) on ducks

"Molly" earned her first TWO Herding Started legs on ducks going Reserve High In Trial BOTH days! Molly is pictured herding sheep in an earlier blog entry and pictured herding ducks on the "fun pictures" page of the website www.acadiashelties.com . Pam reports that flapping ducks gets Molly very excited, but that these ducks did not flap- enabling Molly to concentrate on her work and get the job done! One more leg will give Molly the HSAd (Herding Started, A course, ducks) title.
This same weekend "Molly" got to participate in a herding demonstration. She actually had to go into a pond and SWIM to bring the ducks back to shore. This sort of "down and dirty" work is exactly what "Molly" thrives on.

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New RN title- Acadia Sweet Necessity, RN

Thank you Peggy Crawford for guiding "Belle" to the Rally Novice title. Belle is summering in Alaska with Peggy (Peggin Shelties) and will be bred to her Ch/VCX male Am/Can Ch. Peggin All Wheel Drive, AX, OAJ, PT, RN "Shea"when she comes in season this summer. Belle is a daughter of Acadia Sweet Emotion, OAJ, NA, PT- pictured on this blog.

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Breckon wins a 5 pt. major!!

This past weekend at the Trumbull County Kennel Club, Belaire's What You Leave Behind ("Breckon") and I won a nice 5 pt. major under judge, Mr. Sonny Ambrosio. This was Breckon's third major and brings his point total to 13 - just 2 away from the coveted championship.

The pictures here are not from the Trumbull County Kennel Club- they were taken by our wonderful friend and photographer Karen at shows a few weeks prior.

Breckon is owned and loved by Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties and corgis) and was bred by Gloria Hansen and Yvonne Ansick. He is a very nice dog with a virtue that is hard to find in our breed. Breckon has the nicest front with a forechest- if you see us at a show and you want to go over him, just ask- I am always willing to show off the great virtues the dogs posses.

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Valerie's Summer Vacation at the Beach

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First HI leg for Show Low

U-Ch. Linden Acadia Stacked Deck, HSAsd, CD earned his first Herding Intermediate (HI) leg- with a second place- on ducks this past weekend. Penny reports that this is HER first HI leg as well. Congratulations to you both.

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Sunni goes WB

Sunburst Bright Sunny Day was Winners Bitch at the Greater Sierra Vista Kennel Club on May 6, 2007 for a point. Sunni is sired by Ch. Acadia's Bright Idea, RA, NA, NAJ out of Ch. Sunburst Acadia Here I Come. She is a litter sister to Ch. Brianne and is also owned by Sharon Crawford, Sunburst Shelties. We look forward to hearing news of Sunni's quest towards her championship.

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Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's day. Many of us spent this "holiday" with our favorite furry kids. Pam Hetrick sent this photo (taken by her human kid Jessica) of her with Valerie (on lap), Quest (BC) and Molly, seated in front. Jessica took the first picture while Molly was saying, "Hey Jessica. Turn the the camera around so you won't cut off Mom's head." Pam didn't tell me what Jessica said to Molly that made her laugh so hard in the next picture.

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New Novice Agility title- Acadia Aquilegia, NA

Aquilegia- the scientific name for the plant Columbine- Columbine is "a beautiful plant with graceful flowers that are highly attractive to hummingbirds, Columbines are a great addition to any garden. Aquilegia have a lot to offer with being drought-tolerant once established, partially shade tolerant and adaptive to a variety of soil conditions"- from Sooner Plant Farm.

All of that describes "Quill"- a Beautiful dog, who is graceful and highly attractive to humans, he is a great addition to owner Amy's household and he has a lot to offer as he is very adaptable.

This weekend Amy and Quill earned the Novie Agility title (NA) and one leg towards the open agility title. Congratulations and Good luck to both of you.

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Acadia Cierra Like A Rock, HT,NA,NAJ,RN,Hcts,CGC,TDI,CL2-R,CL2-H,CL2-S,CL2-F,

This past weekend Arlene piloted Nicky to the NAJ title and then went on to get 2 (out of 3 required) legs towards his OAJ. Congratulations to you both!

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Chips goes WD at Penn Treaty KC

I am showing Mejimo Chip Off The Old Block "Chips" for Robyn Fatula-Confer (Mejimo shelties). Thanks to Karen Kuszyk for these great photos. Chips is an 11 month old puppy and this was his first outdoor show. He was Winners Dog for his first point.

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