Happy New Year- Welcome 2025

Happy New Year to All

2024 was a good year. I am thankful that I was able to successfully accomplish two bucket list items and a dreams come true item.  Bucket list item #1. get to see wild polar bears.   The Pruss family took a trip to Churchill, Manitoba Canada in July.  We did see beluga whales, but no polar bears.  The best time to see polar bears is late October, early November as they congregate in Churchill for "ice up" on the Hudson Bay.  As soon as I got home in July, I immediately started looking for an opportunity to go back in November.  My good friend, Katrina Steward, was also very interested, so the two of us booked a quick trip which was successful. I saw 12 different bears.   Katrina is a birder and she saw 3 "lifers" on the trip.  

Bucket List item #2 - ROM (Register of Merit) - Chica achieved that this year for which I am very thankful.  

Dream Come True- Breeder of Best In Futurity and Reserve Winners Dog, plus an additional class winner at the ASSA National.  

Many Acadia bred shelties were successful in competition events - a personal highlight was Warren winning Best of Breed at a Specialty under respected judge Rodrick Thompson.  

All-in-all it was a year to be proud of and one for good memories.  

I am thankful to all of the people who helped make this year a success- there certainly were many!

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600th post!! Winter- joy and sadness

 Wow!  I started this blog in 2006 when blogs were a new media platform.  I really enjoy looking back over the years and seeing the canine family that is still going strong, thriving, giving love and bringing joy, and successfully competing in every aspect of competition.  This family brings me so much joy and every day I feel blessed to be allowed to create my own family.

Although I know I am blessed, sometimes, as I review past posts, I feel sad.   I wish past dogs were still here.  Sometimes I wish I had bred a dog differently and had offspring from dogs that have passed. I miss them.  I receive messages from families whose dogs have passed, and I spend time remembering them- and feeling the sadness of loss.   I know that this time of year, many feel sad.  

Wishing passed loved ones were still with us or feeling lonely is common- especially this time of year when the pressure to be Jolly is greater.   Feeling sad and lonely may be a normal part of life- and winter, but if it becomes overwhelming, seek people to help, and healthy actions to honor the sources of sadness in ways that brings a smile.   One way to cope with these feelings can be to create your own traditions.  One tradition I have tried to create for myself is to do a year- end review.  Similar to writing a Christmas letter (which I have long stopped doing), a year-end review reminds me of what brought me happiness and helps me focus on the present and the good.   I will be writing that blog post soon- and if you have anything I should be reminded of - please let me know.  

Thank you for reading my blog- I hope to have 600 more posts of love and sadness ahead.   Happy Winter Solstice (yesterday).    

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What shelties are Thankful for

 A Vizsla free day!  The day after Thanksgiving and Mike and Rosie are going to the farm for a weekend trip.  The shelties LOVE when Rosie goes on vacation because that means everyone gets chew toys!! 

Rosie usually gathers all of the chew toys together and won't share.  It is difficult to manage everyone's chewing pleasures when she is here, so the first thing I did when they drove out the driveway was break out the chew toys.   They got to choose from large carrots, rawhides and braided bully sticks.

The carrots were a favorite and they went the fastest.  The shelties love a vizsla free staycation.   

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New ROM !! Ch. Acadia Opinion Provided, ROM

 Chica is now a Register of Merit (ROM).  This designation is for females who have produced 5 or more Champion offspring and males who have produced 10 or more champions.   Chica is the first ROM for Acadia although others have come close. 

Ch. Sunburst Acadia Here I Come, "Carrie", should have been my first.  She produced 4 champions, 1 additional son with 12 points, 1 major (1 major short of the championship), and another daughter with a major.  Six show winners in all, but only 4 champions.   While she did not achieve the ROM status, Carrie is the anchor of my breeding program which consists of 9 consecutive generations of champion girls on the tail-female line.  This line is on Carrie's Page and Dove's page.  

Chica is the 8th consecutive generation of Champion girls. Her father is "Aidan"-  Ch. Acadia's Stage Director and her mother is the Best In Show winner, Century Club member, GChS. Acadia Stage Presence, CC.  

Chica is the mother of:

GChB Acadia Gregarious, BCAT

Ch. Acadia Peggin Iced Latte, RA, PT, OA, VCX

Ch. Acadia Trusted Opinion, FDC

Ch. Acadia Everyone's Opinion

Ch. Peggin Acadia Breve, PT, RN, NJP, TKN, CGC

and..

Acadia's Celestial Mystery, MX, MXJ, NF

Acadia October Skye, ACT1, ACT2J, TKI

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Which is the best vacuum for dog hair?

      People often ask, "which vacuum is the best for dog hair?"   A broom!   

In central Pennsylvania people often call the vacuum a "sweeper".   I would hear people say, "I need to sweep the carpet"- but they really meant they were going to vacuum the carpet.  

I started to sweep the carpet (actually sweep) BEFORE I vacuumed and I found that the broom was the best at getting the hair up.  No matter what vacuum you use, hair can wrap around the carpet rotor attachment making it less effective.  With a broom, the hair collects and pulls off easily for continued sweeping.  It even picks up dirt and makes the vacuuming more effective. 

I recommend "sweeping the carpet".

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Acadia Essential

 

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Acadia Essential

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