Though Mark & I used to enjoy the daily dog walk together, it seldom pans out anymore. The Kerry Pack usually makes it home before the -Dales. And most every evening one of us can be found diligently watching at the window for the -Dales to return. Life can be tricky, […]
Two scrumptious dog breakfasts were set down on the floor before I left the room. Now there are two empty bowls spare the little brown vitamin. And there was one dog with a wet beard, the other high and dry on my bed. It seems the one so naturally athletic and lean has […]
I was walking along the trail with my two, thinking about how I had probably missed the best shots already. For within perhaps five minutes we had stepped off the trail for a team of young runners in training, a horse with rider, and a two-dog bike-joring team… So as I was inside-my-head considering what could […]
Anchorage has a leash law that is designed to protect everyone involved from unforeseen mishaps. And for those who enjoy the free-for-all there are several off leash dog parks and trails. Now the leash law is not strictly enforced, as it is understood by most everyone that the idea is to have your dog under your […]
1st: The Kerry Pack has gotten back into the habit of going out for the daily dog walk. 2nd: I am getting back into the habit of carrying my camera! …Surely there will be good things to come.
I placed my hand on the enormous thigh of the tiger who silently appeared out of nowhere; the backs of my fingers brushed up against his heavy sack. I gently turned him to face off the bear in my dream last night, three times. Life feels just a little better today. […]
As I left work, I seriously considered dropping by the house to pick up my camera. But as it was pouring rain and I felt hungry, I thought better of it. I really did not need to risk finding a reason to skip the walk. But no sooner had I parked my van, I […]
…brings out a bunch of bike riders, dog walkers, not to mention young and old joggers. But it is likely we will only have to share for just a moment, as the National Weather Service forecasts a high wind warning for tomorrow evening on through to Saturday morning. So then once again, the trails will […]
Raining again… or is that still? Rain looks ugly from inside of a window. But it’s quite nice with nothing in between. It would be easy to skip the whole evening dog walk. But imagine the mess Thing One & Thing Two could make if left on their own without their daily exercise… […]
Life has settled down a bit, as my bitch is no longer in season. Dear Prudence may sleep better tonight knowing I resisted my inclination to expound on the nature of dog porn. Yes the season has changed; and the Kerry Pack is back to enjoying those long daily dog walks with […]
[insert canine porn here] Perhaps it would seem this blog has regressed; or perhaps you can appreciate how my life has been strained (and stained) by nature’s miracle. This too shall pass.
To say life is back to normal would be overly optimistic. Aoife is at the height of her season. The boys have one thing on their minds. Our home is run like a game of musical chairs, but making sure there are enough seats for all the players. …We already know what happens when we end up […]
Unadulterated straight talk from a one-handed hunt & peck… Sunday evening – dog bite L forearm Monday morning – Urgent Care Redness outlined & dated; Photos of injury Dressed arm placed in a splint Antibiotic injection in rump & oral Augmentin Work release for Monday & Tuesday Planned recheck Tuesday morning […]
It is always important to give thanks, and be mindful that there is a hidden treasure in every unexpected turn no matter how it looked when it first hit your radar. To be honest, when I first brought Aoife home, breeding was the furthest thing from my mind. She was, after all, my first […]
Now, I can admit I am more of a winter girl. I have nothing against the sun or an occasional hot day, or even the rain. …But winter is a much cleaner season! But someone in our pack loves the mud. And a rainy day in August would be […]
Please do not feel a need to remind me to remain humble… There is no better way to show a dog. And there is no better way to live our lives. I understand that I have a lot to learn. I understand that I can do better. I rejoice; for there is room to […]
The Kerry Show Team jumped out of bed and off to the neighborhood high school track early this morning to wear off some of that EXTRA terrier energy. 20 minutes of gaiting beside the bike took the edge off my boy. From there we groomed out the fair grounds of yesterday, and easily took Best […]
Our 3-day show in Palmer, Alaska is perhaps our most competitive. The mountains afar make the fair grounds a breath taking venue. And the easy commute from our international airport in Anchorage makes the show easily accessible to those in the lower 48. So there’s no surprise that a good handful of handlers and […]
What does it mean to be competitive? Obviously some people view this as a matter of the win. …If you “win” you are competitive. If you don’t “win” …than not so much. But that is not my point with any of this. Conformation dog shows are a game with a […]
The Kenai Kennel Club hosts an annual all-breed dog show in Soldotna, Alaska. This is an event we truly look forward to, as the commute between is a worthwhile adventure. There are 150 miles of gorgeous that first pass by the Turnagain Arm before unwinding through the Chugach National Forest. From there we pass […]
Stirling O’Hanluan is quite a handful. He may not look especially big, but you can’t tell him that. But he thrives on my attention, and at 2 years old he is darn near civilized… …Dog showing has been going well. Stirling was awarded his Championship at Purina Farms in June, and won […]
This has been a gorgeous summer day; 63 degrees with a nice breeze that kept the mosquitoes at bay for us while on the daily dog walk. We watched a fairly sizable black bear at the eastern end of the Campbell Airstrip just minding it’s own business. And we saw a moose grazing in a open […]
Where does one begin? We learn so much along the way… Please allow me to extend heartfelt appreciation for family friends and supporters who have taken witness of the comedy of errors that have unfolded as we’ve learned to play this sport well. Words seem to fall short compared to the treasured […]
Mom,Today is Mother’s Day… Yet another one without you. My heart vibrates to the point that my lips tingle and my eyes water without any consultation or permission… You are with me always, and yet I long for your touch. Rest in Peace beautiful spirit…
Yes, that is left-over snow crust at the edge of the creek. Even so, our temps have been up in the high 70s. To my recollection this is the first year we have had green popping out this early. Usually this doesn’t happen […]
In hindsight my story has been short and slow; but in foresight it will be long and memorable, as every moment of NOW is to me a treasured gift. It has been my life-long calling to be heartedly engaged in the world of dogs, a place my mother openly dreamed of in front of […]
This post may interest the mechanics amongst us. Speaking for myself, I love a good man who can do stuff. On December 20, 2012 I brought home my very-own cargo van, which thanks to Vilavanh Thipphavong of Alaska Sales & Service was special-ordered to my specifications. And from there Mark has made some truly remarkable […]
…Please may there be one sacred community that ascends politics… Let it start with us; those who know first hand the grace of the Kerry Blue Terrier. We could be as awesome as our dogs! …Sure, we can get on our toes and spar… But in the end, let us model good kerry […]
Peace comes from within, so I can’t speak to yours. But when set off-balance, mine is quickly restored by taking stock of my own simple life. If I have nothing else, I have peace…. Yes, it’s worth everything else. .
Our Kerry pack had the best romp today. We took the long retractable leashes, and I’m sure the two tripled my mileage. I got dizzy at the chase circle as it took Stirling at least 4 rounds to catch Aoife. Aoife is a power house when it comes to athletic sprinting. Stirling is no […]
My interest in Stirling had started several years before with a trip to the midwest to pick up my first sweet Kerry, Aoife. I had decided upon Aoife before realizing there were plans in the make to breed Stirling’s grandfather Brogan. Now Brogan was a handsome silver stud that melted my heart from the first […]
I have been impatiently waiting for the results of Stirling’s PennHIP & DNA tests, even though I have anticipated the return of normal results. Patience has never been my strongest suit, so once I have asked those questions I am dying for the answers. That is just me being me. Now the results are starting […]
So I returned from Florida to Alaska full of inspiration. But I had to return to work; Kill-joy… Okay that being said, I got this big idea to research the foundational breeding lines of Kerries. It may not surprise you that I only just got started when I got completely sidetracked on another important mission, which […]
Alaska’s temperatures in January hit record breaking highs while the Kerries and I were freezing our biscuits off in Florida’s record breaking lows. In fact, I had considered making a case to dispel the myth that Florida is warmer than Alaska. But finally our temperatures have dropped, this morning to the single digits… …Now if […]
The trip to Florida was worth every penny and minute expended. I’ve learned to accept defeat with grace. And I’ve seen how to win with humility; though I may not always choose to strictly abide by that knowledge. Any little victory screech may be totally unnecessary; …or is it?!? [wink] …More importantly, I had the […]
“Wow, if Stirling was human he’d be George Clooney.” -janet myers We think Emma & Nikita would argue if George were canine, he’d be Stirling O’Hanluan.
I suppose by now I should be discouraged; but, I’m really more perplexed… How am I going to bath and groom my Kerries for the second Florida Classic Cluster? Good thing tomorrow is a day off…
Discouraged? Heck no! I’m obviously no judge, nor a professional handler; but every time I pull out that show lead Stirling gets psyched, and looks me square in the eye. At 18.75″ Stirling is near-ideal size, which seems to run small these days. But he doesn’t think so, and there’s no telling him otherwise. He’s […]
Let me pause and give thanks. The one thing I am sure about is this trip will give me exactly the experience I need, as this is the experience I’m having. It could be no other way… A dog show that may seem to be a big deal (or simply a big ordeal) is really […]
“The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.” -Pierre de Coubertin Sunday Morning: 6:30AM, January 5th …After hours of near-sleepless travel our Kerry Pack made its way into the Orlando International Airport (MCO). All things considered, the trip had been uneventful with a bit of rough turbulence at the […]
One more day of work, and then I’m off until the 21st. Not sure how I’m going to get all the fine details in order; but all the important reservations have been made for our trip to Florida. …It’s just me and the Kerries this time; our destination being the January show circuit in […]
This was a beautiful day. And I am grateful for this one day, though it has followed so many before and will surely be followed by so many after… We are truly blessed. We are blessed to live in one of the least touched regions left in our country. And we are blessed to […]
There are a lot of holiday traditions that Mark & I let go. But we have started one very special tradition that we all enjoy. We’re heading to bed early this evening with the plan of getting up in the middle of the night for our sacred Christmas trail walk w/ the pack. The dog’s […]
My Stirling is quite a character, and so full of terrier exuberance! …So I’ve been putting that pup to some good use! Here is Stirling blazing our trail as the lead ski-joring dog.
