Come on in and visit our dogs at home, ungroomed, doing what they do best
HAVING FUN!


How is this for a winter coat?



Ricki's first snow

We don't beg at the table, honest we DON'T! But fresh made cookies and milk are just too much to resist!

Back side view! Eight little Butts all in a row.

If we dig in the snow, we might find some flowers in this pot

This was Darby's first night at home, As you can see our pet sheltie Dusty was rather put out with this new "show dog" addition to the family!



Grow Old With Dogs

When I am old...

I will wear soft gray sweatshirts...
and a bandana over my silver hair.....
and I will spend my social security checks on wine and my dogs.
I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen to my dogs' breathing.
I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night
and take my dogs for a run, if my old bones will allow...

When people come to call,
I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs...
and talk of them and about them...
....the ones so beloved of the past
and the ones so beloved of today....

I will still work hard cleaning after them, mopping
and feeding them and whispering their names in a soft loving way.

I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a
jewel and I will be an embarrassment to all...
especially my family...
who have not yet found the peace
in being free to have dogs as your best friends....
These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall...
and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep, to
greet you as if you are a God.

With warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you
will always stay,
I'll hug their big strong necks...
I'll kiss their dear sweet heads...
and whisper in their very special company....

I look in the Mirror...
and see I am getting old....
this is the kind of person I am...
and have always been.

Loving dogs is easy,
they are part of me.
Please accept me for who I am.

My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives...
they love my presence in their lives......
When I am old this will be important to me...
you will understand when you are old....
if you have dogs to love too.

Author Unknown



I wondered why the flowers were doing so poorly this year!

Mom's got TREATS!!!! Race you!

Hey, wanna make a break for it?



A reunion of the L2 litter, missing Shelby


A puppy.. a boy's best friend!

How is THIS for an action shot?

Dusty was a shy pup...

I found the following article below(author unknown) on a sheltie email list, while it was NOT written by me, many of the things ring true especially for those of us with multiple dogs. I would like to think my home (and my dogs) are a bit cleaner than the author's however! Some people wonder how I keep up with 9 dogs, 2 teenagers and a full time job. I have to say, the only way I have been able to do it is through the help of an internet based program developed by the "FLY Lady", Marla Cilley who is also the author of the book "Sink Reflections". It is not just about a clean home, it is a whole way of life.
Click on the link if you would like to know more about FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself).

**Fair Warning**
(author unknown)

My dogs live in this house. Yes, ALL of them. You are welcome to come and visit me with several weeks advance notice so I can make a halfhearted effort to clean up. But we have a few things that you must understand before you visit.
You must expect a LOT of dog hair to stick to your clothes. There might be some in your food, too, but what's a few dog hairs between friends? At least I gave up the horses! With all these dogs, who has time to vacuum or clean? The dogs live in this house but they don't like cleaning, either.
You may be leaned on and find them in your lap a few times and you might be licked a LOT; but they do this because they love people and want to say hello. So if you feel that you are too good for their love then you are not welcome here because this is their home too.
Some of my dogs are well mannered. Others are just more exuberant. If they 've just gone swimming, they're either very clean or really muddy. If you are one of those people who think all animals are dirty and smell, then my dogs will probably confirm your theory. Leave while you have the chance. You have been warned! You are not the type of person that will be happy here.
If you don't like the sound of barking, then my home is not going to be a comfortable place for you to visit. You may want to bring ear protectors. Do not expect me to lock my dogs in another room during your visit.
I have trained my dogs, but perhaps not the way most people consider trained, so watch out! They may leap into your lap at any time! I could shut them up into crates, but heck then they'd just howl and we wouldn't get to visit anyway, so just put on your old clothes and resign yourself. Telling you otherwise would be cruel.
When you walk into my home, be careful not to trip on a stuffed toy or ball. These are my dogs' treasures and I will not take them away from them just to show you that I keep a clean house. Believe me just picking up the toys wouldn't do it. They know where all their toys are. Those shredded toy remains may not look like much to you, but I spent a fortune on them!
You see this is OUR home. We have been together since they were small puppies scampering around the house, little tiny things. I raised them and we suit each other just fine. You're here, what, once a year? I live here year round and I like them just the way they are, thank you very much. I am proud of them. I consider them my personal gifts from God.
They have done nothing but give me their endless love and devotion for many years. I love them dearly and want to make their years happy ones. As happy as they make mine.
When you go home to your family, they stay here with me. Fine and loving companions. They are MY family and I wouldn't change that for the world. When it was cold and there was no heat, we kept each other warm. When I was sick, they stayed right by my side as I did theirs when they were not having a good day.
Better friends I could not ask for.
When no one else cared, my dogs did. They may bankrupt me yet, but my dogs have given me nothing but pure joy and I love them endlessly. So please understand that I am not being rude.
I'm just looking out for my best friends.





Any chance of expanding the size of the deck, mom?

Poppy was the last cat we had, once he passed away, we have just had shelties and no other type of pet.

Diva's birthday, we got icecream at the drive-through and ate it at the picnic table. Darby was just a baby and enjoyed getting it all over his nose!

What is THIS? A 2 headed dog???

The End


Mother and daughter ~ Mysty and Dew-oh