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OMEGA SHEPHERDS
Adventures on the Ranch

Clint is 8 weeks old !

 

.....Wow, what an amazing 2 months it has been! Being a new mom is awesome. There were many sleepless nights of course but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world! He is growing so fast and it seems like every day he is trying something new. He laughs and smiles now in response to things that make him happy (most especially mom !). It's just amazing to watch him grow and learn and experience new things – and that has just begun!
.....All the dogs just love him. They like to lick him of course – from day one I never let them lick his face or hands (it seems like everything that is on his hands ends up in his mouth!). After telling them just one time not to lick his hands they settled for his legs and toes and don't even try to lick him anywhere else. They are all so good with him and sense that he is so young and are very careful around him. It is truly amazing to watch. Though I have seen them with other peoples young kids – to see them with my newborn – it is so awesome. I know as he gets older – next to grandma's, the shepherds will be his trusty baby sitters – following him everywhere he goes just the way I grew up.
.....Well, it just seems that I have a problem with relaxing and being still. 10 days after he was born we went to our first agility trial. We only took Stetson and my mom did most of the running but I did run one class and we got a Q in weavers! I got more applause and good jobs after that run than I have had in quite awhile – I think everyone was watching to see if I could really do it! So it was a lot of fun. My mom did awesome with Stetson and got so many Q's and first places and titled in every class that weekend. WAY TO GO MOM!
.....The next weekend we went fishing at Park Lake. We were in a raft and so Clint got to ride in my lap. I was mostly fishing with a worm – but Andy wasn't having any luck with his fly pole and decided to row us across the lake. Meanwhile I took his fly pole and first cast out caught a fish – it was awesome to out fish him for ONCE in my life! Especially with little Clint in my lap and only 2 weeks old.
.....Next weekend we went to Hall for an agility trial. We left Friday evening – ran Saturday and Sunday and came home Sunday evening. This was Clint's first time spending the night away from home but he did just fine. It was a very hot weekend reaching 100F each day. But the trailer has Air Conditioning and though he had to spend some time outside under the shade tent with me he got to spend most of his time in the cool trailer with dad. The dogs did great and we had lots of qualifying runs. I was feeling good – but between waking up to feed Clint every 2 hours and running in the heat during the day I was exhausted Sunday night when we got home!
.....The following weekend he was 4 weeks old and we went to a 4 day trial in Corvallis. We were actually gone for 5 days because Andy and his brother wanted to fish on Thursday. So I dropped them and the raft off about 10 miles up river from the trial grounds and I went back to the trailer with Clint to stay cool! About 1:00 I get a call from them “Would you bring us some lunch”. HUH....... guys – why couldn't they just take their lunch WITH them! Oh well, I finished up feeding Clint, made them lunch and somehow managed to find where they were on the river.
Finally at about 5:00 they had had enough fishing and rafting and I went and picked them up at one of the crossings.
.....That weekend I ran Stetson and Rhett. Stetson got several titles (moving him to elite in many of the classes) and Rhett got lots of Qualifying runs as well. Saturday night there was a barbecue at “Bruce All Mightys” trailer (anyone in NADAC knows him – but he is one of the top people in NADAC as well as his wife. They are the ones that put that trial on and they are also the weekend judges). Andy and Mat caught a bunch of fish for the barbecue which was a big hit! Many of those people hadn't had fresh fish in years! Clint was very good – everyone wanted to hold him so he got passed around a bit then decided enough was enough and he wanted to be with mom (fine with me!).
.....It was an awesome weekend, and Clint was such a trooper.
.....Rhett, Zeus and Stetson are qualified for Nationals again this year but I don't think I am going to go this year. Even though they are in Gillette again it is one long week especially because Clint would only be 3 ½ months old. Weekend trials are one thing – but 5 days of starting at 6:30 AM and finishing your last run at 10PM.... then you still have to eat dinner. It would just be too much! There are plenty more years – but it is still fun they are qualified !
.....Andy is in the full swing of Bull Riding at the rodeos this summer so we have been to a rodeo almost every weekend since the middle of July. Those are just one day events for him so we don't spend the night. At first Clint seemed to be looking around at all the people in the grand stands – a little bit amazed at all those people! But now he doesn't seem to notice and sits in my lap or sleeps. He definitely doesn't have a problem sleeping through noise! Which is very good because around our home there is seldom quiet – though the phone will wake him once in awhile.
.....My mom made him a western shirt (white like daddy's) so he goes to rodeos in style! He has just about outgrown his first shirt so now mom is hard at work on his second shirt.
.....Several weeks after he was born I started working horses again. Just lounging them and getting them back into shape. Right now I am working hard everyday with a 2 year old that hasn't had much done with him for a long time. He is coming along real well and should be ready to ride soon. It is fun to work with the horses again – after 9 months of not doing to much with them I really missed it!
.....We have had LOTS of elk on our property this summer. A herd of about 45 cows and calves and a spike that is hanging out with them. There are several really nice bulls around too but we don't get to see them as often. About a month ago my mom was coming home from town and about 4 miles from here she saw a wolf!! It ran across the road and her first thought was “A Wolf!... no it couldn't be”. But then it stopped and she got a really good look at it and it was definitely a wolf. Not to surprising really because there is a pretty good pack of them around Clancy. But still..... not very exciting to have them here already. It is hard to say if the wolf was just passing though or if a pack of them is settling in here.... but that could be part of the reason we have so many elk this year. I don't know – I am not an elk/wolf expert by any means!
.....Well, I should bring this to a close. Clint just woke up so I am sure he will want to eat soon.
.....Till next time,
.....Leah and Everyone at Omega Shepherds

 

Photos below : Clint at 10 days at his first agility trial!

 

 

 

 

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