Fun NM Trip!

Yeah I leave today for New Mexico! I am going with a friend Debby R.to pick up her nice little Aussie bitch, Lili. So the girls are heading out for a trip. Please pray for no snow, I am born and bred FL girl so I don't do snow driving. It is going to be one heck of an adventure. I am delivering Cindy (from Rita) to her new home and taking Evy and Abby. We are hoping to work dogs for a day or so and then head home. So wave if you see some girls walking Cardigans and Aussies:-)) I will try to update with pics during the trip.
Of course I feel terrible leaving the other dogs behind. Beli especially! He always knows and gives me the worst guilt trip ever! How do you resist that face?

The rare FL snow dogs...

Sally the monster, she may be small but she is fierce!


I know it looks like Rosy is getting the short end of the stick but Sally gets hers too... Rosy does outweigh her:-))


See told ya...


Evy and Rudy love to play fight all day. Rudy will play with anyone but Evy will only allow her son to play with her like this.

Evy and Laura making their way up the path. Florida dogs have to acclimate to the snow you know!

Rudy and Rosy also had some fun
I had some tired dogs in the evenings. I'm sorry that I did not have my camera when we went sledding! The dogs had a blast chasing us down the hills and racing back up. Maybe next time...

Post Accident Fern

OK so I got to see Fernie today. She is in pretty good spirits and is already way more bonded to Kirsten. Her pelvis was in worse shape than I pictured and her surgery was much more extensive than I had envisioned. She recieved an FHO on the right side and the joint (acetabulum) screwed together on the left side, as well as several breaks that were not repaired and another break screwed together. Fern also lost 6-7lbs on her extended forest vacation. She is a very gaunt version of her former self but really very happy to be home and milking the sad puppy dog eyes for all she is worth. She is eating very well and more food motivated than ever. Other than the hitchhiking critters (ticks and fleas) she only had a few other minor abrasions.
Fern may come stay with us for a week or so, otherwise I think she is going to do very well. Once she's had some rest I would bet she'll be back to some part of her trouble making self!:-)) Here are a couple pics...

Fern update

I have recieved word that Fern came through surgery very well and is being released today. The vets seem to be happy with the results of the surgery. Fern is eating well and all bodily functions seem to be working:-)) She is back to her sweet and endearing self, charming everyone! I am going for a visit and to pick up Oliver, Kirsten and her family are going to have their hands full taking care of Fern with her special needs for the next few weeks. There will be plenty of forced bonding time now and I'm sure Fern will see just why she is now living in Palm Bay:-)
The vet bills are of course extensive, with both the ER clinic and an extensive surgery. If anyone is willing to donate to the Fix Fern fund, please contact me privately. beliherd@gmail.com
Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes for little Fern!!

Little dog found!!!

I am so happy to report that our prayers have worked! Fern was brought into the ER clinic in Melbourne this am. She is stable though was dehydrated. She has a head contusion and was lame on the right rear leg. She has now been moved to the regular vet where they will do surgery this afternoon on a severly shattered hip. The prognosis is pretty good with 90% mobility expected to return. It is hard to say how her life will end up but this is really one of the better endings to Ferns saga that we could have hoped for. I am overjoyed that Fern is alive and has a chance at living a long healthy life! I am sure that Fern and Kirsten will have the bonding time they need now. I will be going down tomorrow to pick up Oliver and talk with the vets and hopefully see the Xray. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for our little Fernie.

No real update

Just wanted to let everyone know I've not gotten any new news from Melbourne. No sightings when I called yesterday. The food was gone but that could be just about anything critter wise. So prayers are still in order for my little Fernie! We are hoping that once the holidays are over and businesses are open that we will get some more updates. With the rural area that she was last seen in this is not out of the ordinary.
In other news the dogs are enjoying the NC snow and having big romps on the sledding slopes so maybe I'll have some pics to share when I return home! Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Other things

My sadness abounds so I thought what better to cheer me up than to take dog pics? I have decided to go to North Carolina tomorrow to join my family for Christmas. I have several people that Fern is very familiar with so if she is spotted or found there are plenty of people to go and help get her. I'm not overjoyed about leaving but I hope that it works out. I washed all the dogs today and went out and took pics. They were blown out but not really groomed. My whole world feels better when everyone is clean and happy!:-)
Laura and Abby pictured above. Laura is hopefully expecting (fingers crossed) Beli puppies towards the end of January. This is my first hopeful litter in 2.5yrs, I'm very excited. I'm about 90% sure after palpation this weekend.


Finally here is Rosy from today. She is finally starting to come together and is such a sweet little Beli girl. She is very puzzled by the arrival of baby goats this week. Rosy goes and stands next to the pasture fence just staring, unable to leave... Very cute! What a fun little girl she is. I do have so many things to be thankful for... But I would love to have Fern be home, that would make me even more thankful! Please... Please... Please

Christmas Eve day update

No new news today so far. There should be a lot of folks on the road today so hopefully we will hear something good. The crate food had been eaten so Kirsten is refilling and replacing today. Its hard to say what ate it but if there is still a chance that it is Fern we'll keep feeding it! Keep hoping!

Nothing new...

Just wanted to let everyone know that there is no new news. I have not gotten a call so hopefully that means that we are still status quo which in a way is not bad. Seems odd that Christmas is not the first thing on my mind. I'm very tired but will be saying my Fern prayers tonight, praying for new GOOD news tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who has contacted me with uplifting stories or words!

New sighting

Well I don't know that I would call it good news but Fern was spotted by Police who alerted Animal control... She was running along I-95 in the Melbourne FL area. They chased her off of the interstate and onto 192, better than into I-95 I guess... At that point they lost sight of her and a bystander saw her run into a heavy thicket on the other side of 192. So there is good and bad news, isn't there always? The good news is there is not a lot of traffic in the area she is in if she stays north of 192, thousands and thousands of acres of cattle ranch/sod farming. Bad news is that there aren't very many people out in the area either and very little access to be able to even search it. We left a Hav-a-Heart out with clothes and food in it closest to the spot she was last seen. There is a really nice area of mini farms with a couple of goat farms so I'm hoping she thinks it feels kinda like home and goes to one of them. We have given flyers to all the surrounding area but she is really on the move! So please keep praying for my little Fernie!

Little dog lost...

My little Fern has run from her new owners. We are just devastated! She is lost in Palm Bay, FL, Lochmar Estates area. There have been no confirmed sightings of her since around 7pm on Saturday night. I've been down several times with dogs and have walked the streets. Avid, the vets, emergency clinic have all been contacted. She is listed on Craigslist and there are signs on every corner of the main roads that connect with where she was last seen. My boy Oliver is staying with the family there to help with smells and hopefully some cuddliness:-)) Please if you know of anyone in FL who may know someone in the area pass the word around. I believe that she is still out there and hopefully is safe somewhere.

Its always sad...

It is always sad to see my dogs leave but I'm so very happy for the wonderful homes they've found! Fern left today to live with Kirsten. They are so very perfect for each other and I know they are going to tear up the herding arena!:-)) I love Fern very much which is why I'm so happy that the perfect home came along for her. Here is a pic of Fern and her new mom (and cousin) they already look very happy. Bye Fern we'll see you again soon! Congrats Kirsten!

Busy, Busy, Busy...

Yes I know I said I wanted to do pictures ... Well then I remembered I have'nt even started Christmas shopping. (I guess not the best time to start my wonderful picture filled blog) I went yesterday, got some clothes for my upcoming travels and like two gifts for other people. I did get some good ideas which means I have to go back out this weekend, YUCK!
I'm not completely out of the Christmas spirit! I have made cookies (Molassas Ginger Chocolate!) they are very yummy and spicy AND I made some Apple cinnamon dog cookies, which are going pretty fast:-) So its not as dismal as I once thought! So we will go out and brave the crowds this weekend and finish shopping.
My little Fern is leaving this weekend for her new home as well so I will have to get pictures of Fern and her new mom! Lots to do papers to get together, vet trip and bath today. Of course the weather in FL today is not sunny, so off into the rain, but thankfully not snow or ice!

First time blogger

Well this is the first day with my new blog! What to talk about ? I have so enjoyed reading everyone elses blogs that I just had to have one too. I hope to be really good about posting pics, I just love taking and seeing pics of other people and their dogs! I am hoping that there will be puppy pics in about 1 month! Yeah and then of course puppy updates and cute pics. If not there are plenty of full time Cardigans here that will be glad to fill in:-))