In early 2021, Mary Jean began exploring potential breeders for the WoHus next collie puppy.
Rick and MJ decided that sometime in the spring or summer would be a good time to add a pup.
Mary Jean is careful and pays attention to details, and she began working with a . . .
June 7, 2021
I'm ready for Wisconsin!!
The Collie is a large but lithe herder standing anywhere from 22 to 26 inches tall. The rough variety boasts one of the canine kingdom’s most impressively showy coats; the smooth coat’s charms are subtler but no less satisfying.
Coat colors in both varieties are sable and white, tricolor, blue merle, or white. Collie fanciers take pride in their breed’s elegant wedge-shaped head, whose mobile ears and almond eyes convey a wide variety of expressions . . .
First there was Kali . . .
. . . then there was Daisy.
Neighbors Lynne and Rob are dog lovers, and have a collie and a sheltie. They were the first visitors to the WoHu house to see the puppy, stopping by on the evening of his full first day at home. The puppy was having an identity crisis because it took a few days for MJ to settle on the name Rudy. Lynne consoled the puppy with a nice snuggle.
Rudy was concerned about the strangers at first, but in a little while was accepting kisses.
The next morning, Charlie, Nancy and Bob came over for a little kaffee klatch. Again Rudy was suspicious at first, but warmed up nicely to everyone.
Nancy is going to come almost every day to see Rudy!
Scritch-scratching Rudy’s noggin makes Charlie think even more about getting a kitty for himself!
Rudy warms up the most to Nancy.
They were so nice! Rudy misses them already.
Lily and Peter stopped by to see/meet Rudy.
Lily, who is 13 now, kept her distance from the lively puppy.
Rudy yips in frustration! He wants to play.
In a 'nose to nose' first meet . . .
First Lily is a little shy . . .
. . . then Rudy is not so sure.
Where did Lilly go . . . I was just getting to know her. Come back often!!
Rick and MJ have nice neighbors who let them harvest from their garden when they are away. MJ and Rudy took a little walk, with Rudy in a front-pack, to harvest lettuce and rhubarb. Carrying Rudy like this limits his exposure to diseases for which he has not yet received vaccinations.
Rudy is not so sure about the garden, so he parks himself a ways away in the yard.
The shady rhubarb patch is more to his liking. He is a big helper!
Back at home, he stretches out in his favorite spot, especially on his back!!
MJ saw a great soft ball that was fabric-covered, and brought it home for Rudy.
Rudy was so excited about his new toy. He lost his innocence with the soccer ball . . . and he is only 9 weeks old!!!
Rudy is the fifth WoHu family pet to use the services of Animal Hospital of Verona. AHOV is still following COVID protocols, and MJ waited in the car while Rudy had his first examination.
Dr. Chris reported that Rudy did great! He said Rudy was very calm and very curious And very nice!
Ron and Signe are dear friends. They have known all our collies. Today they got to know Rudy! He warmed up to them quickly.
. . . and they brought Rudy a new toy!!
Rudy started out the weekend by helping with a few home chores, including helping emJay hang out some wash. He was not quite familar with the processs and kept pulling wet items out of the basket and running around with them!!
emJay's friend, and former work partner, Gail, stopped by to meet Rudy. Gail biked over . . .
. . . and taught Rudy to drink out of a water bottle!!!
Soon it was time to cook emJay's 29th birthday dinner. emJay did the weekly shopping this week, layed out the menu, bought the items and because she is the family 'grill meister', did the grilling. Of course, Rudy was interested in things and wanted to help.
After martinis, we 'pescatarians' enjoyed grilled leaks, miso grilled potatoes, grilled asparagus and grilled salmon served with a nice rosemary-mustard sauce. (Rick did do the prep).
Once our tummies had settled a bit, it was time for the 'Hummingbird Cake' Rick had made. (Just the frosting has 7.5 cups of powdered sugar, 2 sticks of butter and 2 packages of cream cheese)
emJay ready to do the dishing . . .
. . . it was too rich for Rudy's little tummy so he spent the time contemplating the 'vegetarian lifestyle', with a carrot, Rick has been teaching him about. Never to young 'little grasshooper' to learn good eating habits!!!
Soon it was 5:30am and time to get up . . . very quiet in the house when emJay and Rudy are still fast a sleep . . .
. . . . lots of dishes to put away. This is the over flow that woudld not fit into the dishwasher the night before!!!
Soon it was time to head out into the yard and here came Peter, with Lily, and Rob and Lynn all out walking and enjoying the beautiful morning.
Soon Ralphie stopped by to meet Rudy . . .
. . . Ralphie is a sweet pup. I think here his expression may read something like, 'What? Not another puppy to train!!!'
emJay and Rudy headed over to Ron and Signes in the afternoon to get another large kennel we are borrowing for Rudy. Of course, he has to check things out there.
. . . in the evening, neighbors Pam and Terry stopped by to meet Rudy and have a piece of birthday cake. He didnt want to be held during this photo!!!
. . . After a VERY BUSY day it was finally time for bed. But not before brushing ones teeth!!
emJay spends hours out in the yard gardening, trying to get the 200 native plants she purchased in early spring into the ground with help from Rudy . . .
. . . who follows her around the yard like a magnet and always finds something to chew!!
Today, Janet stopped by with Milo to meet Rudy . . .
Milo and Rudy seemed to hit it off and luckily Janet had enough snacks along for both pups.
Soon Laurinda and Heidi, who were riding home from a ride to downtown Madison, stopped to meet Rudy. Laurinda's dog Olive, who has just passed, was best buddies with our prior dog, Daisy. She is on the wait list a new lab puppy so the cycle of puppy friendship is bound to continue!!
Cathy, Rudy's breeder, suggested we take Rudy to large public places, like Home Depot or Lowes, where there was a mix of noise, people and commotion to get him used to environments other than our home. Today Rudy went to 'Tabby and Jacks', the local doggy store, so he could pick out a little present for Trekker who he and emJay were going to visit. He was frustrated by the COVID screen between the staff and customers . . .
. . . so he did what any puppy would do, go under it in order to give the clerk a nice puppy kiss!!
Once at Nancy, Bob and Trekker's home the two pups got to know each other outdoors, sharing new toys and sniffs . . .
. . . but what really brought them together was the snacks that Nancy served them at the little party!!
This evening Johnny came by his with two year old standard poodle named Ranger . . . who is tall enough that Rudy could walk right under him.
. . . despite Ranger's size, Rudy was not intimidated. No rolling over on his belly.
Soon Michele and her pup Lucy came over to visit too. The two got on fabulously
. . . and, as you can see, both Michele and emJay got the memo on today's dog walking colors!!!
emJay decided today to take Rudy on a field trip over to Lynne and Rob's to meet Mr. Teddy and Sammy-Sam. Oh . . . and they were all quite obedient . . .
. . . when Lynne appeared with COOKIES!!!
Everybody waited their turn and Mr Teddy (a sable collie) was very sweet when meeting Rudy for the first time.
Sammy-Sam was a little more 'vocal' (snarling) when she had to share treats with this new unknown puppy named Rudy. As you can see Rudy wasn't phased in the least and seems to be saying, 'What nice teeth you have!!
Today was fun! We got to see Lily and her sitter, Matt. Lily is more tolerant of puppy Rudy now. Perhaps he has better manners?
The big adventure was his first puppy class. Rudy is the youngest in the class. This little cocker was a little shy, and about his size.
Rudy sits on his mat and awaits instructions!
Suki was shy at first and then got really rambunctious! Rudy needed to take a break from her. But it was fun!
Today Rudy had a fun field trip to MJ’s friend Jean’s house. He enjoyed exploring the garden!
He especially liked Jean’s Easter Island-like head sculpture! Right here in Wisconsin.
And as we left Jean’s house we spotted two collies! Erin lives in the neighborhood, and her family has adopted several collies from the WI-MN Collie Rescue organization. Winnie, the tri-color on the left, has been with the family just a few months. Charlie is the sable on the right. Rudy was excited to see some of his own kind!
This morning we started to take the weekly photos of Rudy to show, over time, how fast he grows . . .
. . . lean and mean!!
Time for a little yoga in the bck yard!!! Click photo to see video.
To celebrate the 4th, we walked to our neighbor’s house to meet Sonny . . .
. . . and Windy!
Then we had a little yard party with Janet and her family. Rudy was a big hit!
On July 5 we had our second puppy class. Here instructor David manages play time!
July 6 Rudy had his second puppy visit to the vet. “What’s going on, MJ?”
Dr. Chris checks Rudy out. All is well!
On Thursday emjay and Rudy ran across Kit and her wonderful collie Oliver.
Our neighbor Dennis took a great photo of MJ, Kit, Rudy and Oliver.
At home, Rudy took a nap on his new handmade snuffle mat.
The next day, on a walk, we stopped to visit Lily in her yard.
Rudy wanted to hear all about Lily’s meet up with Dennis’ new puppy!
What a cutie!!!
On Saturday morning, who should we see on our walk but the puppy, and Dennis, and his neighbors Richard and Ryan!
Rudy and the yet-to-be-named puppy had a great game of tag and tussle! They are only a week apart in age so we think they will be great friends.
Kelly the golden retriever along with his people Jan and Sandy stopped by for an afternoon visit. Rudy is making all kinds of friends.
On Sunday he got to meet Kamukta, a handsome malamute. Rudy was happy to show him our lawn ornaments!
Little boy, big boy!
Our beloved Kali the collie loved shaking her snake snake! And snuggling with it too. We used to tell her to do a 'Shake shake with the Snake snake' and she would happyily run around the inside of the house shaking the snake.
MJ had left over fleece fabric from making Rudy's snuffle mat. So she made Rudy a little toy snake out of the leftovers. He likes it! His predecessor Kali loved shaking her snake snake!
We checked in with Cathy to see how the rest of Rudy's family is doing. Here are two of his sisters! You can see how their ears are being trained.
Rudy's ears are doing their own thing! It seems they are different everyday.
Puppy class on Monday night was fun. All the puppies spent time barking together in response to sirens outside. Here at playtime Rudy did a little dance with Leroy the English cocker spaniel!
On Thursday we went for Rudy's biggest walk yet, through the neighborhood and back on the bike path. He met Lark the beagle and Maggie the basset along with owner Jerry.
Lots of sniffing and woofing ensued!
Then it was time for a big, big nap.
Rudy doing his homework from Puppy Class!!
Thursday afternoon we paid a visit to Rudy's new best friend Charlie.
The pups tussled in the yard for quite some time.
Then it was time to pose on the porch and talk about their play and the future that lies ahead of them!
Rudy and MJ are now going for walks twice a day, in the morning and then again in the afternoon. We always find something new! Sunday was Rudy's first visit to the prairie we call The Wilds of Harlan Hills.
Rudy observes the leafy green suburbs.
On Sunday, Rudy's walk included exploring his first playground equipment!
On our Monday morning walk we ran into our friend Tom. We first met him several weeks ago. Rudy was happy to see him!
May and EmJay decided to coordinate our dog walking outfits from today onward!
Rudy works on his yoga poses.
Rudy decides to check out the fit of Rick's 'Pa Chair' . . . nice!!
emJay bought some new chairs for the front stoop and of course there was some 'assembly required'. Rudy, as a 'Curious Collie' . . .
. . . was very intersted and kept 'helping out' by grabbing the tools.
As my Grandma Sophie would have said, "He's a little mechanic"
Rudy started out the week by meeting, Frank . . .
. . . and they became fast friends!
At play time he enjoyed scuffling with Suki!
Rudy's third visit to the Vet for more shots . . . waiting
. . . oh, I can hear Dr Chris coming down the hall, that means treats!!!
oday was a bittersweet visit. It was great to see Dr. Chris, but we learned that he is leaving the practice in a week. It sounds like a good change for him, but we will miss him terribly. He has been a wonderful caregiver for our animals and good friend to us humans. Here Dr. Chris introduces a visiting vet to Rudy.
Then we went for an outing to visit our good friends Tom and Shaila and their daughter Ann. Due to Rudy's car sickness, he gets the primo front passenger seat!
There were fun things at their house like this cool sculpture! This was Rudy's first official sculpture viewing. . .
. . . although at first he thought it was a big dog and when it did not respond to his play bows, he lost interest.
But the most fun was visiting Tom's studio! Tom has a weekly show radio show on WLHA radio, just like the one he did in college nearly seventy years ago! He plays great tunes from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Check it out, Saturdays at 1:00 Central time!
Rudy thought he was the dog, Nipper, in the old Vicor Talking Machine Co ads.
Rudy always likes to stop along his twice a day walks with emJay and 'smell the roses' (or whatever is ever growing!!).
Rudy's 'Puppy Kindergarten' graduation diploma arrived in the mail today and he wanted us to frame it right away and insisted on posing for a graduation portrait with emJay, his trainer and most favorite person . . .
. . . and, of course he wanted it hung in his kennel, where he will dream about the upcoming Agility Classes!!!
Rudy loves to explore and thinks he is part goat as he climbed this mountain . . .
. . . where he thought he would hang for a while and enjoy the view from the top!! (its all relative when you are only 20 inches tall)
Rudy is stil getting used to new things and right now still has a thing for bikes (read: barks at bikes). Here Rick and neighbor Johnny were leaving for a ride and Rudy had to sound off 'double time' !!!
Rudy went exploring again today and met sweet Golden named, Charlie
. . . they went exploring in a nearby stream.
Rudy's first exposure to flowing water . . . he doesn't seem to have any retriever in him1!!
Rudy started his week by joining the Premier midwest Madison Bike and Bowl Team on their weekly hike.
He accepted the group of guys right away. In fact, he was the leader of the pack most of the time!
When Mary and Rick went off on a woodland path, he stayed with them.
Rudy helps everyone figure out where we are and where we are going!
But he got hot and was thirsty so he enjoyed drinking out of MJ's water bottle.
The trip got kind of long and the little guy laid down on the path to rest. Rick carried him back to the car, about a quarter of a mile. He is getting so big!
MJ gets Rudy situated in the front seat for their drive back home. Luckily he did not throw up due to motion sickness on the way home!!
Rudy plays lifeguard at the local pond making sure the ducks and geese don't have any issues!!!
Rudy likes to stand on our bed and look at himself in the dresser mirror. His ears have not been cooperating in developing the typical 'collie half bend'. So . . . to prevent him from having an identity crisis by continuing to see himself with 'bunny ears' emjay is administeriing the 'Japanese Tape' method of training the ears. Here is phase one . . .
Neighbor Nancy stopped by to visit Rudy and of course had a few treats . . .
. . . . for which he thanked her with a few snuggles and kisses . . .
. . . and their bond was cemented forever!!!!!
Soon it was time for Rudy's mid afternoon nap with all his toys surrounding him!!!
On Satruday morning's walk Rudy and Lilly welcomed Henry (1 1/2 year old Golden Retriever),Luke, and Rorykate to the neigbordood!!!
. . . they have only been residents for 48 hours!!!
Rudy stopped by Charlies house for a little wrestling out on the front lawn.
One year ago today, emJay made a a nice little doggy pillow for our dear pup Daisy. She enjoyed napping on the pillow . . . and now Rudy has taken on that poochy duty!!!
On Monday Rudy met the glamorous yet edgy Miss Stevie Nicks and her people, next door in the park! Stevie is 7 months old and Rudy was quite taken with her. They romped around and made plans for a future play date.!!!
The owner had a pup when she was a child named Carly, after Carly Simon, so it only seemed right this happy girls named should be Stevie Nicks. She only uses the poochys full name, Stevie Nick's, when she is naughty!!!
Rudy made his last trip to the vet for a while . . .
. . . and had some misgivings as he awaited his Rabies shot . . .
. . . the 'hang dog' routine didn't work though, he got the shot! Elana, the vet tech, said he may limp a bit due the the shot reaction and seem lethargic for a day or two. But . . . he got his medal Rabies tag and is proudly wearing it!!!
Rudy shows off his new blue Rabies tag with pride. He is now safe to play with all puppies . . . and it goes so well with the new scarf he received from Siggy and Ron . . .
. . . and he loves the new 'kong ball' he recieved from our neighbors.
The little pup has grown into a teenager, VERY quickly. Here he stands next to the crate we brought him home in 10 weeks ago!!!
On this mornings walk emJay ran into Phil and his beautiful tri color collie, Olly. The poochies seem to know they were related. Olly the Collie . . . Fun!!
Soon it was time for emJay to head out a ride with friend Gail. Rudy thought she might have a cookie for him . . .
. . . . and tried to perform for a treat. Pups just have such a hard time dancing a soft paw (shoe) routine!!
Rudy is VERY trainable and emJay had him responding to the 'Table' command today . . . now if we could just train his ears!!!
Rudy met Remy this week . . .
. . . who may have had some misgivings reagrding new puppy play time!!
Puppy Class 2 started this week and Rudy quickly became friends with Percy, an Australian Shepherd, the same age as Rudy
At school, Rudy tosseled with is old buddy Leroy, whom he met in Puppy Class 1!!!
emJay's college, and life long friend Lynn, visited for three days this week. The two have been getting togther, once or twice a year for a little holiday, since they graduated from Grinnell. This vist Lynn met the new puppy, Rudy!!
On Friday morning Rudy visited the Sunnyside dog park for the first time. It is a small dog park. He checked out the trails and got to know some of the quieter dogs.
Then MJ and Rudy went into the smaller area reserved for puppies and timid dogs.
We had a blast there playing with Nova the 10-week-old black labrador puppy. Nova was there with her doggy siblings Violet and Bentley. Then an energetic little dog named Lily came by and ran circles around all of them!
Eventually we were joined by Olive the beautiful German Shepherd and her owner. MJ and Olive's owner recognized each other from this week's puppy class!
Rudy's ears 'in training' with the Collie half bend, using special Japanese adhesive tape!!
Oh . . . and just like a toddler, everything goes in the mouth . . .
. . . and you need to keep an eye on him every minute. If, for more than a minute or two, you don't hear him rustling around, you need to go see what he is up to!!
At puppy class, Julie the instructor, uses Rudy to demonstrate 'leave it' . . .
. . . although he wanted to jump up on her because of all her yummy treats!!
The week started great with a nice salmon, bean and sweet corn dinner at neighbors Diana and Johns home . . . .
. . . where Ranger and Rudy wanted a few treats too. Ranger is so tall that, at 4 months old, Rudy can still walk under Ranger's tummy!!!
Quite a Monday morning in the hood. The humidity and temps have moderated and all the doggis are out. On our walk this morning first we ran into our puppy friend Charlie. Rudy and Charlie roughed housed. Then along came Frankie with her owners. We had not met Frankie before.
Farther along in the park, everyone came together. Bernie The old English sheepdog came by with his people. Then along came Lily and Peter. Lastly we were joined by another Frankie, a Welsh Corgi. Lots of sniffs!!!
Peter became the leader of the pack with Lily, Charlie, Rudy and Bernie and as part of the group!!!
Signe stopped by for a little chat and Rudy was happy to have a nice snack with her.
Then it was off to his second trip to the Sunnyside dog park. He met mostly nice and fun dogs today . . .
. . . leading with his tummy, he decided to join these two guys who had treats!!!
Rudy was happy to meet another collie, Buddy.
Today was Rudy's first stay at a doggy day care . . .
. . . where right out of the car he met a new friend, a young poodle named Fifi!!!
After running around outside for a couple of hours everyone gathered in the 'rumpus room' for drinks and snacks . . .
. . . until he heard emJay's car coming down the driveway and everyone ran outside to say Hello. He slept all the way home!!!
Bob stopped by with Trekker today and had some treats along . . . soon he was the 'talk of the town' in doggy world and of course Rudy zeroed right into the snack bag.
. . . in the end, it was puppy party with Lilly, Appa, Buddha, Trekker and Rudy attending!!!
Rudy and his new buddy Cooper met up at the Prairie Moraine Park. It was fun walking with MJ and Janet.
At one point Rudy accidentally wandered off with another dog and his guy. Rudy was thrilled to reunite with his girls and Cooper!!!
Rudy explored the hood today by checking out some of the biking trails. . .
. . . until he got a message from Lily that she and Peter were at a neighborhhod yard sale and there were some great doggy toys!!!
Recently six of the families that got puppies from the same litter compared pictures and notes on our growing collie pups!
This is Rudy's sister Rory. Family resemblance I'd say!
This perky girl is Sweet Lou.
This is Willow, the only rough collie in the litter, with her big brother Oakley.
This is Titus, a blue merle puppy. He was one of only three boys in the litter!
And here is pretty Chloe!
On Labor Day Rudy got his first bath at his new home. Since it was so nice outside, we bathed in the front yard! Here Rudy oversees the water mixing process making sure the temperature is just right!
Here comes the shampoo, a gentle oatmeal formula!
Scrub-a-dub! Rudy was a good sport.
This week Rudy discovered the joys of shoe shopping at a dog-friendly mall! He kept checking himself out in the mirrors!
The saleswoman has a blue heeler and she thought Rudy was a pretty swell pup! She sold MJ a pair of walking shoes so everyone was happy.
Rudy attended his last puppy class of Puppy Class II. Rudy was excited because he got to play with his classmates Percy, Oreo and Olive!!
Rudy meets Russell, a 4-month-old old English sheepdog puppy.
Russell is the nephew of Bernie the sheepdog!
Rudy goes to Home Depot and enjoyed checking out the pumpkin display outdoors.
Rudy looks like he's trying to get a job as a greeter at home Depot!
Rudy insisted on trying out the equipment. 'Isn't this thing supposed to go UP!!'
Rudy inspects the grills because his people need a new one!
Rudy explored the prairie dog park in Verona.
He had fun playing with Mamba, a bluish colored pittie mix.
Mamba was a puppy too, very solid!
Rudy checked out the little library but there was nothing about puppies so he lost interest quickly.
Rudy enjoyed the rich colors of the prairie in Autumn.
The colors match his coat!
Last night Rudy chased a chipmunk, and pulled over the little concrete lamb lawn ornament that his tie out was attached to.
Today, he shows no remorse for destroying the little lamb
Rudy loves the playground equipment in the local park, mainly because he gets treats for going 'Up-Up'. He does think he is captain of the ship!!
Lynne and Rob were in the park this morning with their gang that now includes young Rocky, a 11 week old Shelty. Rudy didn't seem to know about Lynn's 'bag of goodies' and seemed disinterested . . .
. . . until Sammy drew his interest . . .
. . . and then EVERYONE came to attention!!!
Rudy certainly likes the cooler temps on his twice daily walks and the lovely Fall colors beginning to appear.
. . . and he certainly loves his morning 1 hour walk
. . . sniffing everythng along the way. With the overnight rain everything was wet and his nose got wet spots on it from rooting around!!
Rudy is not sure what to think of this witch stuck in a tree!
. . . and she doesn't smell very good either!!
In the fisheries and conservation world the way culverts are situated on the land is very important for wildlife.
Inspector Rudy has approved the construction of this culvert near his home. The water is able to flow through and does not leave fish or insects stranded.
. . . my work is done here!
Today's docket included inspecting the bridge over the major bike trail intersection.
. . . OK, what's next??
Then Rudy inspected the new trail junction area. He was a little nervous about all the increased activity in the area of bikers rollerbladers and joggers.
On our Tuesday morning walk, Rudy observed the comings and goings at the bicycle roundabout.
He greeted the Slow Riders, a group of about 10 guys who take nice rides on Tuesdays!
Today Rudy conducted late season frog and insect surveys at the pond.
He also did water quality sampling in the stream.
On Friday he ran into his buddy Dug. Rudy and Dug were thrilled to see each other and tussled like the puppies that they are. Then they helped a group of middle-aged ladies reunite a hiker with her lost telephone. All in a day's work for Inspector Rudy!
. . . of course there was also his afternoon nap that included his favorite pillow made by that Mary!
Rudy is back at puppy school . . . and is happy to see his favorite trainer Julie again!
. . . Hey, when is it my turn?????
Lots of fun in the park this morning
. . . where it all eventually just becomes one big ball of fur!!!
Rudy has a new life experience this week. He got an eye infection. Happily we got into the vet quickly and he is being treated. The vet wanted him to wear a cone so he couldn't scratch his eyes.
He was very sad the first night but now he has adjusted to the cone of shame. It doesn't keep him from watching the birds and squirrels in the yard!
Rudy had a great time stopping over at Trekkers's house for a nice visit on a recent walk.
At class today, Rudy was taechers pet and used in several demos.
Rudy is coached on how to do a remote down and remote sit by trainer Julie.
Rudy celebrated Halloween at his buddy Ranger's house. By the end of the night they were both exhausted. Ranger is so tall that Rudy can still slip under his tummy when they wrestle around!!
We were in Mpls for a quick 3 day trip and Rudy went to the puptel. He was very happy when emJay picked him, upon our return, and said goodbye to his fellow kennel mate . . .
. . . and Louisa, until his next happy stay!!!
Rudy experiences his first snow fall . . .
. . . and although it was only a skiff, he liked eating it!!
emJay is working on a special felted pillow with an image of Rudy on it. This is the pattern . . . so far.
Good walk today as Rudy tied up with Charlie and Lillie.
After a good workout he slept the rest of the morning!!
Rudy tied up with his old (young) buddy Archie today . . .
. . . it was only a couple of months ago that Rudy was this small. Oh, and those puppies are curious!!!
On Wednesday emJay went for a walk with another retired TNC buddy, Gail. Of course Rudy had to go along . . .
. . . and was happy to become reaquainted with Gail.
After a 3 hour hike it was time for Rudy's favorite 'post exercise activity'!!
A big end of the week for Rudy as he graduates from Puppy2, at the head of his class. On to Agility training!!!
Sunday means it's Agility Class time!, Rudy's new acivity. He gets board watching the othr dogs . . .
. . .so he chews on his kong stuffed with yummy munchies.
But hey, I've waited long enough. When is it my turn!!!
Rudy loves to look at the Christmas decorations going up around the neighborhood while out on his twice a day walks . . .
. . . but he REALLY likes the one in Bernie's, the Old English Sheepdog, yard and now wants a similar Collie blowup for our yard. He keeps bringing emJy's tablet over to her . . . Does he know about Amazon???
Rudy had his first 'sleepover' this week for two days as he spent time with our friends Signe and Ron. He went over two days before to visit and get the 'lay of the land'. When it came time to drop him off, he just trotted into the house like he owned the place. He spent a lot of time 'on patrol' making sure the perimeters of the yard were secure!!
. . . but also took in some recreational time watching the hockey game with Ron . . .
. . . but the game wore him out and soon he was tired and felt right at home stretching out on the couch!!!
Rudy went on his first hunt today as he explored the Wilds . . .
. . . and ended up catching a vole, who probably didn't make it :(
After he returned home he enjoyed chewing on his new favorite stick, as he contemplated the success of his hunt.!!!
Rudy still enjoys all the inflatable Holiday decoration around the hood . . .
. . . and since he has been such a good pup, he hope Santas brings him some yummy treats!
Speaking of treats, Rudy had to check out his 'kill' from several days ago . . .
. . . he is quite proud of his efforts to help control the neighborhood varmit population!!!
Rudy made tracks down to the post office early this week to get his holiday cards out to all his buddies.
. . . and with the cooler weather he has grown accustomed to napping with a blanket . . .
. . . Rudy and Rick have become known around the 'hood as 'The Men of the Serape'!!
And . . . the big news is Rudy graduated from Puppy Agility 1. See the video above of his final test!!
Rudy accompanied the neighborhood gang on our annual winter solstice hike and barbeque. He spent most of the hike running back and forth between our two groups of hikers (faster & slower) trying to 'herd’ everyone back together. Oh, and barking about his displeasure too. Thought we were a bunch of sheep! At the fire he spent most of his time on 'patrol' protecting us from the elements of nature including watching the flocks of geese and swans returning to the park for the night.(He did fail protecting us from the temps though because it was about 25 degrees with a pretty stiff wind). A hot fire, hot brandy cider, hot chili and yummy Christmas cookies eased the pain.!!
New Chrismas blows up are literally 'popping up' everyday and Rudy never tires of checking themout on his twice a day walks with emJay . . .
. . . he did have little issue with this set up of Santa coming out of an outhouse. What must go on in his little brain!!!
Being the holiday season, Rudy reached out to some of his siblings that have scattered throughout out US . . . here is Kathy, and her daugthers. Rory, Rudy's sister, is on the left and Rudy's mother, Wonder is on the right!!
His sister, Willow, lives in Flordia and enjoys the warm weather . . .
. . . and time at the beach!!!
Rudy's sister, Icy, is the smoothie on the left . . .
Rudy and emJay ran into Matt today who was walking Lilly and Dottie Mae.
Rudy told them all about the presents he received for Christmas . . .
. . and how much he enjoyed opening the variety pack for our friend, Quinn.
emJay enjoyed opening the variety pack she received from Quinn, too. Bottoms up!!
Being the holiday season, Rudy reached out to some of his siblings that have scattered throughout out US . . . here is Kathy, and her daugthers. Rory, Rudy's sister, is on the left and Rudy's mother, Wonder is on the right!!
His sister, Willow, lives in Flordia and enjoys the warm weather . . .
. . . and time at the beach!!!
Rudy's sister, Icy, is the smoothie on the left . . .
Rudy and emJay ran into Matt today who was walking Lilly and Dottie Mae.
Rudy told them all about the presents he received for Christmas . . .
. . and how much he enjoyed opening the variety pack for our friend, Quinn.
emJay enjoyed opening the variety pack she received from Quinn, too. Bottoms up!!
Snow and ice have come to the midwest but that has not stopped Rudy from his twice a day walks. The ice has caused his 'baby soft paws' to be cut and bleed, leaving behind a blood trail in the snow as he races around. So . . . he inherited Daisy's winter booties . . .
. . . which he is not quite sure of. Either the style or fit are just not right.
After owning two pups you think we would have known about Musher's Wax, but we didn't! Every dog owner in the hood has since recommended it, especially the Original 'Secret' ingrediant version, not some imitation. No more booties . . . the wax is a miracle drug!!!
Rudy is very perceptive of changes in the neigborhood and is always interested . . . as in watching this buckthorn removal process going on along his favoirite path.
He also seems to bark at EVERYTHING outside the house . . . but surprisingly he is contented enough to not bark at the squirrels feeding at the bird feeder 6 feet outside the front window. He spends LOTS of time watching them!!
Rudy continues his outside advenures, experiencing -3 degree temps for the first time . . .
. . . it doesn't seem to bother him. He picks the route and emJay follows!!!
Afterwards half of the 'Men of the Sarape' enjoys a nice nap . . .
. . . but is soon joined by a Sarape wanna-be. He and I had a meeting and decided to diversify our 'men only club'. We have rebranded it, 'The Sarape Family'!!
. . . Rudy, on the right, looks alot like his sister Rory, on the left. AND they both have similar afternoon habits . . . naps!!
Rudy's favorite play group Russell and Dug get together what seems like, at least once a day . . .
. . . for some 'rumble and tumble. A nap is always in order after the walk!!
Signe has loaned us three types of winter boots her pups used during the years . . . so far they have all come off Rudy's feet, usually before he even leaves the yard!!
Oh, as the usual gang of puppies and owners come together everyday out on the trail, the owners catch up on what is new . . . and so do the puppies. Although it looks like Yaeger may have a hard time believing Rudy's tales!!
Rudy is always sad to see someone go by that he is not out walking with. Here Dennis and Charlie head home after a big walk.
Rudy has continued to be the star among the eight poochies in his Obedience II class. The teacher often uses him as a particpant in the activity she is teaching. He seems to be willing to do anything for . . . a cookie!!
Rudy and Rick had a hard day today and decided to take a little 'puppy nap' after dinner . . .
. . . in spite of the Green Bay Packers playing in 6 degree weather at 7:30pm. We were warm and snuggly!!
At least one of the WoHu's was excited about the game, even though GB lost!!
Rudy and Dug have learned a new game . . . Hide and Seek. Dug is much better at hiding because of his small size!!!
Today it was time for Rudy to go into the vet for a checkup. Good news, he only weighs 57 pounds! He is always curious, while waiting in the examination room, what all the noises are going on behind the door in the corridor . . .
Soon the staff arrived and explained to him what was going to happen today. He is always very attentive and a good listener . . .
. . . although getting a blood draw from his juglar vein may have been beyond his medical knowledge. But getting a cookie after it was all over was worth it!!!
Rudy started out the month of February the right way with a three and half hour walk in a county park with emJay and Gail . . .
. . . after which he came home, chewed on a new bone, layed on his snuffle rug and had his road killed chipmunk close by in case he got bored with his new bone. No problem though, after 15 minutes he fell to sleep and slept fo three hours!!!
Nice weather intown this week and Rudy spent a lot of time out with his puppy friends. Here he heads off across the frozen tundra with Dug . . .
. . . and they had a big time along the way
Later that day he ran into Russell and Charlie and the 'Boys of Winter' had big fun!!
On the way home he met up with fellow collie, Oliver. Gee . . . do you think they are both ready for a snack???
Rudy trots back to emJay after saying goodbye to Dottie May who has been visiting Peter, and his puppy Lilly, for the past several weeks. She's on her way back to Milwaukee . . . big city girl!!
It was the BIG game last night and Rudy was more interested in the Super Bowl, rather than the Puppy Bowl on the Animal Planet station. He didn't understand though why these grown men ran around trying to catch a ball and when they did, they didn't even get a cookie!!!
Rudy and the pack this morning. His buddies, Kelly, Opa, Charlie and Russell were all there. Charlie was bound and determined to get a cookie out of emJay's coat pocket. 12°F outside ... almost balmy!!!
Rudy ia a teennge boy and trying to show his independance, but emJay is tryng to tame him down a bit by using the 'gentle leader' . . .
. . . it's very effective in keeping him from pulling, but he is not sure it he likes it. Oh, he can still bark with it on!!!
Weather with no wind has led to longer walks and more play time which is something he REALLY enjoys. Time for a nap and a few treats when he gets home. He likes to sleep with his snack bowl, hoping it will magically be full again when he wakes up!!
Rudy loves to go shopping with emJay. Today after their walk they went to a local garden store to buy some bird seed. The staff encouraged emjay to bring in Rudy so she did. Within five minutes, he had lifted his leg on a birdbath display and pee'd!!!
Two days ago Rudy and emJ got caught in a rain storm and came home soaked!!! Today it snowed three inches and out they went . . . Rudy loves to run in the snow. No booties needed today!!
Soon they ran into some of the regular gang . . . Russell (with Sarah), Rocky (with Lynne) and Charlie (with Dennis) . . .
Rudy has been learning to 'yodel' and he sang a few bars for his buddies . . .
. . . which at least got Charlie excited.
. . . and off they went!
During the first week of March Rudy and Mary Jean went to the Verona badger prairie dog Park to take a spin. They immediately hooked up with a nice woman and her granddog Katrina. After about 10 minutes of walking and playing, MJ and Katrina's owner were chatting away. Rudy and Katrina were romping around and ran hard into MJ's knees from the back. Down she went. Resulting in a broken wrist.
Rick and Charlie V. came to save her. MJ spent the day at local clinic, then urgent care and finally to the emergency room.
Yes indeed, the wrist was broken.
Eventually the orthopedic people put her in a contraption to relax her muscles and line up her bones better.
Then they manually did the remainder of the job. She'd had some good painkiller in the region of the break so it did not hurt her at all.
They put on a splint and away she went. Rick did Rudy walking duty for a full week but now MJ is back in the swing of it albeit one handed.
Rudy looking sort of sad about the whole thing???? ( . . . mmmm who is going to walk me now, and give me COOKIES!!)
Even with a broken wrist, emJay has managed to stay busy and is working on a little pillow project of Rudy!!
She needs to refer back to other projects she did in the past for one of Rudy's predecessors, Daisy. He is not too happy about that . . .
. . . and is constantly trying to cover up the old projects with whatever he can find!!!
Rick celebrated a birthday recently. emJay and Rudy were a big part of it. Rudy wrapped all the gifts. He's not too good with wrapping paper though, he likes to tear it up !!
No Tiramisu cake for Rudy!!!
He gave Rick a special card thanking him for snuggling him, walking him and letting him sit on his ottoman.
He also presented Rick with an industrial sized 'stick' he carried home as a gift while out on a walkabout with emJay!
While 'helping' emJ clean her bathroom, one Saturday morning, Rudy slipped on the tile floor and now will not walk on hardwood floors, tile or laminate. Outside he is OK cement and asphalt but NO hard surfaces inside the house . . .
. . . so since half of our house has that type of flooring, we have layed down towels, blankets, yoga mats, etc. to create paths for him to walk around the house on the hard surfaces. Our vet said there could be some EXPENSIVE therapy needed in the future!!! We are trying our own method of leading him onto the hard surfaced floors by using treats. Inch by inch!!!
Oh, it may be April 8th here but that doesn't mean it is too warm to snow. Today Susan, emJ, Dug and Rudy had what we hope is the last playtime of the year in snow until maybe . . . December???
Rudy picked the route today and blasted a new trail to the city's splash pad . . .
. . . where he quickly became bored with all the animals who would not bark back or want to play like Dug does!!
Today was Rudy's first birthday, so of course we had to have a party. It only involved presents though, and no treats, becaue he was so excited out his brthday he had a tummy ache . . .
. . . but he was HAPPY to wear the birthday hat emJay had made him!!!
Soon it was time for him to open his eight gifts that Mary had so 'festivley' wrapped . . .
. . . one by one he worked his way through them all . . .
. . . . tearing the paper open just as you would expect a one year old to do!!!
Exhausted from all the excitement he asked, Is that all there is?' . . .
No, there was one more!!
He has another 'event' coming up soon, a trip to the vet for his neutering! We don't think it can happen soon enough!!! Hopefully it will slow him down a little. He is wearing us out!!! Dennis loaned us a furry collar which can be worn after the surgery instead of his regular plastic 'Cone of Shame' . . .
. . . he doesn't seem to mind this version as much, compared to the plastic one. More to come on this issue . . .
One last snow fall, HOPEFULLY, for this year and of course Rudy had to check out the tracks in the back yard . . .
. . . and the nearby park.
Out on his daily patrol . . .
. . he ran in to his old buddy, Dug, who he romped with for the last time for several weeks. Tomorrow he goes in for the 'procedure!' He will come home a new man!!!
Rudy went into he vet at 7:15am, had his 'procedure' and was ready to come home by 3:00pm! He woke to still having a fear of slippery floors and here the vet techs were putting down towels in order for him to be brave enough to walk across the shiny, slippery floors . . .
. . . he seemed to be happy to leave and head back home!! Although he stilled seemed a little 'dazed'.
It was also a big day for emJay, mid month, when her plaster cast came off . . .
. . . though her forearm still looks a little swollen. Wearing a velcro cast for another two weeks and some PT should help!!
On the few nice days we have had this spring Rudy likes to spend his extra time chewing on his treasure trove of sticks he brings home from his walk abouts.
AT&T is putting in optical fiber throughout the hood and Rudy has been VERY intested in all the machinery, almost as much as the three young boys who live next door!! He likes to look into the holes they are digging to see if there is anything intersted to be found.
With his cone gone for good, Rudy was happy to re-unite with his buddy Dug for some renewed 'wrasslin around"!
Spring means it's time to put the bird baths out and Rudy helped fill the four that we have placed around the yard . . . he likes to sit in the front window and watch the birds splash around.
. . . and the AT&T crew was still directionally drilling in the new fiber optic cable. Rudy was busy supervising the project and interested in what they dug up during the install.
emJay headed to Mpls for a visit with her friend Lynn so Rudy and Rick were bachelors for 4 days. Rudy accompanied Rick on the Monday morning hike, herding the pack of 20 hikers along the trail . . .
. . . even so, he kept asking "When is Mary coming home?"
Soon she was on the AMTRAK train heading home . . .
. . . where Rudy excitedly awaited her return.
Of course he picked her right out of the crowd . . .
and started a healthy Welcome Home Woof . . .
That night it was time for emJay and Rick to enjoy a little bourbon and catch up on all the news!!
Everything is in bloom, FINALLY and Rudy likes to check out the redbud and apple trees in the backyard . . .
He also met up with Michelle, Craig and their son who were out for a nice ride Saturday.
Along the way Rudy also stopped for a nice drink at the 'community water bowl' donated by Sandy and Jan . . .
. . . and finally, returning home, he loves to just lay in the front yard and watch the world go by!!
Rudy and Dug had a play date today and spent quite a bit of time wrasslin around . . .
. . . to the point they were both dog-tired. Rudy said, "Hey Dug, Lets get a drink!"
. . and they did!!!
Rudy and emJay went out to Janet's farm today to hike and run with her two dogs, Cooper abd Pip. Hearing he was heading to the country for the, day Rudy practiced 'hiding in the wood's using our front yard birch clump!!
. . . soon they arrived at the farm and of course Cooper and Pip had to check out Rudy in the usual way!!
Rudy, Charlie and Russell met up in the park today for a littl 'trash talkin'. Russell is just our of his two week recovery period from having 'the sugery' and was a little slow to get back in the game
. . . so Rudy reminded him how it was done!!
Rudy meets Harry, the older dog who was Daisy's friend . . .
. . . and also Jack, a younger dog, who is Rudy's age.
Rudy, Ollie, emJay and Heidi went for a walk this morning . . . and of course, after Ollie had a treat Rudy was right there for one too!!!
We heard from Cathy the Vet, who also breeds Collies, that Rudy's mother Wonder, had another litter of puppies this month. Here is one of his half-sisters waiting to go to her new home!!
emJay and Rudy have been spending lots of time in the yard, between all the rain showers we have had, putting in the garden. Digging is a new concept for Rudy . . .
. . . but after watching all the fun Mary Jean was having diggin holes, he decided to help out!!
Rudy headed over to Pam's house with emJay to harvest some extra lettuce Pam had . . .
. . . she is also "grand-sitting' her dog child, also named Rudy!! Here the two Rudy's check each other out . . .
. . . and became good buddies!!
Today if was a 'rough and tumble' session wiith best buddy Russell . . .
. . . but Rudy was much more gentle with a new friend he made, Colby!
It was WashDay Saturday today and Rudy helped emJay hang out the wash to dry . . .
. . . and of course it wasn't long before he started chewing on a clothespin!
It was emJay's birthday this week . . . and she has always loved a nice birthday cake.
. . . so Rudy got her his favorite flavor . . .
. . . Raspberry!!!
He didn't get any of the cake but did get some ice cream!!
Rudy had a nice walk on Sunday and ran into old friends . . . Phil and 'Ollie, the Collie'!
It was a BIG gang today that met on Main Street, USA . . . Lynne with Rocky and Peter with Lady Lilly and his grand dog, Dottie May, whom he was dog sitting for the weekend.
Rudy meets Tommy the Turtle!!!
Rudy's big event for the day was to view the BIG neighborhood 4th of July parade with fire trucks, ambulances, wagons, big wheels and LOTS of kids. All good things to bark at!!
Before the parade, emJay, took the pup for a walk in the Wilds to check on the prairie flowers.
Oh, Rudy loves the flowers too but really loves the cookies he gets every time he poses.
Soon it was time to get a seat on the curb for the big parade . . .
. . . which started on one end of the park and ended at the other end where there were ice cream treats for all the kids, young and old (no ice cream for Rudy!!)
Rudy lookin' for bunnies!!!
Rudy meets Harry, the older dog who was Daisy's friend. Harry is 13.
He also met Jack the younger dog who is Rudy's age.)
. . . time for one more 'table' before we head home . . . now how about a cookie???
Rudy has ALWAYS been very interested in what happens in the kitchen . . .
. . . and thought if he dressed more the part, he might get more samples. Got to quit taking him to COSTCO. He gets to used samples in every aisle!!
Rudy missed his afternoon walk with Mary because she was at a church sponsored bike ride . . . complete with ice cream!!
August means it's time for Rudy's annual 'tune up'!
He can only wait in the exam room so long before all the smells and sounds get him excited . . .
. . . and a little bored.
Soon the vet techs arrive and after the usual shots, prodding, probing AND a nail trim . . .
He passes with flying colors and gets a few 'cookies' as a reward for being such a well behaved patient!
To celebrate his successful exam Rudy help a 'cookie party' out in the park, where kibble was very a welcomed treat . . .
. . . by Russell
and Charlie
and Kelly. Maverick was also present but too camera shy!!
Today would be a new adventure for Rudy . . . bath time!!
He wasn't quite sure what that meant . . . condisdering the store look like any other dog treat warehouse!!!
Oh . . . here is the tub, whatever that is . . .
. . . I see, I just get up inside.
Yikes . . . that water is not warm enough!!! Rub a dub, one collie in a tub!!! (special shampoo for Rudy because he has sensitive skin).
That wasn't too bad, especially because I got a new chew bone. Glad it will only be about once a year for a bath!!!
Rudy gets a Herding Instinct Test!
Trekker Stops by for a little Garden Party
Rudy went to the weekly local farmers market with emJay and seems to be confused . . .
What the hell is that????
Rudy's good dog buddy, Dug, returned from his summe up north and seemed a little shy about Rudy . . .
But soon they were right back to being best buds!!
Oh boy, a new puppy in the hood. A rough coated little sable/merle collie named Abby.
All the puppies in the hood came around to meet her this morning . . .
. . . Rudy is wondering if it is a good thing . . . more competition for treats
. . . . but there is always enough to go around.
Rudy headed to Campbellsport today with emJay to visit her friend Susan and her farm. Ruy got to run the trails on her farm all day. He slept on the back seat of the car all the way home during the 1.5 hour ride!!
The cranes in the hood seem very tame after being around people and dogs all summer. Rudy has become sort of bored with them too and doesn't give a hoot about them being around.
Rudy got to make a new friend today when Trent, Sarah and Diana visted with Luna, the poodle puppy . . .
. . . only four months old, she and Rudy got to know each other.
Rudy did give her a couple of 'friendly nips' on her ears though, just to let her know who was boss!!
Rudy spent all summer tending to the lone pumpkin that grew on the single vine produced from the seeds Mona provided for the annual neighborhhod pumpkin growing contest. See the video below for the results!!!
Rudy, emJay and Rudy's Aunt Signe decided to go for a walk today in one of the local county parks and then out for a little lunch and shopping. Rudy decided to head for woods right away.
Aunt Signe brought along a blaze orange doggie vest for him to wear because it seems like there is some type of hunting season going on at any given time. He took off into the woods anyway and here Signe trying to explain to him dangerous it can be . . .
. . . but he would hear nothing of it . . .
. . . and instead, jumped head first into a babbling brook. The first time he has jumped in water!!!
Rudy took emJay for a walk today in one of our many county parks.
After a good hour of running loose he was tired and decided to rest in the shade . . .
. . . but then walked down to the lake thinking of maybe taking another dip like he did the other day . . .
. . . but he was too tired and just decided to wait for the owner of this craft to take him for a spin on the lake instead!
Lynn, Rock and Abby stopped by today for a visit . . .
. . . . and. oh that Abby is a cutie!!
Oh that Rudy is turning into such a handsome teenager!!!
Time to visit another park and Rudy was REALLY thinking about going for another swim . . .
. . . "should I jump in. . .
. . . should I wade in . . .
. . . water temp seems OK?"
Find out in the video!!!
After all the indecision, it was time to go home and harvest some more veggies before the killing frosts arrive!
Rudy, emJay and Gail went out for a hike today to a local park where there was BIG adventure!!
First Rudy and Gail found the remnant of an old Native American village . . .
. . . and Rudy claimed it for his own, welcoming emJay to his new homestead!!!
. . . Rudy didn't like he waves and told the girls all about it!!!
That night it was time for Rudy's new class, Obedience 2.
He got to know the other pups and recognized LeRoy, a poochie who was in a prior class they both attended.
One of the things they will learn is not to jump up when approching a person. Here Rudy demonstrates the wrong thing to do (which he always does) . . .
. . . and here he learns the right thing to do. Both Rudy and emjay were introduced to the 'clicker' tonight, a small handheld clicker used to get the poochies attention.
Good thing the class was only an hour long because by the time it was over Rudy was worn out and ready for bed after such a BIG day!!
Rudy was the star pupil at class again this afternoon . . .
. . . . and was so tired from school, he had to take a nap when he got home.
Only to be awakened by all the 'trick and treat' activity in the hood. As you can see from his expression by the time it was all over, he had had enough . . . although he was excited about his treat!!
. . . . but did get in one more nap wrapped around his new best buddy, Peter the Pumpkin!!
. . . Rudy seems to be OK with his new buddy Abbie around . . .
. . . . but when Rocky comes around too, there are too many mouths for the available treats!!!
Rudy's first night at class and he looks a little confused!!
Another first, the first snowfall of 2022 . . . lets run!!
Thanksgiving Day meant . . . homemade turkey carcass soup the next day!!
Rudy was VERY interested in the process and got to nache on a few veggies!
Rudy went exploring the creek behind our house . . .
Hey, What's that . . .
. . . something had been here that smells good!!!
The first big snow of the year and Rocky, Dug and Rudy had a big old time . . .
. . . and then Russell came around!!!
Rudy, Gail and emJay had a nice walk out in a county park . . .
. . . where Rudy was VERY interested in all the birds!!!
